alamo50
02-25-2005, 01:50 PM
Chris Webber becomes a Sixer, Antoine Walker goes back to Boston, and there's a lot more
Sam Smith
On Pro Basketball
February 25, 2005
Once they would have been somewhat of a dream team: Gary Payton and Baron Davis in the backcourt, Antoine Walker and Glenn Robinson at forward and Chris Webber in the middle. Now they're the wishes and hopes of the desperate.
These five former All-Stars were among almost three-dozen players to change teams late Wednesday and Thursday in one of the wildest NBA trading deadline days in recent memory.
Walker, a free agent-to-be, surprisingly is returning to Boston, which he left amid bitter complaints about selfish play from general manager Danny Ainge. Payton goes to bottom-feeder Atlanta, and the over/under on him coming up with a season-ending hamstring injury is about a week. The Hawks also could release him and let him sign with a contender.
Robinson, also a free agent-to-be who hasn't played all season, goes to salary-clearing New Orleans, which dealt Baron Davis to the Warriors.
Webber went to the 76ers late Wednesday. He's expected to fuel their run to the vaunted Atlantic Division title and give them a chance to finish above .500.
Other big names (now lacking big games) among those traded were former All-Stars Tom Gugliotta, Dale Davis and Vin Baker and solid contributors Nazr Mohammed, Malik Rose, Corliss Williamson, Jiri Welsch, Rodney Rogers, Keith Van Horn, Speedy Claxton and Mo Taylor.
And Steve Smith returned to Miami.
The bigger surprise might be who wasn't traded. The Toronto Raptors, with almost half their roster demanding trades at some point this season, failed in their bid to land a high draft pick and kept Donyell Marshall, Jalen Rose and Eric Williams. Coach Sam Mitchell hasn't said if he intends to fight any of them now that the deadline has passed.
The Milwaukee Bucks retained free agent Michael Redd, making a deal designed to free up money to re-sign him.
And the Portland Trail Blazers held onto free agents Shareef Abdur-Rahim and Damon Stoudamire, perhaps to save coach Maurice Cheeks' sanity.
Here's a look at who came out ahead and who didn't:
Winners:
Philadelphia 76ers. Wednesday's late deal for Webber gives them scoring help for Allen Iverson. On Thursday they added Rogers, a favorite of coach Jim O'Brien from their Boston days and another perimeter threat. The Webber deal cost them depth (Williamson and Kenny Thomas), the Rogers deal money. They took on inactive Jamal Mashburn, whose contract runs through next season. But they're out from under Robinson, who goes to the Hornets.
It's a nice short-term move for the 76ers, but Webber is owed more than $60 million for the next three seasons. And, like Iverson, he's a strong personality who likes to monopolize the ball and the team. There's potential for fireworks. The 76ers play the Kings on Saturday.
Cleveland Cavaliers. They picked up swingman Welsch from the Celtics for a first-round pick in 2007. The Cavs believe they can make a serious playoff run and hope Welsch can relieve their perimeter shooting problems
Milwaukee Bucks. Sure, you thought they never would overcome the loss of Zendon Hamilton. They also sent guard Mike James to Houston and cleared salary space by sending Van Horn to Dallas for free agent Alan Henderson and Calvin Booth. It should position them to re-sign Redd and retain a nucleus that now includes reserve guard Reece Gaines, acquired from the Rockets.
Houston Rockets. James is a good pickup to replace Bob Sura, who is out indefinitely with back problems. The addition of Sura and Jon Barry helped ignite their plodding offense. The Rockets also get guard Moochie Norris in the Taylor deal.
Sacramento Kings. They gave up Webber, the best player in all the deals, but there's that addition-by-subtraction thing. With Webber the Kings were 38-31 the last two regular seasons. Without him they were 51-16. Team insiders say Webber's return slowed down the Kings last season after they had been in first place much of the season, and he was overly critical of certain teammates, most notably Peja Stojakovic.
The Kings are a different team with Vlade Divac and Doug Christie gone and Bobby Jackson hurt again. They want to build around Stojakovic, Mike Bibby and Brad Miller without Webber dominating things. Thomas and Williamson are role players who should help.
San Antonio Spurs. Not that they need to get better, but Mohammed, from Kenwood Academy, is a nice pickup as a backup big man. He's having his best season, and they almost were ready to pay a team to take Rose's contract, which has four years and more than $27 million left after this season. The Spurs give up their 2006 first-round pick and the Suns' first-rounder this year.
Losers:
Boston Celtics. It's never quite clear what they're doing. They hated Walker and his game, so they got him back with two months left on his contract. They also traded Payton and Welsch in order to play rookie Delonte West.
Gugliotta and Michael Stewart went to Atlanta with Payton for Walker. The Hawks also get a first-round pick.
New York Knicks. It may be the way to go, but they'll now have a way to go. They took on more than $30 million in salary again—wouldn't you like to work there?—but also seemed to start a commitment to rebuilding through the draft by acquiring picks, though not great ones. They get the Suns' first-rounder for this season and the Spurs' for next season. (Phoenix still has the Bulls' from the Luol Deng trade if the Bulls don't end up with a top-three pick.) They get two more undersized power forwards in Taylor and Rose and give up starting center Mohammed and point guard Norris.
Dallas Mavericks. Van Horn seems like a decent pickup for Henderson and Booth, who rarely play. But Van Horn, with a $16 million salary next season, recently returned from an ankle injury and doctors are limiting him to 15 minutes per game. Just what Dallas needs: another shooter who doesn't defend. They do this and couldn't afford to pay Steve Nash?
Golden State Warriors. Perennial back and attitude problems make Baron Davis a huge risk. A backcourt with him and Jason Richardson seems explosive, if not defensive-minded. But this will almost certainly lead to a trade of Mike Dunleavy for a role-playing big man because they have so many players on large long-term contracts and so few inside players. Davis didn't exactly endear himself to his last college-to-pros coach, Tim Floyd. The Warriors also had to deal Eduardo Najera's long-term contract to Denver to save money and got draft busts Nikolz Tskitishvili and Rodney White.
New Orleans Hornets. Mardi Gras fireworks are over, so they blew up the team. They're dumping salary to stay in business by getting rid of Davis and Rogers, and Jamaal Magloire may be next when he returns from injury. They also save some money getting rid of Mashburn's contract, but they got the expiring $12 million deal of Robinson, plus Claxton and Dale Davis from the Warriors.
Copyright © 2005, The Chicago Tribune
Sam Smith
On Pro Basketball
February 25, 2005
Once they would have been somewhat of a dream team: Gary Payton and Baron Davis in the backcourt, Antoine Walker and Glenn Robinson at forward and Chris Webber in the middle. Now they're the wishes and hopes of the desperate.
These five former All-Stars were among almost three-dozen players to change teams late Wednesday and Thursday in one of the wildest NBA trading deadline days in recent memory.
Walker, a free agent-to-be, surprisingly is returning to Boston, which he left amid bitter complaints about selfish play from general manager Danny Ainge. Payton goes to bottom-feeder Atlanta, and the over/under on him coming up with a season-ending hamstring injury is about a week. The Hawks also could release him and let him sign with a contender.
Robinson, also a free agent-to-be who hasn't played all season, goes to salary-clearing New Orleans, which dealt Baron Davis to the Warriors.
Webber went to the 76ers late Wednesday. He's expected to fuel their run to the vaunted Atlantic Division title and give them a chance to finish above .500.
Other big names (now lacking big games) among those traded were former All-Stars Tom Gugliotta, Dale Davis and Vin Baker and solid contributors Nazr Mohammed, Malik Rose, Corliss Williamson, Jiri Welsch, Rodney Rogers, Keith Van Horn, Speedy Claxton and Mo Taylor.
And Steve Smith returned to Miami.
The bigger surprise might be who wasn't traded. The Toronto Raptors, with almost half their roster demanding trades at some point this season, failed in their bid to land a high draft pick and kept Donyell Marshall, Jalen Rose and Eric Williams. Coach Sam Mitchell hasn't said if he intends to fight any of them now that the deadline has passed.
The Milwaukee Bucks retained free agent Michael Redd, making a deal designed to free up money to re-sign him.
And the Portland Trail Blazers held onto free agents Shareef Abdur-Rahim and Damon Stoudamire, perhaps to save coach Maurice Cheeks' sanity.
Here's a look at who came out ahead and who didn't:
Winners:
Philadelphia 76ers. Wednesday's late deal for Webber gives them scoring help for Allen Iverson. On Thursday they added Rogers, a favorite of coach Jim O'Brien from their Boston days and another perimeter threat. The Webber deal cost them depth (Williamson and Kenny Thomas), the Rogers deal money. They took on inactive Jamal Mashburn, whose contract runs through next season. But they're out from under Robinson, who goes to the Hornets.
It's a nice short-term move for the 76ers, but Webber is owed more than $60 million for the next three seasons. And, like Iverson, he's a strong personality who likes to monopolize the ball and the team. There's potential for fireworks. The 76ers play the Kings on Saturday.
Cleveland Cavaliers. They picked up swingman Welsch from the Celtics for a first-round pick in 2007. The Cavs believe they can make a serious playoff run and hope Welsch can relieve their perimeter shooting problems
Milwaukee Bucks. Sure, you thought they never would overcome the loss of Zendon Hamilton. They also sent guard Mike James to Houston and cleared salary space by sending Van Horn to Dallas for free agent Alan Henderson and Calvin Booth. It should position them to re-sign Redd and retain a nucleus that now includes reserve guard Reece Gaines, acquired from the Rockets.
Houston Rockets. James is a good pickup to replace Bob Sura, who is out indefinitely with back problems. The addition of Sura and Jon Barry helped ignite their plodding offense. The Rockets also get guard Moochie Norris in the Taylor deal.
Sacramento Kings. They gave up Webber, the best player in all the deals, but there's that addition-by-subtraction thing. With Webber the Kings were 38-31 the last two regular seasons. Without him they were 51-16. Team insiders say Webber's return slowed down the Kings last season after they had been in first place much of the season, and he was overly critical of certain teammates, most notably Peja Stojakovic.
The Kings are a different team with Vlade Divac and Doug Christie gone and Bobby Jackson hurt again. They want to build around Stojakovic, Mike Bibby and Brad Miller without Webber dominating things. Thomas and Williamson are role players who should help.
San Antonio Spurs. Not that they need to get better, but Mohammed, from Kenwood Academy, is a nice pickup as a backup big man. He's having his best season, and they almost were ready to pay a team to take Rose's contract, which has four years and more than $27 million left after this season. The Spurs give up their 2006 first-round pick and the Suns' first-rounder this year.
Losers:
Boston Celtics. It's never quite clear what they're doing. They hated Walker and his game, so they got him back with two months left on his contract. They also traded Payton and Welsch in order to play rookie Delonte West.
Gugliotta and Michael Stewart went to Atlanta with Payton for Walker. The Hawks also get a first-round pick.
New York Knicks. It may be the way to go, but they'll now have a way to go. They took on more than $30 million in salary again—wouldn't you like to work there?—but also seemed to start a commitment to rebuilding through the draft by acquiring picks, though not great ones. They get the Suns' first-rounder for this season and the Spurs' for next season. (Phoenix still has the Bulls' from the Luol Deng trade if the Bulls don't end up with a top-three pick.) They get two more undersized power forwards in Taylor and Rose and give up starting center Mohammed and point guard Norris.
Dallas Mavericks. Van Horn seems like a decent pickup for Henderson and Booth, who rarely play. But Van Horn, with a $16 million salary next season, recently returned from an ankle injury and doctors are limiting him to 15 minutes per game. Just what Dallas needs: another shooter who doesn't defend. They do this and couldn't afford to pay Steve Nash?
Golden State Warriors. Perennial back and attitude problems make Baron Davis a huge risk. A backcourt with him and Jason Richardson seems explosive, if not defensive-minded. But this will almost certainly lead to a trade of Mike Dunleavy for a role-playing big man because they have so many players on large long-term contracts and so few inside players. Davis didn't exactly endear himself to his last college-to-pros coach, Tim Floyd. The Warriors also had to deal Eduardo Najera's long-term contract to Denver to save money and got draft busts Nikolz Tskitishvili and Rodney White.
New Orleans Hornets. Mardi Gras fireworks are over, so they blew up the team. They're dumping salary to stay in business by getting rid of Davis and Rogers, and Jamaal Magloire may be next when he returns from injury. They also save some money getting rid of Mashburn's contract, but they got the expiring $12 million deal of Robinson, plus Claxton and Dale Davis from the Warriors.
Copyright © 2005, The Chicago Tribune