Trades Galore!

Now as we embark on the eve of what had to be the most exciting trade deadline I can remember, it’s time to reflect on the week’s transactions and try and get an understanding of what it means not only for the rest of the season but the offseason as well. Some teams traded hoping to find the final piece to their championship puzzle, others traded to give themselves potential for a better future, one that will certainly be full of stars (read: Summer of 2010) and one team, the Washington Wizards traded to take a huge crap on their fans. Whatever way you look at it, the NBA landscape has change as we know it.

Let’s break down the aftermath (I only included trades people should care about):

Dallas gets Caron Butler, Brendan Haywood, DeShawn Stevenson and cash from Washington for Josh Howard, Drew Gooden, Quinton Ross and James Singleton.

Ok so even though, the Mavericks were able to get rid of the completely unserviceable, uncaring Josh Howard from their team, the parts that they got back still aren’t enough to make them a lock for the West’s number 2 team. Butler is a great player, most seasons that is. This season he was only good, which may have been due to the muck and mire that is the Washington Wizards but we shall see. Haywood is a great defensive presence in the middle and should do well to help Dirk in the trenches come playoff time. Unfortunately it feels like the other elite teams like the Jazz, the Nuggets, and of course the Lakers still will outlast these Mavs in a 7 game series. It just seems in the end, Mark Cuban spent a lot of money to get back average gains.

Blazers send Steve Blake, Travis Outlaw and cash to Clippers for Marcus Camby.

I think this simply comes down to the Blazers needing a big man if they are going to have any chance at making a run in the playoffs and the Clippers having one to spare. This also puts the Clippers in better position for something that I will talk about later in the article. But just as a note: Has any trade this week not included one team that hopes to win the LeBron/Wade/Bosh sweepstakes?

Bulls send John Salmons to the Bucks for Joe Alexander and Hakim Warrick.

What Did I Just Say??? No but seriously if you don’t think that this trade was a clear signal to DWade that they are laying out the red carpet for him to come back to his adopted home I don’t know what else they need to do. Hakim Warrick will be a serviceable replacement for Tyrus Thomas and I have always liked his athleticism.

Washington trades Antawn Jamison to Cleveland and Drew Gooden to Clippers;

Cleveland trades Zydrunas Ilgauskas, rights to Emir Preldzic and 2010 first-round pick to Washington;

Clippers trade Al Thornton to Washington and Sebastian Telfair to Cleveland.

I’m sorry but if you are still a Wizards fan after this week, you are a fool or a glutton for punishment. They gutted their team to save money and really just seem headed for the dregs of the NBA for the next decade. Big Z (or random DVD pawner as he is depicted in the Lebron puppet commercial) isn't even staying there as he will probably be bought out. Maybe there’s some sort of master plan but I just doubt it. On the other hand, the other two teams involved in this trade Cleveland and L.A. seem to be after the same prize in the King. Cleveland made this trade to solidify King James’s chance at getting a title this year as well as entice him to stay in Cleveland come the summer. The Clippers made this trade to get some cap room in preparation for the Cavaliers worst nightmare if LeBron decides to leave. Not only does L.A. have the market, they also have a considerable amount of talent that any one of the top guys this summer would be lucky to go to. Unfortunately the Clippers are in fact the most unlucky and cursed franchise on the planet so this will probably go wrong in some way.

Milwaukee trades Jodie Meeks and Francisco Elson to Philadelphia for Royal Ivey, Primoz Brezec and a 2010 second-round pick.

Ok so this trade really doesn’t matter at all but I had to do something to include the Sixers because I was sure that they were going to do something, SOMETHING, to give the fans hope for the future. Like maybe don’t blow the team up Wizards style but at least act like you are trying. I don’t know. Maybe they have a plan or something but it just doesn’t usually work out that way and that’s why I’m breaking up with them as a team. It has been a long process and hopefully Lebron and either Wade or Bosh’s new team can help me forget. Ok enough rambling…

Jazz trade Ronnie Brewer to Memphis for a protected 2011 first-round pick.

Contrary to popular opinion, I like this trade. I think that Memphis has a great starting 5, almost championship level quality, but then their bench often goes missing in games. The acquisition of Brewer gives the guards some back-up as well as bringing a quality perimeter defender in for clutch possessions. Plus it serves as a little bit of insurance just in case they can’t or won’t resign Rudy Gay. For the Jazz, Brewer wasn’t getting that much burn anyway so why not try and get some value for him. This also opens up minutes for Kyle Korver and CJ Miles. So even though they end up giving up a good guard after looking to be legit challengers for the second seed in the West, this trade gives them cap relief as well as a chance to see how the rest of their bench will step up.

Bulls trade Tyrus Thomas to Bobcats for Flip Murray, Acie Law and a future first-round pick (dependant on other first rounders the Bobcats owe)

This trade was beneficial to both teams as they each sure up their benches. Tyrus Thomas is a good developing forward and will probably log some minutes in place of the Boris Diaw as he works out of whatever slump he’s in. He also has a lot of potential to grow. For the Bulls, Flip Murray provides a good fill for the spot that Salmons just vacated as a good scoring guard off the bench.

New York trades Larry Hughes to Sacramento, and Jared Jeffries, Jordan Hill, a top-5 protected 2012 first-round pick and the right to swap first-rounders in 2011 to Houston (top-1 protected);

Houston sends Tracy McGrady to New York, and Carl Landry and Joey Dorsey to Sacramento; Sacramento sends Kevin Martin and Hilton Armstrong to Houston, and Sergio Rodriguez to New York.

Yikes that’s a lot of names…Houston did everything right in this trade. They got under the luxury tax, they really didn’t give up too much at any position, and they got one of the most underrated players in the league in Kevin Martin. Even though they had to give up Carl Landry to do so, they may have found his eventual replacement in a developing Jordan Hill. They also ravaged New York for their draft picks as a bonus. For New York, this trade was a steep price to pay but they got what they ultimately wanted: the opportunity to sign two max contract players in the coming offseason. This is the ultimate feast or famine situation. If it works out, the Knicks will be geniuses, if not expect riots. For Sacramento, Landry is a good low post presence for the Kings to work with. More importantly this deal allows Sacramento to have enough room to offer a max contract as well this summer.

Boston sends Eddie House, J.R. Giddens, and Bill Walker to the Knicks for KryptoNate Robinson and Marcus Landry.

While most people don’t like this trade that much, I really think that after being let out of Mike D’ Antoni’s cellar, Nate Robinson can really make a scoring impact on the floor or at least provide some energy to the sluggish Celtics. Even though House was a good bench guy for Boston, providing a perimeter scoring threat, he was struggling to find his rhythm lately. Hopefully KryptoNate can infuse a little more spirit into the Boston team as we get closer to the playoffs.

All in all, it looks like we are headed for an exciting rest of the season as well as offseason…

Which is fantastic seeing as how we might not have Basketball (or Football) after the 2011 season anyway…..(cliffhanger)..

Black screen….

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