clinton's weblog of the present and near future

It looks like Andre Miller is still a Sixer. Leaving last night’s game early couldn’t have helped improve his value. The Knicks on the other hand worked out two trades, getting Larry Hughes from the Bulls and Chris Wilcox from Oklahoma City. Have you noticed that they’re not even hiding the fact that their only goal as a franchise is clearing cap space for after next season to sign Lebron James. Half the league started doing this a year and a half ago. The Knicks at least are up front about. I wonder if this is what the league intended (multiple teams tanking for three+ years to sign a superstar) when they instituted their impossible to calculate cap. Now imagine if the Knicks don’t sign a superstar after next season. I know they probably will, but lets say something happens and it doesn’t work out. You’ve wasted the decade chasing a chance that got away.

Orlando, Houston and Memphis three-wayed a deal that sends Rafer Alston to the Magic and Kyle Lowry to Houston.

Sacramento completed an inconsequential deal, this time involving Minnesota. What was interesting is that they almost traded Andres Nocioni, whom they acquired yesterday, to Boston. But the length and finances of his contract killed negotiations in the end.  I’m still upset at the Kings for taking Sam Cassell from Boston. Who’s going to come off the bench, take bad shots and turn the ball over in the playoffs?

Interestingly, there was some Shaq to Cleveland discussions, but nothing materialized.

There will continue to be a few more deals that leak out involving 9th and 10th men on non-contenders. But I’m done worrying about that for now.

I was very surprised yesterday when the New Orleans Hornets traded Tyson Chandler to Oklahoma City for nothing but future cap space. Now it all makes sense. Tyson Chandler is hurt and the Thunder don’t want him either, voiding the trade after he failed a physical. What I still don’t get is, even though he’s having a very very down year, Chandler was an integral part of the Hornets last year and I don’t understand why they’d just give him away, other than to just clear cap room. But, are they really blowing up this team just for that? It looks like it.

In a deal that actually did go through, the Bulls traded Andres Nocioni and Drew Gooden to Sacramento for Brad Miller and John Salmons. Three other guys and Portland are somehow involved in this deal too, but who cares. This seems to me to be a move just to make a move and I don’t really like Brad Miller, but lets wait and see how this deal works out for Chicago. Sacramento will continue to suck.