[Dan Rosenbaum]

We owe Houston a future 1st rounder or two future 2nd rounders. Due to this obligation and the restriction of trading away first rounders in sucessive years, is it even possible for us to trade away a first round pick in the near future?

I see trades every once in awhile involing future 1st rounders, and I am not sure that they are possible.

What is the exact nature of our obligation to Houston?

 

[Dan Rosenbaum]

Thanks, Sickky.

Posted by Sam on RealGM:

The Rocket Guy's information is not correct. That isn't surprising because accurate facts were not really published on the debt. I remember calling the Rockets and the Bulls to see if I could get better information (they both declined to tell me). I did find a couple of sources who had slightly different information from one another. I am fairly certain it is a first rounder that is due by 2004. Each year, it is heavily-protected -- it either drops slightly, climbs slightly, or stays steady depending on who you ask. It was top-20 protected in 2001 and either drops or rises 1 slot each year or else stays at 20. If it is still protected in 2004, 2 #2s are paid instead. It obviously won't be paid in 2002.

If it is a lottery protected pick through 2004, then my understanding would be that we cannot trade our first rounder in either 2003, 2004, or 2005.

For example, suppose Miami came to us and said, we will trade you our 2002 first rounder for your 2003 first rounder. We could not make that trade because (1) we may end up having to give Houston our 2003 first rounder or (2) we may end up having to give Houston our 2004 first rounder and you can't trade successive first rounders (unless you have a first rounder from another team).

That Drew trade really does limit our future options.

 

[Songcycle]

Once a pick is selected, it counts as if we selected it and then can traded immediately afterward. That is one the reason why we technically selected Keith Lee and not Charles Oakley, Olden Polynice, not Scottie Pippen, etc. That is how this rule is circumvent on a regular basis. I didn't look it up, but I am pretty sure that is the way things work. That is why you get these anouncements an hour or two after the original choice.

 

[Dan Rosenbaum]

Yes, Songcyle, we can trade a player once we pick him. But it really does reduce our options in sweetening a trade offer with a future pick.

 

[Songcycle]

Very true NCBullsFan. To this day, I don't understand the Bryce Drew deal and I do think it was the worst move Krause has made as our GM. When I look at the trade and the conditions I saw, I think it was a telling point of how long Krause thought we would be struggling.

 

[pduh02]

I can see the Bulls trade the two second rounders we have in draft day to the Rockets after we select that current players in those two second rounders.

 

[hexabulls]

I doubt that Houston will take our two second rounders. They know the situation as well as we do. I agree that the Drew trade was one of the worst things that Krause has ever done and it may just come back to haunt us.