Post by aar on Jun 14, 2012 13:52:06 GMT -5
Lakers Trade: Paul Westphal
Heat Trade: Nothing
Breakdown: The Lakers were WAY over the cap and with nobody bailing them out by taking Lou Hudson at the Trade Deadline, one of their key core pieces had to leave. With Kenon and Money obviously being out of bounds, that left Goo Kennedy and Paul Westphal.
At the end of the day, the Lakers made the right choice and unloaded Westphal, who is an underrated scorer, but is somewhat one-dimensional.
The Lakers now have an MLE to play with to try and add a good big man to pair up front with Goo.
The Heat have expressed the interest to compete, but in a stacked East, this doesn't do a ton for them. That said, getting a player of Westphal's caliber for free is worthwhile.
Lakers Grade: C
Heat Grade: B
Knicks Trade: Bill Willoughby, Alvin Scott
Lakers Trade: Bob Lanier
Breakdown: The Lakers, anxious to cut salary, decide to dump Bob Lanier and get back two decent prospects.
Willoughby is a solid scorer and a nice shotblocker, but a very below-average rebounder. Right now, he looks a lot like Darnell Hillman.
Scott's ceiling is that of a decent roleplayer.
Lanier is a stud and the Knicks make out like bandits.
Knicks Grade: A+
Lakers Grade: D-
Knicks Trade: Bob Lanier
Spurs Trade: Michael Ray Richardson, Maurice Lucas, Spurs 2048 1st (*top 3 protection), Lakers 2049 1st, Lakers 2050 1st
Breakdown: The Knicks have essentially turned Don Buse into Michael Ray Richardson in an almost magical manner.
That said, I don't blame the Spurs for making this trade and I think that they actually win it value-wise.
Richardson is a frustrating player, Lucas has minimal value and those 1sts are solid, but not spectacular.
Knicks Grade: B+
Spurs Grade: A-
Knicks Trade: Otis Birdsong, FA fillers
Cavs Trade: Jojo White
Breakdown: The Cavs decide to continue to build up their young core with Otis Birdsong, who's already a dominant scorer.
Birdsong, like many recent shooting guards, has a horrible rebounding deficiency that can't be ignored.
Jo Jo White is a very well-rounded shooting guard who has seen a huge surge of value late in his career.
The Cavs are looking to the future on this trade and get solid value for Jo Jo.
Cavs Grade: B+
Knicks Grade: B
Knicks Trade: Gerald Henderson, Lakers 2050 1st
Hornets Trade: George McGinnis
Breakdown: The Knicks take advantage of the Hornets here by trading a late-lotto pick and an okay first for a bonafide starter.
Really poor value for the Hornets here.
Hornets Grade: D
Knicks Grade: A
Knicks trade: George McGinnis, FA filler, Knicks 2049 and 2050 1sts,
Bucks 2050 1st
Bobcats Trade: Elvin Hayes
Breakdown: The Knicks flip George McGinnis and some late 1sts for Elvin Hayes and his new (awful) contract.
As bad as his contract is, he's a top-10 player in the league and this is another example of the Knicks showing solid hindsight when they make a trade. They essentially get Hayes for a late-lotto pick and four non-lotto picks.
The Bobcats meanwhile get a solid starter and dump a contract that many ripped on.
Knicks Grade: A-
Bobcats Grade: B-
Knicks trade: Maurice Lucas, Mychal Thompson
Bucks trade: Bob McAdoo
Breakdown: The Knicks use a guy who had little value to them and a top-10 pick that essentially fell into their lap for a nice, young-ish starter in McAdoo who can score in great volume.
The Bucks make this trade as a conduit for future trades as neither remain on their roster (see the rest of the deals later in this article)
Knicks Grade: A-
Bucks Grade: C+
Bucks trade: Maurice Lucas, Don Buse, Rights to Lamar Green
Clippers trade: Gene Moore, Archie Clark
Breakdown: The Bucks, again, used this trade as a conduit for another. Hype got ripped for making this deal, perhaps unfairly, because he gave up the two best players in this deal right now. However, looking forward, they add two pieces who may get a bit better with time and keep their lineup a bit fresher.
Bucks Grade: B+
Clippers Grade: C
Bucks trade: Steve Mix, Gene Moore, Archie Clark
Hornets trade: Andre McCarter, John Block, Greg Smith, Jim Washington, Gerald Henderson, Lakers 2050 1st, Hornets 2054 1st, Hornets 2055 1st (top-5 protected continuously)
Breakdown: The Bucks get younger, but give up three core players and only get two in return. The Bucks also get a lotto pick in Gerald Henderson and some decent bench players in the deal.
The Hornets, meanwhile, add three great starters to Pistol Pete and Darnell Hillman, which make them a player in the weak Western Conference.
Hornets Grade: A-
Bucks Grade: C
Cleveland trades: Rich Jones, Norm Nixon, CLE 54-56 1sts
Denver trades: Clifford Ray
Breakdown: The first trade by Greeme that essentially guts a perfectly good championship team and really makes little sense.
Marty, as usual, gets really good value for his assets and I laud him for being patient until the right deal involving Norm Nixon came along.
Cavs Grade: A
Nuggets Grade: C-
Celtics trade: Bernard King, Jazz 2049 1st Rounder, Nets 2049 1st,
Nets 2050 1st, Denver 2051 1st
Rockets Trade: Julius Erving
Breakdown: The Rockets have decided to rebuild, so they add some okay 1sts and an up and coming prospect in Bernard King.
Meanwhile, the Celtics add an all-around stud in Dr. J., who seems to age like fine wine and get better each season.
I think that this trade leans in the favor of the Celtics and that the rebuilding Rockets would readily admit that.
Celtics Grade: A
Rockets Grade: B-
Celtics Trade: Freeman Williams, Celtics 2049 1st, 76ers 2050, 2051 1st
76ers Trade: George Gervin
Breakdown: The 76ers wanted their picks back and unfortunately, they had to make a deal with the Celtics in order to get them back. DBW loves getting bang for his buck and he does so here.
The only issue that I have with this move is that the 76ers actually had a ton of leverage because George Gervin is a huge name and he probably could have demanded a lot more.
The Celtics end up getting two huge pieces for two 1sts (as we will see in the next deal breakdown.
Celtics Grade: A+
76ers Grade: D
Nuggets trade: Artis Gilmore and Skeeter Swift
Celtics trade: George Gervin, expiring filler
Breakdown: The Celtics acquire two key pieces of a championship team to add to Magic Johnson, Julius Erving and Sonny Parker and while they currently have a logjam at SF, they will make a push to land a big man to round out their lineup. Even if they don't, Schlueter and Artis is very serviceable.
The Nuggets had already traded Clifford Ray, so they opt to get younger and add Gervin, but at a pretty high price.
DBW has done a great job this offseason and has built a stellar core. However, had he kept Gervin, he may have had the best young core in the league. I think that he should have looked to move Erving or Parker rather than Gervin in order to add pieces.
Celtics Grade: B+
Nuggets Grade: B
Magic trade: George Karl
Spurs send: Louie Dampier, Spurs 2049 1st (if it doesn't go to Atlanta, otherwise Spurs 2050 1st)
Breakdown: The Spurs trade the better player and add a 1st.
As per my previous analysis, Karl is a great player if you want to tank.
The Magic add a player who will win them games, so I don't love this for them either.
Spurs Grade: D
Magic Grade: C+
Heat Trade: Nothing
Breakdown: The Lakers were WAY over the cap and with nobody bailing them out by taking Lou Hudson at the Trade Deadline, one of their key core pieces had to leave. With Kenon and Money obviously being out of bounds, that left Goo Kennedy and Paul Westphal.
At the end of the day, the Lakers made the right choice and unloaded Westphal, who is an underrated scorer, but is somewhat one-dimensional.
The Lakers now have an MLE to play with to try and add a good big man to pair up front with Goo.
The Heat have expressed the interest to compete, but in a stacked East, this doesn't do a ton for them. That said, getting a player of Westphal's caliber for free is worthwhile.
Lakers Grade: C
Heat Grade: B
Knicks Trade: Bill Willoughby, Alvin Scott
Lakers Trade: Bob Lanier
Breakdown: The Lakers, anxious to cut salary, decide to dump Bob Lanier and get back two decent prospects.
Willoughby is a solid scorer and a nice shotblocker, but a very below-average rebounder. Right now, he looks a lot like Darnell Hillman.
Scott's ceiling is that of a decent roleplayer.
Lanier is a stud and the Knicks make out like bandits.
Knicks Grade: A+
Lakers Grade: D-
Knicks Trade: Bob Lanier
Spurs Trade: Michael Ray Richardson, Maurice Lucas, Spurs 2048 1st (*top 3 protection), Lakers 2049 1st, Lakers 2050 1st
Breakdown: The Knicks have essentially turned Don Buse into Michael Ray Richardson in an almost magical manner.
That said, I don't blame the Spurs for making this trade and I think that they actually win it value-wise.
Richardson is a frustrating player, Lucas has minimal value and those 1sts are solid, but not spectacular.
Knicks Grade: B+
Spurs Grade: A-
Knicks Trade: Otis Birdsong, FA fillers
Cavs Trade: Jojo White
Breakdown: The Cavs decide to continue to build up their young core with Otis Birdsong, who's already a dominant scorer.
Birdsong, like many recent shooting guards, has a horrible rebounding deficiency that can't be ignored.
Jo Jo White is a very well-rounded shooting guard who has seen a huge surge of value late in his career.
The Cavs are looking to the future on this trade and get solid value for Jo Jo.
Cavs Grade: B+
Knicks Grade: B
Knicks Trade: Gerald Henderson, Lakers 2050 1st
Hornets Trade: George McGinnis
Breakdown: The Knicks take advantage of the Hornets here by trading a late-lotto pick and an okay first for a bonafide starter.
Really poor value for the Hornets here.
Hornets Grade: D
Knicks Grade: A
Knicks trade: George McGinnis, FA filler, Knicks 2049 and 2050 1sts,
Bucks 2050 1st
Bobcats Trade: Elvin Hayes
Breakdown: The Knicks flip George McGinnis and some late 1sts for Elvin Hayes and his new (awful) contract.
As bad as his contract is, he's a top-10 player in the league and this is another example of the Knicks showing solid hindsight when they make a trade. They essentially get Hayes for a late-lotto pick and four non-lotto picks.
The Bobcats meanwhile get a solid starter and dump a contract that many ripped on.
Knicks Grade: A-
Bobcats Grade: B-
Knicks trade: Maurice Lucas, Mychal Thompson
Bucks trade: Bob McAdoo
Breakdown: The Knicks use a guy who had little value to them and a top-10 pick that essentially fell into their lap for a nice, young-ish starter in McAdoo who can score in great volume.
The Bucks make this trade as a conduit for future trades as neither remain on their roster (see the rest of the deals later in this article)
Knicks Grade: A-
Bucks Grade: C+
Bucks trade: Maurice Lucas, Don Buse, Rights to Lamar Green
Clippers trade: Gene Moore, Archie Clark
Breakdown: The Bucks, again, used this trade as a conduit for another. Hype got ripped for making this deal, perhaps unfairly, because he gave up the two best players in this deal right now. However, looking forward, they add two pieces who may get a bit better with time and keep their lineup a bit fresher.
Bucks Grade: B+
Clippers Grade: C
Bucks trade: Steve Mix, Gene Moore, Archie Clark
Hornets trade: Andre McCarter, John Block, Greg Smith, Jim Washington, Gerald Henderson, Lakers 2050 1st, Hornets 2054 1st, Hornets 2055 1st (top-5 protected continuously)
Breakdown: The Bucks get younger, but give up three core players and only get two in return. The Bucks also get a lotto pick in Gerald Henderson and some decent bench players in the deal.
The Hornets, meanwhile, add three great starters to Pistol Pete and Darnell Hillman, which make them a player in the weak Western Conference.
Hornets Grade: A-
Bucks Grade: C
Cleveland trades: Rich Jones, Norm Nixon, CLE 54-56 1sts
Denver trades: Clifford Ray
Breakdown: The first trade by Greeme that essentially guts a perfectly good championship team and really makes little sense.
Marty, as usual, gets really good value for his assets and I laud him for being patient until the right deal involving Norm Nixon came along.
Cavs Grade: A
Nuggets Grade: C-
Celtics trade: Bernard King, Jazz 2049 1st Rounder, Nets 2049 1st,
Nets 2050 1st, Denver 2051 1st
Rockets Trade: Julius Erving
Breakdown: The Rockets have decided to rebuild, so they add some okay 1sts and an up and coming prospect in Bernard King.
Meanwhile, the Celtics add an all-around stud in Dr. J., who seems to age like fine wine and get better each season.
I think that this trade leans in the favor of the Celtics and that the rebuilding Rockets would readily admit that.
Celtics Grade: A
Rockets Grade: B-
Celtics Trade: Freeman Williams, Celtics 2049 1st, 76ers 2050, 2051 1st
76ers Trade: George Gervin
Breakdown: The 76ers wanted their picks back and unfortunately, they had to make a deal with the Celtics in order to get them back. DBW loves getting bang for his buck and he does so here.
The only issue that I have with this move is that the 76ers actually had a ton of leverage because George Gervin is a huge name and he probably could have demanded a lot more.
The Celtics end up getting two huge pieces for two 1sts (as we will see in the next deal breakdown.
Celtics Grade: A+
76ers Grade: D
Nuggets trade: Artis Gilmore and Skeeter Swift
Celtics trade: George Gervin, expiring filler
Breakdown: The Celtics acquire two key pieces of a championship team to add to Magic Johnson, Julius Erving and Sonny Parker and while they currently have a logjam at SF, they will make a push to land a big man to round out their lineup. Even if they don't, Schlueter and Artis is very serviceable.
The Nuggets had already traded Clifford Ray, so they opt to get younger and add Gervin, but at a pretty high price.
DBW has done a great job this offseason and has built a stellar core. However, had he kept Gervin, he may have had the best young core in the league. I think that he should have looked to move Erving or Parker rather than Gervin in order to add pieces.
Celtics Grade: B+
Nuggets Grade: B
Magic trade: George Karl
Spurs send: Louie Dampier, Spurs 2049 1st (if it doesn't go to Atlanta, otherwise Spurs 2050 1st)
Breakdown: The Spurs trade the better player and add a 1st.
As per my previous analysis, Karl is a great player if you want to tank.
The Magic add a player who will win them games, so I don't love this for them either.
Spurs Grade: D
Magic Grade: C+
