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NBA Trade Deadline

Discussion in 'Sports and News' started by Chef, Feb 21, 2008.

  1. Orange Hat Bobcat

    Orange Hat Bobcat Active Member

    I have dwelled on this trade for the better part of eight hours. Rolled it around in my mind. Figured out how Mike Brown, who is not a particularly strong in-game coach, will utilize all the new pieces. Even listened to some Cleveland talk radio when it started to tune in down here, down South, when the sun dropped. I am a Cavaliers looser fan boy, have been since I was 7 years old, will be for a while.

    I will miss Drew Gooden and Larry Hughes. Granted, Gooden was a substitute power forward after Carlos Boozer bolted for Utah, but he filled the role ably. He was OK. But as other posters have said, he was not much of a defender. He scored early and he grabbed some rebounds. That was it. Hughes couldn't hit a shot to save his contract, but he could play some good high-risk defense, get some steals and, once in a while, score some points.

    But I like this trade. Consider that Wallace is a stronger version of Anderson Varejao. Both run around the court, play defense, do the junk work that doesn't always show up and, yes, both are horrible offensive players. I would not expect both of them to be on the court at the same time. But I would expect one of them to be on the court at any time during any game. Fill up the lane. Play some defense. The Cavs are a good defensive team, believe it or not. Wallace makes them stronger. Just don't give him the ball.

    As for Szcerbiak, whose name I can never spell, he is older, his role is a little smaller than it was during his good seasons in Minnesota. But he scores 14 points per game. He is a veteran. He provides that outside shot. He is a far better version of Donyell Marshall. I think Joe Smith provides that same sort of veteran perspective -- I'll stop short of saying leadership -- and I love Delonte West.

    The Cavs are a better team now than they were 24 hours ago. Will they win the Eastern Conference? They are players, and they are the clear No. 3 team now. They will need a run every bit as good and fortunate as a season ago, but -- yes, Rube -- they can return to the NBA Finals with the right draw and some big games. I don't think I could have said that yesterday in good faith.
     
  2. Rumpleforeskin

    Rumpleforeskin Active Member

    I like the deal for the Cavs. It gives LeBron another scorer in Szerbiak, who may not drop 20 per game, but can still light it up when he needs to. It also gives them another inside presence on the defensive end with Ben Wallace, who can move to the 4 spot and defend against quicker 4s. West should move into the starting spot once healthy and keep Gibson as a super-sub. I like the trade. It's not going to help them win the East, but it's a solid trade.
     
  3. amraeder

    amraeder Well-Known Member

    They could definitely win the East. They might not, but they definitely could. LeBron, quite frankly, is that good.
     
  4. Rumpleforeskin

    Rumpleforeskin Active Member

    Even with the trade, I see the Celtics, Pistons and Magic better than the Cavs. I doubt LeBron and Sczerbiak could match the Big Three's scoring. I don't see LeBron pulling out the magic against the Detroit for the second straight year. Plus, in your words, Dwight Howard, frankly, is that good.
     
  5. amraeder

    amraeder Well-Known Member

    Like I said, I could see them not winning it, too. Boston's good for sure, but then, Cavs did beat them when Boston was at full strength. Pistons I think could pose a problem becuase Hughes' defense was pretty good. Maybe they miss that and one of Detroit's guards just kills them. Very possible.
    Howard is good, but the Cavs aren't short on big bodies. Haven't see them play Orlando in a while, so I don't feel too good talking about how they really match up, so take this with a grain or shaker of salt, I guess.
    But my thought is basically this -- LeBron doesn't need that much help. And getting him a better 3-point shooter definitely helps. Getting him an enforcer definitely helps.
    This isn't saying the Cavs are the team to beat -- Pistons and Celtics are fighting for that honor -- just saying I do think they stand a little better than a puncher's chance at a Finals repeat.

    Just my take, though. I definitely see what you're saying, too.
     
  6. rube

    rube Active Member

    I guess a Final Four in '99 constitues as not "getting along." Classic Ohio State whining.
     
  7. rube

    rube Active Member

    Couldn't agree more.
    And don't get me wrong folks, I don't hate the Cavs. I'm actually a big LeBron fan (and yes, I've been a Pistons fan since birth). What he did in Game 5 last year was amazing, even if it was at my team's expense. But at the end of the day, an aging Ben Wallace and a guy who's never really done anything other than complain (Wally) really isn't going to help. I do like Delonte West, and I think he could be a mainstay there for quite a while.
    But to say that this fake blockbuster makes the Cavs a legitimate contender to bounce Boston or Detroit (or maybe even Orlando if Howard's on) is really a stretch.
    Either way, it should be interesting and entertaining. And the best part of it all is that the NBA is finally starting to move itself out of "pathetic joke" status and back into a watchable product again.
     
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