With the Celtics rumored to be open to moving Rajon Rondo, there has been some speculation as to why they would be willing to move such an up and coming star, especially when the Big Three are on their last ride. Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen are both in the final year of their contracts, and will not be returning unless they accept a lot less than they are currently making. Paul Pierce is a free agent in a couple of seasons, and exactly how much will he have left by that point? All signs point to Rondo being the guy that the Celtics try to build their future around.
But what value does a superstar point guard actually have? Over the past thirty years, only Isaiah Thomas and Magic Johnson have won championships while falling under the superstar classification. More often than not, the point guard is nothing more than a veteran presence who knows how to distribute the basketball, can hit the occasional shot, and can sink free throws. The point guard does not really need to be a scoring threat – just someone that knows how to play the game fundamentally well.
The point guard position, at least over the past thirty years, has thusly been grotesquely overvalued. Look at players like Deron Williams, Derrick Rose, and Chris Paul, or even John Stockton. What exactly have they won, aside from individual accolades? Meanwhile, such luminaries as a past his prime Jason Kidd, Derek Fisher, and Ron Harper have all won championships.
In fact, Tony Parker is the third best point guard to win over the last thirty years. However, he fits the concept of what winning teams need the point guard to do in terms of his passing ability, ability to hit free throws, and knowledge of the game. A ‘name’ point guard tries to take over. A solid point guard that plays the position correctly moves the ball to the best options, and puts the team in position to win. Rarely does a superstar point guard have the awareness to do just that; but when they do, you get an Isaiah Thomas or a Magic Johnson.
Trading Rajon Rondo to bring in another scoring option makes sense. Meanwhile, the Celtics will be able to replace him with a smart, court savvy veteran who will do what the superstar point guards cannot do – help a team win a championship.
Showing posts with label trades. Show all posts
Showing posts with label trades. Show all posts
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
Top Five NFL Trade Candidates
Now that there is a light at the end of the NFL lockout tunnel, it is time to turn our attention to possible moves once the CBA is officially agreed upon. Below is a list of the top five players that are most likely to get traded.
1. Kevin Kolb, QB - With the franchising, and eventual resigning, of Michael Vick in Philadelphia, Kolb has become a bit of a luxury. He is a young quarterback who has shown flashes of brilliance when he has had the opportunity to play. He turns 27 in another month, and is just about to hit his prime as a quarterback. He has a good arm with solid accuracy, and while he doesn't run, he can escape a pass rush. Teams desperate for a quarterback that they can build around should be calling Philadelphia as soon as players can be traded.
Possible destinations - Seattle, Arizona
2. Chad Ochocinco, WR - With Ochocinco, a lot of attention is paid to his antics and colorful personality. Yet, lost in all of this is that he is a productive receiver who can stretch the field. Since he became a regular starter in 2002, he has only had one season of fewer than 65 receptions. He is on the final year of his contract as well, and will be motivated to get the next payday. Chad also just wants to win. Do not discount how much the affect of leaving a losing culture like Cincinnati will have on him.
Possible destinations - New England
3. Kyle Orton, QB - Suppose you found out that you could get a quarterback for your team who has back to back seasons of over 3500 yards passing, very good accuracy, does not turn the ball over, and had previously taken a mediocre team and brought them to the playoffs. Then suppose you found out you could get him without giving up a lot. You would be pretty excited, right? So why is it that people regard Kyle Orton as not being a worthwhile option? He would be a safer option than Kolb, and would cost much less.
Possible destinations - Arizona, Minnesota
4. Carson Palmer, QB - The Carson Palmer situation is a sticky one. He has stated repetitively that he has no interest in being a Bengal and will retire if he is not traded. Meanwhile, the owners of the Bengals are stating that they will not trade him, as that would establish a dangerous precedent. So, for now, Palmer is stuck in limbo. However, if the Bengals' front office realizes that getting something is better than having nothing, Palmer will draw interest from teams looking to have a veteran presence ahead of a developing quarterback.
Possible destinations - Miami, Tennessee
5. Donovan McNabb - Ah, Donovan McNabb. A quarterback that for much of his career was overrated to the point where he almost became underrated. Now with the fiasco that is Mike Shanahan and the Washington Redskins, McNabb is on the block just one year after he was the darling of their eye. Again, it probably would not take much to get him, as they are seemingly just wanting to make McNabb disappear. Yet, this is a guy that still has something left in the tank, and would be a good mentor for a young, mobile quarterback.
Possible destinations - Minnesota, Tennessee
It should be interesting to see where these players end up, if they do get moved. Look for a lot of movement in the abbreviated free agency and trade period before camp. This will be fun to watch.
1. Kevin Kolb, QB - With the franchising, and eventual resigning, of Michael Vick in Philadelphia, Kolb has become a bit of a luxury. He is a young quarterback who has shown flashes of brilliance when he has had the opportunity to play. He turns 27 in another month, and is just about to hit his prime as a quarterback. He has a good arm with solid accuracy, and while he doesn't run, he can escape a pass rush. Teams desperate for a quarterback that they can build around should be calling Philadelphia as soon as players can be traded.
Possible destinations - Seattle, Arizona
2. Chad Ochocinco, WR - With Ochocinco, a lot of attention is paid to his antics and colorful personality. Yet, lost in all of this is that he is a productive receiver who can stretch the field. Since he became a regular starter in 2002, he has only had one season of fewer than 65 receptions. He is on the final year of his contract as well, and will be motivated to get the next payday. Chad also just wants to win. Do not discount how much the affect of leaving a losing culture like Cincinnati will have on him.
Possible destinations - New England
3. Kyle Orton, QB - Suppose you found out that you could get a quarterback for your team who has back to back seasons of over 3500 yards passing, very good accuracy, does not turn the ball over, and had previously taken a mediocre team and brought them to the playoffs. Then suppose you found out you could get him without giving up a lot. You would be pretty excited, right? So why is it that people regard Kyle Orton as not being a worthwhile option? He would be a safer option than Kolb, and would cost much less.
Possible destinations - Arizona, Minnesota
4. Carson Palmer, QB - The Carson Palmer situation is a sticky one. He has stated repetitively that he has no interest in being a Bengal and will retire if he is not traded. Meanwhile, the owners of the Bengals are stating that they will not trade him, as that would establish a dangerous precedent. So, for now, Palmer is stuck in limbo. However, if the Bengals' front office realizes that getting something is better than having nothing, Palmer will draw interest from teams looking to have a veteran presence ahead of a developing quarterback.
Possible destinations - Miami, Tennessee
5. Donovan McNabb - Ah, Donovan McNabb. A quarterback that for much of his career was overrated to the point where he almost became underrated. Now with the fiasco that is Mike Shanahan and the Washington Redskins, McNabb is on the block just one year after he was the darling of their eye. Again, it probably would not take much to get him, as they are seemingly just wanting to make McNabb disappear. Yet, this is a guy that still has something left in the tank, and would be a good mentor for a young, mobile quarterback.
Possible destinations - Minnesota, Tennessee
It should be interesting to see where these players end up, if they do get moved. Look for a lot of movement in the abbreviated free agency and trade period before camp. This will be fun to watch.
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
Bill Just Wants to Have Fun
In sports, we often forget that the coaches and players are people. With a few notable exceptions, they go out of their way to be devoid of personality during interviews. They do not give fun or entertaining quotes, so as to avoid prodiving bulletin board material for the opposition. They seem to be so wrapped up in sports, that there is nothing else in their lives.
Then there is Bill Belichick, who even amongst the dry and impersonal ranks in coaching, seems to be incredibly dry and impersonal. However, he will occassionaly provide bits of entertainment, deadpanning a sarcastic remark at the right time. Or, he will simply do something just because he can. This was the case Saturday during the draft.
The Philadelphia Eagles and the New England Patriots (specifically Andy Reid and Bill Belichick) have made a trade during the draft every year since 2000. It seemed as though that streak was going to end this year, until they managed to make one trade. The Patriots traded pick 193 to the Eagles for pick 194. That's it. They made a trade simply because they could.
Talking about the trade, Belichick told the Boston Herald that "We talked to the Eagles. We wanted to make the trade, they wanted to make the trade." Belichick gets a lot of criticism for continually trading back in the draft, but somehow I get the feeling that he will get a pass on this one.
Well done Bill. This was a great trade.
Then there is Bill Belichick, who even amongst the dry and impersonal ranks in coaching, seems to be incredibly dry and impersonal. However, he will occassionaly provide bits of entertainment, deadpanning a sarcastic remark at the right time. Or, he will simply do something just because he can. This was the case Saturday during the draft.
The Philadelphia Eagles and the New England Patriots (specifically Andy Reid and Bill Belichick) have made a trade during the draft every year since 2000. It seemed as though that streak was going to end this year, until they managed to make one trade. The Patriots traded pick 193 to the Eagles for pick 194. That's it. They made a trade simply because they could.
Talking about the trade, Belichick told the Boston Herald that "We talked to the Eagles. We wanted to make the trade, they wanted to make the trade." Belichick gets a lot of criticism for continually trading back in the draft, but somehow I get the feeling that he will get a pass on this one.
Well done Bill. This was a great trade.
Monday, March 14, 2011
Carson Palmer Is Stuck
Leave it to a Bengal to screw up the timing when he demands a trade.
With the NFL lockout, player movement is prohibited. Free agents are not able to sign with new teams. Trades cannot occur. Should the lockout last through the draft, undrafted free agents will not be able to sign with teams. Nothing is able to be done until a new collective bargaining agreement is reached. As such, Carson Palmer's trade demands are unable to be met, even if the Bengals wanted to. And Cincinnati has stated repeatedly that they will not trade Palmer.
So, where does that leave him? Presently, Palmer is in limbo. He has no idea if he is going to be a Bengal or if they will acquiesce to his demands. In a time where all of the players are dealing with uncertainty in regards to their situations, Palmer is in an even more precarious situation.
Meanwhile, the Bengals are also in an interesting position. With there being no guarantee that the labor dispute will be resolved by the draft on April 28, they have to decide whether or not to draft a quarterback in the first round. As it stands, the Bengals need a quarterback to develop even if Carson Palmer is still on the roster. Presently, their backups are Jordan Palmer and Dan LeFevour - not exactly a group that provides any confidence should they be called upon. On top of this, the Bengals history in drafting quarterbacks is terrible. Over the past 20 years, they have drafted Donald Hollis, David Klinger, Akili Smith, Scott Covington, Palmer, Reggie McNeal, and Jeff Rowe. Yikes.
Palmer has stated on multiple occasions that he plans on retiring should he not be traded. If the labor situation is not resolved by the draft, it will be interesting to see how the Bengals handle it. Even should they call him out on his threats, they still need to draft a quarterback for the future. And watching that should be interesting.
With the NFL lockout, player movement is prohibited. Free agents are not able to sign with new teams. Trades cannot occur. Should the lockout last through the draft, undrafted free agents will not be able to sign with teams. Nothing is able to be done until a new collective bargaining agreement is reached. As such, Carson Palmer's trade demands are unable to be met, even if the Bengals wanted to. And Cincinnati has stated repeatedly that they will not trade Palmer.
So, where does that leave him? Presently, Palmer is in limbo. He has no idea if he is going to be a Bengal or if they will acquiesce to his demands. In a time where all of the players are dealing with uncertainty in regards to their situations, Palmer is in an even more precarious situation.
Meanwhile, the Bengals are also in an interesting position. With there being no guarantee that the labor dispute will be resolved by the draft on April 28, they have to decide whether or not to draft a quarterback in the first round. As it stands, the Bengals need a quarterback to develop even if Carson Palmer is still on the roster. Presently, their backups are Jordan Palmer and Dan LeFevour - not exactly a group that provides any confidence should they be called upon. On top of this, the Bengals history in drafting quarterbacks is terrible. Over the past 20 years, they have drafted Donald Hollis, David Klinger, Akili Smith, Scott Covington, Palmer, Reggie McNeal, and Jeff Rowe. Yikes.
Palmer has stated on multiple occasions that he plans on retiring should he not be traded. If the labor situation is not resolved by the draft, it will be interesting to see how the Bengals handle it. Even should they call him out on his threats, they still need to draft a quarterback for the future. And watching that should be interesting.
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
The NBA has a looming problem
In the wake of the Carmelo Anthony trade to the Knicks, a pattern has begun to develop. At this point, players have begun colluding amongst themselves, agreeing to play for a specific teams in order to build a few 'super teams'. Now, there is nothing illegal about this on the dies of the players, but if the owners were to get together in order to lower salaries, it would be a severe issue. Nothing quite like a double standard.
When did this all begin? In terms of athletes intentionally creating the 'super team' concept, it leads back to the Boston Celtics in the 2007-08 season, when Ray Allen and Paul Pierce pleaded with Kevin Garnett to join them in Boston. With the formation of the 'Big Three', the die had been cast.
Fast forward to this past off-season. LeBron, Dwayne Wade, and Chris Bosh meet several times, and decide to partner up in Miami to create their own Super Team, only their version is a younger, more dynamic group with three players entering their prime. It doesn't matter that the Heat no longer have anything resembling a surrounding cast to support them, as there was no longer any room under the cap. They have their version of the Big Three scoring roughly 68.6% of the team's points. The fourth leading scorer? Udonis Haslem, who is out for a long time at 8.0 points per game. Behind him? We find Eddie House at 6.9 points per.
Now, the New York Knicks are joining the party. After picking up Amare Stoudemire through free agency, they picked up Carmelo Anthony, who forced the Denver Nuggets to trade him. So who is the third piece? None other than Chris Paul, who joined Carmelo and Amare in toasting to playing together in New York during Carmelo's wedding. Paul happens to be a free agent after next season, so don't expect him to sign an extension in New Orleans.
The NBA is rapidly becoming a collection of the haves against the have nots. Why play in a place like Toronto or Sacramento, when you can force that team to deal you to a team like Miami or New York? Why attempt to build something in an area that truly enjoys basketball, but happens to be in the middle of nowhere? After all, image is so much more important than the game, right?
This is something that David Stern needs to look at during the collective bargaining agreement. The league may become nothing more than six to eight teams loaded with superstars, while the rest of the teams either have to fold or play in obscurity. A hard salary cap would help to fix this issue. So would creating a franchise type tag in the NBA. But regardless of what they determine the answer to be, this needs to be fixed. And soon.
When did this all begin? In terms of athletes intentionally creating the 'super team' concept, it leads back to the Boston Celtics in the 2007-08 season, when Ray Allen and Paul Pierce pleaded with Kevin Garnett to join them in Boston. With the formation of the 'Big Three', the die had been cast.
Fast forward to this past off-season. LeBron, Dwayne Wade, and Chris Bosh meet several times, and decide to partner up in Miami to create their own Super Team, only their version is a younger, more dynamic group with three players entering their prime. It doesn't matter that the Heat no longer have anything resembling a surrounding cast to support them, as there was no longer any room under the cap. They have their version of the Big Three scoring roughly 68.6% of the team's points. The fourth leading scorer? Udonis Haslem, who is out for a long time at 8.0 points per game. Behind him? We find Eddie House at 6.9 points per.
Now, the New York Knicks are joining the party. After picking up Amare Stoudemire through free agency, they picked up Carmelo Anthony, who forced the Denver Nuggets to trade him. So who is the third piece? None other than Chris Paul, who joined Carmelo and Amare in toasting to playing together in New York during Carmelo's wedding. Paul happens to be a free agent after next season, so don't expect him to sign an extension in New Orleans.
The NBA is rapidly becoming a collection of the haves against the have nots. Why play in a place like Toronto or Sacramento, when you can force that team to deal you to a team like Miami or New York? Why attempt to build something in an area that truly enjoys basketball, but happens to be in the middle of nowhere? After all, image is so much more important than the game, right?
This is something that David Stern needs to look at during the collective bargaining agreement. The league may become nothing more than six to eight teams loaded with superstars, while the rest of the teams either have to fold or play in obscurity. A hard salary cap would help to fix this issue. So would creating a franchise type tag in the NBA. But regardless of what they determine the answer to be, this needs to be fixed. And soon.
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
Shut up Carmelo Anthony
For the entirety of this season, Carmelo Anthony has been trying to force a trade from Denver. His target - the New York Knicks. He is threatening to not sign any extensions with any other team if he does not go to New York, despite the fact that the Knicks have practically nothing to offer Denver in trade.
Denver's options here are limited. They have tried signing Carmelo to an extension (3 years, 65 million), which he refused. A potential deal with New Jersey fell through when, despite the absolutely egregious amount of talent that the Nets offered, the Nuggets dragged their feet at pulling the trigger. At this point, it appears that Anthony will get his wish to be a Knick, but only through free agency.
Now, this poses another potential problem for Anthony. The collective bargaining agreement for the NBA ends after this season. As such, no one is sure as to what the financial landscape of the league will be next year. His steadfast refusal to sign an extension with Denver, or to accept a trade to a team other than New York, would potentially cost him millions of dollars. In an interview with Benjamin Hochman of the Denver Post, Hockman asked, “If they trade you somewhere, and you don’t sign the extension, you’re screwed …” Before Anthony could answer, Hochman attempted to correct his statement by saying, “Well, not necessarily screwed…” But, Melo flashed a smile and said: “Screwed.”
So, to make certain that is truly understood, Anthony feels screwed because he would either have to accept a ridiculous sum of money from a team he may not want to play for, or go to his desired destination for potentially less money. Well, too bad. It's called life, Carmelo. People are stuck at places they don't want to work at because it pays their bills. And while I understand not wanting to live in New Jersey (seriously, that team is terrible, the people on Jersey Shore are indicative to what is in northern New Jersey, and that area smells of burning tires and garbage) $65 million would allow me to purchase a place with a lot of air fresheners.
This is the bed that Carmelo Anthony has made by trying to force his way out of Denver. It's time that he accepts the consequences of his actions.
Denver's options here are limited. They have tried signing Carmelo to an extension (3 years, 65 million), which he refused. A potential deal with New Jersey fell through when, despite the absolutely egregious amount of talent that the Nets offered, the Nuggets dragged their feet at pulling the trigger. At this point, it appears that Anthony will get his wish to be a Knick, but only through free agency.
Now, this poses another potential problem for Anthony. The collective bargaining agreement for the NBA ends after this season. As such, no one is sure as to what the financial landscape of the league will be next year. His steadfast refusal to sign an extension with Denver, or to accept a trade to a team other than New York, would potentially cost him millions of dollars. In an interview with Benjamin Hochman of the Denver Post, Hockman asked, “If they trade you somewhere, and you don’t sign the extension, you’re screwed …” Before Anthony could answer, Hochman attempted to correct his statement by saying, “Well, not necessarily screwed…” But, Melo flashed a smile and said: “Screwed.”
So, to make certain that is truly understood, Anthony feels screwed because he would either have to accept a ridiculous sum of money from a team he may not want to play for, or go to his desired destination for potentially less money. Well, too bad. It's called life, Carmelo. People are stuck at places they don't want to work at because it pays their bills. And while I understand not wanting to live in New Jersey (seriously, that team is terrible, the people on Jersey Shore are indicative to what is in northern New Jersey, and that area smells of burning tires and garbage) $65 million would allow me to purchase a place with a lot of air fresheners.
This is the bed that Carmelo Anthony has made by trying to force his way out of Denver. It's time that he accepts the consequences of his actions.
Thursday, October 7, 2010
Randy Moss Trade
As I am certain that everyone has heard by now, Randy Moss was traded to the Vikings yesterday for a third round pick. On the surface, this is not a trade that appears to make any sense for New England. Presently they are sitting at 3-1 on the bye week, have a legitimate chance at making the playoffs, and yet they trade their primary deep threat.
So, why would they do this? On the surface, it would appear that there are two distinct reasons for the trade. First, to acquire an asset for a player that does not fit into their long-term plans. Moss is in the final year of his contract and wants an extension, which the Patriots were quite unwilling to give. He was not going to be there after this season - pure and simple. Secondly, this is simply what the Patriots do. They get rid of players that want more than they feel that they are worth. This follows their pattern. Look at the examples: Deion Branch, Asante Samuel, Richard Seymour, and now Randy Moss. And this does not even reflect the current holdout of Logan Mankins or the almost holdout of Vince Wilfork this offseason.
However, what does this mean for the offense as it stands now? Theoretically, this makes Welker the primary receiving option, even if he stays in the slot. Brandon Tate would move into the position vacated by the departure of Moss, but can he really be counted on? Granted, Tate has been impressive this season, but he has a history of injuries. Last season, he began the year on the PUP list, played in two games, then ended the season on the IR. Even if Tate stays healthy, then who is the number three receiver? This is a fairly important part of the Patriots offense. Looking at their depth chart, this job would fall to Julian Edelman (who is a Welker clone as a slot receiver), Matthew Slater (who is a special teams player with a grand total of ZERO career receptions over this three years in the NFL), and Taylor Price (who hasn't seen the field this season). Does anyone truly feel comfortable with any of those options?
My thought is that the Patriots will be running a lot of two tight end sets. Hernandez and Gronkowski appear to be legitimate targets, and Hernandez has shown potential as a playmaker (he already has two plays of 40+ yards this season). The running game should also be more of an option. It feels as though the Patriots are attempting to recreate the offensive gameplan from 2001-2006, where they would control the ball with short passes and the running game.
On the Vikings side of the ball, this is a trade that absolutely makes sense. Acquiring a receiver that is still amongst the best at his position for a third round pick is an easy trade to make most times. But to acquire Randy Moss in a contract year after he's been traded and feels disrespected by the Patriots? Moss is going to be motivated. Expect huge numbers from Moss by the end of the year.
This also makes the Vikings offense truly impressive. Not only do they have one of the top three backs in the NFL in Adrian Petersen, but they have dramatically improved their receiving corps. Adding Moss to a roster that already includes Percy Harvin, Bernard Berrian, Greg Camarillo, Visanthe Shiancoe, and Sidney Rice (when he comes back)? That is a formidable group right there.
It will be interesting to see how this trade impacts the end results of both teams, but it certainly appears that the Vikings are now the favorites to come out of the NFC and make the Super Bowl.
So, why would they do this? On the surface, it would appear that there are two distinct reasons for the trade. First, to acquire an asset for a player that does not fit into their long-term plans. Moss is in the final year of his contract and wants an extension, which the Patriots were quite unwilling to give. He was not going to be there after this season - pure and simple. Secondly, this is simply what the Patriots do. They get rid of players that want more than they feel that they are worth. This follows their pattern. Look at the examples: Deion Branch, Asante Samuel, Richard Seymour, and now Randy Moss. And this does not even reflect the current holdout of Logan Mankins or the almost holdout of Vince Wilfork this offseason.
However, what does this mean for the offense as it stands now? Theoretically, this makes Welker the primary receiving option, even if he stays in the slot. Brandon Tate would move into the position vacated by the departure of Moss, but can he really be counted on? Granted, Tate has been impressive this season, but he has a history of injuries. Last season, he began the year on the PUP list, played in two games, then ended the season on the IR. Even if Tate stays healthy, then who is the number three receiver? This is a fairly important part of the Patriots offense. Looking at their depth chart, this job would fall to Julian Edelman (who is a Welker clone as a slot receiver), Matthew Slater (who is a special teams player with a grand total of ZERO career receptions over this three years in the NFL), and Taylor Price (who hasn't seen the field this season). Does anyone truly feel comfortable with any of those options?
My thought is that the Patriots will be running a lot of two tight end sets. Hernandez and Gronkowski appear to be legitimate targets, and Hernandez has shown potential as a playmaker (he already has two plays of 40+ yards this season). The running game should also be more of an option. It feels as though the Patriots are attempting to recreate the offensive gameplan from 2001-2006, where they would control the ball with short passes and the running game.
On the Vikings side of the ball, this is a trade that absolutely makes sense. Acquiring a receiver that is still amongst the best at his position for a third round pick is an easy trade to make most times. But to acquire Randy Moss in a contract year after he's been traded and feels disrespected by the Patriots? Moss is going to be motivated. Expect huge numbers from Moss by the end of the year.
This also makes the Vikings offense truly impressive. Not only do they have one of the top three backs in the NFL in Adrian Petersen, but they have dramatically improved their receiving corps. Adding Moss to a roster that already includes Percy Harvin, Bernard Berrian, Greg Camarillo, Visanthe Shiancoe, and Sidney Rice (when he comes back)? That is a formidable group right there.
It will be interesting to see how this trade impacts the end results of both teams, but it certainly appears that the Vikings are now the favorites to come out of the NFC and make the Super Bowl.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)