Posts tagged ‘Trade’

Monday the Nets officially acquired combo guard Keyon Dooling in a sign and trade with Orlando after days of speculation. 16 players under contract, 15 roster spots, you do the math - Thorn is not done. Check out the latest podcast, as I dive into Dooling and more:

• Keyon Dooling Officially a Net
• Clarifying my Stance on the Najera and Hayes Signings
• Nets Ready Infantry for Rocky Mountain Revue in Utah
• Roy Rogers Coming to A Bench Near You
• Nenad, Marcus, Sean: Coming or Going?
• Spin Around the NBA Hot Stove

Netscast #52 - 7/20/2008

Rod Thorn and Kiki Vandeweghe promised off-season changes. On Thursday they delivered, first completing a trade to send Richard Jefferson, the last link to the back-to-back Eastern Conference championship teams, to Milwaukee for Yi Jianlian and Bobby Simmons, then drafting three players in last nights draft that could contribute immediately.

The Nets made the decision to rebuild with the February Jason Kidd trade, making one of last night’s draft picks possible. Completing the long rumored Jefferson deal continues the break up of the previous Nets core, leaving only Vince Carter, who may or may not be dealt. RJ had his best scoring season last year, however his rebounding and assists dropped, while his defense suffered. Questions even arose about his committment to the team. I once touted RJ as the next captain after Kidd, a player who gave his all, and didn’t complain about losing, took the blame, and faced the media - unlike Kidd. Yet, this trade makes perfect sense. The NEts may not have received equal player value in Yi and Simmons. More important, they shed the Jefferson’s long term contract in exchange for Simmons’, which expires after 2010, lowering the New Jersey’s salary committments by $15 million in prepartion for the summer of Lebron. Even if Lebron is a pipe dream, Bosh, Wade, Amare, and company are not bad potential consolation prizes.

On the court, Yi, last year’s sixth pick in the draft, is a 7-footer with upside. The 20-year-old averaged 8.6 points and 5.2 rebounds in Milwaukee last season, but garnered comparisons to Dirk Nowitzki because of his face-up and perimeter offensive game for a big guy. Simmons is a formed Most Improved Player that has never lived up to his contract. The 6′6″ swingman was included purely for salary reasons, and if he never contributes on the court, he still brings tremendous value in the form of that expiring contract.

Later in the day, Thorn and Vandeweghe receive a gift from the nine teams that selected ahead of them, in the form of a 7-foot center from Stanford. In the past few weeks, Mock Drafts slotted Brook Lopez as high as third to Minnesota. A few surprises early on, notably Seattle opting for Westbrook at four and Charlotte going for Augustin at nine, left Lopez on the board for New Jersey at ten. As Jay Bilas put it, he didn’t grade well in some of the workouts because he was slow running around the cones and completing other drills. Bilas continued, if you’re picking a 4×100 relay team I would not take Lopez, but for 5-on-5 basketball he’s a good pick. Bilas always provides great analysis, and his commentary appropriately trashed the workouts impact on a player’s selection.

Lopez can score with his back to the basket - an area the Nets desperately needed help with. He averaged 19.3 points, 8.2 rebounds, and 2.1 blocks, in the tough Pac-10 conference as a sopohmore at Stanford. The 20-year-old fills a major need, has the potential to become a legit NBA center, and should compete for the starting center spot right off the bat. A potential steal at number ten.

Later in the first round, New Jersey used the pick acquired in the Jason Kidd trade to take a forward from Kidd’s alma mater, University of California-Berkeley - Ryan Anderson. Another scoring big man, at 6′10″, Anderson has more of a face-up, outside shooting offensive game that mimics Yi. He quietly led the Pac-10 in scoring last season with 21.1 points per game. Anderon’s a skilled scorer, who many saw as a sleeper in the draft. In a matter of hours, the Nets got younger and bigger - acquiring two 7-footers and 6′10″ player all 20-years old.

The Nets yielded another heist in the second round, grabbing Chris Douglas-Roberts with the 40th pick. CDR was an option at #21, so to have him fall into their lap seventeen picks later was a surprise, and completed a solid draft for New Jersey. The 6′6″ swingman provides more help on the perimeter, and can add much needed scoring off the bench.

Thorn and Vandeweghe made lots of headway in the rebuilding project Thursday, yet they are far from done. As currently constituted the average team age is slightly over 24 years old, closer to some college teams than NBA teams. Expect the Nets to exchange some youngsters for veteran role players to help compete this season, and nurture the youngsters. Thursday was a leap in the right direction. Jefferson had to go, he ran his course ith this team, and his contract was out of line. Lopez has a chance to be a legit center, a gaping hole in recent years, and almost a necessity to compete in the league. Yi has upside. Anderson and CDR should both develop into serviceable pros, one may even become a major contributor. With a few moves, the Nets can compete for the playoffs in the East next season. The plan appears to be improve every year, and yield a big free agent in 2010 that elevates the team to championship contention. So far, so good.

Mark Cuban and Rod Thorn performed the Heimlich maneuver on the Jason Kidd trade during All-Star weekend. After applying pressure to the sternum area of a choking Jason Kidd, the trade demons coughed out Keith Van Horn and Trenton Hassell, allowing Jason Kidd to breathe easy again. Still pending league approval, no given in this situation, the Nets ship Kidd and Malik Allen to Dallas for Devin Harris, DeSagana Diop, Trenton Hassell, Mauric Ager, Keith Van Horn, two first round draft picks, and cash. Subsequently the Mavs send a second round draft pick to Jersey for Antoine Wright and a bottle of Advil – just in case that Kidd migraine problem pops up.

Again, nothing is official until its official. The teams tentatively scheduled a conference call to obtain league approval for Monday, with the use of Keith Van Horn, unofficially retired for two seasons and not expected to play, the only potential obstacle. This trade has had it all – weeks of anticipation after a public trade request, the Bird Exception, the Gary Payton rule, a semi-retired player about to get a few million dollars to show up for a physical. What’s next?

Both Dallas and New Jersey gave a little to solve the Devean George and Stackhouse problems from the original trade, which I thought were too much to overcome to get this trade done in under a week. Dallas takes a luxury tax hit by signing Van Horn to replace George in the trade, while the Nets assume more long-term salary in Hassell, who will earn double Stackhouse’s salary in 2009-2010.

The more I thought about it, the more I realized this trade had to happen. It passed the point of no return. Nowitzki’s comments about George, the fan reaction, Diop and Harris questioning if Dallas wanted them put the Dallas chemistry at risk, and the Nets faced an even more disgruntled Kidd, who booked his ticket out of town, magnifying an already toxic situation. Too much at stake for both teams to let a few million dollars here or there, a journeyman’s bonehead decision, and a veteran’s loose lips, to hold things up. Now, if the league office pulls the plug on the Van Horn loophole that will certainly end this trade without help from a third party.

Expect Kidd to rediscover his old self for Dallas, but the rejuvenated point guard may not be enough to overcome defensive deficiencies and lack of frontcourt depth to compete with the now ultra-competitive Western Conference. The trade at least puts them back in the discussion. Similar to Phoenix, the Kidd move is high risk, high reward. Dallas can go on to win the NBA crown this season, or they can give Kidd his extension, flop in the playoffs yet again, then find themselves saddled with a bad contract in salary cap hell two years from now. Replacing Kidd with Harris makes Dallas the oldest team in the NBA, a sure sign of win now.

Over the next few podcasts, and on the blogs, we’ll analyze why Harris is not a major downgrade from the 2007-2008 version of Jason Kidd. Ten years younger, signed through 2013 for significantly less money, a better shooter (not passer), arguably a better defender – all positives. Harris will never approach Kidd in his prime, but if he plays hard every night, fits in with the offense, continues to improve at the same curve he has since his rookie season, New Jersey still makes the playoffs in the tremendously watered-down Eastern Conference. More importantly, three years from now and five years from the Nets are in better shape after this trade.

Ironic Kidd’s last soiree as a Net came in the All-Star game, playfully chatting with future teammate Dirk Nowitzki on the court, while his real teammates sat thousands of miles away. Symbolic of how he played this season – more interested in playing with other teams stars, alienating the guys in his own locker room. All the trade talk must have confused Kidd, during his post game comments he was quoted as saying Jersey is great, has wonderful fans, and he wishes them the best of luck. Too bad he didn’t feel that way earlier this season. Hey, at least as Kidd mentioned, the golf is great.

For Dallas and New Jersey must complete the NBA front office version of the 60 yard hurdles to consummate the proposed Jason Kidd trade, at this point. Devean George stand as hurdle one, now the NBA stands as hurdle two, after Jerry Stackhouse cavalierly commentary about the Nets buyout and his return to Dallas raised red flags with other GM’s and the league office. The NBA prohibits trade announcements over All-Star weekend, nonetheless talks will continue but with the deadline six days away, two huge obstacles in the way with limited workarounds available, the trade looks dead unless a third team comes out of the woodwork.

Although he is well within his rights to block the trade to protect his Bird Exception status, which equates to more potential money next season, it’s likely to backfire. The Early Bird Exception allows a player with veteran status on a one-year contract in his second year with the same team to resign with that team for whichever is higher, 175% of his current salary or the NBA average salary. If traded George loses his rights and his chance at the payday.

George will come to regret the decision because he only benefits if Dallas resigns him, and agrees to pay that salary, an unlikely scenario. Throw in a paltry 3.8 points and under 3 assists in 15 minutes per game on top of the backlash he created with this fiasco, Mark Cuban will personally escort him out of town at his first opportunity – that is, if the fans don’t first. With an entire organization and its fan base turned against him, and not much production to support his case, George has little to no chance of ever cashing in those Bird rights. Why not go play for the Nets? Play being the operative word. Only a few weeks ago, George complained about his lack of playing time with Dallas and requested a trade out of Big D. Despite logging extended action the past week, George will find himself back to the bench when the Mavs get healthy, with little chance to improve his value for next season. By blocking the trade he may preserve future earning potential, but lose actual earnings when free agency rolls around.

The Stackhouse problem stems directly from his immature comments about resting and returning to the Mavs in 30 days. That statement hints at a pre-arranged future deal, a no-no in the NBA, a league already battling ethics questions after the gambling fiasco last season. Reportedly, other GM’s around the league are raising red flags behind the scenes. All indications are the league office will prevent Stackhouse from resigning with Dallas if traded, removing him from the trade since Dallas needs him for a legitimate title run. Ironically, Stackhouse shares the same agent as Jason Kidd. Jeff Schwartz flaunted the Kidd trade demands all season, now his own client shot him in the foot. Can’t blame Rod Thorn for this one.

Dallas had options to workaround the George problem, but Stackhouse and George is too much to overcome. The Nets will not take Trenton Hassell. Unless a third team helps, Dallas is in trouble. They now have two players, Harris and Diop, who have to return to a team that traded them, one player, George, who teammates and fans publicly criticized for blocking the trade. Dirk Nowitzki went as far as calling Devean George “selfish” for blocking the trade, putting himself ahead of the team. The fans booed him out of the building during a sterling 0-11 performance the night he exercised his rights. Stuck with the same team that had little chance of winning the West anyway, the struggling Mavs now have a fractured locker room with potential chemistry issues. Kiss this season goodbye.

Meanwhile, Kidd publicly says he’s OK with returning to the Nets. Kidd has to prove that with his play on the court. Another half season of half-hearted efforts will further diminish his future trade value, and kill the small glimmer of hope the Nets have this season. If he comes back focused, knowing Thorn did his best to accommodate the trade request and will try again in the off-season, Kidd can help the Nets turn the ship around this season. A healthy Kristic, two improving big men, another athletic option in the mix with Swift, Carter, well some nights at least – the Nets have the tools to make another second half run with Kidd. Unless another trade comes about before Thursday, unlikely but possible just like the Dallas trade suddenly came about last week, Wednesday we see if Kidd wears his happy face, keeps playing with the urgency he showed during his “trade auditions”, and start to learn if Kidd really is OK with staying in NJ.

The NBA exhaled after George held up the trade, preventing an unprecedented situation of an All-Star starter switching leagues before the game.

After months of complaints, public and private requests, a migraine induced walk-out, and sub-par effort, Jason Kidd finally has a reason to smile again. The Nets shipped the future Hall of Famer to Dallas in exchange for Devin Harris, Jerry Stackhouse, Desagna Diop, Devean George, and a pair of first round draft picks, sure to be late in the first round. Dallas also receives Malik Allen and Antoine Wright to equalize the salaries.

Recent speculation led many to believe Rod Thorn would hold Kidd until the summer, unimpressed by the current offers. That was until Mark Cuban witnessed Kidd’s personal audition on Sunday night, leading New Jersey to a blowout of a Dallas team that received ZERO assists from its starting point guard. Toss in the blockbuster moves by Phoenix and LA last week with and the Mavs path to the Finals, and Cuban knew he faced another disappointing playoff run without a bold move. Will Kidd put them over the top? Remains to be seen, since Harris played well prior to the injury, and Dallas has more weaknesses than just the point guard position.

The Nets obtain a potential budding star – though not projected to approach Kidd’s level – three expiring contracts, and draft picks. Probably the best Thorn could do. Harris, who turns 25 in two weeks, ten years younger than Kidd, is averaging 14.4 points and over five dimes a night. With Harris due almost $14 million less than Kidd next season, the Nets now have cap flexibility to pursue free agents or potential trades.

Insert Harris next to a still young Richard Jefferson, a blossoming duo of young, athletic big men, 24-year old Nenad Kristic, and the Nets have a young nucleus. All that’s missing is the superstar shooting guard/power forward. For now, it’s Vince Carter.

The Nets were not winning any championships with the current team, so keeping an unhappy Kidd around provided no positive. Teams often regret waiting too long to pull the trigger on moving an aging star player, Thorn decided to jump the gun instead of waiting it out. Does it make the Nets better today? Probably not, though Harris brings a better offensive game than Kidd – look forward to less 1-9 shooting nights – but puts another piece into place for the future. Now Thorn needs to work his magic, and get a big time scoring guard not named Vince Carter, not over 30 years old, into the Izod Center by next season.

More to come on the Kidd legacy…