Busy 48 Hours
I know I already blogged today, but I just caught some breaking news about Earl Boykins, who was just traded to the Bucks seemingly minutes ago in a cost-cutting move for the Denver Nuggets.
The trade sends Boykins and D-League caliber Julius Hodge to the Milwaukee Bucks for former Maryland Terp fan favorite Steve Blake. Wow, on paper it's hard to believe that the Bucks got two players for Blake, who averages 3.6 points per game.
The move is solid for the Bucks, who just lost Michael Redd and Mo Williams recently. Boykins is a scoring point guard, and he'll definitely provide some cliched much-needed firepower. And, honestly it's a pretty good move for the Nuggets, too. Call me crazy, but when Carmelo Anthony gets back, where would Boykins have fit in? With Allen Iverson manning the point guard position for 40 plus minutes a night and J.R. Smith back in action, he would have been lucky to get 15 minutes a night. So, despite the fact that the diminuitive Boykins was a fan favorite in the Rocky Mountain area, he's better served by moving to Milwaukee.
Chris Webber's contract buy-out is the other big transaction news in the NBA, and it's something I kind of regret not touching on in my Maryland blog (hey, I've got priorities, too). First of all, I think the 76ers made a mistake in trading for a forward who was past his prime with a $20 million contract in the first place, but at least both sides have come to an agreement on how to handle this situation. Basketball-wise, Webber was having his worst season as a pro, and even last year when he averaged 20 and 10 you could sense the decline in his game.
Webber has apparently narrowed his list of potential destinations down to a select few who have a chance to win a championship. MSNBC columnist Michael Ventre believes he should swallow his pride and join the Los Angeles Lakers in a well-written article, but I have to disagree.
If his true desire is to go out on top with a championship, there's really only one destination for him. Many of you don't even need to read the one word paragraph that is about to follow.
Dallas.
Personally I think he still has some game left. Yeah, he's not the same Webber who led the Michigan Wolverines to back-to-back title games with insane dunks and a hip-hop flare for the game, but the Mavs have been looking for someone to spell Dirk Nowitzki and provide some scoring punch from the interior. Plus, one thing the Mavs don't do well is move the ball, and Webber has a unique skill set that allows him to kind of be a point four in a half-court offense.
If you don't buy any of that, he's a better option than Austin Croshere.
That being said, Webber is looking for a certain amount of playing time, and if that's the case, he's not coming to Dallas.
But, that's my point. Webber has to accept the fact that he's no longer the star he used to be. In fact, he shouldn't even start for 50% of the teams in the league. I like Ventre's line about how Webber is in his nadir:
"Think George Bailey in “It’s a Wonderful Life,” being ridiculed by Mr. Potter and then contemplating his own demise in the icy river. What matters now, of course, is what he does next."
His career has been defined by flashes of brilliance on the court and asinine actions off of it. If he wins a championship, it wouldn't change everything, but man would it push that stuff to the brink of obscurity.
It's simple: Mr. Webber, if you want a forgiveness, go to the Mavs. Otherwise, retire. Period.
The trade sends Boykins and D-League caliber Julius Hodge to the Milwaukee Bucks for former Maryland Terp fan favorite Steve Blake. Wow, on paper it's hard to believe that the Bucks got two players for Blake, who averages 3.6 points per game.
The move is solid for the Bucks, who just lost Michael Redd and Mo Williams recently. Boykins is a scoring point guard, and he'll definitely provide some cliched much-needed firepower. And, honestly it's a pretty good move for the Nuggets, too. Call me crazy, but when Carmelo Anthony gets back, where would Boykins have fit in? With Allen Iverson manning the point guard position for 40 plus minutes a night and J.R. Smith back in action, he would have been lucky to get 15 minutes a night. So, despite the fact that the diminuitive Boykins was a fan favorite in the Rocky Mountain area, he's better served by moving to Milwaukee.
Chris Webber's contract buy-out is the other big transaction news in the NBA, and it's something I kind of regret not touching on in my Maryland blog (hey, I've got priorities, too). First of all, I think the 76ers made a mistake in trading for a forward who was past his prime with a $20 million contract in the first place, but at least both sides have come to an agreement on how to handle this situation. Basketball-wise, Webber was having his worst season as a pro, and even last year when he averaged 20 and 10 you could sense the decline in his game.
Webber has apparently narrowed his list of potential destinations down to a select few who have a chance to win a championship. MSNBC columnist Michael Ventre believes he should swallow his pride and join the Los Angeles Lakers in a well-written article, but I have to disagree.
If his true desire is to go out on top with a championship, there's really only one destination for him. Many of you don't even need to read the one word paragraph that is about to follow.
Dallas.
Personally I think he still has some game left. Yeah, he's not the same Webber who led the Michigan Wolverines to back-to-back title games with insane dunks and a hip-hop flare for the game, but the Mavs have been looking for someone to spell Dirk Nowitzki and provide some scoring punch from the interior. Plus, one thing the Mavs don't do well is move the ball, and Webber has a unique skill set that allows him to kind of be a point four in a half-court offense.
If you don't buy any of that, he's a better option than Austin Croshere.
That being said, Webber is looking for a certain amount of playing time, and if that's the case, he's not coming to Dallas.
But, that's my point. Webber has to accept the fact that he's no longer the star he used to be. In fact, he shouldn't even start for 50% of the teams in the league. I like Ventre's line about how Webber is in his nadir:
"Think George Bailey in “It’s a Wonderful Life,” being ridiculed by Mr. Potter and then contemplating his own demise in the icy river. What matters now, of course, is what he does next."
His career has been defined by flashes of brilliance on the court and asinine actions off of it. If he wins a championship, it wouldn't change everything, but man would it push that stuff to the brink of obscurity.
It's simple: Mr. Webber, if you want a forgiveness, go to the Mavs. Otherwise, retire. Period.
posted by Justin Cherot @ 3:56 PM
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