Mook vs Derron Williams

It has been 2 weeks since the big trade and I haven’t had a chance to write about it.

When I saw the trade I couldn’t believe it.

It just came out of nowhere.

It was a big-time player… and it was the same package almost given up for Carmelo…

Smart move by Utah or crazy move

·      They jumped on the opportunity to build their future, they saw what ew Jersey was offering and seized it - SMART

·      They get 2 and maybe 3 lottery picks + a former all-star. That’s how you rebuild a team - SMART

·      I’m not too sold on Favors, and people are saying this next draft is weak… so it could be risky - CRAZY

·      They were still in the play-off hunt… and Derron Williams is a superstar who could take them pretty far – CRAZY

·      The current roster was good, really good even- but were they good enough to win it all? That’s the whole point isn’t it? Good enough to make the playoffs isn’t the goal - GOOD

·      They should have unloaded Kirlienko in the deal… Provako may have taken on the Russian, they need to unload his contract… and it could have been a good move for him too – Un Smart

Derron Williams is better than Carmelo

For New Jersey, they wanted a superstar and they got him.

But what now?

They gave up their future for one player. Who will they get for Derron Williams to pass to? He needs another player. Brook Lopez is a good center, but not the type of scorer/force you need to win.

Still, the NBA is a super-star league and Derron Williams is a superstar.

Now, that he is out of Utah, the world will see it

In my mind, it now goes

1.     Kevin Durrant

2.     LeBron

3.     Dwight Howard

4.     Derron Williams (tie)

5.     Chris Paul (tie)

6.     Derrick Rose (though he is this season’s MVP)

7.     Kobe

Followed by in some order…

Dwyane Wade a pretty good talent if he stays healthy

Blake Griffin amazing, but young

A’mare & Dirk are big guys who can score

Russel Westbrook & Rajon Rondo… young PG’s

Paul Pierce & KG… old vets in Boston

Steve Nash… 2-time mvp

Joe Johnsno & Josh Smith… underappreciated in Atlanta

K Love… double-double machine

Duncan & Ginobli… winners in San Antonio

Gasol & Oden… would be superstars anywhere else...

In other trades, i was surprised the Clippers would trade Baron Davis for Mo Williams... + they gave them a draft pick. Davis has had his problems, but he's great when he wants to be, and he seemed to be clicking with Blake... couldn't they get more from a high draft pick?

Mook vs the Melodrama

The trade finally happened.
In the end

The Nicks get
1. Melo
2. Chauncy Billups
3. Corey Brewer
& 3 scrubs

with the Nuggets getting
1. Wilson Chandler
2. Danillo Galinari
3. Raymond Felton
4. draft picks


That's not a bad deal for the Nuggets - considering how much they save financially, and the youth they get.
It's nothing like New Jersey was reportedly offering- but that was ridiculous. It would have gone down as the worst trade ever. Remember the HErshel Walker trade, that gave the Cowboys all those draft picks that made them a dynasty, that's what that trade would have done.

i don't really know if any of those players are really that good outside of D'Antoni's system, but we'll see.

If the Nicks were smart, they would have just waited and got him next year as a FA. They should have traded Felton Anthony Randolph & draft picks for Steve Nash.


Now, some may say all the stars are in the East on 4,5,6 teams. And though a couple super-stars are important, it doesn't make a team, especially, if they don't play defense.

If the NBA was NBA Jam, it may be different

Top NBA duos

1.     Kobe & Pau Gasol

2.     A’mare & Anthony

3.     LeBron & Dwyane Wade

4.     Chris Paul & David West

5.     KG & Paul Pierce

6.     D Rose & Boozer

7.     Joe Johnson & Josh Smith/Al Hoford

8.     Blake Griffin & Baron Davis/Eric Gordan

9.     Duncan & Ginobli

10. Derron Williams & Milsap

11. Dwight Howard & Jameer Nelson

12. Durant & Westbrook

13. Dirk & Kidd

14. Monta ellis & Steph Curry

15. Kevin Martin & Luis Scolia

3 on 3

1.     Kobe, Gasol & Oden/Artest

2.     LeBron, Wade, Bosh

3.     Joe Johnson, Josh Smith, Al Hoford

4.     Paul Pierce, KG, Rondo/Allen

5.     Duncan, Ginobli, Tony Parker

6.     Blake, Gordan, Baron Davis

7.     D rose, Boozer, Jokiam Noah

The Knicks had to make this trade though. Trading some good role players for a super-star is a no-brainer. But not sure if they'll be able to make the other moves to make them a winner.

Mook vs Adrian Gonzales

Last week the Padres traded Adrian Gonzales to the Red Sox for Casey Kelly, Anthony Rizzo another minor leaguer who could turn out some day and a PTBNL.

There have been rumors since last year that A Gone was gone to Boston. The Padres kept him last year and wound up in a pennant race.
They should have kept him this year too.
i'm not a Padres fan, but this trade made me angry.
Maybe in a few years i'll be proven wrong, but it makes no sense to me.
And here's why
It's all about the money, right? OR it's all about winning... or at least the fans?
Any way, the Pads should have kept A Gone

1. the Padres make more money by keeping Gonzales, he makes them more money than he costs
    He only makes 6 million, which is nothing in todays game. The fans love Gonzales. He is a bopper, the only true good position player they got, an MVP candidate. They will come out to see him. He's a local boy, a guy who has been there, the fans will come see him.
    

2. Keeping him gives them the best chance to win
    Which serves two purposes- fans are more likely to buy season tickets if they think the team is trying to win. They will come out in droves if they are in contention. Everyone likes a winner
    Plus, you are playing to win the games. Isn't that the goal? To win. To win it all. They need a guy like Gonzales. They won 90 games last year, they lost out to the team that won it all and their make-up isn't much different. They could win.

Teaming number 2 with number 1- it seems even paying him 20 mil/season he'd be worth it, he'd make them money.

3. They will need to replace him with another 1b and/or another power bat - and that will likely cost just as much.
     Sure Derek Lee and Adam LaRoche are available, but they'll cost more- maybe not in the long-run but certainly this year

4. If they just kept him for his year and let him go, they would get 2 #1 picks later... and how is what they got much better?

i would have started by asking Boston for Clay Buchholz, Jacoby Ellsbury & Jose Iglesis...  i would have also included Heath Bell and made them give Daniel Bard... if i'm going to trade Adrian Gonzales, then i'm surely trading Bell.
They probably would have done it too.
Why not? They just signed Carl crawford & also have Pedroia & Scuatro so they don't need a lead-off guy. Buchholz may be hard to give up, but they could bring Wakefield back a year unto Kelly was ready....
i really don't know how the Padres didn't get Iglesis or at least Jed Lowrie, and a better outfielder like Josh Reddick or Ryan Kalish.
Idiots.

Mook vs Mike Wilbon & the media pundits

I like Mike Wilbon… but he is an idiot.

He makes bold, brash claims… then when he’s wrong he says nothing.

And he’s a so-called expert, but what does he know?

No one gave SF or Texas a chance to make the World Series. Even when they were up 3-1… no one believed they would actually win.

The Phillies had a great rotation… but how come people couldn’t see the Giants rotation was better?

And the Rangers were supposed to lsoe b/c they never won in the post-season before? But not the people on the field.

Cliff Lee has won. Vlad Gurerro has won.

What are you guys talking about?

I’m sure East Coast bias played into this.

I think more-so, headlines did.

If a player was traded, it made headlines – and so, Halladay, Oswalt, Cliff Lee were big deals. If they make a lot of money, they’re also headlines.

The Giant’s rotation was killer all season, and especially in September… but somehow it was the Phillies rotation that was deemed unbeatable.

Granted the Phillies had much more offensive weapons… but let’s face it Ryan Howard is the most over-rated player in baseball (that actually has nothing to do with this, I just wanted to get that off my chest again, as I’ve been saying it for years).

The media loves the Yankees. They love the Red Sox. And now that these teams aren’t in it, they won’t cover it. And it’s not because baseball fans don’t like it- it’s because the media doesn’t like it.

It’s the same reason Boise St and TCU get screwed in college football. It’s the same reason we won’t ever stop hearing about the Miami Heat. And the same reason we think Brett Favre was a great QB.

Media Pundits, So-called "experts"... you know nothing.

Mook vs Randy Moss

The NFL continues to surprise me.

Most of the time it is the games itself - like all the close games last week.
It's amazing how a team can be horrible one year and a potential play-off team the next (See Missouri teams KC & StL this year and so many in the past).

But more-so it's the trades.
i don't get why teams will trade a 1st rd pick the next year to grab a 2nd rd pick... or multiple early picks to move up one or spots on draft day... then during the season no one gives up anything.

That's why i was surprised the Vikings were willing to give up a 2nd rd pick... for Vincent Jackson... and the Chargers delined! They are idiots.
Instead the Vikes get Randy Moss for ... a 3rd rd pick!
If the Chargers would have taken the trade for JAckson, they could have later traded for Moss.

Some are saying the Pats did well. They traded a 4th rd pick for Moss and now get a 3rd pick in return - after many years of service. But, i gotta think they could have got more... not only that, i think they shouldn't have traded him. Sure, they may be able to get AJ Green with the Raiders pick next year - but what are they going to do this year?

Their division is so loaded. i know they beat the Dolphins last week with Moss not catching a pass, but can they sustain it all year? i think they miss out on the playoffs.
But i don't think they had much of a chance of winning it all anyway... maybe... but not now.

Bellichek... seemed genius a while ago... but lately it seems his ego has got the best of him... we'll see.

i do like Danny Woodhead.

Mook vs Cliff Lee

Another big move as Cliff Lee was traded from the Mariners to Texas... despite all the reports he had been traded to the Yankees...

This could serve as another reminder to Cleveland fans of another player who got away.
Lee is posting incredible numbers this season, and is front-runner for the Cy Young despite missing a month of the season. Has has an amazing 89k's vs 6 walks on the season in over 100 IP, while sporting a 2.34 era... WOW!

While it may be sad for Cleveland, maybe sadder for Expos fans who saw him, Brandon Philips and Grady Sizemore traded together for Bartolo Colon... at least the Indians got a few years out of him...

The M's were able to get top hitting prospect Justin Smoak and others. Last year the Tribe only got Lou Marson- a back-up cathcer- Jason Donald - a good utility player- and a couple pitchers who could turn out ok, but nothing spectacular.

Still the losers here are the Phillies. They didn't need to trade Lee when the traded for Halladay. And if they would have waited a bit, they could have got even better prospects. Plus, if you keep him and lose him you get two high draft picks.

It is interesting that teams pay more for half a season than a year & a half...

The lesson though may be this. Everyone was raving about the Mariners off-season moves last winter. But where did it get them. True the prospects they got from Texas were MUCH better than the ones they traded to Philly, but how about Figgons? Letting go of Beltre? Bradley's explosions & Silva's success?

People are quick to praise moves way before we see any results.
(i guess i shouldn't pass judgment on the prospects Philly got yet- that's more of a fact they traded Lee when they didn't need to...)

So all those who think the Miami signings were incredible or horrible - i guess we have to wait & see...

I think the Lee trade is good for both teams. Texas is doing well, but will need better pitching. Seattle needs some power in their lineup and builds their future.
I'd be both happy & sad if i was a Texas fan, but at least i know my team is going for it!