NBA Trades
This past week I watched several players being traded to different teams. Obviously the most talked about one during this season was Carmelo Anthony. I really got tired of hearing about it and I’m glad Denver pulled the trigger. The way it had been drawn out for so long, I would have rather watched “The Decision” with Lebron James and Jim Gray at least ten times more only to hear the words, “I’m taking my talents to south beach.”
Melo got exactly what he wanted and Knicks basketball is revitalized again even after Amare Stoudamire made them a .500 ball club again. Two dynamic superstars on a team can do plenty of damage, but will it be enough when the rest of the roster has some considerable drops offs? Outside of a aging but still formidable point guard in Chauncy Billups, who is left? Before Melo got there, the Knicks were one of the worse defensive teams in the league if not the worst. I suppose it goes with the territory of a D’Antoni coached team. Will Melo and Billups actually make them a better d7efensive team once they start to love the run ‘n fun offense of D’Antoni? Probably not. They will score a lot of points as a D’Antoni teams does, but it’s never added up to any championship gold.
The other trade I want to touch on is Deron Williams. I was quite surprised to hear him get traded to the Nets especially after Jerry Sloane had resigned/retired. I thought William was the franchise? I thought he was the reason that made Jazz basketball relevant again? why would you trade your franchise player that has given you so many good years? Did he tell you private that he wasn’t signing a extension after his current deal expires in 2012? Is this what’s come down to for smaller market teams? Are the cities not glamorous enough for some players? Is the money to great to pass on in larger markets? Or did the team and Williams just not want to be together anymore and it was time to go their separate ways? You lost your hall of fame coach and your franchise player all in less than two weeks. How could you let both of them go? All I can say is at least it was done quietly and fast. It wasn’t a drawn out process like Melo. It wasn’t a suspense thriller on the edge of your seat controversy decision like Lebron. It was quiet and under the radar.
Looking at the standings, there is a good chance Denver and Utah can both make the playoffs for this year. The Knicks will make the playoffs, but I foresee some chemistry issues with Amare and Melo just as you did with Lebron, Wade, and Bosh. Sadly for Deron Williams, the Nets are going nowhere. Will he revitalize that franchise like Kidd before or will he take the money and run somewhere else?
