NBA Trades

Let's start with the Melo deal. The one thing that matters for the Knicks playoff success now is how well they finish the regular season. If they stay at six they're not going to win without home court against either the Bulls or Celtics, I don't see Miami slipping to three right now (I definitely don't think they're a lock for first either though). But if they can make up the five and a half that they're down right now and play Atlanta or Orlando, I guarantee the Knicks will win either of those series. Two reasons for this, first is the David Stern factor. David Stern loves the Knicks and would love to see the Knicks be a title contender again, not to mention how much he would love having New York's TV audience watching for multiple series. If you don't think David Stern loves the Knicks and wants them to win watch this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WWExLwQenW0&feature=related if you don't think the NBA is fixed watch this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VhlGYvIMPgQ&feature=related and the other parts or read this http://deadspin.com/#!5392067/excerpts-from-the-book-the-nba-doesnt-want-you-to-read and the rest of Tim Donaghy's book, or just look at free throw disparity in playoff games favoring the more “elite” teams. The other reason I think the Knick's would beat Orlando or Atlanta is simply because this deal does make New York a very good team. Their bench is pretty thin and Ronny Turiaf as the starting center is going to leave them pretty weak on the inside, but Billups, Anthony and Stoudemire is a great core. Obviously because they're all great players, but also the chemistry seems so much better than the group in South Beach. Billups and Anthony have already been playing together so there shouldn't be any major issues there. While he may not have quite played with an Amare Stoudemire caliber scorer, Melo has played with some better scoring options than either Lebron or Dwayne Wade had before they joined forces, so it shouldn't result in one of them awkwardly standing in the corner while they watch the other one score all by themselves, like the Heat were doing early on. Stoudemire played with some very good players in Phoenix, so he shouldn't have much problem joining these two. And Billups brings experience to the table, he's a guy who has a ring and was the Finals MVP when he won that ring. So this is a good team. If they make it past the first round, the David Stern factor will probably end, so it comes down to who the Knicks would play. I don't think the Knicks match-up all that well against Boston or Chicago. Boozer and Noah are too strong inside for Stoudemire and mainly Turiaf to handle. As good as Billups is, he's no Derrick Rose, and the Bulls actually have a bench they can turn to. The Celtics also can probably beat up on New York inside a little bit, and they're too deep for the Knicks to handle. I actually think the Knicks match up the best with the Heat. Both teams are pretty similar; lacking a strong starting center, lacking a deep bench, built around three players. I think this would end up being a very interesting series, where Stoudemire could potentially go off on Bosh. Landry Fields could be the best starter outside of either teams big three, which gives the Knicks a nice weapon. I wouldn't pick the Knicks but I think they'd have a pretty decent shot at pulling off the upset.

The downside of this trade is for this team to be good they need Billups or another good starter to contend for a title. That leaves them with a pretty short window unless they can make some other moves in the offseason, which would probably have to be through free agency as they really didn't leave themselves with many pieces to trade. Not to mention they need to sign more bench players as well. Overall I'll give this trade a B- for the Knicks. They probably overpaid giving up so many young pieces, but they traded potential for proven players who make them a great team now, and I think it was a small victory that they only had to give up one pick.

From the Nuggets standpoint, I think this was a great move. Billups is getting old, they haven't been able to win with Melo and the possibility that he might not re-sign, as slim as that may have been, made it a good decision to move him. They got some great young pieces with Gallinari only being 22, Wilson Chandler's only 23, Mozgov is 24 and Felton is 26. In a couple of years this gives the Nuggets potential to be one of the best teams in the west. Trading Gallinari for a pick might be risky as he's shaping into a very good player, but getting a lottery pick might be able to add a superstar to this core of already strong players which would make the Nuggets title contenders around 2014 or so. Grade: A

Also on the trade horizon, the Celtics are trying to get Shane Battier. I love it. I love it, I love I love it. Even though I personally believe C's would have won the championship the last three years if it weren't for injuries, the last two years have lacked something that the '08 team had. First was James Posey, who played lockdown defense off the bench. Last year the team also lacked Eddie House being a spark-plug off the bench. So, why not bring both those attributes back with one player? Sounds like two-time NBA All-Defensive second team member and career .385 three point shooter Shane Battier could help. Battier would be able to matchup with LeBron in a series against the Heat, and he would be a shooter off the bench, something the Celtics really don't have right now. And to top it all off, he would be expiring contract at the end of the year. This deal could not possibly be any better. The only setback is the Celtics may not have the pieces to deal. Ideally, the trade would involve Nate Robinson, who the Celtics will not need with the return of Delonte West, and Battier could replace him as a decent scoring option off the bench. Normally I'd be really hesitant about trading picks with the end of the big three era looming, but I think it may be worth it here, as I think this would make a huge difference in the Celtics winning this year. Potential Grade: A+++++++++++.