A far-from-earth-shattering trade, and they played a game

Hmm, been a week, I kind of forget what we do here.

It’ll come to me, I’m sure.

Oh, yeah. Right.

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THREE POINTERS

What was that?

So, I’m perched on one couch, Super Son’s over on the other one and I swear I looked up and saw Sonny Weems take – and make – a three-pointer.

I rubbed my eyes, shook my head, knocked the potato chip dust off my chest and watched the replay.

Yes, it was a three-pointer.

Considering it was his first make from distance in 14 games, you can see my surprise.

I don’t mean to single out Sonny because DeMar’s no better but when your starting wings are absolutely no threat to shoot three-pointers, that’s an issue.

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Is it his time?

Watched with interest when Jay gave Alexis Ajinca some extended minutes last night and went with a four-man bigs rotation, which is generally against form.

I haven’t seen enough of Ajinca to have much of an opinion of him but with the last 25 games of the season upon us, I wouldn’t be surprised if Jay ran out four big men more often than not to see what he’s got in the intriguing 7-footer.

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Big night, or not?

Yes, Jerryd Bayless had 10 assists against the Bobcats, first time he’s got to double figures in a game in 11 games, and that’s maybe a sign that his decision-making point guard skills are getting better.

Then you remember the four turnovers in a short run in the first half and, well, maybe not.

He is still a work in progress and I don’t think we know anything more about his long-term future today than the day the Raptors acquired him.

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Some other things?

A few.

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I love the people here.

(Some of them)

Raptors make a minor trade and everyone’s up in arms and people should be fired, and it’s impossible to believe they couldn’t have received more and we’re talking about a guy who might be a bit player on a 15-41 team, for goodness sakes.

But I will say this

I would much rather have a kid, James Johnson, with a year and half of NBA experience and a year and a year a bit left on his contract than the 28th pick in what might be a lockout-chilled bad draft that you’d have to give three guaranteed years to.

I have no idea if James Johnson can play, no one does because he’s barely been on the floor, and the folks who are excited are just as likely to be right as those who are disappointed.

It was a minor deal at basically no cost, why not make it?

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I hope we get a deadline day blockbuster here like we did Feb. 20, 1997.

That was the day they moved Acie Earl to Milwaukee for Shawn Respert, an earth-shattering move if ever there was one.

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One more on the Johnson deal.

If I’m Sonny Weems or Julian Wright, I’m not signing any long-term leases.

Not that I thought either would be back but Johnson doesn’t make much money ($1.8 million next season), you know Bryan sees the same issues at small forward as all of us do and Johnson’s a guy who probably vaults past Weems and Wright (both of whom have no contract guarantees for next year) right away.

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Oh, what’d they say in Charlotte about that rather boring and predictable game?

This is what they said.

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Did you hear?

Carmelo Anthony got traded!

Yeah. To New York!

And thus closes one of the more unseemly stretches in NBA Transaction History, thankfully.

But what’s it mean on the court?

Well, I guess there’s no question the Knicks are better and, eventually, they might be able to challenge Atlanta for fifth best in the East behind Boston, Chicago, Miami and Orlando.

They have star power now, and that seems to be what they love in New York more than anything else, and the Knicks may improve in the long run. But right now? Right now they have a bunch of defensively-average scorers who’ll have to learn to share the ball, run whatever system it is that Mike D’Antoni runs and hope that no one gets hurt because the bench is even worse than it was.

The Knicks, as a basketball-playing franchise, have been irrelevant for years. They are no longer as irrelevant as they were; I’m just not sure how much better they’ll be in the long run.

And the one thing we have learned more than anything else since this sorry saga began is this:

It’s all about the money for Carmelo Anthony. Forget winning in Denver or waiting until the summer to find a better place to make a championship run as a free agent.

This was about the $65 million extension and forcing a way to get it and move on.

He showed his true colours all the way: Pay me. Or else.

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KC Johnson on the Bulls and the trade and what’s going on with that club.

Read it all here.

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Oh yeah, as least the arrival of James keeps the Raptors’ Johnson quote at two since it means the end of Trey.

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And since the guy’s coming here this week and it’s trade time, too, let’s do this:

Q: The question and response in today's mailbag about Steve Nash spurred me on to another question regarding him. Numerous times this year, I've read that he should be given an opportunity to play for a ring by getting traded to a contender. My question is, would he even accept such a trade? He seems very happy playing in Phoenix, where he's a god. In addition to other factors, I get the impression Grant Hill chose to stay there because of Steve. Do you think he's the least bit interested in being traded? If not, do you think he'd retire if he was?

D M, Calgary

A: I don’t think, at the moment, that Nash has any interest whatsoever in being dealt, I think he enjoys his teammates, his city, his challenge and at no time in the 20 years or so that I’ve known and covered him did I think he was a guy who’d throw up his arms and bail on a situation.

Now, this summer might be a different story, but that’s a long time and a collective bargaining agreement away.

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Yes, we’re here tonight at 7 for an IGBT; please join us, it’ll be fun. Honest.

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And if you’ve got mail …. Well, you know what to do.

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Comments

[Derek S]

Morning Doug,
Thank goodness that Carmelo's trade got finalized so that we could open the floodgates for the James Johnson trade (I keed).
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I get that everyone's frustrated with where the Raps are this year - me too. I get that the draft is the great sense of hope, that there's always "a chance" that you'll pick (or stumble across) a great player who can turn your franchise around, so I understand why people wring their hands when they hear we traded a "first round pick".
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That being said, people need to remember two things. First - a "very late" first round pick, especially in a weak draft, rarely brings you a difference-making player. Second - its been frequently stated (and accurately so) that the Raps scouting department has a horrendous track record, especially when it comes to guys outside of the lottery picks (in other words, once you get past the obvious guys that everyone agrees on). As such, if you take these two points into account, its far more likely that we would've had a "miss" with the late first round pick than a "hit". Not only that, but we'd have been financially tied to the "miss" for a longer term, and been forced to spend a couple of years trying to figure out if there actually was enough potential there to keep holding onto him, since guys drafted that late always need more time to develop, etc.
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So I have no issue at all with trading the late pick for Johnson - save for one. Since Johnson's never played any significant minutes in the NBA, we're basing this pick mostly on the assessment of the Raps scouting department at the time they looked at him during the draft. The same scouting department that we acknowledged earlier was inept (thus far) at finding hidden gems.
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So, either we're pleasantly surprised if this guy turns out to be even a serviceable bench player, or at worst, we took a flyer on a guy that we can bail on within a year if he turns out to be a waste. And anyone who thinks we could've turned that late first round pick into a "blockbuster trade" needs to give their head a shake.
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Doug - in your article about the trade, you posted Johnson's numbers for this year, both with Chicago and in the D-league. Did he get much/any playing time with Chicago last year, and if so, how were his numbers for last year?

Blogger's note: 3.9 points, 2.0 rebounds, 11.6 minutes in 65 games (11 starts)

[chris]

How does a lockout "chill" the draft?

Blogger's note: Easy. As we've said a thousand times. Kids who'd enter don't because they're concerned about a lockout and it the draft is more shallow.

[John S]

Pre NBA draft scouting reports on James Johnson:

Bulls Director of College Scouting Matt Lloyd on James Johnson:
“James Johnson is a combo forward who tested very well athletically and basketball-wise. His size, along with his ballhandling and passing abilities, will give him a huge advantage if he plays small forward in the NBA, which is his projected position.”

Draft Express:
While Johnson can score in a wide variety of ways, he is also a fairly solid passer as well. He sees the floor well and regularly makes heady passes right into the post for easy baskets, clearly possessing an advanced feel for the game.

Johnson’s biggest issue right now might be the lack of focus he shows at times—making some poor decisions at times with the ball, but also making costly fundamental mistakes as well. He tries to do too much from the perimeter on a few possessions every game, over-handling the ball, being somewhat turnover prone, and settling for bad shots. He isn’t as solid as you’d hope either, forgetting to box out his man in crucial moments, being late to rotate defensively, and generally being inconsistent from game to game and often possession to possession. Johnson seems like the kind of guy who needs special attention from the coaching staff to make sure they’re getting (and will get) 100% out of him at all times, although this could be something that improves with added maturity.

Johnson is a real stat-stuffer, getting plenty of blocks, steals and rebounds—a product of his increased activity level this season, as well as his natural timing and instincts—which are superb.

All in all, Johnson is one of the more unique prospects in this draft—while not a prototypical small forward, he’s got more than enough tools to get by on the perimeter, and he can hurt the opposition quite a bit in his own right.

[chris]

Doug - if you have a chance to interview Bryan on the Johnson trade, one question I'd love for you to ask....
" Did his interest in Johnson stem mostly from seeing him before the '09 draft, or has he seen something in the past 2 seasons in his play? If so, what?".

(he hasn't played very well for Chicago

[Rob]

I think your comment about Carmelo's actions being all about the money is a little bit flawed. If money was the only concern wouldn't he have just stayed in Denver and gotten the exact same extension without having to go through all of this hassle. Or are you implying that there is additional money to be made by going to New York through extra media exposure and endorsements.

It's also quite possible that he just can't get NBA League Pass in Denver and he really wants to watch his buddies play on tv every night.

[Rob.V]

The Knicks will go no deeper than the Nuggets in the playoffs however Melo and Amare should be able to draw another player there in 2012 (Dwight Howard??). it's funny you mention the injury thing because (let me preface this by saying I wouldnt want to see anyone seriously hurt) I imagine most of us wouldn't mind a few ankle tweaks or back spasms to key Knick players over the next 3-5 seasons.... I mean, we're talking about our division rival Knicks!!!
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... and while we're on the subject, Masai did a great job in convincing NJ to meet with Melo, talk Melo, and generally pretend they were back in the mix when the reality was he was never going there. Prokorov (and team) strung the Knicks along just wonderfully knowing Melo's ultimate lust was for money (LBJ and Bosh look like saints signing for less now). Think about how much better Melo could have made his new team had he waited out the deadline in about 24 hours from now... could have simply joined them next season. Could anything more fitting of an outcome for him and the Knicks than a rollback in contracts this off season?.. now that would be funny! Anyway, Denver and NJ used eachother to get what they wanted from New York and although the Knicks received the 2 best players in the deal I'm still not convinced they are a better "team"... time will tell.
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People were upset over the Johnson trade? Um, well, we kind of need a SF... and this year is all about assets and taking flyers on kids that were drafted and havent had a chance to play. There will probably be 6 or 7 SF's drafted before # 28 this summer (so assuming you were going to take PG or maybe another big with the top pick) why not take a shot on a 16th overall pick who hasn't had a chance to play yet... and if theres a kid you really like in the 2nd round (only 3 picks later) you could probably pick him up for a little cash. I have no problem with this move.
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What I find interesting is all of the stuff we don't get to see or hear i.e. there's an arrangement with a certain agent to pick up a player like Johnson (to give the kid some time playing) and in turn the agent says... we'll have another FA in our stable (say a Tyson Chandler) give you guys a serious look in the off season. Now, I'm not suggesting thats the case with the Johnson trade as I clearly have no idea however I'm sure this does happen.

[Boko]

FYI, James Johnson has a mix in the NBA rankings at Blocks, Rebounds, Points, Assists & Steals. His low minutes make his totals ranking low, but his per minute rankings are intriguing ...
B: 235
B/M: 13 (starter level)
R: 378
R/M: 162 (sub level)
PPG: 343 (that's the only points ranking I could get)
A: 337
A/M: 91 (starter level)
S: 320
S/M: 10 (starter level)
... Strange, but true.

[sam]

I'm always intrigued by the knee jerk reactions to any move that BC and the Raptors make.
I wonder if it's the same group of people that threw Jose under the bus while building Jarrett Jack up to be the PG of the future and naming Marcus Banks a servicable backup a year after calling for his head as a waste of money,time and space after he was traded to Toronto. They could be the same folks that made Pops a Toronto Raptor legend.
I'm Afraid to some folks any decision/signing or trade BC makes will never be good enough.

[Boko]

I figured out a way to get the current points per minute ranking: James Johnson is 254th (bench/injury sub level)

[Jerry]

I don't think it was all about the money for Anthony although that was part of it. It was also about playing in New York.

[marc in panama]

Hola Doug,

Has the landscape shifted all that much in the NBA that a player of Carmelo's stature can hold a franchise hostage and demand a trade can net that kind of bounty for the Nuggets, (and by that I mean actual live bodies that can play in the NBA), and Toronto was forced to take that big steaming load of doggy doo-doo for H.W.S.N.B.N?? In both cases rookie GM's on the team who had the superstar, brokered the deals that will define their franchises for the next ten years. Clearly the Nuggets received more value for their asset that wanted out. What I am missing here?

It was a pleasure to meet you at the Heat game Sir!,

marc in panama

[chris]

The last time there was a pending labor stoppage we saw the likes of Carter, Pierce, Nowitski, Jamison, Bibby, Rasho! and several other good players declare. There won't be a chill.

Prospects care first and foremost about how high they will go. If everyone holds off, their standing in the following year's draft will fall.

[doug]

I have to say I disagree with you totally on your appraisal of Melo and the reasons for his move...it probably had very little to do with money, as he was opting out anyways could have signed a big deal wherever and whenever....it was all about going back home to new york , it was obvious from last year he wanted to play for the Knicks in his hometown,,he's a Syracuse player, a New york boy born and bred so for him it was the Knicks or nothing....money was never a major factor because that was coming no matter what....

[Steve G]

chris.. he hasn't played very MUCH for chicago would be a better term.

Chicago is a pretty good team this year (and were decent last year), and it's tough for a young player to step in and take a lot of minutes from the more established players..

Let's let James come in and showcase his skills before we make assumptions about his abilities.

[LeeZ]

So I wander over to the Chicago Tribune for a look-see at the article on the TRADE OF THE CENTURY. I figure the comments section will be very instructive as to the opinions of the rabid Bulls fans on a player we know little about here in these parts. I'm thinking there will be comments along the lines of WHAT A STEAL! WE GET A FIRST ROUNDER IN EXCHANGE FOR THAT BUM!, and ARE THE BULLS CRAZY? GIVING UP SO SOON ON SUCH A GREAT DIAMOND IN THE ROUGH? THIBODEAU SHOULD BE HANGED IN EFFIGY! But all I got was...bupkus. That's right. Nada. Not. One. Comment. Admit it, Doug. You'd find it exceedingly dull to blog in Chicago. Whereas here, someone like Pops or James Johnson can (and do) elicit such vitriol, both for and against. In the words of Sally Field, YOU LIKE US. YOU REALLY LIKE US!!! No?

[Andrew Gregg]

Hi Doug:

I have three completely unrelated comments...

1. I want to know who coined the phrase "skill set" and I want that person to come and take it back before it does any more damage to the English language.
2. Speaking of damage to the English language, why on earth is Cheryl Miller still on TV? She's worse than Eric Smith and Paul "Jonesy" Jones combined.
3. Best new nickname: "Blake Superior."

That is all.

AG, Toronto

[LeeZ]

Your buddy Feschuk wrote an excellent piece in today's fishwrap. Course, it's easy to write an excellent piece when most of the writing consists in shoving a mic in front of Oak's face and letting those sweet, delicate pearls of wisdom drop out of his mouth like so many rose petals. Two quotes stand out, one from Jay (and this has to be his quote of the year): “We fouled them too many times, and you can’t go into a fist fight slapping,” said Jay Triano, the Raptors coach. “It was men against boys ... If we fouled them 32 times tonight, they should be sore and bruised. And I wouldn’t say that’s the case.” and one from Oak: Of his former employer: “Does management (in Toronto) want to win? They’ve got some good athletes. What’s the problem? Who’s the coach? If they’re not playing D, I blame the coach.” I agree with both quotes.

[Mark]

"I would much rather have a kid...... than the 28th pick in what might be a lockout-chilled bad draft..."

Doug- Isn't this a damning point against Colangelo tanking the season? I thought we were 15-42 for the pursuit of a good draft pick...
If it's not worth holding on to a 28th pick in case of a strike, how is it smart to tank and put everything into getting a good pick in a potentially horrendous draft?

Can you explain it?

Blogger's note: If you don't see the difference between a top 4 pick and No. 28 in any draft, I'm sorry; I have no explanation. And who said "tanking the season" anyway?

[Sasha]

I think the Carmelo saga was interesting because as selfish as he came off, in being direct and vocal about his intentions that allowed Denver to make a pretty good deal considering a gun was to their head. Whereas the opposite was true here and in Cleveland. Easy to knock him, but you can certainly argue he handled his situation better than Boch or James by "manning up" and being clear, and not caving in with all the criticism the league and the media were dishing out. He's where he wants to be, he makes his money (and who among us would leave money on the table if it was there?), and Denver isn't nearly the disaster that Toronto & Cleveland have become when they lost their guys.

And as much as I hate to see it, the Knicks now have two guys in their starting lineup who were All Star STARTERS this past weekend! Maybe their bench is shallow now, but it won't stay that way and they're a lot closer to contending now than they were 12 months ago. I wish the Raptors were in that position. Can't help but wonder if all this "rebuild" talk is just selling false hope. Fortune favours the bold after all....

[Kent]

anybody who is excited or disappointed by this Johnson trade is just crazy and making up stuff.

[Jack]

From Dave Feschuk's column today about Charles Oakley:
Of his former employer: “Does management (in Toronto) want to win? They’ve got some good athletes. What’s the problem? Who’s the coach? If they’re not playing D, I blame the coach.”
The problem here, Oak, is that the players don't want to play D. And even if they don't play D, the coaches rely on them for their O. So the Raptors will be a purely offensive team. No D. Unless the players are replaced.

[Eddy]

New Jersey gets Deron Williams, we get James Johnson.

Oh well, better than nothing I suppose.

[John]

Before the trade, we read that the Miami pick is a key asset moving forward in a rebuilding period.
.
After the trade, it's a pick that would've occurred at the end of the first, from a lockout-diluted talent pool (but how exactly do you know this four months in advance? Why don't you wait for the early entrants to declare before making such a wild statement based on suspicion, speculation and Chicken Little paranoia? Just playing, Doug... using Doug v Doug) and three guaranteed years to swallow.
.
Ain't it funny?!?! Both sides of the mouth are talking again.

Blogger's note; Was an asset turned into another asset. But if you can't see that, feel free to search out other means of garnering opinion. My life will continue unbothered

[billsmith]

Talk that New Jersey is trading for Williams. Things appear to be getting tougher in the Atlantic division.

[Andre]

Oak is the man...

I honestly think BC's time is up here. I like BC, but sometimes its just time to move on, and let a new culture come. We lost bosh, lets clear out the managament and start something new.