NBA Trade Deadline 2012: Gerald Wallace Isn't the Critical Piece in Nets Deal

Gerald Wallace is the headline name of Portland’s trade with New Jersey at the deadline this season, as Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports reported the trade this afternoon. However, the former All-Star forward isn’t the key aspect of the deal.

The Blazers seem dead set on building towards the team’s future now, by firing coach Nate McMillan and sending Marcus Camby to Houston for Jonny Flynn and Hasheem Thabeet on the same day, as well as acquiring the Nets top-three protected 2012 first-round draft pick and the expiring contracts of Mehmet Okur and Shawne Williams from New Jersey for Wallace.

Obviously, the primary acquisition of this trade for Portland is the first-round pick, and they’ll have to hope that Wallace helps Deron Williams and the Nets win well enough to sit just outside of the league's three worst records. At the deadline, New Jersey is six spots up from the NBA’s cellar at 15-29.

Portland must also be looking forward to the almost $13 million they cleared off their salary cap in this deal, and should make a splash in the free agent market this season. The team will also shed the $7 million deal of Raymond Felton, as well as the $8 million of Flynn and Thabeet this offseason, giving the team the flexibility to make a play on multiple players come July, including Nets superstar Williams should he elect to opt out of the final year of his deal.

And while the deals indicate that the Blazers will fall out of playoff contention this season, Portland becomes one of the most intriguing teams in the league going forward.

The Blazers, who were a No. 6 seed in the Western Conference playoffs last season, struggled to keep pace in the lock out trimmed 2011-12 season. The team is faltering at the deadline, posting a mediocre 20-23 record as of March 15. With the given moves, Portland obviously was non-committal to the roster and the team’s championship hopes, and effectively cleared house.

The team has a solid star in LaMarcus Aldrige to build their roster around, and if Portland can add another difference maker or two, the Blazers could progress up the ranks of the Western Conference. It’ll be interesting to see how Portland makes over their roster come summer.