The NBA is hopping today with some crazy trades, and of course Yahoo! Sports Adrian Wojnarowski is the best in the business at reporting them.
I'm trying to keep up, but here is the gist:
The Brooklyn Nets sent power forward/center Kevin Garnett back to the Minnesota Timberwolves for power forward Thaddeus Young (of Georgia Tech). My hunch if I studies situation more, I could make fun of the T-Wolves for trading for Young in the first place and then getting little for him months later, but it's a feel-good story of Garnett going back to where he started.
The Nuggets sent shooting guard Aaron Afflalo and small forward Alonzo Gee to the Portland Trail Blazers for power forward Thomas Robinson, wing Will Barton, forward Victor Claver and a lottery protected first round pick (which turns into two second round picks after 2017). Gee played for NCSU coach Mark Gottfried at Alabama. Advantage Trail Blazers, who now are loaded on the wing with Wesley Matthews, Nicholas Batum and Afflalo, who is a pro's pro. Robinson was a big star at Kansas and NC State did a nice job on him in the NCAA Tourney a few years ago, but he must be a miserable human being because everyone gives up on him fast.
The Nuggets also sent center JaVale McGee and a first-round pick, a great athlete and shot-blocker, who has been hurt and messed up, to Philadelphia. The 76ers coach didn't even want to comment on the acquisition of McGee. I'm not even sure if the Nuggets even got anything back, so that's a straight salary dumping there.
The Kings sent Myrtle Beach product and former Charlotte Bobcats point guard Ramon Sessions to the Wizards for the ageless Andre Miller, a former star point guard and now reserve.
The Thunder sent former BC star guard Reggie Jackson to the Detroit Pistons. Jackson wanted out because he's a free agent and knows Russell Westbrook is in the way there at point guard. Ex-Duke star small forward Kyle Singler ended up in OKC from the Pistons.
OKC wasn't done though. They got center Enes Kanter from the Utah Jazz, who is young and talented, but the Jazz have Rudy Gobert and Derrick Favors. I don't know all the details on the Kanter/Jazz fallout, but he'll be another great piece for OKC, who has a superb starting five.
I love the Heat acquiring Suns point guard Goran Dragic. He's an automatic 20 points and 6 assists the last two years, and I think I saw that his field-goal percentage might be second in the league for guards. The Heat lineup of Dragic, Dwyane Wade, Luol Deng, Chris Bosh and coming out of nowhere Hassan Whiteside of Gastonia, N.C., is impressive. Miami gave up Danny Granger, Norris Cole, Shawne Williams (who ended up in New Orleans) and Justin Hamilton. The Suns traded Williams for former Miami Hurricanes standout John Salmons. Granger and Salmons are basically small forwards, so someone will probably get waived.
Brandon Knight of the Bucks got traded to Phoenix to replace Dragic. Knight can score but questions have always dogged him on whether he is a guy that gets good stats on bad teams. Knight and Eric Bledsoe will form the former UK backcourt. Now coming in from the 76ers and Suns, the Bucks are getting former Syracuse point guards Michael Carter-Williams (76ers) and Tyler Ennis (Suns), plus Suns center Miles Plumlee, formerly of Duke.
The Suns traded backup point guard Isaiah Thomas, who they just signed in free agency, and who was making Dragic not play as much on the ball, and he's going to the Boston Celtics. I'm not a Thomas guy and not sure why they'd make the trade, unless they realize rooking point guard Marcus Smart wasn't a smart choice by the Celtics. The Suns get solid shooting guard Marcus Thornton and the Cavs 2016 first-round pick.
Knicks dumped backup point guard Pablo Prigioni on the Rockets for two second-round draft picks. Nothing notable there. The Rockets traded for former Clemson standout K.J. McDaniels, giving up Isaiah Canaan and a second-round pick. Houston also traded Alexey Shved to the Knicks. The former Russian standout has been given up by both Minnesota and Philadelphia, along with Houston.
This post was edited on 2/19 3:49 PM by Jacey Zembal
Adrian Wojnarowski on Twitter
I'm trying to keep up, but here is the gist:
The Brooklyn Nets sent power forward/center Kevin Garnett back to the Minnesota Timberwolves for power forward Thaddeus Young (of Georgia Tech). My hunch if I studies situation more, I could make fun of the T-Wolves for trading for Young in the first place and then getting little for him months later, but it's a feel-good story of Garnett going back to where he started.
The Nuggets sent shooting guard Aaron Afflalo and small forward Alonzo Gee to the Portland Trail Blazers for power forward Thomas Robinson, wing Will Barton, forward Victor Claver and a lottery protected first round pick (which turns into two second round picks after 2017). Gee played for NCSU coach Mark Gottfried at Alabama. Advantage Trail Blazers, who now are loaded on the wing with Wesley Matthews, Nicholas Batum and Afflalo, who is a pro's pro. Robinson was a big star at Kansas and NC State did a nice job on him in the NCAA Tourney a few years ago, but he must be a miserable human being because everyone gives up on him fast.
The Nuggets also sent center JaVale McGee and a first-round pick, a great athlete and shot-blocker, who has been hurt and messed up, to Philadelphia. The 76ers coach didn't even want to comment on the acquisition of McGee. I'm not even sure if the Nuggets even got anything back, so that's a straight salary dumping there.
The Kings sent Myrtle Beach product and former Charlotte Bobcats point guard Ramon Sessions to the Wizards for the ageless Andre Miller, a former star point guard and now reserve.
The Thunder sent former BC star guard Reggie Jackson to the Detroit Pistons. Jackson wanted out because he's a free agent and knows Russell Westbrook is in the way there at point guard. Ex-Duke star small forward Kyle Singler ended up in OKC from the Pistons.
OKC wasn't done though. They got center Enes Kanter from the Utah Jazz, who is young and talented, but the Jazz have Rudy Gobert and Derrick Favors. I don't know all the details on the Kanter/Jazz fallout, but he'll be another great piece for OKC, who has a superb starting five.
I love the Heat acquiring Suns point guard Goran Dragic. He's an automatic 20 points and 6 assists the last two years, and I think I saw that his field-goal percentage might be second in the league for guards. The Heat lineup of Dragic, Dwyane Wade, Luol Deng, Chris Bosh and coming out of nowhere Hassan Whiteside of Gastonia, N.C., is impressive. Miami gave up Danny Granger, Norris Cole, Shawne Williams (who ended up in New Orleans) and Justin Hamilton. The Suns traded Williams for former Miami Hurricanes standout John Salmons. Granger and Salmons are basically small forwards, so someone will probably get waived.
Brandon Knight of the Bucks got traded to Phoenix to replace Dragic. Knight can score but questions have always dogged him on whether he is a guy that gets good stats on bad teams. Knight and Eric Bledsoe will form the former UK backcourt. Now coming in from the 76ers and Suns, the Bucks are getting former Syracuse point guards Michael Carter-Williams (76ers) and Tyler Ennis (Suns), plus Suns center Miles Plumlee, formerly of Duke.
The Suns traded backup point guard Isaiah Thomas, who they just signed in free agency, and who was making Dragic not play as much on the ball, and he's going to the Boston Celtics. I'm not a Thomas guy and not sure why they'd make the trade, unless they realize rooking point guard Marcus Smart wasn't a smart choice by the Celtics. The Suns get solid shooting guard Marcus Thornton and the Cavs 2016 first-round pick.
Knicks dumped backup point guard Pablo Prigioni on the Rockets for two second-round draft picks. Nothing notable there. The Rockets traded for former Clemson standout K.J. McDaniels, giving up Isaiah Canaan and a second-round pick. Houston also traded Alexey Shved to the Knicks. The former Russian standout has been given up by both Minnesota and Philadelphia, along with Houston.
This post was edited on 2/19 3:49 PM by Jacey Zembal
Adrian Wojnarowski on Twitter
