Jan. 11, 2007 ? Three weeks ago, the Denver Nuggets made big news by acquiring Allen Iverson from the Philadelphia 76ers. Today, they made another deal. It won't make as many headlines but once again involved one of the most unique players in the NBA, Earl Boykins. For Denver, trading the 5-5 dynamo was understandable. With J.R. Smith having returned to the lineup on Wednesday night and Carmelo Anthony set to rejoin the team on January 22nd, Boykins' minutes were about to decline. Also, by dealing for Iverson, the Nuggets took on some additional salary that affected their status concerning the luxury tax. This deal now puts them under the luxury tax threshold. Source:http://www.nba.com/features/breen.html I think that persuades me a bit. But I still have some remorse...
Damn, I just got to know the news and I'm very sad about it because I got used to Boykins playing so well as he does currently. For Earl himself, maybe the trade is something more positive because the way he is playing currently, he deserves the playing time he maybe would not get anymore consistently with the Nuggets now. Thanks for the effort and exciting play, Earl, and good luck for your future!
Thanks for posting that, I was really wondering why they actually did this trade, but now I understand.
Yeah Neely it might be nice for him, but yet I would be much more happier with him on the nuggets comin off the bench and no problem NTC
That seems like BS reasons to me. Even though I don't watch Denver games exept for when they play the Lakers or on nba.com, I can still say that Boykins is one heck of a player. I hope he gets playing time in Mill... he deserves it.
bs is the wrong word for it. Why would Denver just get rid of him for no reason? I mean its not like they want to lose out just so they can make boykins suffer. I am guessing these are the true reasons why they traded him.
This was planned for a long time; the front office was never sold on Boykins, though George Karl and many of the fans were. This was done to avoid the luxury tax and to "establish more trade flexibility" so that the Nuggets have a better chance of shopping Nene or Najera. The trade was done for overall management reasons and is obviously a bad deal from a basketball perspective. And the timing of it made the trade look especially stupid with Boykins playing the way he has been. What the Nuggets really need is a power forward for Najera and/or Nene. I've given up on Nene's knee; he's just not playing enough with it. And I've given up on Najera, period. Blake had 8.2 ppg in 26 mpg for the Trailblazers last season. The Nuggets had some magic going with Iverson and A.I. on the court at the same time, didn't they? Time marches on and leaves the bad and the good in the past. NEELY: <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Thanks for the effort and exciting play, Earl, and good luck for your future! </div> Agreed and same from me. <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">The 5-5, 133-pound Boykins was averaging a career-high 15.2 points and 4.3 assists in 31 games with the Nuggets, who also have been hit hard by injuries and suspensions. Boykins had been sharing the backcourt with superstar Allen Iverson, who was acquired December 19. In Wednesday's loss to San Antonio, Denver welcomed back shooting guard J.R. Smith, who had been suspended the previous 10 games. With Iverson among the annual leaders in minutes played and Smith returning, Boykins became expendable. He should have plenty of playing time with the Bucks. Hodge, 23, could also see playing time with the Bucks given their injury woes. He played just four games with the Nuggets this season, averaging 1.5 points and 2.5 assists. Hodge's first two seasons have been marked by inconsistency and setbacks. Last April, he was shot while driving in his car on a Colorado interstate. Blake, 26, averaged 3.6 points and 2.5 assists in 33 games with the Bucks. He was acquired from Portland in the offseason and should serve as an emergency point guard with the Nuggets. "Steve is a true point guard who we think will really help our club," Warkentien added Nuggets coach George Karl apparently wasn't happy about losing Boykins, who has stepped up his play as Denver's Carmelo Anthony and J.R. Smith were serving suspensions for their roles in a brawl against the New York Knicks. Asked if he was in favor of the trade, Karl paused. "I'm not going to comment," he said. Later on, he added: "I'm not saying I feel rejected or was denied a voice. I'm not sure my voice was on the side of acceptance." But Smith returned to the lineup on Wednesday night against San Antonio and Anthony will be back after four more games, making Boykins expendable. With Iverson joining Anthony in the lineup, trading Boykins for a player such as Blake who won't be expecting to get a lot of shots made sense. "There's a finite amount of minutes and shots," Nuggets vice president of basketball operations Mark Warkentien said. "A classic point (guard) made sense to us." The deal also created a $2.95 million trade exception for the Nuggets, since the team sent more salary to the Bucks than it received. Denver has a year to use the money, but it may be spent sooner rather than later. "That gives us more flexibility at the trade deadline," Warkentien said. Hodge, who played sparingly after the Nuggets took him with the 20th pick in the 2005 draft out of North Carolina State, is a free agent after the season. He recently returned to Denver's lineup after being shot five times last April when a gunman pulled up alongside him, spraying his vehicle with bullets. Harris said he believed Hodge was completely healthy, although the Bucks waived the physical examination that usually must be completed before a trade goes through. </div> Source
the front office was never sold on Boykins Thats cold. He is a good player and the fans love him. Even though he's really god, people just assume he's an underdog cuz of his size and like him for that reason. Dont see why the management doesnt see this.
