Mobile Menu
HEADLINES

Hoops Rumors Originals

Hoops Rumors Featured Feedback

October 1st, 2014 at 12:05pm CST by Chuck Myron

We value your input on the news we cover here at Hoops Rumors. That’s why we’re passing along some of the best insight from the comments on our posts and on the Hoops Rumors Facebook page. Share your reaction to and insight on the news and rumors around the league, and you’ll have a chance to see your name here.

If you haven’t commented at Hoops Rumors before, it’s easy to sign up and start. First, read our Commenting Policy. Then, scroll to the bottom of any post, and you’ll see the word “Login” on the right side atop the comments section. Click the word and choose whether you want to comment using a Disqus account or your existing Facebook, Twitter or Google account. If you don’t have a Disqus account and you want to create one, just choose that option and click “Need an account?” at the bottom right of the box that pops up.

Last week, reader Boston2AZ wasn’t high on Phoenix’s decision to budge from their offer of four years and $48MM to Eric Bledsoe and finally grant him a five-year, $70MM deal.

  • Not liking this signing. Are they going to resign Goran Dragic after next season and have $28MM+ in their starting backcourt? I’d rather have Dragic. If this deal is so “reasonable”, maybe Bledsoe can be moved if he shows he can stay healthy – a BIG if.

Michael Beasley was another marquee free agent to come off the board just before camps opened, and Z…. believes the Grizzlies picked up a bargain.

  • Great fit…I mentioned it a few times previously. I would have liked to see him back in Miami, especially for that type of a contract, but I guess they decided to go in a different direction with Shawne and Reggie Williams instead (ugh)…The Grizzlies could use someone like Beasley who can get his own shot and score, and his defensive deficiencies shouldn’t be as noticeable on a team with that type of defense, and the rim protection they get from Marc Gasol.

Gustavo Ayon was one of the noteworthy figures who didn’t end up with an NBA contract, finally closing on a deal to play for Real Madrid in Spain and passing on a minimum-salary offer from the Spurs, leaving statsnasty wondering why the center didn’t generate more interest stateside.

  • Gustavo is good. He should be in the NBA. Hopefully this won’t become a trend, where all good second-string players can’t get good enough offers to stay in the NBA.

Check out what more readers had to say in previous editions of Hoops Rumors Featured Feedback. We appreciate everyone who adds to the dialogue at Hoops Rumors, and we look forward to seeing more responses like these from you!

Repost Share Send via email

Hoops Rumors 2014 Free Agent Tracker

October 1st, 2014 at 9:01am CST by Chuck Myron

The past week has seen a whirlwind of moves as teams readied for training camp. The period was the coda to an offseason of seismic shifts around the NBA, from the return of LeBron James to Cleveland, to Greg Monroe‘s bold decision to sign his qualifying offer from the Pistons, to Houston’s losing gamble with Chandler Parsons. In last several days, marquee names like Eric Bledsoe and Michael Beasley were sprinkled amid a flurry of signings for the preseason. Our Free Agent Tracker will help you evaluate and make sense of them all. Using the tracker, you can quickly sort through contract agreements and categorize by team, position, free agent type, and a handful of other variables.

A few notes on the tracker:

  • Contract years and dollars are based on what’s been reported to date, so in some cases those amounts are approximations rather than official figures. There are a few cases in which details are especially scarce, so some fields are left blank.
  • The salaries listed aren’t necessarily fully guaranteed, though fully non-guaranteed deals are marked as summer contracts.
  • Separate entries exist for Chris Crawford and Christian Watford, both of whom were signed, waived, and then signed again by the same teams. However, only a single entry exists for Francisco Garcia, since the league never ratified his original contract.
  • The tracker doesn’t include signed draft picks, since those players weren’t free agents. We’re keeping on top of 2014 draft pick signings in this post. The tracker also doesn’t include “draft-and-stash” players who’ve signed this summer, but they’re listed here. A list of all the offseason trade acquisitions is right here.

Our 2014 Free Agent Tracker can be found anytime on the right sidebar under “Hoops Rumors Features,” and it’s also under the “Tools” menu atop the site. It will continue to be updated until the offseason is finished, so be sure to check back for the latest info. If you have any corrections, please let us know right here.

Repost Share Send via email

Hoops Rumors Originals

September 28th, 2014 at 7:00pm CST by Zachary Links

Here’s our look back at the original reporting and analysis generated by the Hoops Rumors staff this week..

  • Hoops Rumors learned that Willie Reed‘s deal with the Nets is for one year and non-guaranteed.
  • Whatever happened to last year’s 10-day signees?  Chuck Myron has the answers.
  • Hoops Rumors was the first to learn that Lorenzo Brown‘s deal with the Pistons does not include any guaranteed money.
  • Chuck examined Rudy Gay as an extension candidate.
  • Circle them on your calendar: these are the important dates to look out for in the 2014/15 season.
  • Eddie Scarito is keeping track of the 2014/15 expanded roster counts.
  • If you missed out on Chuck’s Wednesday chat, get caught up here.
  • Play nice, everyone.  Review our commenting policy.
Repost Share Send via email

Key Dates For 2014/15 NBA Season

September 26th, 2014 at 12:15pm CST by Chuck Myron

Today is the last day before training camps begin for a few NBA teams, and the entire league will be in camp by Tuesday. The 2014/15 season is indeed upon us, and several dates will be important as teams continue to craft their rosters. Here’s a look at the key days on the calendar for NBA player movement between now and the end of the 2014/15 regular season:

  • September 27th: Training camps open for the Spurs, Cavs, Heat, Nets and Kings
  • September 30th: Training camps open for all other teams
  • October 27th: Deadline for teams to set opening-night rosters (4pm CT); last day for teams to execute sign-and-trades.
  • October 28th: Regular season begins
  • October 31st: Last day teams may sign players to rookie scale extensions; last day teams may exercise team options on rookie scale contracts
  • December 15th: First day that most players signed during the offseason may be traded
  • January 5th: First day that teams may sign players to 10-day contracts
  • January 7th: Teams must waive any remaining non-guaranteed contracts or guarantee them for the rest of the season (4pm CT)
  • January 15th: Last day teams can apply for disabled player exceptions
  • February 1st: Former first-round draft picks can begin signing rookie scale contracts that take effect in 2015/16.
  • February 19th: Trade deadline (2pm CT)
  • March 1st: Last day players can be waived and remain eligible to play in the postseason with another NBA team
  • March 10th: Deadline for teams to use disabled player exceptions
  • April 15th: Regular season ends; last day teams can sign players for 2014/15 regular season or playoffs; luxury tax calculations are based on rosters as of the end of the day

NBA.com and Larry Coon’s Salary Cap FAQ were used in the creation of this post.

Repost Share Send via email

2014/15 Expanded Roster Counts

September 24th, 2014 at 6:20pm CST by Eddie Scarito

With training camps set to begin shortly, teams are still shuffling their rosters and players are still being added to fill any remaining spots. It can be difficult to keep track as there tends to be a flurry of activity this time of year as many players will be brought in for a look on non-guaranteed camp deals.

In the offseason it’s OK for teams to carry as many as 20 players, but clubs must trim their rosters down to a maximum of 15 by opening night. In the meantime, some teams will hang around that 15-man line, while others will max out their counts. Some clubs may actually have more than 15 contracts that are at least partially guaranteed on the books. That means they’ll end up paying a player who won’t be on the regular season roster, unless they can find trade partners.

With plenty more movement still to come, here’s the latest look at each team’s roster size and the contract guarantee status of each player.

(Last Updated 4-11-15, 3:57pm)Read more

Repost Share Send via email

Extension Candidate: Rudy Gay

September 24th, 2014 at 1:00pm CST by Chuck Myron

Only four players have signed veteran extensions since the existing collective bargaining agreement took effect after the 2011 lockout. There’s little motivation for players who aren’t on rookie scale contracts to extend their deals rather than hit free agency, since the NBA places limits on the dollars and years allowed in an extension that aren’t there when a veteran hits the open market. Kobe Bryant, Zach Randolph and Andrew Bogut signed their veteran extensions likely knowing they’d entered the back stretch of their respective careers and would be unable to command max contracts in free agency. Still, their teams found them productive enough to bank on them at eight-figure salaries for a few more years. It’s a little harder to see Tony Parker‘s motivation for committing to three years and not quite $43.336MM when he could have garnered more as a free agent next summer, but the Spurs have a long history of convincing their best players to take less.

The Kings have no such track record, and Rudy Gay just turned 28 last month, putting him squarely in the prime of his career. He expressed supreme conflict about whether to pick up a player option worth $19.3MM for the coming season before ultimately deciding to do so. Still, Gay probably isn’t the sort of player who could command the maximum in free agency, or even a salary close to what he’ll make this year, even after having begun to repair a reputation that the harsh glare of advanced statistics had cast in an unflattering light. In his case, signing an extension wouldn’t reduce the value of the salaries he’d see, though it would only allow him to add three seasons onto his existing deal, which is set to expire in the summer. The client of Octagon Sports agents Jeff Austin and Alex Saratsis could instead re-sign with the Kings for as many as five more years if he waited until free agency to strike a deal.

Still, Kings owner Vivek Ranadive seems enamored with Gay, and it’s not the worst idea to negotiate when you’re receiving praise from the boss. Ranadive reportedly pursued Gay seemingly from the moment he bought the club last year, explaining after the December trade that brought him from the Raptors that not all the next-level metrics paint an unfavorable picture of the 6’8″ forward. GM Pete D’Alessandro has expressed a desire for a long-term future with Gay, and the team made a concerted effort to convince him to pick up his lucrative player option for this season. DeMarcus Cousins tried to ensure his teammate would stick around, too, a telling endorsement considering the long-term rookie scale extension that Cousins signed last summer, as well as the center’s temperamental nature.

That the Kings were willing to go to lengths to convince Gay to take up such a large chunk of space on their payroll this season says a lot about how they regard him. That’s especially true given that some NBA GMs told Grantland’s Zach Lowe last year that they didn’t think Gay was worth signing for the mid-level exception. Gay emerged from the team’s pitch meeting impressed, though when he made the call to opt in, he decided to hold off on extension talks until later in the summer. Gay quickly expressed contentment in Sacramento following last year’s trade and has said that he can envision a long-term future with the Kings, though he also made plain his desire to play for a winner. Still, Gay is a believer in the team’s talent and coach Michael Malone, and he reportedly feels confident about Ranadive’s commitment to turning around the team’s woeful fortunes.

Gay’s partial season in Sacramento was as successful a campaign as any he’s had in the NBA. Traditional stats like scoring, assists and shooting percentage went up, as did his PER and win shares per 48 minutes as he eschewed long-range looks for shots closer to the basket, as I detailed this spring. The Kings were more porous defensively in terms of points per possession when Gay was on the floor, as NBA.com shows, but he more than made up for that with his offensive contributions.

Ranadive and company weren’t the only ones to take notice. At the trade deadline, the Suns appeared to have interest in signing him this past summer if he were to opt out, and it seems reasonable to suspect that the GMs who would have hesitated to touch him for the mid-level have revised their evaluations. There would probably be a robust market for Gay if he were to hit free agency next summer, but considering that Sacramento clamored to keep Gay at more than $19MM this season, it’s unclear whether any team would be willing to meet what Sacramento offers. Still, there’s a strong chance that Gay would emerge as the most prominent small forward on the market. LeBron James and Luol Deng have player options for 2015/16, and Kawhi Leonard and Jimmy Butler are on rookie scale contracts, meaning they’d only be restricted free agents if their respective teams don’t grant them extensions this fall. Aside from them, there are few inspiring names among the potential 2015 free agent small forwards.

There’s no October 31st deadline involved with veteran extensions as there is with rookie scale extensions, even though it would make sense for Gay and for the team to complete a deal before the start of the season if they are to do so. Gay is in a position of strength amid his revival in Sacramento. Barring a severe regression, he’ll probably have plenty of leverage next summer, too, when market competition figures to be scarce and teams like the Lakers and Knicks are poised to have money to burn beneath a salary cap that some teams reportedly project to exceed $70MM. Gay would also be able to lock in a longer-term deal, and thus more guaranteed paydays, if he and his agents dismiss the idea of an extension. It would certainly be reasonable for Gay to come to terms soon to capitalize on the enthusiasm the Kings have about him, but I still don’t expect him to join Bogut, Bryant, Randolph and Parker among the four other veteran extension signees.

Repost Share Send via email

Commenting Policy

September 24th, 2014 at 11:58am CST by Chuck Myron

Comments of this nature are not allowed at Hoops Rumors:

  • Attacks or insults toward other commenters, the post author, journalists, teams, players, or agents.
  • Inappropriate language, including swearing and related censor bypass attempts, lewdness, insults, and crude terms for body parts, bodily functions, and physical acts. In essence, we don’t want any language that parents would not want their kids to see.
  • Juvenile comments or extensive use of text message-type spelling.
  • Writing comments in all or mostly caps.
  • Spam-type links or self-promotion.
  • Comments about how you’re sick of this topic or it’s not newsworthy.
  • Inappropriate avatars or images.
  • Anything else we deem bad for business.

If you see comments that fit the above criteria, please flag them and/or contact us.  Bans may be handed out liberally by our moderators, without second chances. Remaining civil is not that difficult, and most commenters have no problems doing so, nor with helping rein each other in. We are grateful for long-time commenters and readers, though this policy applies equally regardless of tenure.

All comments on Hoops Rumors or the Hoops Rumors Facebook page may be repurposed as a part of the Hoops Rumors Featured Feedback series. In these instances, comments may be edited and abridged.

This policy is always available at the bottom of the site, and will be re-posted monthly.

Repost Share Send via email

Where 2013/14 10-Day Signees Are Today

September 23rd, 2014 at 2:04pm CST by Chuck Myron

More players signed 10-day contracts last season than in any of the past eight seasons, the span covered in the Hoops Rumors 10-Day Tracker. Slightly more than half of those 41 players are poised to go to NBA training camps this fall, but that leaves quite a few whose brief auditions with NBA teams in 2013/14 haven’t led to continued employment in the Association as 2014/15 is set to begin.

The Heat currently have more players who signed 10-day contracts last season than any other NBA team, though none of the four signed their 10-days with the Heat. The only player Miami inked to a 10-day deal last season is DeAndre Liggins, and while it appeared that he was set to join the Clippers for camp this year, the latest report indicates that he’s still without a deal.

Each of last season’s 10-day signees is listed below and broken down into categories, along with information on their whereabouts.

Still with the team that last signed them to a 10-day contract (8)

Joined a different NBA team (13)

Heading overseas (7)

Free agents (13)

Repost Share Send via email

Hoops Rumors Originals

September 21st, 2014 at 6:02pm CST by Zachary Links

Here’s a look back at the original reporting and analysis generated by the Hoops Rumors staff this week..

Repost Share Send via email

Trade Retrospective: Vince Carter To Nets

September 21st, 2014 at 11:05am CST by Eddie Scarito

In the wake of the blockbuster deal that sent Kevin Love to the Cavaliers this summer, I’ve been taking a look back at some of the bigger trades that have occurred in the NBA over the last decade. It’s always a risk to trade away a star player, and getting equal value is a near impossibility in most cases.

It’s fascinating to see the league-wide ripples that big trades can cause, and sometimes the full effects and ramifications aren’t fully felt until years later when the draft picks are used, players either reach their potential or fall short, the won-loss records are final, and title banners have been hung, or franchises end up in the draft lottery.

So far I’ve looked back at Carmelo Anthony being dealt to the Knicks; Kevin Garnett to the Celtics; Dwight Howard to the Lakers; Stephon Marbury to the Knicks; Shaquille O’Neal to the Heat; Chris Paul to the Clippers; Deron Williams to the Nets; LaMarcus Aldridge to the Blazers; and James Harden to the Rockets. Next up is a response to one of our reader’s requests, the December 18th, 2004 trade that saw the Raptors send Vince Carter to the Nets.

Let’s begin with a breakdown of the pieces involved:

The Nets were desperately looking for some athleticism to replace Kenyon Martin who had been traded to Denver prior to the season. The franchise was beginning to decline, despite being only one season removed from their second consecutive trip to the NBA Finals. The team’s biggest star, Jason Kidd, was growing frustrated and all indications were that he was going to push for a trade, and management hoped that this deal would not only vault the franchise back into contender status, but also placate Kidd.

Here are the Nets records prior to trade:

  1. 2000/01: 26-56
  2. 2001/02: 52-30 (Lost in the NBA Finals to the Lakers)
  3. 2002/03: 49-33 (Lost in the NBA Finals to the Spurs)
  4. 2003/04: 47-35 (Lost in second round to the Pistons)

Carter was the biggest star in Raptors history. He was an electric player whose high-flying dunks and scoring prowess made him one of the top attractions in the game. But he was beginning to be criticized by the media and fans for becoming a “soft” player, which didn’t sit well with him. The point of contention was his increased reliance on jump shots, and his seeming reluctance to drive the lane and take the inevitable contact that results from such forays.

At the time of the trade Carter was in the midst of his worst season as a professional, averaging a career low 15.9 PPG while shooting 41.1% from the field. Believing a change of scenery would energize his career, Carter requested a trade from the Raptors and Brooklyn (then New Jersey) was all too happy to pair him with Kidd and Richard Jefferson to form one of the more exciting and athletic teams in the league.

Carter instantly responded to the change of address, increasing his scoring to 27.5 PPG the rest of the 2004/05 season. He also returned to form during his years in New Jersey, though the move never resulted in the Nets returning to the Finals, much less winning them.

Here’s what Carter’s production was during his time with the Nets:

  1. 2004/05: 27.5 PPG, 5.9 RPG, 4.7 APG, and 1.5 SPG. His slash line was .462/.425/.817.
  2. 2005/06: 24.2 PPG, 5.8 RPG, 4.3 APG, and 1.2 APG. His slash line was .430/.341/.799.
  3. 2006/07: 25.2 PPG, 6.0 RPG, 4.8 APG, and 1.0 SPG. His slash line was .454/.357/.802.
  4. 2007/08: 21.3 PPG, 6.0 RPG, 5.1 APG, and 1.2 SPG. His slash line was .456/.359/.816.
  5. 2008/09: 20.8 PPG, 5.1 RPG, 4.7 APG, and 1.0 SPG. His slash line was .437/.385/.817.

As you can see, his production was All-Star caliber though he began his decline phase during his last two seasons in New Jersey. But his numbers were also just window dressing since the Nets were merely an average team during his tenure. Here is what the Nets did with Carter on the roster:

  1. 2004/05: 42-40 (Lost in first round to the Heat)
  2. 2005/06: 49-33 (Lost in second round to the Heat)
  3. 2006/07: 41-41 (Lost in second round to the Cavs)
  4. 2007/08: 34-48
  5. 2008/09: 34-48

Carter’s time in New Jersey came to an end on June 25th, 2009, the day of the NBA Draft. He was dealt to the Magic along with Ryan Anderson for Rafer Alston, Tony Battie and Courtney Lee. The Nets immediately felt his absence, going 12-70 the next season, while Orlando went 59-23 and lost in the Conference Finals to the Celtics.

Considering the Nets didn’t end up giving away all that much to acquire Carter, it’s difficult to label the trade a failure from a purely statistical standpoint. But seeing how Carter’s presence didn’t result in a deep playoff run or a 50+ win season at any point, the franchise may have been better served in the long run if they had skipped this trade, blown up the roster, and spent a few seasons in the draft lottery as a result.

This trade from the Raptors’ point-of-view was an attempt to jump start their rebuilding process and to assuage Carter, who had made it clear to team management that he wanted out of Toronto. He was in the midst of his worst season as a pro, and to be fair, he was nursing a number of nagging injuries at the time, but the change of scenery certainly seemed to energize Carter and boost his stats.

Toronto wasn’t close to contending with its roster at the time, as evidenced by its records in the seasons prior to the deal happening:

  1. 2000/01: 47-35 (lost in second round to the Sixers)
  2. 2001/02: 42-40 (lost in first round to the Pistons)
  3. 2002/03: 24-58
  4. 2003/04: 33-49

When looking back at the pieces the Raptors netted, the first impression is that they received “pennies on the dollar” for Carter. They got very little out of the players they acquired, and the draft picks also ended up being misses, which makes the trade look even worse for Toronto.

With the 2005 first-rounder they received, the Raptors selected Joey Graham with the 16th overall pick. His numbers in Toronto left quite a bit to be desired for a mid first-rounder, as shown below:

  1. 2005/06: 6.7 PPG, 3.1 RPG, and 0.8 APG. His slash line was .478/.333/.812.
  2. 2006/07: 6.4 PPG, 3.1 RPG, and 0.6 APG. His slash line was .495/.290/.840.
  3. 2007/08: 3.6 PPG, 1.8 RPG, and 0.4 APG. His slash line was .434/.667/.844.
  4. 2008/09: 7.7 PPG, 3.7 RPG, and 0.6 APG. His slash line was .481/.188/.825.

When making big-name player trades, draft picks are some of the best currency a franchise can acquire to help them jump start the rebuilding process. But the key is that teams need to cash in and select the right player–something that is far from an exact science. Toronto essentially wasted the pick on Graham, judging by his lack of production. This selection looks even worse when you consider that Danny Granger, Monta Ellis, Marcin Gortat, David Lee, and Gerald Green were still on the board when Graham’s name was called by the commissioner.

Graham’s tenure north of the border came to an end when he became a free agent in 2009 and inked a one-year, non-guaranteed deal with the Nuggets. He was only in the league for two more seasons, averaging 4.2 PPG and 5.2 PPG respectively during those years.

The other first-rounder was also wasted by Toronto. They packaged it along with Jalen Rose in the trade with the Knicks that brought Antonio Davis to the Raptors. For Toronto, this was a move to create cap space for the summer when the team was hoping to re-sign Mike James, who ended up opting out of his contract and signing with the Timberwolves anyway.

Davis did little-to-nothing for the Raptors, suffering a serious back injury after just eight games with the team. This injury resulted in the team releasing Davis, with then GM Bryan Colangelo saying, “After receiving a second opinion on Antonio’s lingering back problems, it is very unlikely that he would return to competitive action this season with the Raptors. After lengthy discussions with Antonio regarding his physical condition and his general sense of disappointment over his personally difficult year, we have concluded that it’s in the best interest of both the organization and Antonio Davis to simply release him at this late point of the season.” Davis never played another minute in the league again.

So instead of having another young player to try and build around, the Raptors traded the pick to the Knicks, who also botched their selection by taking Renaldo Balkman with the No. 20 overall pick. Balkman’s career numbers were 4.0 PPG and 3.5 RPG. That’s hardly impressive, and made all the worse by the players who were available when that selection rolled around, like Rajon Rondo, Kyle Lowry, and Paul Millsap.

This deal could have been a win for the Raptors if they had held onto the picks and used them wisely. If we were looking back on this trade and the Raptors had Rondo and Granger, or Ellis and Millsap, then it would be cast in a much different light for the organization and its fans.

So instead of tearing down their roster and starting fresh, the Raptors ended up with a number of aging and injured players in return for their superstar. Here’s what Toronto’s records looked like after the deal:

  1. 2004/05: 33-49
  2. 2005/06: 27-55
  3. 2006/07: 47-35 (lost in first round to the Nets)
  4. 2007/08: 41-41 (lost in first round to the Magic)
  5. 2008/09: 33-49

As for the rest of the players the Raptors received, Alonzo Mourning was the biggest name, but he was nowhere near the player that he was during his time in Charlotte or during his first stint with the Heat thanks to his kidney condition. Mourning never reported to Toronto, and instead he had his contract bought out by the team, which enabled him to sign with Miami, where he spent the remaining three seasons of his career.

Eric Williams lasted a season and a half in Toronto before being traded on June 21, 2006 to the Spurs along with Matt Bonner and a 2009 second-rounder (Jack McClinton) for Rasho Nesterovic and cash. Williams’ numbers with the Raptors were less than inspiring as evidenced below:

  1. 2004/05: 4.7 PPG, 2.3 RPG, and 1.5 APG. His slash line was .379/.333/.717.
  2. 2005/06: 3.3 PPG, 1.8 RPG, and 0.5 APG. His slash line was .387/.278/.737.

The final player involved was Aaron Williams, who also didn’t provide much in the way of production. Here’s what he offered the Raptors during his tenure:

  1. 2004/05: 1.6 PPG, 1.3 RPG, and 0.1 APG. His slash line was .417/.000/.857.
  2. 2005/06: 1.8 PPG, 1.1 RPG, and 0.1 APG. His slash line was .526/.000/.833.

Williams’ time with the franchise came to an end when he was traded in January of 2006 to the Pelicans for a 2006 second-rounder (Edin Bavcic) and a 2009 second-rounder, which was subsequently included in the previously mentioned Nesterovic trade.

Trading Carter was something that the Raptors couldn’t avoid. Having a star player unhappy to be in the city and with the franchise is never a good situation, and it’s even worse when he is having a career-worst season at the time. As is often the case, there was no way that Toronto was going to obtain equal value out of the gate for dealing away a player of Carter’s talents. But if they had used the first-rounders they acquired much more wisely, including not dealing one of them away for eight games of Antonio Davis, this is a deal that could have turned out quite differently.

So all the GMs out there hoping to stockpile picks when they gut their rosters should know that sometimes the players they have are much more beneficial to the team. The NBA Draft is such an inexact science when it comes to projecting which players will have the best professional careers. If these picks are spot on, the executives making these deals are hailed as geniuses, but far more often they don’t work out quite as planned.

This deal should have been a win for the Raptors considering who they could have had with the picks they obtained, but theoretical victories don’t placate fans, nor do they guarantee job security for those calling the shots. As for the Nets, they could have benefited more from holding onto the picks and using them wisely, especially since the acquisition of Carter didn’t net them a return to the NBA Finals, much less a championship banner. In the end I give the edge to Brooklyn, but it’s by default, and it’s not a victory they’ll hang from the rafters of the Barclays Center anytime soon.

Repost Share Send via email
Load More Posts