duncan228
04-21-2009, 04:13 PM
How in-season transactions are affecting this year's playoffs (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news?slug=howinseasontransactionsa&prov=tsn&type=lgns)
By Sean Deveney - SportingNews
Since the late-October tipoff, there have been more than 20 in-season trades in the NBA, and dozens of free-agent signings. Many of these moves were made to free up cap space for the future, many more to inexpensively fill roster spaces left by injured players, and some—not many, but some—to make the team better. Seems like an almost foreign concept in the cash-strapped sports world these days, doesn't it? Now, for these in-season acquisitions intended to boost the team making the acquisition, we can size up just how successful (or unsuccessful) those transactions have been—and how they're likely to affect the playoffs.
The good moves:
1. Nuggets trade Allen Iverson for Chauncey Billups. It wasn't too difficult to choose a top contender for best in-season move. The presence of Billups has completely remade the Nuggets, making them more defensive-minded, more efficient offensively and more professional overall. The team had been embarrassed in its last five playoff performances, posting a total record of 4-20. But Billups came out in the playoff opener and drained eight 3-pointers, showing that this Nuggets team will be different than previous playoff flops.
2. Bulls trade for John Salmons and Brad Miller. Unfortunately, Salmons' injured groin is robbing him of the chance to show his stuff on the big stage. In March, Salmons frequently carried the Bulls, averaging 21.3 points on 50.0 percent shooting, but he was injured on March 29 in Toronto and hasn't been the same since. Still, he's gutting it out for the playoffs, and has been productive. Miller, too, has his ups and downs, but he gives the Bulls a luxury—he's arguably the best backup center in the playoffs, a big help for a team that starts youngsters Tyrus Thomas and Joakim Noah in the frontcourt.
3. Magic trade for Rafer Alston. When Jameer Nelson was injured, Orlando scrambled for a replacement and wound up with Alston, who would seem to be a good fit—he is not the penetrator that Nelson is, but he can knock down 3-pointers, a key for Magic point guards. Alston really didn't play well until the end of the season, when he began to hit his stride, and he did struggle in the Magic's playoff opener against Philadelphia. But if the Magic are to make any sort of run in this postseason, they'll need 3-point shooting from Alston, whose career 3-point percentage is 35.4.
4. Spurs sign Drew Gooden. When the Spurs signed Gooden in early March, he seemed like a luxury item—a high-scoring big man to boost the Manu Ginobili-anchored bench. Now, with Ginobili hurt, Gooden has had to take on the lead role off the bench. He's done well in that role, and though the Spurs' bench was dominated in the opener in San Antonio's Game 1 loss to Dallas, they closed the gap in the Game 2 win. Without Ginobili, the Spurs' bench is not great. But just think where it'd be without Gooden.
5. Cavaliers sign Joe Smith. If the Celtics had been a little more patient in waiting for Smith to work out a buyout with the Thunder, Smith would have signed in Boston, which would have been a big lift for a team without Kevin Garnett. Instead, Smith is helping out his old team (well, almost every team is Smith's old team) in Cleveland, and doing a nifty job of it. Smith is 33 and does everything you want out of a veteran big man—he rebounds, he does not make thoughtless mistakes, and he knocks down 15-foot jumpers. Ironically, Smith wanted to sign with the Celtics because he figured he'd have a better shot at a ring. But, it turns out, he'll have a better shot in Cleveland.
And now for the not-so-good in-season transactions:
1. Detroit trades for Allen Iverson. Obviously, this is tops. Funny thing is, the Pistons were 4-0 before Iverson made his Pistons debut. Now, they're playing without Iverson and looking overmatched against the Cavs.
2. The Celtics sign Stephon Marbury and Mikki Moore. If you're not going to get Joe Smith, Moore at least made some sense. He gives the Celtics hustle, some rebounding and six extra fouls per game behind Glen Davis and Kendrick Perkins. But Moore's signing is hardly significant. Marbury's signing, though not really detrimental (as some feared), has been utterly useless. In Game 2 against the Bulls, for example, Marbury entered in the first half with the Celtics up nine points and left five minutes later with the Bulls up by one. His overall plus/minus for that game was minus-15, and he finished with two points in 10 minutes. Celtics fans hoping Marbury would be a productive bench player in the postseason are being sorely disappointed.
3. Miami trades for Jermaine O'Neal. Heat coach Erik Spoelstra has explained that Miami's second-half schedule was tougher, and that the challenge of working O'Neal into Miami's offense is a work in progress. But the numbers are stark. The Heat were 28-24 when they had Shawn Marion. They were 15-15 with O'Neal. Offensively, they actually got better, shooting up to 101.8 points per game from 96.3. But the defense, which was where O'Neal was to have the biggest impact, actually got much worse. They gave up 101.3 points, up from 96.2. And O'Neal was practically nonexistent in the Heat's playoff opener, scoring just five points in 21 minutes.
By Sean Deveney - SportingNews
Since the late-October tipoff, there have been more than 20 in-season trades in the NBA, and dozens of free-agent signings. Many of these moves were made to free up cap space for the future, many more to inexpensively fill roster spaces left by injured players, and some—not many, but some—to make the team better. Seems like an almost foreign concept in the cash-strapped sports world these days, doesn't it? Now, for these in-season acquisitions intended to boost the team making the acquisition, we can size up just how successful (or unsuccessful) those transactions have been—and how they're likely to affect the playoffs.
The good moves:
1. Nuggets trade Allen Iverson for Chauncey Billups. It wasn't too difficult to choose a top contender for best in-season move. The presence of Billups has completely remade the Nuggets, making them more defensive-minded, more efficient offensively and more professional overall. The team had been embarrassed in its last five playoff performances, posting a total record of 4-20. But Billups came out in the playoff opener and drained eight 3-pointers, showing that this Nuggets team will be different than previous playoff flops.
2. Bulls trade for John Salmons and Brad Miller. Unfortunately, Salmons' injured groin is robbing him of the chance to show his stuff on the big stage. In March, Salmons frequently carried the Bulls, averaging 21.3 points on 50.0 percent shooting, but he was injured on March 29 in Toronto and hasn't been the same since. Still, he's gutting it out for the playoffs, and has been productive. Miller, too, has his ups and downs, but he gives the Bulls a luxury—he's arguably the best backup center in the playoffs, a big help for a team that starts youngsters Tyrus Thomas and Joakim Noah in the frontcourt.
3. Magic trade for Rafer Alston. When Jameer Nelson was injured, Orlando scrambled for a replacement and wound up with Alston, who would seem to be a good fit—he is not the penetrator that Nelson is, but he can knock down 3-pointers, a key for Magic point guards. Alston really didn't play well until the end of the season, when he began to hit his stride, and he did struggle in the Magic's playoff opener against Philadelphia. But if the Magic are to make any sort of run in this postseason, they'll need 3-point shooting from Alston, whose career 3-point percentage is 35.4.
4. Spurs sign Drew Gooden. When the Spurs signed Gooden in early March, he seemed like a luxury item—a high-scoring big man to boost the Manu Ginobili-anchored bench. Now, with Ginobili hurt, Gooden has had to take on the lead role off the bench. He's done well in that role, and though the Spurs' bench was dominated in the opener in San Antonio's Game 1 loss to Dallas, they closed the gap in the Game 2 win. Without Ginobili, the Spurs' bench is not great. But just think where it'd be without Gooden.
5. Cavaliers sign Joe Smith. If the Celtics had been a little more patient in waiting for Smith to work out a buyout with the Thunder, Smith would have signed in Boston, which would have been a big lift for a team without Kevin Garnett. Instead, Smith is helping out his old team (well, almost every team is Smith's old team) in Cleveland, and doing a nifty job of it. Smith is 33 and does everything you want out of a veteran big man—he rebounds, he does not make thoughtless mistakes, and he knocks down 15-foot jumpers. Ironically, Smith wanted to sign with the Celtics because he figured he'd have a better shot at a ring. But, it turns out, he'll have a better shot in Cleveland.
And now for the not-so-good in-season transactions:
1. Detroit trades for Allen Iverson. Obviously, this is tops. Funny thing is, the Pistons were 4-0 before Iverson made his Pistons debut. Now, they're playing without Iverson and looking overmatched against the Cavs.
2. The Celtics sign Stephon Marbury and Mikki Moore. If you're not going to get Joe Smith, Moore at least made some sense. He gives the Celtics hustle, some rebounding and six extra fouls per game behind Glen Davis and Kendrick Perkins. But Moore's signing is hardly significant. Marbury's signing, though not really detrimental (as some feared), has been utterly useless. In Game 2 against the Bulls, for example, Marbury entered in the first half with the Celtics up nine points and left five minutes later with the Bulls up by one. His overall plus/minus for that game was minus-15, and he finished with two points in 10 minutes. Celtics fans hoping Marbury would be a productive bench player in the postseason are being sorely disappointed.
3. Miami trades for Jermaine O'Neal. Heat coach Erik Spoelstra has explained that Miami's second-half schedule was tougher, and that the challenge of working O'Neal into Miami's offense is a work in progress. But the numbers are stark. The Heat were 28-24 when they had Shawn Marion. They were 15-15 with O'Neal. Offensively, they actually got better, shooting up to 101.8 points per game from 96.3. But the defense, which was where O'Neal was to have the biggest impact, actually got much worse. They gave up 101.3 points, up from 96.2. And O'Neal was practically nonexistent in the Heat's playoff opener, scoring just five points in 21 minutes.