Analysis: How Teams, All-Stars Part Ways
With the All-Star Game set for this evening in Orlando, home of Dwight Howard for who knows how much longer, there’s no better time to take a look at recent All-Stars and how some of them ended up changing teams.
The new collective bargaining agreement reached at the end of last year’s lockout included provisions designed to incentivize a free agent’s loyalty to his team and encourage trades. We heard plenty about putting teams back in control of their players’ destinies in the wake of LeBron’s 2010 decision and the Melo-drama of last season. And, thanks in large measure to Mark Cuban, we continue to hear about that. Nonetheless, among the 56 players who made All-Star teams during the previous CBA, from 2005/06 to 2010/11, there were three times as many who were traded away from their teams than there were who left as free agents.
That doesn’t mean some of those 21 traded All-Stars didn’t exert pressure on their teams to trade them. Yet in every one of those trades, the teams ultimately made the decision to part ways, and received compensation in return (in some cases, another All-Star). There were also four more All-Stars who were involved in sign-and-trades or extend-and-trades, hybrid moves in which players and teams all wield varying degrees of influence over the transaction. Only seven All-Stars simply left their teams via free agency.
The six-year period we’re looking at here is a relatively small sample size, and doesn’t take into consideration players who made All-Star teams before the 2005 CBA was in effect or account for transactions that have occurred under the terms of the new CBA, like the Chris Paul trade. It doesn’t include players who will leave their teams in the future, either. It’s an unscientific study, but it does reveal that teams have had greater control over top-level talent in recent years than they’ve let on.
Here are a few more findings:
- The study covers players who were selected to appear in at least one All-Star Game, even if they didn’t play or were late additions to the roster. Ten of the 56 total All-Stars represented multiple teams, and Allen Iverson was an All-Star for three different franchises — the Nuggets, Pistons and Sixers.
- The majority of the All-Stars were still on the roster of the last team they represented in the All-Star Game when the CBA expired last year. That group of 33 players includes Yao Ming, who didn’t announce his retirement until July of last year despite missing the entire 2010/11 season.
- One All-Star and his team parted ways in an unusual fashion. The Sixers released a statement on March 2, 2010 stating that Iverson would not be returning to the team. Iverson’s page on Basketball Reference states that he was released by the team on that date, but that doesn’t appear to be the case. Iverson, who hasn’t played a game in the NBA since, still counts as a cap hold on the Sixers roster for the two-year veteran’s minimum of more than $850K.
- Among players who did not remain with their teams, there wasn’t too much time between their All-Star selections and the date of separation. Those players finished an average of 2.18 seasons with their teams after appearing on All-Star rosters. Two of the quickest departures occurred last season, when Carmelo Anthony and Deron Williams were traded two and three days, respectively, after the All-Star Game.
Coon On Lakers, Rockets, Celtics
Salary cap expert and burgeoning Twitter star Larry Coon unleashed a stream of tweets today on several topics. Here are some of the highlights:
- The Lakers are considering a swap with the Blazers for point guard Raymond Felton, who was recently benched. The Lakers would be able to fit Felton's $7.5MM salary in using part of their $8.9MM trade exception acquired in the Lamar Odom deal.
- Gilbert Arenas could be the fallback option at point guard if the Lakers don't get Felton or Ramon Sessions from the Cavs.
- The Rockets are still hot after Pau Gasol, but their unwillingness to part with Kyle Lowry makes a deal with the Lakers unlikely unless additional teams are involved.
- In a rumored deal involving Rajon Rondo and Gasol, the Lakers would seek Brandon Bass instead of Jermaine O'Neal. Rondo, Coon says, is "on the outs" in Boston.
- If the Celtics are looking to move Ray Allen, Coon reiterated what he's been saying about the interest the Clippers have in him. Complicating such a move is the health of Allen's son, Walker, who has juvenile diabetes and is accustomed to receiving care in the Boston area. The Clippers are also closing in on signing Bobby Simmons.
Cavs Notes: Sessions, Varejao, Jamison
The Cavs hit the All-Star break in ninth place in the Eastern Conference, at 13-18 and a game and a half back of the slumping Celtics. Here's what's buzzing with the team as it chases its first post-LeBron James playoff berth:
- Bob Finnan of The News-Herald said the Cavs would prefer to get a first-round draft pick in a trade instead of veteran talent. Nonetheless, Marvin Williams' name has come up as a potential target, as he was drafted by former Hawks executive and current Cavs GM Chris Grant. A straight-up swap of Williams for Ramon Sessions, a rumor Finnan has been hearing, wouldn't work under the salary cap, but another deal is within the realm of possibility.
- Cleveland Plain Dealer columnist Terry Pluto believes the Cavs are better off trading Sessions for a first-round pick rather than risking that he'll turn down a $4.55MM option for next season and seek a starting job as an unrestricted free agent this summer.
- Tom Reed of the Cleveland Plain Dealer answered reader questions and said that even though Anderson Varejao is likely off the table for this year's trade discussions, the high energy big man will likely be back in trade talks next season.
- While trade candidate Antawn Jamison could remain in Cleveland the rest of the season, Reed doubts Jamison, who's a free agent this summer, will return to the team in 2012/13.
- Finnan has another story on top-pick Kyrie Irving, who's reminding coach Byron Scott of a young Chris Paul. Scott, who also coached Jason Kidd during his prime in New Jersey, was Paul's first coach with the Hornets.
Higgins: Bobcats Won’t Deviate From Rebuilding
In a wide-ranging interview with Charlotte Observer beat writer Rick Bonnell, Bobcats president of basketball operations Rod Higgins said he won't make any deal that would improve the woeful team for this season but sacrifice its chances for success long-term. (The full transcript of the interview is available here.)
"Panic doesn't exist for us," he said. "Once we made those trades [exchanging veterans Gerald Wallace and Stephen Jackson for packages that included draft picks], we have to see it through, the path we've taken: Get assets, create [cap] flexibility.
Some of the flexibility with the cap depends on the offers that restricted free agents D.J. Augustin and D.J. White receive from other teams this summer. Higgins said the team could be anywhere from $5MM to $21MM under the cap during the offseason, and told Bonnell the team would pursue a marquee free agent if any of them have mutual interest.
Higgins and GM Rich Cho said they're also listening to offers for what figures to be a high pick in the 2012 draft. If they keep the pick, they're looking for someone who "can help a team right away," Higgins said.
Though Higgins and Cho wouldn't discuss amnesty candidates, Bonnell figures Matt Carroll, DeSagana Diop and Tyrus Thomas might be considered. Thomas, the fourth overall pick in the 2006 draft, would raise the most eyebrows. He has about $26MM guaranteed on his contract the next three years. Higgins seems on the fence about whether the team regrets signing Thomas to a five-year, $40MM deal in 2010.
Odds & Ends: Bogut, Gasol, Kings
Peter Vecsey, in the same column in which he revealed the Knicks as potential suitors for Dwight Howard, hears that the Bucks are "definitely open to offers" for Andrew Bogut, who's currently out with a fractured left ankle. He also says the rumored signing of Rasheed Wallace by the Lakers lends credibility to the idea that the team could send Pau Gasol to the Celtics for Rajon Rondo and Jermaine O'Neal. Here's the rest of what's being whispered around All-Star weekend.
- Restricted free agent Wilson Chandler's Chinese team has been eliminated from the playoffs, and he's expecting FIBA clearance soon, tweets Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld. Yesterday we noted that Chandler's clearance has been delayed. He's been a target of the Nuggets, his former team, and the Raptors of late.
- A meeting today between Sacramento mayor Kevin Johnson, the Maloof brothers and league officials could be make-or-break for the city's hopes to keep the Kings, writes Sacramento Bee columnist Ailene Voisin.
- Ken Berger of CBSSports.com delves into the finer points of the lockout negotiations, and notes how close the league came to canceling the entire season.
- Celtics team president Danny Ainge and coach Doc Rivers must turn into salesmen to attract top free agent talent to Boston as the team looks to replace its aging core, writes Steve Bulpett of the Boston Herald.
- To get the Hornets to trade Chris Kaman to the Heat, it would take Udonis Haslem and Mike Miller, a price Miami is unwilling to pay, observes Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel.
- Swingman Mike Dunleavy, who signed a two-year, $7.5MM free-agent deal with the Bucks this past offseason, is getting comfortable in what was already familiar territory in Wisconsin, writes Lori Nickel of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. It's worth noting, though, that Dunleavy's dad is part of what's reportedly the leading potential ownership group for the Hornets.
- Wendell Maxey of Ridiculous Upside chronicles the fall of one-time top prospect Reeves Nelson.
- Fred Kerber of the New York Post looks at how free-agent-to-be Deron Williams is showcasing his talents with little help in New Jersey.
Assessing Stocks: Houston Rockets
Portfolio Review: The Houston Rockets have perhaps the best point guard in the NBA that isn't quite a franchise point guard in Kyle Lowry. He is entering the prime of his career just as their second best player, Luis Scola, is exiting his. Scola, coincidentally, is just about as good as you can get at power forward without being an All-Star.
And that, in a nutshell, is the Houston Rockets. A group whose individual talents promise falls just short of stardom, and whose collective talents falls somewhere between the 7th seed and just out of the playoffs in the Western Conference.
The Rockets are a team perfectly built around a superstar that no longer exists on their roster. Over the summer they were able to replace that superstar with Pau Gasol, only to have David Stern veto the trade.
Prime Assets: Kyle Lowry has been deemed untouchable in most trade scenarios, though I would strongly take a look at a Lowry for Rajon Rondo-type deal should it present itself. Lowry is the better all-around player, but like the rest of the Rockets roster, lacks a single elite skill. Rondo has a deficient jump shot that skews his team's spacing, something the Rockets would have no trouble accommodating.
With Lowry off the table, the combination of Luis Scola and Kevin Martin were once worth Pau Gasol with a third team. Perhaps they can be again.
Worthless Stock: The only redeeming value for Hasheem Thabeet right now is a team's ability to write they acquired a former no. 2 overall pick in the press releases. He and Jonny Flynn are not toxic assets, but they're certainly not helpful either.
The Rest: The Rockets do not really do bad contracts or bad players. They just don't have very many really good ones. The question is do the Rockets consolidate some of their depth to improve slightly in talent?
Odds & Ends: Howard, Cousins, Hornets
Anytime there is a gathering of NBA general managers and reporters, rumors are sure to fly. This year Orlando offers an interesting backdrop for such discussion–the Magic's best player, Dwight Howard, is at the center of the biggest trade talks. Some news and notes from All-Star weekend:
- Calling himself Superman, Dwight Howard should be familiar with dual identities. But switching between team ambassador and the player requesting a trade is not easy task writes Jerry Zgoda of the Star Tribune.
- Howard has already lost some of his credibility as a leader in the locker room, writes the Orlando Sentinel's Brian Schmitz. Trying to fill that void, Glen Davis?
- Schmitz also writes David Stern has no sympathy for the Orlando Magic.
- Over at Hardwood Paroxysm, our own Sean Highkin talks about Andrew Bynum, Dwight Howard, DeMarcus Cousins, and big men in small markets.
- Chris Sheridan of Sheridan Hoops and David Stern verbally joust over the ramifications of the Chris Paul trade.
- According to ESPN Los Angeles's Ramona Shelburne, former NBA coach Mike Dunleavy is a member of the group interested in buying the New Orleans Hornets.
Suns Notes: Nash, Morris, Draft
For Steve Nash, tomorrow's All-Star game could be his last, or simply his last representing the Phoenix Suns. A couple of Suns notes during All-Star weekend:
- While Nash might be open to a trade, retirement is something that he's not ready to consider writes the Toronto Star's Doug Smith.
- Given his level of play this season, adding another All-Star appearance, why would Nash be in a hurry to retire? Stefan Swiat of Suns.com talked to a number of All-Star weekend participants in Orlando and got their thoughts on the Suns' two-time MVP's game.
- Over at Valley of the Suns, Michael Schwartz and company debate Steve Nash's fate in Phoenix.
- If Nash is going to have any kind of future as a player with the Suns, he's going to need some help. Swiat was also able to get a number of All-Star participants to evaluate Suns rookie Markieff Morris, who is more skilled than many of his peers originally thought.
- One way or another, the Suns are going to have to find some new talent through the draft. Over at Arizona Republic, Jay Dieffenbach looks at a couple of draft prospects the Suns might be interested in.
David Stern On Kings, Hornets, Expansion, Lin
Despite the lockout, the NBA is thriving this season and all is well in the league according to David Stern in his annual All-Star press conference, which aired on NBA TV. A few notes from the press conference:
- Regarding any possible contribution the Maloofs, owners of the Sacramento Kings, would make towards a new NBA arena in Sacramento, David Stern simply replied, "life is a negotiation." Dale Kasler of the Sacramento Bee reports the city is looking for the Maloofs to pay $70-90MM on the proposed arena. A deadline to reach an agreement is set for March 1st.
- While the NBA has not pledged any help towards keeping the Kings in Sacramento, Stern said the NBA is in discussion with one group to purchase the New Orleans Hornets and has a second group lined in case those discussions fall through.
- While relocation remains a possibility for cities to acquire NBA teams, Stern said the NBA has no plans to expand in America. He did not, however, shoot down the possibility of expanding into Europe. Though not anytime in the immediate future.
- The best way to get an NBA team? Having a new NBA arena of course.
- Stern on Jeremy Lin: "I think it's great for the league and great for Jeremy, and my guess is that in the just concluded D-League All-Star Game, there were more scouts there than ever in the history of that game. And we're proud of the D League, and we're actually proud of the NBA system, as well."
- David Stern will not be in the NBA forever — he wants Adam Silver to take his place.
Timberwolves Notes: Love, Rubio
While everyone seems eager to marry large markets and larger than life superstars, Minnesota Timberwolves teammates Kevin Love and Ricky Rubio are proving stardom can be achieved just as readily by performance on the court. The Timberwolves duo, along with rookie Derrick Williams, represent the greatest contingent of talent Minnesota has sent to All-Star weekend festivities since Kevin Garnett, Tom Gugliotta, and Stephon Marbury in 1997. Some notes on the Timberwolves this All-Star weekend:
- Timberwolves general manager David Kahn took a risk by signing Kevin Love to a four-year extension with an opt-out after three years instead of the five-year maximum. But with Minnesota at 17-17, Love is buying into the Timberwolves, writes Hoops World's Stephen Litel.
- A big reason behind the Timberwolves success is the play of rookie point guard Ricky Rubio, who Suns rookie Markieff Morris said has "dimes for days," in comparing Rubio to Suns point guard Steve Nash (via Stefan Swiat at Suns.com)
- Magic Johnson sees some of his game in Rubio as well, as he tells the Minnesota Star Tribune.
- Lost in all the Timberwolves relative success are the New Orleans Hornets, whose acquired first-round pick from the Timberwolves (via the Clippers) is being devalued with each passing day, writes Benjamin Hoffman of the New York Times' Off the Dribble blog.
- Also from Hoffman's piece is mention of the Timberwolves overcrowded front court situation, with Love set in the rotation and Michael Beasley, Derrick Williams, Nikola Pekovic, Darko Milicic, and Anthony Randolph all vying for minutes. Those are some interesting trade pieces for the Timberwolves to use in building a solid supporting cast.