| 02 February 2009
(Editor's Note: Cory Elfrink was the original writer for Talkhoops.net when I started this site. He now does work for Owner's Edge, Rototimes, Fanball, and more. He had a running piece for us called Trade That Should Happen in which he attempted to fix teams who needed some roster help. We've brought that back as we gear up for the NBA Trade Deadline. Enjoy)
Here is his first entry with a Bulls-Kings swap idea.
Here is his second entry with a Bucks-Jazz swap idea.
For many of us who follow the NBA, dreaming up massive, multi-team trades is one of our favorite pastimes. However, history tells us that the likelihood of these deals ever being executed is slimmer than Anthony Randolph.
Looking at the rosters of the Clippers, Heat, and Warriors it becomes obvious that all three need some tinkering. In the past, I have used this space to discuss simple two-team swaps. This time around, I'll attempt to demonstrate why a three-team, blockbuster - that includes a modest five players - needs to happen. With a single trade, these three franchises can unclog crowded positions, strengthen weaknesses, and re-establish a clear plan regarding their futures.
The State of the Clippers
Awful.
There was a lot more expected of the Clippers after acquiring Baron Davis, Marcus Camby, and Ricky Davis in the offseason, yet their season is already lost. Not only is the team 10-35, but there appears to be a feud between head coach/GM Mike Dunleavy and superstar Baron Davis. To make matters worse, Davis just signed his five-year, $65 million contract this past offseason. The enigmatic point guard missed 13 games with a bruised tailbone before returning to go 1-for-10 from the field on Wednesday against the Bulls.
The rest of the team has not been much better. Zach Randolph has missed 17 games due to a bruised knee and he could miss six weeks before all is said and done. Perhaps more questionable is that the same game Randolph started his Clippers' career Chris Kaman lasted just 12 minutes before realizing he had a sore foot. He was diagnosed with a strained arch and has incredibly missed two months of action. Prior to Randolph's arrival, Kaman had been playing more than 35 minutes per game without any signs of an injury.
Simply put, this roster is a mess, their cap situation is a joke, and their veterans' egos are poisonous to the future of the team. That future is rookie shooting guard Eric Gordon, second-year workhorse Al Thornton, and young role-players like Mardy Collins, DeAndre Jordan, and Mike Taylor.
The Clippers need to shed some egos and expensive deals, open up some cap space, and re-focus on their future after a disastrous collection of players put together by former-GM Elgin Baylor clearly will not get it done.
The State of the Heat
The Heat have been connected with as many trade rumors as any team in the league thanks to Shawn Marion's massive expiring contract, his awkward fit with the team, obvious holes in their starting lineup (point guard and center), and their current record, which is currently tied for fifth best in the East. Moving Marion also allows the team to open up more minutes for No. 2 overall selection Michael Beasley. The rookie has made nice strides throughout the season despite playing less than 25 minutes per game to this point.
The most prominent rumors have suggested that the Heat could land Jermaine O'Neal or Brad Miller in return for The Matrix. Both deals fill their hole at center, but it's questionable if they are getting appropriate value in return. Marion may be the most sought after trade commodity out there, and you can bet that Pat Riley will pull as many strings as possible to get maximum value in return.
Rookie Mario Chalmers has started for the Heat at point guard all season long, and he has done an admirable job. But it seems unlikely that they will be able to rely on him for consistent, inspired play throughout the second half of his rookie season. An upgrade would be desirable.
The State of the Warriors
After racking up 90 wins over the past two seasons, something has gone awry in Golden State. The Warriors are currently 14-32 and their top 10 salaried players on their team are signed through 2011. The result is that no one appears completely safe within the organization.
Last summer they let Baron Davis go in free agency after he had led the team to their best two-year period since 1990-92. They inked Corey Maggette in a questionable signing and then later moved Al Harrington for Jamal Crawford in another move surrounded by controversy.
Monta Ellis, who signed a six-year $66 million contract in the summer, recently returned from his severe ankle injury and the early reviews of the Ellis-Crawford backcourt have been universally negative. Neither player is a true point guard, as they both need around 15 shots per game to be effective. That wouldn't be so bad if Stephen Jackson and Corey Maggette didn't require a total of 25 shots between the two of them. Essentially, the Warriors have four gunners, who play two positions, and they all need 35 minutes per game to justify the money invested in them.
Coach Don Nelson's Warriors were supposed to be one of the most entertaining teams in the league, but they are quickly becoming a bad and boring squad without any leadership. The fans want what they had in the recent past, and it may not be too difficult to get it back.
The Trade That Should Happen
As previously mentioned, a single trade can help these teams unclog crowded positions, strengthen weaknesses, and re-establish a clear plan regarding their futures.
Clippers receive Shawn Marion, C.J. Watson, and a future 1st round pick from the Heat (thanks Mike Mac)
Miami receives Marcus Camby and Jamal Crawford
Golden State receives Baron Davis
Most people who have been following the NBA this season would probably agree that Mike Dunleavy would love to move Davis and his superstar contract. What's even more obvious to many, is that there are not enough minutes to go around for a healthy big man trio of Chris Kaman, Zach Randolph, and Marcus Camby.
Moving Davis and Camby for Marion's expiring deal, another 1st round pick, and a cheap capable point guard (Watson) would allow the Clippers the chance to start anew in the offseason. Not only would they have two first-round picks and four legit starters (Gordon, Thornton, Randolph, and Kaman), but they would also have a decent supporting cast and only $36.9 million tied up heading into free agency. They would certainly have enough space to lure Andre Miller or Mike Bibby, both of whom will be free agents this summer.
The Heat would maximize their trade chip, Marion, by significantly upgrade their two most glaring needs with excellent players. Camby is one of the best defenders in the league and requires few touches on offenses. Crawford would join Dwyane Wade in the backcourt and would split ball-handling duties with the superstar. Remarkably, Wade would be the first All-Star that Crawford ever played with. More unbelievable might be the fact that the Heat would be the first team that Crawford has ever been with that holds a winning record. The combination of those two facts might turn the normally quick-triggered Crawford into more of a team player. Regardless, a lineup of Crawford-Wade-Beasley-Haslem-Camby is much more intimidating than their current starting mix that features Joel Anthony and Chalmers.
Finally, Golden State and Don Nelson get back their leader and, more importantly, a very good point guard. They would still probably want to move another player (probably Maggette), as the battle for shot may continue to be a problem. With their leader back, though, they would be back on their way to restoring the magic that so quickly disappeared from the Bay Area over the summer.
Will It Happen?
Admittedly, this seems like a long shot.
The Clippers would likely jump all over it, as it wou ld save Mike Dunleavy's job by getting them out of an ugly situation.
Would the Heat want to insert Crawford into their starting lineup? That's questionable, but there's no doubt they would like to add Camby at center until the summer of 2010. However, if the Crawford experiment didn't work, they would be locked into him for three seasons and $28.1 million (including this season). It wouldn't be too far-fetched if they turned him into a Jason Terry-like sixth-man and kept him as insurance for Dwyane Wade.
Golden State would be the likely hold up here. Bringing Baron back is basically admitting that they screwed up last offseason. With job security already thin in the Warriors' front office, this move could trigger a domino effect of firings. Furthermore, trading Crawford's contract for Davis' puts them in even more salary cap misery. They would be a better team with Baron at the point, as they were the past two seasons. If the mix were to genuinely "click" for them once again, they would have their team set for a multi-year run at the playoffs.
When all is said and done, there are very seldom trades like this to have happened in the history of the NBA. Again, this trade might be a long shot, but I have little doubt that it would benefit all teams involved - and isn't that what trades are meant to do?
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