News Archive for Nba Trade Rumors

Lakers And Celtics Cry Foul Over Antawn Jamison Trade

Friday, February 19th, 2010

Somebody get the tissues out.  The NBA’s royalty is upset.  Blood was boiling yesterday as Los Angeles Lakers coach Phil Jackson and Boston Celtics coach Doc Rivers bellyached to the media over the recently completed trade which allowed the Cleveland Cavaliers to obtain forward Antawn Jamison.

Competitiveness can bring out the worst in people.

Antawn Jamison Trade Draws Ire

The Cleveland Cavaliers parted ways with center Zydrunas Ilgauskas, the rights to Emir Preldzic and 2010 first-round draft pick to Washington for Antawn Jamison.  To work within salary cap requirements, the Los Angeles Clippers packaged in guard Sebastian Telfair to Cleveland in return for Washington F Drew Gooden.

So what’s their beef?

The focus of their complaint centers on the construct of the deal.  While Washington accepted Ilgauskas, he is expected to be waived from the Wizards rosters.  Ilgauskas will then get a mini vacation and re-sign with the Cavaliers for the final stretch run and playoffs.

Speaking with ESPN, Jackson shared, “They’re going to get Ilgauskas back and it’s going to be one of those scenarios that we see in the NBA where you ship a player out, you get another player, then your player retires or they pay him off and then he comes back in 30 days.  I don’t know what that does for the league.  I think that’s kind of a weird situation.”

While the criticism is justified given the loopholes within the NBA’s operating policies, it kind of falls on deaf ears when the complaint comes from Jackson and the Lakers.  Jackson must have forgot about that one-sided trade that delivered him the missing link All-Star named Pau Gasol back in 2008.

To refresh Jackson’s memory, here’s a recount of what the Lakers gave up for Pau Gasol:

  • Kwame Brown (a phenomenal NBA bust that played 15 games with Memphis)
  • Javaris Crittenton (yes, the same guy that drew pistol with Gilbert Arenas)
  • Aaron McKie (who the Lakers signed earlier in that day and never played a game with the Lakers)
  • The draft rights to Marc Gasol
  • First round picks in 2008 and 2010.

Needless to say, it was the most one-sided trade in recent NBA history that catapulted the Lakers back to prominence.  Making things more suspicious, the NBA increased revenue sharing by 63% shortly after the deal, helping line the pockets of the smaller market teams.  One of the leaders of that push…Memphis Grizzlies’ owner Michael Heisley.

Now let’s look at Boston’s gripes.  Celtics’ coach Doc Rivers shared with ESPN, “I have a problem with that.  I loved it three years ago when we did it with Gary Payton if you remember, but now I think it sucks.  I think it’s a terrible deal.”

How interesting that it was okay when it benefited Boston, but when the shoe is on the other foot they cry foul.  Let’s take a moment and reflect on what Boston gave Atlanta in the deal for Antoine Walker:

  • Gary Payton (who was subsequently released and re-signed with Boston as their starting point guard)
  • Tom Gugliotta (who was averaging 1.3 PPG and retired at the end of the season)
  • Michael Stewart (who hadn’t played a game all season for Boston)
  • First round draft pick

By having the Hawks release Payton, the Celtics ended up giving away two players that couldn’t contribute in the NBA any longer for a perennial All-Star in Walker that immediately became a starter on the Celtics.  As for Payton, he missed a handful of games and was soon back starting at the point with the Celtics.

It is hilarious to hear these teams complain that this trade is unfair when their past actions were significantly more egregious.  The Cavaliers didn’t do anything but play by the rules set forward for them that were exploited previously to the benefit of Lakers and Celtics.

Some advice to Jackson and Rivers…stop being crybabies and get back to playing ball.

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Posted in Boston Celtics, Cleveland Cavaliers, Los Angeles Lakers, nba | 15 Comments »

McGrady to Knicks a Win-Win For Both

Thursday, February 18th, 2010

Tracy McGrady and the Houston Rockets parted ways today in a three-team, eight player trade with the Sacramento Kings and New York Knicks.  The Rockets received Kevin Martin and Hilton Armstrong from the Kings, as well as Jared Jeffries, Jordan Hill and a conditional draft pick from the Knicks.  The Kings received Larry Hughes from the Knicks and Carl Landry and Joey Dorsey from the Rockets.   The Knicks ended up with McGrady and Sergio Rodriguez from the Kings.

McGrady, Knicks Highlight Blockbuster Trade

Without question the big winners in this trade are Tracy McGrady and the New York Knicks.

The oft-injured McGrady fell out of favor with the Rockets and head coach Rick Adelman.  In the final year of his contract, McGrady worked his back from the injury list only to find his team no longer desired his services.  After being limited to eight minutes per game by Adelman, McGrady and the Rockets reach an agreement for him to seek out a trade and be excused from the team.

With the trade to the Knicks, McGrady fits in nicely with Mike D’Antoni’s uptempo offense.  With limited scoring options to choose from, McGrady will be given the opportunity to log minutes and prove that he can still play on the NBA stage.  Despite the injuries, McGrady is just 31 years old and should have a little gas left in the tank for one more NBA contract.  Now he gets to showcase himself at Madison Square Garden.

For the Knicks, they get further salary cap relief by dumping contracts and accepting McGrady’s gargantuan expiring contract.  With the expected lowering of the salary cap for next season, the Knicks needed to dump more salary to maintain room to sign two major talents in the upcoming offseason.  The Knicks have their sights on LeBron James, Chris Bosh, Dwayne Wade and Joe Johnson.  They also get a grateful player in McGrady who may re-sign with the team for a reasonable price in return for the shot at playing for a winner.

The losers in the trade…the fans in Cleveland.  Not only did the Knicks just make it more enticing for Lebron James to come to New York with the increased salary cap room, it comes on the heels of a disappointing trade that yielded them Antawn Jamison instead of the bigger prize of Amare Stoudamire.

Call me skeptical, but I have to think LeBron has to be questioning whether an out-of-position power forward was the missing link to the championship.

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Posted in Houston Rockets, New York Knicks, Sacramento Kings, nba | No Comments »

Iguodala Trade Rumors Heat Up

Friday, January 29th, 2010

Philadelphia 76ers GM Ed Stefanski all but confirmed rumors yesterday that the Sixers were active in trade discussions.  When pressed about rumors that their top scorer Andre Iguodala was in the mix of trade talks, Stefanski replied “When I was in Jersey, and here, I don’t think there are untouchables.”

Stefanski Ready To Ship Out Iguodala

Stefanski Ready To Ship Out Iguodala

Can Stefanski actually trade himself?  Because if he trades away the club’s best player, he is going to need a one-way ticket out of town.

Since arriving in town in December 2007, Stefanski has dismantled a team that was on the verge of becoming relevant in the playoff discussion annually.  He immediately shipped out their best outside shooting threat in Kyle Korver, brought in the washed up Elton Brand who was coming off a serious Achilles injury, and then sent head coach and beloved Sixer Maurice Cheeks packing.

He now wants to gut the team further by giving away Andre Iguodala.  Reports are flying that both the Cleveland Cavaliers and Houston Rockets are close to securing a deal to send expiring contract players to the Sixers in exchange for Iguodala.

Sixers ownership really needs to start thinking about how much further the Stefanski era should last.  The answer can be found by driving 90 minutes up I-95 and taking in a New Jersey Nets game.   Since his departure from the Nets, they have been the worst team in the NBA.  Stefanski’s fingerprints are all over that debacle and an extended tenure in Philly will likely produce similar long-term results.

Top-tier free agents are not interested in joining an organization where everyone is tradable.  They also aren’t interested in joining squads where the GM is not held accountable for bad decisions. And this doesn’t even take into account no top-tier free agent will genuflect to an aging has-been in Allen Iverson,.

The Sixers have no chance in securing a top-tier free agent.  LeBron James, Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh wouldn’t touch Philadelphia with a 10-foot pole.  These guys want to win and they are only going to a place where that will happen immediately.   Joe Johnson is unlikely as well, especially if the Iguodala is traded.  Johnson is a carbon copy of Iguodala and Stefanski has proven over and over that he places no value in sharp shooting guards despite league play moving in this direction.

The Sixers cannot offer anything enticing to an incoming top-tier free agent.  Nobody is out there dying to play with Elton Brand thinking he is the key to a future championship.   Nobody thinks Thaddeus Young is going become a star because they play next to him.  Nobody thinks Jrue Holiday is the next great point guard.  And nobody, I mean nobody, wants to watch Allen Iverson jack up missed shots and help the team rack up losses with his selfish play.

The Sixers need to lock Andre Iguodala in for the long-haul and look to the draft as their only option for improvement.  They are assured a lottery pick in the upcoming draft and perhaps they can score a second-tier free agent in Randy Foye or Rudy Gay to fill their gaping outside shooting hole at the guard position.

If Stefanski trades away Iguodala, be prepared for the Wachovia Center to become the NBA’s version of Elba Island, and exile for NBA players that were once desired but will only be taken in by the league worst run team.

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Posted in Cleveland Cavaliers, Houston Rockets, Philadelphia 76ers, nba | 38 Comments »