NBA Trade Deadline Deals (Part 1)

Although it was pushed back a little this year to accommodate the shorter season, the NBA deadline has come and passed and a few good deals were made so let's take a look at the deals and see who the smartest teams were.

New Jersey Nets get: Gerald Wallace

Portland Trail Blazers get: Shawne Williams, Mehmet Okur, and a 1st round pick (Top 3 protected)

Synopsis:

I'm not sure why the Nets make this move other than to say something to Deron Williams that we are 'trying' to make this team better.  By getting Crash, the Nets have a high volume scorer who can play both forwards spots.  As his nick name would suggest, Wallace enjoys contact and in my opinion is always thisclose to being injured for a week or two.  Here's to hoping that he doesn't opt out of his contract (player option) and leave the Nets next year.  If he does (and possibly he may not even matter) I would expect Deron to leave too.

The Blazers traded for 2 players that are,..wait for it,....injured.  Williams has a bad foot and Okur has a bad back.  Maybe they just finally realized that Crash just wasn't a fit for their team and wanted some relief and the ability to get a top 10 pick in this loaded draft. 

Overall, this was a swap of spare parts for the chance to get a good part this summer.  Did I mention that the Blazers fired (in my Ahmad Rashad voice) my main man Nate McMillan?  Sad day in Portland.

Portland Trail Blazers get: Hasheem Thabeet, Jonny Flynn, and Minny's 2nd round pick

Houston Rockets get: Marcus Camby

Synopsis: 

Out with the old, in with the new for Portland.  Not only did they make this move but they released oft-injured Greg Oden and Chris Johnson.  In this trade they get a young inexperienced center in Thabeet and a former Timberpuppies PG in Flynn.  I have to say that I am intrigued by Thabeet.  He's a big body, but he never had a chance to really work on his game (on the offensive end) and seems to be somewhat of a defensive presence only.  IF he can make some waves offensively, that could help him and this Portland team.  And it's Portland that we're talking about so if he stays healthy that's a plus.  Not that high on Flynn as I might have once been, but he'll get some opportunity to play and we'll see what he can do.

The Rockets get a 15 year grizzled veteran who can still play defense and make a few of those awkward jumpers that he takes with that elongated shooting form.  Don't get me wrong, I'm a Camby fan and the fact that he has been in the league this long and produced, that says a lot about him.  This gives the Rockets the defensive presence they need to make a run for the playoffs and beyond.  Can someone ask Camby what happened to Lou Roe?

Overall, decent deal on each end.  Portland gets an opportunity to try out a few new players to see if they fit in their system and for that they get a 2nd round pick.  Houston definitely got the better end of this one. 

Golden State Warriors get: Richard Jefferson, TJ Ford, and a 1st round pick (SAS)

San Antonio Spurs get: Stephen Jackson

Synopsis:

The Warriors take on RJ's albatross of a contract while ridding itself of Captain Jack.  TJ Ford will retire, and the Spurs' 1st round pick would be late 1st round.  Jefferson might actually help this team make the playoffs.  I've always like Jefferson, but something just isn't there.  Sometimes I don't think that he wants to play basketball for a living.

The Spurs get Capt. Jack.  Let that sink in for a second as you think about the Spurs and their organization.  Enter Coach Pop and he knows that he has his work cut out with Jackson, but if he can get his head right, Jackson can play a little defense and put up points in a hurry.

Overall, this is an RJ for SJ swap and for the trouble the Spurs' 1st rounder.  I like this for the Spurs as they have a wildcard now in Jackson that they seem to have lacked in the playoffs the last few years.  You always knew that Ginobili and Parker would get there's but who else?  More firepower for the battles they'll face in the West this year.

Los Angeles Lakers  get: Ramon Sessions and Christian Eyenga 

Cleveland Cavaliers get: Luke Walton, Jason Kapono, and a 1st round pick (LAL)

Synopsis:

How does this keep happening?  Where is David Stern to void a trade when you need him?  Are the Buss' their own Jedi clan?  The Lakers got Ramon Sessions for NOTHING.  I'm sorry they got Ramon Sessions and Christian Eyenga for NOTHING.  They gave away Walton (bad back, expiring contract), Kapono (has he even played this year), and a late 1st round pick.  They got the point guard that they needed to help Kobe and Eyenga is a young wing that can atleast help play some defense.  So I give you 2 guys that don't play and a chance to get a rookie next year and you give me a pretty dayum good starting point guard and a young SF?

Cleveland,.....say it ain't so.  Maybe this deal didn't get submitted in time and won't be allowed.  Dan Gilbert just made the Lakers dangerous.  Is he still that mad at LBJ?

Overall, the Buss' should not only send a hand written thank you note, but they should give them the Jeter treatment. 

More to come,......

Jack-nifed

Ask and you shall receive. The Golden State Warriors have traded disgruntled swing man Stephen Jackson and Acie Law to the Charlotte Bobcats for Raja Bell and Vladomir Radmonovic. The Warriors have been shopping a deal for Jackson since he wanted out of Golden State (since this summer). I'm not sure that this is the destination that Jackson had in mind. For some reason I don't see how he and Coach Brown will mesh, but at the same time aren't Jackson and Gerald Wallace essentially the same player? Or is this Charlotte's failed attempt at a Kobe/Artest tandem? The Warriors will finally get someone who knows how to spell defense in Bell and we have no idea what Vlad will do.

Rating: Well, this is essentially a trade for parts. I'm not sure that either team is going to benefit greatly by this. If anyone does, it would be the Bobcats since they are the ones that got a 20 point per game scorer and they can't seem to score.

NBA Tidbits

There is speculation that Karl Malone may come back to the Utah Jazz. No, not to finally get a ring, but to come in as an assistant coach to mentor some of the youngins. But many of us have seen Karl over the years and he's not one for the limelight, which this type of job would entail. Plus, Karl has a few skeletons in his closet that I'm sure he doesn't want brought back up in the public eye.
Phoenix Suns send DJ Strawberry to the Rockets for Sean Singletary. The Suns need a backup point guard and I think that Singletary can give them some minutes behind Nash. He's small, fast, and he can probably score in that uptempo race that they have in Phoenix. I think he'll be a detriment on D because of size, so if the second unit runs the floor, the kid will be good. Strawberry gives the Rockets an extra mid size forward. Not sure if he'll even get a uniform. They're both ACC products, so I have to root for them.
Darius Miles has a make good contract with the Boston Celtics. Outside of the ban that he'll have to face at the beginning of the season, I hope the kid has grown up and has enough health to play. I'm not sure how well he fits with the Celtics, other than providing some kind of scoring punch off the bench. He's never been known as a defensive specialist and a person with bad knees doesn't all of a sudden decide to bend them to get into a defensive stance. We'll see how this one turns out. There are already conspiracy theorists out there.
The Grizzlies are thinking about acquiring Zach Randolph from the New York Knicks. They are only willing to part with Darko and some change. There's a question about whether Randolph fits their needs and wants? I mean if you want a big man who only loves the left block, that can give you 20 and 10 a night, that won't play defense, but is young enough to change, and all for a measly $13M - $15M a year, then get Randolph. I'd probably do it if I only have to give up Darko and 3 ham sandwiches. The Grizzlies are also thinking about sending a point guard to Portland for Travis Outlaw.
Fresh off of getting his Gold medal with Team USA, Kobe Bryant is figuring out when he should get that troublesome pinkie operated on. Kobe, it's just me, but the sooner the better, right?!?!
And finally, straight out of the 'I could understand how you feel, man' file. Stephen Jackson has put the Warriors on notice that he wants to get paid. Since everyone else on the team has been paid, Jax feels that based on what he brings to the team that he shouldn't go into next season being only the 5th highest paid player on the team. We know that an unhappy Jax is not a good Jax. Chris Mullin, open your wallet again.