Recapping The NBA Trades
The NBA trade season is just getting underway and already several big names have changed places. A two-time MVP has a new home, as does last year’s Most Improved Player. With more trades on the horizon, HOOPSWORLD takes a look at the deals that have already gone down.
Brooklyn Nets receive Joe Johnson; Atlanta Hawks receive Anthony Morrow, Jordan Farmar, DeShawn Stevenson, Jordan Williams, Johan Petro, and a lottery-protected 2013 first-round pick the Nets acquired from the Houston Rockets.
The Brooklyn Nets were determined to open their new arena with an All-Star. In trading for Joe Johnson, the Nets were assured of having at least one All-Star on the roster at the start of the 2012-13 season. When this trade was originally agreed to, Deron Williams had yet to make up his mind about coming back to the Nets. As it turns out, Williams re-signed with Brooklyn in part because of the addition of Johnson.
The Nets are still in the hunt for Dwight Howard, but even if the Nets are unable to obtain him, they will start the season with Williams, Johnson, Gerald Wallace and most likely Brook Lopez, who is a restricted free agent. That’s a major improvement for a team that finished last year tied for the fifth-worst record in the league.
As for the Hawks, trading Johnson and the four years and nearly $90 million remaining on his contract was once thought impossible and signals the beginning of a rebuild in Atlanta. The Hawks have freed up enough cap space for the 2013 offseason, should Howard hit free agency the Hawks could be major players in attempting to land him. Other players from the Nets were involved to make the salaries match, but make no mistake about it, this trade for the Hawks was all about clearing cap space.
Los Angeles Clippers receive Lamar Odom; Utah Jazz receive Mo Williams and the draft rights to Shan Foster; Dallas Mavericks receive the draft rights to Tadija Dragicevic and an $8.9 million trade exception; Houston Rockets Receive the draft rights to Furkan Aldemir
Lamar Odom got his wish and is heading back to the Los Angeles area. This time he will be playing for the Clippers in what is a low risk, high reward move for L.A. Odom is on the last year of his contract and coming off a season that saw him fall so far out of favor in Dallas that eventually the team decided to send him home and left him off of their playoff roster.
If Odom can regain the form that won him the NBA’s Sixth Man of the Year Award for the 2010-11 season, this trade will be a steal for the Clippers. If Odom turns out to be washed up, then the Clippers can move on during the offseason and all it cost them was a backup combo guard who was taking minutes away from the up-and-coming Eric Bledsoe.
The Jazz however, upgraded one of their biggest roster holes by adding an outside-shooting guard in Mo Williams. Williams’ shooting touch will help spread the floor for big men Al Jefferson, Paul Millsap, Derrick Favors and Enes Kanter. Despite being a backup last season, Williams has proven he can be a starting point guard on a playoff team. His last full season with the Cleveland Cavaliers, when the team won 61 games, Williams averaged almost 16 points and more than 5 assists per night.
The Mavericks picked up an $8.9 million trade exception for moving Odom to the Clippers, which will allow them to be very active during the offseason or at next year’s trade deadline. With Deron Williams re-signing in Brooklyn, the Mavs need every asset they can acquire if they are going to find their way back into the playoffs for a 13th consecutive season.
Atlanta Hawks receive Devin Harris; Utah Jazz receive Marvin Williams
Newly hired GM Danny Ferry came into Atlanta with a very clear game plan; clear out the Hawks bad contracts. By trading Marvin Williams, Ferry did exactly that. Williams isn’t a bad player, but the two years and nearly $16 million remaining was more than the Hawks believed he was worth.
By trading both Williams and Johnson, the Hawks have cleared up cap space without having to use their amnesty clause, thereby saving the franchise money and putting the team in an excellent position to acquire future assets via trade or free agency. This deal also gives the Hawks more trade options. Point guard Devin Harris is an expiring contract that could easily be flipped to another team or it could make incumbent point guard Jeff Teague expendable.
The Jazz made this trade for one reason; they didn’t want a power struggle for the starting point guard position. After the Jazz traded for Mo Williams, it was clear they wanted him to be the starter and moving Harris to another team was the easiest way to clear a path for him.
Marvin Williams should help the Jazz as well. His ability to knock down the mid-range jumper and play defense on the perimeter will fit in nicely with the inside out game the Jazz like to run. In fact, Marvin Williams may even compete for the starting small forward spot, but to be clear, this trade for the Jazz was about freeing up starters minutes at the point guard position.
Los Angeles Lakers receive Steve Nash; Phoenix Suns receive first-round picks in 2013 and 2015 and second-round picks in 2013 and 2014
Phoenix Suns management was on record saying they would help Steve Nash end up with a team he wanted to play for, and they stood true to their words. The Suns helped Nash end up with the Los Angeles Lakers by completing a sign-and-trade that not only benefited Nash and the Lakers, but the Suns as well.
Nash takes his 10 assists per game to Hollywood were he should be a perfect fit next to Kobe Bryant, Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum, while the Suns picked up two first-round picks and two second-round picks for helping facilitate the deal. With the Suns in the midst of a rebuilding project, adding four draft picks can only help speed the process along. As for the Lakers, adding Nash to a team that made it to the Western Conference Semi-Finals last season only makes them more dangerous.
Charlotte Bobcats receive Ben Gordon and a future first-round pick; Detroit Pistons receive Corey Maggette
The Bobcats are coming off the worst season in NBA history, winning only seven games out of 66. They need help at virtually every position and Ben Gordon will be an upgrade as a starting shooting guard or a sixth man off the bench. The Bobcats were last in the league in scoring and second to last in three point field goals made, Gordon should help in both categories.
For the Bobcats though, this trade was really about acquiring a potential lottery pick. The Bobcats have made it clear they plan to rebuild through the draft and adding as many first-round picks will help their cause. This pick is lottery protected in 2013, top-8 protected in 2014, number one overall protected in 2015 and then unprotected in 2016.
The Pistons made this trade as a cost cutting move. Corey Maggette has one season and about $11 million remaining on his contract, while Gordon still has two years and more than $25 million remaining on his. Maggette can provide much of the same scoring impact off the bench that Gordon did, but at a fraction of the price.
New Orleans Hornets receive Ryan Anderson; Orlando Magic receive Gustavo Ayon
The Hornets were on the verge of signing Ryan Anderson to a four-year offer sheet worth somewhere between $34-$36 million. Magic officials decided they wouldn’t match the offer, so working out a sign-and-trade that returned big man Gustavo Ayon could be considered a big win for Orlando. The Magic added another asset, by agreeing to trade away a player they weren’t likely to keep. That’s a pretty savvy move by their rookie GM Rob Hennigan.
The Hornets added some needed shooting to help space the floor for number one overall pick Anthony Davis and the slashing play of the 10th pick in the draft Austin Rivers. Anderson averaged over 16 points last season and more than seven boards per game on his way to earning the NBA’s Most Improved Player Award. He should be a perfect fit in the front-court starting next to Davis
Washington Wizards receive Emeka Okafor and Trevor Ariza; New Orleans Hornets receive Rashard Lewis and the number 46 pick in the 2012 NBA Draft
By trading for Emeka Okafor and Trevor Ariza, the Wizards are pushing all in and making a run for the playoffs. Okafor will provide toughness, defense and rebounding in the front-court next to the team’s center, Nene, who the Wizards acquired at last season’s trade deadline. Washington finished last season with the second-worst record in the NBA, but Okafor and Nene’s defensive presence should help the Wizards improve and possibly put them in position to fight for a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.
Ariza will add some much needed perimeter defense as well as help spread the floor with his three point shooting. Ariza has proven in the past he can guard the league’s elite on the defensive side of the ball and along with point guard John Wall gives the Wizards a long armed and quick perimeter defense. If Wall can make the leap from former number one overall draft pick to All-Star, the Wizards could find themselves back in the playoffs for the first time since the 2007-08 season.
For the Hornets, this was a cost cutting move. The Hornets are going young and by trading Okafor and Ariza and then buying out Rashard Lewis, which they did almost immediately, the Hornets saved some $30 million over the life of the contracts. After this deal, the Hornets had the cap space to acquire Ryan Anderson and if they choose to, match the offer sheet that Eric Gordon is expected to sign with the Phoenix Suns.
Houston Rockets receive Jon Brockman, Jon Leuer, Shaun Livingston and the number 12 pick in the 2012 NBA Draft; Milwaukee Bucks receive Samuel Dalembert and the number 14 pick in the 2012 NBA Draft
The Houston Rockets continued their pursuit of landing a franchise star by turning the number 14 pick and Samuel Dalembert into the number 12 pick in the 2012 NBA Draft. The Rockets were/are hoping that these assets will eventually lead to the acquisition of a star along the lines of Dwight Howard or Andrew Bynum.
If the Rockets can’t acquire Howard or another star, they still managed to grab a talented young shooting guard in Jeremy Lamb with the 12th pick. Look for the Rockets to continue to be aggressive on the trade front, making virtually every asset on the roster available for a franchise center.
The Milwaukee Bucks were in need of a starting center after trading away Andrew Bogut last season to the Golden State Warriors for Monta Ellis. Adding Dalembert is low risk since he only has one season remaining on his contract. With Brandon Jennings and Ellis, both considered small guards for their positions, the Bucks needed a rim protector, and Dalembert is just that, averaging almost two blocks per game last season in only 22 minutes a night.
The Bucks also used the 14th pick in the draft on another defensive big in John Henson. Henson has the height, 6’11, but needs to hit the weight room and add muscle to his 220-pound frame. With Henson and Dalembert in the fold, the Bucks could make the leap this year from the lottery to playoffs.
Minnesota Timberwolves receive Chase Budinger; Houston Rockets receive the number 18 pick in the 2012 NBA Draft
The Timberwolves are putting themselves in position to make a serious run towards the playoffs. They have been acquiring young talent for years now and this seems to be the season where they are playoff bound or bust. The ‘Wolves entered the offseason in need of more shooters that could help spread the floor for Ricky Rubio and Kevin Love.
Enter Chase Budinger, who was a 40% three-point shooter last season, and fills a hole on the perimeter off the bench. Depending on what happens with free agency, the ‘Wolves are pursuing several wing players, it’s possible Budinger could even fight for a starting spot.
Once again, the Rockets added another first-round pick that they still hope will land a face of the franchise. The Rockets used the 18th pick in the 2012 NBA Draft on combo forward Terrence Jones. Jones was a projected lottery pick had he entered the draft last season, but this year he fell due to the depth of the forward position. Whether Jones remains with the Rockets is yet to be determined, but with his NCAA Championship pedigree, wherever Jones ends up he should be able to help the team immediately.
Have questions for Mark Nugent? Be sure and drop by HOOPSWORLD on Thursdays at 6 p.m. Eastern for his weekly basketball chat. Follow me on Twitter @MarkNugentNBA
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