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A Lakers Blog. Thoughts, reflections, and the odd rant on the Los Angeles Lakers and the NBA (even the Clippers).

Trade Deadline Thread

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Rumors are flying around the NBA at a Lindsay Lohan pace. As things become reality I’ll post updates and a few thoughts here, and keep the comments going.

First, thoughts on Tyson Chandler going back to the Hornets. I would say if Chandler is healthy, that makes the Hornets a potential threat again, except that apparently he is not healthy, at least in a way that is going to impact how he pays for the rest of this season (and maybe beyond). The Lakers have really had the Hornets number, they just don’t match up all that well with LA, and the only way to change that was for them to take on more salary. That is not going to happen. I just get the feeling the Hornets are stuck a step behind the Lakers for a little while, which may frustrate Chris Paul to no end.


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Comments

  4. emh101 says

    Chicago seems to be collecting a hodge podge of NBA players. I see no rhyme or reason to their acquisitions.

  5. lesha says

    if the cavs get shaq, who will be their pf? i think they should try to get boozer, even if they hate him. he fits perfectly, and the cavs arent risking all that much. also, the jazz apparently wouldnt mind dealing him, so there you go. as a laker fan i pray for them to get shaq daddy though :).

  7. Kurt says

    It seems unlikely now, but the question with the Cavs getting Shaq would have been “does he clog the lane and keep a big defender near the rim when LeBron drives the lane?” Big Z can step out 15-18 feet and his defender has to respect that, but not Shaq.

  8. coffee is for closers says

    I think it will be pretty surprising if portland doesn’t do anything today w/ lafrenz’s contract and cleveland with szerbiak. Portand has the money to absorb someone, and lafrenz’s expiring contract could represent a nice savings to some team. I know szerbiak has fit in fairly well w/ cleveland, but I don’t think they’ve got enough to compete w/ lakers, and again, he’s a valuable trade chip w/ a big expiring contract. cleveland could use someone at PF wtih size and mobility – wallace is too old/can’t shoot and side show varejo ain’t going to cut it.

  10. Anonymous says

    Btw, so far I think the winner of today trade deadline are the Knicks.. I never thought they’d finally get rid of Jerome James and Malik Rose. Now all they have to do is find a taker for Jared Jeffries, and now they’re all set.

  11. lesha says

    kobe also drove the lane, and wade did also. it was never a problem for them. its just that amare has no real post game and needs to be on the move for something to happen, thats what the clogging the lane talk comes from. i dont think it would make them much better, but when james is resting it would always be nice to have someone who still needs to be double-teamed at times. also, he wouldnt have to play too many minutes since Z plays more minutes than that lopez guy…

  12. The Dude Abides says

    The Bulls save $6 million next season in that three for one trade with the Knicks…plus they get rid of Hughes. They can even try to buy out Jerome James to keep him away from their other players. I bet Tim Thomas is bummed, though. D’Antoni’s system maximized his talents.

  13. The Dude Abides says

    The nightmare scenario of Boston having a waived Joe Smith fall into their laps still exists. The Lakers with a recovered Bynum are still better, though.

  14. Kurt says

    11. Good point on Kobe and Wade. What this would have done for Cleveland is let them play Wallace less, which is a good thing. Shaq at age 45 will still be better than Wallace now.

  16. Anonymous says

    13. Hopefully if Joe Smith does fall into the Greens’ laps, it doesn’t really pan out as P.J. Brown V.2 for them. Other news about our rivals, now they want Nocioni from the Kings as well.

    I thought you can’t trade a guy you just traded already?

  22. Anonymous says

    It would have been really ironic if Nocioni got traded to the Celts. To quote from the ESPN trade article:

    …Nocioni has three guaranteed years worth more than $20 million left on his deal after this season. That’s more money in the same span than Posey will earn from the Hornets, who were able to sign Posey because the Celtics deemed a four-year guaranteed contract too rich to match.

  23. T34 says

    POSTED: Feb. 19 — 3:05 p.m. ET

    Marc Stein: Looks like we have a fairly significant three-way deal that has been submitted to the league just before the trade deadline.

    NBA front-office sources tell ESPN.com that Orlando is acquiring Rafer Alston from Houston to fill the void created at point guard by Jameer Nelson’s shoulder injury.

    The Rockets will receive Memphis guard Kyle Lowry, Orlando forward Brian Cook and perhaps two other minimum-salaried players to make the finances work.

    The Grizzlies will receive a first-round pick from Orlando.

  24. Volren says

    It looks as though Chicago is hoping that Miller will be the inside presence that they’ve been missing, though I don’t really know how that will work out. Salmons/Nocioni is pretty much a wash IMO.

    The Hughes trade just seems like them trying to save money/clear rotation time for Salmons…James expires this summer and I’m betting they’ll try to buy out Thomas so he can try signing somewhere else.

  26. Shaww says

    Looks like Skip to My Lou is going to Orlando, Lowry to Houston, and Cook and some trash to Memphis. Per Marc Stein.

  27. Gr8 Scott says

    I know this belongs on the previous post (and is very late), but last night’s game was a true joy to watch on the offensive side. I kept telling myself we would hang around and then make our run…and we did. Josh Powell was the true difference-maker, keeping us in it in the 2nd quarter. Kobe’s blocks were just awesome. This team looks like a high-powered freight train that is just picking up more steam with each passing game.

  28. Volren says

    Whoops, just realized that James still has a player option for next year, which ESPN’s Trade Machine does not mention.

    No clue why Chicago did this deal, really. Someone must really not like Larry Hughes over there.

  30. j.d. Hastings says

    Oh man. Houston is going to be even better than with their big 3 now that Cookie is replacing TMac!

    Why does Houston make this deal? Does it save them money so they have options in the future?

    I’ve never been that high on Alston. I don’t know if he’s the answer for Orlando, but maybe there wasn’t going to be an answer. Speaking of which, how did the backup core of centers in NO shut down Dwight last night?

  32. Anonymous says

    Come to think of it also, what does Orlando do when Nelson comes back? Can Alston play the two also?

    I don’t think his ego can handle being benched also after starting for most of the time in Houston.

  34. Shaww says

    – The Boston Celtics have agreed to trade Patrick O’Bryant to Toronto for backup point guard Will Solomon.

  35. Chris J says

    Every time Jeff Van Gundy or others go on their, “Houston is going to win the west” rants, I just have to crack up.

    Has there been one season in which Yao and/or McGrady have not suffered some kind of major injury?

    All trade talk aside, the Lakers showed some guts last night winning in a tough arena, second game in as many nights against a hot team. Barring some miracle deal that really upgrades Boston, the Spurs or Cleveland, I’m not sweating what everyone else does today. The Lakers are taking on the edge of dominance and drive that should power through June, provided no more big injuries occur.

    And Kupchak’s recent roster trimming has been a nice side note. Dropping salary isn’t bad given Odom and Ariza’s looming contact needs, and he’s shedding guys with age/injuries or inconsistency for younger players who may offer upside at less cost. Good things all around.

  36. Snoopy2006 says

    So the Grizzlies supposedly stockpiled the most promising young PG talent in the league for years. And now they give up Lowry for a very late first round pick from Orlando. I’m having trouble understanding this.

  37. j.d. Hastings says

    32- NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! The championship is lost! Okay maybe not.

    If having scrubs foul dwight is all you need to hold him to 12 points, we should’ve used Powell, Mbenga and Mihm for that during our two games against them…

  38. alex v. says

    If Chicago is collecting random players with no idea what to do with them on the court (which seems to be the case), do they at least get partial credit for continuity? It seems like they’ve been working this plan for a number of years now . . .

  39. MannyP13 says

    If I had to suggest a change to the NBA trade rules, it would be to change the trade rules such that if a player is traded and released, that player cannot be resigned by the team that traded him away.

    While this was not an issue this year, there was a rumor about the Spurs trading Bowen and Bonner for Vince Carter, with Bowen or Bonner being later waived by the Nets. Thank goodness this did not occur, but you can see the point of my comment had this occurred.

  41. Sean P. says

    39.

    Bowen & Bonner for Carter doesn’t work $-wise.

    There is a a 30-day delay required for resigning a player after trading him; however, I agree that this should be extended to include the same season.

  43. kwame a. says

    Alex V: That’s funny dude, the Bulls are such a wreck. ha.

    I like Alston to Orlando, SVN got a lot of out of Rafer in Miami and Rafer will thrive just bombing 3’s. Orlando is back in the mix.

  44. Anonymous says

    OKC finally using all those first-round picks they have… they just traded one to the Bulls for Thabo Sefolosha.

    Talk about spring cleaning for the Bulls.

  46. Anonymous says

    L.A. Lakers trade Chris Mihm to the Memphis Grizzlies for a conditional second-round pick in 2013.

  48. the other Stephen says

    if they’re not going to surround chris paul with a championship team, they might as well let us have him.

  50. aB says

    There’s a chance that the following players can get bought out of their existing contracts which will free them up to be picked up by another team (i.e. Celtics):

    Drew Gooden, Joe Smith, Malik Rose, Chris Mihm

    I’d hate to see Mihm in a Celtics uniform….

  52. Volren says

    People seem to expect that if Smith is bought out, he’s a lock to join KG in Boston.

    Hollinger seems to think the Hughes trade was good for Chicago since Thomas gives them another big who can space the floor, which is kind of funny because IIRC Chicago once basically told Thomas to stay at home all year before waiving him.

  53. j.d. Hastings says

    Apparently a CA state senator just traded his vote for a budget in exchange for the Lakers acquiring Kevin Martin!

  55. Zephid says

    15, the free throw percentage line killed me.

    I think it’s pretty obvious that Chicago is trying to get expiring contracts for 2010, while building around the core of Rose, Deng, Hinrich, Thomas, and Noah. Is it a good strategy? No, not in my book, but it is pretty clear what they’re trying to do. But if they land Chris Bosh in 2010, they become scary, which isn’t so outlandish considering Bosh has said that Chicago is his most preferred destination.

    I feel pretty bad for Chris Paul. Not only is his team a clear step below the Lakers in the present, but his future isn’t so bright. He’s locked in to 4 years, 70 mil, and he’ll be stuck with Peja, D West, Chandler, Mo Pete, and Posey along with their horrible contracts for at least the next 3.

    I was kinda hoping the Lakers would give up Mihm for something, as opposed to a draft pick conditionally available 3 years from now, but I’m happy having his salary gone. His play was not worth 2.5 mil, while I have a good feeling the similar crappy production that we’ll get out of Mbenga will be at least a little closer in worth to the 800k he’s making.

    For now, I’d be ecstatic if after this season we’d be able to return everyone, from LO, to Ariza, Mbenga, and Brown.

  56. BCR says

    The buyout candidates are interesting. There’s a lot of respectable backup bigs that a host of contenders could use.

    Hollinger details quite a few in his PER Diem:

    http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/columns/story?columnist=hollinger_john&page=PERDiem-090219

    IMO, if there’s a decent big that will sign for the veteran’s minimum, I don’t see why we nab him. Nesterovic or Gooden are passable candidates; keeping the minutes down for Odom and Gasol are reason enough now. We still have our full MLE to throw around also.

  57. E-ROC says

    I think Chris Bosh will go where LeBron James goes. They are BFFs, I think. I could see Chicago possibly persuading Wade to come home. Rose, Wade, Deng, Thomas, and whoever the center is could be downright nasty. The Bulls will probably trade Hinrich during the off-season.

  59. passerby says

    i love all this action! and at the end of the day, the lakers emerge as the legit contender…still. Go lakers!

    man can okc get really scary! they are racing to portland’s talent and youth level with 4 picks to spare.

  60. behzad says

    here in chicago…i love what they did…

    they get a good passing big man, in brad miller.

    larry hughes was making 12 million this year and wanted out for a long time. He wasn’t playing because of Hinrich and Gordon. And now, salmons def. makes sure he would never see the court…they turn that into Tim Thomas who is not a bad backup big who spreads the floor for them.

    I like what they are doing. and the people here are happy as well.

  61. Uwe Blab says

    It’s official….sort of. New Orleans Hornets to create a “discovery committee” to research possibilities to move to either KC, Anaheim or St. Louis.

    Interesting.

    I wonder what the Kings will do? I bet Memphis is jealous that they can’t do the same.