Trade Deadline Deals

There was a frenzy of moves at the NBA trade deadline on Thursday, February 24th. There was a total of eleven moves throughout the league, which can be viewed on the NBA website with all other current league news.

The Sixers grabbed all of the headlines with their two trades. First, the Sixers traded undersized power forward Kenny Thomas, veteran forwards Corliss Williamson and Brian Skinner to the Kings for the 5-time all-star Chris Webber, and rarely used reserves Matt Barnes and Michael Bradley. The Sixers drastically improved their chances to win their division and contend for an Eastern Conference championship, while the Kings added much needed depth at the forward position and they unloaded Webber's maximum contract that will reach $20 million per year in the next three seasons.

The Sixers made another trade with the Hornets, sending the disgruntled small forward Glen Robinson to the Hornets for former 6th man of the year, Rodney Rogers, and the injured Jamal Mashburn, who is not expected to play this year and will retire at the season's end, but was included in the deal for salary cap purposes. This trade gives the Hornets salary cap relief, whereas the Sixers gained much needed depth after trading away 4 contributing forwards.

The Hornets continued to wheel and deal with a move that sent point guard Baron Davis, a 2-time all-star who has battled the injury bug throughout his career, to the Warriors for point guard Speedy Claxton, 35 year-old forward Dale Davis, and cash. The Hornets did not get value in return for Baron Davis, however, they were able to unload his large contract and his bad attitude that was said to have distracted the team.

The Warriors made more waves when they received two young forwards with high upsides in Nikoloz Tskitishvili and Rodney White in return for the gritty role player in Eduardo Najera, a power forward, a young reserve in Luis Flores, and a future 1st round pick. The Warriors got talent and youth which they hope to develop along with the other seven players on the team that are younger than 26 years-old. The Nuggets acquired a solid defender and rebounder who should help them make their push for the playoffs in Najera.

Another big headlining trade was a deal that sent sharpshooting small forward Antoine Walker from the Hawks back to the team that drafted him, the Celtics, for veteran guard Gary Payton, veteran forward Tom Gugliotta, center Michael Stewart, and a future 1st round draft pick. The Celtics are hoping that this gamble pays off by helping them fend off the Sixers, Raptors, and Knicks in the Atlantic Division. This move gives the Hawks more room under the salary cap by escaping Walker's large contract.

The Celtics then sent young European guard Jiri Welsch to the Cavaliers for a 2007 1st round draft pick. This deal will bolster the Cavs' backcourt, while the Celtics added an always valuable draft pick.

The Knicks also made a deal that brought them to solid young forwards in Malik Rose and Maurice Taylor. The Knicks traded Nazr Mohammed and Jamison Brewer to the Spurs for Malik Rose and 1st round picks in 2005 and 2006, a move that allows the Spurs to unload Rose's contract for soon-to-be free agents Mohammed and Brewer. Then the Knicks traded veteran reserves Moochis Norris and Vin Baker to the Rockets for Maurice Taylor. Norris and Baker rarely contributed for the Knicks, but the Knicks had to take on yet another high salary with Maurice Taylor.

The Rockets also traded away Reece Gaines and 2nd round picks in 2006 and 2007 to the Bucks for Mike James, whose 3-point shooting and defense helped the Pistons win the championship last year, and journeyman Zenden Hamilton.

The Bucks made an even bigger deal in sending the often-criticized Kieth Van Horn to the Mavericks for reserve forwards Calvin Booth, Alan Henderson, and cash. The Mavericks added a shooter in Van Horn and the Bucks improve their defense and rebounding at the power forward position.

In the last move to round up the coverage of the trade deadline deals, the Heat re-acquired Steve Smith in a trade where they sent forward Malik Allen to the Bobcats. The Heat gain Smith's veteran leadership and strong character, as well as salary cap flexibility. The Bobcats added more young talent to their youthful team with the hardworking rebounder Malik Allen.