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NorthEastPortland'sFinest
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Nets trade Shawne Williams, Mehmet Okur and a first-round pick to New Jersey for Gerald Wallace.
Portland: A
The Blazers are flailing, but this was absolutely the right move for them -- a means to a quickie rebuilding project that can have them back in the West's upper crust while LaMarcus Aldridge is still in his prime. Or so they hope.
The top-3 protected draft choice from the Nets is the key. It's likely to fall in the 6-to-10 range, giving the Blazers a shot at a high lottery pick.
There are two other angles here. First, they are assured that Wallace won't opt in for $9.5 million next year and screw up their cap situation; instead they're locked into $3.1 million for Williams and roughly $2.5 million for the first-round pick. If they also deal Jamal Crawford (or if he opts out, which seems likely), they'll be $25 million under the cap next summer, which means they have the wherewithal to re-sign Nicolas Batum and plunge into the free-agent market.
Second, while Williams was useless in New Jersey as a 3, he's had some success as a 4 off the bench. That could be his role in Portland, since Wallace had effectively taken over as the backup power forward. Alternatively, the trade could open playing time for Luke Babbitt -- who has played well in recent garbage-time stints -- or the scandalously underutilized Craig Smith.
Finally, this clears up a perimeter jumble for Portland. Batum gets to start at the 3, his natural position, and if Crawford goes, it appears Wes Matthews and Elliot Williams can share the shooting guard spot.
New Jersey: D+
The Nets made a reckless gamble at the trade deadline for the second year in a row; last year it was Williams, this year it's trading a lottery pick for Wallace.
I put a "plus" on their D for one reason: Wallace was one of the players Orlando coveted in earlier Dwight Howard trade scenarios, which means the Nets maintain a stockpile of players that could be converted into Howard on draft day or early this summer.
If Wallace stays, that is, which is by no means certain. He can opt out after the season and become an unrestricted free agent, although New Jersey may wiggle an extension in front of him and see if he bites. I'm not sure that's a great outcome either, though, since Wallace turns 30 in July and is visibly less athletic than in his Charlotte days.
So basically, the Nets gave up a lottery pick for a midtier starter who can leave as a free agent. If he stays, New Jersey is still in pretty good shape cap-wise; the Nets would have enough cap room to re-sign Kris Humphries and Brook Lopez and could go after a big-time free agent even if Deron Williams leaves.
And one can see what they're trying to do, at least: sell Williams on a starting five with MarShon Brooks, Wallace, Humpries and Lopez, with Anthony Morrow, Jordan Farmar and Gerald Green off the bench. That's a pretty good team, right? But I'm not sure "pretty good" is enough of a lure when the siren song of a Dallas homecoming is calling.
Portland: A
The Blazers are flailing, but this was absolutely the right move for them -- a means to a quickie rebuilding project that can have them back in the West's upper crust while LaMarcus Aldridge is still in his prime. Or so they hope.
The top-3 protected draft choice from the Nets is the key. It's likely to fall in the 6-to-10 range, giving the Blazers a shot at a high lottery pick.
There are two other angles here. First, they are assured that Wallace won't opt in for $9.5 million next year and screw up their cap situation; instead they're locked into $3.1 million for Williams and roughly $2.5 million for the first-round pick. If they also deal Jamal Crawford (or if he opts out, which seems likely), they'll be $25 million under the cap next summer, which means they have the wherewithal to re-sign Nicolas Batum and plunge into the free-agent market.
Second, while Williams was useless in New Jersey as a 3, he's had some success as a 4 off the bench. That could be his role in Portland, since Wallace had effectively taken over as the backup power forward. Alternatively, the trade could open playing time for Luke Babbitt -- who has played well in recent garbage-time stints -- or the scandalously underutilized Craig Smith.
Finally, this clears up a perimeter jumble for Portland. Batum gets to start at the 3, his natural position, and if Crawford goes, it appears Wes Matthews and Elliot Williams can share the shooting guard spot.
New Jersey: D+
The Nets made a reckless gamble at the trade deadline for the second year in a row; last year it was Williams, this year it's trading a lottery pick for Wallace.
I put a "plus" on their D for one reason: Wallace was one of the players Orlando coveted in earlier Dwight Howard trade scenarios, which means the Nets maintain a stockpile of players that could be converted into Howard on draft day or early this summer.
If Wallace stays, that is, which is by no means certain. He can opt out after the season and become an unrestricted free agent, although New Jersey may wiggle an extension in front of him and see if he bites. I'm not sure that's a great outcome either, though, since Wallace turns 30 in July and is visibly less athletic than in his Charlotte days.
So basically, the Nets gave up a lottery pick for a midtier starter who can leave as a free agent. If he stays, New Jersey is still in pretty good shape cap-wise; the Nets would have enough cap room to re-sign Kris Humphries and Brook Lopez and could go after a big-time free agent even if Deron Williams leaves.
And one can see what they're trying to do, at least: sell Williams on a starting five with MarShon Brooks, Wallace, Humpries and Lopez, with Anthony Morrow, Jordan Farmar and Gerald Green off the bench. That's a pretty good team, right? But I'm not sure "pretty good" is enough of a lure when the siren song of a Dallas homecoming is calling.
