Four NBA trades that need to happen
About this time every season, the contenders are starting to separate themselves from the pretenders and teams that are struggling to stay in the playoff hunt are starting to look forward to next year. With that in mind, here are four trades that I’d love to see pop up amongst the NBA headlines in the coming weeks. I’ve done my best to make these trades equitable and realistic, but if you’re a fan of one of these teams, or just a fan of the NBA in general, I’d love to hear your thoughts.
1. Shawn Marion for Lamar Odom and Sun Yue
Yes, I know that the Lakers have the best record in the West, but let’s get real – they’re starting Luke Walton at small forward. No matter what the Laker faithful believes, they have a hole in their lineup. Lamar Odom can’t play alongside Andrew Bynum and Pau Gasol because he can’t shoot. He proved in the Finals against the Celtics that he wasn’t tough enough to battle Kevin Garnett. Trevor Ariza is a slightly better option, but after a quick start, he’s shooting 29% from long range. Vladimir Radmanvoic? Sasha Vujacic? Come on.
Is Marion the perfect fit? Not really. His three-point accuracy (34%) could be better, but he’s still more of a threat than Odom (32%), especially from the corners. Are there any other holes in his game? He thrived in the Suns’ up-tempo system and the Lakers boast the third-fastest pace in the league. He’s a much better defender than Odom and is far more versatile on that end of the court. Marion could even give Kobe a break defensively by covering the other team’s best perimeter player. That would keep Kobe’s legs fresh for crunch time. (Sun Yue is a throw-in to make the numbers work.)
What’s the upside for the Heat? Well, they can still make a run at Carlos Boozer if they choose, and if that doesn’t pan out, they can re-sign Odom, a versatile forward that can play alongside Dwyane Wade and Michael Beasley. He’s a better passer than Marion (so he can better set up Wade and Beasley) and is every bit the rebounder. Odom had one of his best years when he was in Miami and would be a solid backup plan if Operation Boozer doesn’t succeed. It doesn’t look like the Marion experiment is working, so they should acquire a player they at least might want to re-sign next summer.
See this deal in the ESPN Trade Machine.
2. Michael Redd for Wally Szczerbiak, Delonte West and J.J. Hickson
Redd still has two more seasons on his deal at the tune of $35 million, but that shouldn’t matter to the Cavs. Right now, it’s all about surrounding LeBron with enough talent to get to the Finals. Redd’s numbers have taken a dip this season, but that probably has more to do with fewer attempts (-2.1) than anything else. His shooting percentage is down (-2.3%), but he’s a career 45% shooter, so there’s no reason to believe that he wouldn’t get back to that level of accuracy playing alongside LeBron and Mo Williams.
Barring a mid-season surge by the Bucks, they are once again looking at finishing in the lottery. They’ve struggled with injuries and may yet make a push, but right now it looks like another year of rebuilding. This trade would get the team out from under Redd’s monster contract (because Wally’s deal is expiring) while also giving the team a starter-quality shooting guard (West) and a nice power forward prospect (Hickson) who isn’t getting any minutes in Cleveland. With Redd’s contract jettisoned, the Bucks would have a significant amount of cap space (~ $14 million) to throw at a guy like Joe Johnson.
See this deal in the ESPN Trade Machine.
3. Dirk Nowitzki for Carlos Boozer, Ronnie Price and Jarron Collins
Right now, Carlos is saying all the right things, but if he has the option of a max contract in Utah and a max contract in Miami (where he lives in the offseason), which do you think he’ll choose? Sure, he and Deron Williams make a nice combo, but with Dwyane Wade and Michael Beasley, Miami is just as attractive. So if you’re the Jazz and you see the writing on the wall, don’t you want to get something in return? Nowitzki would replace Boozer’s scoring and rebounding and keep Utah’s winning ways going. Dirk really needs a change of scenery (to put the memory of the 2006 Finals behind him) and the Jazz would be one step closer to putting together an all-international roster.
For Dallas, it’s about changing things up. They’d get younger – Boozer is 27 while Dirk is 30 – and he’d give the team someone to build around for the next few years. This move would make a lot more sense for the Mavs if they hadn’t traded away Devin Harris (because re-signing with Dallas would make a lot more sense for Boozer), but if they could get a commitment from Boozer that he would re-sign, the deal makes sense. (Of course, as Cleveland fans know, trusting Boozer’s word is awfully dicey.)
See this deal in the ESPN Trade Machine.
4. Mike Miller for Bruce Bowen, Roger Mason and a first round draft pick
At 28, Mike Miller is one of the best shooters in the league and is languishing on a team that is going nowhere. Spurs fans may not want to give up Mason, but Miller is the better shooter, passer and rebounder. Plus, he’s a natural small forward, which would make him a better fit alongside Manu Ginobili on the wing. He would be deadly spacing the court for Tim Duncan’s post play and Tony Parker’s penetration.
What’s the upside for the T-Wolves? Well, they’d get a solid player in Mason and another first round pick, which would give them five for next summer’s draft. They should be able to turn five picks into two (or three) star- or starter-quality players.
Very interesting trades. I will be sending some traffic your way on this story
Carlos Boozer sayin the right things? That guy is a lying sack of _____.
Do the cavs really need Michael Redd. He’s looking much older these days, and Delonte looks great playing with Lebron and Mo. As a Cavs fan I’m not sure I like this.
Boozer for Dirk? Terrible. The Jazz want a post player to go along with D-will. Not a shooter. They want to get as close as they can to the Stockton and Malone era. Dirk is a very good player but he is just an oversized small foward. Boozer is smaller, but stronger which makes it harder for people to gaurd him. As for Redd to the Cavs. Would be nice, but Clevland has one of the highest salaries already, why would they want to add another $15 mill? Shawn Marion for Odom would be a nice trade also, but I dont think the Lakers should mess with the chemistry they have going. As for starting Luke Walton, thats a choice they also have Radmanovic, and Ariza that could easily start at the 3. As for trade number 4 Mike Miller going to the Spurs is probably not going to happen. He doesnt play D. Plain and simple fact of the matter. Spurs are all about defense. Miller is purely an offensive player. The Spurs dont need more offense with the big three anyway.
why would redd want to go to clev, mo is already there, do they want a reunion again? Maybe Lebron can be the referee
I would agree on the Redd-to-Cleveland suggestion. Redd and Mo didn’t get along in Milwaukee (reportedly, anyway) so why would the Cavs want to disrupt their chemistry by trading for a potential headache? I’m not suggesting that Redd himself is a problem but if Redd and Mo don’t get along, that would be a major risk to take for a team that looks like a true title contender already.
As I mentioned on a previous thread, I fully expect the Cavs to deal Wally’s contract but I think (hope) they’ll be very careful considering the circumstances.
“Do the Cavs really need Michael Redd?”
No, but they can get him. Why not upgrade your starting SG if you can? He’s coming off an injury which is why he might be looking a little off right now, but he’s still averaging almost 20 points a game. As for the feud with Mo, I think that was more rumor than truth and even if the two didn’t like each other, playing in Cleveland would allow them to hit the reset button. If the team is winning a lot of that internal griping goes away.
“Boozer for Dirk? Terrible. The Jazz want a post player to go along with D-will. Not a shooter. They want to get as close as they can to the Stockton and Malone era.”
How often did Karl Malone post up? Stockton-Malone always ran a pick-and-roll or a pick-and-pop. Malone usually ended up with the ball and a wide open 15-18 footer. You don’t think Dirk could work with that? In fact, I’d argue that Dirk is a better fit for Sloan’s system than Boozer is.
“Mike Miller going to the Spurs is probably not going to happen. He doesnt play D.”
When has he been challenged? I’ll agree that he’s not adept at covering guards, but when he’s at small forward (as would be the case in San Antonio) he can cover guys his size. Plus, he’s excellent on the defensive glass.
“As for Redd to the Cavs. Would be nice, but Clevland has one of the highest salaries already, why would they want to add another $15 mill?”
To keep LeBron in two years.
“I dont think the Lakers should mess with the chemistry they have going. As for starting Luke Walton, thats a choice they also have Radmanovic, and Ariza that could easily start at the 3.”
Just because they are winning games now does not mean that this lineup is going to hold up against top competition in a seven game series. Radmanovic is a terrible defender. Walton can’t shoot. The only real possibility is Ariza, and he struggles with his jumper as well. I don’t think there’s any way that the Lakers re-sign Odom next summer unless they win the title and he’s willing to take a massive paycut. Why not acquire Marion? He’d probably be a nice fit considering how much the Lakers run.
Danny if you disagree with the column, state your opinion or just don’t write anything at all.
Lazy ass.
So, in order, I would say that Marion for Odom might have happened before the season started. Ariza, who is every bit the defender that Marion is but not as good of a shooter – which isn’t saying much – is a decent option, and he knows the system. Luke Walton and Vlad Rad can come off the bench (or start, depending on Phil’s mood) and fill in well enough. The triangle takes time to learn, and Marion isn’t impressing anyone. Odom, while clearly not happy in his role, knows the triangle, and he’s a great insurance policy. So why trade him? LA needs the cap relief, and who says they let him go for nothing this summer. Seems like a sign-and-trade is a real possibility.
Redd for JJ, Delonte, and Wally-world. I like this trade for the Cavs, but I can’t imagine why Milwaukee would do it. JJ is a bench player at best, and Delonte isn’t going to play nearly as well when he’s not next to Lebron. That leaves cap relief as the only benefit, and there are a few teams that can offer cap relief along with some other benefits (picks and/or young talent). Besides, just like LA, why mess with success? The Cavs should stand pat.
Boozer for Novitzki is ridiculous – no offense. It makes absolutely no sense – the Jazz already have a big man who can shoot (Memo).
Finally, we come to Mike Miller for Mason, a draft pick, and Bowen. This is a bad deal for the T-Wolves – they can certainly do better for a career 40%+ 3pt shooter. The list of teams that could use Miller at SG or SF, and that have some real assets to deal back, is pretty long. Dallas, Denver, the Clippers, Miami, and Toronto could all come up with reasonable offers for Miller.
“Boozer for Novitzki is ridiculous – no offense. It makes absolutely no sense – the Jazz already have a big man who can shoot (Memo).”
No offense taken, but I take issue with your point. The Jazz do have a sharpshooting big man (Okur), but he only has one year left on his contract and it’s a player option, so he could very well be a free agent this summer too. So assuming Okur is gone, is it still ridiculous? If the Jazz believe that Boozer is going to bolt they should try to get something for him. Dirk needs a change of scenery and would fit Sloan’s system.
Someone else said (at the link below) that a first round draft pick was too much to give up for Miller, so his value isn’t very clear right now. He’s wasting away in Minny and I think he’d be a nice fit in San Antonio.
http://www.yardbarker.com/nba/articles/Four_NBA_trades_that_need_to
_happen/424891
Marion to the Lakers could happen as his offensive scoring ability from the small forward position is sorely needed.
Redd to Cavs could save the King from exiting in 2010.
I’m a Boozer fan, but we all know what happened in Cleveland. I’m sure Jazz fans would love to have a Dirk, so I say this is a good one.
Marion for Odom also makes sense, but I’m not so sure LA would do it. Chemistry is a big deal in the NBA.
Roger Mason has been huge for the Spurs, so there is no way their making this trade. And Bruce Bowen is one of the best defenders in the league.
And if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. Thats why the Cavs wouldn’t go after Mike Redd.
Mason AND Bowen for Mike Miller? Thats one of the more ridiculous trades I’ve heard this season.
Micheal Redd going to Cleveland would actually be pretty interesting for NBA fans.
Boozer is just injured and he’s taking way too much heat this season, everbody goes through slumps, even if that is during the playoffs. Nowitzki is happy in Dallas and they actually seem to be a pretty good team. The Jazz will most likely wanna keep Boozer for the remaninder of this season, and if he walks, they can go get someone else.
The Lakers are a championship contender, so why would they wanna ruin the team and chemistry for Shawn Marion, who really was only a good player in the D’Antoni system.
Tommy – Bowen is 37 and doesn’t have much left. I actually think you need to throw in a first round pick to make it worthwhile for Minny. Otherwise, what’s the point? Mason hasn’t done much except for this season while Miller is a proven player (career 14/5 player…averaged 17/7/3 just last season).
As for Marion, he was an All-Star in 2003, when Frank Johnson was coaching the team, so I’m not sure where this notion (that he’s only good in D’Antoni’s system) came from.