Scratch Boykins off the WishList

[AFBlue]

Saw this just a minute ago.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=2727760


The Denver Nuggets need some breathing space from luxury-tax territory. The Milwaukee Bucks need backcourt scoring to counter their injury crisis.


That's why the teams, according to NBA front-office sources, are combining on a trade featuring Earl Boykins that will be announced later Thursday.


Now 10 games into the Allen Iverson Era, Denver has agreed to send Boykins and little-used forward Julius Hodge to the Bucks for guard Steve Blake.


The surging Boykins has scored 20 points or more in eight of his 10 games alongside Iverson, but his shots and minutes were certain to dwindle when Carmelo Anthony returns from suspension on Jan. 22. Denver couldn't resist the opportunity to trade him now given that Boykins will soon be its odd man out and more so because this move ensures that the Nuggets will not be paying luxury tax at season's end.


The Nuggets, sources say, had hoped to keep Boykins for a few more games while Anthony completes his 15-game ban. But they had to make the trade immediately because Milwaukee's $4.3 million injury exception created by Bobby Simmons' season-ending ankle and foot surgeries -- its only mechanism for taking back Boykins' contract in this exchange -- expires Friday.


Boykins' arrival will be a welcome boost to the Bucks, who have lost leading scorers Michael Redd (knee) and Mo Williams (shoulder) to injuries in the past week. Redd is expected to miss at least a month, with Williams sidelined two to three weeks. Charlie Villanueva (shoulder) is also out indefinitely and Simmons didn't play a single game this season before it was determined that he'd need two operations.


The Bucks are hoping Boykins' scoring can help keep them in the playoff hunt until Redd and Williams return. The 5-foot-5 dynamo makes $2.95 million this season and is scheduled to earn $3 million next season but has the right to opt out of his contract and become a free agent July 1.


Milwaukee, sources said, also managed to extract an estimated $700,000 from the Nuggets to pay the remainder of Hodge's $1.2 million salary.


Blake, meanwhile, will get an opportunity to win some back-up minutes in Denver's backcourt, with the Nuggets admittedly looking for pass-first facilitators who can play with Iverson, Anthony and swingman J.R. Smith.

Not sure if anyone saw him as a potential answer at backup point, but if you did...sorry.

[ObiwanGinobili]

I'm nto sure how he would've fit into our system (I;m not a scout, coach, or BBall expert) but I <3 boykins and his play.
damn it.

[Kori Ellis]

Interesting.

I think Denver loses out but obviously they did it for $$ reasons as stated.

[Mr. Body]

What kind of wishlist included Boykins?

Anyway, he's a casualty of the Nuggets wasting so much money on KMart and Nene.

[mardigan]

FOR STEVE BLAKE? You have got to be kidding me, we could have sent them Erik Williams for Earl. Not that I would really want a 5 foot 5 point who cant pass, but Steve Blake?

[timvp]

Interesting. Steve Blake has been horrible this season, so I'm not sure the Nuggets will get anything out of him. He might be decent to pair in the backcourt with AI since he's 6-foot-3.

Nuggets fans hated Boykins and Julius Hodge was pretty much a bust. I don't really see where Boykins is going to fit in with the Bucks. They have Mo Williams backed up by Charlie Bell. As long as Redd is out, they can put Bell at SG and have Boykins back up both. But when Redd comes back, that will be a little crowded.

All in all, pretty decent trade for both sides. Nuggets get rid of some salary and get a guy who can pass and the Bucks get even more scoring without having to give up much.

[bdictjames]

I think A.I.'s tutoring Boykins now. He's really improved on his shot and penetration.

[timvp]

Back when Boykins used to actually pass the ball and he could be had for cheap, I wanted the Spurs to sign him. But these days, Boykins doesn't pass and doesn't even try to play defense.

Plus, he's literally the worst rebounder in the league. And the Spurs don't need any help in that category.

[MoSpur]

Mo Williams is going to be out for like four weeks as far as I understand. Boykins will probably start at PG for the Bucks. He shoots way too much.

[timvp]

Mo Williams is going to be out for like four weeks as far as I understand.

Good catch. Overall, it was a nicely done panic trade by the Bucks.

[Mr. Body]

Nuggets fans hated Boykins and Julius Hodge was pretty much a bust. I don't really see where Boykins is going to fit in with the Bucks. They have Mo Williams backed up by Charlie Bell. As long as Redd is out, they can put Bell at SG and have Boykins back up both. But when Redd comes back, that will be a little crowded.

Mo Williams and Charlie Bell are both free agents this summer, AFAIK. Getting Boykins for one more year, and not very expensively, is good insurance for likely losing one of these two guys. Mo Williams in particular was having a dynamite year. Still will, once he returns from injury.

[timvp]

Mo Williams and Charlie Bell are both free agents this summer, AFAIK. Getting Boykins for one more year, and not very expensively, is good insurance for likely losing one of these two guys. Mo Williams in particular was having a dynamite year. Still will, once he returns from injury.

Boykins can opt-out of his contract too, I believe. If Beno doesn't turn it around, Bell would be a pretty nice investment this summer.

[angel_luv]

How bad is it that I would rather not have guys on our team that even Sequ is taller than?

[mountainballer]

They have Mo Williams backed up by Charlie Bell. As long as Redd is out, they can put Bell at SG and have Boykins back up both. But when Redd comes back, that will be a little crowded.

Charlie Bell often came to my mind when thinking about a better back-up PG than Beno is. he is much of what Spurs would ask for IMO. not a great playmaker, but quite athletic and a good defender, who doesn't turn the ball over much. for minimum money he is a steal.

[TDMVPDPOY]

they did the trade cose they know boykins wouldve bolted in FA.

imo boykins on the spurs = no defense bench.....

[AFBlue]

Charlie Bell often came to my mind when thinking about a better back-up PG than Beno is. he is much of what Spurs would ask for IMO. not a great playmaker, but quite athletic and a good defender, who doesn't turn the ball over much. for minimum money he is a steal.

He's listed on ESPN.com as a Small Forward. Is that just a gross mis-type or is this guy really utilized at that position?

[Texas_Ranger]

aRe the Nuggets serious? Trade Boykins and Hodge for that Blake.
Not a good trade.

[AFBlue]

Interesting. Steve Blake has been horrible this season, so I'm not sure the Nuggets will get anything out of him. He might be decent to pair in the backcourt with AI since he's 6-foot-3.

I forget which article, but there was one recently that stated the Nuggets would be looking for a big PG to compliment AI...guess they got him.

[Big Shot Rob]

I know that Pop likes "small ball" but Boykins?!

[T Park]

Pop's wildest dreams could come true with true small ball if he got boykins.

boykins
parker
ginobili
bowen
Duncan

[Bruno]

Good deal for both teams :

Blake is a better fit with scorers like AI, Melo and Smith. Nuggets save $8M with this trade by going under the luxury tax. Only 4 teams are over the luxury tax threshold : Knicks, Mavs, Wolves and Spurs. Spurs and Wolves are very close to the threshold and will likely do a move to go under : the luxury tax system works well and is almost a hard salary cap.

Bucks upgrades their backcourt for almost nothing. I hope they will suck and miss the playoffs this year because Spurs have their second round pick : a pick between 35th and 40th can be quite usefull.

[ChumpDumper]

Nuggets are really taking it on the chin to get under the tax threshold. They kinda went from three point guards last season to none now. They have a couple of open roster spots now, I think they'll be one of the teams in the Randy Livingston "sweepstakes" with the other teams needing veteren help at the point for a playoff run.

[Mr. Body]

Bucks upgrades their backcourt for almost nothing. I hope they will suck and miss the playoffs this year because Spurs have their second round pick : a pick between 35th and 40th can be quite usefull.

Bucks will drop in standings with Redd and Mo Williams out for some time in addition to Villanueva. The pick is around #47 right now and figures to drop.

[Mr. Body]

Nuggets are really taking it on the chin to get under the tax threshold. They kinda went from three point guards last season to none now. They have a couple of open roster spots now, I think they'll be one of the teams in the Randy Livingston "sweepstakes" with the other teams needing veteren help at the point for a playoff run.

They're not taking anything on the chin. They're about to have the top two scorers in the NBA on the same team and you'd add a pure chucker like Earl Boykins to the mix? It's addition by subtration on that level - they pure didn't need him. Saving money was the prime consideration, but basketball-wise, they just don't need Boykins at all.

And last I checked, Allen Iverson is a point guard.

[ChumpDumper]

Taking it on the chin = getting less than market value for a player. In pure basketball terms, you don't let Boykins go for Steve Blake, even if it just means playing Boykins those 10 minutes that Iverson sits.

Really, who would you rather have playing when Iverson is on the bench? Blake or Boykins?

It's an understandable tax move, but for this season that's about it.