What an exciting and trade filled couple weeks in the NBA. Now most of these big deals all happened before deadline day, but we definitely got a deadline blockbuster just in the nick of time.
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.
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).
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....
Here it is:
I love this deal for the Cavaliers, I absolutely do. I know some people questioned Ben Wallace, and the Chicago thing was a disaster, but I think it will energize him, energize LeBron even more and make this team possibly get back to the Finals.The NBA's trade deadline has passed (3pm ET).
A lot of times it takes times for deals to be announced after, as long as submitted before the deadline, they're good.
So far, only one trade today.
I assume at least a couple more may be announced later today, as the time passes, but probably nothing too big.
Just saw this on ESPN...
Rod Thorn: "We're not going to move him (Vince). Not before the trade deadline anyways."
From ESPN's Chad Ford:
The New Orleans Hornets announced today that they have acquired guard/forward Bonzi Wells, guard Mike James, and cash considerations from the Houston Rockets in exchange for guard Adam Haluska, guard Bobby Jackson, forward Marcus Vinicius and a 2008 second round pick. As part of the three-team deal, the Memphis Grizzlies will receive Vinicius, the rights to Malick Badiane and cash considerations in exchange for the rights to Sergei Lishouk.
Here's the main part of the deal:
From Yahoo! Sports:
I don't know what has happened to Vince Carter, his heart is not in the game from what I see. Now that he has a contract, it seems like he just doesn't care anymore, like when he was in Toronto. He might get traded to New York according to some of the latest rumors (I don't even want to talk about the rumored deal (let's just say it's a three team deal and it involves Eddy Curry and Ricky Davis as well). His heart might not be in the game much anymore, but he is motivated to dance more than throw it down.
Kobe and Shaq (in his debut) is obviously going to be great to watch, but don't disregard Jason Kidd's Mavericks debut. Chris Paul and the Hornets host Kidd, Nowitzki and the Mavs tonight as well.
It's going to be a fun night for people with League Pass.
Shaq makes his Suns debut against the Lakers tonight, go figure. It's on ESPN tonight and I assume every NBA fan will be watching. Should be a good game and it is obviously going to be an interesting one to say the least. These two teams just need to meet in the playoffs.
This is what happens when you get drafted, you sign a contract and then you got to a photoshoot and dance, cause now you're filthy rich....
Here are the specs:
If healthy and going at about 90-100%, I think the Wiz can make some noise in the East. Brendan Haywood has played well this year and we know Caron and Jamison are both playing at a super high level.
Get Well Gil, the league needs you. Your team needs you (for the long haul)
Friday, the NBA did some amazing things in the city with over 2,000 members of the NBA (from players to team officials) doing community service in the city. It was fantastic to see, and something that the city definitely needed. New Orleans has came such a long way, but of course, there is plenty of more work to go. Kudos to the NBA for stepping up to the plate big time and making something like this happen.
Friday night was the celebrity game, which was pretty fun to watch. T.O. and Deion Sanders put on some shows, but the intensity and dancing of actor Terry Crews was definitely the highlight. The main event, was the Rookie/Sophomore Game and it was a pretty good game. The past few years the game has gotten sloppier and has seen big blowouts, this year, you never felt the rookies were in it. Daniel Gibson shot the lights out and Al Horford looked like the Rookie of the Year out there.
All-Star Saturday Night was the best show of the weekend. The event has had it's ups and downs in the past few years. The Slam Dunk Contest has received a lot of criticism over the years. There hasn't been much star power, there hasn't been much creativity, but all that has changed. Dwight Howard is a star, and he's done the event two years in a row. Rudy Gay is averaging 20 points, and is going to be a star in this league. If LeBron James and other players in his caliber are too pretty to do the dunk contest, let them, the contest doesn't need them.
Dwight Howard put on a show and won the competition. He had one of the most fantastic individual performances in the competition's history. Gerald Green pulled out his best first, but still managed to show that creative swagger as well. Jamario Moon and Rudy Gay had great dunks too, on the average year they would have been finalists. Though Howard and Green brought the big guns out from the get go.
The Three-Point Shootout was star filled, yet the role player Jason Kapono pulled out the victory and tied the record with 25 points in one round. He's a shooter, and Peja just could not get into a groove like years past to even challenge Kapono in the finals. The Skills Competition is always pretty fun to watch as well, and I love the Shooting Stars Competition. The San Antonio team was phenomenal and I loved seeing David Robinson back on the court (along with Laimbeer, Eddie Johnson and BJ Armstrong).
Saturday night was just fantastic, it was definitely one of the best All-Star Saturday's in recent memory, and maybe one of the best ever.
Sunday was of course the All-Star Game itself. We saw a great fourth quarter run by the West, led by Chris Paul. Ray Allen put on a shooting galleria (probably should have been in that Three Point Shootout), keeping the East alive during that fourth quarter. LeBron James led the way for the East from the tipoff, as well as Dwight Howard and we saw a pretty good game. James had the dunk of the game, going into traffic and throwing it down over Dirk Nowitzki and some other innocent bystanders.
The NBA did a fine job this year, all the events were great and they did some fantastic stuff for the city of New Orleans. Next year is in Phoenix and hopefully the NBA can top the smashing success which was NBA All-Star Weekend 2008.
These pictures are not from All-Star Weekend, but we all know plenty of this stuff went on and more...
Deron Williams
Charlie Villanueva....calling for more ladies
Baron Davis
Mehmet Okur
Andrei Kirilenko
