Every week during the NBA season, a cast of the top NBA bloggers on the internet will join About.com to answer the top several questions on the minds of NBA fans. So read the expert words of these bloggers on trades, injuries, team analysis, off-the-court issues and anything else that makes the NBA world go round.
The Answer Pepes
We all know that huge trades did not go down at the deadline, but what’s one trade that SHOULD have gone down?
Natalie: The Gasol trade to the Bulls should have went down. It’s clear that the Bulls need that little something to get them over the hump. Though they are a great young team, this squad most likely will not get out of the second round of the playoffs. If their jumpshots aren’t going down they are not going to win. It’s not going to happen unless they get some interior help.
Atma Brother #1: Trading for Pau Gasol was a no-brainer for the Bulls. I can't believe they didn't pull this one off. With Spanish Fly and Benny Wallace teamed down low this team probably could have taken the East this year, especially with Dwyane Wade's latest injury. Instead the Bulls are going to be a 1st round out in the Leastern Conference Playoffs. It's really puzzling why they didn't pull the trigger for a primetime player who's made the All-Star squad as a forward in the loaded Western Conference. It's just a case of another GM overrating his youth and draft picks.
Dave: Both the Blazers and the Bulls should have taken a harder look at a Zach Randolph for P.J. Brown, Luol Deng, and a 1st-rounder exchange. Zach is playing out of his head this season but his relationship with Portland is still uneasy and he may not fit the high-octane offensive future they envision with the likes of Sergio Rodriguez, Brandon Roy, and Lamarcus Aldridge. In Deng the Blazers would get a budding star who’s exactly in line with their timetable to complete their small-position rotation, room for Aldridge to grow, a second late lottery pick with which to pick up a big man or two to complete their frontcourt, and cap space in the future to sign veterans to complete the puzzle. Chicago, meanwhile, needs neither youth nor cap space. They could sure use some frontcourt post scoring though, and Zach is easily in the top three in the business in that aspect of the game. Ben Wallace would cover any defensive deficiencies Zach exhibited. They would have instantly become the best rebounding team in the league. And having a legitimate shot at the finals would have spurred the competitive Randolph even farther. With Randolph only being 25 years old and his contract running congruent to Wallace’s they could have been THE dominant team in the East for a long while. The Bulls were guaranteed at least a trip to the conference finals, and probably to the NBA Finals, with this move and you just don’t pass that up to save a player and a pick. With Zach there I might have even given them a chance to win it all. They must really be banking on KG coming available this summer...
Ryan: I wanted to see any deal that would have resulted in KG returning to his old stomping grounds in Chicago! I understand that it was his choice to sign a max deal with Minnesota but I can’t help but feel he’s becoming my generation's Karl Malone and is rotting away in Minnesota.
Dennis: I think either one of Jason Kidd or Vince Carter probably should have been traded. I think it's pretty much a done deal that Carter will opt out of his contract and then go for that one last huge contract, rumors saying Orlando since he's from near there in Florida. They already owe Jason Kidd a ton of money and need all the resources they can get to help move to Brooklyn. Are the Nets really planning on paying Kidd AND VC a ton of money for next season?
Understandably, one of the things the Nets need in order to "sell" a new arena to the fanbase is a face for the franchise and being able to say "we made the playoffs." And, yes, it's the Leastern Conference where you'd probably be able to make the postseason with a sub-.500 record, but why not sell the "future"? I heard that the Lakers were starting to relent and would include Andrew Bynum in a deal for Kidd. That would have been great for both clubs as Bynum does look like he can turn out to be pretty good and would form a great frontcourt with Nenad Krstic for years. And, of course, the Lakers would get Kidd and well, I think we all know that would instantly move them up the list of title contenders.
And let's not forget about Richard Jefferson. Fine, he's not exactly a marquee name, but add him with Bynum, Krstic PLUS the fact that Marcus Williams would take over as the PG and be more than able to handle the position, and the Nets would have a collective face to sell. And let's assume that the Nets basically tank with Kidd and/or VC gone and they'd probably get a lottery pick. The upcoming draft is looking good thanks to the new collective bargaining agreement that sent prep hoopsters such as Kevin Durant, Greg Oden, Brandan Wright, and others to college instead of declaring for the draft last year. Well, they'll in all likelihood come out now and that just adds to the depth of the draft.
I guess we could have hoped. I think for the very reason of that draft depth I mentioned, a lot of teams backed off on trading to keep their draft picks.
