| 09 December 2010
Just going to do a quick review of a few teams' needs and haves at the trade period approaches.
We'll start in the East...
Atlanta
Need: A rebounding big to backup Horf and Smith, and they also need a solid backup PG as Teague seems to be wasting away in Larry Drew's new offensive structure.
Have: Speaking of Teague you need to trade him while his stock is still worth something. They also have some vets who they can get rid of to teams that want to create cap space. They also have a guy called Crawford who wants out - he's putting up nice numbers with JJ out (ala when Richo was out in GS) so has gotta be gaining value. Trade anyone?
Boston
Need: One of the few teams that are looking relatively cool at this stage - just need to stay healthy.
Have: Role players in abundance. I still see them as relatively inactive this period.
C
harlotte Need: Everything.... No really lets be honest, they can upgrade everywhere and have two very versatile players in Wallace and Jackson who can play multiple positions so everywhere is actually quite accurate.
Have: A pretty decent PG who could create cap room and they could get a free agent and picks, Boris Diaws large contract, Nazr Mohammads large contract. A lot of room could be created but likewise, a lot of picks could be acquired.
Chicago
Need: Not a lot really - they are a very deep team. Though I do wonder about Boagns....
Have: Luol Deng, James Johnson, and Taj Gibson. Players capable of bringing in ANOTHER big name to Chi town as they become an elite team in the East again. That said, I am on the "too many cooks spoil the broth" side of the fence and believe they should stop at Boozer.
Cleveland
Need: A stocktake sale... No really - throw everything except JJ Hickson, Ryan Hollins, and Anderson Varajao out and see how you can rebuild. They are chockers at several positions, and need to get a "balance" of sorts...
They definitely have the coach to do it now!!!
Have: A bit of everything - PG's, PF's, role players, SG's, defensive specialists, young talent. Cleveland are already $14mill under the cap, and I expect them to go further so that lockout or not, they'll be FA hunting come trade time or the off-season.
Detroit
Need: A new GM? No really, what they need is a stocktake ala Cleveland but for different reasons. Detroit have a lot of talent, but the talent needs minutes so it can do its job. Once the smoke has cleared, I think the real thing Detroit will need is young players who are good investments, at each position. Monroe is a good start as is Stuckey, but one wonders if Daye and Jerebko aren't just enigmas instead of "real talent".
Have: Experience. 3 championship players, two of them who aren't too shabby either. They also have their "big" acquisitions from two season ago who are very handy, one a former 6th man of the year. They have a lot of young players to package with their older, larger contract players making them a big player either mid-season, in the off-season, or both.
Indiana
Need: PG: check. SF: check. C: check. SG and PF.... Need some work. But that's ok - they have the resources to bring in decent SG's and decent PF's.
Have: More expiring contracts of solid role players than any other team in the league - including Detroit. Dunleavy, Foster, Ford, Jones and McRoberts all come off the books at years end and each hold good value. Will they be used for good and not evil this time though? One wonders... Larry Bird is notorious for picking badly whether it be trades, or drafts - so I'll just say good luck and I hope you end up with Ben Gordon and not Rudy Fernandez.
Miami
Need: A C that has presence. Damp will be useful, but a Jeff Foster type would be better. Just someone who will give you 10/10 if not guarded...
Have: Not a lot really - role players and that's about it. A pick in 2026?
Milwaukee
Need: To remove the log-jam at certain positions.
Have: More SG/SF players than Golden State... And some handy ones as well!!! Salmons, Delfino, Maggette, CDR all have worth. What else has worth????
That giant contract Michael Redd still commands - and what a trading chip that'll be...
New Jersey
Need: Some real direction.
They have an owner who isn't afraid or tight - awesome start.
But don't go and spend it on Travis Outlaw and Anthony Morrow, spend it on Melo, Paul or anyone else worth spending it on. Heck, even Arenas has some good ball left in him!!! Lopez has a future, so does Favors.
Thereafter questions are being asked - so get in a solid PG and a solid SF. I think the PG will be easier to find than many think as there seems to be an abundance of good PG's these days, but the SF could prove tough and would be worth the money spent.
Have: Young talent mostly. Favors is intriguing to many teams, as is Devin Harris and Troy Murphy. Picks, cap space, or direct talent could be gained from those players as could packaging bad acquisitions.
New York
Need: A true SG and a true C. Felton is great and shoots a good clip. Stoudemire has proven he doesn't need Nash and can play D if required. They have plenty of other young talent, but will need to give in order to get.
Have: They have some good role players (Bill Walker, Roger Mason), and some young intriguing talent if teams are interested (Randolph anyone...?) but at the end of the day if they want quality, and they do, then Gallinari is leaving. It's that or use a combination of Turiaf, Curry and Fields do acquire talent.
Anyone would take Fields now as he's worth may more than $800k, but to make real change happen in the offseason a package deal would work better.
Orlando
Need: Cohesion and poise.
They ARE, on paper at least, the best team in East. However, they have a terrible coach and a mental barrier preventing them from taking the next step.
Their roster is the deepest in the NBA - no excuses there.
So where do you improve? Some people say trade Carter for Hamilton? Or trade Carter for Prince? Or trade Carter for anyone - I personally think you're only treating the symptoms and not the problem.
Cohesion and poise come from good leadership, good coaching, faith in the system, knowing where you fit in that system and being contented with that, and most importantly, time.
The Boston experiment is an exception not a rule (see Miami for proof), but they were all on the same page with the aforementioned requirements - one wonders if that can be said for Orlando.
Have: Anything anyone could ask for - so as far as trades/deals go they can supply anything in order to acquire what they need.
Philadelphia
Need: ... A time machine....?
I dunno - I feel they need a REAL leader. Young talent they have in abundance, but a real leader - one who has a winning resume not just good numbers, is needed here. Kinda like when Larry Brown went and got Horace Grant and Aaron McKie - two winners who helped Iverson take that next step.
Have: Iggy, who could be a Robin to a suitable Batman anywhere else. Of course, if they could trade Brand he could be a Robin to a new Batman in Philly, but that's never going to happen. They also have Young, Kapono, and Songaila's expiring contracts. Rebuild is on the horizon so their expiration, though I love Young, is almost a given.
Toronto
Need: Some Americans playing for them (what's with me and these one liners now?)...
Anywho Toronto need to find a new saviour and this time, build around them. Ed Davis is not that saviour but he has Charles Oakley written all over him - so get him a Pippen/Jordan and get going. Bargnani is really a PF and they need to admit that, so a true C is in order. Preferably defensive.
If they play their cards right - they could end up with two of the top 5 picks this coming draft and that would be a good beginning.
Have: Half a team of expiring contracts and some intriguing players.
There is a market for Calderon (New York) and to be honest, Toronto should commit to rebuilding properly and trade him for an expiring contract in return. If they got Turiaf and a 2012 pick in return they should be happy with that.
Washington
Need: Last but certainly not least, Washington need to start again with Wall. Players like Wall don't come along every day, and he's a franchise player.
Other than McGee, who is super talented but still lacking in the IQ department, no one else should be kept on this roster except probably Josh Howard who is worth the experiment and probably Hinrich whose leadership is invaluable.
So that said, they need a SG, SF, PF and probably a decent PF/C backup.
Have: Talent. No really they do - Nick Young is talented. Al Thornton is talented (once compared to LeBron - ok, crazy). Arenas is talented and there are a few teams "considering" biting at his contract.
Blatche is talented, and someone who you don't want on your team so get rid of him for whatever you can get.
Yi is talented and a marketers dream.
And so the list goes on... The point is it's doable - the owners just need to have a 5 year plan.
In 5 years this could easily be a playoff team again.
Coming soon... The West
