Evaluating the NBA trade deadline

• Washington Wizards – The Washington Wizards needed to surround John Wall with more talent.  Getting Nene is a step in the right direction for the Wizards.
• Los Angeles Clippers – When Chauncey Billups went down, that was a big loss for the Clippers.  The addition of Nick Young was a good pick-up for the Los Angeles Clippers.
• Denver Nuggets – The Denver Nuggets are a middle of the pack team.  With JaVale McGee, the Denver Nuggets are getting out of Nene’s contract and they are getting young potential..
• Los Angeles Lakers – Getting Ramon Sessions and losing Derek Fisher is a step in the right direction for the Lakers.  Still, I do not think that it’s enough for the Los Angeles Lakers to win an NBA title this year.  The Lakers also got more cap relief for next year.
• Houston Rockets – The Houston Rockets got Derek Fisher and Marcus Camby.  The Houston Rockets are not good enough to pick-up aging veterans.  I do not understand these moves for the Rockets.
• San Antonio Spurs – Richard Jefferson has been a major disappointment for the San Antonio Spurs.  Stephen Jackson had success with the San Antonio Spurs.  The San Antonio Spurs are true contenders to come out of the West.
• Portland Trailblazers – The Portland Trailblazers have gutted their team by trading Gerald Wallace and Marcus Camby.  The worst thing you can be in the NBA is average.  Now, the Portland Trailblazers have a chance to rebuild by being bad.  I am curious to see what kind of impact Hasheem Thabeet can have for the Portland Trailblazers if given minutes.
• Cleveland Cavaliers – The Cleveland Cavaliers got some cap relief and a first round draft pick.  This make sense for where the Cleveland Cavaliers are in their development.
• New Jersey Nets – Getting Gerald Wallace improves the Nets.  However, the New Jersey Nets were the big losers of the day since Dwight Howard is going to stay with the Orlando Magic for another year.  Deron Williams is now going to leave the Nets after the season.  The New Jersey Nets should have traded Deron Williams once they learned that Dwight Howard is staying with the Magic.  Good luck to the Nets when they move to Brooklyn.
• Indiana Pacers – Leandro Barbosa is a nice little pick-up for the Indiana Pacers.  The Toronto Raptors trading Barbosa for a 2nd round pick is fine given where they are in their development.
• Philadelphia 76ers – Sam Young may provide the Philadelphia 76ers with a little depth and some defense.  This was a non-move for the Memphis Grizzlies.  Overall, not much of a move for either the 76ers or the Grizzlies.
• Golden State Warriors – With Andre Bogut and Richard Jefferson, the Golden State Warriors now have a chance to build a traditional NBA roster instead of playing small ball.  I think the Andrew Bogut is a good gamble for the Warriors.
• Milwaukee Bucks – The combination of Monta Ellis and Brandon Jennings maybe exciting, but is not a winning combination.  The Milwaukee Bucks shall continue to be stuck in NBA purgatory.
• Orlando Magic – By Dwight Howard not opting out of his contract, the Orlando Magic will have an outside chance to compete for an NBA Championship this year and another off-season to bring in another piece to help Dwight Howard.
• Dallas Mavericks – Without making a deal, the Dallas Mavericks were the big winners of the NBA Trade Deadline as the Dallas Mavericks are now the favorite to sign Deron Williams as a free agent this summer.

 

5 Trade Scenarios where the Los Angeles Lakers would trade Paul Gasol to the Eastern Conference

• The Los Angeles Lakers want to compete for an NBA title this year.  It also appears that the Los Angeles Lakers have decided that the best way to do this is trade Pau Gasol.
• The Los Angeles Lakers need perimeter athletes, depth, and 3 point shooting.  The Lakers could fill these needs by trading Pau Gasol.
• While I would not completely rule out a trade of Pau Gasol to the Western Conference, I assume that the Los Angeles Lakers would prefer to trade him to the Eastern Conference.
• Most likely, the team that would want to trade for Pau Gasol, would want to be in position either this year or next year to compete for an NBA title.  The Los Lakers probably do not want to increase their competition in their own conference.
• The Los Angeles Lakers could trade Pau Gasol to the Atlanta Hawks for Josh Smith, Marvin Williams, and Jeff Teague.  The Lakers would get much improved athleticism and depth with this trade.  Marvin Williams and Jeff Teague have been shooting the 3 point shot well this year.  Next year, the Atlanta Hawks would have Al Hortford, Pau Gasol, and Joe Johnson to compete for an NBA Championship.  They could bring back Kurt Heinrich as their point guard.
• The Los Angeles Lakers could trade Pau Gasol to the Boston Celtics for Rajon Rando, Jermaine O’Neal, and Mickael Pietrus.  Rando and O’Neal for Gasol is already a rumor that’s out there.  This trade would give the Los Angeles Lakes greater perimeter athletes with Rando and Pietrus and an adequate replacement for Gasol.  The Lakers depth would increase by moving their current starters to the bench.  It would not help the Lakers much in the area of 3 point shooting.  Next year, the Boston Celtics would have Pau Gasol, Paul Pierce, and cap space to build around and compete for an NBA Title.
• The Los Angeles Lakers could trade Pau Gasol to the Milwaukee Bucks for Brandon Jennings, Stephen Jackson, and Drew Gooden.  This trade would give the Lakers better perimeter athletes and a decent replacement for Pau Gasol.  By moving their starters to the bench, the Lakers depth increases.  The trade would not really help the Lakers with their 3 point shooting.  Next year, the Milwaukee Bucks would have a front court of Pau Gasol and Andrew Bogut to build around.
• The Los Angeles Lakers could trade Pau Gasol to the Orlando Magic for Jameer Nelson, JJ Redick, Quentin Richardson, and Ryan Anderson.  With Jameer Nelson and Quentin Richardson, the Lakers have better perimeter athletes.  With JJ Redick and Ryan Anderson, the Los Angeles Lakers would have two of the League’s better 3 point shooters and the trade would greatly increase the Lakers’ depth.   The Orlando Magic would have Pau Gasol and Dwight Howard to build around.  If they amnesty Hedo Turkoglu and maybe are able to dump some other contracts for expiring contracts, the Orlando Magic could bring in Deron Williams and compete for an NBA Championship.
• The Los Angeles Lakers could trade Pau Gasol to the Philadelphia 76ers for Andre Iguodala, True Holiday, and Lavoy Allen.  Andre Iguodala and True Holiday would greatly increase the Los Angeles Lakers’ perimeter athletes.  Lavoy Allen has shown he can compete at the NBA level and the Lakers would fill their Power Forward and back-up Center positions by committee.  Iguodala and Holiday have been decent 3 point shooters this year and by moving starters to the bench, the Lakers would improve their bench.  Next year, the Philadelphia 76ers would greatly increase their size and inside presence with a front court of Pau Gasol and Spencer Hawes.  Lou Williams would be their go to perimeter scorer.  Evan Turner would take over for Andre Iguodala and be the Sixers do everything type of player.  The 76ers could amnesty Elton Brand and bring in a point guard.  After this trade, the 76ers team would have a chance of being able to compete for an NBA Title.
• Although I like all of these trades from both the Los Angeles Lakers and the other teams’ perspectives, I think the Orlando Magic trade makes the most sense.  The Los Angeles Lakers would improve all their areas of weakness after the trade.  And if the Orlando Magic could bring in Deron Williams next year, the Magic would be set to make a title run.

Realistic trades for the Philadelphia 76ers at the NBA tradeline

• The Philadelphia 76ers were the surprise team early in the NBA this season.
• Now, however, the Philadelphia 76ers have lost 5 in a row.
• Still, the Philadelphia 76ers are in first place.
• The Philadelphia 76ers are mostly a young team that is building for the future.
• At the same time, the Philadelphia 76ers want to be relevant right now; yet the Sixers do not want to sacrifice the future for the short-term.
• The Philadelphia 76ers main deficiency is that they do not have a consistent “go to” scorer, especially in the 4th quarter.
• The 76ers second biggest weakness is that they lack size on the inside for shot blocking and rebounding.
• Here are some realistic trade deadline options that can help the Philadelphia 76ers this season without significantly sacrificing the future:
• There are a couple of scorers who are on bad teams that I think that the Philadelphia 76ers could trade for a reasonable price.
• The Philadelphia 76ers could trade for Stephen Jackson of the Milwaukee Bucks, Corey Magette of the Charlotte Hornets, or Ben Gordon of the Detroit Pistons.
• I think Stephen Jackson might be the best trade option for the Philadelphia 76ers.  Stephen Jackson currently makes 9.2 million and is under contract for this year and next year.
• Stephen Jackson has a scorer mentality, but also plays defense.  This is exactly what the Philadelphia 76ers need.
• The Milwaukee Bucks are probably not going to make the playoffs this year, and if they snuck into the 7th or 8th spot, they will lose to either the Miami Heat or the Chicago Bulls.
• There is no reason to think that Stephen Jackson is part of the Milwaukee Bucks’ long term plans.
• The Philadelphia 76ers could trade Andres Nocioni’s expiring contract (the Sixers have a team option at the end of this year), a young player in Craig Brackins, and a second round draft pick (the Sixers acquired an extra 2nd round draft pick in the Mareese Speights trade).
• As far as a big man goes, if the cost is not too high, I would like the 76ers to trade for Houston’s Hasheen Thabeet.   Thabeet rarely plays of the Houston Rockets, yet he could, at least as a back-up, provide the rebounding and shot blocking that the 76ers need.
• If I were the 76ers, I would give up this year’s first round draft pick and take a flyer on Hasheem Thabeet.  Since Houston does not play Hasheem Thabeet, I do not see why they would not make the deal.  The challenge that the Philadelphia 76ers would have in making the trade is to come up with enough salary to trade without trading someone who is part of the 76ers long-term plans.

Should the Los Angeles Lakers trade Andrew Bynum to the Orlando Magic for Dwight Howard?

• I previously opined that the Los Angeles Lakers will trade Andrew Bynum to the Orlando Magic for Dwight Howard.
• However, Andrew Bynum has played so well for the Los Angeles Lakers in the early part of the season, that you could argue that Andrew Bynum is as good as Dwight Howard.
• In Andrew Bynum’s first 3 games for the Los Angeles Lakers this year, Andrew Bynum has averaged 23 points, 17 rebounds, and 2 block shots per game.
• In Dwight Howard’s first 6 games for the Orlando Magic this year, Dwight Howard is averaging 18 points, 15 rebounds, and 2.5 blocks per game.
• For his career, Andrew Bynum has been a better foul shooter than Dwight Howard.
• Also, although Dwight Howard and Andrew Bynum both have similar career shooting percentages, Andrew Bynum may be a little more skillful as Dwight Howard’s high percentage is based on his ability to get dunks.
• The biggest issue in Andrew Bynum’s career has been his ability to stay healthy.
• Andrew Bynum seems to be coming into his own.  If Andrew Bynum and the Los Angeles Lakers are playing well heading into the NBA Trade Deadline, then I doubt the Los Angeles Lakers will trade Andrew Bynum to the Orlando Magic for Dwight Howard.