Baron Davis Amnesty Clause Release: This was a tough call to make, as Davis brought leadership and confidence to the Cavs last year, not to mention the Clippers' #1 pick, which was used to draft Kyrie Irving. Davis will still be paid while his back injury heals, and his departure clears up space both in the salary cap and on the roster--a win-win for all involved.
It should be pretty exciting to see Irving, Ramon Sessions, and Daniel Gibson get their time--Sessions and Gibson showed very good court chemistry together last year. Likewise, the on-court chemistry of Anthony Parker and Omri Casspi should make the offense look a lot more fluent. Lastly, having Anderson Varejao back in the lineup with Tristan Thompson coming off the bench should help build up the defense's identity. Defense is as important to coach Byron Scott as it was to coach Mike Brown; many analysts and fans miss the fact that Scott's playoff teams in New Jersey and New Orleans ranked in the Top 5 in fewest points allowed per game.
Chris Paul Trade to Clippers: As the dust clears from the deal that finally cleared the NBA's jurisdiction, it is evident that youth and future potential were preferred over current abilities. As the GM and head coach, Dell Demps and Monty Williams would have loved to have Lamar Odom, Kevin Martin, and Luis Scola in their starting lineup with Goran Dragic backing up Jarrett Jack. A first-round draft pick added future potential. Should things have not been looking good after half a season to a season, the Hornets could have made additional trades of these capable players to make proper adjustments. In the end, it is hard not to feel at least a little bit sorry for Demps and Williams in this drawn out situation.
Regardless, the team needed to trade Chris Paul rather than watch him walk away via free agency. Eric Gordon is a younger option as opposed to Martin while Al-Farouq Aminu still has time to figure out his potential. Chris Kaman brings a skill set to the table that is comparable to Luis Scola, and his natural fit at center will allow Emeka Okafor to play his natural position of power forward. Add in a first-round pick and the Hornets received adequate compensation for their former franchise point guard.
Meanwhile, the Clippers gain Chris Paul, who is one of the best point guards in the game today. If he can stay healthy, he may go down as one of the best NBA point guards ever. His impact will be immediate, as he now gets to partner with Blake Griffin and Andre Jordan. Odds are that Paul and Chauncey Billups share a lot of time on the court together, causing mismatches for some opponents. If they can experience early success, there is a decent chance Paul spends several years with the team.
However, the injury bug has hit Paul a couple times during his career; he also tends to play through several nagging injuries. Paul is a great player now, but many guards with an all-out style are forced to scale back later in their careers (for example, Allen Iverson). Adding in the fact that Griffin had a major injury a couple years ago, the Clippers now have their futures invested in 2 good but risky players--similar to the days of the talented but injured Ron Harper and Danny Manning. Even staying healthy, the Clippers only have Paul under contract for the next 2 years. After 2 years, he could walk away from the Clippers, instead of the Hornets, with no compensation awaiting.
Bulls Sign Hamilton: The Chicago Bulls did something that a number of contending teams struggle to do after a disappointing ending in the playoffs: fill a need. Looking back, had the Bulls successfully landed Hamilton last season before the trade deadline, they may have been in the Finals versus the Mavericks instead of the Heat. Hamilton brings Reggie Miller-like sharpshooting and cutting to the lineup and is at the very least serviceable on defense. If his defense is subpar compared to his defense earlier in his career, his frequent movement on offense will still wear down opposing players and break the monotony of the Derrick Rose isolation sets. This also will help reduce the team's reliance on the offensive rebounding of Carlos Boozer and Joakim Noah, as the key to stopping the Bulls last season was less about stopping the MVP Rose and more about boxing out Boozer and Noah.
The Bulls still need to keep their post players healthy, though, and Hamilton joins the team coming off an injury-plagued season. Moreover, Hamilton became part of a counterculture forming in Detroit last season, so the team will need him to put the bad memories of a losing season in the past. If Hamilton can bring the mindset that he and his 2004 champion Detroit Pistons had, the Bulls could finally return to the Finals without Jordan, Pippen, and Phil Jackson leading the way.
Mavericks Trade Fernandez and Brewer, Sign West: The Mavericks may have brought Lamar Odom and Vince Carter to town, but Rudy Fernandez appears ready to have a breakout year. Sending Fernandez to Denver may be a move the team regrets down the road, but they recovered nicely by adding Delonte West. As for Brewer, he was used sparingly, so it makes sense to clear the logjam of swingmen that the Mavs have and also reduce payroll. The included second round pick may have been more filler than anything, as the team has not drafted well in recent years.
Meanwhile, the additions of Odom and West will help fill the void of super mismatch J.J. Barea, who helped power the team towards the NBA championship. Odom's and West's versatility on both sides of the court will blend well with the versatility of Dirk Nowitzki and Jason Terry, with their ballhandling skills taking some pressure off Jason Kidd. Similarly, their defensive abilities will help cover for the loss of DeShawn Stevenson, who could guard multiple positions. As it stands, the Mavericks made some good moves to help them in their pursuit of a second NBA championship.
It should be pretty exciting to see Irving, Ramon Sessions, and Daniel Gibson get their time--Sessions and Gibson showed very good court chemistry together last year. Likewise, the on-court chemistry of Anthony Parker and Omri Casspi should make the offense look a lot more fluent. Lastly, having Anderson Varejao back in the lineup with Tristan Thompson coming off the bench should help build up the defense's identity. Defense is as important to coach Byron Scott as it was to coach Mike Brown; many analysts and fans miss the fact that Scott's playoff teams in New Jersey and New Orleans ranked in the Top 5 in fewest points allowed per game.
Chris Paul Trade to Clippers: As the dust clears from the deal that finally cleared the NBA's jurisdiction, it is evident that youth and future potential were preferred over current abilities. As the GM and head coach, Dell Demps and Monty Williams would have loved to have Lamar Odom, Kevin Martin, and Luis Scola in their starting lineup with Goran Dragic backing up Jarrett Jack. A first-round draft pick added future potential. Should things have not been looking good after half a season to a season, the Hornets could have made additional trades of these capable players to make proper adjustments. In the end, it is hard not to feel at least a little bit sorry for Demps and Williams in this drawn out situation.
Regardless, the team needed to trade Chris Paul rather than watch him walk away via free agency. Eric Gordon is a younger option as opposed to Martin while Al-Farouq Aminu still has time to figure out his potential. Chris Kaman brings a skill set to the table that is comparable to Luis Scola, and his natural fit at center will allow Emeka Okafor to play his natural position of power forward. Add in a first-round pick and the Hornets received adequate compensation for their former franchise point guard.
Meanwhile, the Clippers gain Chris Paul, who is one of the best point guards in the game today. If he can stay healthy, he may go down as one of the best NBA point guards ever. His impact will be immediate, as he now gets to partner with Blake Griffin and Andre Jordan. Odds are that Paul and Chauncey Billups share a lot of time on the court together, causing mismatches for some opponents. If they can experience early success, there is a decent chance Paul spends several years with the team.
However, the injury bug has hit Paul a couple times during his career; he also tends to play through several nagging injuries. Paul is a great player now, but many guards with an all-out style are forced to scale back later in their careers (for example, Allen Iverson). Adding in the fact that Griffin had a major injury a couple years ago, the Clippers now have their futures invested in 2 good but risky players--similar to the days of the talented but injured Ron Harper and Danny Manning. Even staying healthy, the Clippers only have Paul under contract for the next 2 years. After 2 years, he could walk away from the Clippers, instead of the Hornets, with no compensation awaiting.
Bulls Sign Hamilton: The Chicago Bulls did something that a number of contending teams struggle to do after a disappointing ending in the playoffs: fill a need. Looking back, had the Bulls successfully landed Hamilton last season before the trade deadline, they may have been in the Finals versus the Mavericks instead of the Heat. Hamilton brings Reggie Miller-like sharpshooting and cutting to the lineup and is at the very least serviceable on defense. If his defense is subpar compared to his defense earlier in his career, his frequent movement on offense will still wear down opposing players and break the monotony of the Derrick Rose isolation sets. This also will help reduce the team's reliance on the offensive rebounding of Carlos Boozer and Joakim Noah, as the key to stopping the Bulls last season was less about stopping the MVP Rose and more about boxing out Boozer and Noah.
The Bulls still need to keep their post players healthy, though, and Hamilton joins the team coming off an injury-plagued season. Moreover, Hamilton became part of a counterculture forming in Detroit last season, so the team will need him to put the bad memories of a losing season in the past. If Hamilton can bring the mindset that he and his 2004 champion Detroit Pistons had, the Bulls could finally return to the Finals without Jordan, Pippen, and Phil Jackson leading the way.
Mavericks Trade Fernandez and Brewer, Sign West: The Mavericks may have brought Lamar Odom and Vince Carter to town, but Rudy Fernandez appears ready to have a breakout year. Sending Fernandez to Denver may be a move the team regrets down the road, but they recovered nicely by adding Delonte West. As for Brewer, he was used sparingly, so it makes sense to clear the logjam of swingmen that the Mavs have and also reduce payroll. The included second round pick may have been more filler than anything, as the team has not drafted well in recent years.
Meanwhile, the additions of Odom and West will help fill the void of super mismatch J.J. Barea, who helped power the team towards the NBA championship. Odom's and West's versatility on both sides of the court will blend well with the versatility of Dirk Nowitzki and Jason Terry, with their ballhandling skills taking some pressure off Jason Kidd. Similarly, their defensive abilities will help cover for the loss of DeShawn Stevenson, who could guard multiple positions. As it stands, the Mavericks made some good moves to help them in their pursuit of a second NBA championship.