The NBA Trade Deadline is tomorrow. There are a lot of rumors out there, but there has been no movement as of yet. I am going to list a few of my deadline thoughts...
1. Corey Maggette needs to get traded. First and foremost he does not get along with the coach. He does not make a ton of money and on the right team can still average close to 20 ppg. The atmosphere within the Clippers will improve right away once they don't have this coach/player rivalry (or whatever you want to call it) hanging over their heads. If they could get Ron Artest I would pull the trigger in a heartbeat. A draft pick and James Poseys' expiring contract seems like a good fit as well. I don't see the Clippers making the playoffs this season, but there is no reason to gut the team either. Maggette does not fit the team though, and he can still bring back some value whether it is in a player, payroll flexibility, or draft picks.
2. The Bulls need to acquire a low post player. There are a few names being thrown out there, from Shareef Abdur-Rahim to Zach Randolph to Pau Gasol. I don't think they are going to be able to get Pau Gasol for anything other than the farm. By that I mean any two of Hinrich, Gordon, Deng, and Noccioni. In addition, PJ Brown's expiring contract and either Tyrus Thomas or the Knicks' first round pick this June. That is a lot to give up, but Gasol is still only 26 and is a legit 20 and 10 guy. Very tough call for the GM. I don't think they will pull it, but I would if I could keep Deng, Hinrich and Thomas. As for Randolph, I want no part of him. His game is great, but he has a bad attitude. Abdur-Rahim will come cheaper and is the most likely to be moved to the Bulls, but he will have a much lesser impact.
3. The Nets will make a major move. I am not sure if this means Jason Kidd will be traded, or Vince Carter, but I am confident that something will be done. Rod Thorn is not gun shy and he realizes that this is a flawed team. Kidd has personal issues and is getting old. This may be the last time the Nets can get serious value for him. Carter can opt out of his contract this summer and leave the Nets with nothing. The Lakers are interested in Kidd, but up until this point will not offer what the Nets need to get the deal done (Andrew Bynum). The Magic are interested in Carter. There could be sleepers out there as well...
4. Scottie Pippen should sign with the Houston Rockets. Houston is one of the few teams in the league that puts a premium on defense. At this point, the only thing that Pippen may be able to offer is a three point shot, and tough defense. The Rockets can sign Pippen to a 10 day contract and best case he can provide them with 10-15 minutes a night for the playoffs. In addition, this could allow them the flexibility to trade Bonzi Wells. Possibly for point guard help.
5. The Knicks will do nothing. I think that they have pieces to make a deal, but they do not seem inclined to. I would love to make a run at Ray Allen (Channing Frye, Nate Robinson, Jamal Crawford, Malik Rose), but it isn't going to happen. Isiah likes this bunch, and his job appears more and more safe with each passing day. I still would love to gut this team, but it is not going to happen in the foreseeable future..
6. The Celtics are still the laughingstock of the NBA.
7. Other big names that I could see being traded....Mike Bibby, Rashard Lewis, Andre Miller, Larry Hughes, Mike Miller...
8. My picks at the beginning of the season......(blog 11/1 I think...)
East
1. Miami Heat
2. Cleveland Cavaliers
3. New Jersey Nets
4. Chicago Bulls
5. Detroit Pistons
6. Indiana Pacers
7. Washington Wizards
8. Toronto Raptors
West
1. Phoenix Suns
2. Dallas Mavericks
3. San Antonio Spurs
4. LA Clippers
5. LA Lakers
6. Denver Nuggets
7. Houston Rockets
8. Utah Jazz
MVP Kobe Bryant
Not great, but not horrible...great pick with the Raptors, and like many people I was way off with the Clippers. Heat definitely will not the the top seed, but still could be the five seed. Definitely underestimated the Pistons. Kobe is not the MVP at this point, but he is in many peoples top five...
STKAFI
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7 comments:
I agree Maggette needs to go, the Magic could use some help with their offense... they could use a shooter (shhh Reddick is comin along) but Maggette could def help
How could you hate on Zach Randolph, he's actually been praised this year for his attitude and all that. Blazers are developing a bunch of young talent right now and i could not see him being traded right now.
I read that the Bulls are only willing to part with Gordon of their young 4 (Nocioni, Heinrich, Deng, Gordon)
If I'm the Nets and I can't get Bynum... i kind of like Walton, 1st rounder, and maybe Turiaf
KNICK UPDATE: They play 8 in a row against sub .500 teams now... Philly tonight, i think they have a run in them. Listening to the game last night, i saw a different Garden. The energy was there, Lee is really the source of all this. I'm not in love with Frye or Robinson so if you could bring in Lewis who is still very young I would do it.
I wouldn't go near Larry Hughes... you couldn't pay me enough.
Where's my Baltimore Oriole preview???
Walton will not be traded jordan...he is the glue w/ that team. check their records with him out compared to when oden was out.
Who the heck is pippen going to guard? the dude is 42. I heard somebody from espn the other day said they would take pippen in his prime over any other wing player in the nba today. anyone have any thoughts?
Yes, I will admit the knicks look like they will be in the playoff race.
I 100% agree with the Walton thing, I was talking from a Nets perspective.
Also how bout to the Nash haters out there. Look at their record without him, it's amazing the difference.
Any of you NYC guys watch Dwight Howard last night... when he develops one or two actual post moves, and maybe a 6 foot face the basket jump shot, watch out.
I mean what counts as a wing player? Are Kobe and Wade wing players??? If so, I cant take him over them.
All I am saying about Pippen is sign him to two 10 day contracts (the limit) and see if there is anything left in the tank. In his prime he filled up the stat sheet and played relentless defense. To me he is worth a look. As for the comparison to Pippen and wing players today? Maybe defensively he is better than anything today, but not the total package.
I have not heard much praise for Randolphs' attitude. I know he chucked like 40 shots in a game last month and was suspended a game in December for an "on court gesture." They guy can play, but I would still say he has "character issues" until proven otherwise.
Lastly, the Knicks....I agree with you that they have the schedule to make a run right now. What I promise you though is that there is ZERO energy at the garden. The fans find more pleasure in booing Isiah and the team than cheering. When the Knicks play well, there are cheers, but it is nothing like what we are all used to from the 1990's. This franchise is in a sorry state. A change at the top is needed to cure this more than winning on the floor...I went to the garden this season a couple times with people who have never been there and I was honestly embarressed.....ask Rambone...
Ok i havent watched every game this season.. but i have watched a decent amount.
I got this vibe last night and also from reading the papers the last few days. I think things are turning, people see the light that is the playoffs. People see what Lee and Curry, controlled Marbury, Mr. 4th quarter Jamal Crawford.. are bringin.
Maybe I am blinded by my love for them, but I swear i got some glimpses of the past last night while watching. I reserve the right to revoke everything i just wrote if they lose tonight.
Man those 90 Garden days... what a homecourt advantage, the crowd was deafening, players were tough, intimidating, relentless... im startin to tear up just thinkin about it
Are my playoff towels worth anything?
I agree that it would be wise of the Knicks to deal those four, I cant imagine any team taking them/or the Knicks actually pulling it. I would love to see Crawford go, just b/c he is so inconsistent and still manages to pull 20-30 shots a game. How pumped were you when Lee won the MVP this weekend- much deserved
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