The best NBA season in a decade got a little better with all the trades that were made prior to Thursday trade deadline, very similar to the Fast and Furious franchise adding "The Rock" to their cast for the next installment. Unlike the played out Melo drama and the trading of expiring contracts that normally dominant the trade deadline, Thursday featured some out of nowhere moves that involved stars and changed the dynamics of contenders and playoff teams.
Boston trades Kendrick Perkins and Nate Robinson to Oklahoma City for Jeff Green and Nenad Kristic.
Easily the most shocking deal of the day as you don't expect the best team in the East and favorite to make the Finals deal their starting center. Boston did get the best player traded in Jeff Green, who is a real piece for the future and a multi-position threat as a backup to this team. I am not about to count out the Celts even if they are relying on the health of Shaq and Jermaine O'Neal and getting anything from Kristic, but I hope Danny Ainge knows something we don't right now, like a buyout possibility or Rasheed Wallace music in the background?
Great overall move for OKC, who got beat up like Morales on the best new show of the year, FX's "Lights Out", on Wednesday night in San Antonio. The Thunder had to make a move to get tougher and Perkins is the perfect center for Westbrook and Durant and a Perkins/Ibika frontcourt has all the makings of a shutdown unit.
Winners: James Harden (will now get his chance), Jeff Green (meaningful role on a favorite), OKC's playoff chances.
Losers: Anyone who wanted to see the Rando, Allen, Pierce, KG, Perkins squad make another Finals' run (most notably the other 4 Boston starters left who didn't want Perkins traded ). Jeff Green's fantasy owners. Danny Ainge if the Celts get bullied by the Lakers in the finals.
Utah trades Deron Williams to New Jersey for Devin Harris, Derrick Favors and 2 first round picks.
New Jersey acted quickly after losing out on Carmelo and acquired Williams and now have a season and a quarter to convince him to sign long term. Stars are few and far between in the NBA, so you can't fault Jersey for the move, but if they fail to re-sign Williams the future without him, Favors and two 1st round picks will be bleaker than a Russian winter.
Utah has always stayed under the radar and they do so again by trading Williams a year before the will he, wont' he drama began. Favors has been less than impressive so far and will join a disjointed front line of Jefferson, Millsap, and AK 47. Too bad Utah doesn't have a hall of fame coach to get them through this transition.
Winners: New Jersey (they have their star and over a year to convince him to stay long term). Favors, he will have a chance to develop out of the trade rumors. Jerry Sloan.
Losers: Utah fans (in 10 days they lost both Sloan and Williams).
Houston trades Shane Battier and Ishmael Smith to Memphis for Hasheem Thabeet and a first round pick. Houston then trades Aaron Brooks to Phoenix for Goran Dragic and a first round pick.
Houston continues to stockpile first round picks, acquiring two more in these moves and also gets an underrated point guard in Dragic and former #2 pick Thabeet. Not exactly the haul Houston fans were expecting when they were rumored to be the 3rd team in talks for Melo and Williams' desire to play in Texas. They did buy low on Thabeet and Dragic and a pick is robbery for Brooks.
Memphis adds a nice piece for the playoffs in Battier and admits defeat by moving Thabeet after only two years in the league.
Phoenix adds a nice backup point guard to a team that will likely look to move their starting point guard (Nash) this summer.
Winners: Memphis playoff hopes, not only are they playing well lately, but with the Battier addition and the subtractions in Utah and Denver they are looking at a potential 6 or 7 seed. Battier, his game translates well to a team in playoff contention. Brooks and Thabeet, no two players need a fresh start more.
Losers: Memphis GM Chris Wallace, he missed the deadline on the Mayo to Indy trade or he would have traded back to back top 3 picks on the same day. Houston and Phoenix, the rebuilds continue.
Charlotte trades Gerald Wallace to Portland for Joel Pryzybilla, Dante Cunningham, and 2 first round picks. Charlotte then trades Nazr Mohammed to OKC for DJ White and Mo Peterson.
Portland adds a player who rebounds as well as anyone at his position and will add toughness to a versatile front line that already includes Camby, Aldridge, and Batum. The Blazers were one team that clearly improved with a deadline trade by adding Wallace and not having to give up any significant pieces.
Charlotte dumps salary in both moves, but does not receive any building block pieces in return and the first round picks Charlotte receives will be unintentional comedy as GM Jordan wastes them away. How can a re-building team not trade away their biggest asset in Cap'n Jack?
Winners: Portland and Wallace
Losers: Charlotte and Jackson
Atlanta trades Mike Bibby, Mo Evans, Jordan Crawford and a first round pick to Washington for Kirk Hinrich and Hilton Armstrong.
Washington did well to get anything for Hinrich even if that had to take back Bibby. Crawford has a bright future and I had to check this move three times thinking the first round pick went the wrong way.
After this move is there any question why Atlanta stays mediocre? As someone who gets every Wizards game can attest to, Hinrich will be exposed during playoff basketball.
Winners: Hinrich, at least one GM still thinks he can help a playoff team. Crawford, he will get a chance with a young team in Washington. Wash GM Ernie Grunfeld, even having to take on Bibby doesn't diminish this robbery.
Losers: Shots in Washington, with Crawford and Nick Young shots will be scarce in DC. Hawks playoff chances, they needed a major addition or a total teardown and this deal is neither.
LAC trades Baron Davis and a first round draft pick to Cleveland for Mo Williams and Jamario Moon.
Cleveland gets what looks to be a top ten draft pick in next year's draft and all they had to do was take on Baron Davis and his 14 million/year for the next 2+ seasons. Their inability to get a piece for Jamison and a weak draft on the horizon has to be discouraging even for a Cavs fans.
If Williams is healthy he will be a nice addition for the Clipps and clearing Baron's contract allows them to re-sign some of the upcoming free agents like Jordan and Gordon.
Winners: Williams and Moon, the chance to escape Cleveland for LA and Blake Griffin is obvious.
Losers: Byron Scott, who has already tangled with Baron before. Baron Davis, he has always been one of my favorites since his days at UCLA, but since he left Golden State he has looked as out of place as Will Ferrell in a drama. At his best he is a top 5 talent at the point guard position, but his inability to stay in shape or stay focused at 14 million/year is indefensible. As if they didn't know it already, Cavs fans.
The Carmelo Trade
Naming the players involved alone takes 3 paragraphs. The big winner was obviously Carmelo and sports talk radio as this lasted longer than an American Idol season. Denver did as well as they could, but wouldn't it have been great for them to hold the line and see if Carmelo would have really given up $20 million? Meanwhile NY has two stars, and though they aren't close to contending this year, stars win in the NBA and the Knicks have renewed hope and a bright future. I find it hard to be believe that Carmelo will not win a title in his prime as a Knick.
The biggest loser in this deal has to be Minnesota who gave up a solid defender and bench guy in Brewer and currently has a roster of Darko, Eddie Curry, Anthony Randolph, and Michael Beasley.
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