With all the recent trades and shake-ups in the NBA, this was the perfect time for another collaborative effort in an NBA round-table.
These past few weeks of the NBA season have held some of the most exciting and most memorable moments.
The Los Angeles Lakers went from good to scary good, along with the rest of the Western Conference.
Pau Gasol, Shaquille O'Neal, Jason Kidd, and Ben Wallace were the biggest names moved before the trading deadline.
The Eastern Conference also received a slight upgrade when the Cleveland Cavaliers acquired Ben Wallace, Joe Smith, Wally Szczerbiak, and Delonte West.
With plenty of basketball still to be played, there are plenty of questions to start asking.
For one, what team will benefit from their recent acquisitions? What team needed to make a trade but didn't?
Who will come out of the Eastern Conference and who will come out of the Western Conference?
For those answers, I turned to four of Bleacher Report's most knowledgeable NBA writers—Erick Blasco, Andrew Ungvari, Dave Metrick, and Scott Serles.
Of all the trades made this season, what team will benefit the most?
Michael Whittenberg
There's no question that the Los Angeles Lakers will benefit the most from their trade.
Pau Gasol was the missing piece the Lakers needed, and now that we have seen what Gasol can do with Kobe and company, there is no doubt that the teams out west would rather not face them come playoff time.
Gasol has played 10 games as a Laker, and is averaging 22 PPG. The Lakers are the team to beat, and who knows how much scarier they will become once Andrew Bynum and Trevor Ariza return.
Erick Blasco
Of all the trades made this season, the Lakers' and Spurs' deals for Pau Gasol and Kurt Thomas, respectively, will benefit them the most.
Adding Gasol gives the Lakers a fluid big man within the triangle who can score, pass, and cut off of pick-and-rolls.
With the Spurs needing a spark and more production from their center position, Thomas's pick-and-roll game and his intense defense make him a shrewd pick up for the Spurs. Plus, his defense will prevent Duncan from having to guard an opponent's best big man, freeing him up to be a help defender.
Andrew Ungvari
There's no question; it’s the Lakers because they’re set up for the next five years and gave up the least.
San Antonio made out the second best.
Those two teams along with Phoenix and Cleveland all made smart moves in getting bigger. That’s why I hate the Jason Kidd trade.
The Mavs didn’t need a point guard. They needed a center, which is why it didn't make any sense to give up DeSagana Diop for Kidd.
Dave Metrick
The Los Angeles Lakers. They gave up next to nothing and got a versatile, All-Star caliber seven-footer in return.
Pau Gasol's arrival is not only helping the team deal with the knee injury to Andrew Bynum—come playoff time, it will give them a talented front line.
I know the Grizzlies are in full rebuilding mode, but this was as lopsided a deal as you'll ever see in the NBA.
Scott Serles
The Dallas Mavericks acquiring Jason Kidd was the best move made this season. Getting a battle-tested point guard the caliber of Jason Kidd should make the Mavericks a force come playoff time.
Will Ben Wallace, Wally Szczerbiak, Joe Smith, and Delonte West be enough to help LeBron and the Cavs win the Eastern Conference again?
Whittenberg: I think it is too early to tell. They have only played one game together, and although the newcomers all had good games, it was against the Memphis Grizzlies.
I hate that they had to give up Larry Hughes, because it finally looked like he was finally coming around a few weeks before the trade.
Hughes started to score more often, including a 40-point effort. Maybe it's because he knew he was on the trading block.
Not only will scoring be missed, his perimeter defense will be missed as well.
If they consistently perform like they did against Memphis, then I think they will be able to get past Detroit.
Blasco: The Cavs trade is awful and leaves them worse off than before. Ben Wallace's defense is shot and he won't contribute anything to the Cavs.
He can't play with Ilgauskus because neither of them are able to defend power forwards. He also can't play with Varejao because no front court in the NBA will be as impotent. His teaming with Joe Smith didn't work too well in Chicago, either.
Plus, where is the Cavs second wing perimeter option on offense? Szcerbiak and West are both good shooters, but now the Cavs perimeter defense is much worse with Hughes gone. The ineptitude of Danny Ferry never ends.
Ungvari: Absolutely. The biggest question I have is who is going to guard Ray Allen or Rip Hamilton?
Without Larry Hughes, there’s more pressure on LeBron to play defense. His defense has improved dramatically this year, but I’m not sure he can handle either of those guys.
I think the Cavs made moves that prepare them better to play against the West. They definitely have the frontcourt depth to match up with the Lakers and Spurs.
Metrick: Probably not. I think adding those players is important to the Cavs playoff hopes and to King James' sanity, but those guys aren't going to put Cleveland over the top. They're now a better team, but not good enough to beat Detroit or Boston.
Serles: No. Wallace is not the same player he was with the Pistons. Do you really think Wally is going make teams stop double-teaming LeBron? Trading Larry Huges was a mistake. Cleveland got older and slower.
Which team(s) needed to make a trade but didn’t?
Whittenberg: Everyone says Denver should have made a trade, but Ron Artest was not going to make them NBA Finals contenders.
If any team needed to make a trade before the deadline, it was the Orlando Magic. They could use a veteran backup point guard, because I'm not sold on Jameer Nelson or Carlos Arroyo.
The fact that Orlando is overpaying Rashard Lewis also made hard to bring in some legit firepower.
I think Mike Miller would have been a perfect fit for this team.
The Magic need a pure shooter since J.J. Redick doesn't seem to be getting any real minutes, and Miller would have been left open at times while their opponents doubled up on Dwight Howard.
Blasco: Denver needed to make a minor trade for a point guard but didn't. It wasn't imperative but they could have used someone who could defend, hit outside shots, and not make mistakes. Can they survive a playoff run with Anthony Carter?
Ungvari: The Nuggets and the Heat. The Nuggets are going to duke it out with the Rockets and Warriors for the last two playoff spots.
The Rockets are surging and the Warriors are a much better road team than the Nuggets.
If the Nuggets miss the playoffs with that payroll, then it might be time to blow the whole thing up.
Metrick: Were there any teams that didn't make a trade in the last month? Denver technically made a trade (acquiring Taureen Green from Portland) but nothing of any substance.
Rumors circulated about Ron Artest heading to the Nuggets, which made sense because the Nuggets need defense, but he wasn't going to make them contenders. Plus—and I'm not sure if everyone is aware of this—Artest is crazy.
Serles: Denver Nuggets. They needed to make a move in order to keep pace in the West. They should have tried to get a deal done with Sacramento for Ron Artest.
Between Houston, Denver, and Golden State, which team will be left out of this year’s playoffs?
Whittenberg: Golden State was my original pick, but hearing the news that Yao Ming will miss the remainder of the season, Houston will probably miss out.
This injury could not have come at a worse time, with Houston currently riding a 12-game winning streak.
They do still have Tracy McGrady, so their chances are not dead yet. Also, the Denver Nuggets lose some games they should win, so that too can play role in Houston's playoff chances.
The recent acquisitions of Bobby Jackson and Gerald Green can maybe help them out a bit, but this Yao injury really hurts Houston's chances.
Blasco: Add New Orleans to the mix, but I think Houston is the team that will drop out. I wonder if the Rockets will stay healthy until the end of the year and I also wonder if Houston's lack of a third option will haunt them down the stretch.
Ungvari: Denver. Both the Nuggets and Rockets have brutal schedules down the stretch.
Seven of the Nuggets final 11 games are against Dallas, Golden State (twice), Phoenix (twice), Utah, and Houston.
The Rockets play six of their last eleven games against Minnesota, Seattle (twice), the Clippers (twice), and Sacramento.
The two teams play each other in Denver on April 13th. The winner of that game will probably clinch the last spot. They’ve split the first two meetings and have one game each on the other’s home floor.
Metrick: The Golden State Warriors. They give up even more points than Denver. And I personally think Nellie's one of the most overrated coaches in NBA history.
Plus, they're the Golden State Warriors. We can't expect them to make the playoffs two years in a row, can we?
Serles: It won’t be Houston; they are hotter than the center of the sun. I hate to say it, but it is probably the Denver Nuggets, they needed to pick up somebody who can bang and didn’t.
This has been one of the best seasons in the NBA in terms of trades. So, who wins the Eastern Conference and why? Who wins the Western Conference?
Whittenberg: As of today, the Detroit Pistons are my pick. They are still the beasts of the east, and have the most playoff experience in the east.
I also like the fact that Flip Saunders is using his young role players off the bench during the regular season so that they will be ready come playoff time.
In the Western Conference, it's hard not to pick the Los Angeles Lakers. Although Phoenix, Dallas, and Utah are formidable opponents, San Antonio is the only team standing in their way.
Kobe Bryant and Derek Fisher both have championship experience, and that's enough to set an example for the players who are not experienced.
This is only a mere prediction because there is a lot of basketball to be played, but only time will tell.
Blasco: In terms of best records, I think Boston and the Lakers capture the best records.
For which teams meet in the playoffs, it is still way too early to tell.
If the Spurs peak around the end of March, then I'll take San Antonio.
That will mean that their defense is back to a championship level and their offense is as potent as ever. If the Spurs don't find their groove, the Lakers are the safest bet to win the West.
Ungvari: I think the Pistons win the East. I think they have better all-around depth than both the Cavs and Celtics.
The Cavs will have difficulty guarding Chauncey Billups and Rip Hamilton and the Pistons will more than likely have home-court. I don’t see the Cavs beating them twice in a row without home-court.
I think Billups will abuse Rajon Rondo (here come the Celtics fans. I can take it). The Celtics swagger will bring the best out in the Pistons. They’ve already got their attention.
I still think the Spurs are the team to beat in the West. The Suns lack the defense to beat them, the Lakers and Hornets lack the experience, the Jazz would need home-court advantage, and the Mavericks lack the size.
Metrick: The Boston Celtics win the east. They have three All-Stars who are hungry for success. Kevin Garnett's enthusiasm and intensity will electrify within a sqaure mile of him come April.
And I fully expect to see the Celts sign some other pieces once once teams start cutting some veteran players loose.
The L.A. Lakers take the west. They looked scary good in Phoenix last week, and that was without Andrew Bynum.
If he is healthy and playing well by April, they'll have the best starting lineup in the NBA. Period.
Their bench is also playing superbly, and, by the way, they have one of the greatest coaches in the history of the league.
And is there a better game closer than Kobe? No.
Serles: Boston Celtics. Why? Kevin Garnett. New Orleans Hornets. Why? The leadership of Chris Paul.
Michael Whittenberg is a senior writer for BleacherReport.com. His entire archive can be found here.
Also check out No.1 No. 1's: The Best NBA Point Guards by Decade
comments (21) write a comment »
write a new comment
7 months ago
Cool article Michael
7 months ago
Metrick, Metrick, why must you hate on GSW? i know everyone thinks they don't play defense, and most of the time they don't... but points allowed is not a very good stat to go by with up-tempo teams. there are far more possessions-per-minute than say, a SPURS game (yawn). this skews the statistical averages.
or to put it in terms you can understand: they play faster, so there are more points scored.
7 months ago
Metrick I was such a big fan until you drove a dagger through my heart with the Warriors comment. Nellie overrated? Next I bet you'll be saying the Black Eyed Peas AREN'T the greatest band of all time.
from 7 months ago
Three reasons I think Nellie's overrated:
1. He's never made the Finals. (You'd think he'd won three rings the way people talk about him)
2. His brand of run-and-gun basketball, while entertaining never wins championships. You'd think he'd have figured that out by now.
3. The minute he left the Mavs, they became a better defensive team and made the Finals the next season... witha first time head coach! What does that tell you?
from 7 months ago
You had me at hello, Metrick, you had me at hello.
7 months ago
Avoir, Rockets
That was easy, huh?
7 months ago
While the rest of us sent MW our answers over the weekend, he had the privilege of editing his answers with the news of Yao's injury. Way to make us all look stupid, Michael! Don't make me bring out your preseason predictions! I'll post the link if I have to!!!!!
from 7 months ago
Let me do this before someone else does:
*Andrew, you did a good enough job of making yourself look stupid without Michael's help.
*consider it my 8 Mile defense mechanism
from 7 months ago
lol, you can go through if you want and change your stuff or tell me what to change. I didn't do my questions until today, and it was when the news of Yao came out.
7 months ago
Nicely put together ... I think I side with Metrick all the way down. One thing I might add to the Cavs' discussion: do they really expect the alchemy that is their overhauled starting roster to be able to stand up to chemically stable teams like the Pistons and Celtics in the heat of the playoffs? Up until this week, people were questioning even the Lakers' ability to work Gasol into their lineup, and that has been one of the smoothest trades fit-wise I have seen in a long time. So even if the talent level improved with the trade, I don't see it working out this year.
Blasco, I love that you put New Orleans into the mix to miss the playoffs. I have been waiting for them to crumble all season long ... glad to see I may not be the only crazy one out there.
from 7 months ago
I put in my comments about an hour before word of Yao's injury came out. I just have no confidence in that team staying healthy. Their defense was airtight against the Wizards tonight though. They'll have to win games Van Gundy style from here on out with games in the 70's. I wonder if they can do that?
And I still think New Orleans gets in but I'm not putting them head and shoulders above Golden State, Denver, and Houston. They're well coached and Paul is a stud, but do they have a wing defender or a third option? Besides West and their score-first point guards, that team lives off of Paul to create their points. I want to see how the hornets play against the playoff-frenzied Western conference down the stretch.
I expect a number of Western Conference teams to explode in the second half. I want to see if the Hornets can stand their ground. They get Phoenix, Utah, San Antonio, the Lakers, @ Detroit, and Boston over the next four months. If they want to open my eyes, go 4-2 in that stretch. That will be impressive.
from 7 months ago
err...over the next 4 weeks, not the next 4 months...
7 months ago
I'm personally a die-hard Pistons fan, but I couldn't believe your consensus analysis of the Cleveland trade.
Why all of the sudden is trading Larry Hughes' corpse a bad thing? Ben Wallace might not be what he used to be, but I'll take his dead-weight and inflated contract over Larry's any day. Wallace can at least play the part of intimadator, and as far as the rest of the players the Cavs aquired it was a win-win situation. I say that because the Cavs had (aside from Lebron) probably the least amount of tradeable players in the league. Delonte is still young and has promise, Wally is servicable in the eyes of many other teams and Ben Wallace, who might simply just be carrying his name, still may hold interest to other teams. So if the Cavs aren't a better team after this deal, they certainly aren't worse and at least have some assests to trade in the off-season.
Besides, as any Piston fan knows Daniel Gibson was by far the scariest player on their team during the playoffs last year. As a Detroit fan I am worried more about Cleveland come playoffs, than Boston.
7 months ago
Because Ben Wallace isn't an intimadator anymore. He didn't intimidate anyone from attacking the paint in Chicago, and he won't in Cleveland. The only way a team like Cleveland can win in the postseason is to attack the offensive glass, to defend, and to hope LeBron is spectacular. At this point in their careers, Larry Hughes is a better defender than Ben Wallace.
And whereas Cleveland has Ilgauskas and Varejao as good post defenders, now the Cavs have no good perimeter defender. LeBron and Gilbson and West are all pretty good defenders, but do you want LeBron guarding an opponents best player, and do you want West and Gibson guarding two-guards?
Cleveland does have a number of awful contracts but that's because Danny Ferry has given out awful conracts to awful players. To compensate, he trades away a player who is universally criticized by fans for his lack of scoring, but will defend, for a player who is universally praised by fans for his defense, but in reality, stopped being an elite defender two years ago. It's a panic move and a move that's made to appease fans angry at Larry Hughes.
West is a gritty player, but he's a lesser version of Daniel Gibson. He has better handles and may be a better finisher, but Cleveland rarely relies on their point guards to drive and kick. Joe Smith is a slight upgrade over Drew Gooden. Wally Szcerbiak is an upgrade over Donyell Marshall.
The Cavs have no athletes on their roster anymore, except for LeBron, and their two best perimeter defenders Hughes and Ira Newble are gone. If Cleveland can't hold teams in the 80's during the playoffs, where are they going to get the offense to win? LeBron can't do EVERYTHING for them.
from 7 months ago
You took the words right out of my mouth. Maybe not verbatim, but right on point.
7 months ago
Erick that was an outstanding response, and I agree that losing Larry's perimeter D could prove to be sorely missed. The better question to ask in all of this is why not? Before the trade we all knew Cleveland wasn't good enough to beat the Celtics or Pistons and even if they did would stand no chance in the Finals.
I like that Ferry did something to shake up the roster even if it was just to appease the fans, Lebron, or both. So they take the chance that Ben Wallace has something left in the tank, and might I add Wallace isn't even close to the liability Hughes is in the health concern department. I got nothing in terms of debating Ben Wallace's offense or lack there of, but I have to disagree with calling West a lesser version of Daniel Gibson.
I've watched Delonte since his college days at Saint Joe's and watched plenty of Daniel Gibson this season, (being that he was on my fantasy team for a while) and I don't draw much of a comparison to the two of them. Delonte plays more like a Point guard, something Cleveland needs, whereas Gibson is simply a lights out shooter.
Anyways, I'm not trying to step anyone's toes, you pointed out very legit facts.
from 7 months ago
I know Ferry wants to do something to improve his team, but I don't like the idea of making a trade for the sole reason of making a trade. If he wanted to blow his team up, do it in the offseason when you might be able to get better deals.
Cleveland had an outside shot of beating Boston in the playoffs this year if the Cavs were able to slow the game down, play ugly basketball, and shove the Celtics around on the glass. Now they have no chance of getting past the second round.
I like West a lot, but LeBron has the ball so much, that West isn't going to be asked to be more than another spot up shooter. And West isn't good enough where he can create his own shot in the playoffs. Gibson will end up being more useful.
I know a lot of fans don't like Larry Hughes and he's one of the biggest offensive busts in the NBA. But he'd defend and he'd score on broken plays. I hope the Cavs don't think they're better off with Sasha Pavlovic.
Maybe their contracts and cap situations make them better for the future, but for this season, the Cavs got worse after the trade. LeBron's going to have to be twice as spectacular for them to be successful.
7 months ago
Another great piece Michael, also nice input from all of the contributors. Keep them coming
I just finished an article about why the Cavs will win the East that I'm sure you guys would like to dog now
7 months ago
Gasol definitely will have a huge impact. Probably the most of any trade.
7 months ago
Gasol definitely will have a huge impact. Probably the most of any trade.
7 months ago
good comment, seems like the Lakers have really positioned themselves the best not only for the remainder of this season, but the forseeable future being that they are so young and will only gain experience.
It's hard to pick against the Spurs in the west but I think if Bynum comes back and fits in even relatively well and the athletic defender Ariza coming back, this Laker team is downright scary-good. So I gotta think the Lakers future is now, and wouldn't it be sweet to see a Celtics-Lakers finals? Dang it would be like christmas x10 for all NBA fans. If they did meet here is where the Lakers get a little more payback for all those Celtic wins during the '60's...
write a new comment