After last years “dud” of a trade deadline, I figured we would be in for another dud this year. With the CBA being what it is, the days of owners trading players like marbles are long since gone. That being said, the current CBA has a clause that will allow for reconstruction, if both the players and owners agree they are ready to renegotiate. After the crazy finish in the last 45 minutes approaching today’s deadline, I think we are headed for new negotiations.
As for the defending champs, our beloved San Antonio Spurs?
Crickets. Nothing. Probably didn’t even pick up the phone. I wonder if R.C. Buford even takes days like today seriously. The Spurs only made one move today and it was hilarious. It’s a head scratcher, but as a Spurs fan, you can’t help but just laugh. In the immediate future, guys like Kendrick Perkins, Larry Saunders, and Shawne Williams will be added to the list of names that are available to join a team and be eligible for the playoffs. Today the Spurs finalized their roster by signing their 15th and final player. And it wasn’t Ray Allen.
Reggie Williams has been signed for the remainder of the season after logging just 11 minutes for the Spurs. Eleven. That’s one more than 10, but not even a full quarter. In three games. In his sixth go-round playing in the NBA. Hmmm. I don’t get it either. Perhaps Pop and RC know something that we don’t.
Oh well. I guess there’s a first time for everything.
That being said, let’s take a look at the rest of the shenanigans that took place this afternoon and see what it all means.
Philadelphia acquires: C JaVale McGee, 2015 Oklahoma City first-round pick (top-18 protected), rights to F Chukwudiebere Maduabum
Denver acquires: Rights to G/F Cenk Akyol
No one is happier than Joel Embid. Rumor has it that Joel Embid plays for the Sixers, but he currently has played the same amount of games that JaVale McGee has. McGee is a long, long, LONG 5-man who never seems to realize exactly how long he is. There is never any shortage of McGee footage on Shaqtin’ A Fool, but the more interesting part of this trade is the 1st round pick heading to Philly, compliments of OKC. More on that in a minute.
Sacramento acquires: PG Andre Miller
Washington acquires: PG Ramon Sessions
Great move here. I love the idea that a group of young players in Washington are coming together with a blend of experience. The headache in the capital has clearly been the oldest player in the NBA, who refuses to admit that he is the oldest player in the NBA. Andre Miller is 37 days older than Tim Duncan. He acts like he is 37 years younger. Sessions in Washington is going to be a great fit for a group who wants to win. He’s going to complement that tempo of basketball and he’s not going to complain about playing time. Andre can go to Sacramento and fit right in with a team who is already in chaos. Their players are nuts, their owner is nuts and their city doesn’t deserve them. Andre should blend in well.
Houston acquires: PG K.J. McDaniels
Philadelphia acquires: PG Isaiah Canaan and second-round pick
I really like this deal, too. K.J. McDaniels is a fun player to watch and his career just got saved from being buried in Philly for the next couple years. Sure they are rebuilding, we all know this. But guys like McDaniels get mixed up in that mess and then they tear an ACL and fade off into the darkness and we never hear from them again. K.J. will never be an All-Star, but he can get some good opportunities outside of Philly to develop as a player. Interesting part of this trade? Philly gets a 2nd round pick. Hold on…
Houston acquires: PG Pablo Prigioni
New York acquires: G: Alexey Shved and two second-round picks
This trade doesn’t make sense, unless I am right about the last one. Daryl Morey would never be able to show his face around Charles Barkley if the “analytics” on McDaniels don’t work out. Prigioni came into the league on the back-nine. Sure there are some salary implications here, but basically, Houston just gave up three second round draft picks for a 38 year old, 2nd year player. That sounds like some serious faith in something that we are all missing. “ANALYTICS.”
Portland acquires: SG Arron Afflalo, SF Alonzo Gee
Denver acquires: PF Thomas Robinson, SG Will Barton, PF Victor Claver, 2016 first-round pick (lottery protected)
Deal of the day right here. Afflalo is a perfect fit for Portland and will instantly improve that backcourt. Afflalo can start or come off the bench and, word is, he doesn’t mind either. He will fit nicely with Lillard. Gee is a nice throw-in as well. Of all the deals that got done today, this is the one that Spurs fans should keep a close eye on and see how it develops.
Denver also made out like gang-busters by snagging Robinson (who I think would look great in a Spurs uniform one day) and Will Barton. The 1st rounder is nice too.
Boston acquires: PG Isaiah Thomas (from Suns), PF Jonas Jerebko and SF Luigi Datome (from Pistons)
Phoenix acquires: SG Marcus Thornton and a 2016 first-round pick
Detroit acquires: SF Tayshaun Prince (from Celtics)
Good grief. Now it gets fun. Boston is basically a revolving door right now. I feel bad for Isaiah Thomas. Too good of a player to have to go to a team like the Celtics right now. Danny Ainge is like a kid in a candy store. Shades of Rick Pitino. I thought Thornton was a good asset to have. If I thought Thomas would stay in Boston, I’d say this is a good deal for both teams, but who knows with Danny.
Phoenix, however, had to trade Thomas, especially after shopping him twice earlier in the year. They got some good-ish value back for him, I guess. But the way they finished out the day just doesn’t make sense to me. What those guys are doing down there in Phoenix requires adult supervision.
As for Detroit, what can you say? Prince and the farewell tour? Poor guy. He’s never been the same since he separated from the Wallace brothers. I wish him well. He would have been a great Spur.
Detroit acquires: PG Reggie Jackson (from Thunder)
Oklahoma City acquires: C Enes Kanter (from Jazz), SF Steve Novak (from Jazz), PG D.J. Augustin (from Pistons), SF Kyle Singler (from Pistons)
Utah acquires: Kendrick Perkins (from Thunder), PF Grant Jerrett (from Thunder), rights to Tibor Pleiss, draft picks
I am not an NBA GM. I’ve never dealt with multi-million dollar employees and I don’t know if I could pass the bar exam. But look, this may be the dumbest trade I have ever seen, and not on OKC’s side. OKC won this trade by a landslide, but make no mistake, they are still a mess.
I said from day one that the Waiters trade would be a disaster, and it has been. Obviously someone had to go and the Thunder are too emotional to break up the High-Schoolers. That leaves Reggie Jackson as the odd man out. He heads to Detroit, which I think is a decent fit for him. It’s also great for Spurs fans, because Reggie just destroyed the Spurs last season. (He averaged 21 points, 3.25 rebounds, 4.5 assists in four regular season games; 12 points, 3.3 rebounds, 3 assists in six playoff games.) Parker can’t exactly guard Westbrook, but he doesn’t get much of a break with Reggie. Same with CoJo. Nice to see the backup turn into D.J. Augustin.
Detroit sends a much better fit in D.J. Augustin to OKC, as well as Kyle Singler. I’d love the Singler part, but he’s just going to be another shooter who needs shots, but won’t get them since Russ thinks he is better than KD, Waiters wants to prove LeBron wrong and Ibaka wants to shoot threes now. Same with Novak. Same with Enes Kanter. Oh that’s a terrible decision! Have you seen him in Utah? He loves 20 foot jumpers. 20 foot jumpers? Come on, man! They did dump Perkins though, so Spurs fans can rejoice in that fact. Utah gets Perk, but he will be bought out before the 10 o’clock news. Utah got a couple draft picks, sure, but this whole thing is a mess. If there is any consolation in this for OKC, it’s that Reggie and Perk were gone at the end of the season. Now they got something for them. Maybe that’s what they were thinking.
Phoenix acquires: PG Brandon Knight (from Bucks)
Milwaukee acquires: PG Michael Carter-Williams (from 76ers), C Miles Plumlee (from Suns), PG Tyler Ennis (from Suns)
Philadelphia acquires: Draft picks
So you trade two starting point guards and a big man, and you get Brandon Knight? I like Brandon. But Brandon and Thomas together would have been epic. This move doesn’t make sense for me because he doesn’t pair well. Milwaukee did good on the Plumlee/Ennis part, but why they gave up Knight to get Carter-Williams is beyond me. I’ll take Knight over MCR any day of the week and twice on Sundays.
And would you look at that? Philly gets more draft picks. This is nuts. I can’t believe I am going to have to explain to my son one day what “tanking” is. The Sixers are going to have a brand new team in 18 months. No one else should even be allowed to attend the draft. It’s basically going to be Boston and Philly with every other pick, except for the Lakers who will be waiting anxiously to make the wrong pick.
Miami acquires: PG Goran Dragic, SG Zoran Dragic
Phoenix acquires: SF Danny Granger, C Justin Hamilton and two first-round picks
Ha. Miami. Pat Riley just hates draft picks, doesn’t he? I guess when you are Pat Riley you don’t need rookies. It’s actually a great deal for Miami. Dragic comes in and gives them something fun and completes a pretty legit starting five. Granted, the SpursDynasty could probably beat their bench by 13 if there was a running clock and no dunking, but still. Miami got a bit better. Danny Granger can now go to Phoenix, which is exactly what he needs: a team who thinks he is relevant again. Make no mistake, those clowns in Phoenix tried to play hardball with Goran, but he was holding the cards. Phoenix is lucky they got so much back for him. The Lakers are groaning right now. They were really hoping he wouldn’t be traded so they could sign him next year for a max deal. I’m pretty sure that Goran has Bird Rights though, so he’s probably going to stay in Miami for a while.
Minnesota acquires: PF Kevin Garnett
Brooklyn acquires: PF Thaddeus Young
Finally, we saw a fabulously romantic trade get turned into a joke when Minny and Brooklyn traded Young for Garnett straight up. We all wanted this career finale for Kevin. The Big Ticket can go back to his beloved Target Center and have a grand farewell tour. Then about 20 minutes after the trade was announced, Minnesota says that now they want to extend him for two years. Huh? Ok. Now the trade is dumb. Thanks for clarifying for us. Thad Young is a nice player. Why would you trade for him and re-sign KG? I’m looking through my notes and I don’t get it. Young is going to fit nice with Brook Lopez… for the three months they play there before Lopez sprints for the door in the off season.
So that does it for the 2015 NBA Trade Deadline. Wild and Crazy. As a Spurs fan, I’m glad to see the team is still intact. There is definitely enough chemistry and experience, mixed with youth and fire, to get this team back to the Finals. The West is still stacked, but other than Portland, no one really got better, including Dallas. Time will tell what Reggie Williams turns into. I’m almost certain he is better than Austin Daye.
The Spurs return from the All-Star break tonight and continue the Rodeo Road Trip at the Clippers and then play the Warriors on Friday.
I can’t wait.
