Today is the day when the floodgates open and a whole bunch of NBA players can theoretically start changing addresses and re-assessing their prospects. Basically, just about any player in the league can now be traded, as Dec. 15 is the date when players who signed over the summer can be shipped elsewhere. There will be umpteen trade stories over the next two months, leading up to the actual deadline in February. A fraction of them will have any truth. Already we’ve seen
One year ago, the Knicks had the best record in the East and the second-best in the NBA. Today, they’re fighting to stay above the absolute bottom-feeders. So where do they go from here? Up is the only answer, right? Well, probably not too far up. Of the 16 teams that were in playoff position on December 14th last year, 14 made the playoffs. The only teams to crash the party were the Lakers and Rockets, who got the bottom two seeds in
Today’s news of the day centered (no pun intended) around the possibility of Houston’s Omer Asik being dealt by next Wednesday or Thursday. The Rockets have set a December 19th deadline, likely to heat up the bidding war for a very useful (and rare) piece. This is according to the NBA’s David Aldridge, one of the most credible sports journalists around: [Read more…]
With the New York Knicks struggling to find any sort of consistency at the point guard position this season, they have reportedly been looking to trade for Toronto Raptors point guard Kyle Lowry. That would be a fantastic addition, as his presence would provide some toughness and generate some easier baskets for a team that relies so much on isolation plays. But what is the price of acquiring a guard of his caliber? Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports has the details
Trade rumors were flowing Thursday like water going over Niagara Falls as the day when the dam can burst — Dec. 15 — drew closer by the hour. (For those unfamiliar with NBA rules, the vast majority of players who signed contracts over the summer cannot be dealt until Dec. 15.) Most years, Dec. 15 comes and goes with tons of trade speculation buildup and very, very little in terms of actual deals going down. But this season, with 13 teams more
Season-long unhappiness and the recent addition of Greivis Vasquez—who came in the Rudy Gay trade with the Sacramento Kings—to the Toronto Raptors backcourt now have point guard Kyle Lowry’s name being discussed in trade talks with the New York Knicks, among other potential suitors. The Knicks could use Lowry’s services with their leading point guard, Raymond Felton, having left hamstring problems that have lingered since the beginning of the season and now have him missing the next 2-3 weeks of action. Twitter
Folks in Toronto are ecstatic that the Raptors have ridded themselves of Rudy Gay, who has gone from a cherished franchise cornerstone in Memphis (way back in January) to a — how shall we say? — ball-stopping bum who couldn’t shoot 40 percent in Toronto. But he will be joining a Sacramento Kings team that needs a go-to perimeter scorer to alleviate some of the defensive pressure on DeMarcus Cousins, and a Kings team that now gets to elevate Isaiah Thomas, who
Leave it to the NBA’s reigning Executive of the Year to upstage Kobe Bryant’s return. Going into the Raptors’ game with the Lakers in the Staples Center, all the buzz was (rightfully) on Black Mamba’s return from a torn Achilles, but with the Raps shedding Rudy Gay’s contract, it seems like Kobe’s return has been kind of pushed to a side burner for now. Not the back burner, but it’s not all that’s getting talked about. [Read more…]