Bad deals, great songs and the inevitable Barbosa departure

To repeat.

Holy crap.

What kind of day was that?

Guy gets off a plane to find the team he covers made a deal out of nowhere and that opened the floodgates and if there’s been a busier trade deadline day in my time around this league, I can’t remember when it was.

Made of a busy writing day with this rundown of the deals and this Nothin’ But Net main and the Barbosa tale and it did leave one little thing for here.

The Lakers took the biggest gamble of any team that did anything yesterday.

And it was a bad move, I think.

Look, I know as well as anyone that there is no loyalty in sports, either from players or organizations or coaches; it is a business first and foremost and a business of winning.

But the Lakers, by dealing away Derek Fisher in what was little more than a cash dump – he had $3.4 million for next year, which is little more than a pittance – cut the heart out of a team and they will rue the day.

Sure, at 37 he was slowing down and they needed an upgrade and they got it with Ramon Sessions, who is an entirely serviceable guard they obtained from Cleveland.

But to dump Fisher, who by all accounts was the conscience of that team, the minder of the strong-willed Kobe Bryant, the true leader of a fractious collection of egos and talents, was a horrible signal.

Jordan Hill, the guy they got, is a bit piece, couldn’t get a lick of consistent playing time in Houston and he’ll forever be known as the guy who cost the Lakers Derek Fisher. Tough tag to wear.

Anyway, guys like Derek Fisher, who win championships and comport themselves with dignity and class and who are model citizens for your franchise, need to be kept around until they retire.

They know that age is limiting their skills, they’re smart enough to realize it’s time to take a step back playing-wise but they are integral parts of a collective, and people who keep that elusive “chemistry” going well.

They are icons and they deserve to be treated better.

The Lakers took a huge, unnecessary gamble with that trade, I hope it blows up in their face.

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No, it doesn’t get much better than this.

Dubliners? Molly Malone?

If it ain’t Jack Armstrong and I in a saloon, it truly doesn’t get any better than this.

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Okay, with all the work and all the stuff, I didn’t get to see a lot of NCAA basketball all that closely yesterday – it was white noise most of the afternoon in the room; Rendezvous is TV-free zone, the Blues Hall was music – but from what I did see I will say this:

They need to get it back on ESPN, fast. Or Turner has to get some people in their studio who know college basketball.

The guys doing play by play and colour are okay, they’re doing games and it’s hard to screw them up, but you get absolutely no insight from the studio guys.

Not sure what it was like back home but down here we got blather and chatter and no information from the studio at all. I’m one of those casual viewers who wants to learn stuff; I can’t do that with Charles and Ernie and Greg Anthony looking bored and sounding uninformed.

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Leandro’s gone and that’s too bad because I don’t know if there was a more universally-liked Raptor but, in the big picture, it’s a good move, no?

It was inevitable that they’d lose him – they want the money to add to the kitty more than they want him at $7 million-plus – and doing it now helps him out, it helps them take a much longer look at Gary Forbes and what’s the harm in it?

And, no, there was never going to be a player coming back in an LB trade, we’ve been saying that and hearing that for months; and since you figure Bryan talked to about 29 GMs about him over the course of the season, it would appear that a second-round pick was it.

Too bad but sometimes what you’re selling isn’t being bought at exorbitant prices.

That’s just reality.

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Well, well, well.

Some NBL Canada drama.

In what has to be seen as something of an upset, the Quebec Kebs beat the Halifax Rainmen in Game 2 of their best-of-three semifinal last night and it goes to a deciding game tonight.

Winner, of course, gets London in the best-of-five final.

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You know how we run into conventions and whatnot out here on the road?

Well, checked in along with a few hundred people in my hotel who are here as part of the American Contract Bridge Association get-together.

Never felt younger.

And didn’t realize they still played bridge. Thought it went out of vogue decades or two ago; or when Super Mom and her cronies stopped having the every-two-week-bridge-club-gabfest on our street. That was always a big day when we hosted it, Super Mom would put out those Glossette chocolate covered raisins as snacks and the ladies would barely touch them which meant a very special, if sneaky, breakfast pour moi.

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Mail? I have this afternoon free and I don’t imagine I’ll get asked to the bridge game.

Do. It. Here.

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Here’s one quick rundown of the winner and the losers in yesterday’s flurry of trades

WINNERS

Indiana

Barbosa is precisely what they need, they move George Hill to the starting line and there’s all kinds of tempo off the bench, still.

Houston

Forget Fisher, the big pick up, I’d say, is Marcus Camby, who still has some game and whose length will come in handy in the post-season.

LOSERS

Portland

Two trades that got them nothing, the fire the coach and that’s one huge, ugly mess.

New Jersey

Didn’t get Howard, can’t get him until the end of the 2012-13 season and, by then, I’m betting Deron Williams is in Dallas.

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Comments

[Mike D.]

I respectfully submit that Denver should be among the trade losers....if what the Nuggets got in return is Javale McGee and his, um, questionable intellect, Nene's injury problems must really be bad.

Blogger's note: Believe we will find out they did it so they could have money to give Wilson Chandler a long-term deal and avoid paying tax; that, I'm told, is still to come, perhaps today

[coachd]

Hi Doug,
Not a bad deal for Leandro in my opinion. This looks, from all accounts , that it's going to be a deep draft so they might get a serviceable player with the pick. Plus, as you mentioned, it gives Barbosa an opportunity to play a meaningful game this year. What about Carter was he also part of the deal or was he just released?

Blogger's note: Just waived; heard he might re-surface in Houston or San Antonio

[Canadian Paul]

Hi Doug. Sorry, no sympathy for Fisher. He's the guy that duped the Jazz into releasing him so he can take care of his ailing daughter, only to sign with the Lakers like a week later. As they say, karma is a b*.

Blogger's note: DUPED!!!! Heartless. Utterly heartless

[Ray]

Doug, Leandro was off of the books at the end of the year, regardless. Logic suggests that this deal gives the team enough cap room to sign a long term free agent now, without as much competition. Perchance someone returning from China? Just saying..

Blogger's note: No, nothing of consequence until the summer; they did it now to get a minor asset

[Eric-in-NS]

Thanks for the continuing awareness of the NBL. Most of the Quebec - Halifax games have been close this year. My wife and I are just now discussing whether to go to tonight's game even though we live well outside Halifax -- or simply hope there will be a London-Halifax game to attend. We have gone to one mid-season game. It was much as you described a London game -- a good level talent and pace and good (3500) and lively family crowd on hand.

[David in Oakville]

Pretty decent round up on yesterday's craziness in NBN. Think you are right in terms of impact, Camby is likely to be the biggest move.. but still, not a blockbuster.
Two things: I can't believe you are in Memphis on a Friday night and the musical selection is IRISH? Really? Never heard of STAX Doug and the Memphis sound (sarcasm). I thought for sure we might get some OTIS.
And what do you figure the odds are that there is at least one management change in Orlando this summer. Seems like Dwight was talking to (and negotiating with) ownership and that can not bode well for Mr. Smith. But fair is fair, he has had his shot and failed to surround Dwight with a supporting cast capable of winning the finals.

Blogger's note: St. Patrick's Day set-up week; and I can't guess about Orlando

[Wilber]

Doug,
Surely Super Mom put out some Bridge Mixture, no? Probably in a crystal bowl. Do people even have card tables anymore?

Do the Pacers look to extend LB or is he strictly a rental?

Blogger's note: Am told they'll talk after the season about a new deal

[manny]

Doug,

Thank you for sharing your thoughts.

Although I share your high praises for Derek Fisher, I disagree that it was a bad move to ship him out. Jordan Hill can become a decent contributer of the bench. Not to mention that going head to head against bynum and gasol every practice will bring his game and hopefully confidence to level where he's productive.

Fisher's departure opens the door for other players on the roster to blossom into strong influences on the team. Kobe is more than capable of steering the ship.

From an objective standpoint the Lakers are well poised to make some noise in the playoffs. It's a win.

[sam]

Barbosa was a good soldier for the HOTH...A good energy guy, and a spark off the bench. Perhaps this will be Bayless new role, moving Forbes to the back up PG duties for the remainder of the year. In limited minutes Forbes seems to be able to score, I'm not so sure how he plays on the other side of the ball.

I've read in a couple of places that some of the great unwashed think Greg Oden, late of the Trailblazers, would be a low risk pick up for the Raps....He's pretty fragile for a big man. It's a stretch the guy will ever be able to contribute to any team - Is it worth a look, or has Oden story already been told?

Blogger's note: I wouldn't touch Greg Oden with anything more than a non-guaranteed minimum deal; and don't imagine any team will, whenever he's healthy, that is

[marc in panama]

Hola Doug,

After reading the NBA apres trade headlines, the one thing that can to mind is as bad as Raptors fans think we have it, at least we're not Blazer fans. No GM, no coach, the recent loss of two first round draft picks due to injury, one of them a #1 pick overall, and now the blowing out of key remaining talent on that team. Obviously Mr.Allen thinks that 20 wins is far to many to secure a top 3 lottery pick, and these moves will help teams beneath the Blazers catch up. This folks is a prime example of the steps needed to pull off a tank job.

Ciao amigo

[Moshigh]

Yes Mcgee did some silly things but he still has upside and 7ft blocking machine, that still hasnt even polished his offensive game. Nene is good on offense, but he is injury riddled and lacks defense big time. Faried coming on as a power forward. Denvers bigs arent looking bad to me at all.

Portland is a big mess, It almost makes you look at Raptors team and glad they arent a mess like Portland. They are in no mans land right now.

Lakers did what they had to in order to keep the championship run for at least next 2 years. Yes Fisher is sold vet and meant way more then his salary, but someone had to be sacraficed, better him the Bynum or Gasol

New Jersey is in a bunch a trouble, but who knows what will happen in the summmer, hopefully they put Marshon Brooks at SG and Wallace at SF, Brooks is this teams future.

Im not really interested in College basketball ball is so two faced sometime. To much complaining, Oh guys come out of college to early, but have a chance to make a lifetime of money if managed correctly, but no people say guys should stay 3 or 4 years get his degree and risk a injury and lifetime of money. You can get a education anytime if you really want it. You will not always be able to get that pay that changes your family lives for potentialy generations!!!
I'll watch it closer to the end.

Lets go Raptors time to finish this year out strong.

[Rob.V]

I think a lot of teams did quite well for themselves.
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The Warriors have an All Star center and legitimate starting 3 to play with Curry. Things might be looking up for the Warriors next season.
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Clippers. Yup, another team that gets "something"... for nothing! Can someone please tell me why this never seems to happen for the Raptors?
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Stephen Jackson is a tough hombre. That dude kicks ass, and takes names. I'm not sure if there was a better scenario for him. The Spurs needed an edge. Well, he's definitely an "edge".
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Houston probably makes a nice little push into the post season with their move.
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Lakers? Yeah, that's a tough move. In a perfect world you would like to have Fisher retire in the purple and gold however with Kobe desperately looking to catch MJ theres always going to be pressure to win "now". They probably feel as though they have as good a shot as any team to win it all this year.
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Which brings me to the Nuggets!!
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Masai, Masai, Masai!!! This move perplexes me?? Yes, I get it. It's really a 2 for 1 move. By eliminating Nene's contract they can sign Chandler so it's essentially Chandler and Javale for Nene.
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Here's my problem. Earlier in the season (before injuries) the Nuggets were clicking on ALL cylinders. They were very close to the top in the West, and with their firepower looked absolutely unstoppable! All this team needed was to get healthy!! As mentioned with the Lakers, in this very short season the Nuggets would have had a legitimate shot (as any team) to put a nice run together on the way to the finals.
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Look, you could have matched on Chandler in the off season, and even if you did have buyers remorse with Nene there would have been NO shortage of suitors for a 6-11 rugged big man in the off season. There was absolutely no reason to rush to this deal at this point and time.
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IMO, the Nuggets needed to ride out the season to see what they really had. They had already improved as a team immensly over the previous season and simply needed to let the team marinade.
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Javale Mcgee may be a solid NBA player 3 years from now, but this season?... he might also be Josh Smith 2.0 for George Karl.
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I imagine you would have to be enamored with the rim protection Javale brings to the table so I hope it works out for them... however I personally think the timing of this deal was terrible!

[Pipit]

Another sign of a bad GM skills Doug. Sessions made Fisher dispensable. He will fit the Lakers better with his drive and kick moves and exceptionally better defense. There's no need to keep four point guards in a team. You need to watch more Lakers game, Doug. You will see how Blake and Goudelock had been eating most of the Lakers point guard duties. Emotional stuff has no place in building NBA teams. NBA is pure business. Nothing more, nothing less. Good thing you’re a reporter, Doug.

Blogger's note: Yeah, it is a good thing; where else could you anonymously rip

[D-Mac Ottawa]

Thanks for breaking down the trade shuffles, Doug, that was quite a blurry day.
If the mini-tournament play-in thingy and yesterday's opening round of NCAA hoops holds true, this is going to be an excellent tournament. People are making shawts (way better than last year's dreck), and it's been more up-tempo. Part of what makes this spectacle great is that every one of these guys is hanging onto that dream (off the charts unrealistic as it is) that he might have a shot to become the next Jeremy Lin.
A little Irish pipe and ditty by a guy who'd be a hoot to have a long lunch with, and then continue right into breakfast: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tECCs35WVCI
Cheers. Go Raps!

[Wallace]

I don't understand why the Raptors were inevitably going to lose Barbosa. He's a good player who has given the team good results. He seems to like it here, and would be willing to stay (quite rare for this franchise), and gets along with management and his teammates. Could they not have signed him this summer?

Blogger's note: Still can

[Peter]

I know that you'd probably like to put the Barbosa trade to rest, but it still doesn't make sense to me. Why trade Barbosa 43 games into a 66 game schedule, for a late second round pick that (historically speaking) is unlikely to net you a player. The argument that it saves money makes little sense because with just over 20 games to play, it's not like Barbosa was owed a whole lot, and even saving that money doesn't allow you to use it for anything. To the best of my knowledge, Colangelo doesn't get bonuses based on how much money he saves. The only thing that makes sense to me is that this is managements way of attempting to position themselves better in the draft. Behind the scenes that HAS to be what's being said, even if BC and company won't admit it to the media.

Blogger's note: You trade him because it's the deadline and now you're far enough under the cap to make a significant move -- if you want -- on draft night or the day before or any time before July 1. It's a no-brainer, really

[Lorie]

Hi Doug!
Just when I thought the dust had settled and it was safe to drop in again, you include in today's musical offering the one song that has always scared the crap out of me...."her ghost wheels a barrow....". As a kid I had nightmares about that one. Still might. Quick! Here's some Van and The Chieftans for a change of pace!
Cheers!
http://youtu.be/8GbdB7PlGtc

[doug]

see where Darrell Walker and Jim Todd are both on the Knicks radar to be new assistants, there's a Raps connection for you...McGee and blocked shots are vastly over-rated fans love them and especially in McGee's case they are not worth a $14 mill a year contract, which he told the Wiz he will be seeking in FA, I say to him good luck with that and so did the Wiz in dealing him soon after he made that statement....executive of the year should go to Larry Bird, he has did a solid job out there once he was given the total reins to the organization, good coaching hire and they had to sign Barbosa or someone of that ilk just to get their payroll up to meet the minimum league level or face a fine...so Bird has accrued solid talent, young talent, and all with room to spare cap wise, that's how to run a franchise, direct opposite of the Blazers way of doing things....the NCAA was good yesterday, the officiating in the Syracuse game was appalling and that's being kind and the 35 second shot clock (which has to be changed) wasn't much of a issue in the games I saw,solid well played b-ball, encouraging it was....cheers...

[Craig]

Raptors get a low 2nd for Barbosa and you respond with a "Well done!" Blazers get a high 1st in a stellar lottery year (with similar, if not better cap benefits) for Wallace and you say it got them nothing?

And you wonder why fans are tired of you? If you were writing for the Blazers you'd probably be doing cartwheels at how fast they're moving their tank and "re-evolving." You have very strong opinions on how bad other teams are- while at the same time you tell Raptor fans it doesn't matter if we're bad, we need to accept it. Fans deserve better than this farce.

Blogger's note: Apples, meet oranges. But thanks for the kind words. Must pain you to read here every day. And check the protection on the pick, would you? Yeesh

[Gary]

Hi Doug.
Thanks for all the 'extra's' lately with the trade deadline, march madness and all.

You said in a recent IGBT that you read Grantland regularly, I am hoping to get your thoughts on the Oscar Roberston piece.

Also a couple of other things to note...
Funny how blogs are opinion pieces by the writer, and while most of your followers love to have your opinion, I find it hilarious that a select few come on here regularly to chastise you for your opinion.
The best part of it for me is your remarks, they always bring a huge smile to my face and brighten my day a little more.

Please keep up the excellent work!

Blogger's note: I've spoken often with Wayne Embry about Oscar Robertson and that story, or those excerpts, perfectly mirror what I've come to learn about him

[GM]

I'm now a Pacers fan, that's how big a Barbosa fan I was. Oh, the Raptors are still number one in my heart, but I'll be cheering for Indiana, too. You say the trade was a no-brainer. I think I have no brain because I can't figure it out. You have a veteran player who is a good scorer, the fastest guy in the league, a solid professional who doesn't pout and bemoan his lot playing in the frozen north, gives his all every game, and wants to stay with the bad team even after tasting success in Phoenix. He's the type, if he weren't already on the Raptors, the Raptors should be looking at in the free agent market that they say they're saving up for. And he's already here. And to top it all off, you get nothing back for him (because that's essentially what a 2nd round pick is since most second rounders don't make it in the NBA). And to top it all off, the lame excuse that they need to see what they have in Bayless and Forbes. Neither of those two will ever be anywhere near the player Barbosa is. They just don't get it and it's probably too late for them to learn. They certainly don't offer anything unique to the team. Barbosa did because no one can match his speed. They, or Chandler, might be serviceable or good players, but they're run of the mill types, not game changers. Not to say Barbosa was a superstar, but he's a great addition to any team, not just a spare part. Ah well, that's life in the NBA, I guess.

I have to agree with the commenter who mentioned Fisher's leaving Utah. Not much was made of that because nobody wanted to appear to be criticizing a father and sick child, but were there no hospitals or care in Utah? It made no sense. People get sick there, too. And what's he going to do in Houston if LA is the only place he can get the care he needs for his daughter?

[Peter]

Blogger's note: You trade him because it's the deadline and now you're far enough under the cap to make a significant move -- if you want -- on draft night or the day before or any time before July 1. It's a no-brainer, really

AH!! Draft day trades!! I never realized that the cap situation still applied at the draft. I figured that the player's contracts ended on the last day of play for each team. I forgot that they usually run through July 1st and the draft is held before that.

Thanks Doug!!

[james]

Leandro Barbosa is certainly not without his flaws. But going back to his Phoenix days, there are few basketball players I would rather watch. His game is utterly unique; no one else plays like him, he can't be mistaken for anyone else on the court. What a treat to have him in Toronto for a while, and I too will pay more attention to the Pacers in the playoffs than would otherwise have been the case.