Deadline Winners and Losers: Eastern Conference
Now for the biggest news of the trade deadline: Cleveland’s machinations in supporting LeBron with a new cast. We hit you with the West earlier, and as promised, here’s the East.
WINNERS:
Cleveland – GOT: Ben Wallace, Joe Smith, Delonte West, Wally Szczerbiak, and Chicago’s 2nd Rounder 2009. GAVE UP: Drew Gooden, Larry Hughes, Shannon Brown, Cedric Simmons, Ira Newble, and Donyell Marshall: Led by Stephen A., ESPN’s talking heads are collectively wetting themselves over this move. It’s a good deal for the Cavs, but it’s not pushing them ahead of Boston or Detroit. An angry Orlando team probably still beats them. Dwight Howard eats Ben Wallace alive. In their first head-to-head meeting this year, Wallace posted 2 points and 12 boards to Superman’s 17 and 22. When Big Ben got another crack at him, his 4 points and 3 boards didn’t really stack up to Dwight’s 15 and 11.
Chicago – GOT: Larry Hughes, Drew Gooden, Cedric Simmons, Shannon Brown. GAVE UP: Ben Wallace, Joe Smith: It doesn’t really matter who they got. They got rid of Ben Wallace. Chicago’s front line will be suspect at best with Gooden and Noah, but they will undoubtedly move one of their talented backcourt pieces during the off-season. Having Hughes and Ben Gordon on the same team doesn’t make that much sense.
Atlanta – GOT: Mike Bibby. GAVE UP: Anthony Johnson, Tyronn Lue, Lorenzen Wright, Shelden Williams, and 2nd Rounder 2008: This isn’t a clear-cut win for the Hawks. Sources close to the team noted that Atlanta had finally found a point guard who knew how to run their system in Anthony Johnson. However, in trading for a proven vet like Bibby, Atlanta’s management proved to their young core that they want to win now.
New Jersey – GOT: Devin Harris, DeSagana Diop, Maurice Ager, Trenton Hassell, Keith Van Horn, two Dallas 1st Rounders and $3 million. GAVE UP: Jason Kidd, Antoine Wright, and Malik Allen: This franchise could be going somewhere. With the platoon of Harris and Marcus Williams at the point, the Nets have a young tandem capable of filling in for Kidd. They won’t play up to his level, but it won’t be a terrible drop off. Kudos to Rod Thorn for hanging onto Vince. With the rest of the Mavs’ dead weight expiring after this year, they could make a serious play for a talented power forward during the off-season and immediately turn into a contender.
Detroit – GOT: Juan Dixon. GAVE UP: Primo Brezec: Joe Dumars has absolutely no need for Brezec with McDyess, Maxiell and Amir Johnson, as long as he can convince Flip to put Johnson in the game. You’ve got to hand it to Dumars for dealing a guy buried four deep on his depth chart for someone who could seriously be the seventh man on a given night. Dixon will also help Arron Afflalo and Rodney Stuckey develop.
Washington – GOT: Nothing. GAVE UP: Nothing: Wizards fans who called for Gilbert to be traded need to calm down. Seriously. “I think the group we have has shown that when we’re all healthy that we can be very competitive,” said Ernie Grunfeld. “Last year when we had Gilbert, Caron and Antawn all together we had the best record in the East. I think we need to get healthy so we can see what we’re capable of.” Oh how quickly we forget.
Miami – GOT: Shawn Marion and Marcus Banks GAVE UP: Shaquille O’Neal: This might be the only thing that Miami wins all year, but it was a really strong move for the Heat. If Marion stays, he’ll help the Heat to play at the energetic pace that they’ve debuted since his arrival. If he opts out, that’s $17 million that Riley can play with.
Charlotte – GOT: Nazr Mohammed. GAVE UP: Walter Hermann and Primo Brezec: This trade dates back to December, but we’ll still count it. Mohammed has been a good addition, helping to ease Okafor‘s rebounding burden.
LOSERS:
Boston – GOT: Nothing. GAVE UP: Nothing: Danny Ainge and Doc Rivers continually assured Beantown’s media that they ‘like the team’ and weren’t looking to make any deals. But how can they feel comfortable with Eddie House handling the rock when Rondo needs a breather? If it only took Cleveland’s scraps to get Delonte West from Seattle, you’ve got to think that Boston could have gotten him for Scalabrine and a pick.
New York – GOT: Nothing. GAVE UP: Nothing: Stephen A. Smith is right. The Knicks would have been upgrading if they pulled the trigger on the Eddy Curry-for-Cheese Doodles trade. But Isiah came up short again.
Indiana – GOT: Nothing. GAVE UP: Nothing: Trading Jermaine O’Neal for Vince Carter straight up would have been a win for the Pacers if for no other reason than the upswing in jersey sales and asses in seats.
Toronto – GOT: Primo Brezec. GAVE UP: Juan Dixon: If Bryan Colangelo‘s goal was to become David Stern‘s favorite team by acquiring another international player, this move was a great success. Brezec will help with the Raptors rebounding problems, but won’t do nearly enough. Given that Calderon has taken the reins at the point in Toronto, Colangelo could have dealt T.J. Ford for a more talented big.
Milwaukee – GOT: Nothing. GAVE UP: Nothing: The Bucks could have given up Charlie V, Bobby Simmons and Dan Gadzuric to get Zach Randolph and Renaldo Balkman, but rejected the offer. With all due respect Senator Kohl, what the hell were you thinking? Why be worried about Zach’s off-court issues, when there is nothing to do in Milwaukee? He would give the Bucks the inside scoring presence they need, and Isiah would definitely have gotten canned if that went through!
Philadelphia – GOT: Nothing. GAVE UP: Nothing: Sixers fans don’t fret. Your front office was wheeling and dealing to get Mo Cheeks locked up through the ’08-09 season. Philly’s management must actually believe that winning six of their last seven is a sign of things to come. Come on.
Orlando – GOT: Nothing. GAVE UP: Nothing: As much as we like Jameer, the Magic could have offered the Sixers some sort of package to pry Andre Miller down to Florida. If we learned something from All-Star weekend, it’s that the Magic should script at least ten alley-oops a game for him, no matter where the pass comes from. We’ll set the over-under on Miller’s assists-per-night as a Magician at 12.5.
























February 22nd, 2008 at 3:22 pm
Celts Fan says:
“If it only took Cleveland’s scraps to get Delonte West from Seattle, you’ve got to think that Boston could have gotten him for Scalabrine and a pick.”
Are you serious? Have you seen this guy play? His deal is not expiring (those “scraps” were other than Donyell, and they shipped out a huge amount of cash for the next 2 years in Wally’s $10+M deal), there’s actually 2 MORE years, at $3M per left on Scal’s deal. For the production per dollar, that has to be the worst deal in the NBA that’s unaffected by injuries (originally, 5 years, $15M) but hey, he does all the little things – like miss shots, suck on D, move like he’s in an over-40 rec. league, and act like a coach on the floor like he’s done anything to think he should be allowed to try and help anyone. If he wasn’t a goofy redheaded white guy in a town full of them, he would’ve been booed out of town by now (and still nearly was until we got good enough that it didn’t matter that Doc gives him way too much PT, and by the way, ANY PT IS TOO MUCH PT FOR SCAL.) I would let Shaq punch me in the nuts if it meant we could rid ourselves of Scal today. I am not joking.
February 22nd, 2008 at 3:30 pm
Brown says:
I’ve said for a while that Toronto should trade T.J. Ford, but I doubt any teams would touch him at this point with all his health concerns. There’s no way the Raps can justify paying Ford $8 mill and re-signing Calderon long-term, who I think is worth at least Kirk Hinrich-type money ($10 mill). They play well together as a tandem, but that’s way too much money for one position and no superstar.
Hopefully BC can get rid of Ford next year after he’s proven his health will not be an issue, which I seriously doubt he’ll be able to do, so the Raps might be stuck with him until his contract expires in ’10-’11.
February 22nd, 2008 at 4:14 pm
mavs all the way says:
the trade of the year could have been either of the 2:
1.) o’neal for vc for asses in seats,mainly just for that; or
2.) curry for Cheese Doodles for isiah’s ass.
tsk tsk…neither went through…
BREAKING NEWS: starting next season,toronto won’t be called raptors no more. they’ll be called united colors of benetton. -david stern
February 22nd, 2008 at 4:49 pm
Tim says:
Joe Dumars is a genious…
February 22nd, 2008 at 5:04 pm
Kobeef says:
Brown – I agree and agree.
It would be nice to move TJ but there is no way it is happening…his contract is untradeable with his injury history and before that his poor decision making.
February 22nd, 2008 at 5:53 pm
jnuh says:
Dixon got traded because he didn’t want to be in Toronto anymore. He got tired of sitting on the bench & not being used, so he wanted out.
Collangelo said point blank that he only wants players who WANT to be in Toronto on the team. Dixon didn’t, so he’s gone.
In that regard, I ask: Who gives a fuck what they got back?
NEITHER of the players involved were playing & NEITHER of them will be playing on their new teams.
Ford will get healthy at some point & he will punish every 2nd line PG in the league.
February 22nd, 2008 at 10:06 pm
Kyle says:
Watching Bucks-Pistons right now and seeing just how painfully obvious it is that the Bucks needed and inside banger. Thanks a lot Herb… Despite Zach Randolph’s rep, at least he’d have brought some sort of attitude to this lifeless, boring team.
February 23rd, 2008 at 12:56 am
drodrone says:
pistons got a guard but they didnt even need to make a trade. i kinda liked brezec he wore 4 sweatbands sitting on the bench. dude blows though. juan dixon hasnt even crossed my 2k rosters before, he must blow too. pistons in 6 over the suns
February 23rd, 2008 at 9:17 pm
jordan c. says:
actually, dixon was really good in washington and maryland; he has not been able to stik in one place long enough though; talentwise, hes above average; plus 2k is a video game, come on: grow up