So last weekend I put up a few threads on note-booking tendencies in a dynasty league and some of the traits I've witnessed over the years. Today....here's a thread on the "do's & don'ts" of trading.

I generally run by the A,B,C,D,E's of trading so let's tackle the "Do's" first...

Activity – nothing builds a trading comfort zone like repetition & practice.

Build Relationships – They’re the key to long term trading in a league & help w/understanding league-mate tendencies.

Communicate – Simple things like responding to trades or emails matter. Silence is capable of burning more bridges than you'd think.

Deals – I try to be honest & transparent when negotiating. Some of the biggest trades get completed when you drop the walls and have candor.

Evaluate – get comfortable building value tiers. It’s ok to use site rankings or twitter polls to get a feel for group think value, but building your own valuations is important for trading confidence.

Now the "Don'ts"......

DON'T......

Accept an offer in discussion & then back out

Bombard league mates with low ball offers

Coach others on how this trade or player helps them

Damage your relationships to prove a point

Evaluate players mid season based on start up value

A few more thoughts......

Building relationships within your league is a cornerstone to long-term trading. Emails, message boards, league chat, responding to trades quickly & with a response/comments are all important.

Understand the strengths/weaknesses of your league mates’ rosters. Are you offering something that helps their squad or fits their strategy (starting line up, depth, youth, production, etc).

Do the damn work!! Some folks don’t mind getting an offer that simply says, “what do you want for player A?” Personally, I'm not a fan. If I’m not sure how someone values player A & it’s a shot in the dark, I’ll still frame up an offer w/the comments “absolutely open to counters”

Understand you’ll have to give to get. No one wants to move a top tier player for 4 or 5 “meh” performers from your bench. If you go into every trade feeling like you have to win by a large margin, you've likely lost before you even start.

Last one. Really understand your league bylaws & scoring. Having a comprehensive understanding of your line up or roster requirements and scoring nuances will better prepare you for negotiating and setting value tiers.