NBA Trades - Winners

[ohara]

I hope you are right my friend. I really do. I dont want to paint a picture of doom and gloom. That would be teams at the bottom of the barrel. But, I do see it as cloudy, not bright and sunny. I see Chicago and NY improving over the last 48 hours, and we stay put. And those are 2 teams ahead of us in the rankings already, and we have to find a way to pass them and catch the Bucks. With them improving and us staying put, you are putting an awful lot of stock in us getting better just because we are healthy. We may improve some, but not enough to catch the teams ahead of us. At least I dont see it happening. I would love dearly to be wrong.

[BigSlam]

We are healthy for the 1st time in a long time, but there is more than that. There has been a learning curve with Boris and Daiw coming in. There has also been a learning curve with Radman. Crash had missed those 7 games and DJ was out too.

You can see the faith we are having in each other more and more with each game as the guys get used to each other. Plus, we FINALLY have bench depth.

We added by subtracting Ammo. He pretty much had a negative effect anytime he was on the court. The great thing is what we got back is actually producing at a very high rate. We have more flexibilty than ever before with the array of talent and skills we have.

These last 30 games for me will be about building on that and getting ready for next season. I'd love to make the playoffs this year, but taking into consideration the massive over haul the roster has under gone and the 20 something line ups we have gone with, I think that might be a big ask.

I fully expect to get +.500 next season though, providing what we have (player and coach wise) stays in tack, we are healthy and we draft well.

[ccbballin]

If the Bobcats make the playoffs, I say Rod Higgins deserves the GM of the year award. It's not all his doing but he deserves more applause for the job he is doing.

[Bassman]

These last 30 games for me will be about building on that and getting ready for next season. I'd love to make the playoffs this year, but taking into consideration the massive over haul the roster has under gone and the 20 something line ups we have gone with, I think that might be a big ask.

I fully expect to get +.500 next season though, providing what we have (player and coach wise) stays in tack, we are healthy and we draft well.

I share some optimism, but I also recognize what Ohara is saying. Our team is better with the players we've assembled via trade. But we have some fundamental weaknesses that are only magnified in a playoff series:

> REBOUNDING - Our front line is undersized against larger teams, and it gives us problems with boarding and defense in the lane. Okafor is doing his part, but he gets overmatched against big 5's. Diaw is not strong on the boards. Crash is among the best rebounders at his position.

> OUTSIDE SHOOTING - LB's efforts to reduce the excess shots has helped. These guys are playing more disciplined ball, and it has improved our FG %. Perhaps Vlad's presence, and DJ's contributions, will ultimately make this a non issue. But our starters are not exactly "lights out" shooters. If BIG teams pack it in we've got to make open shots. Bell has his moments but I think we need a better player starting at the 2 that can dominate a game when needed (offensively and defensively). Maybe a deal this offseason?

Saying that, I recognize that our team is really improving. The Cat's look like a team, and are playing better than ever. It will be exciting to watch the rest of the season play out. I don't think there was a game-changer trade available to us that was worth dealing a key player.

[Dexmor]

Bulls and Knicks kicked but in there trades. They scare me now. Hopefully we can beat them out in playoffs.

[chrbal]

Winners-
Orlando for getting Rafer Alston for basically filler and a 1st round pick.
Knicks for getting anyone to take on Jerome James, turning expiring Malik Rose for expiring Chris Wilcox, and bringing Larry Hughes...a player they needed and a player that needed a new team.
New Olreans for getting forced out of that Chandler trade.

Losers-
The Thunder for losing on Tyson Chandler (I didn't realize the Thunder were in the playoff hunt and needed help right away and trading the usless Wilcox for the more useless Rose. Getting Thabo for one of their 15 1st round picks in 2009 bumps them up a little bit.
The Kings for filing Chapter 11 on the Bulls trade (what they couldn't get the Bulls to take on Kevin Martin for the right to swap 2nds?). Also in the other deal McCants is better then Shelden Williams, but thats like saying something is better then nothing.
Memphis for what has to be the most confusing use of cap space. Adonal Foyle, Mike Wilks, Cash, 1st round pick, 2nd round pick, and Chris Mihm. Add that to Shaun Livingston and Steve Francis, and you get a team that has become a shell corporation for other NBA franchises. I get that they are being paid to take on the players they did, but none of this will help them.

[Dexmor]

I feel bad for Blazers and Cavs fans. All that talk of stars and nothing.