NBA Trades

Monday, March 8, 2010

NBA Trades

The NBA trade deadline has come and gone and, in its wake, left many a confused fan. Over the past few weeks, the 76ers had been immersed in trade rumors, many of these rumors revolving around swingman Andre Iguodala.
The Sixers have been associated with trade negotiations involving Phoenix Suns’ forward Amar’e Stoudemire, Cleveland Cavaliers’ center Zydrunas Ilgauskus, Dallas Mavericks’ forward Josh Howard, and Houston Rockets’ swingman Tracy McGrady. Many people figured—or hoped—that we’d come out of this trade with one of these big-namers who would bend over backwards and help the Sixers through this limbo they’ve been stuck in.

The Suns had their eye on Iguodala, offering up Amar’e Stoudemire, who would potentially be a good match with Elton Brand. The Rockets were only willing to trade McGrady if Iguodala was involved; they proposed trading McGrady and rookie guard-forward Chase Budinger for Iguodala and Samuel Dalembert. Sounds like some good possibilities, right? 73% of readers polled on Philly.com voted for the McGrady/Budinger-Iguodala/Dalembert deal.

Fast forward. It’s now post-trade and we’re down two seldom-used players, guard Royal Ivey and center Primoz Brezec and a 2010 second round draft pick, and we gained rookie guard Jodie Meeks and center Fransisco Elson. Does our seemingly pointless, low-impact trade make any sense?
According to Sixers General Manager Ed Stefanski, yes. His goal for this trade was not to make a deal based on money, but on performance., “protect[ing] his young nucleus.” Both Stoudemire ($17 million) and McGrady’s ($23 million) contracts are expiring.

“We’re very active and a lot of teams are looking for us to do financial deals, to send back expiring contracts—we want to improve the product on the court,” Stefanski said, courtside. “We are in the market to get better players if possible, or equal-value players, to make this team better.”
In her “Deep Sixer blog on Philly.com, Kate Fagan says the bottom line was that the Sixers weren’t going to make the trade for McGrady’s expiring contract if that “was the heart of the deal.”

Regardless of what the fans think of the deal, it was a success in Stefanski’s eyes. His focus was on the acquisition of Meeks, who was high on the Sixer’s 2009 Draft board, and that’s who he got. Kate Fagan suggests that the “lack of a headline-worthy deal” shows that Stefanski has faith in the roster he already has. Meeks could fill a void in the team’s shooting department next season,too, proving to be a valuble piece to the Sixer’s puzzle.

“I think I fit in well. I get up and down the court well just like this team isn known for—I think I’m a smart player who can make an open shot,” Meeks said. “I just have to knock ‘em dead.”

-Liz TrubeyTweet