I've assessed many of the big trades that have already happened, so we don't need to spend more time on that. Yesterday's big deal involved the Cavs/Bulls/Sonics. It was an 11 player blockbuster. The Cavs got the biggest part of the deal, then the Bulls possibly got some help and the Sonics cut some costs and are thinking long-term.
So basically, this trade really revolves around the Cleveland Cavaliers. The Cavs are in fifth place in the East right now, they're banged up and injured and haven't had their team together as a whole for even just a few weeks this season. The problem has always been that LeBron needed MORE help. Well, the Cavs had to do something and they did. They got LeBron more help, but is it enough?
Wally Szcerbiak can shoot the ball, that's known. He has played pretty well for the Sonics this year, he's also a former All-Star. LeBron should get him plenty of open shots and make things really easy for him, I think he is a perfect piece to add to this team, something that they really needed in general, a solid perimeter shooter. Add him with Gibson and they're going to be dangerous threats that will be left open quite a bit.
Delonte West can do a bit of everything for a point guard. He's strong and can play some solid defense. He should be a good addition to this team, and now that Daniel Gibson just got hurt, he should find himself plenty of minutes here to adjust and find his role on the team.Joe Smith has had a pretty good season, especially once put into the Bulls starting lineup. This month he's averaged almost 17 points per game, he's getting 11 ppg on the season. He is probably more effective than Drew Gooden, but I'll give Gooden the edge on rebounding. He and Big Z can give them a nice frontcourt that can score, you can play Smith at the 4-5 spot and he is effective.
The main player being traded in this deal is of course Ben Wallace. Wallace had a miserable year and a half in Chicago, there is no other way to put it. The team faired well his first season there, but his numbers clearly dropped. This season, it was obvious that his four year $60 million contract was a mistake for the Bulls. It also was obvious that he chose the wrong team, he wasn't happy, his numbers have drastically dropped, he has played uninterested and has also played hurt (to his credit). Chicago was a mistake, Ben knows it (he wishes he was still in Detroit, and that probably is where his heart is at).
On the plus side, this move is a great thing for Wallace, it should energize him. He was on a miserable Bulls team and now he goes to the team that was in the Finals last season, and is currently the third or fourth best team in the Conference, with potential of number one. He's playing with LeBron James, another plus. The Cavs also have to be the biggest Pistons rival, and go figure, Ben Wallace has arrived in Cleveland. This should bring that energy to Wallace.
Let's face it, people in Chicago don't like Ben Wallace--they never got to grow attached to him (his start in Chicago started out ugly from the get go), the fans are thrilled he's gone now. The media has dogged Wallace, he hears it, he knows it. He's been called a mistake, he's been called out by so many. He's been hated on and counted out. Isn't this where Ben Wallace thrives? He was a nobody before getting to Detroit, then he began to make a name for himself and him and his teammates were still dogged and discredited by the media and public eye, and of course, we all know the outcome of that story (they found greatness in 2004 by winning a title). This is the perfect time for Wallace to find a way to get healthy, recreate that once had energy and striving motivation and find his heart and happiness in playing the game of basketball, while playing for a pretty good defensive coach.
Wallace isn't going to give LeBron scoring help or improve on that side, but Larry Hughes can score, but for some reason never worked out with James. Wallace is going to give them some mental edge, some toughness and knowledge of playing the Pistons (Chicago has only 21 wins this season, three of them are against the Pistons). He gives them another big man who they can count on, someone to go up against the bigs of the West, like Duncan, O'Neal, Stoudemire or Gasol. He has a lot to offer this team, and you have to assume that with him and Varejao the team will always have some active defensive guys who make plays the stat sheets don't show (if Wallace can recover from his lackluster energy and play in Chicago).
This whole thing makes a great storyline. The Pistons or Celtics are the favorites in the East. The Cavs know they can beat the Pistons, they did it last year, and they did it fairly easily. They've added some great pieces now and didn't give up much (Gooden was pretty good, but Smith can handle that--and Hughes was pretty much a non factor in Cleveland). They improved yesterday, even if Wallace doesn't get out of this horrible funk he's been in (he has played better the past month or so though). The main thing for Cleveland is getting Varejao, Pavlovic and Gibson healthy and then having Coach Mike Brown find a way to fit all these guys together into a solid rotation in time for the playoffs.LeBron has to be excited, and hopefully that can rub off on Wallace (who once dominated the league defensive based on his emotion and intensity alone). This was definitely a big and surprising move for the Cavs, but I think they can make it work, they got four quality players in this deal and if they can find a way to utilize Wallace, Varejao, Smith and Big Z they can become very dangerous.
Ben Wallace, he's your second chance....
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