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Well, the thing about the West is that you have ten very good teams, so right off the bat, two clubs are done after April 20th. I mean, you have to beat three of them, not seven, to get to the Finals. There's going to be no shame in a first-round exit because no matter where you're seeded, you're going to be facing a good team.
Shaq going to Phoenix:
It's a testimony to the decline in his production and his questionable work ethic at times that this isn't being seen as a slam dunk for the Suns. I know he and Wade have both missed a ton of games this year, and the supporting cast around them in Miami wasn't very good, but it's still mind-boggling just how bad the Heat have been this season. You figure Shaq and Wade and 10 D-Leaguers could be compe ive in the East, but that wasn't the case. And Phoenix is giving up their best all-around defender, best finisher on the fast break, their best rebounder when that's their biggest weakness, a guy who just does a ton of things for them. Unless they use that trade exception to shore up what Marion brought them, they are going to miss a lot of what he did. That said, there could be a huge payoff for the Suns. I can't immediately dismiss this. Making this trade is an acknowledgment that despite having the best record in the West, they didn't have faith that they could win a le as is. So they have nowhere to go but up by making a change. Shaq instantly makes them tougher and bigger. He allows Amare to slide back to the four. He'll be a nice weak side option when Nash and Amare run the pic' n roll. And I have to figure that a motivated Shaq, being set up by Steve Nash on an elite team with a chance to win a le, is going to be way more effective than a lazy and disinterested Shaq being fed entry passes by Chris Quinn. Steve Nash is renowned for his ability to make guys better, and that will be true with Shaq as well. The gamble and risk of course is how injury-prone he is at this stage of his career, and the fact that he is a lot more foul-prone because he doesn't move and rotate as well on defense as he used to. He's not going to do the Suns any good sitting on the bench in a suit or in foul trouble. The other thing to consider is that making a major move in the middle of the season, and the Suns are making a major change in philosophy and X's and O's, it takes time to integrate and get some on-court chemistry going. They have two months to get into a groove with their new lineup. I'd feel a lot better about this for Phoenix if this had happened in training camp. The Pistons didn't give up anything of substance to acquire Rasheed for their le run.
Gasol to the Lakers:
Well, Gasol is certainly a much better player than Kwame Brown, and I think he'll be a natural in the triangle, so of course the Lakers are better. But he's soft and a liability on defense, and the Grizz never won anything with him, so let's hold off on the championship parade plans for now. Bottom line, he'll be great for spreading the floor and operating out of the high post where he can hit a jumper, he has a high basketball IQ and I'm sure he'll be happy to be a third option on a good team. The Lakers are deep now, they're well-coached, they play defense, and they have the game's best closer. They should be mentioned among the contenders, but they're far from a lock to win a le.
New Orleans:
Great story, but not enough experience. They might win a series or two, but I don't see them beating the Spurs, Mavericks or Lakers. Their success against Phoenix is kind of moot now that the Suns are a new team.
Utah:
They've got a great team, they can play big or small, uptempo or halfcourt, and they can stretch defenses with Okur. Williams at the point and Boozer down in the post is a solid foundation, and they can play defense. Korver has solidified their outside shooting, which had been a weakness. It demonstrates the depth and compe iveness of the West that a team as good as Utah can be overlooked, but they're dangerous.
San Antonio:
I know they've struggled, and that supporting cast around their Big Three looks weak, but they're a good/great defensive team and they have Duncan. They have to be looked at as the favorites once the playoffs get underway. Nothing more really needs to be said about these guys. They're the champs until somebody shows they can beat them.
Kidd to the Mavericks:
Why in the do all these writers keep advocating this? Would Kidd help Dallas? Of course he would, he's Jason Kidd. So having established that, what would it take to get him back to his original team? He makes $20 million a year. Would New Jersey want Jerry Stackhouse's contract? Jason Terry's? I don't think Rod Thorn is that dumb. It completely defeats the purpose of acquiring him if it takes Josh Howard, and that goes for Devin Harris as well. And Harris is ultimately what it would take to make Kidd a Mav unless they can somehow get a third team involved. It also shows just how far Harris has come along and where Kidd is at in his career that it's not at all clearcut that the Mavs are better off with him at the point instead of Harris. Harris is better at defending the speedy point guards Dallas is likely to see in the playoffs, like Deron Williams, Chris Paul, Steve Nash, Tony Parker and Allen Iverson. If teams follow Golden State's approach and swarm Dirk with double teams, who do you want shooting from the outside, Devin Harris and his much-improved outside shooting, or Jason Kidd, who has NEVER been a good shooter? Kidd is a much better passer and has better court vision than Harris, which is pretty much Job One for any point guard, and it's STILL not at all clear that he fits the Mavs needs over Harris. Kidd will also likely want an extension and will narrow Dallas' window for a le if he comes in. I haven't even mentioned that Devin is ten years younger than Kidd.
Dallas is also at or near the top in offensive efficiency, so ball movement and an over-reliance on iso play hasn't been the problem for them this year. It's their defense that's sagged off, along with the gaping hole at the two, where they don't have enough size or scoring. If the Mavs are looking for insurance at the point, Sam Cassell is a much better option, considering his friendlier contract and he's a better outside shooter than Kidd. Otherwise, they would do well to add another interior defender (Kurt Thomas perhaps?) to deal with the likes of Bynum, Gasol, Shaq, Amare, Boozer, Ming and Duncan, as well as a two that can score (Mike Miller or Wally S). The Mavs aren't trading for what Kidd did the past ten years, but what he's likely to do in the next three months, and if I'm Donnie Nelson, I'm not interested.
Denver, Golden State, Portland, Houston:
Ultimately I can't see these teams as anything more than first-round fodder. That may change, and the Rockets have recently come on and are playing with more cohesion. At this point, however, they don't merit much more thought.
or they could hold him and just let him walk but im sure they want something in return.
