NBA Trade Deadline Chat With Joel Brigham, 2/21/13

Join Joel Brigham this Thursday afternoon at 1pm ET to take part in a special trade deadline chat.  We’ll cover all the latest rumors and consummated trades, so get your questions in early, and be back here Thursday afternoon as the deadline clock winds down!

  1. Erik Ravn

    What are the chances the Bucks land JJ Redick and Josh Smith?

    • Joel Brigham

      Good afternoon, HOOPSWORLD Citizens, and welcome to another edition of my weekly chat! Today is the trade deadline, and we’re only a few hours away from the finishing line. That means we’ve got about a bajillion scenarios to flesh out over the course of the next sixty minutes, so let’s get to as many as we can, even as impending doom heads my way in the form of Winter Storm Q. Alright, let’s roll…

      Let’s start with Josh Smith, who is obviously going to come up a lot today, but the Bucks are a pretty big-time suitor and one of the favorites as things wind down today. What I’ve heard on the Bucks front is that they’re interested in doing a package that would send Ekpe Udoh and Monta Ellis to Atlanta for Josh Smith and Devin Harris. They’re deep enough into this possibility that they’re holding off on another potential deal to send Beno Udrih to Dallas to make sure they don’t need him to make salaries match in a Smith deal.

      Personally, I’m not buying it because the Hawks are STACKED with undersized guards and scorers, but worst-case scenario is that Ellis opts out after the year and Atlanta still has the cap space. Best-case, they got a pretty good player out of the deal for Smith and weren’t left with nada. You can always trade Lou Williams later when he gets healthy, I suppose.

      As for JJ Redick, the latest chatter is that the Magic aren’t getting big enough offers for him (they want a first-rounder and expiring deals), so right now it looks like they’re going to hold onto him. The Bucks are definitely one of the teams looking into him, though, and they won’t stop exploring possibilities for that trade until the bell rings in a few hours.

  2. Pete

    Joel, this trade scenario seems so simple and perfect, there must be something wrong with it:

    LAL: Trade D12 to Atlanta
    ATL: Trade Horford and parts to MN
    MN: Trade Love to LAL

    I suppose the Wolves may be reluctant to part with Love, but Horford is a more than adequate replacement. Howard can play with his boy, Josh, but there is the contract extension issue.

    I think it’s a great trade for all involved.

    • Joel Brigham

      Lakers need to get into the playoffs and try and win a championship NOW before their oldies get even oldies-er. Can’t afford to wait on Love to heal, learn an offense, and start contributing properly in time for the postseason, if they even make it. Plus, Kupchak has said he’s building around D12 for the future, so it doesn’t look like they’re going to move him. I appreciate the trade machine artistry, but I don’t see anything even remotely approaching this huge happening today. Of course, we’ve been surprised before right?

  3. Gunnar

    Here’s what I really dislike about the current draftsystem. Take Kings, they have been really bad for a long time and will be really bad for god knows how long. They will most likely get a top 5 pick this year. I don’t think they deserve it. Take Pistons, they are trying to build something, trying to win games but they will likely get a pick above 5. It rewards teams for having dysfunctional squads when it should also reward teams that are going the right direction.

    • Joel Brigham

      Teams that are going in the right direction don’t need as much help. That’s the point. If a team sucks and sucks and sucks year after year because they’ve drafted poorly, they’re being punished by not making the postseason and reaping all the extra cash that brings with it. They’ve been punished financially in a sense, so I don’t think they need to be punished in the draft, too. The only way they’re ever going to dig out of that hole is to draft someone who’s actually good, and with enough high picks, you’re eventually going to trip and fall into some good ones. Look at the Clippers and all their garbage, how many years they were awful; they luck into Blake Griffin, and voila! Same thing with the Bulls… all those middling/awful lottery picks, then Derrick Rose happened and things immediately got better. At least the lottery keeps teams from embarrassing themselves via tanking to some degree, right?

      The Pistons are headed in the right direction with Knight, Drummond, and Monroe. Another couple of years to let those guys develop, some cap space headed their way to sign a free agent or two… they’re going to be okay and probably good enough to be back in the postseason in a year or two. Anyway, there’s talent late into the lottery of the 2013 draft, so I could see the Pistons getting another key piece even if they pick a little further back in that picture.

  4. LA in LA

    My dream team used to be seeing Howard and Kobe together. That has gone terrible. I have higher hopes for my next dynamic duo (not a fan of big 3s via free agency, too much $$$) although the chances are slim since they are in the same division: Paul George and Kyrie Irving. Am I the only who’d love to see this, no matter how far off it is?

    • Joel Brigham

      That would be a ridiculously entertaining backcourt to watch, wouldn’t it? How about Derrick Rose and Stephen Curry? Eh?

      At least we’ll be able to watch Kyrie and PG do their thing on All-Star weekend for many years to come, right?

  5. Bob

    do the pistons trade rodney stuckey?

    • Joel Brigham

      I’ve been told things are silent on the trade front for the Pistons today. They’d love to move Stuckey, but what NBA team could you see taking him on at this point? He’ll make $8.5 million next season once he opts into the final year of his deal, and he’s got plenty left on the bill this season, too. For what he does at this point in his career… I just don’t know. Celtics are looking for some guard help, so they could be a suitor, but who do they send out to make the numbers work? Fab Melo is a guy they’re dangling, but his deal is tiny.

      I just don’t see a big Pistons deal happening today. Sorry, Bob!

  6. Deven

    Why does Boston go through this every year about flirting with the idea of trading some of their core players? What is Danny Ainge thinking?

    • Joel Brigham

      Because they’re old and losing value. At some point, they’re going to walk away from the game, and while that’s nice that Pierce and Garnett could retire as Celtics, you don’t get anything out of that. They just retire, and then they’re gone. So if you know that they’ve got only 2-3 years left of premium gas left in the tank, you look into trading them for assets while you still can. But you only do this if you feel like the team is truly out of contention, and that’s where I think Ainge really struggles with moving those guys. As long as Boston looks to have an outsider’s chance, he’s going to keep the core together and give them a shot to win another ring. And they’ve played just well enough since Rondo’s injury to make him balk on shipping these guys out. Had it been a disaster since that injury, KG and Truth would be gone. I really think it’s as simple as that.

  7. Jeremy

    Chi-Al Jefferson
    Tor-Boozer, Robinson
    Utah-Bargnani,Lucas

    Works in ESPN Trade Machine. What do you think? I would like to keep Robinson but if thats what it takes to get rid of Booz’ contract do it. Bargnani could play the Okur role in Utah.

    • Joel Brigham

      I don’t think Utah is sacrificing the cap space Big Al will provide when his contract expires if all it returns is Bargnani and JL3. If anything, Utah wants to clear out that frontcourt to make way for Favors and Kanter, not add another big with years left on his deal.

      Plus, it’s already been pretty well-established that the Raptors don’t want Boozer’s deal on their books. Nobody does, actually, which is why the general consensus today is that Boozer will be a Bull after the deadline. He’ll remain a Bull for at least another season-and-a-half. Team will consider using amnesty provision on him ahead of 2014 offseason, which is when they want cap flexibility to look at some more free agents. (That’s when Nikola Mirtoic is likely headed this way, too).

  8. Samuel

    Hi Joel

    Are either of these trades possible for OKC?

    Portland: Maynor, Orton (to match $$) and Dallas’s protected 2013 first rounder.
    OKC: JJ Hickson

    Or

    San Antonio: Eric Maynor and Dallas pick
    OKC: DeJaun Blair

    Cheers

    • Joel Brigham

      That’s OKC offering up a couple of pretty undesirable packages in both instances. 100% no for Hickson and about 90% no on Blair. You’ll have to ante up a little bit more than that to pry those guys loose. Just because they’re “available” doesn’t mean they’re available for peanuts.

  9. mojart

    i know this is just a rumor…what you think about this trade…EG and aminu for klay thompson, barnes and either beidrins or jefferson contract?warriors is in a win now mode…so this make sense….thanks

    • Joel Brigham

      Trading for Eric Gordon–who still can’t play on back-to-back nights and has spent almost his entire NBA career injured–transforms the Warriors into a win-now team by subtracting one of the most promising young shooting guards in the league in Klay Thompson? That I don’t see, though I know they’d love to be out from under one of those nasty contracts. Still, that move isn’t happening in a million years, so a rumor it shall stay.

  10. dealer dell

    Ur thoughts on ANTHONY DAVIS game 2 to 3 years from now?superstar?all star?who would have a better future lillard or davis?

    • Joel Brigham

      I still think what I thought before the season started: Lillard is going to be the star out of this draft class. He’s just too electrifying a scorer, and we all know how much point guards dominate the league at this point. But I don’t want to take anything away from Davis (especially since I’m considering making him a long-term keeper in my fantasy basketball league), who has played very well of late. He’s obviously really good defensively and on the boards, but I’m looking forward to seeing how his offensive game flowers. That’s where he has the most work to do, I think. Free-throws are surprisingly good for him, but he’s got to add a bit of an offensive game if he wants to be an All-Star someday. Not out of the question by any means, but I think those Marcus Camby comparisons are extremely fair. That’s sort of the pro I see him ending up as.

  11. more fun in the philippines

    If your the GM and you need a PG in this upcoming draft…who will you select marcus smart, trey burke or michael carter williams and why?

    • Joel Brigham

      I personally like Carter-Williams a little more, but that’s just a stylistic preference. Marcus Smart is probably the better all-around point guard, and I think both players will be selected somewhere in the 6-12 range come this summer. Both will be very good pro point guards, and considering how few good ones were available last season, I imagine there will be a bit of a demand for floor generals this June.

  12. The 312

    Do you see the bulls making any type of move for Eric Gordon now that he is in the block?

    • Joel Brigham

      I do not, actually. They’d love to dump Rip Hamilton and take a peek at a more traditional two guard (a la J.J. Redick), but Gordon is too expensive and too fragile. I keep hearing and reading about Bulls brass aiming for cap flexibility in 2014. Gordon kills that, and I’m just not sure he’s the right fit next to D-Rose. The skill set is right, but the injury stuff and the big price tag concerns me. Not happening, at least not this deadline.

  13. Mutang

    Hey Joel, how come we dont hear anything about Al Jeff for Josh Smith?? Seems to make complete sense. ATL has been wanting a legit C to Al H. could play PF finally, and Utah needs a good SF (Marv hasn’t really worked) etc. Both are FA’s after the season, so neither team would be out anything if they couldn’t resign. I’d LOVE to see Josh in Utah!

    • Joel Brigham

      It’s actually not a bad idea. Jefferson could allow Horford to slid over to power forward, where he’s better, and like you said re: money, neither guy fouls up flexibility for the future. I think if Atlanta is going to pull the trigger, they want a little more out of the deal than just an aging veteran frontcourt guy. They’d probably like some real assets beyond just the expiring deal. That, most likely, is why this hasn’t been discussed.

  14. Tiho

    Hello!
    What Cavs are gonna do at deadline? Your thoughts,please.

    • Joel Brigham

      There’s been talk about moving Marreese Speights, but that’s no blockbuster. They just don’t have the assets to make something major happen. Were Anderson Varejao still healthy, he’d have kept Cleveland a lot more relevant in trade rumors, but as it stands I don’t think we should expect much out of Ohio today.

  15. wayne price

    Rockets fan here. Any reasonable or realistic way we could squire either Jsmove or Dwight by trade this season and then sign the other in FA this summer??? Lin, Harden, Parons, Josh and Howard as starting 5

    • Joel Brigham

      No to Dwight. Not in trade, not in free agency. I know everyone is complaining about his fit with the Lakers, but they acquired him because he’s the guy they could rebuild around after Kobe is gone. Granted, he’ll be stuck behind Kobe for a few more years, but they also have the ability to give D12 more money than anyone else. I’d have to look closely at what kind of cap space teams will have this summer, but I would think L.A., Dallas, and Atlanta will be the most interesting names for him. Houston isn’t happening.

      The Rockets do have interest in Josh Smith right now, but my understanding is that Atlanta is asking for Omer Asik and Chandler Parsons, and we all know that’s not going to happen. The Thomas Robinson trade was a nice move for now, and I think that really gives Houston a nice little core. If nothing else, at least they improved their talent level moving forward, and I’m pumped to see what T-Rob can do as the primary PF on an NBA roster. He’s about to kill it!

  16. paul

    Kyrie is a monster… I’m not sure why people were so shocked by him winning the three point contest. Kyrie’s jumpshot is beautiful, the elbow, the follow through, in terms of his stroke, its one of the prettiest NBA. That being said I have two questions for you. Based on this year, it seems to be a consensus choice that the three top young stars are Harden, Lillard, and Kyrie. What order would you put those three players if you had to start a team from the ground up. Lastly, who in your mind has the prettiest shot in the NBA? I have Lillard at the top for me. Love the articles, keep up the good work.

    • Joel Brigham

      Kyrie is, in fact, a monster. No one picked him for the three-point contest because he’s more an off-the-dribble kind of shooter, but when a superstar gets hot like that, it doesn’t really tend to matter. His confidence got up, and that last round was a thing of beauty. Awesome to watch.

      He’s who I’d start a franchise with, followed by Harden, then Dame. Irving is just on this entirely different level of greatness… even moreso than Harden, because Kyrie is more consistent with his dominance. Love all those players, but picking anybody other than Kyrie is silliness. (PS–can we include Paul George on this list, too?)

      Prettiest shot in the NBA is still Ray Allen. It’s perfect. Butter on a biscuit.

  17. Jimmy

    Would this trade help both teams?

    Gortat/Dudley/Beasley/Morris/Telfair to the Celtics

    Rondo/Green/Melo to the Suns

    It seems to work well salary wise.

    • Joel Brigham

      Takes a top-three NBA point guard and cashes him out for a bunch of players from one of the league’s saddest-looking rosters, none of whom is even at the top-five at his position in the league. Only Gortat could even be considered top-fifteen in the league at his position.

      Plus, I’m offended that you want to break up the Morris twins the minute Phoenix managed to reunite them. Is no one else as excited about this as me? I just wrote an article earlier in the year that while brothers have often both played in the NBA, but rarely are they on the same team. This year we’ve got TWO sets of siblings on the same NBA roster, which is insane. (The Hansbroughs in Indy are the others, by the way).

  18. Tj

    Please Chicago do something anything jordan Crawford Gerald Henderson jj reddick jermaine oneil mozgov anything

    • Joel Brigham

      How about getting Derrick Rose back. Does that count as anything?

      And Timofey Mozgov? Really, TJ? You really think that’s the move that pushes the Bulls up over the championship hump? Really?

  19. Indy

    What you think if the hornets traded Eric Gordon to the pacers for Danny granger good deal for both teams thoughts?

    • Joel Brigham

      Good deal for the Pacers, but not sure what it does for New Orleans. I think if they’re going to trade Gordon, they need to do so with different types of assets in mind. Stay young and financially flexible. I just don’t see Granger fitting with that vibe, though I suppose I’ll have to know what the new Pelicans jerseys look like before I decide whether or not he’d look good in one.

  20. Mike

    Spurs have anything?

    • Joel Brigham

      No, but apparently the Boston Celtics do! Boston has acquired Jordan Crawford, who really had fallen out of favor in Washington, though I’m not sure what the Wizards are getting back in return. Not much, I’m guessing. They weren’t asking for much in the first place. That at least gives Boston the help at the guard spot since theirs keep dropping like flies.

      Memphis has also agreed to trade for Dexter Pittman for a 2nd round pick and a trade exception from Miami. They needed to fill another roster spot to be at the minimum number of guys by the deadline, and that’s Pittman for them, apparently.

      Neither trade is earth-shattering, but hey! Trades!

  21. Obie

    Please tell me Phoenix will move Marcin Gortat. He is on my fantasy team and he has too much talent to be playing this miserably.

    • Joel Brigham

      Is Phoenix the problem there? I’m not sure I see it happening. Since he’s one of their two or three best players they value him pretty highly, and I’ve got a feeling the offers coming in this late in the game are not earth-shattering. I wish you the best of luck with your fantasy team, though. Godspeed.

  22. Bulls Fan

    If you were Atlanta, why would you not take the Bulls, Boozer, Marcus Teague and Nazr Mohammed for Josh Smith and Zaza Pachulia

    • Joel Brigham

      Because Boozer’s money screws up their cap space and they want to make a run at Dwight Howard this summer. Bulls are stuck with Carlos, bud. Sorry if that’s disappointing.

  23. Jaleel

    In light of all the trade rumors what is the craziest trade rumor you heard that you thought might happen but never did.

    • Joel Brigham

      I forget what year it was, maybe 2007… there were rumors that Kobe was coming to the Bulls. I don’t even remember who was supposed to head back in the deal, but I want to say Luol Deng would’ve been part of it. I remember letting that particular rumor getting the better of me, even though I learned very early on not to get too excited about rumors. This one was “supposed to happen” but then didn’t, and I remember feeling so let down when it didn’t. Like my favorite team deserved Kobe and was short-changed. In any event, that’s one I hoped for, but I also hoped for Pau Gasol and Kevin Garnett at different times. It’s the life of a true NBA fan to hope for blockbusters, and that’s why trade deadline day is so fun.

      Stay tuned right here at HOOPSWORLD for all the latest updates. The minutes are winding down, folks! Enjoy the rest of the deadline, thanks for the great questions, have a great weekend, and I’ll see you back here next week for more of the same!

      (And go Bulls!)