The most talked about inconsequential trade?

[celticsclay]

Hey all,

As I was watching the Lakers remain undefeated at home yesterday (coupled with the surprising terribleness of Dallas (seems hard to picture them making the playoffs this year) and mediocreness of Memphis and Houston) it seems like a real possibility that the Lakers at a minimum will win 30 games this year and could even sneak into the 7th or 8th seed out west.

IF this happens and they end up giving the 16th pick in a draft wouldn't that make the MCW trade kind of hilarious?

At the time of the trade, this was a really hotly debated trade. It remained so in the years following the trade. At the time there was some thought that MCW would be a star, or at least a very solid NBA starter after averaging 16, 6,6 as a rookie. Now he is no longer under the Bucks and seems to project, at best, as a long term backup. Conversely, the pick the 76ers trade appeared it would be a top 5 pick that they would get within 1-2 years. However, the Lakers stunk just enough the last years to keep their pick (drafting Ingram and further screwing the 76ers by taking Russell with the pick).

Now it seems 2+ years later there is a very good chance it ends up being a backup point guard for a mid first round pick. Doesn't that seem kind of funny? This is like if we spent 3 years analyzing and debating our trade of Brandon Wright to Phoenix. Kind of funny if it turns out this way with both teams getting way less than they expected.

[Monkhouse]

I think the issue has always been the influx of point guards, and how the league has become so guard heavy.

If MCW ever learned how to shoot, like many point guards like Marcus Smart, Livingston, etc, then he might've been far more valuable.

Its crazy, because there have been so many trades we assumed looked bad in the other trading teams favor.

Brooklyn Nets are a perfect example.

I still can't believe how lucky Ainge got. Even bringing in KG seemed impossible at the time, but it happened.

[celticsclay]

I think the issue has always been the influx of point guards, and how the league has become so guard heavy.

If MCW ever learned how to shoot, like many point guards like Marcus Smart, Livingston, etc, then he might've been far more valuable.

Its crazy, because there have been so many trades we assumed looked bad in the other trading teams favor.

Brooklyn Nets are a perfect example.

I still can't believe how lucky Ainge got. Even bringing in KG seemed impossible at the time, but it happened.

It is scary to think about Smart and MCW at the same time. MCW finally got up to 45% last season but was still only 27% on 3's. He is a few years older than Smart (25 years old to 22), but if Smart doesn't improve offensively you can see his future being laid out.

[kraidstar]

The D-Will trade is a candidate, as neither side has really benefited. Though it did set in motion the KG/PP trade, Billy King's masterpiece 

D-will obviously flamed out in Brooklyn, and never really elevated that team beyond second-round fodder.

The Jazz got Favors, Devin Harris, the pick that became Enes Kanter, and another first-rounder which became Gorgui Dieng, which they shipped out for Trey Burke (oops!).

Kanter was flipped for an OKC protected first rounder (top-14 protected from 2018-2020, then becomes a 2nd-rounder), Tibor Pleiss, who is 27 and has played limited NBA minutes, and Grant Jerrett, who is currently out of the league.

[LarBrd33]

So you're assuming the Lakers will make the playoffs?   I think they have some future stars on that team, but even I find it unlikely they make the playoffs this year.   I assume the pick will be in the lotto.   Philly selling high on MCW and getting a lotto pick for him isn't insignificant.

If you want a better "most talked about inconsequential trade", how about the much talked about Doc Rivers for a 1st round pick "trade"? ... it resulted in RJ Hunter.  He's been cut.  Much ado about nothing, I guess.

[celticsclay]

So you're assuming the Lakers will make the playoffs?   I think they have some future stars on that team, but even I find it unlikely they make the playoffs this year.   I assume the pick will be in the lotto.   Philly selling high on MCW and getting a lotto pick for him isn't insignificant.

If you want a better "most talked about inconsequential trade", how about the much talked about Doc Rivers for a 1st round pick "trade"? ... it resulted in RJ Hunter.  He's been cut.  Much ado about nothing, I guess.

Great call on the Doc for a first point. That was definitely something everyone was excited about and thought was a coup and now he is not even on the team.  (Not to mention for the excitement, Doc hasn't even gotten the clippers to the WCF and it seems like they will break that team up after this season.

With respect to the Lakers, I am not a 100% they will make the playoffs as they could implode at any time. However, if you are sure they won't who is definitely making it? Only 7 teams don't make the playoffs. It is hard to see any of these teams making it

Phoenix
New Orleans
Sacramento
Minnesota

It would not surprise me at all if Dallas and Denver don't make it.

That would leave the Lakers fighting with Houston and Memphis for a final spot (assuming Utah is in). Are we sure they don't finish with a better record than one of those 2 teams?

Even if they do just miss it is hard to seeing it being a top 10 pick after the additions of Deng and Mosgov with Russell playing awesome and Clark still looking good (plus improving games from Randles). I don't think even if a late lottery pick is something that casual fans would talk about for 3 years like we have with the MCW trade. For the overwhelming majority of the time I thought it would be a 5th or 6th pick at worst.

[GetLucky]

Melo to the Knicks

[LarBrd33]

So you're assuming the Lakers will make the playoffs?   I think they have some future stars on that team, but even I find it unlikely they make the playoffs this year.   I assume the pick will be in the lotto.   Philly selling high on MCW and getting a lotto pick for him isn't insignificant.

If you want a better "most talked about inconsequential trade", how about the much talked about Doc Rivers for a 1st round pick "trade"? ... it resulted in RJ Hunter.  He's been cut.  Much ado about nothing, I guess.

Great call on the Doc for a first point. That was definitely something everyone was excited about and thought was a coup and now he is not even on the team.  (Not to mention for the excitement, Doc hasn't even gotten the clippers to the WCF and it seems like they will break that team up after this season.

With respect to the Lakers, I am not a 100% they will make the playoffs as they could implode at any time. However, if you are sure they won't who is definitely making it? Only 7 teams don't make the playoffs. It is hard to see any of these teams making it

Phoenix
New Orleans
Sacramento
Minnesota

It would not surprise me at all if Dallas and Denver don't make it.

That would leave the Lakers fighting with Houston and Memphis for a final spot (assuming Utah is in). Are we sure they don't finish with a better record than one of those 2 teams?

Yeah It's frustrating watching Julius Randle lead the Lakers to the playoffs knowing we passed up on him to take a backup defensive role player, but it's still early in the season.   I have a hard time believing the Lakers, despite all their young potential stars, will end up with a better record than a young team like the Wolves. 

[tazzmaniac]

NOP finished with 30 wins last year and had the 6th worst record.  To make the playoffs the Lakers are probably going to have to get 41 wins.   I don't see that happening with as bad as their defense is.  Their next 5 games are rather easy so they better go 4-1 to build up a cushion.   


 

[celticsclay]

So you're assuming the Lakers will make the playoffs?   I think they have some future stars on that team, but even I find it unlikely they make the playoffs this year.   I assume the pick will be in the lotto.   Philly selling high on MCW and getting a lotto pick for him isn't insignificant.

If you want a better "most talked about inconsequential trade", how about the much talked about Doc Rivers for a 1st round pick "trade"? ... it resulted in RJ Hunter.  He's been cut.  Much ado about nothing, I guess.

Great call on the Doc for a first point. That was definitely something everyone was excited about and thought was a coup and now he is not even on the team.  (Not to mention for the excitement, Doc hasn't even gotten the clippers to the WCF and it seems like they will break that team up after this season.

With respect to the Lakers, I am not a 100% they will make the playoffs as they could implode at any time. However, if you are sure they won't who is definitely making it? Only 7 teams don't make the playoffs. It is hard to see any of these teams making it

Phoenix
New Orleans
Sacramento
Minnesota

It would not surprise me at all if Dallas and Denver don't make it.

That would leave the Lakers fighting with Houston and Memphis for a final spot (assuming Utah is in). Are we sure they don't finish with a better record than one of those 2 teams?

Yeah It's frustrating watching Julius Randle lead the Lakers to the playoffs knowing we passed up on him to take a backup defensive role player, but it's still early in the season.   I have a hard time believing the Lakers, despite all their young potential stars, will end up with a better record than a young team like the Wolves.

The reason they could make the playoffs is that they have some nice veteran presences to balance out their young players. Louis Williams has been playing awesome averaging 15 pts and 4 assists in 23 minutes while Deng and Mosgov have really stabilized the starting 5. Unfortunately for the Wolves they really don't have any veterans with meaningful roles. Now they have lost Rubio I feel like their season is kind of doomed. Kind of a bummer their management did not add any vets this offseason to compliment their core.

[celticsclay]

NOP finished with 30 wins last year and had the 6th worst record.  To make the playoffs the Lakers are probably going to have to get 41 wins.   I don't see that happening with as bad as their defense is.  Their next 5 games are rather easy so they better go 4-1 to build up a cushion.   


 

Well it seems like other teams have gotten worse (Rockets, Mavs, Grizzlies, OKC) while the Lakers have improved more than teams like the Twolves, Suns, Nuggets, Pelicans and Kings. If you look at the Lakers they didn't really lose anyone and added a really solid veteran in Deng, an ok big in Mosgov and have young guys continuing to develop. A team like the Kings lost Rondo and didn't really add anyone. The Nuggets didn't really add anyone. The Pelicans lost Anderson and didn't really add anyone.

Edit: I guess I should have figured this thread would get derailed by people upset about the idea that the Lakers could exceed expectations. I want the Lakers to be terrible as much as the next Celtics fan, but the fact is they look really good so far. They beat the Warriors, they beat Atlanta in Atlanta and beat an amped up Rockets team at home. Their losses have been competitive and to good teams (okc and utah on road, pacers).
 Double Edit: This is also great news for our nets pick.

[GC003332]

Some folks go with the belief that teams not owning their own draft pick(anything outside top3) have no incentive to tank and when other teams late in the season rest starters and tank they will leapfrog them in the standings.
It will be interesting to see this play out with regard to the Lakers in March/April this season.

[Denis998]

That trade made it possible to send IT to Boston

[Big333223]

If that Lakers pick winds up outside of the top 10 I'll eat my shoe on youtube.

[tazzmaniac]

NOP finished with 30 wins last year and had the 6th worst record.  To make the playoffs the Lakers are probably going to have to get 41 wins.   I don't see that happening with as bad as their defense is.  Their next 5 games are rather easy so they better go 4-1 to build up a cushion.   


 

Well it seems like other teams have gotten worse (Rockets, Mavs, Grizzlies, OKC) while the Lakers have improved more than teams like the Twolves, Suns, Nuggets, Pelicans and Kings. If you look at the Lakers they didn't really lose anyone and added a really solid veteran in Deng, an ok big in Mosgov and have young guys continuing to develop. A team like the Kings lost Rondo and didn't really add anyone. The Nuggets didn't really add anyone. The Pelicans lost Anderson and didn't really add anyone.

Edit: I guess I should have figured this thread would get derailed by people upset about the idea that the Lakers could exceed expectations. I want the Lakers to be terrible as much as the next Celtics fan, but the fact is they look really good so far. They beat the Warriors, they beat Atlanta in Atlanta and beat an amped up Rockets team at home. Their losses have been competitive and to good teams (okc and utah on road, pacers).
 Double Edit: This is also great news for our nets pick.

You were the one that started this thread after only 7 games into the season.  Seems pretty early to be calling the MCW trade an inconsequential trade.  We don't know what pick it will actually be.  We don't know who the Sixers will draft with the pick.  Heck the pick could end up being traded.   

I watched the Lakers Warriors and some of the Lakers Rocket game.  Got to see some really lousy defense from all teams.  If the Lakers do make the playoffs, it will be more of an indictment on how far the level of play in the Western conference has fallen.