When I read the trade I just figured they realized the Nash era was over. Jason Richardson was a stud, and to be honest he was for the most part the guy that determined if they were going to win. I know they just beat OKC and all, but in the end I think they will finish below .500
I don't think so. But the real mistakes were done last summer, so maybe they are a little better: http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/columns/story?columnist=stein_marc&page=steinsunsdeal-101218
From the standpoint of this season, I think it was a lateral move. They picked up a good young center and will clear some cap space when Carter's contract expires.
I wouldn't mind (don't think they'd do it) trying to trade them BRoy (and ?) for possibly Vince (for his expiring) and Childress (I think he's a player long term, at his rock bottom value right now, and they want out from his contract). Basically they'd get to send out 50M (Vince is 17+4mil buyout + 30 million (Childress 5 year deal)) for Roy's 85M. It's a 35 million dollar gamble on Roy. He wouldn't fit into their fast paced style, but he'd definitely be surrounded by shooters with a bunch of open space to work with.
This is essentially my opinion. The Suns took a step back or, at least, didn't get better in the short-term, but might be somewhat more flexible going forward.
Yes, they got better. Forget about Vince Carter, he in the trade for cap relief at the end of the season. They ditched a guy (Hedo) is really only effective with the ball in his hands. That wasn't going to happen with Nash on the team. They will miss Jason Richardson no doubt about it. But they got another good 3 point shooter who also plays pretty good defense in Micheal Pietrus. They got another big to either split time with or take over for Robin Lopez should Robin's back act up again. Both guys are young, hungry and will thrive next to Nash. I am pretty sure this move dooms Portland's playoff chances if they had any before the trade.
The Suns took a real step back this season. They've begun a soft landing for a full post-Nash rebuild.
I really don't think so. Carter is a shadow, Pietrus is a lowly role player at best, and Gortat is unproven. They gave up one of their best scoring threats, a guy who almost single-handedly destroyed Portland in the playoffs last season, and all they got was Vince Carter to fill his shoes. It doesn't look good. Hedo didn't contribute so he's a wash, but losing Richardson will really hurt. I think they're done.
Yeah, I was a fan of Pietrus as a prospect, but he really never developed. His defense is only so-so and he's not particularly productive. Gortat helps them a bit, but I think the downgrade from Richardson to Carter at least cancels it, if not making them worse.
The move doesn't really make sense to me... I don't think they can honestly say that they made this trade to get better this season, so was it done to move contracts? If so, why not trade Nash? I think they're beyond being able to compete for a championship, so why not blow it up and start building for the future?
My oft-stated opinion is that "blowing it up" just to gain salary flexibility (and maybe a better draft pick) doesn't tend to get you closer to contention. If some team offered Phoenix a chest full of epix loot for Nash, they'd be silly to turn it down...but dealing Nash just to dump salary isn't a good idea for them, IMO (and dealing Richardson just to dump salary isn't a good idea, either, as far as I'm concerned...but maybe they just like Gortat as a center solution for the future).
Sure, trading Nash just to trade him isn't a good idea, but if they can get a high draft pick and a young player for him, why not make the move? I'd be shopping him with the intention of adding pieces that will help the team down the road, because they have very little shot at making the playoffs, let alone advancing past the first round. A team like NY would be awesome. If the Knicks could swing a deal for Melo AND Nash, they'd be in a good spot to make some noise in the playoffs.
Depends on the young player, I guess. If a contender wanted to give up a young player who had star upside, I could see it. The main motivation shouldn't be salary clearing, though, in my view.
It was a meh trade for Phoenix. I think the fact that Phoenix gets a 1st round pick was what made the deal. A wash talent-wise, but for the future and getting size I think it was a win for Phoenix. Orlando is definitely in win-now mode.
They got much worse, but getting rid of Hedo's contract in favor of Carter's was smart for their impending rebuilding. Pietrus and Gortat are also nice young(ish) pieces. Get Nash out of there!
This. They got better because they weren't going to win anything this year anyway, so they made sure they were in possition to potentially be better in the next few years. That is what Portland needs to understand for their own team
They beat Okl. City last night . . . Grant Hill leading the way with 31/10. That won't happen ever again. They shot 58% to 43% for OC, and they won by 3. Just reaffirms what we already know about Okl. City - they'd be scary if they played defense (and had a center). I don't think Carter and Co. coming in will help them much. Still a .500 team.
I'll add my own ditto to this train of thought. Moving forward (post lockout) they've got two fairly decent 7 footers, they'll have that Dragic kid to play the point and he seems kind of promising and if they're really smart they'll flip Nash for a young stud prospect from a contender ... and if they really do it right, they might even get a top ten draft pick this year and next year and hopefully will have themselves some new elite talent to reboot their team.
