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2013 NBA Trade Grades: July 31 Updates
Detroit Pistons Get: PG Brandon Jennings
Milwaukee Bucks Get: PG Brandon Knight, C Viacheslav Kravtsov , and SF Kris Middleton
Why this makes sense for Detroit:
Jennings agrees to a 3-year sign-and-trade deal worth approximately $25 million to come to Detroit. Jennings was hoping to snag a more lucrative contract but let’s face it; he isn’t as good as he thinks he is and he is beginning to realize that since there weren’t any other teams wanting to try steal him away from Milwaukee.
The jury is still out on Jennings. Yes, he is talented, but far from an elite level, NBA guard. Jennings does provide an upgrade over Knight at the point guard position and is another major splash for Detroit after its signing of Josh Smith earlier this month. However, Jennings is another athlete who doesn’t shoot the ball consistently from the outside which is an Achilles heel for Detroit.
If the Pistons were on the And 1 Tour, they would be awesome. Unless Jenings and Smith mesh with the rest of the roster better than most think they will, Detroit is still a borderline playoff in the Eastern Conference. I will be interested to see if Chauncey Billups’ presence can help turn Jennings into a more disciplined lead guard.
Why this makes sense for Milwaukee:
Once the Bucks submitted a 4-year, $32 million offer sheet to restricted free agent point guard Jeff Teague, the writing was pretty much on the wall that Jennings’ future with the franchise was nearing an end. Even though the Hawks matched Teague’s deal, there was no way they could keep a pissed off Jennings on the roster and pretty much had to deal him before things got even worse.
John Hammond has to feel fortunate that he was able to acquire a nice young piece in Brandon Knight. Kravstov and Middleton are simply salary throw-ins who don’t figure to factor into Milwaukee’s rotation.
With Knight, O.J. Mayo, Gary Neal, the return of Luke Ridnour, and Nate Wolters, the Bucks have completely overhauled their backcourt. There is more depth than the Jennings, Monta Ellis, and J.J. Redick trio that Milwaukee ended last season, but I’m not sure there is much of a talent upgrade. With or without Jennings, the Bucks are likely going to be one of the worst teams in the Eastern Conference this year.
Grade for Pistons – B-
Grade for Bucks – C
Indiana Pacers Get: PF Luis Scola
Phoenix Suns Get: SF Gerald Green, C Miles Plumlee, lottery protected first round pick
Why this makes sense for Indiana:
The Pacers were so close to knocking off the Heat in the Eastern Conference Finals and are making minor, but important, moves this offseason to help increase their chances of dethroning Miami. Scola provides size and toughness inside and becomes an outstanding reserve option behind Roy Hibbert and David West. He also comes to Indiana at a very affordable rate of $4.5 million over each of the next two years.
Why this makes sense for Phoenix:
The Suns are clearly in a re-building effort so they really have no immediate need for a veteran like Scola. This isn’t about dumping salary though for new general manager Ryan McDonough since Green still has two years left on his contract – it is about adding another first-round pick. Unless their entire starting five gets injured, the Pacers will certainly be a playoff team next season, meaning Phoenix will add another 2014 first-round selection in what is a loaded draft class – though it’s likely the selection will be in the mid-twenties. Plumlee provides another option at center if 2013 NBA Draft first-round pick Alex Len isn’t 100% by the start of the season.
Grade for Pacers – A
Grade for Suns – C+
2013 NBA Trade Grades: July 10 Updates
Sacramento Kings Get: SF Luc Richard Mbah a Moute
Milwaukee Bucks Get: 2016 and 2018 second-round picks
Why this makes sense for Sacramento:
Two of the Kings biggest needs this offseason were a small forward and wing defender. With this deal, Sacramento kills two birds with one stone and only has to give up a pair of future second-round picks. Mbah a Moute is still owed almost $9 million over the next two seasons and while he doesn’t provide a whole lot of offense, the Kings have a ton of wing players who can score, but not someone with defensive prowess and versatility like Mbah a Moute.
Why this makes sense for Milwaukee:
The only way this will make sense for the Bucks is if they use the freed-up cap space to sign one of the top available small forwards available – Andrei Kirilenko or Corey Brewer – or make a trade to bring in another small forward. Otherwise, Milwaukee is stuck with Carlos Delfino and Giannis Adetokunbo at the three. Delfino is best suited as a bench scorer, while Adetokunbo is still a couple of years away from being ready to contribute at the NBA level. The Bucks are also loading up on second-round picks as they also acquired a pair in the J.J. Redick sign-and-trade deal.
Grade for Kings – B+
Grade for Bucks – D-
2013 NBA Trade Grades: July 6 Updates
Utah Jazz Get: SF Richard Jefferson, F/C Andris Biedrins, SG Brandon Rush, and first-round picks in 2014 and 2017
Golden State Warriors Get: SG Kevin Murphy
Why this makes sense for Utah:
The Jazz are clearly building around their young core of Derrick Favors, Enes Kanter, Gordon Hayward, Alec Burks and Trey Burke, and decided rather than pursuing free agents with all of their cap space that they would bring in three veterans as one-year holdovers in order to add a pair of future first round picks to help that youth movement, even if those picks will likely end up in 20s. Jefferson, Biedrins, and Rush add needed experience and well, bodies to fill out the roster. More importantly, they are all in the final seasons of their contract so it is only a one-year salary hit which Utah was more than able to take since they were incredibly under the cap.
Why this makes sense for Golden State:
This is ultimate cap dumping move for Golden State with the purpose being to sign Andre Iguodala and still give them more flexibility for the potential acquisition of Dwight Howard. Biedrins and Jefferson barely made a mark in the rotation and Rush was injured most of last season so they didn�t figure into the Warriors’ long-term equation. Already having a pretty young core, Golden State doesn’t exactly need the draft picks in upcoming years since they are clearly built to win now.
Grade for Jazz – B
Grade for Warriors – A
2013 NBA Trade Grades: July 5 Updates
New Orleans Pelicans Get: G/F Tyreke Evans and C Jeff Withey
Sacramento Kings Get: PG Greivis Vasquez, two second round picks
Portland Trail Blazers Get: C Robin Lopez, SG Terrel Harris
Why this makes sense for the New Orleans:
New Orleans is going all-in this summer with the acquisitions of Jrue Holiday and now Tyreke Evans via a sign-and-trade that earns Evans a 4-year, $44 million payday. Part of me thinks there is no way Evans is deserving of $11 million per year since he has regressed since a spectacular rookie season. The other part of me remembers how high I was on Evans coming out of college and how a change of scenery combined with running alongside Holiday and Gordon seems like a great fit.
As for what the Pelicans gave up in the trade; Vasquez became expendable once Holiday was traded for on draft night. Losing Lopez now creates a need for a starting center. While Withey comes over in the deal, he has the makings of a career backup and not a starter alongside Anthony Davis in the frontcourt.
Why this makes sense for Sacramento:
Once Sacramento knew it was parting ways with Evans, they turned to sign and trade options in hopes of getting something in return rather than losing him for nothing. The Kings certainly got something in return with Vasquez who had a breakout year this past season. He is the playmaking/creating point guard Sac-town has been lacking and will be an upgrade over Isaiah Thomas.
Why this makes sense for Portland:
With J.J. Hickson a free agent and likely not returning to Portland, the Blazers needed a big body inside to complement LeMarcus Aldridge. He is a suitable replacement and only has one year of guaranteed money left on his contract so to ultimately give up three second round picks for him is a solid value.
Grade for Pelicans – D
Grade for Kings – A
Grade for Blazers – B
2013 NBA Trade Grades: July 3 Updates
Los Angeles Clippers Get: SG J.J. Redick and SG Jared Dudley
Phoenix Suns Get: PG Eric Bledsoe and SF Caron Butler
Milwaukee Bucks Get: Two second-round picks
Why this makes sense for the L.A. Clippers:
With the re-signing of Chris Paul, Bledsoe became expendable and one of the hottest trade commodities on the market. The Clippers needed to add some shooting on the wing, which Redick will certainly provide. Dudley is praised as an invaluable glue guy and should easily replace what the team loses in dealing Butler.
I do have two problems with this deal, the sign-and-trade that needed to be done with Redick that will earn him $27 million over the next four years. Nearly eight million a year is a lot to pay for a shooter. Also, L.A. now has five shooting guards – Redick, Dudley, Jamal Crawford, Willie Green, and first-round pick Reggie Bullock-, but no true starting small forward. Finding a small forward has to be the next domino to fall for the Clippers.
Why this makes sense for Phoenix:
To ultimately give up Dudley and two second-round picks for a potential point guard of the future in Bledsoe is a no-brainer, especially since Phoenix is in the midst of a rebuilding effort. Bringing in Bledsoe should lead to the Suns dealing either Goran Dragic or Kendall Marshall since the organization won’t need all three of them on the roster. Butler helps step in at small forward for the upcoming season but could be used as trade bait once the deadline approaches, or at the very least, will open up eight million dollars in cap space next summer.
Why this makes sense for Milwaukee:
Twitter rumors swirling the past two days had Milwaukee in line to get much more than a pair of second-round picks in exchange for a sign-and-trade deal with Redick, but that clearly was not the case. It is a big blow for a Bucks team that needs depth on the wing and might be handcuffed into signing Brandon Jennings to a pricy extension. Getting two second-rounders though is better than the other alternative; Redick signing elsewhere via free agency and Milwaukee getting nothing in return for him.
Grade for Clippers – C+
Grade for Suns – A-
Grade for Bucks – D
New York Knicks Get: PF Andrea Bargnani
Toronto Raptors Get: C Marcus Camby, SF Steve Novak, 2016 first-round pick, 2014 second-round pick (via the Thunder), 2017 second-round pick
Why this makes sense for New York:
With all of Amare Stoudemire’s recent injury history, the Knicks were needing another option at power forward and lacked the cap flexibility to fill that need in free agency. Bargnani has battled his own injuries, too, having only played in 66 games the past two seasons, plus, he has two years left on his contract worth about $23 million. That is a lot to pay for someone who can’t stay healthy and will likely be splitting time at power forward, especially when it cost the Knicks three future draft picks.
Bargnani does add a shooter on the wing who can stretch defenses and benefit from the double teams that Carmelo Anthony will see. The former No. 1-overall pick can also play some five, if needed, when the Knicks decide to go with a smaller lineup. Novak and Camby were both expendable, and New York still must add another player (most likely Pablo Prigioni, Quentin Richardson, or Earl Barron) via a sign-and-trade move to make the cap figures work, but giving up three future picks when the team is already low on future picks is giving up quite a bit.
Why this makes sense for Toronto:
The Raptors had reportedly been shopping Bargnani for a while and new general manager Masai Ujiri didn’t waste much time in finding him a new home. The deal should save Toronto a couple million in salary cap space the next two seasons, but it’s hard to see Camby or Novak playing a really significant role other than some spot minutes here and there.
Novak’s sharpshooting ability will help replace Bargnani’s ability to space the floor, but the 39-year old Camby’s days in the NBA are coming to an end. The big get for Toronto is the three draft picks that will serve as future assets.
Grade for Knicks – C
Grade for Raptors – B+
2013 NBA Trade Grades: July 1 Updates
Portland Blazers Get: PF Thomas Robinson
Houston Rockets Get: the rights to Kostas Papanikolau and Marko Todorovic, two future second-round picks
Why this makes sense for Portland:
Because the Trail Blazers give up next to nothing to acquire the guy who was the fifth-overall pick in the 2012 NBA Draft. Portland will be Robinson’s third team in less than a year and I’m curious as to why teams keep giving up on him. I was very high on Robinson coming out of Kansas and still think he has the potential to be a good NBA player. The Trail Blazers are likely losing starting center J.J. Hickson to free agency, so Robinson should help plug the frontcourt void and also add to what was the worst bench in the league last year.
Why this makes sense for Toronto:
The Rockets needed to move Robinson’s contract in order to have enough cap space to offer Dwight Howard a max contract. This deal accomplishes just that. Case closed.
Grade for Blazers – A
Grade for Rockets – A (as long as they sign Howard)
Brooklyn Nets Get: SF-Paul Pierce, PF-Kevin Garnett, SG-Jason Terry
Boston Celtics Get: SF-Gerald Wallace, PF-Kris Humphries, SG-MarShon Brooks, SF-Kris Joseph, SG-Keith Bogans, first-round picks in 2014, 2016 and 2018, and the right to swap first-round picks in 2017
Why this makes sense for Brooklyn:
We learned last offseason with its acquisition of Joe Johnson and max contract extension for Brook Lopez that Brooklyn is all about winning now and not so worried about what happens in the future. This deal further emphasizes the fact that, despite being the most improved team in the NBA this past season, the Nets are not satisfied and want to make a serious push at being a title contender. Mission accomplished.
Brooklyn went from having one of the best starting fives in the NBA to THE best starting five. Deron Williams, Johnson, Pierce, Garnett, and Lopez? All of those guys are capable of dropping 30 on any given night and give first-year head coach Jason Kidd so much talent. As long as all five guys stay healthy and buy into whatever their role might be for the next season or two, the Nets should compete with Heat for the best team in the Eastern Conference, even if they did have to mortgage three future first-round picks and now have a MASSIVE team payroll.
If Jason Terry, whom Kidd played with in Dallas, can have a bounceback season and add some scoring off the bench, even better. The key for Brooklyn for the rest of the offseason: adding capable veteran reserves for a cheap price to round out the roster similar to what Miami has been able to do the past two years.
Why this makes sense for Boston:
The re-building effort has officially tipped off for the Celtics. With the trades of Doc Rivers, Pierce, and Garnett, Boston has added four future first-round picks. Danny Ainge is taking the first steps to blow up the roster, but the complication with that is that there isn’t any real cap relief coming from this deal except for Kris Humphries, whose $12 million salary comes off the books next season. Wallace is still owed more than $30 million in guaranteed money over the next three years, which means he is grossly overpaid considering he is coming off one of his worst seasons in numerous years.
By the Celtics already trading their head coach and two members of the “Big Three,” you have to wonder what will happen with point guard Rajon Rondo, who is recovering from a torn ACL and probably won’t be ready for the start of next season. I doubt he will want to stick around and be part of this transitional period, so look for Ainge to shop him as well. Other veterans like Brandon Bass, Courtney Lee, and possibly Jeff Green could also be shopped in hopes of loading up on more draft picks or providing Boston with cap flexibility for the near future.
Grade for Nets – B+
Grade for Celtics – D
New York Knicks Get: PF Andrea Bargnani
Toronto Raptors Get: C Marcus Camby, SF Steve Novak, 2016 first-round pick, 2014 second-round pick (via the Thunder), 2017 second-round pick
Why this makes sense for New York:
With all of Amare Stoudemire’s recent injury history, the Knicks were needing another option at power forward and lacked the cap flexibility to fill that need in free agency. Bargnani has battled his own injuries, too, having only played in 66 games the past two seasons, plus, he has two years left on his contract worth about $23 million. That is a lot to pay for someone who can’t stay healthy and will likely be splitting time at power forward, especially when it cost the Knicks three future draft picks.
Bargnani does add a shooter on the wing who can stretch defenses and benefit from the double teams that Carmelo Anthony will see. The former No. 1-overall pick can also play some five if needed when the Knicks decide to go with a smaller lineup. Novak and Camby were both expendable, and New York still must add another player (most likely Pablo Prigioni, Quentin Richardson, or Earl Barron) via sign-and-trade to make the cap figures work, but giving up three future picks when the team is already low on future picks is giving up quite a bit.
Why this makes sense for Toronto:
The Raptors had reportedly been shopping Bargnani for a while and new general manager Masai Ujiri didn’t waste much time in finding him a new home. The deal should save Toronto a couple million in salary cap space the next two seasons, but it’s hard to see Camby or Novak playing a really significant role other than some spot minutes here and there.
Novak’s sharpshooting ability will help replace Bargnani’s ability to space the floor, but the 39-year old Camby’s days in the NBA are coming to an end. The big get for Toronto is the three draft picks that will serve as future assets.
Grade for Knicks – C
Grade for Raptors – B+
Go to 2013 NBA Draft Grades (Individual)
Go to 2013 NBA Draft Team Grades
Go to 2013 NBA Mock Draft
Go to 2014 NBA Mock Draft
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Written by Paul Banks of the Washington Times, and David Kay of the The Sports Bank.
Send Paul an e-mail here: [email protected].
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