Welcome to “Trades That Should Happen”. This section will analyze trade scenarios that are intended to work financially and to put the trading partners in better positions to win.
This coming summer we are seeing more big names shopped than ever before; Shawn Marion, Jermaine O’Neal, Pau Gasol, Kevin Garnett, and Kobe Bryant to name a few. There are a number of teams looking to change chemistries and hopefully direction.
Each day between the launch of Talkhoops.net and the June 28st draft, I will feature a theoretical trade that I feel should and could happen. We’ll start with two teams that are in awkward positions with regards to their future.
Logo Property of Phoenix Suns , Courtesy of Photobucket.com
After posting the second best record in all of basketball, why in the world would the Phoenix Suns be talking trade?
We know by now that the administration has apparently been handed a direct order from the ownership demanding that new GM Steve Kerr and company must slash payroll by as much as $8 million dollars their first year on the job.
Why? At $76 million dollars Phoenix’s payroll is already above the luxury tax threshold for the upcoming season. For the few teams who pay their players an exorbitant amount, they have to also pay a luxury tax. For exceeding this tax amount, owners are punished by being forced to pay one dollar to the NBA for each dollar by which their payroll exceeds the tax level.
This year’s payroll is up $10 million from last year do in large part to huge pay raises coming to Leandro Barbosa and Boris Diaw. To make matters worse, they still must sign 5 more players. Payroll needs to be cut or someone’s going to lose a lot of money.
Although popular players like Amare Stoudamire and Shawn Marion’s names are rumored to be on the market, all is not lost for Suns fans. As you’ll see shortly, they can be better-longer without Marion.
Logo Property of Memphis Grizzlies, Courtesy of Photobucket.com
Memphis is a young promising team led by 26 year-old Pau Gasol, who is arguably the league’s second best center, assuming Greg Oden has to play first before titles are handed his way.
Memphis is loaded at both forward spots with 6 quality contributors and plenty of youth already manning the positions.
Mike Miller, 27 years young, most recently had his most impressive year in an underrated career. The team is high on Rudy Gay’s talents, but had to develop him on the perimeter last year with the logjam at SF. Hakim Warrick also proved his value stepping up big when Gasol went down.
At PF they were less than impressive, but all average: Stromile Swift, Alexander Johnson, and Brian Cardinal.
Memphis also holds the fourth pick in next Thursday’s NBA Draft. A pick that will likely see an abundance of athletic forwards such as Brandan Wright, Yi Jianlian, Al Horford, Corey Brewer, Jeff Green and Julian Wright still on the board. But is a lottery pick forward going to help the young team win?
The top players in this year’s class are wonderfully athletic and versatile and it’s no surprise to hear people say “If he could somehow get teamed with Steve Nash and the Phoenix suns, he’s going to be an awesome player.” It’s the same thing they said about Rudy Gay last year and Hakim Warrick before that, but there they are in Memphis.Better By LOSING Marion?
Courtesy of azcentral.com
Well, there actually are a few things that could use some change. They simply need more players, especially at center and power forward. They must find a quality 4th guard to rotate with Nash, Bell and Barbosa who all logged more than 40 minutes a game in the playoffs.
There are Mike D’Antoni style players all over this league who are longing for their career year along Steve Nash. Kerr now has to find them. His targets should possess fitness, range, good hands, high shooting percentages, transition game ability and great athleticism.
- Phoenix is thin at both center and power forward. Aside from Stoudamire, and the occasional Kurt Thomas appearance, Boris Diaw had to battle all the way through last year.
Diaw was asked to play with more power and bulked up, but that experiment has officially failed. Diaw went from 35.5 minutes a night and averages of 13.3 points, 6.9 rebounds and 6.2 assists to 31.2, 9.7, 4.8 and 4.3 respectively.
What happened to the consistent production and occasional big games we saw in 05-06? Amare came back in full force and allowed Marion to play the SF position 35 minutes a night.
Diaw’s best use is as a utility forward, not a power forward. A utility forward can bring the ball up, like Hill or Odom, set up open shooters, like Webber or LeBron and like Diaw was doing all year when he was lighter and quicker. A utility forward can post you up and hit the midrange jumpers. They tend to be long and athletic with a high basketball IQ.
Let’s not forget, he was drafted out of France as a PG because that’s what his skills naturally are. He would later become the 6th Man of the Year because of his versatility.
Boris, please shed 15-25 this off-season and come back like a man ready to win a championship. You could easily get 35 minutes again in D’Antoni’s system. You’re now getting paid like you do.
- One could also argue that Phoenix has failed to provide Steve Nash with that long-ball assassin since Atlanta’s Joe Johnson was spotting up.
Bell and Barbosa both shot over 40% last year, but nothing like when Joe Johnson was floating 177 threes thru the nets. Johnson’s last year in Phoenix he shot a game changing 48% from behind the arc.
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