One of my favorite times of the year is now upon us. Yes, it's NBA trade deadline week and blockbuster deals are dominating the sports headlines.
While the flames from the Carmelo Anthony deal are still smoldering on the East coast, the New Jersey Nets just added one of the premier point guards in the league in Deron Williams. The move was both bold and brilliant.
Unlike Melo, Williams actually makes the players around him better. Brook Lopez, who has been in a funk for the better part of the season, will definitely benefit from Williams joining the team. Deron's arrival will also likely lead to other established players flocking tol New Jersey/Brooklyn in the future.
Is there risk involved for the Nets if Willaims opts out of his current contract? Sure, but look for Russian billionaire Mikhail Prokhorov to sell DWill on being the face of the franchise for the next decade. Nets fans shouldn't worry. Williams won't be able to make more money elsewhere and he'll probably be a Net for a very long time.
Did the Jazz get fleeced? Far from it. Devin Harris is a solid (although oft-injured) point guard and Derrick Favors has a lot of promise. In addition, two high first round draft picks are headed to Utah in including the Nets unprotected choice in the next draft.
Will there be more deadline deals? Absolutely, but none will eclipse the blockbuster Nets and Knicks trades of the past 48 hours. Smaller names like Gerald Wallace, O.J. Mayo, Andre Miller, Andrei Kirilenko and Hasheem Thabeet are just some of the guys likely to find themselves in new cities come tomorrow afternoon.
As a...gulp...Clippers fan I'm certainly hoping center Chris Kaman also finds a new home. Man-child DeAndre Jordan is ready to take the reigns as the Clippers starting center and it's time for Kaman to go. According to the ESPN Trade Machine the salaries match for the following deal to go down: Kaman and forward Rasual Butler to the Oklahoma City Thunder for Jeff Green, Byron Mullens and the expiring contract of seldom used swingman Morris Peterson.
The trade gives the Thunder a bona fide presence in the paint, and makes them a legitimate playoff contender this year. Come on Clips...get it done.
Original Story:
http://sandiegosportsguy.com/2011/02/...
