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Archive for February, 2011
Trade Week Breakdown: Part 1
Now that the madness is officially over as of 3PM ET yesterday, lets sift through all the garbage of the past week and see what comes up:
February 22nd
- The Raptors trade a 2011 first-round draft pick to the Chicago Bulls for James Johnson
What it means for Toronto:
Although James Johnson hasn’t been lighting it up in the league, he should be a solid option for the Raptors at the 3 or the 4 (his playing time will probably be at the 3 but it should be at the 4. We’ll see what the Raptors do with him). I’m thinking that the Raptors will probably get more value from Johnson than they would from this relatively weak draft (this pick would have been one of the last picks in the draft since its from Miami; remember that Chris Bosh trade? Yep, that’s the pick they got).
What it means for Chicago:
Cap space and a draft pick. That’s pretty much all this trade means for the Bulls. James Johnson wasn’t playing anyway so its not much of a risk for the Bulls.
- Denver trades Carmelo Anthony, Chauncey Billups, Shelden Williams, Anthony Carter and Renaldo Balkman to the Knicks for Wilson Chandler, Raymond Felton, Danilo Gallinari, Timofey Mozgov, a first-round draft pick (2014 or later) and cash.
What it means for New York:
I’m not sure if this is the new hotness but bidding against yourself seems to be a trend happening among NBA teams (hey Otis Smith). I personally can’t remember a superstar issuing a trade demand, then identifying the ONE team he wants to go to, and then said team begins a bidding war against itself for said superstar.
Carmelo was not signing an extension with the Nets, the only “real competition” to the Knicks yet somehow the Knicks upped the ante several times. If the Knicks were patient they would have landed Melo in the summer (barring a franchise tag option in the new CBA) and would have only lost Wilson Chandler. Instead in addition to Chandler they lost Felton, Gallinari, Mozgov, a draft pick, and cash.
Even with all that said the real problem as Tay P put it beautifully in *plug* Episode 15 of the HoopSmack podcast *end plug*…Isiah Thomas was involved in this deal.
On the flip side of this the Knicks are putting themselves in a position to land a 3rd superstar which could be Chris Paul, Dwight Howard, or Deron Williams. Not too bad but for the love of everything please leave Isiah out of those talks please.
What it means for Denver:
The Nuggets management did their best to avoid a Lebron type situation by getting something in return for the loss of their superstar. A young point guard and big man. Two quality forwards. A first round pick. 2 second round picks. Under the luxury tax line. And a solid chance at the playoffs. I would say the Nuggets did a great job (that’s how you do it Cavs).
- Knicks send Anthony Randolph and Eddy Curry to Minnesota for Corey Brewer.
What it means for the Knicks:
Goal 1: Got rid of Curry and his contract. Check.
Goal 2: Got a solid role player in Brewer for a 100 pound head case. Check.What it means for Minnesota:
They get Curry’s expiring contract but its up in the air what they will do with it. They are hoping the the lights come on for Randolph and he lives up to the potential.
February 23rd
- Utah trades Deron Williams to New Jersey for Derrick Favors, Devin Harris, two first-round draft picks and cash considerations.
What it means for Utah:
This was clearly a preemptive strike to Williams leaving in 2012. They do get solid pieces with Devin Harris, who is a good point guard as well, and Derrick Favors who should be a rock star on the defensive end in the Utah frontcourt. The Jazz also get draft picks so the post-Williams era should be ok. With all that said, I would still want Williams on my squad.
What it means for New Jersey:
The Nets are betting that Williams signs an extension with them. There can be no other reason why they would trade away their best two YOUNG pieces. I imagine that owner Prohkorov is a fan of the franchise tag.
- Sacramento trades Carl Landry to New Orleans for Marcus Thornton and cash considerations.
What it means for New Orleans:
Bottom line the Hornets needed front court help and Thornton was a young talented player that wasn’t playing. Instead of letting Thornton rot on the bench, the Hornets were able to get Landry who will be perfect fit. His mid range shooting and offensive rebounding will be huge for the Hornets.
What it means for Sacramento:
Considering they were going to lose Landry no matter what, the Kings made out ok with Thornton as a solid player who has a talent for scoring. He will be most effective with Tyreke off the floor.
- Washington trades Kirk Hinrich and Hilton Armstrong to Atlanta for Mike Bibby, Jordan Crawford, Maurice Evans and a 2011 first-round draft pick.
What it means for Washington:
I’m undecided about this one. Yes they have 3 picks now but considering the 2011 draft will be a weak one (might even be weaker with the looming lockout) I’m not sure what the Wizards get out of this trade. Bibby will be non-factor and Evans will probably seek a buyout.
What it means for Atlanta:
I love it. Instant upgrade at the point guard position. No Hinrich is not as good a spot up shooter as Bibby but he’s clearly better at everything else. Hilton Armstrong means nothing to me so I have no comment on that. I’m sure those practice battles with Josh Powell and Jason Collins should be interesting…
- Nets trade Troy Murphy and a second-round pick in 2012 to the Warriors for Dan Gadzuric and Brandan Wright.
What it means for New Jersey:
Nothing really other than Gadzuric’s expiring contract (finally, this dude must have signed a 90-year deal or something)
What it means for Golden State:
A draft pick. That’s pretty much it. I don’t see Murphy staying in Golden State so a buyout is likely.
- L.A. Clippers trade Baron Davis and the Clippers’ 2011 first-round draft pick to Cleveland for Mo Williams and Jamario Moon.
What it means for Los Angeles:
I like this move. You get rid of Baron’s contract plus you add another shooter for Blake Griffin to pass to in the half court set. With Eric Gordon, Mo, and Griffin the Clippers can become a nighmare to defend. Moon is a throwaway and will probably be a unrestricted free agent after his contract expires this summer.
What it means for Cleveland:
Short term the Cavs probably got worse with Davis who will not play hard and has already had conflict with head coach Bryon Scott. Long term, The Cavs can start the Lebron rebuilding process with two first round picks (that will likely be high picks). Still the Cavs really dont have anywhere to go except up.
Check back for my analysis of the deadline deals soon…
HoopSmack Podcast: Episode 15 – Melo State of Mind
Join the HoopSmack crew as we give our impressions of All-Star Weekend, whats really going on with Jerry Sloan (Part 1) and, the latest happenings in NBA trade activity including why the Knicks made a mistake (Part 2).
Download Episode 15 (Parts 1 & 2) on iTunes, Zune Marketplace or download from the links below:
Leave us feedback on the iTunes store, send us an email at feedback@hoopsmack.com or hit us on Twitter.
GM Showcase: Chris Wallace
And you thought Big was the wildest?! Memphis Grizzlies general manager Chris Wallace is one of those rare executives that has never played or coached a NBA game…which may explain exactly why he makes the decisions he makes…lets get to it.
GM Tenure
1997-2003 Boston Celtics
2007-Present Memphis Grizzlies
Notable Moves
Good – Drafted Paul Pierce in the 1998 NBA Draft
No brainer really considering Pierce fell to the Celtics at the 10th pick. It would have been pretty hard to mess this up…then again…
Bad – Drafted Hasheem Thabeet with the 2nd pick in the 2009 NBA Draft.
Oh let’s see…Tyreke Evans, Stephen Curry, DeMar DeRozan, Brandon Jennings, Tyler Hansbrough, Jrue Holiday, Ty Lawson, Darren Collison, Omri Casspi, Rodrique Beaubois, Taj Gibson, Toney Douglas, DeJaun Blair, Jodie Meeks, Marcus Thornton, Austin Daye, Earl Clark, do you get where I’m going with this? ANY player eligible in the 2009 NBA Draft would have been a better pick that Thabeet.
I’m not even sure where to begin. If you need a shot blocked, then Thabeet is your guy. If you need anything else from your big man you are out of luck. There are simply no basketball skills to be found. No offense. No defense. Doesn’t seem to know anything about the pro game. His one strength leads to an insane amount of fouling (1 foul every 5 min; seriously there is no joke there)…and this is the guy you pick with the 2nd overall pick? This is almost as disgusting as…
Ugly – Traded Pau Gasol for…a bag of popcorn.
I’m going to quote San Antonio coach Gregg Poppovich with this, “What they did in Memphis is beyond comprehension. There should be a trade committee that can scratch all trades that make no sense. I just wish I had been on a trade committee that oversees NBA trades. I would have voted no to the LA trade.” Beautifully said Pop.
Is it coincidence that Wallace replaced Lakers great Jerry West the year before he traded one of the best, YOUNG players in the league to…wait for it…the Lakers? Is there a way to press charges against Wallace and West? I mean he single-handedly changed the landscape of NBA basketball with this trade. Isn’t that tampering or something?!
All-Star Weekend Atrocities
Celebrities were well represented in L.A. this weekend. Here are a few fashion faux pas spotted by Lady C.
Nick Cannon
Question, Mr. Cannon – is your wife dressing you? Fitted and pink. Something about this rouses cheery sounds of an ice cream truck. Can I get a vanilla cone, Mr. Mariah?
Snoop Dogg and Warren G
Look at this duo. Warren G looks like he is playing the role of Snoop’s probation officer. Snoop’s look is definitely suspect with red-on-red sweat suit and James Brown-esque (zip up?!) furry coat. He doesn’t stop there, though. He tops it with red lens shades! Will someone please tell this grown man to stop rockin’ pig tails?
Kanye and Rhianna
Kanye takes the stage channeling a wicked Mr. T/Eddie Murphy Delirious mash up. He is accompanied by Rhianna in her standard coochie cutter performance garb.
Lil Wayne and Diddy
Ok. Not so atrocious, but comment-worthy. These music moguls rep the same set — orange is in!
GM Showcase: Pat Riley
Does the dude really need an introduction? All-Star forward from Kentucky. Won a NBA title in 1972 as a Laker. Returned to Laker land and won 4 championships as a coach. Coached the Knicks to the Finals. Won another title with Dwyane Wade and Shaq in 2006. And now Pat Riley is trying to architect what could be one of the greatest dynasties in NBA history.
GM Tenure
2008 – Present Miami Heat
Notable Moves
Good - Traded draft picks for Lebron James.
Let’s face it. No matter how you feel about him he is the best player in the NBA today and he will continue to be for some time. Anytime you can trade unknown commodities for a once in a generation package (skills, size, athleticism) in James you are doing something spectacular. This move doesn’t require much more explanation since its been analyzed to death so moving along…
Bad – Filling spots 5-15 of the 2010-2011 Miami Heat team.
Despite being able to gather the talents of Lebron and Chris Bosh to join resigned star Dwyane Wade, the rest of the team (outside of Udonis Haslem) is anything but stellar. A bunch of veteran minimums, miscues in free agent signings (hey Erick Dampier), and a collective WTF moment (Jerry Stackhouse? Seriously?) all lead into one of the most confusing transactions ever…
Ugly – Re-signed Joel Anthony to a multi-year deal.
0 points, 0 rebounds, 0 assists, 0 blocks, 0 steals, 1 turnover, 29 minutes…
I just don’t get it. Not only did he get a deal…he got a 5-year deal! Why would you dedicate half a decade to a undersized 5 who’s only strength can only be described as “intangibles”?! Yes he can block a shot. Yes he can play defense at times. But LITERALLY that’s it. He has terrible hands. There is no offense skill set to even criticize. It’s amazing how terrible of a rebounder he is considering his physical attributes and athleticism. Its down right laughable now that I think about it. How laughable you ask? There are 25 shooting guards who are currently better at defensive rebounding than Anthony…and he’s your starting center?! Even Chris “I’m playing on one leg” Paul and Kyle Lowry are better at rebounding than this guy. Now I will probably be told I’m being too hard but guess what? He’s 28. I don’t know about you much how much more can he improve at this point?…I’m done.
Riley knows what it takes to have a dynasty so we’ll see if he can “create” one with his moves in the summer of 2010. The Heat have the potential to be great for a long period of time and if they are successful (championships,etc), Riley will prove he can find success at any level whether it be as a player, coach, or a GM.
The Nets Get Their All-Star
No…it’s not Carmelo Anthony. After failing to land the superstar from Syracuse, the Nets have acquired Deron Williams from the Utah Jazz.
The Nets will send Devin Harris, Derrick Favors, two first-round draft picks and cash considerations to Utah for the All-Star point guard from Salt Lake City. Nets head coach Avery Johnson said at practice Wednesday seemed “excited” at the opportunity to get someone of Williams’ talent level. “Rarely are you able to trade for somebody that’s one of the top players at their position,” he said. “We know we had to give up a lot to get him, but we felt it was worth it.” As Johnson pointed out the Nets had to give up quite a bit to land the “Plan B” and many will wonder if the gamble will be worth it in the end. Desperate to make that first big move in the Mikhail Prokhorov era, the Nets laid down the foundation to the overall vision of bring a championship to the Nets in 5 years.
…so the Knicks could have traded for D-Will who would probably be a better fit for them instead of Melo who essentially does the same things that Amar’e Stoudemire does now?…my head hurts.
Recap: February 22nd, 2011 – The Night Melo Didn’t Play
Pacers 113 @ Wizards 96
55 games into the 2010-2011 season and the Wizards are playing like they want the number 1 pick in the NBA Draft for the 2nd straight year. “Guys didn’t bring no effort,” said Andray Blatche. “They outworked us on every possession. For a minute out there, it seems like guys didn’t care after a while — like we just gave in to a team that we’re definitely much better than them if we compete. But nobody brought heart with them.” When Blatche says this, you know your team is in trouble.
Danny Granger led the energized Pacer attack with 21 points and 10 rebounds while Tyler Hansbrough, member of coach Frank Vogel’s Goon Squad, added 17 points in 21 minutes. Sure Blatche had 21 points and Rookie Game MVP John Wall dished out 10 assists and grabbed 5 rebounds (with 6 turnovers). Too bad the rest of the Wizards have given up on the season. I guess 40 losses tends to have that effect.
Raptors 101 @ Bobcats 114
Poor defense and dumb mistakes are business as usual for the Raptors these days. Losing their 8th game of their last 10 (and 18 of their last 20), the Raptors are set to compete for a high draft pick at the end of the season. Will get to see GM Bryan Colangelo do what he does best (I’ll let you guess what that is).
With a week’s rest D.J. Augustin scored in bunches leading the Bobcats with 23 points and also added 8 assists. Gerald Wallace scored 20 points of his own and Boris Diaw added 16 points to go along with 9 assists (in case you were wondering he only grabbed 3 rebounds, hes still allergic to rebounds aka the Brook Lopez disease).
Rockets 108 @ Pistons 100
Its wasn’t Luis Scola…its wasn’t Chuck Hayes…it was rookie Patrick Patterson who did the damage in the frontcourt as the Rockets were able to outlast the Pistons in Detriot. Patterson stayed in the entire 4th quarter in what turned out to be his coming out party. The NBA’s second highest scoring bench poured in 56 points but the Pistons starters were unable to do their part.
Patterson led the Rockets with 20 points (including 11 in the final quarter). Will Bynum and Ben Gordon played well off the bench scoring 21 and 15 points respectively. Rookie Greg Monroe got a double double with 12 points and 12 rebounds.
Kings 97 @ Heat 117
The Heat could have just played the Big 3 and probably still would have won. Despite All-Star fatigue and the potential to look ahead to games against Chicago and the new look Knicks, Lebron James, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh were able to maintain focus and come up big against the Kings who…well are the Kings. The Heat never trailed this game and had a 29 point lead at one point. The only category the Heat didn’t dominate? Turnovers. The Kings committed 12 to the Heat’s 9….wait a sec…more turnovers is a bad thing. I guess the Heat did dominate every category (see what i did there?)
James scored 31 points and Wade flirted with a triple double getting 23 points, 8 rebounds, and 7 assists. Bosh did his part as well chipping in with 22 points and 9 rebounds. With Tyreke Evans out with injury again the Kings really didn’t have a shot but Samuel Dalembart did have a solid game off the bench with 18 points and 13 rebounds.
Timberwolves 88 @ Bucks 94
Nothing can really be taken away from this game other than the fact that Kevin Love got his 43rd straight double-double and UW’s own Jon Brockman got 14 rebounds. Both teams struggled with shooting but the Bucks’ ability to score in the paint was the deciding factor in this win.
Brandon Jennings led the Bucks with 27 points and 7 assists while Corey Maggette added 20 bench points. Love scored 20 points and grabbed 17 rebounds in the Timberwolves’ 44th loss of the season.
Clippers 88 @ Thunder 111
Nothing like having your homecoming ruined by a bully. Blake Griffin’s return to Oklahoma was bittersweet since the All-Star forward came close to a triple double but fell far short of a team victory. Poor defense and mishandling the ball (17 team turnovers for the Clippers) made the game easy for the Thunder who shot the ball well and were able to get some solid production from the bench.
Jeff Green led the Thunder with 22 points while All-Stars Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook finished with 21 and 13 points respectively (All-Star fatigue?). Griffin had a great game with 28 points, 11 rebounds, and 8 assists which could have easily been a triple double if he wasn’t taking out early due to “foul trouble”. Clippers and dumb decisions seem to go hand and hand.
Grizzlies 107 @ Nuggets 120
Even without Carmelo Anthony and Chauncey Billups, the Nuggets were able to end the Grizzlies’ 4 game winning streak with only 9 players left on the bench after the blockbuster deal that sent Melo and Billups to the Knicks. Let the Ty Lawson era begin.
J.R. Smith took on the responsibilities of the Melo scoring load getting 26 points on 9 for 22 shooting (which included 6 3-pointers). He also grabbed 8 rebounds which Melo probably wouldn’t have done (bonus!). Lawson and Arron Afflalo both scored 21 points with Lawson dishing out 7 assists.
Celtics 115 @ Warriors 93
A good offense will always beat a good defense…or is it a good defense will be a good offense…ah whatever the Celtics won this game in the second half limiting the Warriors to just 33 second half points after letting them drop 60 points in the first half. The Celtics seemed to want this game more as momentum is now a large part of what they want to do heading into the real season (aka the playoffs). Defense, rebounding and ball movement was the name of the game which delivered the 41st win of the season for the Eastern Conference champs.
Kevin Garnett and Rajon Rondo both came close to notching triple doubles (24 points, 12 rebounds, 6 assists for KG; 19 points, 15 assists, 6 rebounds for Rondo) in what was an important win for Paul Pierce (who finished with 23 points) and the gang. “You lose the first game, you kind of lose your momentum and then you’re battling uphill,” said Pierce. “So it’s kind of good to get that first one and keep that momentum.” Monta Ellis struggled from the field finishing with 15 points on 6 for 18 shooting which included a 1 for 7 performance from behind the arc. Dorell Wright and Stephen Curry led the way with 19 and 18 points respectively.
Hawks 80 @ Lakers 104
It was clear that the Lakers were going to go out and throttle whomever was in front of them. After heading into the All-Star with a disgusting loss to the Cavaliers (sorry Cleveland but this team crushed you by 55 points…moving on) Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol set the pace for the defending champions. Suffocating defense and a lack energy from the Hawks sealed this blowout from the beginning despite the high number of turnovers from the Lake Show (19).
The Black Mamba (no, not Uma Thurman) finished with 20 points and 5 assists while Gasol took a night off from the Charmin Extra Soft tour getting 14 points and 10 rebounds. Shannon Brown led the 2nd unit of the Lakers with 15 points and 27 minutes. The Hawks were not ready for this game at all and it showed with a poor shooting night. Joe Johnson aka The Contract “led” the Hawks with 14 points while All-Star Al Horford had 13 points and 6 rebounds.
Western Conference: Baller All-Stars vs. Fashion All-Stars?
All eyes were on L.A.’s Staples Center for the NBA’s All-Star Weekend. Let’s see how our league superstars fare in an off-court fashion comparison.
Representing the WEST…
Kevin Durant
Looking more like 1950s accountant than all-star, Durant observes the T-Mobile Rookie Challenge.
Chris Paul
Pearly whites go nice with subtle mix of patterns in a common color palette. CP3 earns 5 here.
Kobe Bryant
He’s the MVP and he already knows it. Kobe is so bold, he doesn’t realize that the wash on these jeans makes it look like he peed his pants. GASP! Both shoes maintain their pristine white though… so everything is OK.
Carmelo Anthony
Everything about Melo exudes ALL-STAR! From the matching shirt/pants, to the two-toned braided belt, the paisley tie, the knee-length military inspired jacket, the shades, the smile… 5 points plus a Rihanna half-time slow wind!
Tim Duncan
(replacement starter for Yao Ming)
Duncan throws on a white button down and pulls his jeans up. That’s all. This a terribly disappointing subtraction of fashion points for his team.
