NBA Trade Deadline Review

            2012 will go down as one of the most disappointing trade deadlines in NBA history. Dwight Howard didn’t go anywhere, and even re-upped with Orlando through next season (so that means we get to relive the past four months next year. Awesome, can’t wait!). Deron Williams didn’t go anywhere (the Nets are screwed). None of the Celtics were shipped out of town (probably foolish, but it isn’t bad to let the old gang have one more try at it before burning the forest down in the off season). However, there were still moves that were made. Here’s No Credentials list of his top 10 moves at the NBA trade deadline (it wasn’t hard to make this list, because there were only 10 trades in the final week before the deadline).

10. Hawks Trades Second Round Pick to Golden State for Cash

            You’ll have to scroll down to number one on this list for further confirmation that Golden State is going to be all-in with this year’s draft.

9. 76ers Trade Rights to Ricky Sanchez to Grizzlies for Sam Young

            Philadelphia is already loaded at the 2 and 3, so I’m not sure what they were going for with this trade. Young is a nice player, who perhaps down the road can provide valuable bench minutes. I know very little about Ricky Sanchez, but it never seems like a bad thing for teams to own the rights to international prospects.

8. Pacers Trade Second Round Pick to Toronto for Leandro Barbosa

            Barbosa has done very little since leaving Phoenix, but it’s worth it for a playoff team in need of depth at guard to spend a second round pick on him.

7.   Rockets Trade Hasheem Thabeet, Jonny Flynn, and Future Second Round Pick to Trail Blazers for Marcus Camby

            Hasheem Thabeet and Jonny Flynn were drafted three years ago, and I think they’ve already been traded 16 times combined. This was a great move by Houston. Camby provides no scoring, but on a team with as many offensive options as the Rockets, he doesn’t need to. They will not be a fun team to play in the first round.

6. Wizards Acquire Nene and Brian Cook, Nuggets Acquire JaVale McGee and Ronny Turiaf, Clippers Acquire Nick Young

            I understand why Washington likes this deal (they get rid of two of the dumbest players in the NBA). I understand why the Clippers like this deal (they acquire a competent, albeit absent minded shooting guard, who will benefit from being the fourth banana offensively). Someone needs to come up with a better reason than “we fucked up when we gave Nene all that money last December” to explain why Denver was in on this trade. McGee is much more athletic than Nene (which should be an asset for a team that likes to run), but it’s asking a lot of McGee to be the heart of the defense on a playoff team.

5. Lakers Trade Luke Walton, Jason Kapono, and 2012 First Round Pick to Cavaliers for PG Ramon Sessions and SG Christian Eyenga

4. Lakers Trade Derek Fisher and 2012 First Round Pick to Rockets for Jordan Hill
            Ramon Sessions shouldn’t be mistaken for the second coming of Magic Johnson (he’s more like a homeless man’s Nick Van Exel), but he’s a significant upgrade from Derek Fisher’s corpse. Throw in Los Angeles getting rid of more dead weight in the form of Luke Walton (do you realize he’s going to get paid $5.5 million this year, and $6 million in 2012-13?), and Los Angeles is immediately a more athletic team.

3. Trail Blazers Trade Gerald Wallace to Nets for Mehmet Okur, Shawne Williams, and Future First Round Pick

            Whenever you get the opportunity to obtain a future first round pick from a fucked up franchise, you do it. I don’t care if that pick might not be until 2039. Kudos to Portland for burning the forest down and starting fresh. The team still has a nice core, and the potential of two lottery picks in next seasons draft (New Jersey’s is top-3 protected) gives them a chance to reload for 2013.  

2. Warriors Trade Monta Ellis, Ekpe Udoh, and Kwame Brown to Bucks for Andrew Bogut and Stephen Jackson

1. Spurs Trade Richard Jefferson and 2012 First Round Pick to Warriors for Stephen Jackson
            It’s been five days, and I still can’t figure out the reason Milwaukee made this trade. If they wanted any clue as to how a backcourt of Brandon Jennings and Monta Ellis will function, they needed to look no further than see how Monta Ellis and Stephen Curry worked out. There will be plenty of points, but who’s going to guard opposing two-guards?
            As for Golden State, I like the setup they have for 2013. They’ll enter next year with a core of Curry, Klay Thompson, Dorell Wright, David Lee, and Andrew Bogut. Lee in particular will benefit the most with Bogut picking up the majority of the defensive slack. Throw in a lottery pick from a loaded 2012 draft class (plus an additional late first rounder from San Antonio), and Golden State has the all the makings of a playoff contender.
            San Antonio comes out as the clear short-term winner. Surrendering a first round pick was well worth the upgrade from Richard Jefferson to Captain Jackson. It’s been a long time since Jackson was a key contributor to the Spurs 2003 championship team, but he still has enough in the tank to provide another source of offense. Assuming that Manu Ginobili is fully healthy come playoff time, San Antonio will have as much firepower as anyone in the West.