This season’s trade deadline was a real doozy. All stars and superstars, draft picks and cash were all major pieces moved around, changing the whole outlook of the NBA landscape, especially the playoffs. With these major trades, some end up as champs, while others end up as chumps.
The Butler Did It
Champs: Mark Cuban has always said money would be no object if a trade made sense. Caron Butler makes sense for the Mavericks, giving them an all around player they thought they had in Shawn Marion. Butler can and probably will be a greta complement to Dirk Nowitzki on offense, giving old hands Jason Kidd and Shawn Marion a chance to concentrate on distributing the ball and playing defense, respectively. As for Haywood, well, any seven footer with any smidge of desire to play defense would probably be better than Erick Dampier.
Chumps: The Wizards were looking to dump Butler’s salary and dump is the best word for it. Apparently not having enough hijinks from Agent Zero, they pick up malcontent Josh Howard, Mr. “I won’t stand up for the national anthem because it’s oppressive to black people.” The bad part is, Howard’s energetic and all around play, which was his redeeming factor once, has not been seen in months. The others? Singleton and Ross are great defensive, hardworking players, but they won't be world beaters anytime soon.
Et tu Marcus?
Champs: Portland GM Kevn Pritchard continues to weave boardroom magic. Basically, in the words of an unidentified Clipper, “getting our best defensive player for a back up guard.” With Outlaw injured anyway, the Blazers lose almost nothing, but gain a defensive presence to finally alleviate their center woes caused by the losses of Greg Oden and Joel Pryzbilla to injuries. The trade also might help make Andre Miller more at home, now not having to worry about Blake starting over him.
Chumps: Wow. Man, I love Steve Blake and his multiple assists per game, but wow. Clippers are just well, being the Clippers.
‘Tawn Trade
Washington Wizards receive Zydrunas Ilgauskas, Al Thornton, Cavs' 2010 draft pick, rights to Emir Preldzic, Cleveland Cavaliers receive Antawn Jamison, Sebastian Telfair, L.A. Clippers receive Drew Gooden
Champs: Obviously sensing that adding Shaq may not be enough against an apparently gelling Orlando Magic and a recovering Boston Celtics, the Cavs opened their wallets yet again to snag Antawn Jamison. The former All Star provides the Cavs outside firepower, and an ability to create his own shots and get to the line. The best thing about Jamison is not his scoring but his locker room presence. He will be, as with his stints in Golden State and Washington, the ultimate professional and a calming presence on a team where even the two superstar “leaders” are big crybabies.
Chumps: Washington is officially beginning its rebuilding phase…. with a mid-level talent and an old center with enough screws in his feet that he once set off a metal detector? It’s one thing to shed salaries, it’s another to just dump players. I mean, Al Thornton will bring some positive things, but they could have gotten more. The Cavs were desperate to get Jamison, so the Wizards probably could have gotten a better deal if they played hardball a little longer.
(to be continued)
0 comments:
Post a Comment