Big deal and some big conflict coming this evening

Best.

Deadline Day.

Ever.

Really, how cool was it with all the stuff flying around Thursday afternoon?

I sure don’t remember one better.

-

There were a couple of big surprises around the league but none bigger than Boston moving Kendrick Perkins and Nate Robinson to Oklahoma City for Jeff Green.

I’m a big Green fan but, for the life of me, I cannot imagine what Danny Ainge is thinking in Boston and I can also imagine there’s some angst over there among fans, and players.

If I’m going into the playoffs banking on Shaquille O’Neal to be healthy, I’m taking a huge, huge gamble and I know there was no indication that Perkins would re-sign in Boston this summer but aren’t the Celtics in a “win now” mode?

Of all the deals, that’s the one that’s going to have the greatest impact on who wins a title this year, I think.

And all of a sudden, the Thunder is a lot bigger and a lot tougher and they might have made the greatest strides toward immediate success of any team out there.

Thanks to that trade, I think both conferences got a little bit tougher to win.

And, to me, that’s what trades are all about.

-

I cannot wait for this to happen tonight.

Steve Nash is leading the break and the fans are waiting for something magical to happen.

He lofts a brilliant pass just over the out-stretched hand of a Raptor defender and the joint goes crazy with cheers.

Vince catches it, dunks and the fans stop mid-cheer to boo.

This has the makings of one of the most conflict-filled evenings in the arena I can remember.

-

Know what comes now?

The period when players who weren’t traded, or couldn’t be traded, and even some who were, are waived or bought out or told to go away and we start a whole new wave of roster changes.

And two of our old friends might be on the move, it appears.

Jason Kapono is sure to be bought out in Philly, and it’s equally sure some team will find a need for a guy who can still make a three-pointer (I’m looking at Boston and maybe Miami) and the word filtering out of Indy is that TJ Ford would welcome a departure if he knew he had somewhere to go.

Now we’re not talking about stars here but we are talking about guys who can help teams with specific needs and if you thought players engineering their own trades was an angst-causing issue, think about a guy getting paid and then waived so he can go where he wants.

-

All right. I’m standing there looking at this poster for Sportsnet’s stepsister network (the one a bunch of you can’t see at the moment) and there’s a picture of Andrea with the big, bold statement:

Intense One

And I’m thinking (besides “What kind of seizure did Danny Ainge suffer?):

Are there no truth in advertising standards or laws in this country?

-

Okay, not much time left because we have to get in touch with the winners this afternoon but there are still MGD Best Seats to be had for Sunday’s game against Dallas.

Three sets of four and entering is easy as clicking here and following the instructions. And the math question isn’t too hard. I couldn’t get it, but it’s not too hard.

Entries have to close at 10 a.m. so if you get here after that, sorry. But I know we’ll have at least one more night before the season ends.

-

What’s up with the Suns?

This is up with the Suns.

-

I was standing outside the locker room the other night after the Bulls game, chatting briefly with one of the Henchmen and, of course, the talk was of James Johnson and his somewhat impressive debut.

But the fellow looks over his shoulder as he walks and away and says,

“Give the other guy credit, he did a good job.”

And he’s right.

Lost amid the new-guy-starts-immediately scenario was how well Sonny took the news.

Kid was a pro about it; not that I expected him to sulk or anything (although that has indeed happened with others in the past) but he played hard and well and smart.

And people in the office noticed.

-

Let’s get a quick one out of mail.

Q: Hey Doug. Do you think that there will be anything in the new CBA that will make it easier for teams to keep their star players? It seems that the way players are orchestrating trades to teams of their choosing is bad for the league.

Jeffrey G, London

A: All I can say is they better.

The league’s reputation, which wasn’t stellar in some circles to begin with, has taken a hit with all the shenanigans about player movement of late and it has to be addressed in the new collective bargaining agreement.

It goes hand-in-hand with the need for a change in the economic landscape so that all teams can truly compete but some mechanism that makes it possible for teams to keep their players without paying through the nose is much needed.

The Decision and the free agent summer were bad enough, the six-month-long Anthony crap put it over the top.

-

Of course nothing happened with the HOTH at the deadline, just as we’d expected. Not only didn’t they have a lot to dangle (Reggie Evans hasn’t played in months, Leandro’s been banged up) but Bryan made it crystal clear the other night he’s not about to take on anything that would disrupt the long-term plan, which is to finish out the year with this young group, see if he can do something around the draft with the $9 million or so left from the Bosh trade exception and make a good pick.

Might make the final 24 games like the first 58 but that’s how it’s going to be.

-

Just when I though there were some athletes who were nuts, Charlie Sheen helps me cast an eye to Hollywood and think: “Some of those people are certifiable.”

-

Mail? Here. Doesn’t seem like there’s much over there.

-

Okay, how many of you giggled at the Bosh 1-for-18 night against the Heat Bulls? Be honest. Almost all of you, I bet.

Oh yeah, there’s this, too: Bosh misses 17 of 18 shots, his team loses and he finishes plus-2. Guess he had a good game?

-

 

 

Comments

[Joe T.]

Doug, you wrote that Bosh's 1-for-18 night was "against" the Heat and I think you should keep it that way. That has to be some sort of record for a big man, no? I mean, I realize Bosh is a jump-shooter but he still plays a position where a lot of the scoring comes off layups, dunks and putbacks. I didn't see the game but was he missing those, too?...

Blogger's note: Got it fixed; and I didn't see enough of the game to know

[andy c]

i'm sure others have pointed this out:

"Okay, how many of you giggled at the Bosh 1-for-18 night against the Heat"

i'm pretty sure that should read Bulls

Blogger's note: Got it fixed

[Matt M]

Watching the Bulls-Heat game it dawned on me that the Bulls might be considered to be the favorite to win the east now that Perkins is not a factor. The toughness that Perkins brought was one of the main reasons I enjoyed watching the Celtics. The Thunder barely register on the national stage and so it is difficult to catch games on local networks. Hopefully that changes a bit because if anyone is equipped to beat the Lakers this year it is the Thunder.
Maybe I'm wrong but it seems that Ainge opened the door for the Celtics to be irrelevant as the Big Three get older. At least with Perk and Rondo they had two pieces that would help them compete. Another piece or two would have helped them keep power in the Atlantic. I don't think Green helps them maintain that. Good for the Raptors I guess.

[Mike D.]

Maybe you could ask James Johnson whether Bosh's plus/minus was ludicrous?

[Lorie]

Hi Doug!
Okay. I give. Andrea Horwath? Andrea Petkovic? Andrea Martin? Andrea Bocelli? Do we get a hint, or you going to keep us hanging? And speaking of enigmas wrapped within a frustrating inconsistency that Danny Ainge sure is one. I'm struggling to understand his strategy (assuming there was some) yesterday. If you consider that maybe Green was added as an improved backup for Pierce, couldn't you then argue that they're giving up Perkins' ability to shutdown Howard? Which, come playoff time could be Huge. Shaq-Huge.

[Wesley]

Hey Doug,

Did you know that Jason Kapono has only hit ONE 3-pointer this season? Granted he's barely played this season, but for a guy whose only skill is shooting threes - for the most part - I found that stat interesting.

[chris]

Any word on Reggie for tonight?

Blogger's note: Nope

[Dallas]

Hi Doug,

Crazy day yesterday. Regarding the talk on Player led movement, How come in all this talk about stars teaming up, does no one note how lesser players have been doing it for years. How many older wise vets took lower than market deals to sign with a contender. It's been happening every year, and nothing was ever done about and it didn't seem like anyone thought there needed to be. Even now people talk about buying out a vet and letting him join a contender.

But when only 8 teams have won a ring in many many years, it's only going to be those teams who get those players. It's like it was inevitable and the system allowed for it. So either the system has always been broke, or it's fine. Or maybe the issue is elsewhere, maybe we need to look at the agents and back channel people and stop letting these guys use their networks to get around things.

[Bill]

"Might make the final 24 games like the first 58 but that’s how it’s going to be."

What!? You mean there is no playoff in T.O. this year!?

[doug]

the trade deadline was a good day as we have b-ball to talk besides the Raps...I had to read it twice when I first saw that Perkins had been traded at the deadline then a third time...wow I am still stunned, it is without a doubt one of the worse trades I have ever seen...it's mind boggling, yes Ainge says Perks is a free-agent blah,blah,blah...well whatever money they saved they just lost in not hosting a NBA finals or even a eastern division finals...he says he has more moves (Troy Murphy and T.J., well those are the rumours), but he ripped out the heart of that team and it showed last night as they never even put up a fight in Denver a team with a whack of new guys...the Celts lost by 14 and their in shock and angry as Ainge betrayed them, their season I say is done, they've lost their mojo ...and the Thunder's has just begun...Ainge couldn't play baseball when he was a Blue Jay he should hang up his G.M. cap as well....in the Bulls game you proved why no one should read a box score and try to come to conclusions, first off you are assuming the Bulls played well, they never at all, in fact if the Raps played like they did against the Bulls, they would have beat both those teams last night...Bulls are still trying to integrate Noah back into their line-up and to me he is the guy that should have been traded, as the Bulls found out they can play and play well without him in there, he just slows them down and doesn't fit in offensively at all...now to Bosh, as Reggie Miller said who was commentating the game, Bosh can't just sit and shoot 15 footers all night, he has to get a lay-up or 2 or try...he never tried to go inside at all, then Barkley after the game was stunned, said okay I know we all have bad nights shooting, but change up your game or at least play defense...Bosh's defense was terrible, which was McHale's point that he has to do something on that end...so as you said yesterday +/- is a useless stat, it is, last night proves it...Bosh was a plus 2 or whatever just because it was a close game and he played major minutes so he couldn't be anything else...he played 42 minutes in a game they lost by 4, so hard to be a minus 18 which would have been more indicative of his play...

[DMcCalgary]

g'day Doug,
I'm totally with you on the irrelevance of the +/- stat. Arguments against it can't be disputed, and I would think have been raised everywhere. What puzzles me is that so many (players, coaches, reporters, fans) continue to legitimize it, including Paul Caro in the Suns link you provided. Why, do you think?

Blogger's note: It befuddles me

[kelsey]

Good morning all,

I wanted Miami to beat the Bulls so I didnt like the fact that Bosh missed so many wide open jumpers, he was terrible last night, but did play good defense and rebound. Obviously he was waaaaay off!

Wow Doug, did I read that correct.. Sportsnet One has advertising with a picture thats shows Bargnani with caption "Intense One" WOWWOWOWOWOW!!!!
I will leave that up the Bargnani appoligist to justify why Bargnani should be on a poster that indicates he has intensity.

@Doug (poster)
@Sam
@GM and all others who are
(Bargnani Appoligist's lol)

If you had a chance to trade Bargnani for Noah would you do it????
(*1000% Chicago wouldnt, but I just wanted to see what Raptors fans will say)

[AK74]

haha @ "Intense One" comment
made my day

[Paul]

Re: CBA negotiations, I think that the NBA's previous intention to protect teams' ability to secure star players with the "Bird Rule" isn't working anymore, because players (other than Melo) aren't just worried about money. Bosh and LeBron took less to make a team. So, does the NBA create a "Franchise Player" rule like in the NFL? Free agent? No problem. We'll tag you, you have to stay for a year at the max salary. Given the guaranteed contracts NBA players already have, they'd never agree, but some version of this might be what the NBA needs.

[Kent]

I have to believe that the Celts and Perkins started negoitating a new extension and the team just doesn't think they can pay him the asking price. So they let him go for some future assets. Don't know how the trade is going to workout long-term but in the short-run this is going to hurt...Heat-Bulls last night was pretty good. Still like the Heat better in a 7-game series. Has any team ever won a game when one of its players go 1 for 18?

[dribbles]

I don't like the way some star players are conspiring and/or congregating with one another either, but would it be fair for Donald Sterling to put a franchise tag on Blake Griffin, for example? I think a hard cap would help resolve this problem as most stars aren't going to sacrifice significant amounts of money to play with one another. The Heat threesome did, but that was under the existing cap rules and under the potential new rules, the financial sacrifice might be too great.

The fact is that most owners/GMs display no loyalty to players either. Players are asset, and many ball clubs are just not run very well. I don't think it's fair for the best players in the league to be locked into poorly managed situations.

[doug]

@kelsey I am not a Barg's apologist at all....I just believe he is a fine NBA player, has skills , has weaknesses but to be a 7 footer that can score from all over the court negates those weaknesses or rather minimizes them as his "skillset" :))..is a rare one...just because I don't agree with your way of thinking or I have a contrary point of view doesn't make me a "apologist"...I wouldn't want Noah in any trade scenario, unless it was Dorsey for Noah he is over-rated and as has been shown the last couple nights he slows the Bulls down and with Boozer there he's redundant and not a key piece of the puzzle...and i am sure the Bulls in fact from a purely b-ball strategy point of view would love to have Barg's there...imagine how he would stretch out the defenses, leaving room for Rose, Korver,Deng and Boozer to operate...see the NBA isn't about blanket statements it's about a teams needs, fits, and going to the next level and improving...every team is in a different situation..so in answering your question if I were BC I wouldn't even consider that deal, not even tempted...as finding true scorers is much harder thing to do, you can fit other pieces around consistent true scorers...and i find it interesting where you said Bosh at least played good D last night...were you watching???

[Chris]

Morning Doug...of all the trades that went down yesterday, the one i really can't get my head around is the exchange of Marquis Daniels from the Celtics to the Kings for cash...for the life of me, I can't figure out why Sacramento would make this trade, especially given the fact that early in the day, there was a report on espn from Danny Ainge saying Daniels would likely miss the rest of the season.

He's only on a one year contract so no expiring contract option next year, i couldn't find any report that said a pick was involved heading to the kings so from my understanding it's a player for cash...i know you can't read there minds and maybe it's nuances in the agreements that i don't quite understand or am aware of, but do you have any insight as to why a team like Sacramento would prefer a player who likely won't play this year and could walk in the off season over having $ in their bank?

Am I missing something? What benefits could there be for this transaction?
Thanks as always...

Blogger's note: I wish I could but that's a head-scratcher, too

[CC]

@Doug, i agree w/ you *1000% and don't worry about Kelsey, he/she/it was watching the pucks last night

[Phil A]

I know a lot of you still hate on Vince Carter but this video brings back some great memories. It shows all his special clutch moments in his career. The first 5 minutes are all highlights from when he was with the raptors. Enjoy!

http://wwww.worldstarhiphop.com/videos/video.php?v=wshhUexhIu1LpqViK9oJ

[dribbles]

On the Bargnani ad, there's another one that runs way too often on "NBA TV Canada" (I will forever call it Raptors TV in my head) that flashes a bunch of words in the background at one point, including "energy" and "leader."

I actually find these ads insulting. The fact of the matter is the organization is trying very hard to sell a player who is very polarizing to the fanbase, and the biggest knock against him from the critics is his effort/intensity. This is ridiculous.

[JHK]

@kelsey
I actually think Bulls would be intrigued by that offer... they already got a good banger in Boozer and Omer Asik has shown flashes as well.
Bargs will fit right in the mix with D.Rose feeding him great dishes all night.
I'm not sure if it will be good for the Raps though... other than DD, they have no one that can create and score.

[dave]

Kings were below the min. so they did a cheap move instead of paying it out to the players who had to suffer their season. Remember when the Maloofs were thought of as good owners?

[yertu damkule]

oh wow...CC & doug (the commenter)...just wow. that you fail to recognize just how much more important a player like noah is to TEAM SUCCESS than is a player like bargnani shouldn't be at all surprising. i'm sure you're exactly the type of fans that are being marketed to with the 'intense one' campaign. when you see it, do you think, 'yeah, that bargs, he's one INTENSE dude! scores from all over the place! yipppeeee!! POINTS!' i never laugh, but i'm LMAO at you clowns.

look, noah is, quite simply, a rarity, especially in today's game that's built around ball-dominating PGs/wings - a guy who scores the majority of his points on putbacks or in transition, runs the floor like a (gigantic) gazelle (in BOTH directions!), brings a high level of intensity, hustle, IQ & general intangibles, and is one of the best all-around bigs in the game. yeah, guys like that are a dime a dozen. sigh.

[Kent]

Noah for Bargnani would be a bad trade for both teams.