Assuming the Nets decide to make a mid-season trade, just what are their best assets? Here's a simple guide to what they have in hand:
--Jeff McInnis salary: $3.6 million. He is owed about $3 million now, the maximum a team can include to sweeten an uneven trade. So the Nets could trade him with $3 million, permitting the acquiring team to take him on without any financial risk...other than possible luxury tax payment.
--Other expiring contracts: Eddie House [$1.4 million], Mikki Moore [$1.07 million], Cliff Robinson [$1.6 million this year plus a $500K buyout option in July]. Vince Carter's contract is NOT expiring. It has an early termination option permitting him to move on.
--a $2.05 million trade exception that expires at the trade deadline: the difference between Marc Jackson's salary and Boki Nachbar's salary last year. Cannot be combined with a player but can be used with a draft choice to acquire a player making less than $2.15 million...value of TE plus $100,000.
--a $719,000 trade exception also from the Jackson & Johnson/Nachbar trade, also expiring at trade deadline. Most useful in picking up someone off waivers...if they make less than $819,000, meaning someone in the league four years or less making vets' minimum money or a rookie taken late in the first round. Not very valuable.
--first round picks in 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, etc.
--second round picks in 2008, 2010. The Net's second round pick in 2007 is owed to the Warriors [Robinson trade] while the second round pick in 2009 is owed to the Sonics [Moore trade].
--$3 million remaining on Mid-Level Exception - $5.2 million minus $1.4 millon paid House and $800,000 paid Mile Ilic. Can be used to sign a free agent for up to five years...but very unlikely a free agent would want a contract that long.
--The $1.75 Low-Level Exception which could be used to sign a free agent for up to two years.
--Draft rights to Christian Drejer. Not likely to get any attention, but can be thrown in if someone has interest.