With the trade deadline looming, many teams are in the market for upgrades (in the case of playoff bound teams) or payroll cutting moves (in the case of lottery bound teams). While the Knicks, Nets, and Nuggets collectively hold their breath to the brink of the deadline, which is probably the only time (if at all) a deal for Carmelo Anthony will be struck, the rest of the NBA is out bargain shopping. Perhaps more this year than in years past, “Financial Flexibility” is the Golden Word (or two in this case) because of the uncertainty of the future collective bargaining agreement, and the potential of a labor lockout, similar to what we saw in the 1998-99 season. Although the entire world’s focus seems to be in the NFL and their own probable lockout, the NBA is essentially in the same boat, with Commissioner David Stern and the owners claiming that most of the NBA franchises have been losing money over the past few years.
I won’t speculate on the potential of a lockout for the NBA, since we are still not even halfway through the NBA season, with a lot of basketball left to be played. Instead, I’d like to throw out a trade that is a Win-Win for all the teams involved. In past columns, I have not been shy about my affinity for the New York Knicks, because I’ve been a Knicks fan all my life, and on a separate note, I think that the recent resurgence of the Knicks is great for the NBA. I mean, how can it not be good for the league when one of its premier franchises, which happens to be playing in the biggest market in the country, is performing better than at any point over the last decade? Knicks fans, dust off your jerseys and moth-ridden, blue-and-orange paraphernalia, we’re going to the playoffs!
Sorry I digress; back to my point. Ok, so here’s the deal, which involves the Knicks, the Blazers and the Los Angeles Clippers, and is feasible under the framework of the current salary cap:
Knicks would get:
1. Rudy Fernandez 2 years left at $1.2m/yr (from Portland)
2. Marcus Camby, 2 years left at $11.7m/yr (from Portland)
3. Brian Cook, 1 year left at $1.1m (from Los Angeles)
Blazers would get:
1. Chris Kaman, 2 years left at $11.8m/yr (From Los Angeles)
2. Eddie Curry, 1 year left at $11.2m (from New York)
3. 1st Rd Pick or Anthony Randolph with 2 years at $1.9m/yr (from NYK)
Clippers would get:
1. Wilson Chandler, 1 year left at $1.8m (from New York)
2. Joel Przybilla, 1 years left at $7.4m (from Portland)
Sure, on the surface, the trade seems pretty innocuous, and definitely not the blockbuster that Knicks fans are hoping for. But for 2 major reasons, it helps all the teams involved: adds talent or depth in positions of need while maintaining financial flexibility into the future. None of the players have huge or long term contracts. Most of the key players involved are relatively young (Fernandez, Chandler, and Randolph) or can help their clubs immediately (Camby and Kaman) without taking on huge commitments.
From the Knicks perspective, they will get a great shot blocking center in Marcus Camby, who will help anchor their defense going into the second half of the season and the playoffs. They also get a quality, backup power forward that will help spread the floor when Amare slides over to play center, because if you may remember, Brian Cook was a pretty good role player for the Lakers during their early championship run. Plus, both of those guys give the Knicks the flexibility they are intent on maintaining for the marquee free agents (namely Carmelo Anthony this offseason, or Chris Paul in 2 years, when Camby’s deal would come off the books). But the real prize for the Knicks in this deal is Rudy Fernandez. Sure he has essentially been a backup his entire NBA career, but that’s mainly because he’s been playing behind Brandon Roy on a ridiculously deep rotation with the Portland Trailblazers. Plus, he has wanted a trade out of Portland as recently as this past offseason so he can get more playing time and a bigger market. I think he is a natural fit for D’Antoni’s system in New York. He is a great outside shooter, but is equally skilled off the dribble and is comfortable with the ball in his hands, which are pretty much all the tools you would look for in a 2 guard in the up-tempo system the Knicks use. It doesn’t hurt that the guy is only 25 years old and has yet to reach his potential. In a couple of years when Chris Paul is shopping his services, a young nucleus of Fernandez, Gallinari and Stoudemire will be pretty attractive, and assuming they don’t get Carmelo this year, I’m sure the cap room to offer CP3 a max deal won’t hurt either.
For the Clippers, who are probably giving up the least in Chris Kaman (who has hardly played for them this year) and Brian Cook (who is only averaging 13 minutes a game this season), this is a great deal as well. They are getting a rising star in Wilson Chandler, who will fit in perfectly with their young nucleus. Chandler, himself only 23 years old, has proven that he’s a versatile player who can make contributions in many different areas. Plus, you can’t argue that the Clippers would have the most talented young core of players in the league, with Eric Bledsoe, Eric Gordon, Chandler, Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordon as potential starters for years to come. Throw in the fact that Przybilla will be a much more willing backup to Jordan than Kaman would, and that his $7.4 million contract comes off the books at the end of the season, and there’s finally something to look forward to for fans of the league’s most moribund franchise.
The Blazers would probably be the toughest sell here, because they are giving up a lot of pieces, and they always seem to try to hoard a lot of good players rather than give up a few pieces to get a couple of great players. But here’s my reasoning: They would be getting an all-star caliber Center (ok, I agree its a slight stretch but he was an All Star last year averaging 18 points and 9 rebounds a game) who isn’t even 30 years old yet, and would compliment Greg Oden well when (or should I say if?) he finally gets healthy. Plus, with the outstanding play of Lamarcus Aldridge this season, you would have a pretty talented tandem in your frontcourt. They would also be getting either Anthony Randolph from the Knicks or a 1st Rd Pick (which the Pacers have reportedly offered for Randolph) which would almost certainly be a lottery pick. In the grand scheme of things, losing 3 fringe starters/backup players in exchange for a lottery pick and a quality starting center isn’t such a tough pill to swallow.
While it’s tough to predict what major trades will occur in the next couple of weeks leading up to the deadline, it’s certain that a couple of big name players will be moved. Carmelo? Rip Hamilton? Ron Artest? Who knows, but here's hoping that a couple of them are moving to New York.
