Billy King: Making the most of other GMs' fears

Three times since he became Nets GM, Billy King has pulled off a deal in which he acquired a big time player (or two) in return for a package of assets that came directly out of the GM's salary dump toolkit: expiring contracts, draft picks, a good young player, and maybe trade exception. In 2011, it was Deron Williams, 2012 Joe Johnson and 2013, Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett. King has been able to convince the GM on the other side of the phone that he can help get him out of a bind, off him a way out. It helps that ownership is willing to put money aside, but bottom line, other than picks (many of them not even the Nets), King has given up little to get a lot.

So far, the biggest asset that's gone the other way for the stars, now aged 29, 31, 35 and 37 is probably Derrick Favors, who despite his promise has yet to start a majority of his team's games. In fact, he started more games as a Net in his rookie year (23) than he has for the Jazz since being traded for D-Will (21). An argument could also be made for Gerald Wallace, but his contract mitigates that.

Who are the others who have been sent out? Including picks that have already been exercised, here's the list:

For Williams: Derrick Favors; Devin Harris (traded for Marvin Williams); two first round picks that became Enes Kanter and part of a larger trade package that got the Jazz Trey Burke.

For Johnson: Jordan Farmar (bought out); Jordan Williams (bought out); Johan Petro (contract expired); Anthony Morrow (traded for Dahntay Jones); DeShawn Stevenson (contract expired); and a first round pick that became part of a larger trade package that got the Hawks Jared Cunningham, Lucas Nogueira and Mike Muscala. The Hawks retain a second round pick in 2017 and the right to swap picks with the Nets in 2014 and 2015. The swap rights for the 2014 pick were sent to Boston in the deal below.

For Pierce, Garnett (and Jason Terry): Kris Humphries, Gerald Wallace, MarShon Brooks, Keith Bogans, Kris Joseph, first round picks in 2014, 2016 and 2018 plus the right to swap first round picks in 2017.

In each case, the GM on the other side of the phone has wanted to deal a highly paid star, either to start rebuilding (Johnson, Pierce and Garnett) or ensure he got something for a star who might leave. In each case, it's led to the classic salary dump.

And that's the way it usually works with stars. There have been a few exceptions but It's rare stars are traded straight up for stars. There's always some extra baggage to balance things and as such trades show, it's often doesn't turn out as good as it looks on paper, at least for one side. Some thought Allen Iverson for Chauncey Billups and Jason Kidd for Stephon Marbury would be win-win's. They weren't.

Instead, it's that time-honored tradition of sending out expiring deals, draft picks, a good young player or two, a signed-and-traded player for a star or stars. If everything works out, there's a trade exception, too. Here's a summary of a dozen superstar trades (plus a Nets-centric deal) over the past decade ... and some analysis of what works and what doesn't.

In reverse order. Draft picks, if exercised, are shown in parentheses. Players marked with an asterisk had expiring deals or an option. A signed-and-traded player gets a hashtag.

--July 12, 2013 (pending): The Brooklyn Nets acquire Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett and Jason Terry from the Boston Celtics for Kris Humphries*, Gerald Wallace, Keith Bogans#, MarShon Brooks*, Kris Joseph*, the Nets unprotected first round picks in 2014, 2016 and 2018 plus the right to swap first round picks in 2017.

--July 11, 2012: The Brooklyn Nets acquired Joe Johnson from the Atlanta Hawks for Jordan Farmar*, Jordan Williams*, DeShawn Stevenson#, Johan Petro*, Anthony Morrow* and the Rockets' 2013 lottery protected first round pick, the Nets 2017 second round pick as well as the right to swap first round picks in 2014 and 2016.

--December 15, 2011: The Los Angeles Clippers acquired Chris Paul plus the Hornets and Grizzlies' second round picks in 2015 from the New Orleans Hornets for Eric Gordon, Chris Kaman*, Al-Farouq Aminu and the Timberwolves' unprotected 2012 first-round pick.

--February 23, 2011: The New Jersey Nets acquired Deron Williams from the Utah Jazz for Devin Harris, Derrick Favors and two first round picks, their own (Enes Kanter) and the Golden State Warriors in 2012, and $3 million in cash.

--February 21, 2011: the Denver Nuggets acquired Wilson Chandler, Raymond Felton, Danilo Gallinari and Timofey Mozgov, a future first-round pick, the right to swap first rounders in 2016; the Warriors’ 2012 second-round pick, the Warriors’ 2013 second-round pick, and $3 million in cash, all from the Knicks and Kosta Koufos from the Timberwolves

The New York Knicks received Carmelo Anthony, Chauncey Billups, Shelden Williams*, Anthony Carter* and Renaldo Balkman from Denver and Corey Brewer from the Timberwolves…who they then released.

Minnesota got Anthony Randolph, Eddy Curry*, who they then released, and $3 million in cash from New York and the Nuggets’ 2015 second round pick.

--November 3, 2008: The Detroit Pistons acquired Allen Iverson from the Denver Nuggets for Chauncey Billups, Antonio McDyess* and Cheikh Samb*.

--February 18, 2008: The Dallas Mavericks acquired Jason Kidd, Malik Allen*, and Antoine Wright* from the New Jersey Nets for Devin Harris, DeSagana Diop*, Trenton Hassell, Maurice Ager, Keith Van Horn#, two future first round picks (Ryan Anderson and Damion James), and cash considerations believed to be $3 million. The Nets also received a $3.3 million trade exception.

--February 6, 2008: The Phoenix Suns acquired Shaquille O'Neal from the Miami Heat for Shawn Marion* and Marcus Banks.

--February 2, 2008: The Los Angeles Lakers acquired Pau Gasol and a 2010 second round draft pick from the Memphis Grizzlies for Kwame Brown*, Javaris Crittenton, a signed and traded Aaron McKie*, the draft rights to the #48 pick in the 2007 NBA Draft, Marc Gasol, and two future first round picks (Donte Greene and Greivis Vasquez).

--July 31, 2007: The Boston Celtics acquired Kevin Garnett from the Minnesota Timberwolves for Ryan Gomes, Gerald Green*, Al Jefferson, Theo Ratliff*, Sebastian Telfair, the return to Minnesota of the future first round pick (Jonny Flynn) that was initially traded to Boston on January 26, 2006, and a future first round pick from Boston (Nikola Pekovic). Simultaneous with the trade, Kevin Garnett removed his ability to opt out after the 2007-2008 season and then signed a multi-year contract extension with the Boston Celtics which will begin in the 2009-2010 season.

--June 28, 2007: The Boston Celtics acquired Ray Allen and the draft rights to the #35 pick in the 2007 NBA Draft, Glen Davis, from the Seattle Supersonics for Wally Szczerbiak, Delonte West, the draft rights to the #5 pick in the 2007 NBA Draft, Jeff Green, and the better of Boston's own 2008 second round pick and Portland's own 2008 second round pick (Trent Plaisted).

--December 19, 2006: The Denver Nuggets acquired Allen Iverson and Ivan McFarlin* from the Philadelphia 76ers for Andre Miller, Joe Smith*, and two 2007 first round draft picks (Daequan Cook and Petteri Koponen).

-- December 17, 2004: The New Jersey Nets acquired Vince Carter from the Toronto Raptors in exchange for Alonzo Mourning, Aaron Williams, Eric Williams and two first-round draft picks (Joey Graham and Renaldo Balkman).

--July 15, 2004: The New Jersey Nets signed Kenyon Martin to a seven-year, $91 million contract with a $1.5 million signing bonus and a player option after the 6th season, then traded him to Denver for three future first round picks (Joey Graham, Renaldo Balkman and Marcus Williams). The Nets also received a $5.2 million trade exception.

--July 14, 2004: The Los Angeles Lakers traded Shaquille O'Neal to the Miami Heat for Lamar Odom, Caron Butler, Brian Grant*, and a future first round draft pick (Jordan Farmar).

There are a lot of lessons to be learned here. If you look at the draft picks (not the draft rights) included in these deals, very, very few of them turned out well. What does work is cap space and good young players...particularly for small market teams.

The two picks the Lakers received from the Grizzlies were not major players in the team's post-trade success. Donte Greene was a disappointment and although Greivis Vasquez showed flashes, he developed after he left. But Marc Gasol, who Memphis had scouted in Spain, turned into a great asset. More importantly, the cap space the Grizzlies freed up helped them acquire and sign Zach Randolph and sign Rudy Gay.

One of the two picks the Nets acquired in the Jason Kidd deal worked out, Ryan Anderson, but not for them. The other, Damion James, is no longer a Net property but will play in the summer league! Devin Harris played well for two years, besting his averages in Dallas and making the All-Star team. The cap space the Nets received was either frittered away on bad deals like Travis Outlaw and Johan Petro or stashed away on one year deals.

One of the picks the Timberwolves got from the Celtics paid off. Jonny Flynn is out of the league, but Nikola Pekovic, has developed nicely, although he too may be leaving. Al Jefferson, who was the key player in that deal, eventually went to Utah for more cap space.

The two picks the Raptors coveted in the Vince Carter trade turned into Joey Graham and Renaldo Balkman. They could have turned into Danny Granger and Rajon Rondo, but they didn't. Rob Babcock's successor as Raptor GM, Wayne Embry was smart enough to send one of those picks along with Jalen Rose to the Knicks in a salary dump, giving him extra cap space. Isiah Thomas was dumb enough to take Balkman (one place above Rondo).

The deal the Nuggets made for Carmelo Anthony is the classic case. Masai Ujiri, now with Toronto, focused on getting good young players..and some cap space and picks, lots of each actually.

Denver received three players who were averaging 15 points a game at the time in Danilo Gallinari (22), Raymond Felton (26), and Wilson Chandler (23), plus a seven-footer with potential, Timofey Mozgov (24). All were either on rookie deals or short-term contracts. Felton became Andre Miller, not a bad deal. And all the cap space from the deal helped them sign Gallinari to a long-term deal. Only the most loyal of Knick fans still think New York won this trade. And the four picks the Nuggets acquired, the Knicks first rounder in 2014, the swap of first first rounders in 2016 and the Warriors two second rounders in 2012, which became Quincy Miller and 2013, which went to the Magic in the Dwight Howard deal. Not to mention James Dolan is $6 million poorer.