Trades That Should Happen

The NBA offseason is becoming duller by the second, with the last big-name free agents finding teams, and with very few moves being dissected from every angle. Since I agree with almost everything that has been written around the web regarding Lamar Odom resigning with the Lakers, Andre Miller signing with the Blazers, and the Emeka Okafor-Tyson Chandler trade, allow me to avoid writing the same things myself, and instead write 2 new ideas for trades that absolutely, positively should happen.

The Los Angeles Clippers trade Marcus Camby to the Chicago Bulls for Kirk Hinrich:

A trade option that is getting no mention, yet in my opinion is a coup for both teams. The Clippers have a very crowded frontcourt, with Chris Kaman, No. 1 draft pick Blake Griffin, the newly acquired Craig Smith, and the young, promising DeAndre Jordan. With four players already vying for minutes, the 35 year old Camby seems both redundant, and too old for the teams youth movement. Hinrich, on the other hand, has been in trade rumors for years now, especially this summer. With Derrick Rose poised to man the point for the next decade, last years trade deadline acquisition John Salmons expected to start at the 2, and the return of Jannero Pargo, Hinrich seems expandable.

Enter this switch. Both teams get what they want: The Bulls have been starving for a decent center for years, and though Camby isn't a very strong low post scorer, he has a decent mid-range shot (upping his shooting percentage last year to 51%), and is a shot blocking and rebounding machine. This gives the Bulls a very solid frontcourt rotation of Camby, Brad Miller, Joakim Noah, and, if they wish to keep him, Tyrus Thomas. Perhaps more importantly, this unloads Hinrich's 3 year contract, with Camby's deal coming off the books next summer, enabling the Bulls to make a run for Chicago native Dwyane Wade.

The Clippers, on the other hand, sort out their frontcourt logjam, fully committing to their youth movement. The addition of Hinrich then strengthens their backcourt, which currently doesn't consist of much more than Eric Gordon and Baron Davis. Hinrich can give the Clippers a well needed boost of veteran know how, as well as an option to replace Davis at PG if his injury issues continue. And while this deal does hurt the Clippers' cap space in 2010, I really don't believe that they have a decent chance of signing a marquee free agent, given the owner Donald Sterling's reluctant to overpay, and the franchise's well-chronicled streak of failures.

The Dallas Mavericks trade Eric Dampier to the Detroit Pistons for Rip Hamilton

As I explained here, the Mavs' inability to pry Marcin Gortat away from the Orlando Magic would suggest that they are best built to play Dirk Nowitzki at the 5 and Shawn Marion at the 4, and play Phoenix-Suns-style run and gun next season. The Mavs' signing of Tim Thomas, who thrived in Phoenix in the 2006 playoffs, and the signing of Drew Gooden, an athletic 4 who could play center in a small-ball system, strengthens this notion. Seeing how well the Mavs are built for this style of play, Dampier, a slow, traditional, center is unnecessary. Hamilton, however, is an extremely good shooter, who would thrive in a high octane offense, especially with Jason Kidd providing him with shots. Hamilton would give the Mavs a very strong, albiet old, six man core, with Nowitzki, Marion, Kidd, Josh Howard, and reigning sixth man of the year Jason Terry. Together with Thomas, Gooden, and J.J. Barea rounding out the rotation. Though this move doesn't put the Mavs over the top, it more or less solidifies their position as 3rd in the West, and gives them a chance to make some real noise come May.

The Piston's, on the other hand, get to undo Hamilton's terrible 3 year, 34 million extension that Hamilton signed last November, with Dampier's expiring deal (Dampier's deal has another year, however it is fully guaranteed. I wasn't able to understand the conditions under which Dampier's deal becomes fully guaranteed, however, from what I understand there is very little chance that will happen). This gives the Pistons some cap space next summer - though not as much as they had this year, it should be enough for a strong addition. The Piston's would also be fully committing to the newly signed Ben Gordon at shooting guard, and moving further ahead in their rebuilding. As for this season, Dampier gives the Pistons a legitimate starting 5 ahead of the infamous Kwame Brown, completing a solid, if slightly underwhelming offseason.

While some might think of Hamilton as worth more than an expiring contract, the fact remains that Hamilton has exhausted himself in Mowtown, and both sides would benefit from a change. And with the Pistons needing a big man more than anything else, and reportedly not interested in Carlos Boozer, a year of Dampier + cap space seems like the right move.

The Paul Millsap Situation

The Portland Trailblazers have signed the Utah Jazz's Paul Millsap to an offer sheet worth around 36 million for 4 years. Since Millsap is a restricted free agent, the Jazz have 7 days to match the offer, thus retaining Millsap. However, the Jazz are trying to cut costs, and with Mehmet Okur's 2 year 21 million extension, and Carlos Boozer and Kyle Korver deciding against opting out of their contracts, the Jazz are now committed to a lot of payroll. To add insult to injury, the Blazers have shrewdly added a very hefty signing on clause reportedly worth around 10.3 million to Millsap's offer, giving the Jazz even more financial headaches.


The thing is, Paul Millsap is a player I have no idea what to think about. After two very solid years off the bench as a second round energy guy, he blossomed in Boozer's injury-induced absence to the tune of 16 pts (on 54.5% shooting), 10 reb, 1.2 stl and 1 block a game in 38 starts. Monster numbers, and an absolute bargain at 7-8 million per year.


However, I'm not sure that Millsap can keep this going on a regular basis. A look at his season splits show that his absolutely monstrous number for December and January went way down as the season progressed. Since Millsap is such a high energy guy, he wears and tears very quickly, and one must wonder if he can play with the same effectiveness over 40 minutes as he can over 28. This is why I think the Blazers are making such a smart move with Millsap - adding him to a rotation with 3 other bigs, including Lamarcus Aldridge to start in front of him at the 4. Paul Millsap is best used as a 6th man, someone who can energize the second unit, and then stay on the court in crunch time. Perfect fit for Portland.

However, if the Jazz aren't keeping Boozer - and they are reportedly trying very hard to get rid of him - Millsap doesn't make sense by himself. He simply can't hold the fort alone at the PF position. He doesn't have the stamina. If he gets it, he's a borderline all-star, but as of now, the Jazz either need someone else to fill in minutes in their frontcourt rotation, and allow Millsap to get his rest, or, they need to give up on Millsap and move Boozer for a better fit. Which brings us to a segment I like to call - Trades That Should Happen:

The New York Knicks sign David Lee to a 5 year, 50 million contract, then trade Lee and Jared Jeffries to the Utah Jazz for Carlos Boozer and Matt Harpring

Great trade for everybody. The Jazz save some money (Jeffries and Harpring make the same, Boozer's 12.6 million is more than Lee's first year would be), rid themselves of Boozer, who has worn out his welcome, get a budding young PF who will thrive next to Deron Williams. Harpring at this point in his career is no more than a fringe player, and while Jeffries' contract has one more year on it, he may provide decent minutes. The Jazz can now decide whether they retain Millsap and run a very strong 3 man frontcourt rotation with Lee and Okur.

The Knicks get loads of cap space (both Boozer and Harpring come off the books at the end of the season) for 2010, unload one of their two preposterous contracts that continue after 2010 (the other being Eddy Curry's), and get an all-star caliber PF for the following season. Not to mention the possibility that Harpring may retire due to injury, leaving insurance to pay his contract. Finally, and maybe most importantly, they don't lose Lee in free agency without getting something in return.

Trades That Should Happen will be featuring regularly from here on out - just my humble contribution to a fascinating offseason so far.