NBA Draft: Wizards, Bulls Reportedly Talking Trade For Hinrich, No. 17 Pick

According to ESPN's Ric Bucher, the Chicago Bulls and Washington Wizards have agreed in principle to a trade that would send Kirk Hinrich and Chicago's no. 17 pick to Washington. It's not yet clear what the Wizards would be sending to Chicago in return, but the deal centers on Chicago's desire for cap space, which means whatever Washington sends in return will probably be of little consequence.

Per NBA rules, the trade cannot be executed until July 8th, and given the unofficial terms, it's still possible that a deal could fall through before anything's officially consummated.

Nevertheless, if Chicago pulls this off, it would give them significantly more cap room to sign LeBron James, and perhaps another max-salary free agent. From Washington's perspective...

(Taking off journalist hat... Putting on tattered Gilbert Arenas jersey)

What the hell are they thinking?

Let's break this deal down point-by-point.

1. Kirk Hinrich, Kinda Shitty. There was a time when Kirk Hinrich looked like a potentially great point guard for a winning team. That time has passed. He's still a good defender, but he's an absolute zero on offense, and his ability to actually play point guard and run a team remains in question. Which makes him a combo guard that can't score, who makes $17 million over the next two years. Like a less-athletic, overpaid Antonio Daniels. DON'T GET TOO EXCITED, GUYS.
2. The number 17 pick. I'm all for adding young players to build a foundation around John Wall, but not if it means sacrificing our cap space over the next two years. The Wizards already have picks at the end of the first round and the beginning of the second. It's not like Wall's the only player headed to D.C., regardless of whether they can add more picks. So, basically, we just sacrificed a ton of cap space, added a bad player who will suck up minutes, and we'll get... James Anderson? Hassan Whiteside? Larry Sanders?
3. The number 17 pick, continued. Somebody is going to slip to the late-first round, and the Wizards will get lucky at no. 30. I know it. You know why? Because everyone that's currently pegged in the middle of the round should probably go about ten spots later. If you're getting a player like Hassan Whiteside in the late-20s, it's a steal. At 17? He's kind of shitty. Just like Hinrich!
4. WHAT HAPPENED TO SHAUN LIVINGSTON? The Wizards don't need more guards coming off the bench, and the Livingston revival was coming along just fine until Thursday afternoon... Now, how can Washington justify keeping him when they've already got Hinrich, Gilbert Arenas, and John Wall rotating at the guard spots? 
5. Cap Space. Thanks to Hinrich, the Wizards' massive amounts of cap space over the next two summers just took a serious hit. Without pouring over the numbers at the moment, I can't say for sure whether we just forfeited a chance at Carmelo Anthony, but either way... You don't pay Kirk Hinrich $17 million over two years unless you're legally bound to do so.
6. Reality Check. The Wizards became a contending team in the East the minute they won the lottery a month ago. That's not hyperbole. Within three years, as long as John Wall stays healthy, we should be able to contend and make the playoffs every year. So, the team had better start acting like it. Instead, we just gave a get-out-of-jail-free pass to Chicago, letting them get rid of Hinrich, and clearing a path for the Bulls to land LeBron James and Chris Bosh. That may not be what happens, but either way, the Wizards shouldn't take the chance. Is Kirk Hinrich + the 17th pick worth it? To risk creating a dynasty in Chicago? 

If it happens--and believe me, I'm still in denial--that last point is the biggest takeaway from this trade. The Wizards hit the jackpot with last month's lottery, and it's time to start acting like we belong among the rich folks. It's no longer acceptable to be the rubes in the room. John Wall gave the Wizards a chance to start over and do things the right way.

But... Here we are again, shooting ourselves in the foot, while competitors reap the benefits.

The NBA: It's Fannnnnnn-tastic. Where else will you see a team trade down AND throw in a player, getting nothing back in return but a lower pick? According to Yahoo!'s Adrian Wojnarowski, that's exactly what the Heat have done, shipping Daequan Cook and the 18th pick in the upcoming NBA Draft to the Thunder in return for the 32nd pick.

For the Heat, the calculus is rather simple: They're trying to maximize their cap space for the free agent bonanza that 2010 promises to be. Moving Cook and the 18th pick gives Miami roughly $3.4 million more in cap space, which should leave them at least $28 million total heading into the summer; more than enough to land another max-free agent (Chris Bosh?) in addition to Dwayne Wade. Since the 32nd pick is a non-guaranteed second-rounder, it doesn't have a cap hold like a first-rounder, which is why trading down in the draft allows them to skim off of their salary, when it comes to free agency.

As for the Thunder, Sam Presti strikes again, utilizing his ample cap space to move up 14 spots in the draft at the cost of taking on Daequan Cook's contract for two years. Not a bad day's work for the Thunder's boy wonder GM. With the Thunder now owning the 18th, 21st and 26th picks in the draft, don't be surprised if they stash a player in Europe for a year or two (Kevin Seraphin?) or explore packaging their picks and perhaps a young player to move up even higher in the draft.

For more on the Thunder and Heat, check out Welcome To Loud City and Peninsula Is Mightier.

I guess the Minnesota Timberwolves feel they need more than three first-round picks, because according to ESPN's Andy Katz, they're about to acquire a fourth. 

The Memphis Grizzlies and Minnesota Timberwolves are close to swapping first-round draft picks, a source with direct knowledge of the situation tells ESPN.com's Andy Katz.

The Grizzlies would send their 25th and 28th overall picks to Minnesota for the Timberwolves' 16th pick.

However, Draft Express' Jonathan Givony says the two teams are just having "discussions," and nothing is done. 

If the trade goes through, the Timberwolves will have the fourth, 23rd, 25th and 28th picks in the draft, while the Grizzlies will possess the 12th and 16th picks. Two picks in the teens makes sense, especially if the Grizzlies want to move up further. But three picks in the 20s? For that, there's only one thing to say.

KAAAAAAHHHHNNNNN!!