Greinke Gives Halos Best Starting Five

A seismic shift of pitching prowess to Southern California occurred tonight.  With Major League Baseball’s trade deadline fast approaching (July 31^st) things are really starting to heat up.  Yes, the Seattle Mariners trading their veteran All-Star Ichiro Suzuki to the New York Yankees was a shocker, but things really got interesting on Friday night when the Milwaukee Brewers shipped their ace, Zack Greinke, to the Los Angeles Angels for three minor league prospects (two pitchers and a shortstop).

The move brings Greinke back to the American League, where he was an All-Star in 2009 with the Kansas City Royals.  More importantly, this deal gives the Angels the best starting rotation in baseball.

LA’s pitching staff was already loaded prior to this trade happening tonight.  The Angels rotation is of course led by All-Star and true ace Jared Weaver, who many would argue to be the best pitcher in the big leagues.  Weaver is backed up by fellow All-Star and former Texas Ranger, C.J. Wilson. 

Dan Haren has struggled as of late with a 6.97 ERA in July (2 starts), due largely impart because of injury.  However, Haren is a very talented pitcher and the Angels are paying him like one.  As Haren gets healthier, there is no doubt that he will have a major impact for his club as the postseason approaches. 

Jerome Williams’ struggles as a starter have opened the door for 24 year old right hander Garrett Richards.  Richards (3-2) possesses a 3.91 ERA with 32 strikeouts in 8 starts.  Not gaudy numbers by any stretch, but Richards has shown the ability to win games and pitch well giving the Angels a solid young starter deep in the rotation. 

Ervin Santana rounds it out, meaning Greinke will probably be the third starter for a dynamic starting five pitching staff. 

The Greinke deal truly shakes up the landscape around the American League.  The biggest impact will obviously be felt in the AL West.  The Angels are still five games back of the Rangers and are closely followed by the Oakland A’s, who sit a half game back for the AL’s top wildcard spot.  Greinke leaves the National League this season with a 9-3 record, a 3.44 ERA, and 122 strikeouts in 21 games played.   

This move has been one of many aggressive moves made by new Angels general manager, Jerry Dipoto.  He made a splash during the winter meetings when LA announced the signings of All-Star slugger Albert Pujols and the aforementioned pitcher, C.J. Wilson.  The Greinke trade shouldn’t have been such a surprise. 

Ramirez Makes Dodgers Favorites in the NL West

It was a solid debut in Dodger Blue for Hanley Ramirez.  Seemingly un-phased by his new surroundings, Ramirez stepped up to the plate in St. Louis, batting fifth, and delivered a triple, eventually turning it into a run.  He followed that up with a sac fly, and an RBI single in a 3-2 loss to the Cardinals.     

While the Marlins are unloading talent, the Dodgers are more than willing to accept it.   

The Los Angeles Dodgers proved active leading up to the trade deadline, trading for Miami Marlins veteran infielder, Hanley Ramirez, in a four player deal Wednesday. 

The acquisition of Ramirez pairs him with fellow All-Stars Matt Kemp and Andre Ethier, while also giving the Dodgers one of the most exciting 3, 4, 5 batting trios in the majors.  Ramirez’s talents will with out a doubt provide swagger for a Dodger team that currently sits two games out of first, behind NL West rival San Francisco.    Not only does this addition add to the Hollywood flare the Dodgers are seeking under new ownership, but it also makes them the favorite to recapture the NL West crown. 

Ramirez needed a change in scenery; a new stadium, name, and uniforms weren’t enough to get him back in the grove.  Despite the shift from the old Marlins to the new Marlins, Ramirez never settled in.  Miami brought in free agent shortstop, Jose Reyes, which in turn forced Ramirez to play third base, a switch he seemed OK with.  Throw in an ocean of outfield grass in the new Marlins ball park and maybe too much change was at play.  Ramirez’s power numbers were falling drastically in the new park which can only be attributed to its gigantic dimensions.  It’s obvious that he would welcome the trade to LA.  A smaller outfield and the potential to play some shortstop, has to make him feel good about the situation.   

Ramirez had become a staple for the Marlins organization and their fans.  He voiced his disappointment for not having delivered any postseason action for the club in an ESPN.com report; "I leave with some regret, not having helped bring a championship to Miami," Ramirez said. "But otherwise, I just keep positive memories of my time with the team." 

Ramirez’s words reflect the professional that he is and his willingness to yet again deal with change in 2012. 

Now Ramirez has a whole new club to adjust to and the Dodgers hope this latest change can give his career the jolt it needs.  A career with a resume that is highlighted by a .300 average, a 2006 rookie of the year award, and ’08-’09 Silver Slugger honors, LA has to believe that their newest investment can help lift them into the World Series, sooner rather than later.  Tonight’s debut performance was a fine start and perhaps a sign of things to come.   

Rising A's

It took 12 innings, but the Oakland A’s completed a four game sweep of the New York Yankees in fine fashion.  A’s outfielder, Coco Crisp, stepped up as a pinch hitter and drilled a walk-off single that allowed teammate Derek Norris to cross the plate for the winning run.  The Yankees would fall 5-4 and leave the Bay Area without a single win.  A surprising series for the Yankees, but an even more improbable one for the A’s. 

No one was giving Oakland a fighting chance at making the postseason during preseason discussions.  By the time they opened up their season in Japan for a two game series against the Seattle Mariners, they were all but forgotten about.  Now, they sit one game back of the LA Angels for the top wild card spot (51-44) and currently rank in the top ten in all four major pitching categories (4^th ERA, 10^th Q Starts, 3^rd WHIP, 4^th BAA). 

Pitching has clearly been their calling card so far in 2012.  Led predominantly by 25 year old lefty, Tommy Milone, who has stepped up with a team leading 9 wins and 86 strikeouts, the A’s are counting on their arms (young and old) to help fuel the charge. 

At the opposite end of the spectrum, 39 year old veteran right hander, Bartolo Colon, has been a satisfying addition to the young A’s starting rotation.  Colon’s resurgent play in Oakland can’t be defined by his 6-8 record or by his trademark body about to burst out of his uniform.  He is bettering his career ERA and WHIP at the moment, but it is his experience and energy that has to be sending positive vibes through the A’s entire clubhouse. 

Oakland needs all of the good vibes they can get.  They are grinding out wins and that can only carry them so far.  Talented hungry teams in the AL East are looming and will be sure to charge for one of the two wild card spots come October.

Statistically the bats aren’t producing enough to keep the A’s head above water.  They are treading feverishly at the moment, ranking near the bottom of the league in the four major batting categories (27^th in Runs, 30^th BA, 28^th OBP, 25^th Slg Pct). 

Outfielder Josh Reddick is having a career year and rookie outfielder Yoenis Cespedes is flying under the radar, despite 13 homeruns and a .299 average at the plate.  Those two guys have been the catalyst on the field and in the box for Oakland for all of 2012; giving promise to a fan base that hasn’t witnessed the playoffs since 2006. 

    

The 2012 A’s are a far cry from the franchise’s dynasties of the early 1970’s, but no one expected Oakland to be in the position they are in right now.  They just swept arguably the hottest team in baseball and did so in the grind it out fashion they have become accustom to.      

With a solid rotation and a deep bullpen, Oakland is poised to build off of the momentum they have obtained so far.  Their work needs to improve at the plate.  However, if the strong pitching holds up then all Oakland might need is continued clutch hitting late in games.  They need this because Reggie Jackson or Mark McGwire aren’t walking through that clubhouse door and that’s probably ok with the 2012 Oakland A’s.  

Indecision Equals Payday for Howard

Dwight Howard continues to be the topic of discussion dominating the NBA offseason.  Yesterday, the Howard talk got even more interesting as another twist got interwoven in the mix.  Howard’s agent, Dan Fegan, stated that his client would not sign an extension with the Los Angeles Lakers or with any team for that matter.  This story coming only one day after it was reported that Howard would in fact sign an extension with the Lakers if dealt there.

The All-Star center’s indecision has damaged his image and made him a villain in the city of Orlando.  His most recent decision not to sign an extension with anyone is a smart move on his part, financially.  Howard will be eligible to sign a max deal after this upcoming season for five years and 116.9 million.   

The Brooklyn Nets apparently never made the commitment to sign an extension with them a precondition before they would have traded for Howard.  Howard’s top choice all along has been to be dealt to the Nets, but that will not happen this summer.  The Lakers and Houston Rockets have been aggressive in trying to swing a deal, but as of now nothing is imminent.

The Magic don’t have to do anything.  They don’t have to trade Howard, although they should.  Build a team for the future and move on.  Obviously, a Howard trade could be the foundation on which to build on. 

However, it is Dwight Howard’s inability to make up his mind that captures the headlines.  As bad as it makes him look, it will payoff for him in the end.  The team that does land Howard for next season will have to earn his signature to stay on board long term.  If they don’t, then the money will still be there and Howard will have the freedom to be recruited by many of the top franchises in the league.  His indecision probably doesn’t seem that bad in his mind. 

Stairway in Seven

In what could be an early October wildcard (play-in game) preview, the Los Angeles Angels and Detroit Tigers have split games one and two of a four game series in the Motor City.  After tonight’s 13-0 thumping of the Tigers, the Angels progress to 50-41, improving their lead atop the AL wildcard standings and still giving them a shot at chasing down the Texas Rangers in the AL West. 

If there was ever an up and down season for a World Series contender, it would be the 2012 Angels.  The Angels are opening up baseballs second half with a daunting seven game road trip; which has already included three games at Yankee Stadium and now a four game set in Detroit.  After LA's horrible opening to the 2012 season, this seven game roadie could serve as building blocks for a playoff run. 

Heading into tonight’s matchup, the Angels were sitting at 1-3 through four games.  In the midst of a seven game gauntlet and coming off of a disappointing loss to the Tigers on Monday night, LA’s bats came alive early in game two against the Tigers.  Mark Trumbo, Mike Trout, and Albert Pujols all homered by the end to the second inning, propelling LA to a 7-0 lead heading into the top of the third.  The early onslaught buried the Tigers, thus giving LA a potential momentum building victory going forward in 2012. 

The Angels hit five homeruns total in a win they needed desperately.  Even though it’s the middle of July, LA could not afford another let down and fall to 1-4 on their second half opening road trip.   

The Angels have been by far the most intriguing team to follow in the AL; not because of their inconsistency at times, but due in large part because of their call-ups and acquisitions. 

Outfielder Mark Trumbo, who first debuted in eight games with the Angels in 2010, has been remarkable.  He currently has homered six times in his last eight games and leads his club in homeruns (26), RBI (65), and OPS (.995).  Twenty year old outfielder Mike Trout has a clear beat on the AL Rookie of the Year award.  Trout leads the Angels with a .355 batting average and 30 stolen bases.  Oh and let’s not forget that he is a monster athlete that could probably open up Chargers training camp as their starting tight-end.  LA’s super-star signee, Albert Pujols, finally seems to be adjusting to AL pitching.  With his single shot tonight, he sits on 16 homers and his average is slowly beginning to climb.

The Angels as a team are beginning to climb.  They have the pitching; that was never in question, but now all of their bats are becoming a force.  A three game home-stand against the Rangers follows the Detroit series.  Three games that could fuel an AL West showdown from here on out, now that’s something the Angels can build on.           

Not Fit for a King

It didn’t take a complete game shutout against one of the best teams in baseball to realize that three time All-Star and former Cy Young Award winner, Felix Hernandez was an extraordinary pitcher.

What we might have realized last night was that no matter how impressive “King Felix” is in his starts, he might very well be wasting away in his youth for a bad Seattle Mariners team.   

Last nights 7-0 win in Seattle over the AL West division leading Texas Rangers, was a nice feather in the cap for a low producing (37-52) ball club.  Hernandez brought the pain to the “murders row” of Rangers by racking up 12 strikeouts and only giving up three hits.  The highlights from his performance include striking out Josh Hamilton in three at bats and doing the same to last years ALCS MVP, Nelson Cruz.  Hernandez was dialed in.  However, this wasn’t his first masterpiece of the 2012 season.  On June 28^th, he registered 13 strikeouts in a complete game shutout at home against the Boston Red Sox.

If you just looked at his record of 7-5 you might think he’s having a poor season, but wins and losses don’t define his ability, given where he has played his entire career.  When Hernandez won the 2010 AL Cy Young Award he had a record of 13-12, but had an ERA of 2.27 an allowed only 194 hits in 34 starts.  The Mariners finished in last place in the AL West that season with a record of 61-101.  The run support and talent wasn’t present then in Seattle for Hernandez to rack up the wins and it isn’t there now in 2012.  In fact, Felix Hernandez hasn’t even come close to pitching in the postseason since he was called up from the minors by the Mariners in 2005. 

Seattle is a wonderful city with some of the most passionate sports fans in the country.  They have watched the Hall of Fame career of outfielder Ichiro Suzuki for almost 12 seasons now without ever witnessing him come close to playing in a World Series and for that matter, the only time Suzuki has played in the postseason was in his first year with the Mariners in 2001.  It would be unprecedented and border line disastrous to see the same happen to Hernandez.

The right hander is currently three years into a five year extension he signed back in January of 2010 with Seattle.  The Mariners are indeed paying their ace big time dollars, as “King Felix” is set to earn 18.5 million dollars this season alone and a reported 19.5 million in 2013.  The money is nice and Hernandez clearly enjoys playing for the Mariners.  If he’s comfortable in the Emerald City then he should stay there.  If he wants to win and compete in meaningful games in his prime then he should consider playing elsewhere or put pressure on the Mariners to spend the money to get better. 

Maybe "King Felix" will learn from his future Hall of Fame teammate, not to be so loyal.  Suzuki’s amazing career is wrapping up.  It’s poignant that he will never play in a World Series for the city and the franchise he has been so loyal to.  Hernandez showed the same kind of loyalty when he re-upped with the Mariners in 2010.  When his contract expires after the 2014 season, Hernandez will be 28, still young, but who knows if Seattle will ever be competitive over the next couple of seasons.  Right now, it doesn’t seem likely that they will be.           

Giant Second Half

The San Francisco Giants open up baseball’s second half tonight against the Houston Astros and sit just a half game back of the NL West leading, Los Angeles Dodgers.  To say that the play of Giants All-Stars Matt Cain, Pablo Sandoval, and Melky Cabrera (All-Star MVP) last Tuesday night, didn’t mean anything would be misguided.  Cabrera and Sandoval had a hand in all of the eight total runs scored on the AL and Matt Cain only gave up one hit in the two innings he pitched.  Their performances clearly sent a message that they are ready to make a second half push for the NL West division title.

The Giants have to feel somewhat disrespected given all of the attention their bitter rival, the LA Dodgers, received early on. 

The Giants are just two years removed from winning the World Series and are still loaded with talent.  Their pitching as a whole ranks in the top ten of the four major statistical categories (ERA, Qt Starts, WHIP, BAA) and their newly acquired All-Star left fielder Melky Cabrera, is second in the NL behind Andrew McCutchen in batting average (.353) and leads the NL with 119 hits. 

Yet, the Giants have made headlines in other areas. 

Despite the negative reaction that surrounded it, Pablo Sandoval was voted in by the fans to start in the All-Star game at third base over Mets third baseman, David Wright.  Wrights numbers are better than Sandoval’s, but Sandoval is still having a very productive year for his team with a .863 OPS, which is higher than his career average of .857.

San Francisco has garnered more attention concerning the struggles of starting pitcher Tim Lincecum; rather than their star laden pitching lineup.  Couple that with the love their rivals to the south have obtained and the bad press that got stirred up when Sandoval was selected as a starter in the All-Star game…..San Francisco now has a giant chip on their shoulder to play with going forward; and that could be a scary thing for the rest of the NL West.     

Old Story; New Year

The Pittsburgh Pirates have a long storied tradition dating back to 1887 when they first joined the National League.  They possess a rich history with Hall-of-Famers like Honus Wagner, Roberto Clemente, Bill Mazeroski and five World Series Titles, their last one coming in 1979.  

However, for many young fans that follow the game today, the Pirates have been somewhat of a joke competitively for most of the past two decades.   

The last time the Pittsburgh Pirates saw playoff action was 19 postseasons ago in the fall of 1992 (no MLB postseason in ’94).  Now for the second straight year at the All-Star break, we are discussing the possibility of the Pirates holding on and ending their postseason drought. 

Pittsburgh sits atop the NL Central at 48-37 with a slight one game lead over a talented Cincinnati Reds club and only two-and-a-half games ahead of the defending World Series Champion, St. Louis Cardinals.

What makes this Pirates story different from last years is that they now have experience leading the division deep into the season.  Plus, they also have a solid crop of emerging talent.  Center fielder Andrew McCutchen is having an MVP caliber season.  He currently leads the NL in batting average at .362 and slugging at .625.  Pair that with 18 homers and an OPS of 1.039 and it’s safe to say that the Pirates have a player they can lean on going forward. 

They won’t have to lean on McCutchen too hard though.  They have a budding star starting pitcher, in right hander James McDonald whose record sits at 9-3 with the third best ERA (2.37) in the NL.  The Pirates also added veteran pitcher, A.J. Burnett from the New York Yankees and catcher Rod Barajas who spent last season with the LA Dodgers.  Don’t forget about their All-Star closer, Joel Hanrahan, who is riding the momentum he built up in 2011 and is now crushing it with 23 saves thus far.

The Pirates have the experience and talent to continue to compete and perhaps win their division.  It won’t be easy though. 

The Reds have strong bats in outfielder Jay Bruce (18 homers), first baseman Joey Votto (.348 batting average), and second baseman Brandon Phillips (48 RBI).  The Reds have a little deeper team all around and probably have the best shot at taking home the NL Central crown when its all said and done. 

Let’s not sleep on the Cardinals either.  St. Louis is coming off of an improbable World Series run and haven’t missed a beat in the absence of Albert Pujols (left for the LA Angels in the offseason).  The team as a whole sits 5th in the NL in slugging, 4th in runs scored and 2nd in both batting average and on base percentage.  The Pirates rank 21^st, 22^nd, 29^th and 15^th is those same categories respectively.  The Reds are 17^th, 20^th, 20^th and 11^th is those statistical categories.  St. Louis has the numbers, but they are coming up short in close games.  If they can find a way to close out in tight games then they could also be starring down yet another NL Central title. 

Probably safe to assume that at least two of these teams will be represented come playoff time.  Though most baseball fans that don’t have a rooting interest in the NL Central, would more than likely love to see the Pirates make it in the postseason as division winners.  The Pirates, who haven’t played October baseball in quite sometime, would probably be happy getting in anyway they can.         

Too Much of a Good Thing

The resurgence of NBA teams accumulating three big stars in order to win championships started back in 2007.  The Boston Celtics acquired Kevin Garnett from Minnesota and Ray Allen from Seattle in an attempt to revamp the Celtics franchise by pairing those two with current All-Star, Paul Pierce.  The formula worked.  The Celtics won an NBA title in 2008, in just their first full season after obtaining Garnett and Allen.

The success of the ’07-’08 Celtics spawned what we now refer to as the “big 3 blueprint.”  This now implies that it takes three super-star caliber players on a given roster in order to secure an NBA Championship.

The Miami Heat followed suit in the offseason of 2010 by dumping almost their entire roster and then signing free agents, Chris Bosh and LeBron James to team-up with Dwyane Wade.  Wade, like Pierce in Boston, was the focal point in which Miami chose to attract top free agents and build a championship squad around.

The Heat had built a “Super Team.”  Unlike in Boston’s case, Miami brought in two of the best players in the game in the prime of their careers.  A championship wasn’t won overnight though.

The Heat failed to achieve greatness in their opening campaign.  They fell short in the 2011 NBA Finals to Dirk Nowitzki and the Dallas Mavericks; thus proving that it takes a true team effort to win it all and not just an accumulation of high powered names on the backs of uniforms. 

Nowitzki’s triumph in the 2011 Finals shook the “big 3 blueprint” to its core. 

The Heat would re-tool and not panic.  They continued to learn and grow under their head coach Erik Spoelstra and in time began to play better as a team.  Winning a championship took patience and the Heat would go on to hoist the trophy last month.

The recent successes of the Celtics and Heat have led these teams to wanting more, but history should tell them to be content with what they have. 

While many are salivating over Ray Allen’s departure from Boston to Miami, the ’03-’04 Lakers ring fresh in the minds of some NBA fans.

In the summer of 2003, the Lakers brought in forward Karl Malone and point guard Gary Payton to join forces with Shaq and Kobe, who had already won three titles together.  The Lakers weren’t happy with falling short of winning a fourth straight championship in 2003 and decided to build the decades first “super team.”  With Malone and Payton in the fold, the Lakers seemed poised to break the ’95-’96 Bulls winning mark of 72 games and had fans everywhere ready to witness true dominance. 

It didn’t happen.  The Lakers won 56 games in ’03-’04, a good season, but they looked dysfunctional night in and night out.  Not even the great Phil Jackson could harness all of that talent.

The Lakers would go onto appear in the ’04 Finals, but got rocked in five games by the Detroit Pistons.  The “super team” had fallen well short of expectations. 

The Miami Heat have now added an aging All-Star to its already high octane roster and has teams like the Brooklyn Nets trying to keep up by putting super-star pieces together, that might not fit.

The ’03-’04 Lakers, proved that an overloaded roster doesn’t necessarily guarantee a title.  Dirk Nowitzki and the Mavericks showed that just having one super-star in his prime, could still win it all.  

However, it is tempting to continue to load-up because teams like the Heat don’t want to risk ever giving up their championship swagger.  Loading up though, could mean breaking down sooner rather than later.   

Aces Wild

Major League Baseball’s halftime has arrived.  The Home Run Derby is set to kick off tonight in Kansas City and the All-Star Game will follow on Tuesday night.  After all of the All-Star festivities subside, we are in store for one of the most exciting second half’s in recent baseball memory.

This past November, Major League Baseball decided to implement a second wild card team in each league into the new CBA going forward. 

The past postseason format, which contained only one wild card team from each league, was implemented in 1994 and was first officially put into playoff action during the 1995 postseason.  Originally, the wild card team made it so each league would have an even number of four teams in the postseason.  The wild card of course, being awarded to the team in each league with the best record of the non-division winners, (3 divisions in a league plus the wild card meant a four team playoff in each league).

This decision to expand the postseason to a non-division winning team back in 1994 had baseball purist in an up-roar and rightfully so.  Yes, the wild card provides more excitement for fans at the end of a season (just use September, 2011 as a reference).  However, purist felt that it took away the value of winning the division.  In a way it did, but fast forward to now. 

It seems obvious that die hard baseball fans would be outraged by the decision in the new CBA, to allow yet another wild card team into the playoff mix.  Now a total of five teams from each league will have a shot at winning the World Series come October.  It’s obvious these writers and fans would be ready to torch MLB headquarters, right? Wrong.

The addition of a second wild card team has put even more emphasis on winning the division. 

How so? 

Let’s call this new single elimination “Wild Card Showdown” what it really is…a PLAY-IN game. 

If a team fails to win its division, but still has the best record amongst non-division winners, instead of automatically qualifying for baseball’s coveted postseason, that team will have to battle it out with the team that has the second best record of non-division winners. 

This newly formed play-in game makes it so a team doesn’t want to settle on winning the wild card race, because it will put them at a huge competitive disadvantage, even for the team that wins the play-in game. 

When a 162 game season is coming to a close, starting pitchers are at a premium for those teams in playoff mode.  The extra game for wild card teams means that both teams’ aces might have to start in the single elimination contest.  This suggests that a team’s ace could miss the entire best 3 out of 5 Division Series, not to mention the ware of a play-in game on a team’s bullpen. 

Managers may perhaps manage to avoid this, but with tight finishes on the horizon in both leagues, that scenario is unlikely. 

All we can do now is sit back and enjoy Major League Baseball’s second half.  With the importance put back on winning the division, it will surely afford fans with even more excitement by the time September rolls around.    

The Time is Now

The time has come for the Orlando Magic to trade their super-star center, Dwight Howard.  In fact they should have dealt him a long time ago.  The Magic should have moved Howard prior to the 2012 trade deadline this past season.  Instead they pushed for Howard to sign-on for one more year and now, all hell has broken loose.  

Stan Van Gundy has since been fired as well as their respected general manager Otis Smith.  It seemed as if Howard had gotten what he wanted with these firings.  

Reports had surfaced during this past season, that Howard and Van Gundy didn’t get along and Howard was tired of playing for his head coach.  

Then there was the awkward interview with Van Gundy telling reporters that he knew for certain that Howard had requested he be terminated.  Seconds later, the “big man” himself put his arm around his coach, having no clue of the accusations he had just told the media.  

The Magic could have avoided all of the drama if they would have just taken a page out of Denver’s playbook.  In February 2011, the Denver Nuggets fulfilled the wishes of their super-star forward, by trading Carmelo Anthony to the New York Knicks.  Denver received valuable role players in return; Danilo Gallinari and Wilson Chandler have panned out nicely in a Nugget uniform since the deal went down. 

This past season the Nuggets were a competitive playoff contender, while Melo and the Knicks struggled and got a coach fired.  Denver was a respected opponent and the Knicks were kind of a joke for most of the ’11-’12 season.  The mega trade of 2011 appears to have worked out in Denver’s favor; at least early on it has. 

Denver is a similar market to Orlando.  The Nuggets have proven that life in a smaller market goes on without a diva super-star on the roster.  Denver didn’t allow Melo to walk away in free agency, but instead pulled the trigger on a blockbuster trade that gave them key assets in return.  Orlando should have done the same and in fact they still can. 

The Magic need to move Howard sooner rather then later, but if they do trade him they better be smart about it.  A Howard deal should be loaded with future draft picks and solid role players in return.  If Orlando can swing a deal like Denver did in 2011, then they will have a much brighter future without Howard, then with him.   

We're Dealing: Nets Reportedly Trade for Johnson

The new-look Brooklyn Nets have been by far the most intriguing team to follow during the early stages of free agency.   

According to a report from ESPN's Chris Broussard and Marc Stein, the Brooklyn Nets are on the verge of dealing for Atlanta Hawks guard, Joe Johnson.  The report also states that this trade hinges on the highly anticipated decision from free agent guard, Deron Williams.  Bottom line is this; if Williams decides not to re-sign with the Nets then the trade with the Hawks for Joe Johnson will not go down. 

The Nets would be giving up quite a lot in order to receive Joe Johnson’s services.  Anthony Morrow, Jordan Farmar, Jordan Williams, Johan Petro, DeShawn Stevenson and a 2013 first round pick (lottery protected) from the Houston Rockets, would all be packaged up and sent to Atlanta for Johnson.

The Nets needed this news to surface.  Deron Williams reportedly began to meet with teams earlier today.  The two front runners are the Dallas Mavericks and his current team, the Brooklyn Nets. 

This news today also gives Brooklyn continued momentum from the Gerald Wallace commitment on Sunday.  Wallace apparently told the Nets that he would sign his deal on July 11^th, which is reportedly worth 40 million dollars over four years. 

All of these reports only help the cause for the Nets, who are going to be opening up in a new city and new arena come October.  However, this news is only good if their All-Star, Deron Williams, decides to join the team going forward. 

The possibility of bringing in Joe Johnson helps.  Johnson is a scorer and a big guard, weighing in at 6’7”/240.  He averaged just under 19 points per game last season with the Hawks, but his ability to spread the floor and help create opportunities for Williams and Wallace will be his biggest contribution to the Nets.

This is all speculation because the deal rest in Williams’ hands.  The backcourt of Williams, Johnson, and Wallace sounds pretty dynamic, but let’s not sit back and assume that this deal will go through though. 

In 2008 a similar situation arose with the LA Clippers.  The Clippers brought in guard, Baron Davis, to team up with good friend and All-Star, Elton Brand.  LA thought this would sure up Brand’s decision to re-sign with the team, but it didn’t.  Brand left for more money and joined the Philadelphia 76ers that same offseason.

If Brooklyn does end up with both Johnson and Williams next season, it surely makes them a playoff contender.  If Orlando Magic center, Dwight Howard, gets dealt there next season then it makes them a championship contender.