By Bill Simmons
Page 2



Updated: December 18, 2007, 11:49 PM ET


If David Stern stepped to the podium to introduce this column, he'd probably say something like this:

"Hello, everyone, and welcome to America's favorite running column gimmick: Bill Simmons' seventh annual 'Which NBA Player Has The Most Trade Value?' column. We're pleased to announce, for the first time, our league features enough talent that Bill was forced to expand this year's list from 40 players to 50. This is a wonderful sign for the immediate and long-term future of our great league, something that makes me feel better about our sagging attendance figures, the fact we're averaging one late-night shooting incident per month in 2007, and the ongoing humiliation and degradation of our signature franchise ... (dramatic pause) ... the New York Knickerbockers.

GROUND RULES

A quick recap of the rules:

1. Salaries matter. Over this season and the next three, would you rather pay David West $37.9 million or Andrei Kirilenko $63.3 million?


2. Age matters. Would you rather have Rasheed Wallace for the next four seasons or Al Horford for the next 12?


3. Pretend the league passed the following rule: For 24 hours, any player can be traded without cap ramifications. So if Team A tells Team B, "We'll trade you Player X for Player Y," would Team B make the deal or not?


4. Concentrate on degrees. For instance, neither San Antonio nor Orlando would make a Howard-Duncan trade. But at the very least, the Spurs would say, "Wow, Dwight Howard's available?" while the Magic would say, "There's no frickin' way we're trading Dwight Howard." That counts in the big scheme of things.


5. The list runs in reverse order (Nos. 50 to 1). So if Carmelo comes in at No. 14, players 1 through 13 are all players about whom the Nuggets would probably say, "We hate giving up 'Melo, but we definitely have to consider this deal." And they wouldn't trade him straight-up for any player listed between Nos. 15 and 50.





Before we dive into the top 50, let's say goodbye to the 2006-07 incumbents who couldn't crack the 2007-08 list: Boris Diaw (http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/players/profile?statsId=3724) (No. 38 last season) signed a $45 million extension and immediately morphed into the French Tim Thomas (http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/players/profile?statsId=3170). ... We'll deal with Ron Artest (http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/players/profile?statsId=3339) (34) in a second. ... Rip Hamilton (33) peaked two years ago and already has 700-plus games on his odometer.



Click on link to see list with comments

ESPN Page 2 - Simmons: True value (http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=simmons/071218)

:hoops:

Here's where you have to love the "Trade Value" game: Who turns down a Billups-Arenas swap, Wizards GM Ernie Grunfeld or Pistons GM Joe Dumars?

The answer? Both would turn it down even though it's a fairly logical trade for both teams. Detroit increases its ceiling as a team (right now, it's second round and out) and gets a blue-chip scorer and gate attraction to keep up with LeBron in the Central; Washington gets an unselfish winner who makes everyone else better and gives it stability for once.

He's high. Arenas for Billups would increase our ceiling as a team? Cause right now we're 2nd round and out?

Yeah, I'm sure we'd go all the way with Arenas and no point guard (is Arenas even playing anymore?).

He's high. Arenas for Billups would increase our ceiling as a team? Cause right now we're 2nd round and out?

Yeah, I'm sure we'd go all the way with Arenas and no point guard (is Arenas even playing anymore?).


well maybe he's admitting there is the star policy with the league, and that arenas would get the calls that no piston ever gets.... lol

i wouldn't take arenas for half his salary at this point.

He's high. Arenas for Billups would increase our ceiling as a team? Cause right now we're 2nd round and out?

Yeah, I'm sure we'd go all the way with Arenas and no point guard (is Arenas even playing anymore?).

I saw that too. I have never agreed with Simmons assessment of the Pistons, but I think he is on the whole an entertaining NBA writer and does have a good knowledge of a lot of players.

I am not surprised that AJ is off of the list since his playing time has been limited and his touches on offense more so though I am sure that just about every team in the league would grab him in blink of an eyelid if given the opportunity. He has done nothing to diminish his trade value in the very limited on court time he has been given thus far.

It did surprise me a little that Oden is on the list, but I guess that a lot of teams would jump at the chance of obtaining him and his contract despite the fact that because of his physical problems he may wind up making Sam Bowie look like the NBA poster child for a healthy NBA player. LOL
:hoops:

I like Simmons too. But right now he has Celtics fever. The Pistons are in his way and he knows it. He's lashing out by saying that we are 2nd round and out.

I like Simmons too. But right now he has Celtics fever. The Pistons are in his way and he knows it. He's lashing out by saying that we are 2nd round and out.

Celtics fever.

They don't look too intimidating to me. LOL

YouTube - Celtic fever (http://youtube.com/watch?v=WNTqmJtLQ5M)

:hoops:

That's his home team. He's biased and he admits it.

He's a real fan, so I can't blame him.

I saw Mahorn on some sports talk thing the other day and after he inserted the Pistons in the conversation for about the 10th time, one of the other hosts asked him if he was wearing his Pistons boxers.

That's his home team. He's biased and he admits it.

He's a real fan, so I can't blame him.

I saw Mahorn on some sports talk thing the other day and after he inserted the Pistons in the conversation for about the 10th time, one of the other hosts asked him if he was wearing his Pistons boxers.

:lol:

:hoops:

yeah i think simmons is spot on for a lot of NBA analysis, but is on crack for a lot of others. in an earlier chat he said a sheed/maxiell trade for amare would make sense. it seems like he's trying to throw out deals that would make the pistons worse and increase the chances that his celtics make the finals this year.

yeah i think simmons is spot on for a lot of NBA analysis, but is on crack for a lot of others. in an earlier chat he said a sheed/maxiell trade for amare would make sense. it seems like he's trying to throw out deals that would make the pistons worse and increase the chances that his celtics make the finals this year.

:smiley-poker:

That is ESPN for you.

:hoops:

He's high. Arenas for Billups would increase our ceiling as a team? Cause right now we're 2nd round and out?

Yeah, I'm sure we'd go all the way with Arenas and no point guard (is Arenas even playing anymore?).

Maybe Simmons is calling us a 2nd round and out because Chauncey finished the last two seasons choking.

Maybe Simmons is calling us a 2nd round and out because Chauncey finished the last two seasons choking.

:ouch::bs:

:hoops:

The player that has the most trade value is not the best player. Just saw Kobe score his 20,000; definately the best, but any team trading for him is going to give lesser value, a la Garnett.

The best players to trade are those that will give more bang for the buck. The most trade valued players are the up and coming whipper snappers that may be overvalued by their potential new owners. Deron Williams, last years Okur, Chris Paul, Arenas Gilbert, ect.

My money is on Deron Wiliams as getting the biggest return on assets in an NBA trade this year. Though Utah would never trade him.