Why Would Someone Bail Houston Out of Bad Contracts??

Dunleavy’s contract is below market value and expires after this upcoming season.  The Bulls wouldn’t need to trade an asset away to dump that contract.  They would more than likely obtain a future 2nd rounder if they traded him.  Quite a few contenders would be very happy to add Dunleavy for only $3,000,000.  He would be similar to role players like Battier, Miller, etc. for the Heat.  Taj Gibson is also signed to a below market contract.  Heck, Noah is signed to a below market contract.  It was different in 2010 and the Hinrich trade.  In 2015, there are going to be A LOT of free agents that almost every team in the NBA would desire so there will be less teams willing to take on a player like Hinrich without shipping back salary in return.  The Bulls didn’t just dump Hinrich, they also dumped their first rounder (which ended up being the underwhelming Kevin Seraphin) in order to stay under the salary cap as much as they possibly could.  

In response to the OP, I think that Asik has actual value even with his Poison Pill contract. Lin however will probably have to be traded with an asset.  Probably not as much will have to be given away.  I don’t think it will be Ben Gordon-esque and a Top 10 pick in a loaded draft will be shipped out.  But, I do believe a future protected 1st might have to be packaged with Lin because his contract is terrible (even though it is expiring after this season, I don’t think that he will be a lock to be a part of anyone’s future plans like Asik might be since Asik is a legit starting center in the NBA).  Before the 2010 free agency period, you saw expiring contracts reach their peak value.  I don’t believe with the new CBA we will ever see that again, where contracts were being traded with blatant disregard to the talent attached to that contract. But, there will be value THIS year in anticipation of the LOADED free agent class of 2015.  I think that the Knicks will find takers for Chandler, Bargnani, etc. if they are looking to add late 1sts and 2nd rounders.  I think that Carlos Boozer will actually have value at this year’s trade deadline if he isn’t amnestied by the Bulls.  Players signed to above market contracts but still can contribute will actually have value.

Dunleavy’s contract is below market value and expires after this upcoming season.  The Bulls wouldn’t need to trade an asset away to dump that contract.  They would more than likely obtain a future 2nd rounder if they traded him.  Quite a few contenders would be very happy to add Dunleavy for only $3,000,000.  He would be similar to role players like Battier, Miller, etc. for the Heat.  Taj Gibson is also signed to a below market contract.  Heck, Noah is signed to a below market contract.  It was different in 2010 and the Hinrich trade.  In 2015, there are going to be A LOT of free agents that almost every team in the NBA would desire so there will be less teams willing to take on a player like Hinrich without shipping back salary in return.  The Bulls didn’t just dump Hinrich, they also dumped their first rounder (which ended up being the underwhelming Kevin Seraphin) in order to stay under the salary cap as much as they possibly could.  

In response to the OP, I think that Asik has actual value even with his Poison Pill contract. Lin however will probably have to be traded with an asset.  Probably not as much will have to be given away.  I don’t think it will be Ben Gordon-esque and a Top 10 pick in a loaded draft will be shipped out.  But, I do believe a future protected 1st might have to be packaged with Lin because his contract is terrible (even though it is expiring after this season, I don’t think that he will be a lock to be a part of anyone’s future plans like Asik might be since Asik is a legit starting center in the NBA).  Before the 2010 free agency period, you saw expiring contracts reach their peak value.  I don’t believe with the new CBA we will ever see that again, where contracts were being traded with blatant disregard to the talent attached to that contract. But, there will be value THIS year in anticipation of the LOADED free agent class of 2015.  I think that the Knicks will find takers for Chandler, Bargnani, etc. if they are looking to add late 1sts and 2nd rounders.  I think that Carlos Boozer will actually have value at this year’s trade deadline if he isn’t amnestied by the Bulls.  Players signed to above market contracts but still can contribute will actually have value.

You are correct in saying that the $15 million is basically irrelevant.  The only way that number counts against the cap is if Chicago and New York would have matched the contract offers.  Since they didn’t, the cap number is $8.5 million (or whatever the real number is, that’s the ballpark number).  Of course, the team trading FOR these players will have to pay Lin an actual salary of $15 million for the season.  Many owners could care less about that, but there ARE some owners like Jerry Reinsdorf who would be quite reluctant to pay the extra cash (even though he gets a sometimes unfair reputation as being overly cheap, he doesn’t like to throw money away…which is pretty bad business, but sometimes neccessary in this very strange business model that is the NBA).

I personally do get confused on trading these contracts though.  Does the money have to match the cap hit or the salary number?  Meaning, does Houston have to take back only $8.5 million for Lin in salary/cap number or do they have to take back $15 million?  From what I have read, it’s $8.5 million in and $8.5 million out for each guy but I am not 100% on that.

You are correct in saying that the $15 million is basically irrelevant.  The only way that number counts against the cap is if Chicago and New York would have matched the contract offers.  Since they didn’t, the cap number is $8.5 million (or whatever the real number is, that’s the ballpark number).  Of course, the team trading FOR these players will have to pay Lin an actual salary of $15 million for the season.  Many owners could care less about that, but there ARE some owners like Jerry Reinsdorf who would be quite reluctant to pay the extra cash (even though he gets a sometimes unfair reputation as being overly cheap, he doesn’t like to throw money away…which is pretty bad business, but sometimes neccessary in this very strange business model that is the NBA).

I personally do get confused on trading these contracts though.  Does the money have to match the cap hit or the salary number?  Meaning, does Houston have to take back only $8.5 million for Lin in salary/cap number or do they have to take back $15 million?  From what I have read, it’s $8.5 million in and $8.5 million out for each guy but I am not 100% on that.