In the summer of 2010, Dwyane Wade, LeBron James and Chris Bosh accepted slightly less than max salaries to help the Heat fit them all in and save some cash for players like Udonis Haslem and Mike Miller.
Of course, they were also beneficiaries of the old CBA rules that permitted James and Bosh to sign with the Cavaliers and Raptors and be traded to the Heat for draft picks and trade exceptions. In return they got an extra year and bigger raises that more than made up for their decision to take less from the Heat. The quintessential sign-and-trade: everybody got something.
That's one of the rules that no longer exist in the new CBA, as John Schuhmann writes. Sign-and-trades work like free agent signings: no additional year, no bigger raises and, as Schuhmann notes, no incentive for Dwight Howard and the Nets (or the Mavericks) to do a sign-and-trade with the Magic after July 1. Of course, there's the issue of the additional year Howard would lose if he signs with the Nets but as Schuhmann notes, the Nets have leverage too "because Orlando's not getting anything back if they keep Howard past the deadline and he ultimately chooses to play in Brooklyn next season."
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New CBA rules call for careful planning at trade deadline - John Schuhmann - NBA.com