This is my first blog post ever so here it goes. This blog won't be entirely about sports - it'll include other topics as well ranging from my views on lunatic rulers (Gaddafi) to what I thought about the latest Top Chef episode (Tiffany needs to go), but to start, we'll go with the NBA trade deadline.
The Carmelo Anthony Trade
After perhaps the most annoying buildup in the history of sports and months of reporting of he-says, she-says, Carmelo is finally headed to New York. What people are overlooking is the addition of Chauncey Billups to this deal. Billups is just as valuable to this deal as Melo is. If the Knicks are to go deep in the playoffs, Billups will play as much a role as Melo will - remember Billups is former finals MVP. And to boot, his contract expires in 2012 - the same offseason that Chris Paul will be available. Denver made out well in this trade too. Had this deal been done 3 months ago, New York would have saved several players, but thanks to their greed and Prokhorov's posturing in New Jersey, the Knicks gave up more than expected. As a side note...interesting to see Felton taking over the starting point guard spot from Lawson for the Nuggets. If you recall, Lawson replaced Felton at UNC.
Winners: Knicks and Nuggets
The Deron Williams Trade
Utah avoids the aforementioned superstar saga and trades Deron a year earlier than he's expected to become a free agent. As far as they are concerned...Williams is New Jersey's problem now. There are two interesting aspects to this deal - 1. Only days after Jerry Sloan resigns, Deron Williams is traded. Is it possible that Sloan didn't have the energy to rebuild the Jazz after he found out that management was shopping Williams? 2. How much does it suck if you are Al Jefferson? You finally get out of Minnesota and land on what you think is a perennial playoff contender in Utah. Your coach resigns, your star point guard is traded and you are now stuck at a position along with Paul Millsap and Derrick Favors. For the record, I think Deron resigns in New Jersey in 2012.
Winners: Prokhorov, KGB, Putin
Losers: Deron Williams, Al Jefferson
The Baron Davis Trade
Donald Sterling definitely had it out for Baron Davis trading him to Cleveland months after Davis commented that Sterling was heckling him. It's amazing that they had to give up a lottery pick to get rid of Davis. With Cleveland destined for the #1 overall pick, it would be typical Clipper's luck that the pick they sent to Cleveland becomes the #2 overall pick.
Winners: Cleveland, Mo Williams
Losers: Baron Davis, Blake Griffin
The Kendrick Perkins Trade
Perkins is good, but after gauging reaction, it seems as if the Celtics traded a combination of Kareem-Shaq-Wilt-Dwight. People calm down. Perkins is good, but perhaps Boston realizes that they needed help at other positions? Shaq is resting for the playoffs and is more than capable of playing center in the East. On the other hand, the Thunder now have the best defensive front court in the league with Perkins, Ibaka and Durant and are now entrenched as the fourth best team in the West. The Thunder also picked up Nazr Mohammed in a separate deal. The addition of energy man Nate Robinson off the bench can't hurt either - maybe him and Ibaka can have a dunk contest of their own.
Winners: Durant, Thunder, Boston Media
Losers: Danny Ainge
The Shane Battier Trade
Shane Battier has to be kicking himself right now. He was this () close to heading to Boston before Memphis swooped in with an offer of Thabeet and a future first round pick. This definitely solidifies Thabeet as the biggest bust in the NBA draft of the 2000s. Atleast other players contributed something...anything! The list as of now is...(Note: I liked several of these players and I definitely own an Adam Morrison jersey)
1. Thabeet
2. Kwame Brown
3. Darko Milicic..although he is playing decent now. This is mostly predicated on who was picked after him
4. Adam Morrison - I'm sorry. I love you Adam and I cried with you when you lost to UCLA
5. Rafael Araujo - The worst player the NBA has ever seen.
Winners: Grizzlies, Kwame Brown, Darko Milicic, Joe Dumars
Losers: Thabeet, Battier
The Aaron Brooks Trade
Brooks is a restricted free agent this offseason, but the Suns are looking to make the playoffs in the now wide-open West. Brooks certainly helps them with that. The Rockets are stockpiling draft picks left and right so they have the excuse of rebuilding for several years while they suck.
Winners: Aaron Brooks, Steve Nash, Daryl Morey's job security
Losers: Yugoslavian population in Phoenix
The Gerald Wallace Trade
I find this to be one of the stupidest trades of the deadline. The Blazers aren't going anywhere. I don't know if they realized this, but their superstar has no cartilage left in either knee and their young center has had more injuries than half the league combined. Gerald Wallace is a nice player and all and he'll definitely help the Blazers for this season, but what's the point? The Blazers gave up two first round picks as well as Joel Pryzbilla. It's time to retool in Portland and that means acquiring more assets, not buying 30 year old forwards for a useless playoff push.
Winners: Michael Jordan's ego, Gerald Wallace
Losers: Portland
The Kirk Hinrich Trade
The Wizards win this trade hands down. From last season, they traded some cash to the Bulls, which turned into Kevin Seraphin and Kirk Hinrich and Hinrich now nets Jordan Crawford and another first round pick (along with an aging Mike Bibby and Maurice Evans). The Wizards have the right idea in acquiring picks...too bad they can't draft at all. It's up to Ted Leonsis to clean house beginning with Ernie Grunfeld and Flip Saunders and ending with Andray Blatche and Javale McGee. They have three years to convince John Wall to stay in Washington D.C. Let's hope it gets done. Oh yeah, Hinrich gives the Hawks a solid point guard who can play defense...Bibby couldn't guard a chair at this point in his career.
Winners: Wizards, Hinrich
Losers: Bibby, Nick Young
I like your analysis, it brings a smile to my face.
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