Breakdown of Magic/Suns/Wizards Trade

What happened?

• Magic traded away Rashard Lewis to the Wizards and received Gilbert Arenas.
• Magic traded away Vince Carter, Mikael Pietrus, Marcin Gortat, 2011 first round pick, $3 million to the Suns and received Hedo Turkoglu, Jason Richardson, Earl Clark.
  

Magic just had a fire sale and completely reshaped their lineup. Traded away two starters in Lewis and Carter, and an overpaid backup center, Gortat for three probable starters in Arenas, Turk and Richardson, and another back up center in Earl Clark.

First things first, I feel really happy for Marcin Gortat. He was stuck in bench purgatory behind Dwight Howard and may actually get some meaningful minutes in Phoenix behind or maybe starting in place of Robin Lopez.

Let's deal with what the Suns were trying to do with this trade:

Hedo Turkoglu for the most part this season was the Suns' starting power forward. Turk is a natural SF/SG and going against the top PFs in the league wasn't getting it done. He also has a horrible horrible contract, paying him $10-12 million per year for the next four years (He'll be turning 32 in March). Jason Richardson is currently in the last year of his deal that pays about $15 million. He was having a solid career in Phoenix. Why didn't the Suns want to re-sign him? Because the Suns are officially in rebuild mode after Amare Stoudemire left this summer for New York. With no scoring all star quality big man, and a replacement of Hedo Turkoglu, the Suns said forget this, let's start over.

So they unloaded Hedo's horrible contract and Vince Carter's expiring contract ($17 million this year and a TEAM option of $18 million next year, which more than likely they will not use, making Vince a free agent). They also got Mikael Pietrus who is getting paid $5 million and has a player option of $5 million next year, which if he takes up, is still better than paying Hedo $11 million. And Marcin Gortat who is getting paid $6 to $7 million for the next four years.

Numbers aside and in plain English, they saved themselves millions of dollars for the next 4 years. They can now start rebuilding a team that may or may not include Steve Nash who is on contract for this season and next season before he becomes an unrestricted free agent.

What were the Wizards trying to do in their trade with the Magic:

Well this summer, they drafted John Wall with the number 1 pick AND traded for PG/SG Kirk Hinrich when they already had gun slinger PG Gilbert Arenas. Their current forward situation wasn't anything to brag about either. They were starting Al Thornton and Andray Blatche. So simply enough, they got rid of a Gilbert who had worn out his welcome and had a horrible contract that he never even close to lived up to for a power forward who can shoot the three, but also has a horrible over paid contract. Now John Wall can fully take over this Wizards team and have a power forward who can stretch the floor on offense.

And just FYI, Rashard Lewis is getting paid $20, $22, $23 million for this and the next two seasons. Gilbert Arenas is getting paid $17, $20, player option $20, $22 million for this and the next three seasons. This is a good trade for the Wizards. And here's to a safer locker room, cheers!

Finally, the Magic:

I've written a lot about the Magic and their bad decisions, and this is no different. They got rid of Rashard Lewis who had a bad contract, yes, but in exchange they get Gilbert Arenas who has an even worse contract for longer years. when they already have an all star (granted it was an injury fill in all star) quality point guard in Jameer Nelson!? If Gil comes off the bench, that's gotta be a record of highest paid bench player in the history of sports. And if he starts over Jameer Nelson, well that's gonna be one disgruntled bench player. So I guess they'll start them both, since Vince Carter was playing the shooting guard position.

But will Jason Richardson then come off the bench? Jason Richardson can play the small forward spot. But what about Brandon Bass and Hedo Turkoglu? Who is this team's power forward? If they play Hedo at the 4 spot, Dwight Howard is gonna have a lot of help defense on his shoulders. Hedo got torched in Phoenix by PFs, let's see if the trend continues in Orlando.

Possible lineup?

PG - Jameer Nelson / Chris Duhon
SG - Gilbert Arenas / JJ Reddick
SF - Jason Richardson / Hedo Turkoglu
PF - Brandon Bass / Ryan Anderson
C - Dwight Howard / Earl Clark

Don't get me wrong, that's a lot of offensive power right there. But it's undersized defensively and quite frankly, NOT GOOD defensively, outside of Dwight Howard. We'll definitely see if this is enough to keep Dwight Howard happy. I will say this though. I think the addition of Hedo Turkoglu will help. He's another option who can run the point position on some plays to maybe take advantage of some other small forwards around the league. That is my bold position. He's played in this system before, he can pick it up where he left off.

Corey Maggette Trade has MAJOR IMPLICATIONS ON WARRIORS FUTURE

The Trade:

Milwaukee trades Dan Gadzuric and Charlie Bell to the Golden State Warriors for Corey Maggette and the 44th pick in the draft.

The Contracts:

Dan Gadzuric - 1 more year (2010-2011 season) for $7.2 million
Charlie Bell - 2 more years for $3.8 million, then $4.0 million

Corey Maggette - 3 more years for $9.6, $10.2, $10.9 million

What Milwaukee is receiving

This is a good trade for Milwaukee. Why? Corey Maggette can score. His career with the Clippers was as a player who was a first or second option behind Elton Brand. These Clipper teams sucked and he was not re-signed and left to Golden State. Golden State simply is not a good team. They have had a lot of internal problems that start from the coach and management who feel that even if they lose 70% of their games, if the team scores a lot and it's fun, we'll still make money. This team saw Corey Maggette as just another SG/SF who if he's open, will shoot just like anyone else on the team (Monta, Curry, Stephen Jackson, Jamal Crawford, etc.) These past two years, he averaged 18 and 20 points but the team had no success.

As a Milwaukee Buck, he'll be a third option behind Andrew Bogut and Brandon Jennings. With John Salmons likely opting out of the last year of his contract to get a healthy contract elsewhere, Maggette will fill that role of a scoring swingman to run alongside Jennings. Another 8th seed or above is not so inconceivable depending on how the rest of free agency shapes out.

All it cost them was PF/C Gadzuric who barely played and an aging Charlie Bell who can still hit a 3 pointer.

What Golden State is receiving

Trash. Like I said, Gadzuric barely plays and Charlie Bell is a third stringer maybe 2nd stringer on the Warriors. What the Warriors are REALLY receiving is a flexible future.

With this trade, they'll still pay the $10 million that was owed to Maggette with the combined salaries of Gadzuric and Bell. But next summer, and the summer after that when Gadzuric and Bell's contracts come off the books respectively, they can use that money to sign some depth players or a bigger name FA.

What else does this trade say about the Warriors future? It says they're looking to build the team around Stephen Curry and/or Monta Ellis. Ellis is signed until the 2014 season and Curry until the 2013 season. Having two small starting guards is a predicament all itself and I'm still not sure if they can win with not just two small starting guards but THESE two small starting guards who are almost exactly the same player. But the known future is without Corey Maggette and if you're keeping count, that's the fourth SG/SF they've gotten rid of in recent memory (Stephen Jackson, Jamal Crawford, Jason Richardson, and now Corey Maggette).

The trade offers some flexibility in the near future: Gadzuric is a $7 million dollar expiring contract and if recent history has taught us anything (Kwame Brown for Pau Gasol), it's that expiring contracts, regardless of who the player is, are valuable. Some team out there will be looking for a new home for a disgruntled/not-working-out-so-well Mid Level Exception player with a couple years left on contract that might tickle the fancy of the Warriors front office. Flexibility. Options.

Flexibility for next summer: The Warriors have the same payroll as they did before the trade (matching contract dollar amounts) for this upcoming year. They still have enough money to spend on a not so max contract kind of player (not LeBron, Wade or Bosh, but maybe Boozer, David Lee or Brad Miller).

With the Maggette trade, they can sign one of those latter three names (or a player to their level of talent) and then sign ANOTHER such player, or even better than said players, next year as well as Gadzuric's $7 million will come off the books. As I said before, they can also use this money to sign some bench players for depth and maybe use it on a Mid Level Exception type player. Flexible future!

To make that easier to understand:

• GS Payroll this summer before AND after the trade: $55 million.
• GS Payroll next summer before trade: Around $34 million. After trade: Around $28 million.
  

With the Salary cap likely to be around the mid $70 million range, the Golden State Warriors have more money to play with/more options to look at.

If you're a Warriors fan: you are hoping to the basketball gods above that the Warriors aren't done making moves. You're hoping they sign a top FA this summer and continue to make cap space either for depth or another top name FA next summer. They've got the money, let's hope they don't eff it all up like they did with the Maggette signing two summers ago!

Some other things they have to deal with:

1. Andris Biedrins' $9 million a year contract until the 2014 season. Ughh. This guy is not a good Center and is crippling the Warriors roster. A Center with no post moves, no free throw shooting, no killer instinct, no decent hair cut who barely plays and is only suited for the run-n-gun style the Warriors play, which is a terrible way to play as proven by the last 3-4 years of no basketball success besides the taking out the fraud Mavericks number 1 seed.
2. Brandan Wright and Anthony Randolph: both signed at least for the next couple of years yet they barely play. Wright is a PF and Randolph an SF. With Corey leaving, they'll be looking for a PF/C player so perhaps Randolph will finally get some decent playing time. The Warriors will have to make a decision on what to do with Wright. Either ship him for a draft pick or some kind of package deal or let him play!

Overall, I'm very proud of the Warriors making this move as they strive for a better future and take out the trash they seem to have subtly admitted overpaid for. Again, this better be the first of at least two or three they do this summer.

Contract info from HoopsHype

Dallas trades Josh Howard, Drew Gooden, James Singleton, and Quinton Ross for Caron Butler, Brendan Haywood, DeShawn Stevenson

Nice first step, Caron!

(Photo from Nice Kicks)
Do you remember the preseason? When the Wizards were thought to be a playoff contender with a healthy big 3 of Arenas, Butler and Jamison, the additions of Mike Miller and Randy Foye, with Brendan Haywood in the middle? This team could only go up from their 2008-2009 19-win season, right?

Well Jamison started the year off hurt with a bum shoulder, and the team started 2-7. Then Mike Miller got hurt and missed 28 games plus a 7 minute outing at the beginning of those 24. The team went 8-13 in a 21 game stretch he missed. And in the beginning of January, Gilbert Arenas and Javaris Crittenton brought their guns out and have been suspended for the rest of the season. Caron Butler is the only iron man of the big names the 17-win Wizards have, but the Wizards said forget this season, let's make a deal.

So Dallas comes along. After a preseason of trading for Shawn Marion and signing Drew Gooden, Quinton Ross and Tim Thomas, the Mavericks were up there in possible teams to dethrone the Lakers. And wouldn't you know it, the second game of the season they beat the Lakers (sans Pau). But lately it seems like they've been struggling, going 4-6 in their last 10 games, including losses to teams they should beat: Philadelphia, Minnesota, and the Portland (sans Oden and Roy - the Andre Miller 52 point game). Dallas is now 32-20 and 4th in the West with San Antonio, Oklahoma and Phoenix 1.5 games behind and Portland 2.5 games behind, meaning there's a not so far fetched possibility of Dallas falling to 8th place or lower in the West!

Contractually Speaking

Josh Howard - $10.8 million due this season, team option next season for $11.8 million
Drew Gooden - $4.5 million due this season, free agent next season
Quinton Ross - $1 million due this season, team option next season for $1.1 million
James Singleton - $1 million due this season, free agent next season

Caron Butler - $9.7 million due this season, $10.5 million due next season
Brendan Haywood - $6 million due this season, free agent next season
DeShawn Stevenson - $3.8 million due this season, $4.1 million due next season
(Source Hoops Hype)

Dallas Point Of View

With the struggling Mavericks comes the struggling Josh Howard. He's played in 32 games this season, starting in 9 and is well below his past couple of years' averages. This season he's putting up 12.5/3.6/1.4 on 40% shooting in 26 minutes compared to last years' 18/5.1/1.6 on 45.1% shooting in 32 minutes (starting, but only in 52 games due to injury).

The Drew Gooden signing didn't seem to work out either. He put up decent numbers (averaging 9 pts, 7 reb) as a bench player but said Cuban: "Damp [Erick Dampier] is having problems with his knees and requires rest every now and then, and we were in a spot without having a shot-blocker behind him. Drew did a great job. He laid it out there every game for us to try to fill in. Going into the season we thought that would work, and it just didn't play out as planned." (Dallas News) (Photo from Zimbio).

Replacing them will be Brendan Haywood and 2x all star Caron Butler. Plain and simple, the Mavericks win in this trade. Caron Butler is averaging 17/6/2 and is one of those freak athletes that can put up youtube worthy highlights with his fast breaks. Putting him with Jason Kidd will have positive results.

Brendan Haywood, averaging 10/10 with 2 blocks is another version of Erick Dampier. When Damp is out, the same kind of shot blocking center replaces him. He's a better scorer than Dampier as well (Photo from SI Vault).

And DeShawn Stevenson - Mike Miller took almost all of his minutes in Washington but he is a good defender and athlete. Although he's not a star and is more well known for his little "rivalry" with LeBron, he's more than just a throw in for the Mavs.

How is the starting lineup and depth chart going to look for Dallas? Probably something like

C- Erick Dampier - Brendan Haywood
PF - Dirk Nowitzki - Shawn Marion
SF - Caron Butler - Shawn Marion
SG - Jason Terry - DeShawn Stevenson
PG - Jason Kidd - Jose Barea

Caron Butler can also play SG and Shawn Marion could start at SF putting Jason Terry back in his 6th man role off the bench.

This is a nice looking squad. It's a definite upgrade from the underwhelming play of Josh Howard and a solid back up center for Erick Dampier. More bigs to bang with the Lakers' Bynum and Gasol, the Nuggets' Nene and Martin, and San Antonio's Duncan and Blair. Put that with the scoring abilities of Dirk, Caron, Marion and Terry run by Jason Kidd at point and this offense should have no problem putting points on the board as well as improving their defensive end with Caron and Stevenson guarding some of the top wing players in the league.

Washington Point of View

As mentioned, this team probably won't make the playoffs (8 games behind for the 8th seed, currently 14th in the East only better than the Nets). The team needs to start fresh. They've tried voiding Arenas' contract after the gun incident and with only two years left on Caron's contract, could they put something positive together for two years and re sign him? Also, there's only one year left on Mike Miller's contract and would he want to resign with a bad team? Too much uncertainty. Shed money and maybe sign a big name in the 2010 free agent class.

(Photo from beloblog)
Let's do some math: With this trade, the Wizards shed $14.6 million from next year's payroll. In total, with Mike Miller, Mike James, Oberto and Crittenton coming off the books, the Wizards will go from $77 million to $40 million like THAT. $30 million dollars give or take to sign an all star, a high draft pick, and some solid role/bench players to go along, (HOPEFULLY) with a healthy, law abiding Arenas and Antawn Jamison, although I wouldn't be surprised if either both or just Antawn Jamison was somehow moved before next season.

This season? Well... let the tanking begin? Drew Gooden will be starting at Center for sure and you gotta replace Caron with Howard for a lineup and rotation that should look something like:

C: Drew Gooden - JaVale McGee
PF: Antawn Jamison - Andray Blatch
SF: Josh Howard - Nick Young
SG: Mike Miller - Quinton Ross
PG: Randy Foye - Earl Boykins

I honestly feel sorry for the Washington Wizards. Gilbert Arenas really screwed them over. This was the year he'd stay healthy and take a step in the right direction to make the playoffs and lure a middle tier big name from the 2010 free agent class to take them to the next step. Instead, they'll miss the playoffs again, Mike Miller would leave and Caron if he wasn't traded would leave in the next few seasons. The Wizards did what they had to do and are on the way to starting fresh.

For Dallas, this might be THE team. And they'll have the same team next year with an expiring Dampier contract worth $13 million that could be used to pull off ANOTHER big trade. Time will tell for Dallas on how this team will work, but for the Wizards, close the book on this season.