| One Team's Trash… Authored by Jared L. Cantin - August 2, 2005 - 9:48 pm
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The rumored Jason Williams deal has been covered ad nauseam on sports websites, effectively demonstrating the snail pace of this NBA off-season. With few truly interesting deals, and the majority of the major players returning to their teams of last season, each moderately intriguing deal has been met with a flood of coverage. (See Joe John$on) However this piece will be somewhat different. This article will analyze whether NBA teams are justified in their attempts to revitalize the "problem child"?
In the 2003-2004 NBA season, the Detroit Pistons made a move that at the time appeared bold. For almost nothing, the Pistons spun the steal of the season, acquiring Rasheed Wallace and his "Technically" tainted reputation from Atlanta (via Portland). Portland was fed up, figured they had replaced Rasheed with Randolph, and cut ties for a relatively solid package from Atlanta. Portland and Atlanta are still making regular stops in the Lottery, and Detroit is again priming for a brisk walk through the Eastern Conference. Now review, who won that deal?
In the very same season, the Celtics sent a series of peaked veterans (and the forgettable Kedrick Brown), for Ricky "Buckets" Davis. Davis, and his triple double rep of attitude, arrogance, and athleticism, according to the "experts", spelled doom and desperation for the Celtic's. All Ricky has done since joining the C's is set the house ablaze with his high flying theatrics, nearly win the sixth man of the year award, and spend time supporting his young teammates at the Vegas Summer League this year. If those are the marks of a problem child, more teams could use one.
Vince Carter, Tracy McGrady, and Shaquille O'Neal were additional mal-contents, albeit not necessarily problem children, that demanded to move on, and were traded by their teams. In each case, the team that acquired the problem, solved some of their own, with a rejuvenated and reenergized star. The Nets enjoyed the Carter of old, the Rockets got a T-Mac hungry to prove his elite status in the playoffs, and the Heat got Sha(Q)tkins, a slimmer version of the previously plump big man.
So what does this tell us about certain teams' "adopt a mal-content" program? When there is a buyers' market for a player, Buy, Buy, Buy! In each case, for Portland, Cleveland, Los Angeles, Orlando, and Toronto, ridding themselves of their problem players left gaping new problems, and hefty shoes to fill. It is no coincidence that none of the aforementioned teams made the playoffs last season, and outside of Cleveland, none are likely to see the playoffs without a ticket this year. Conversely, of the teams receiving the players mentioned above, all were active participants in the playoffs last year. The Heat and Pistons made themselves perennial title contenders, the Nets turned around a dismal season, and the Rockets poised themselves for a decade of playoff appearances. So what does this mean for the new crop of mal-contents?
Jason Williams, although not on the level of a Carter, McGrady or Shaq, is the flashy star most likely to be moved this year. His antics throughout his career, and rocky relationship with management and coaching in Memphis have all but sealed his fate on the trade market. If he ends up with the Heat, is it possible that he is the missing piece?
Paul Pierce, with his pouting, shirt waving, and conflict with Ainge and Doc, is another star that could conceivably change addresses. If he is traded, do the Celtics make the playoffs next year, or the year after that even? From what we have seen above, it is not likely. And from the trends established, the Celtics are very unlikely to get market value for their star.
In the end, teams weigh and balance, fans clutter message boards with frighteningly creative trade ideas, and teams inexplicably trade their stars for soberingly pathetic player packages and unproven commodities. The "I have had enough attitude", forces General Managers to make decisions that in retrospect, simply do not make their team better. For no matter how fat Shaq gets, he is worth more wins than Butler, Grant, and Odom. No matter how little defense T-Mac plays, he is head and shoulders above Stevie Franchise. And whether our northern neighbors would like to admit it or not, Air Canada will be making annual playoff flights to Jersey for the better part of the next decade.
Through all this movement, one thing stays consistent; when teams trade an unhappy star at his lowest value, they live to regret it. And when teams step up the plate, and take risks on another team's trash, they sometimes find treasure. Just ask Detroit. |
