The so called “second half” of the NBA season is just underway, and there’s been a large amount of migration between some of the league’s premier players. With all these trades occurring some teams have gotten better, while some could take a turn for the worse. Either way these NBA season is shaping up to be a wild finish.
Melo to Knicks- When hearing the rumors about this trade happening at the beginning of the year, it gave me some speculation on how that would pan out. Will Carmelo, be able to fit in D’Antoni system? Will Melo’s style of play be able to fit with Amare’s style of play? Are the Knicks gonna a new contender for an NBA title? With all these questions being asked the deal is done and Anthony is now a Knickerbocker. However, all these questions won’t be answered by Melo or Amare, they will be answered by number the Knick’s number 4 Chauncey Billups. Ever since leaving Detroit, “Mr. Big Shot” has taken a lot of criticism that he’s getting old, and isn’t nearly the player he once was in Motown. Well, those guys are wrong, and I can guarantee you Billups is licking his chops right now being surrounded by all the talent he’s got around him in New York. Never in his career, has Billups been on a team like this before. He is sitting in control of two of the best players in the league. Every time he steps on the floor, he can give it to a guy who can get him 30 points, guy like that require double teams, and you know Billups has no problem sticking shot after shot (40% 3PFG). Billups knows opportunities like this don’t pop up often, and if you can lead a team with Rasheed Wallace and Rip Hamilton (as main puzzle pieces) to 2 NBA Finals and win 1 of them, the sky is the limit for the New York Knicks this year.
What the Hell! Clippers- This trade is absolutely absurd for the Clippers. I mean here they are sitting with Blake Griffin, the future of the NBA, and Eric Gordon already one of the best scorers in the NBA, and they trade away Baron “B-Diddy” Davis, one of the most exciting point guards in NBA history for the Cavalier’s Mo Williams, and overrated player that will only take shots away from the two. This trade absolutely blows my mind. I know Davis has had some misunderstandings this season with coach Vinny Del Negro, but you don’t trade him away. There wasn’t a better fit in the league for the high flying Clips. If I was as athletic as Deandre Jordan or Griffin, there’s not another player in the league I would want throwing me lobs for dunks. Not only do the Clips lose their leader, but they also gave the Cavs their upcoming first round draft pick (good chance of being a lottery pick). The only way I can see this trade working out for the Clips is if Eric Bledsoe, can shift his game from being a score first point guard to a more traditional point guard……….. and that’s just not gonna happen. This trade just screams to me that the Clippers never want to be the best team in L.A, and it’s completely boosted the Cavaliers rebuilding process.
The Thunder will roar!- Silly Celtics. In a late trade deadline deal the Celtics traded Kendrick Perkins and Nate Robinson to the Thunder for Jeff Green and Nenad Kristic. This deal was highly unexpected, but I see working very well for the Thunder. Now the Thunder have the size down low to cope with the other bigs that rule in the West. The Thunder also gain a high energy, lock down defender that can back up All Star Russell Westbrook. The reasoning behind the Celtics madness had to be to add some youth behind an aging franchise. However, now the Eastern conference has now big man capable of guarding Dwight Howard come playoff time. Also, last time I checked Jeff Green was not a defense first type player like the rest of the Celtics strive to be. The Celtics also lose a good backup point guard for Rajon Rondo. This trade could help Boston in the long run but decreases their chances to win an NBA title this year. This trade is great for the Thunder, and if Perkins stays healthy him, Durant and Westbrook could begin a dynasty in Oklahoma City.
Deron Williams to Nets- Man, I love me some Mikhail Prokhorov. For those of you who don’t know who that is, he’s the Russian billionaire who owns the New Jersey Nets. Prokhorov absolutely played the Knicks like a fiddle, making them pay as much as they possible could to acquire Carmelo Anthony. While, the Knicks still will be good, Prokhorov had a trick up his sleeve to get Deron Williams for the package that was supposed to be in obtain Anthony. The Nets have acquired the best scoring point guard in the league, and he is paired around some really good pieces for an NBA team. The Nets are stacked with upcoming draft picks. They have one of the last remaining true big men in the league in Brooke Lopez, the luckiest man in the NBA Kris Humphries (Kim Kardashian’s boyfriend), and a premier shooter in Anthony Morrow. While, this year is not the Net’s year, by the time they move to Brooklyn, the Nets will be a force in the NBA.
I’d also like to say nothing would make my life more complete than to say Deron Williams appear on an episode of Jersey Shore.
Hornet’s breaking the rules- Another big trade in the league is the New Orleans Hornets trading Marcus Thornton for Sacramento forward Carl Landry. I think this is the most balanced of all the trades this NBA season, player wise. However, this trade has brought some commotion between some voices in the league (Mark Cuban). Technically the Hornets couldn’t afford to bring in Landry due to almost a 2 millon dollar difference in salaries, putting the Hornets over the limit. However, the deal is done, and the Kings have acquired some more scoring to go with their young center Demarcus Cousins and their sensational guard Tyreke Evans, while the Hornets have acquired some more depth to their frontline of Emeka Okafor and David West.
Hawks Get Hinrich- It should be mentioned that the Atlanta Hawks have traded Mike Bibby, this year’s draft pick, and some scrubs to Washington for Kirk Hinrich and Hilton Armstrong. The Hawks needed a leader at point, and some long range shooting to make a playoff run.
It’s clear that there are both winners and losers of this year’s NBA trade season, but with all these high caliber players in new venues it will be an exciting end of the year.
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