With my favorite random NBA holiday of the year, the trade deadline, having now come and passed, here are some random thoughts on this year’s trades and their effects on the rest of the NBA as we know it:
- I’m still really confused by the Kendrick Perkins/Nate Robinson for Jeff Green/Nenad Kristic trade from a Celtics standpoint. If you make a trade that results in your general manager’s name becoming a trending topic on Twitter, that’s probably not a good thing, as Danny Ainge is finding out. Hey Danny, did I miss something, or did Dwight Howard leave the Eastern Conference? Perk might be the one center who can guard Howard straight up, a unique advantage that proved it’s worth in last year’s Eastern Conference Finals. And if Perkins plays in Game 7 of the Finals last year, the Celtics are probably the now defending champs. The only thing I can think of that makes sense is that Perk’s knee is worse than people know, and the Celtics are the only ones who know that. Regardless, nine out of ten Celtics fans hate the move, and that’s never good. On a side note, Robinson’s addition to the Thunder makes them at least 46% more fun to watch, than they already are.
-Still, isn’t the thought of Perkins crying somewhat fascinating?
-I think that the Carmelo Anthony trade is actually going to work out for both the Knicks and the Nuggets. You can’t put a price on the energy around the Knicks right now, and if you did, it would be worth more than Danilo Gallinari,Wilson Chandler, Timofey Mozgov and Raymond Felton. On the flipside, the Nuggets are now freakishly deep. Between their four new ex-Knicks, J.R. Smith, Nene, Kenyon Martin, Ty Lawson, Aaron Afflalo, and Chris Andersen, who do you keep off of the court? Couple that with the fact that they’re in “Eff-you” mode, you never know what might happen come playoff team.
-Another Knicks thought: After watching them lose to the Cavs while playing Amar’e Stoudemire at center and ‘Melo at power forward in crunch time, a first round exit for the Knickerbockers would not shock me in the least.
-Initially, I overly praised the Nets for raising the price for Carmelo for the Knicks, and then fleecing the Jazz for Deron Williams. Now that it’s not a lock that Williams is re-signing with the Nets, I’m not so sure. Still, if you only give up an above average point guard and unproven rookie for the best point guard in the league, you have to do it.
-I have a feeling that we’re two months away from the Portland Trail Blazers playing in the Western Conference finals, and witnessing every blowhard sportswriter making the same tired “The Blazers only got Gerald Wallace for Joel Pryzbilla and two scrubs!” observation.
-I’ve talked myself into being excited for the Baron Davis-era Cavaliers. I don’t care about all of the evidence that’s pointing towards this being a disaster. Let me have this.
-Also, if one more person makes a joke about that trade without pointing out that the Cavs now have two lottery picks in this year’s draft, I’m going to lose my shit. I don’t care that it’s allegedly a weak draft. If you can have two of the best seven or eight players in it, you do it.
-I also like the trade for the Clippers. Mo Williams will provide a different dynamic for The Blake Show than Baron did, and as far as the draft pick goes, the Clippers have had enough of them. They need to get older, not younger, if that makes sense.
-There should be a rule that if you turn down a trade that will move you from a lottery team to a potential NBA Finals team via a buyout, you shouldn’t be allowed to hold your team hostage by organizing a team boycott of a shoot around. I’m looking at you, Rip Hamilton.
-Why is the No. 2 pick of the 2009 draft being traded for Shane Battier not a bigger deal?
-How is Anthony Parker still a Cavalier?
-Ditto for O.J. Mayo and the Grizzlies.
-On a side note, am I the only one amazed at how long it takes players to join their new teams? Baron Davis was traded to Cleveland on Thursday morning and won’t play for the Cavs until Sunday. It’s the 21st century, unless a team’s next game is in the next 5 hours or less, shouldn’t the new players be playing for their new team immediately? Does this not bother anyone else?
-Most trade deadlines are anti-climatic. This one was not. Clearly. Can’t wait ’till next year.
What the hell is going on in this league?
Heading into my favorite random sports holiday, the NBA trade deadline, one thing is clear: something is going to happen with Carmelo Anthony. Or it isn’t. So much went down during this past week’s All-Star game, that it’s hard to figure out just what the hell is going on, so here’s an update, as best as I can figure it out:
