Trade Spectacular!
A little late, but I cover them all from large to small….
Lakers Get: Pau Gasol & a 2010 second round pick
Memphis Gets: Kwame Brown, Javaris Crittenton, Aaron McKie, the rights to Marc Gasol, a 2008 first round pick (top 3 protected) & a 2010 first round pick (top 6 protected)
For Los Angeles…
Not only was this trade a huge coup for the Lakers, but it also turned out to be the impetus for a bunch of Western contenders to conduct their own shakeups. At first glance the only thing I didn’t like about this trade for LA was the inclusion of the 2010 first round pick. But after some more thought on the subject the Grizzlies second round pick and the Lakers first round pick in 2010 probably won’t end up being all that far apart. So LA GM Mitch Kupchak gave up none of the Lakers top ten players for a borderline All-Star. WOW!
LA is 12-2 in games that Gasol has played in and the Spaniard’s impact has been tremendous on multiple levels. First and foremost, Kobe Bryant is probably happier than he’s ever been, meaning his days of wanting to be traded are over. Second, Lamar Odom has been playing his best ball of the season since Pau’s arrival. I think it’s safe to say that Lamar prefers the role of third option to that of second banana.
Then there’s Gasol himself. Not only does he enjoy second banana status over being a #1 option, but he’s also fit into the triangle offense seamlessly right from that start and has given the Lakers a much needed low post scoring threat. His passing from the high and low post alike has been marvelous, and LA is able to score points by running or in the half court with equal ease now.
However, it’s not all roses with Pau. His defense, both one-on-one and team, leaves a lot to be desired. His lack of toughness also shows up on contested rebounds in traffic and leads to him settling on offense a bit too much for my liking.
That’s why the Lakers need Andrew Bynum (and to a lesser extent Trevor Ariza) back if they are to be serious contenders for the crown. Tim Duncan and Carlos Boozer will eat Gasol and Odom alive on the low block in a seven-game series. That’s why all Bynum has to do upon his return is play solid defense, rebound and block shots. Until I see that, I’m not ready to anoint LA favorites for the title.
For the Grizzlies...
Memphis GM Chris Wallace has taken a ton of heat for this deal and I think most people are missing the point here. This trade was not about getting equal value or improving the immediate prospects of the franchise. This move was about the future, plain and simple. Wallace got two expiring contracts (Brown & McKie) and four first round picks back while dumping the $49 million and three years left on Gasol’s contract. That’s why they call it rebuilding.
As far as the players the Griz got in return, Crittenton probably has the most “upside”. At 20 years old Javaris has good size (6'5) for a PG and is lightning quick off the dribble. The thing that worries me about Crit is will he ever “get it”? I’ve seen him display some play making skills/instincts, but he seems to like to score more (which is why I wasn’t sad to him go).
Marc Gasol (Pau’s brother) was a second round pick last year, but since he’s an MVP candidate in the Spanish ACB (2nd best league in the world behind the NBA) this season, I think it’s safe to say he’d be a first this year. Marc is supposedly more physical and less skilled than his brother. I’ve heard he a banger with a nice touch around the basket.
Brown hardly gets off the pine in Memphis, which should say something since he backs up another big time bust in Darko Milicic. Kwame has appeared in seven games thus far averaging 2.4 points and 3.4 rebounds in 15.3 minutes. I think it’s safe to say that Brown won’t be seeing $9 million a year again any time soon. In fact, he’ll be lucky to get more than the veteran’s minimum until he proves himself.
McKie is retired and was included as salary filler.
Winner – Lakers
New Jersey Gets: Stromile Swift
Memphis Gets: Jason Collins & cash
For the Nets…
Swift fits into President Rod Thorn’s new faster paced style far better than Collins would have. That said, Stromile has always been a head case and has never come close to reaching his potential. Since Swift’s contract is up after next season, this is probably his last stop in the NBA. So if he can’t earn minutes and show something in NJ’s young front court, he probably doesn’t deserve to be in the league anyway.
For the Grizzlies…
Collins gives Memphis a quality low post defender with experience, but “Twin” has ZERO skill on offense and is not really suited to play the up tempo game. Given that Jason’s contract also expires after next season, I can only assume this was addition by subtraction for the Griz. Collins’ talents are totally wasted on a bad squad, so look for a contender that needs another big body to be interested in him this summer.
Winner – wash
Phoenix Gets: Shaquille O’Neal
Miami Gets: Shawn Marion & Marcus Banks
For the Suns…
GM Steve Kerr can say this wasn’t a panic or reaction move all he wants…..I’m not buying it. I’m willing to give Kerr that Marion had to go because of chemistry issues, but Steve has to do better than Shaq in return for one of the game’s best two-way players. Just has to. Since Shawn’s departure Phoenix is a mediocre 5-6, and with O’Neal healthy and in the lineup they are just 2-4. Now I’ll be the first to admit that it takes time to work in new players, but I already see some disturbing things happening with the Suns defense.
Shaq was brought to the Valley of the Sun to be a defending/rebounding/shot blocking role player. Now I know the big fella said he was fine with that, but the problem is he never did those things well to begin with, and certainly doesn’t do them well now that his athletic ability has abandoned him. When you look at Phoenix’s roster they only have four defensive minded players; Raja Bell, Brian Skinner, D.J. Strawberry and Linton Johnson. Bell is obviously one of the best, but Skinner hardly plays, Strawberry is a rookie and Johnson was just signed off the scrap heap.
Of the six other guys coach Mike D’Antoni plays besides Bell, all are poor individual defenders and most are below average team defenders as well. Steve Nash and Leandro Barbosa regularly get beat off the dribble. So when their man gets by them Shaq, Amare Stoudemire and Boris Diaw are terrible at rotating to the ball or next open man. Grant Hill is a willing and able team defender (as is Nash), but his athleticism left him long ago. Look for the Suns to get pick & rolled to death for the remainder of the season and on into the playoffs.
The weird thing about this move was that cheapskate owner Robert Sarver agreed to take on O’Neal’s salary and absorb the luxury tax hit in the process. The dollar-for-dollar tax is something Sarver has tried to avoid since the day he took over the franchise. The recent Kurt Thomas for nothing trade springs to mind, but so does the trade/sale of draft picks that could have landed them David West or Josh Howard in 2003, Luol Deng or Andre Iguodala in 2004, Linas Kleiza or David Lee in 2005 and Rajon Rondo or Jordan Farmar in 2006. If they had just kept their draft picks they'd be one of the deeper squads in the league and would have no need for Shaq.
I’m telling you…..poor ownership begets clueless management begets bad teams.
For the Heat…
This was an underrated coup for President Pat Riley. The main thing he did was get out from under the remaining two years and $40 million left on Shaq’s contract. That’s pretty much a miracle in my book based on what O’Neal has looked like the past two seasons. To wit, Riley was considering buying Shaq out before this trade materialized. WOW!
In Marion Miami gets a perfect sidekick for Dwyane Wade. Now they aren’t Jordan and Pippen like Riles suggested, but in an up tempo style Wade and the “Matrix” should play well off one another.
Now, Shawn can opt out of his contract after this season, and while I doubt he will (leaving $17 million on the table), it wouldn’t be all that bad for the Heat if he did. That’s the real beauty of this deal for Miami. If Marion leaves the Heat are suddenly major players in the free agent market this summer (Elton Brand anyone?) allowing them to rebuild around D-Wade immediately.
Banks has looked surprisingly good in Miami thus far, so much so that I have to wonder if D’Antoni not playing him in Phoenix was personal more than professional. Marcus will never be a star, or even a quality starter, but as a backup energizing PG Banks could be a Darrell Armstrong type player.
Winner – Miami
Atlanta Gets: Mike Bibby
Sacramento Gets: Sheldon Williams, Anthony Johnson, Tyronn Lue, Lorenzen Wright & a 2008 second round pick
For the Hawks…
People like to say that the Lakers stole Gasol, well in my opinion this trade is by far a bigger heist for Atlanta. Director Billy Knight gave up NOTHING of value in acquiring Atlanta’s perpetually missing PG. And I do mean nothing. Williams is a colossal bust and Johnson, Lue and Wright are all veterans on their last legs.
So while Bibby himself has seen better days, he’s the shooter, leader and play maker the Hawks sorely needed. In his eight games with Atlanta Mike is averaging 13.5 points, 7.3 assists and shooting 40.2% from three. Not spectacular numbers, but not bad considering Bibby is playing with a bruised right heel that is affecting his movement.
It’s also worth nothing that Mike doesn’t have to be the Hawks star to be effective. He just has to keep Joe Johnson, Josh Smith, Josh Childress, Al Horford and Marvin Williams equally involved.
I’d like to say this move guarantees that Atlanta will end the league’s longest playoff drought (8 seasons), but these are the Hawks, so I’ll just say that I like their chances in the East.
For the Kings…
This was a salary dump for President Geoff Petrie and nothing more. Johnson, Lue and Wright are all in the last year of their contracts while Bibby had one year and $15 million left on his. T-Lue has already been waived and Wright has yet to appear in a game. On the other hand Johnson is getting backup PG minutes behind Beno Udrih, and that’s a good role for AJ.
Williams is really the wild card in the deal. While it’s quite obvious that the 5th overall pick in 2006 was far too high for him, he does have some assets. He’s big, strong and doesn’t mind banging down low. He can also rebound and occasionally block a shot. Where he has problems is creating offense for himself. He’s just not athletic or polished enough to finish his post moves in traffic. Combine that with a lack of a jump shot, and you can see why he struggled to get minutes in Atlanta. Sheldon should get an opportunity in Sacto if for no other reason than the rest of their front court is decrepit, and what he does with said opportunity will determine his future in the Association.
Winner – Atlanta
Dallas Gets: Jason Kidd, Malik Allen & Antoine Wright
New Jersey Gets: Devin Harris, DeSagana Diop, Trenton Hassell, Maurice Ager, Keith Van Horn, a 2008 first round pick (lottery protected), a 2010 first round pick (unprotected) & cash
For the Mavericks…
The general consensus I’ve read out of Dallas is that they needed a change. It wasn’t bad chemistry or poor performance, just an underlying feeling that this group needed a shakeup to remain elite. Even if I agreed with that, which I don’t, this trade was a complete overreaction to what the Lakers did.
In Kidd the Mavs get a Hall of Fame PG with tons of post season/big game experience. Nothing wrong with that of course. It’s just that the cost to get him was ridiculous. I’d personally rather have Harris’ future than Jason’s present. Diop is a good interior defender and Hassell is a nice deep bench insurance policy. The real kicker in my book though are the two draft picks, particularly the unprotected one in 2010 (watch that come back to haunt them).
All this for a 34 year old PG who’s lost a step, was shooting a career low 36.6% from the field and was sporting a career high turnover ratio (percentage of a player’s possessions that end in a turnover) of 14.2%? Uh-uh, not in my neck of the woods. Especially when it’s a lateral move at best. Who contains Tony Parker’s penetration now? Who backs up Erick Dampier when Tim Duncan gets him into foul trouble?
I picked Dallas to win it all before the season, and even though they were coasting through the regular season, I liked what I saw when they played hard. It’s not like their window was closing either, they had at least 3-4 years left with that core. I’m sure the Mavs will still be very good, but they are no longer built to beat the Spurs, and since the road to the ring goes through the Alamo city, that’s a problem.
Allen and Wright are unlikely to play anything more than garbage time minutes in Big D.
For the Nets…
Rod Thorn absolutely refuses to lose a trade. This move allows the Nets to rebuild on the fly without having to become terrible in the process. Harris is the centerpiece of this deal and should be NJ’s starting PG for the next 6-7 years. Harris is super speedy and able to get into the lane at will. He can finish at the rim or create for others. Devin’s best quality though is his on ball defense. He is great at pressuring the ball and cutting off penetration. The sky’s the limit for him if he improves his jumper and finds the proper balance between scoring and passing.
Diop lacks the offense needed to be a starter, but as a backup center you could do much worse. He’s a good post defender and shot blocker, but also has the athleticism to run the floor in an open court game. He’s a prime candidate to get overpaid this summer as a free agent if the Nets don’t like him behind Nenad Krstic.
Hassell seems to be reborn in NJ. He’s back to playing sticky D, hitting open shots and hustling. Trenton looks like a perfect backup for Vince Carter.
I’ve never been impressed with Mo Ager’s game and Van Horn is another retired salary filler guy.
It’s rare that a club trades their best player, starts rebuilding and remains competitive. But I think that’s just what Thorn has done here. Look for the Nets to be in the thick of the playoff race in the East the rest of the way.
Winner – NJ
San Antonio Gets: Kurt Thomas
Seattle Gets: Francisco Elson, Brent Barry & a 2009 first round pick
For the Spurs…
You’ve got to hand it to GM R.C. Buford, he’s always able to add a veteran piece to the puzzle without giving much up. Thomas is much better than Elson and may be an upgrade over current starter Fabricio Oberto as well. In any case, “Crazy Eyes” will be able to protect Tim Duncan’s back on defense and the boards alike, while hitting open mid-range jumpers off double teams or penetration.
The one thing that gives me pause here is the first round pick. SA isn’t getting any younger and is right on the verge of needing an infusion of young talent. While Kurt will undoubtedly help them, I’m not sure his addition was absolutely necessary.
For the SuperSonics…
For Seattle this deal was all about the draft pick. A lot of teams were interested in Thomas, but GM Sam Presti was not moving him unless he got a first rounder in return. Presti now has 13 draft picks over the next three years, including six in the first round – two each season. Oklahoma City should love this guy.
Elson immediately becomes the Sonics best interior defender and Barry was already released.
Winner – SA
Houston Gets: Gerald Green
Minnesota Gets: Kirk Snyder, a 2010 second round pick & cash
For the Rockets…
Green was waived after only appearing in one game for a grand total of four minutes.
For the Timberwolves…
In Snyder the Wolves get a solid rotation player for someone who wasn’t in their plans. If Kirk embraces the role of backup he could have a future in the league. However, if he’s intent on proving he’s the “man” on offense it’s off to Europe for him.
Winner – Minny
Detroit Gets: Juan Dixon & cash
Toronto Gets: Primoz Brezec
For the Pistons…
Dixon is a nice veteran insurance policy in case Arron Afflalo isn’t playoff ready, but any time Juanito gets extended minutes he’s exposed defensively.
For the Raptors…
Brezec has never been able to regain the form he displayed his first two years in Charlotte. That said, Toronto lacks beef up front, so if Primoz can defend and rebound he will help them.
Winner – Both Teams
Denver Gets: Taurean Green
Portland Gets: Van Wafer
For the Nuggets…
Denver needed a third PG with the uncertainty surrounding Chucky Atkins return from sports hernia surgery, and I guess Green qualifies.
For the Trail Blazers…
Wafer is a one dimensional gunner, and since the Blazers have trouble scoring when Brandon Roy is out, Von can help them there if needed.
Winner – wash
New Orleans Gets: Bonzi Wells & Mike James
Houston Gets: Bobby Jackson, Adam Haluska, the rights to Sergei Lishouk & a 2008 second round pick (from New Orleans)
Memphis Gets: Marcus Vinicius, the rights Malick Badiane & cash
For the Hornets…
NO needed depth badly, but I question if GM Jeff Bower would have been better off waiting until the summer to address it. Bower took on an extra year of James’ salary at 6.5 million in ’09-10 to rent Wells for the stretch run. While there’s no doubt that a healthy and motivated Bonzi helps the Hornets, I think they would have been better served just letting Jackson come off their books after the ’08-09 season.
As is, if Wells can get his arse in gear he’ll give coach Byron Scott a viable option behind starter Morris Peterson. You never know with Bonzi, but he is NO’s x-factor now for sure.
James for Jackson is a wash as I see it because both are on the downside of their careers and neither was playing that much to begin with.
For the Rockets…
This is a nice move for Houston because they get rid of two guys that were unhappy with their roles (Wells & James) while saving long term money in the process. And even though B Jax doesn’t have much left in his tank, he’s certainly better than rookie Aaron Brooks as Rafer Alston’s backup.
Haluska was waived and Lishouk is a 25 year old Ukrainian PF.
For the Grizzlies…
Badiane is a 24 year old center from Senegal and Vinicius was released.
Here’s what I don’t get about GM Chris Wallace. If you are going to blow it up and rebuild, go all the way, don’t half step it. There are numerous reports that Wallace turned down multiple deals for Mike Miller asking for a quality player in return. Huh? You dump your best player for peanuts and want something substantial for your second best player? Why cap space and draft picks wasn’t enough for Miller when it was for Gasol tells you all you need to know about the direction Memphis is headed.
Winner – Houston
Cleveland Gets: Ben Wallace, Joe Smith, Wally Szczerbiak, Delonte West & a 2009 second round pick (from Chicago)
Chicago Gets: Drew Gooden, Larry Hughes, Shannon Brown & Cedric Simmons
Seattle Gets: Donyell Marshall, Ira Newble & Adrian Griffin
For the Cavaliers…
GM Danny Ferry swung for the fences but hit a ground rule double instead. The only thing that kept this from being a home run is the amount of future salary Cleveland took on. Wallace makes more than Hughes and Szczerbiak more than Gooden. So now the Cavs are locked into this current group through at least next season.
Other than that, I love this deal for Cleveland. Big Ben and Joe Smith replace Gooden’s production and bring more defense and veteran know how to the table taboot. West is somewhat overrated, but he’s ideally suited to be a third guard backing up both positions. So when Daniel Gibson (left ankle) and Sasha Pavlovic (left foot) come back, Delonte should slide right into that role.
The key to this whole thing for me is really Wally’s shooting. LeBron James must be surrounded by competent shooters since he draws so much attention. So if “World” can keep his stroke working on the shores of Lake Erie he should flourish playing off Bron.
I’ve heard many say that the downside to this trade is that the Cavs lose two solid perimeter defenders in Hughes and Newble. My counter to that is Cleveland has won plenty of big games without both of those guys. Secondly, what makes the Cavs D so good is their big men, and I don’t see many teams with a better foursome in the paint than that of Wallace, Smith, Zydrunas Ilgauskas and Anderson Varejao.
I can’t say this move makes the Cavs the favorites in the East, but it wouldn’t surprise me at all to see them in the Finals again. The one major thing they have working against them though is that to get back there they’ll have to beat both Boston and Detroit in the playoffs.
For the Bulls…
This is a bit of a head scratcher from Vice President Jim Paxson. I can see wanting to dump Wallace and Smith so youngsters Tyrus Thomas and Joakim Noah have more opportunities to play. But what I don’t get is the acquisition of Hughes. My boy Thabo Sefolosha was just beginning to come into his own as a starter, and now he has to give up his minutes to injury-prone-team-cancer Hughes? I don’t like it one bit from a long term perspective.
Moving on, I’ve always thought Gooden was highly underrated and using him in a rotation with Thomas and Noah looks very good on paper. It makes Chicago much more athletic up front than they used to be and there should be plenty of minutes for all three.
Fitting Larry in is trickier, but I have an idea for that. Play him behind Kirk Hinrich at backup PG. That way when Ben Gordon comes in for Thabo Hughes can cover Gordon’s deficiencies on the defensive end. Not to mention with the way Hinrich has played this season there are probably more minutes there than at SG for Larry anyway.
Brown and Simmons are both lucky to even be in the NBA at this point.
Overall for the Bulls their personnel is now much better suited to get out in the open court and run than it is to grind it out in the half court and win with defense. I’ve been saying it all year, but I still think the Bulls have a run to the playoffs in them. The only thing is, now it depends on interim coach Jim Boylan changing styles on the fly while also fitting everyone into their new roles at the same time. It’s not going to be easy, but if Boylan pulls it off the “interim” will certainly be removed from his title.
For the SuperSonics…
For Seattle this deal was mainly about dumping Wally’s salary, but moving an unhappy Delonte out of town was an added bonus. Newble has already been waived and I don’t see either Griffin or Marshall getting anything other than garbage time minutes.
Winner - Cleveland
Lakers Get: Pau Gasol & a 2010 second round pick
Memphis Gets: Kwame Brown, Javaris Crittenton, Aaron McKie, the rights to Marc Gasol, a 2008 first round pick (top 3 protected) & a 2010 first round pick (top 6 protected)
For Los Angeles…
Not only was this trade a huge coup for the Lakers, but it also turned out to be the impetus for a bunch of Western contenders to conduct their own shakeups. At first glance the only thing I didn’t like about this trade for LA was the inclusion of the 2010 first round pick. But after some more thought on the subject the Grizzlies second round pick and the Lakers first round pick in 2010 probably won’t end up being all that far apart. So LA GM Mitch Kupchak gave up none of the Lakers top ten players for a borderline All-Star. WOW!
LA is 12-2 in games that Gasol has played in and the Spaniard’s impact has been tremendous on multiple levels. First and foremost, Kobe Bryant is probably happier than he’s ever been, meaning his days of wanting to be traded are over. Second, Lamar Odom has been playing his best ball of the season since Pau’s arrival. I think it’s safe to say that Lamar prefers the role of third option to that of second banana.
Then there’s Gasol himself. Not only does he enjoy second banana status over being a #1 option, but he’s also fit into the triangle offense seamlessly right from that start and has given the Lakers a much needed low post scoring threat. His passing from the high and low post alike has been marvelous, and LA is able to score points by running or in the half court with equal ease now.
However, it’s not all roses with Pau. His defense, both one-on-one and team, leaves a lot to be desired. His lack of toughness also shows up on contested rebounds in traffic and leads to him settling on offense a bit too much for my liking.
That’s why the Lakers need Andrew Bynum (and to a lesser extent Trevor Ariza) back if they are to be serious contenders for the crown. Tim Duncan and Carlos Boozer will eat Gasol and Odom alive on the low block in a seven-game series. That’s why all Bynum has to do upon his return is play solid defense, rebound and block shots. Until I see that, I’m not ready to anoint LA favorites for the title.
For the Grizzlies...
Memphis GM Chris Wallace has taken a ton of heat for this deal and I think most people are missing the point here. This trade was not about getting equal value or improving the immediate prospects of the franchise. This move was about the future, plain and simple. Wallace got two expiring contracts (Brown & McKie) and four first round picks back while dumping the $49 million and three years left on Gasol’s contract. That’s why they call it rebuilding.
As far as the players the Griz got in return, Crittenton probably has the most “upside”. At 20 years old Javaris has good size (6'5) for a PG and is lightning quick off the dribble. The thing that worries me about Crit is will he ever “get it”? I’ve seen him display some play making skills/instincts, but he seems to like to score more (which is why I wasn’t sad to him go).
Marc Gasol (Pau’s brother) was a second round pick last year, but since he’s an MVP candidate in the Spanish ACB (2nd best league in the world behind the NBA) this season, I think it’s safe to say he’d be a first this year. Marc is supposedly more physical and less skilled than his brother. I’ve heard he a banger with a nice touch around the basket.
Brown hardly gets off the pine in Memphis, which should say something since he backs up another big time bust in Darko Milicic. Kwame has appeared in seven games thus far averaging 2.4 points and 3.4 rebounds in 15.3 minutes. I think it’s safe to say that Brown won’t be seeing $9 million a year again any time soon. In fact, he’ll be lucky to get more than the veteran’s minimum until he proves himself.
McKie is retired and was included as salary filler.
Winner – Lakers
New Jersey Gets: Stromile Swift
Memphis Gets: Jason Collins & cash
For the Nets…
Swift fits into President Rod Thorn’s new faster paced style far better than Collins would have. That said, Stromile has always been a head case and has never come close to reaching his potential. Since Swift’s contract is up after next season, this is probably his last stop in the NBA. So if he can’t earn minutes and show something in NJ’s young front court, he probably doesn’t deserve to be in the league anyway.
For the Grizzlies…
Collins gives Memphis a quality low post defender with experience, but “Twin” has ZERO skill on offense and is not really suited to play the up tempo game. Given that Jason’s contract also expires after next season, I can only assume this was addition by subtraction for the Griz. Collins’ talents are totally wasted on a bad squad, so look for a contender that needs another big body to be interested in him this summer.
Winner – wash
Phoenix Gets: Shaquille O’Neal
Miami Gets: Shawn Marion & Marcus Banks
For the Suns…
GM Steve Kerr can say this wasn’t a panic or reaction move all he wants…..I’m not buying it. I’m willing to give Kerr that Marion had to go because of chemistry issues, but Steve has to do better than Shaq in return for one of the game’s best two-way players. Just has to. Since Shawn’s departure Phoenix is a mediocre 5-6, and with O’Neal healthy and in the lineup they are just 2-4. Now I’ll be the first to admit that it takes time to work in new players, but I already see some disturbing things happening with the Suns defense.
Shaq was brought to the Valley of the Sun to be a defending/rebounding/shot blocking role player. Now I know the big fella said he was fine with that, but the problem is he never did those things well to begin with, and certainly doesn’t do them well now that his athletic ability has abandoned him. When you look at Phoenix’s roster they only have four defensive minded players; Raja Bell, Brian Skinner, D.J. Strawberry and Linton Johnson. Bell is obviously one of the best, but Skinner hardly plays, Strawberry is a rookie and Johnson was just signed off the scrap heap.
Of the six other guys coach Mike D’Antoni plays besides Bell, all are poor individual defenders and most are below average team defenders as well. Steve Nash and Leandro Barbosa regularly get beat off the dribble. So when their man gets by them Shaq, Amare Stoudemire and Boris Diaw are terrible at rotating to the ball or next open man. Grant Hill is a willing and able team defender (as is Nash), but his athleticism left him long ago. Look for the Suns to get pick & rolled to death for the remainder of the season and on into the playoffs.
The weird thing about this move was that cheapskate owner Robert Sarver agreed to take on O’Neal’s salary and absorb the luxury tax hit in the process. The dollar-for-dollar tax is something Sarver has tried to avoid since the day he took over the franchise. The recent Kurt Thomas for nothing trade springs to mind, but so does the trade/sale of draft picks that could have landed them David West or Josh Howard in 2003, Luol Deng or Andre Iguodala in 2004, Linas Kleiza or David Lee in 2005 and Rajon Rondo or Jordan Farmar in 2006. If they had just kept their draft picks they'd be one of the deeper squads in the league and would have no need for Shaq.
I’m telling you…..poor ownership begets clueless management begets bad teams.
For the Heat…
This was an underrated coup for President Pat Riley. The main thing he did was get out from under the remaining two years and $40 million left on Shaq’s contract. That’s pretty much a miracle in my book based on what O’Neal has looked like the past two seasons. To wit, Riley was considering buying Shaq out before this trade materialized. WOW!
In Marion Miami gets a perfect sidekick for Dwyane Wade. Now they aren’t Jordan and Pippen like Riles suggested, but in an up tempo style Wade and the “Matrix” should play well off one another.
Now, Shawn can opt out of his contract after this season, and while I doubt he will (leaving $17 million on the table), it wouldn’t be all that bad for the Heat if he did. That’s the real beauty of this deal for Miami. If Marion leaves the Heat are suddenly major players in the free agent market this summer (Elton Brand anyone?) allowing them to rebuild around D-Wade immediately.
Banks has looked surprisingly good in Miami thus far, so much so that I have to wonder if D’Antoni not playing him in Phoenix was personal more than professional. Marcus will never be a star, or even a quality starter, but as a backup energizing PG Banks could be a Darrell Armstrong type player.
Winner – Miami
Atlanta Gets: Mike Bibby
Sacramento Gets: Sheldon Williams, Anthony Johnson, Tyronn Lue, Lorenzen Wright & a 2008 second round pick
For the Hawks…
People like to say that the Lakers stole Gasol, well in my opinion this trade is by far a bigger heist for Atlanta. Director Billy Knight gave up NOTHING of value in acquiring Atlanta’s perpetually missing PG. And I do mean nothing. Williams is a colossal bust and Johnson, Lue and Wright are all veterans on their last legs.
So while Bibby himself has seen better days, he’s the shooter, leader and play maker the Hawks sorely needed. In his eight games with Atlanta Mike is averaging 13.5 points, 7.3 assists and shooting 40.2% from three. Not spectacular numbers, but not bad considering Bibby is playing with a bruised right heel that is affecting his movement.
It’s also worth nothing that Mike doesn’t have to be the Hawks star to be effective. He just has to keep Joe Johnson, Josh Smith, Josh Childress, Al Horford and Marvin Williams equally involved.
I’d like to say this move guarantees that Atlanta will end the league’s longest playoff drought (8 seasons), but these are the Hawks, so I’ll just say that I like their chances in the East.
For the Kings…
This was a salary dump for President Geoff Petrie and nothing more. Johnson, Lue and Wright are all in the last year of their contracts while Bibby had one year and $15 million left on his. T-Lue has already been waived and Wright has yet to appear in a game. On the other hand Johnson is getting backup PG minutes behind Beno Udrih, and that’s a good role for AJ.
Williams is really the wild card in the deal. While it’s quite obvious that the 5th overall pick in 2006 was far too high for him, he does have some assets. He’s big, strong and doesn’t mind banging down low. He can also rebound and occasionally block a shot. Where he has problems is creating offense for himself. He’s just not athletic or polished enough to finish his post moves in traffic. Combine that with a lack of a jump shot, and you can see why he struggled to get minutes in Atlanta. Sheldon should get an opportunity in Sacto if for no other reason than the rest of their front court is decrepit, and what he does with said opportunity will determine his future in the Association.
Winner – Atlanta
Dallas Gets: Jason Kidd, Malik Allen & Antoine Wright
New Jersey Gets: Devin Harris, DeSagana Diop, Trenton Hassell, Maurice Ager, Keith Van Horn, a 2008 first round pick (lottery protected), a 2010 first round pick (unprotected) & cash
For the Mavericks…
The general consensus I’ve read out of Dallas is that they needed a change. It wasn’t bad chemistry or poor performance, just an underlying feeling that this group needed a shakeup to remain elite. Even if I agreed with that, which I don’t, this trade was a complete overreaction to what the Lakers did.
In Kidd the Mavs get a Hall of Fame PG with tons of post season/big game experience. Nothing wrong with that of course. It’s just that the cost to get him was ridiculous. I’d personally rather have Harris’ future than Jason’s present. Diop is a good interior defender and Hassell is a nice deep bench insurance policy. The real kicker in my book though are the two draft picks, particularly the unprotected one in 2010 (watch that come back to haunt them).
All this for a 34 year old PG who’s lost a step, was shooting a career low 36.6% from the field and was sporting a career high turnover ratio (percentage of a player’s possessions that end in a turnover) of 14.2%? Uh-uh, not in my neck of the woods. Especially when it’s a lateral move at best. Who contains Tony Parker’s penetration now? Who backs up Erick Dampier when Tim Duncan gets him into foul trouble?
I picked Dallas to win it all before the season, and even though they were coasting through the regular season, I liked what I saw when they played hard. It’s not like their window was closing either, they had at least 3-4 years left with that core. I’m sure the Mavs will still be very good, but they are no longer built to beat the Spurs, and since the road to the ring goes through the Alamo city, that’s a problem.
Allen and Wright are unlikely to play anything more than garbage time minutes in Big D.
For the Nets…
Rod Thorn absolutely refuses to lose a trade. This move allows the Nets to rebuild on the fly without having to become terrible in the process. Harris is the centerpiece of this deal and should be NJ’s starting PG for the next 6-7 years. Harris is super speedy and able to get into the lane at will. He can finish at the rim or create for others. Devin’s best quality though is his on ball defense. He is great at pressuring the ball and cutting off penetration. The sky’s the limit for him if he improves his jumper and finds the proper balance between scoring and passing.
Diop lacks the offense needed to be a starter, but as a backup center you could do much worse. He’s a good post defender and shot blocker, but also has the athleticism to run the floor in an open court game. He’s a prime candidate to get overpaid this summer as a free agent if the Nets don’t like him behind Nenad Krstic.
Hassell seems to be reborn in NJ. He’s back to playing sticky D, hitting open shots and hustling. Trenton looks like a perfect backup for Vince Carter.
I’ve never been impressed with Mo Ager’s game and Van Horn is another retired salary filler guy.
It’s rare that a club trades their best player, starts rebuilding and remains competitive. But I think that’s just what Thorn has done here. Look for the Nets to be in the thick of the playoff race in the East the rest of the way.
Winner – NJ
San Antonio Gets: Kurt Thomas
Seattle Gets: Francisco Elson, Brent Barry & a 2009 first round pick
For the Spurs…
You’ve got to hand it to GM R.C. Buford, he’s always able to add a veteran piece to the puzzle without giving much up. Thomas is much better than Elson and may be an upgrade over current starter Fabricio Oberto as well. In any case, “Crazy Eyes” will be able to protect Tim Duncan’s back on defense and the boards alike, while hitting open mid-range jumpers off double teams or penetration.
The one thing that gives me pause here is the first round pick. SA isn’t getting any younger and is right on the verge of needing an infusion of young talent. While Kurt will undoubtedly help them, I’m not sure his addition was absolutely necessary.
For the SuperSonics…
For Seattle this deal was all about the draft pick. A lot of teams were interested in Thomas, but GM Sam Presti was not moving him unless he got a first rounder in return. Presti now has 13 draft picks over the next three years, including six in the first round – two each season. Oklahoma City should love this guy.
Elson immediately becomes the Sonics best interior defender and Barry was already released.
Winner – SA
Houston Gets: Gerald Green
Minnesota Gets: Kirk Snyder, a 2010 second round pick & cash
For the Rockets…
Green was waived after only appearing in one game for a grand total of four minutes.
For the Timberwolves…
In Snyder the Wolves get a solid rotation player for someone who wasn’t in their plans. If Kirk embraces the role of backup he could have a future in the league. However, if he’s intent on proving he’s the “man” on offense it’s off to Europe for him.
Winner – Minny
Detroit Gets: Juan Dixon & cash
Toronto Gets: Primoz Brezec
For the Pistons…
Dixon is a nice veteran insurance policy in case Arron Afflalo isn’t playoff ready, but any time Juanito gets extended minutes he’s exposed defensively.
For the Raptors…
Brezec has never been able to regain the form he displayed his first two years in Charlotte. That said, Toronto lacks beef up front, so if Primoz can defend and rebound he will help them.
Winner – Both Teams
Denver Gets: Taurean Green
Portland Gets: Van Wafer
For the Nuggets…
Denver needed a third PG with the uncertainty surrounding Chucky Atkins return from sports hernia surgery, and I guess Green qualifies.
For the Trail Blazers…
Wafer is a one dimensional gunner, and since the Blazers have trouble scoring when Brandon Roy is out, Von can help them there if needed.
Winner – wash
New Orleans Gets: Bonzi Wells & Mike James
Houston Gets: Bobby Jackson, Adam Haluska, the rights to Sergei Lishouk & a 2008 second round pick (from New Orleans)
Memphis Gets: Marcus Vinicius, the rights Malick Badiane & cash
For the Hornets…
NO needed depth badly, but I question if GM Jeff Bower would have been better off waiting until the summer to address it. Bower took on an extra year of James’ salary at 6.5 million in ’09-10 to rent Wells for the stretch run. While there’s no doubt that a healthy and motivated Bonzi helps the Hornets, I think they would have been better served just letting Jackson come off their books after the ’08-09 season.
As is, if Wells can get his arse in gear he’ll give coach Byron Scott a viable option behind starter Morris Peterson. You never know with Bonzi, but he is NO’s x-factor now for sure.
James for Jackson is a wash as I see it because both are on the downside of their careers and neither was playing that much to begin with.
For the Rockets…
This is a nice move for Houston because they get rid of two guys that were unhappy with their roles (Wells & James) while saving long term money in the process. And even though B Jax doesn’t have much left in his tank, he’s certainly better than rookie Aaron Brooks as Rafer Alston’s backup.
Haluska was waived and Lishouk is a 25 year old Ukrainian PF.
For the Grizzlies…
Badiane is a 24 year old center from Senegal and Vinicius was released.
Here’s what I don’t get about GM Chris Wallace. If you are going to blow it up and rebuild, go all the way, don’t half step it. There are numerous reports that Wallace turned down multiple deals for Mike Miller asking for a quality player in return. Huh? You dump your best player for peanuts and want something substantial for your second best player? Why cap space and draft picks wasn’t enough for Miller when it was for Gasol tells you all you need to know about the direction Memphis is headed.
Winner – Houston
Cleveland Gets: Ben Wallace, Joe Smith, Wally Szczerbiak, Delonte West & a 2009 second round pick (from Chicago)
Chicago Gets: Drew Gooden, Larry Hughes, Shannon Brown & Cedric Simmons
Seattle Gets: Donyell Marshall, Ira Newble & Adrian Griffin
For the Cavaliers…
GM Danny Ferry swung for the fences but hit a ground rule double instead. The only thing that kept this from being a home run is the amount of future salary Cleveland took on. Wallace makes more than Hughes and Szczerbiak more than Gooden. So now the Cavs are locked into this current group through at least next season.
Other than that, I love this deal for Cleveland. Big Ben and Joe Smith replace Gooden’s production and bring more defense and veteran know how to the table taboot. West is somewhat overrated, but he’s ideally suited to be a third guard backing up both positions. So when Daniel Gibson (left ankle) and Sasha Pavlovic (left foot) come back, Delonte should slide right into that role.
The key to this whole thing for me is really Wally’s shooting. LeBron James must be surrounded by competent shooters since he draws so much attention. So if “World” can keep his stroke working on the shores of Lake Erie he should flourish playing off Bron.
I’ve heard many say that the downside to this trade is that the Cavs lose two solid perimeter defenders in Hughes and Newble. My counter to that is Cleveland has won plenty of big games without both of those guys. Secondly, what makes the Cavs D so good is their big men, and I don’t see many teams with a better foursome in the paint than that of Wallace, Smith, Zydrunas Ilgauskas and Anderson Varejao.
I can’t say this move makes the Cavs the favorites in the East, but it wouldn’t surprise me at all to see them in the Finals again. The one major thing they have working against them though is that to get back there they’ll have to beat both Boston and Detroit in the playoffs.
For the Bulls…
This is a bit of a head scratcher from Vice President Jim Paxson. I can see wanting to dump Wallace and Smith so youngsters Tyrus Thomas and Joakim Noah have more opportunities to play. But what I don’t get is the acquisition of Hughes. My boy Thabo Sefolosha was just beginning to come into his own as a starter, and now he has to give up his minutes to injury-prone-team-cancer Hughes? I don’t like it one bit from a long term perspective.
Moving on, I’ve always thought Gooden was highly underrated and using him in a rotation with Thomas and Noah looks very good on paper. It makes Chicago much more athletic up front than they used to be and there should be plenty of minutes for all three.
Fitting Larry in is trickier, but I have an idea for that. Play him behind Kirk Hinrich at backup PG. That way when Ben Gordon comes in for Thabo Hughes can cover Gordon’s deficiencies on the defensive end. Not to mention with the way Hinrich has played this season there are probably more minutes there than at SG for Larry anyway.
Brown and Simmons are both lucky to even be in the NBA at this point.
Overall for the Bulls their personnel is now much better suited to get out in the open court and run than it is to grind it out in the half court and win with defense. I’ve been saying it all year, but I still think the Bulls have a run to the playoffs in them. The only thing is, now it depends on interim coach Jim Boylan changing styles on the fly while also fitting everyone into their new roles at the same time. It’s not going to be easy, but if Boylan pulls it off the “interim” will certainly be removed from his title.
For the SuperSonics…
For Seattle this deal was mainly about dumping Wally’s salary, but moving an unhappy Delonte out of town was an added bonus. Newble has already been waived and I don’t see either Griffin or Marshall getting anything other than garbage time minutes.
Winner - Cleveland
posted by D$ at 5:25 PM
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