Pistons traded Amir Johnson to the Bucks for Fabricio Oberto. Strictly a cap-savings move for Detroit. Gets them a little more under the cap. I can't disagree too much with that. Johnson's a tease; I don't think he's going to become the player we thought he would.
Boy, if Washington stays healthy... Serious talent on that team. Arenas, Butler, Jamison, Foye, Miller, Young, Blatche, Haywood, Stevenson. Nine deep.
yeah IF they stay healthy. I dont know when is the last time Arenas has played a full season. Its been 2-3 years right?
Almost forgot to post this.... I was told that the Heat was contacted by a WC team for Daquan Cook AND a contract (Blount?). My source refused to tell me which team it was. But he said that it was a playoff team.
Oh I disagree I think Washington needed a talented big like a Jordan Hill. They should have waited to see if Hill was there at 5 and then made the deal because Hill for what they needed would have been more important then Mike Miller or Foye. I suppose they can still more Antawn or Butler but this move necessitates another move to still fill the need for a big which kind of defeats the purpose.
Some moves today, per rotoworld: The Trail Blazers have agreed to trade draft picks No. 24 and 56, along with the worst of their second round picks in 2010, to the Mavericks in exchange for pick No. 22 in Thursday's draft. The Blazers have been one of the most active teams on draft day over the past few years, and it would be surprising if this is the only move they make. Source: ESPN.com NBA front-office sources say that the Warriors are close to trading Jamal Crawford to the Hawks for Acie Law and Speedy Claxton. The Warriors made it crystal clear that Crawford wasn't part of their plans next season, and this move gives them salary cap relief and a capable backup PG in Law. It's unclear where the Hawks would use Crawford in their backcourt -- he's not a pure PG like free-agent-to-be Mike Bibby and they already have an All-Star shooting guard in Joe Johnson. Source: ESPN.com Related: Speedy Claxton, Joe Johnson, Acie Law The Crawford deal is a steal for the Hawks since they gave up nothing to get him.
Why would anyone do this before the actual draft? You dont know who is going to be available and for just 2 spots.
Its dumping roster spots, i.e. salaries for players you wont have room for. The Blazers are already a very deep team. Its believed that the Kings have been zeroed in on Omri Casspi, an Israeli SF viewed as a guy who can handle and pass well. One other nugget I heard on the radio: The Wolves may sell pick #28 to the Knicks for $3M. The knicks have been after a 2nd round pick may just buy their way in to the 1st round. The move would be ironic because, from what the newspapers around New York have printed, the reason the Knicks did not get the #5 pick instead of Minnesota was because they wouldnt take back the bad contract of Darius Songalia which is for 4.5M. If true, thats fishy. I thought Walsh was a better poker player then that....
More juicy tidbits, per rotoworld: Kirk Hinrich has reportedly told friends he is going to be traded to the Blazers, according to Yahoo! Sports. Hinrich would be a nice upgrade at point guard for the Blazers and clear the way for Derrick Rose to get all the Bulls' point guard minutes. Source: Oregonian Outstanding move for Portland if it can get done. Hes a guy you can win something with as your starting PG. Take some of the responsibility off of Roy as well. The Bobcats reportedly offered to trade Raja Bell to the Warriors for Kelenna Azubuike and Marco Belinelli, but the offer was declined. Bell, a solid defender and capable perimeter threat, helped turn around Charlotte's season after being traded from the Suns. In order to have fantasy value he needs a starting gig on a team that gives him the green-light from downtown. Source: ESPN.com Related: Kelenna Azubuike, Marco Belinelli Marc Stein reports on ESPN.com that the Grizzlies might trade Darko Milicic to the Knicks in exchange for Quentin Richardson and cash. Milicic will make $7.5 million next season, after which his contract expires. Richardson, meanwhile, has an $8.7 million player option for next season. According to Stein, the deal could fall apart if the Grizzlies decide to use Milicic's expiring deal in a different draft-day trade. Source: ESPN.com Knicks need a shot blocker in the worst way and you could do worse then Darko. We havent had a shot-blocking big since Camby and have been dead last in the league there for 3 years running. Darko wont cure it all but he could be ok for 10-8 and a couple of blocks...maybe thats just me dreaming...
I don't know that it's about dumping roster spots. The Blazers can just pick a guy who will play in Europe for a couple years and follow him. They must have info that the Kings were going to take someone they really wanted (Casspi makes sense). Jeez, if their refusal to take Songalia's deal was all that was keeping them from that deal with the Wizards, I'm stunned. That #5 pick probably would have been enough for their boy Stephen Curry. I'd like to think the T'Wolves simply came in with a better offer.
Eh Hughes is a better player then Foye imo and had success with Gilbert Arenas once before. That had to weigh in the way they value each deal. If one of the Knicks expiring deals was thrown in the mix with it, it would have been a toss up either way. I know the Knicks have been talking to Memphis (about Darko...have to wonder if the #2 pick hasn't come up) and Sacramento (since the trade deadline). Its known that Sacramento loves Nate Robinson and was willing to accept Jeffries contract with him at the deadline. I'm sure there is something in the works there though we'll see if it comes to fruition.
Ya I see that but its odd with the blazers seeing as all they have done the last 2 years is stockpile picks. Seems the work they had done to get those the last few years is going to waste. It worked in them getting Bayless last year (although he didnt do much) but i dont think they are getting much with this trade.
I'm not sold on this deal for Atlanta at all. Talent-wise, of course, it's a steal. They give up two useless players for a useful one. Great. But look deeper: what exactly does Crawford give them that Flip Murray doesn't already? A little better passing, a little better free throw shooting...and a whole bunch more salary. Crawford's a combo guard; if the Hawks seriously believe they can let Mike Bibby walk, replace him with Crawford and not miss a beat, they're in for a rude awakening. How is an offense with Crawford running the point, with Joe Johnson and Josh Smith on the wings, ever going to satisfy everyone with enough shots? Especially when Al Horford and Marvin Williams were quietly extremely efficient last year and the Hawks desperately need to get them more touches? Crawford seems like one of those players that crappy teams pick up, feel good about, and admire his impressive PPG numbers. Then they act mystified when they don't improve. I wouldn't go so far as to call him the evolutionary Orlando Woolridge or anything, but it's not far off, I think.
Statistically, Hughes wasn't better than Foye last year. Nor was he in 2007, nor 2006. He's hurt constantly, costs 4 times more than Foye next year, is 4 1/2 years older than Foye and didn't come packaged in trade with a deadly outside shooter. Oh, and he cost more than Foye and Miller combined next year, too. Other than that, though, the Wizards were totally nuts to turn the Knicks away.
only thing about kirk is his contract...and who is getting traded for him... i like moving up 2 spots, but i think they trade away 22
I think their thinking is that Johnson would run the point since he averaged more assists than Bibby anyway last year. Crawford would play off the ball more at the two and give them two guys who could really create their own shot at will. I think Crawford gets a bad rap. He is a solid locker room guy and hes wanted to win in the worst way. I think the habits of being on losing teams have at times affect his judgment and effort on the defensive end but hes not incapable. And he LOVES having the ball in his hand at the end of games which you love to guys not afraid to take the big shots. Hughes needs to be in an up tempo offense. If hes in a half court game his FG will suck. Washington knows this and values him accordingly. Plus he is a solid defender in a division that has Wade and some good perimeter studs.
I liked both moves although the trade for Johnson only cost the Bucks a bit more, I hope that doesn't keep them from getting both back (Sessions, Villaneuva). As the only Bucks fan on the planet, watching Jefferson was bittersweet. He is done as a centerpiece or even a 2 on a contender but he is still a decent wing player. He hardly takes it to the hole as much but he is a pretty decent shooter now, which is great for the Spurs. Colin Cowherd I think smoked crack on the way to the show because I thought I heard him say Jefferson was one of the top 10-15 players in the league. I am not sure he is even a top 50 player at this point, all he can do is score a bit, and he is slightly better than Micheal Redd on defense, at best...
Phoenix couldn't even get a young player with an ounce of potential in return for a $20 million expiring contract in the biggest free agency in the HISTORY of offseasons (any sport)? What a joke of a front office.
My guess is Camby is the one who gets moved because he has an expiring deal. Kaman's contract is an albatross and hes supposedly a pretty dumb player. Youre stuck with Randolph I think. Id love to see the Knicks get Camby back. We need any kind of shot blocker on the Knicks. I think every deal Ive heard of with the clips wanted them to move down from 1 to take one of those contracts which I dont think will happen.
IMO he HAS to do something in Clev. to show he's still.....atleast somewhat relavant. My question is what do you do with Ilgauskas now? You can't have those two on the court at the same time.
If I were a Phoenix Suns fan, I'd be sending flaming bags of dog poo to Robert Sarver right now. Shaq's contract was expiring; if he had a deal that went into 2010-11 or longer, then yeah, it would make sense. But it expired after this season. So they essentially give away a good center for what amounts to, what, about $4 or 5 million and a second round pick? What a disgrace. I can live with a salary dump deal, but this didn't save Phoenix much money and it didn't get them anything useful. At least insist on getting JJ Hickson or a future first or something that might amount to a productive basketball player. The first part is on Sarver, but the inability to get anything useful is on Steve Kerr. I hope Steve Nash and Amare Stoudemire go into Kerr's office and beat the **** out of him.
I think Camby has a lot of value. If indeed the Clips were willing to take Mike Miller for him, I'd jump on that in a second if I were Minnesota. Camby is the perfect complement for Kevin Love and Al Jefferson. If the Clippers move Zach Randolph, I will truly be impressed. He's right up there with Elton Brand in the horrid contract sweepstakes.
Johnson's high assist numbers were more a product of him constantly having the ball than anything else. I call this the Allen Iverson Phenomenon. You could look at Iverson's assist numbers and say "see, he's unselfish, he finished 10th in the league in assists". But anyone who watched him play for more than 5 minutes could tell you that he was anything but unselfish. I don't know that Johnson's a selfish player, but he's not a point guard. He's a point forward who does a decent job of ball distribution, but that's still no substitute for a real point guard. Well, again, if Hughes needs an up-tempo offense to succeed, that's another strike against him going to DC. Remember that Eddie Jordan no longer coaches there; he was replaced by Flip Saunders, who's much more a slow-it-down coach.
Dont know if youre aware but Wallace may retire and accept a 4.5M buyout in which case this saves Phoenix closer to 12-13M. I think what they're going to try and do is clear out Nash next and remold the team next year. With very few players under contract they will have money to spend. Id still be upset if I were a Phoenix fan but they have to look at the brightside...at least they arent Knick fans. You forgetting Miller was dealt to Washington? Other then that I agree. Joe Johnson is definitely not a selfish player. The ball was in his hand a lot last year because Bibby was a diminished player. Bibby is now limited to basically being a jump shooter where as Johnson has more ability to create for others and get past his defender. Johnson also can play the halfcourt game and make good decisions. Johnson is not an Iverson player where he gets assists because he hogs the ball, which in itself is a premise I dont agree with by the way. I would believe they will either look at crawford as a SG or 6th man and maybe resign Bibby to a reasonable deal.
I hate Robert Sarver. I hate Robert Sarver, and I don't even care about the Phoenix Suns. Donald Sterling and Michael Heisley are cheap scumbags too, but at least they're penny-pinching with teams that no one cares about. Sarver has taken one of the most successful franchises in the NBA and nickel-and-dimed them into a nonentity, while wasting Steve Nash's last, best shots at an NBA title. Now he's going to give up Amare Stoudemire for 50 cents on the dollar just to save some money. What a piece of ****. Jeez, Bob, why did you even bother to buy an NBA franchise if you didn't want to spend any money on it?
I knew Wallace might retire, I just didn't know the buyout would be so cheap. Most teams have been buying out contracts for 75 cents on the dollar or thereabouts. It makes a little more sense if they can save that much money. You know what? I'd almost rather be a Knick fan. At least their management gives a damn and isn't afraid to spend some money. My bad. Brain fart. I've no issues with Crawford as a 6th man, apart from the fact that he costs a lot more than Flip Murray for only a little more production, as I noted above. Even as a pure SG, that's probably okay. I just think they're planning to play him at the point and let Bibby walk. And I believe that's a horrible mistake.
Orlando might get Vince Carter. Orlando would trade Battie, Alston and Lee for Vince. Terrible trade, IMO.
G - Nelson G - Carter F - Hedo F - Lewis C - Howard On paper it looks like a dream come true. In reality, I'd question the chemistry.
