Eric Maynor for Leandro Barbosa, Chris Wilcox, Jason Collins, 2013 and 2014 second round picks

Posted: February 1, 2013 in Uncategorized
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Why this trade works out financially:

http://espn.go.com/nba/tradeMachine?tradeId=a6yskcu

Why the Boston Celtics should make this trade:

Rajon Rondo is out for the year because of a torn ACL and is not expected to return until next season. Boston does not have a pass first point guard on the roster and desperately needs one to get veterans such as Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett the basketball in the right spots. Eric Maynor, maynorwho himself is returning from a torn ACL, has been demoted to third string point guard because of the emergence of Reggie Jackson. Maynor is a free agent after this season and will most likely walk. Maynor is a true point guard who looks to pass first; he is still only 25 years old and will most likely get better as the season progresses as this is common with ACL tears. Maynor, who stands at 6’ 3”and weighs 175 pounds, would definitely help the Celtics make a run in the playoffs if Danny Ainge decides not to blow up the team by trading stalwarts Pierce and Garnett.

Boston is currently 8th in the East with a 22-23 record; Ainge has to decide if this team has another run in them or if it’s time to blow the entire thing up and bring in some young talent to complement Rondo. Boston does not have a pass first point guard on the roster; Jason Terry, Leandro Barbosa, Avery Bradley and Courtney Lee are all shoot first combo guards. Maynor is a traditional point guard who makes his teammates better. Maynor was picked 20th overall in the 2009 draft by the Utah Jazz; he’s shown flashes of excellence since being drafted and was regarded as one of the best backup point guards in the league before his injury. Maynor is averaging career lows in minutes (10.9 MPG), points (2.7 PPG) and assists (2.1 APG).

How this trade helps the Oklahoma City Thunder:

OKC will most likely lose Maynor after this season ends and it would be wise for them to receive some compensation for him. Picking up a couple second round picks with Leandro Barbosa, barbosaWilcox and Collins is better than letting him walk for free at the end of the season. The Thunder would most likely waive Collins and Wilcox if this trade took place. Collins, Wilcox and Barbosa are all in the last years of their deals. Barbosa would be a nice addition as he can play the third string point guard and shooting guard roles for the Thunder. He is a better scorer than Maynor and a little bit more versatile largely due to his freakish wingspan; Barbosa stands at 6’ 3” but has a 6’ 10” wingspan. Maynor is the same height as Barbosa but Maynor actually has a shorter wingspan (6’ 2.5”) than his height (6’ 3”).

Barbosa, AKA the Brazillian Blur, is 30 years old and brings a lot of playoff experience to the table; he’s been a prolific scorer in the past as evidenced by his 18.1 PPG average during the 2006-2007 season with the Pheonix Suns. Barboasa boasts career averages of 12.1 PPG and 2.4 APG in 23.9 MPG while shooting 46.1% from the field and 39.1% from 3 point range

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Mike Miller and Norris Cole for Marcus Morris and Toney Douglas

Posted: January 27, 2013 in Uncategorized
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Why this trade works out financially:

http://espn.go.com/nba/tradeMachine?tradeId=adlys3v

Why this trade helps the Miami Heat:

The Heat are off to a 28-13 start but they have been somewhat exposed by bigger teams such as the Bulls and Pacers; teams that have a formidable frontline give the Heat a challenge. Miami currently ranks last in the NBA in rebounds per game (39.1 RPG) and have yet to find an effective stretch 4 who can rebound. Rishard Lewis was brought in to fill this role in spurts but this has yet to work out.

Marcus Morris would provide the Heat a legitimate stretch PF who has upside. Morris, who’s 23 years old, stand at 6’ 9” and weighs 235 pounds; he’s currently averaging 8.7 PPG and 4.2 RPG in 22.1 MPG. He has decent length (6’ 10” wingspan) and strength. He can hit the 3-ball with consistency as evidenced by his 3 point shooting percentage this season (37.6%). Morris would bemorris a nice addition to the Heat because he can play that stretch 4 role and still be a presence on the  glass and defensive end. Morris is still young and he would be a nice developmental project for the Heat. It’s going to be difficult for them to bring in good young talent with upside because they will be limited in terms of financial flexibility as long as the Big 3 are in South Beach and they will most likely always be picking at the end of the first round; adding a piece like Morris will pay dividends because stretch 4’s are hard to come by, especially young ones with upside. Morris is still under his rookie contract and is earning $1,905,360 over the next 3 seasons including this season.

Toney Douglas provides the Heat with a capable backup point guard. The 26 year old combo guard stands at 6’ 3” and weighs 185 pounds; he’s currently averaging 8.2 PPG and 1.9 APG in 19 minutes of action. Douglas is in the last year of his deal and is earning $2,067,880 this season.

Why this trade helps the Houston Rockets:

The Rockets are currently 8th in the Western Conference with a 24-22 Record. The Rockets are loaded in the front court; they currently have 5 Power Forwards on the roster (Patrick Patterson, Marcus Morris, Terrence Jones, Greg Smith and Royce White) and 3 Centers (Omer Asik, Cole Adrich and Donatas Motiejunas). Houston lacks depth at the wing positions; James Anderson and Carlos Delfino are the only wing players on the roster. Mike Miller possesses what the Rockets millerlack; the Rockets need depth at the wing positions and more veteran leadership in the locker room. Miller can play both wing positions and has made deep runs in the Playoffs throughout his career. The 32 year old Miller hasn’t done much for the Heat this season because of the acquisition of Ray Allen; Miller is averaging career lows in points (3.8 PPG), rebounds (2.3 RPG) and minutes (13.9 MPG). Miller would be a nice addition to a Rockets team that is trying to make some noise in this year’s Playoffs. He would be a good influence on younger players such as Jeremy Lin, James Harden, Omer Asik and Chandler Parsons. Miller is making $5,800,000 over the next 3 years including this year.

Norris Cole is a better prospect than Toney Douglas and would be a nice addition to a young Rockets core. The 24 year old PG from Cleveland State has yet to fulfill his basketball potential. Cole is averaging 4.2 PPG and 1.8 APG in just over 18 MPG. Cole has 3 years left on his rookie deal including this season and is earning $1,082,520 per season; Cole’s trade value will most likely rise as the Rockets mold him under McHale’s tutelage.

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Amar’e Stoudemire and Pablo Prigioni for Beno Udrih, Samuel Dalembert and Drew Gooden

Posted: January 26, 2013 in Uncategorized
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Why this trade works out financially:

http://espn.go.com/nba/tradeMachine?tradeId=a2osh3n

Why this trade helps the Knicks:

The Knicks have been desperately trying to move Amar’e Stoudemire all season; rumors have circulated that they offered him to virtually every team in the league “for free”. The Knicks are committed to following the Heat’s formula with regards to playing “small ball”; they want to continue to play Carmelo Anthony at the PF position because this leads to increased spacing and gives penetrators such as Carmelo, Raymond Felton and J.R Smith more room to operate. This leads to more opportunities for knock-down shooters such as Novak and Kidd. Amar’e hasn’t been able to find his niche on this roster and will most likely remain on the amarebench for the rest of the season.

Trading Amar’e for Beno Udrih, Samuel Dalembert and Drew Gooden doesn’t necessarily make the Knicks exponentially better but it does lead to fewer distractions and salary cap relief. Amar’e is scheduled to earn $19,948,799 over the next 3 seasons including this year. He hasn’t been able to effectively play with Tyson Chandler and Carmelo Anthony and there’s no reason to believe that this will change anytime soon. Trading him to the Bucks would give the Knicks major salary cap relief and depth. Beno Udrih and Samuel Dalembert are in the last years of their deals (Udrih is earning $7,372,000 this year and Dalembert is earning $6,698,565) while Gooden has 3 years left at $6,687,400 per year.

Udrih and Delambert have been on teams that have made deep runs in the playoffs and both players are still somewhat productive. Udrih, who stands at 6’ 3” and weighs 203 pounds, can play both the PG and SG positions; Udrih is currently averaging 7.5 PPG, 3.8 APG, and 2.2 RPG in 18.8 MPG. Dalembert is having a decent season with the Bucks; the 31 year old Center from Haiti is averaging 5.3 PPG, 4.6 RPG and 1.2 BPG in just 15 minutes of action per game. Dalembert would give the Knicks a defensive presence off the bench because of his size (6’ 11” 250 pounds), length (7’ 6” wingspan) and fluidity in terms of his ability to get up and down the court. Drew Gooden still hasn’t really done much so far this season (3.7  PPG and 2.5 RPG in 9.5 MPG) but Milwaukee would most likely want to rid themselves of his contract for this trade to go through. Gooden understands how to play and brings a veteran presence to the Knicks locker room.dalembert

Bringing in savvy veterans such as Dalembert, Gooden and Udrih would add some depth and veteran leadership to the Knick’s locker room but overall this move is more about getting rid of Amare’s monster contract than anything else.

This move would give the Knicks a starting lineup of Felton, Kidd, Brewer, Anthony and Chandler with Shumpert, Udrih, Copeland, Dalembert and Novak coming off the bench.

Why this trade helps the Bucks:

The Bucks are in a precarious position, they are not good enough to be contenders and not bad enough to get a high lottery pick in the upcoming draft. They have some nice pieces in Larry Sanders, Monta Ellis, Brandon Jennings and Ersan Ilyasova but none of these players are true superstars who can lead a team to the Promised Land. The Bucks have a big decision to make on Brandon Jennings as he becomes a Restricted Free Agent this summer; this decision has larger implications in terms of what John Hammond’s direction for this team is. Hammond has to decide if he wants to move forward with this nucleus or go into full rebuild mode.

Acquiring Amar’e Stoudemire is a wise move if Hammond decides to keep the Bucks’s core intact.beno I like John Henson and I do believe he has good upside because of his size (6’ 10”) and length (7’ 5” wingspan) but he needs to add some strength to his 216 pound frame before he can be a starting caliber PF. Amare’s contract has 3 years left on it and bringing him in would allow the Bucks to develop Henson at a comfortable pace while grooming him to be the PF of the future.

There’s no way to tell if Amar’e will ever regain his pre-injury capabilities but this is a risk worth taking for the Bucks because it’s been difficult for them to land top flight free agents in the past and they’re not “bad” enough to get a top 8 pick in the draft. Amar’e is averaging career lows this season in points (11.3 PPG), rebounds (4 RPG), blocks (0.5 BPG) and minutes (21.3 MPG). It’s obvious he’s not a good fit with Chanlder and Anthony but it’s hard to truly determine if his struggles are more due to age/injuries or more about a lack of team chemistry.

Amar’e is 30 years old and has been is the league for 11 years now; he’s been a force when healthy as evidenced by his career averages (21.4 PPG, 8.7 RPG, 1.4 BPG) but how much does he have left in his 6’ 11” 245 pound frame? This is the question the Bucks have to answer before pulling the trigger on this move.

This trade would give the Bucks a starting lineup of Jennings, Ellis, Ilyasova, Stoudemire and Sanders with Henson, Prigioni, Dunleavy, Luc Richard Mbah a Moute, and Lamb coming off the bench.

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DeMarcus Cousins and Francisco Garcia for Greg Monroe, Tayshaun Prince and Austin Daye

Posted: January 24, 2013 in Uncategorized
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Why this trade works out financially:

http://espn.go.com/nba/tradeMachine?tradeId=bfq45mo

Why this trade should happen:

DeMarcus Cousins has been rumored to be on the trade block for quite some time now, not because of productivity (he’s averaging 18.1 PPG and 10.1 rebounds) but because of issues related to maturity. The Kings are most likely headed to Seattle and new ownership generally means change is coming. I like some of the pieces the Kings have; I still think Tyreke Evans is a solid player with much upside because he’s 23 years old and has the ideal size and length to become a dominant 2 guard.

Evans is listed at 6’ 6” 220 pounds with a 6’ 11.25” wingspan; although he is averaging career lows in both points (14.8 PPG) and assists (3.1 APG) Evans still has great upside. It’s also too early to call Thomas Robinson, who was drafted with the 5th overall pick in the 2012 draft, a bust.  Jimmerboogie Fredette has not lived up to expectations but he has the potential to become a J.J. Redick type player down the line if he gets into better shape and develops his upper body strength. The Kings are off to a 16-27 record and have lost 7 of their last 10 games. There is not enough veteran leadership on this team and the pieces just don’t fit.

The Pistons got off to a horrendous start this year losing their first 8 games but have played much better recently as evidenced by the fact that they’ve won 6 out of their last 10 games and have been competitive in virtually all of them. This recent success can be attributed to the Pistons bench which features the likes of Will “The Thrill” Bynum, Andre Drummond, Austin Daye, Charlie Villanueva and Rodney Stuckey. The Pistons currently have the 9nth best scoring bench at 37.2 PPG and the 8th best bench in term of RPG (16.4). The Pistons have dabbled in mediocrity over the last 5 years and the trade of Chauncey “Mr. Big Shot” Billups is the major reason why.

Why this trade helps the Kings:

The Kings lack leadership and maturity in the locker room. Cousins has the potential to be a top 5 Center but issues related to maturity will most likely continue to plague him as long as he’s in the Kings soon to be Seattle organization. A change of scenery may be what Cousins needs and it’s moosewell known around the league that he’s quite fond of Joe Dumars. The Pistons desperately tried to move up in the 2010 draft to take him but weren’t able to pull it off. Cousins ended up going 5th in the draft with Monroe going 7th overall. In this prospective trade the Kings would pick up Monroe, Prince and Austin Daye. I like this move for them because Monroe is a solid big who’s had no character issues and is still young with some upside although his ceiling is not quite as high as Cousin’s is. Monroe lacks athleticism and is not a consistent mid-range shooter. Defenders generally space him and dare him to shoot the 15 footer. If Monroe develops this mid-range jumper, develops more touch with his right hand around the basket and adds more strength he has the potential to develop into a Zach Randolph type player down the line. Monroe, who’s 22 years old, stands at 6’ 11” and weighs 250 pounds; he’s currently averaging 15.3 PPG, 9.1 RPG, 3.3 APG and 0.5 BPG.

Tayshaun Prince would bring leadership and Playoff experience to the King’s locker room.  Prince personifies character and would be a great influence on the younger players on the King’s roster. The 32 year old Palace Prince is averaging 12 PPG and 4.6 RPG. Prince isn’t the player he once was but still is a solid defender and princecan still hit open jump shots.

Austin Daye has been quite inconsistent throughout his career and this has led to his minutes being sporadic. The Irvine, California native stands at 6’ 11” and weighs 200 pounds; he boasts an impressive 7’ 2.75” wingspan and is adept at hitting the 3 ball as evidenced by his 52.9% from 3 point range this season.  Daye’s still relatively young at 24 years old and has yet to reach his potential. Daye’s currently averaging 4.9 PPG while playing 14 MPG.

This trade would give the Kings a starting lineup of Thomas, Evans, Prince, Robinson and Monroe with Thornton, Thompson, Daye and Fredette coming off the bench.

Why this trade helps the Pistons:

The Pistons have a nice young nucleus with Monroe, Knight, Singler and Drummond. If kept together this nucleus will most likely lead to the Pistons being a perennial 6th or 7th seed in the Playoffs without being true contenders. Drummond has the potential to be a superstar and if done over again he would have most likely been a top 4 pick in the 2012 draft. Drummond is averaging 7.5 PPG, 7.4 RPG and 1.6 BPG in just 20 minutes of action per game. Drummond has the potential to be Dwight Howard 2.0 because he’s just 19 years old and boasts incredible length (7’6.25” wingspan) and athleticism (33.5 inch max vertical). Drummond stands at 6’ 10” and already weighs 270 pounds at just 7.5% body fat; he has the potential to put on another 25-30 pounds of muscle because his upper body is not nearly as developed as his lower body.

There is an inherent risk in bringing Cousins in because he may have a negative influence on the young Drummond but the Pistons need to make this trade because the reward of having two potential top 5 big men is worth the risk. Cousins is still young at 22 years old and has time to mature; he has tremendous upside because of his size (6’11” 270 pounds with a 7’ 5.75” wingspan) and crafty post-game.

Teaming up Drummond and Cousins may lead to the Pistons becoming contenders again. Both of these young bigs have tremendous upside and have the potential to be great defenders because of their length, agility and raw athleticism. The Pistons have veterans such as Stuckey, Maxiell, Bynum and Maggette in the locker room that will be able to reel Cousins in and if that happens the Pistons will be perennial contenders down the line.

This trade will give the Pistons a future stating lineup of Knight, Stuckey, Singler, Cousins and Drummond with Bynum, Vallanueva, Maxiell and Jerebko coming off the bench.

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Pau Gasol for Jeff Green, Brandon Bass and Jason Terry

Posted: January 23, 2013 in Uncategorized
Tags: , , , , ,
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greenBoth the Lakers and Celtics aren’t living up to preseason expectations thus far; the Lakers are currently 17-24 and would have to win near 70% of the rest of their games to make a Playoff push. The Lakers have struggled mightily in D’antoni’s system because of a lack of spacing; this has led to Pau Gasol being benched in favor of Earl Clark.

The Celtics are currently 8th in the East with a 20-21 record. The Celtics have played better since Avery Bradley’s return from injury boasting a 6-4 record over their last 10 games but do not look to be a legitimate threat to the East’s elite.

Why this trade helps the Lakers:

This trade helps the Lakers because Jeff Green is a legitimate stretch forward who can play the Small Forward and Power Forward positions. Gasol is earning $19,000,000 this season and next season and does not look to be a fit in Mike D’antoni’s system. Jeff Green is scheduled to earn $8,385,000 over the next 4 season Gasol has yet to find his role in D' antoni's systemincluding this season. Dwight Howard had his most successful seasons in Orlando when he played with a stretch Power Forward. Howard led the Magic to the NBA finals when Rishard Lewis was playing aside him and was most dominant with Ryan Anderson playing the Power Forward position.

Jeff Green is still young at 26 years old and would be a nice piece to build around with D-12 being 27 years old. Green who stands at 6’ 9” and weighs 235 pounds is about the same size as Ryan Anderson who is listed at 6’ 10” 240 pounds; Anderson is the better perimeter shooter (38.6% career 3 point percentage vs. 33.6% for Green) but Green is much more athletic and is better able to get to the basket. Green has a wingspan of 7’ 1.25” and a maximum vertical leap of 38.0 inches which has led me to believe that he has the potential to be a good rebounder and solid defender.

Brandon Bass played with Howard for 2 seasons and they were able to establish chemistry. Bass would bring an interior presence off the bench for the Lakers (6’ 8” 250 pounds) and playoff experience. Bass is scheduled to earn $6,000,000 over the next 3 seasons including this season. At 27 years old, Bass is still in his prime and would be a nice addition to the Lakers because of his ability to crash the boards and hit the mid-range jumper with consistency.

Jason Terry is scheduled to earn $5,000,000 over the next 3 seasons and would be a nice addition to the Lakers because he can comfortably play the 1 or 2 and would be able to back up both Nash and Bryant off the bench. At 35 years old, Terry brings playoff and Finals experience to the table and is known as one of the most clutch players in the league.

This Trade would give the Lakers a starting lineup of Nash, Bryant, World Peace, Green and Howard with Terry, Bass, Clark and Meeks coming off the bench.

Why this trade helps the Celtics:

This trade gives the Celtics a big man they have been rumored to be interested in for years. Gasol will help take the load off of Garnett because of his size and length. Gasol who stands at 7’ tall and weighs 250 pounds would give the Celtics a big who can score on the block and who can hit the mid-range jump shot with consistency. Gasol is averaging career lows this year in points (12.7) and field goal percentage (43.2%) and has not been able to find his role in D’antoni’s system. Gasol would fit much better with the Celtics because it is a defense oriented system and they play at a much slower pace with a point guard (Rondo) who knows how to set his teammates up in a spot that is most conducive to their success. The 32 year old Gasol boasts an impressive 7’ 4” wingspan and has been a defensive presence his entire career.

This trade would give the Celtics a starting lineup of Rondo, Bradley, Pierce, Gasol and Garnett with Sullinger, Lee and Barbosa coming off the bench.