Wild, wild west

Just when you thought the West was as tough as it was going to get, it suddenly got a whole lot tougher.

In what appears to be a chain-reaction of trades, several Western Conference teams decided to pull the trigger on blockbuster deals that would probably make or break their season. The rich just got richer, as they say.

The biggest losers from all these transactions, though, aren’t those who made the wrong moves, but probably those who didn’t make any significant moves at all. Here is a breakdown of the big superstar trades that transpired:

Lakers get Pau Gasol for Kwame Brown, Javaris Crittenton, et al.

This is probably the most lopsided trade that I can ever remember taking place. The only other trade that comes close was the deal the Lakers made in getting Kwame Brown, in which they had to give up All-Star Caron Butler. This trade is pretty easy to evaluate. The Lakers get an All-Star big man who can perfectly complement Andrew Bynum’s inside game and Kobe Bryant’s outside game, and all they had to give up was someone their home fans were booing out of the arena and a prospect point guard that wouldn’t have helped Kobe win a championship in the near future. 

Now this Lakers team, even without Bynum, looks poised for a title run. The only question mark this team now has is health. With Bynum still on the shelf, Kobe nursing a torn pinky ligament and both Lamar Odom and Gasol carrying nagging bumps and bruises, an injury is their most likely downfall. In the West where there 10 legitimate contenders, the Lakers cannot afford to get hurt.

Suns get Shaquille O’Neal for Shawn Marion and Marcus Banks

I wasn’t a big fan of this trade when it happened. The Suns traded away a player who was absolutely perfect for their system as well as their best defender in Shawn Marion and acquired a slow, lumbering, injury-riddled big man in Shaq. On paper, it doesn’t make much sense.

The reason why Suns GM Steve Kerr decided to roll the dice is that Marion was a malcontent and it was taking its toll on Steve Nash and Amare Stoudemire. Instead of letting him go for nothing next year when he becomes a free agent, the Suns decided on bringing in someone who’s mere presence could energize a team and a city. All the Suns want Shaq to do know is clog the lane, grab rebounds in traffic and outlet the ball to Steve Nash to start the fast break. At $20 million a year, Shaq is now the most expensive role player in NBA history. 

The early returns for the Shaq experiment show mixed results. On one hand, the Suns played both the Lakers and the Celtics close, losing against the former and winning against the latter, with Shaq in their lineup. On the other hand, the Detroit Pistons blew them out of the water as Rasheed Wallace exposed the gaping hole the Suns have without Shawn Marion. The Suns are averaging about 20 less points than their season average and Steve Nash is averaging about 5 less assists with Shaq in tow.

Mavericks get Jason Kidd for Devin Harris, Desagana Diop, Trenton Hassell et al.

After a questionable and heartbreaking loss two years ago in the Finals and an embarrassing performance a year ago against the Golden State Warriors, the Mavericks had to do something if for nothing else but to boost their psyche. They were probably talented enough pre-Kidd to compete against the Suns and the Spurs, but the ghost of the past two years will be perpetually haunting them.

In Jason Kidd, the Mavs acquired someone who has lead a team (not even a very good one) to the NBA finals. They acquired a leader. They got someone who won’t be fazed by the raucous crowd at Oracle Arena or the questionable foul calls that send Dwyane Wade to the free-throw line. Just like the Shaq trade for Phoenix, the Kidd deal means as much in terms of chemistry and team psyche as it does in actual on-court production.

Kidd isn’t the same defensive stopper he was during his Finals run in New Jersey, and that might spell trouble against the likes of Tony Parker and Chris Paul, but his court vision and passing ability are still there, and that was something Mavericks fans could only dream about with Devin Harris running the show. Most important of all, Dirk Nowitzki is a happy man and has elevated his scoring since Kidd arrived.

Other notable transactions:

Spurs sign Damon Stoudamire, get Kurt Thomas for Francisco Elson and Brent Barry

Jazz get Kyle Korver for Gordan Giricek and a draft pick

Rockets get Bobby Jackson from the Hornets for Mike James and Bonzi Wells

*  *  *

For questions, comments or corrections please email me at carlfrancisramirez@gmail.com