The All-Star beak is approaching, and with it the trade deadline. So far the NBA Rumor Mill hasn’t been churning like the Musings had hoped. Some teams have to decide now whether or not they’re in it to win it (Boston, Philly). Other teams need to make decisions on impending free-agents and expiring contracts (Milwaukee, Minnesota) and the rest will sort things out after the season. Let’s take a look at some teams that could be players during All-Star Weekend and some players that could be stars.* Memo to LeBron: Forget about the dunk competition. With you I there to “save the game” there’s no way it’ll be a competition in the first place. The Commish would never, ever, let you lose that thing. I say, do what you did last year, turn the Rookie vs. Sophomores game into a dunk contest of your own. With you and Flash Wade, the rookies don’t stand a Blazers chance in Heaven.
* ESPN and TNT really need to start listening to our buddy Special Ed. Rockets-Lakers is no longer a great game, so quit showing it! Seattle and Phoenix should be on TV every damn night, whether they play or not. I’d rather watch them practice then see the Nets and Bucks slug one out. NBATV: Keep the so-called stars on local networks and show us the teams that have a shot this year.
* The early line on the 3-pt contest says Ray Allen and he’s a safe bet, but keep your eye on Philly’s Kyle Korver (K-Squared to those who know). He’s 2nd in the NBA in 3-pt shots made and had a great showing in the same contest last year.
What the Hell is wrong with these teams?
* Minnesota: Ugh. Like I said last week, Kevin McHale was bound to take over this team; it was the only way to justify his salary. Now he can see close up and in practice what he had suspected all season: Latrell Sprewell is more than a step slow and wants to get out of the Twin Cities ASAP. Some had him headed to Philly for Glenn Robinson (is he still I the country) and a Sixers reserve. Bad move. What they ought to do is move Spree to a non-contender that wants to dump his salary at the end of the year, like Portland. Speaking of the Jail blazers…
* Portland: They’re 14 ½ games out of first and 9 games under the .500 mark, perfect time to make changes. Gone are Shareef Abdur-Rahim and Darius Miles. You might be able to add Damon Stoudamire to that list as well. Shareef is a shame b/c he’s a talent, a big, and not someone who’s going to get into any type of trouble. In short, exactly what the Blazers have said they were looking for. He’ll likely be dealt to a team looking to get first dibs at re-signing the skilled PF and there are only a few teams with the cap room and commodities needed to do so: Cleveland, Seattle, Chicago and the Clippers. Cleveland will save its money for local-boy Michael Redd. The Clippers are never out ahead of the curve and will probably wait the season out and look at the numbers again in the summer. Chicago GM Jim Paxson recently said on radio that he’s not looking to make any major moves b/c he think this team can compete in the playoffs and he wants them to learn to win together. That leaves the Sonics.
* Seattle: Currently 20 games above .500 and leading the division by a massive 10 ½ games, Seattle doesn’t need to make any moves. But they do need to deal with Ray Allen’s contract. Trading for Shareef would likely make them a more viable contender against San Antonio and make them a little bigger than Phoenix. It might also show Ray Allen that management is serious about winning a Championship and convince him to re-sign early. Offering little-used Vitaly Potapenko and his expiring contract, guard Antonio Daniels, and PF’s Vlad Rodmanovic (unhappy as backup) and Jerome James (impending free-agent) should get the deal done. Assuming Portland doesn’t re-sign Potapenko and James the deal will clear more than $25 million from their payroll, and that’s enough to get the Blazers to pull the trigger, even in their own division.
* Boston: The C’s have assets to deal in the form of talent (Gary Payton, Jiri Welsch) picks (from the Lakers, Suns and Cavs) and expiring contracts (Tom Googs and Michael Stewart). They also have the lead in the weak Atlantic Division. Packaging Payton, some contracts and some picks for guys like Andre Miller and Nik Tskitishvili would be a good move for all parties. Danny needs to explore his options and inquire about these guys or make a blockbuster for a Baron Davis type. B-Diddy scores 19.7/game and that 2-29 start New Orleans had didn’t make him any healthier, if you know what I mean. The question remains: would they rather win the division at .500 and reap the short-term financial benefits of a playoff game or two or would they rather continue with Danny Ainge’s “master plan” and stockpile future picks and players for 2006-2007? If history tells us anything, it’s that the Danny seldom veers from the plan, so expect some moves from Beantown. Here are a few ideas for Team Green.
Gary Payton and Jiri Welsch for Derek Fisher and Mickeal Pietrus and a 2nd Round Draft pick.
Payton, from Oakland, CA, wants to go back West and play for a contender. That eliminates the Warriors, but let’s keep them in the discussion for arguments sake. Payton and Jiri Welsch go to Golden State for PG Derek Fisher and SG Mickael Pietrus. The Celtics get a serviceable PG who’s been in clutch situations (ask Tim Duncan) in Fisher and an extremely athletic, young talent in Pietrus. In Payton, the Warriors get a savvy vet that can lead a team and a home-town hero sure to sell some tickets. In addition, Welsch provides the range and defense that Mike Dunleavy can’t and his acquisition would make Dunleavy not only tradable but expendable as well.
GP, Michael Stewart and a draft pick for Andre Miller and Nik Tskitishvili.
Reuniting Payton with his former coach George Karl is a possibility. The love-fest between these two is well documented and Karl may be what Payton needs to return to his elite status. Send the Glove and the expiring contract of Michael Stewart to Denver for Nik Tskitishvili, whom Karl gives 6.9 minutes/game, and PG Andre Miller, who is more adept at running the up-tempo style that Doc Rivers and Danny Ainge want out of this group. As a side note, Miller and Paul Pierce know each other well and play together in LA summer leagues. Hmmm……
Payton for Bobby Jackson, Darius Songaila and Matt Barnes and 1st Round draft pick.
This would give Payton the best chance to win a title while giving the Celtics the exclusive rights to negotiate with Bobby Jackson before he hits free-agency. Songaila can help here and there but is not a big-time player and Barnes is thrown in for salary matching. This deal can get done if the Celtics decide to pack in the season as division leaders and get better draft picks.
Payton and Jiri Welsch for Sam Cassell and Fred Hoiberg
It doesn’t make a lot of sense for the Celtics b/c Cassell is not a true run `n shoot type PG but he can lead a team and Hoiberg can shoot from range. Wolves get the boost they desperately need from Payton and GP gets his contender, sort of. Bonus: Danny gets to do business with old pal Kevin McHale.
And, just for the fun of it….
Payton, Tom Gugliotta, Michael Stewart and a #1 for Baron Davis and Lee Nailon.
Think about it. B-Diddy scores 19.7/game. The Celtics want a PG to run, right? And they want another scoring option to Paul Pierce, right? I know Davis is injured and has seemed frail lately, but the Hornets are desperate to make moves right now just to stir the pot and another draft pick would get it done. Can you imagine a team with Baron Davis and Paul Pierce side-by-side? The only reason not to would be if Davis isn’t healthy enough to return after the All-Star break. Something tells me starting the season 2-29 didn’t give him much incentive to hurry back. Now he’d be starting at PG for a division leader and he just might get his spark back. Lee Nailon has been putting in nearly 16 PPG in New Orleans and while his productivity would go down, he makes little money and his contract is up at the end of the year. This is a win-win for all involved.
* Sixers: Philly is another team that needs to decide which way it’s headed. Iverson can’t keep scoring 60 forever and it seems a waste to do it on a team that seems to rebuild every three years. Now that NJ has acquired Cliff Robinson, the Sixers should worry about beating out the Nets and Celtics down the stretch and focus on winning the division. Move Glenn Robinson, anywhere. Glenn “Doggin’ It” Robinson has played a grand total of zero minutes for the 76ers this year. At seasons end he will have earned in excess of $12 million, USD. It’s time for GM Billy King to start working the phones and get something for this guy, anything. Latrell Sprewell would be a good place to start.
Glenn Robinson and Kevin Ollie for Latrell Sprewell
Once Minnesota goes into cost-cutting mode Spree will be very available. Kevin McHale will ask for Willie Green or Sam Dalembert in return but if King holds out eventually McHale will realize the Wolves are better off without Spree on the team at all and can let G Rob’s contract expire. Sprewell should be energized in Philly with the ability to get open shots off of AI’s double teams. With Sprewell the Sixers would have the best 1-2 combo in the Atlantic Division.
Glenn Robinson, Andre Iguodala, Sam Dalembert and Brian Skinner and a Draft Pick for Michael Redd and Keith van Horn
I can’t believe I’m suggesting it but in my heart, I want this trade to happen. Think about it. The Bucks aren’t going anywhere this year and might as well tank the season, wait for TJ Ford to return next year and start from there. Dalembert and Iguodala give the Bucks, with Desmond Mason and TJ Ford, young, explosive talent to build around and to market as a team-first squad. Brian Skinner was great for Milwaukee down the stretch last year but became too pricey. He’s now “earning” 10 minutes a game in Philly and needs a change of scenery. Michael Redd has let it be known he wants out of Milwaukee and would prefer to return home to the Cavs but would be excited at the thought of teaming with AI for a playoff push. Robinson for KVH is an even swap; two has-beens returning, again, to former teams to wait-out their contracts. As for the Sixers, a teaming of AI and Redd could prove deadly enough to push them to the Conference Finals. Adding KVH as another scorer could help them win the division and make that path easier. Plus, doesn’t van Horn kind of belong in Philly with those high-black socks?
That’s it for the Weekly Musings. Tune in next week to find out who got robbed in the dunk competition and why Darius Miles should go back to college and finish his….oh, right. Nevermind.