Dang-- I just heard about this trade going down....  Good move for the Mavs.

Well, my money is on the next player to be traded is.....

Jermaine O'Neal

And the next player after him to be traded is.....

Vince Carter

Let the firesale on Eastern Conference all-star talent continue

They got Devin Harris and were forced into trading Jason Kidd.  This was a good trade considering the situation.  If they could get rid of VC's horrible contract (for maybe Jermaine O'Neal) and add another decent peice through the draft they'll be back in the top half of the East.  Rod Thorn knows what he's doing. New Jersey will be fine.

Edit to add: According to the neat new lil feature on ESPN's trade machine, Dallas is making a huge mistake.  They'd be effecting their winning percentage by -17% or so.  I don't buy into that, but I do think this trade isn't as big of a win for Dallas as its being made out to be, if at all.

Jeesh, this is turning into some turn of the 1900's arms race!  Did I miss something by watching Fox News? Has the Kaiser moved out to the western U.S. and begun mobilizing forces against the Czar?  It's not the worst trade EVER, I guess!  It would take a lot to out-stink that Robert Parrish and Kevin McHale trade to Boston for a nobody.  Hell, it's not even the worst trade this year as that would be the Pau Gasol theft trade for Kwame Brown.  The Nets are gonna be opening their brand new state of the art arena next year in NYC with Devin Harris, Jerry Stackhouse, and DeSagna Diop.  Gotham can't be down with that!  Guess it is good thing for the Nets that the Knicks show no signs of crawling out of the commode and wiping off the reeking, brown, sewage slime that has grown permanently encrusted upon them in the Isaiah Thomas era.

Signed,

Chachi "I hate that post stealing Eddie Guerrero" Azzhola

Hey Joe Barley Breathing was a great pick up for the Warriors.

But it does appear that we may be seeing the Basketballs of April unfolding in the NBA. Whats next? Steve Kerr is going to try to execute the Von Schleffen Plan for the Western Conference Playoffs? Will the Lakers defend the sovereignty of the Pacers if they are invaded? This could all spin out of control and then the next thing you know we have DOG AND CATS LIVING TOGETHER. MASS HYSTERIA!

DAmn, who REALLY posted the above?  I'll give you a "smart" tag and a "thumbs up" for working in Guns of August and Schlieffen Plan references into the same e-mail.  Post again, Bro, to get your props 'cause we all know aint no one post Spurs fan really wrote that!

Signed,

Chachi "I hate Post-Thievers" Azzhola

Looking at this deal, I just don't know.

It helps getting Kidd, and you can see the Mavs see that they need to make something happen so get a play-maker. My big concerns with it for them is that this makes the Mavs even softer inside. Especially if your going to send Diop out. Who is going to be on the boards and D'ing up the big men. I mean is Dirk really going to clamp down on Gasol, Duncan, O'Neal? If so then I will have you talk to Mr. Spreewell for financial advise. The Mavs also were able to get rid of some waste which will give them flexibility for next season. Yes I am talking about you Devon George, and yes they were ashamed of you. There I said it. 

As for the Nets, I if they play this right they might be alright? They play in the East so it only a fox hole they have dug not a well. I really like Harris and I think he could be an All-Star, but that is still a big if. But these are the Nets and this could blow up in their face. It will be fascinating to see this all go down.

Now since I am not an NBA GM, or that any of my fantasy hoop team have ever done well. I could be very wrong about this and it is great for the both teams or it could burn them both for years to come. 

Good to see the NBA add some drama and intrigue to the season. It will definitely help come playoff time, because at least out West you are going to have some very compelling match ups.

And yes there will be blood!

I will take credit for that one. I do not know why it did that and not have my info on there but it did. Hey anytime you can put NBA trades and Barbra Tucuman together you got yourself a party.

Yes, I am history nerd. There I said it.

Done and done. I am glad I could provide amusement.

Now I have to bolt, my manager is about to Battle of the Somme on me for not having my coversheet for the TPX report.

Maybe bias, but even if this goes through, Dallas = 0. No matter how good they get, they just can't get it done when it matters. Unfortunately, Golden State will be in the playoffs. Good chance they could meet first round again.

Even if this trade goes through, here are my seeds in the West:

1. Phoenix

2. San Antonio

3. Dallas

4. Utah Jazz - Division Winner

5. L.A. Lakers (4th overall record, tie with Dallas)

6. New Orleans

7. Golden State

8. Houston Rockets - They will sneak in.

On schedule, Spurs are kicking it up a notch. Ginobili put up 46 tonight. Suns will do good just because of the supporting staff. Shaq will slow them down, but they have shooters. It spreads the floor, and that is why Phoenix can STILL win. Shaq will absorb defense, and that opens the perimeter where Barbosa, Bell, and Nash can bomb long 2s and 3s. One big hit to the Suns is their free throws. Expect that % to take a dive. Mavericks need something, but this trade won't kick in right off the bat. New Orleans is starting to bump losses on the board so i had to (hard to do) put them at #6. Lakers are good, very good. I could easily put them over Dallas but it is too damn close. Freaking West is too dang close this year. ARGHHH!!!

1) Does this mean you think the Shaq trade was good? 

2) San Antonio must make a move if they're going to be the 2 seed, the West is just too good right now.

3) How ridiculous is the West that T-Mac and Yao have to sneak into the playoffs?  The playoffs are gonna be mighty fun this year.

um... blurting out on how the Spurs get it done wasn't a part of the discussion either. Duncan doesn't take 30 attempts anyway. Don't hate.

Also, i said EVEN IF THE TRADE GOES THROUGH, it won't do anything for the Mavs because they choke every damn year. So, i'm saying it won't matter. Nets suck this year, and nothing will save the Mavericks.

1. No, i think it will still hurt the Suns, but as i said- he will absorb defenders down low, and open up the perimeter for the Suns, where they excel.

2. Nah, they don't need to. They are tied for 3rd record wise in the West. So they are close. Also, most of the games remaining are at home since they just went 6-3 on the Rodeo road trip. Also, Tony Parker returns next week.

3. It is insane. 5 games split the top 9 teams. Freaking mad. It will be hard for the last seed. One slip and you could be out!

Done? Did the Spurs not lock down the Suns to win 84-81 on the road recently? Beat Dallas without Duncan in game 19? Spurs aren't done. You want to hop on that wagon, you might cause a repeat. Same thing happened last year and "Hey! What's on my wall here? DYNASTY." and a 2007 Championship hat. Niiiice.

thats true. We'll see how D'Antoni fixes that mess. Hahaha. It won't put the Suns in the Finals. Suns < Spurs/Mavs (still) - They just can't get over that big hump.

Are you freaking serious? You're calling San Antonio a toilet border town? Hmm...

*1,500,000 people. Near 2,000,000 metropolitan. Wow. Toilet border.

*Still 3 1/2 hours from Mexican border. Toilet border.

*Sea World, Six Flags, Several PGA Practice courses with a PGA course being built here soon, Disney Parks to build in San Antonio, city leads in tourism for U.S. -- toilet. Crap.

Just because we only have 2 professional teams doesn't mean anything. San Antonio will be next for an NFL team and maybe in the future an MLB team. We used to have an NHL team but they are gone.

As for dynasty, yes. Everything comes to an end-- but it can come back. Look at the Lakers. Celtics. Bulls (two years between 3-peats). Spurs can keep it going.

ok, fine. 1* professional team. You win.

Stern had nothing to do with Duncan going to San Antonio. Blame the lottery system. It's luck anyway, so blame luck. You're a freaking jerk. And i'm being generous there. Why do i say that? Because of that last sentence in the first paragraph. I don't "deserve" the Spurs, i chose to become a fan. Happy fan for 12 seasons now and will go on until i die. San Antonio got the Spurs because of Red McCombs, so blame him for us having a professional team in the first place. Robinson couldn't get it done because you had teams like the 89-90 Pistons, 91-92-93-96-97-98 Chicago Bulls w/ Jordan. They almost topped the Rockets during their 94-95 run. So you can't nail Robinson for that. That's messed up. Especially since he is an NBA legend. He didn't have a complete "championship" staff. He came close in 95, but not close enough. He got it in 1998.

*edited for language*

Yes, i apologize.

As a follow-up, as a Spurs fan- i'd like the trade to go through because i think it hurts Dallas slightly more than helps. I thought about it, and yes- Kidd is one hell of a point guard, but he has his inconsistancy and also he has the stats because he is on a Nets squad that has been below par for several years now. It will help the guard area for Dallas, but by dropping size (centers/forwards), clutch shooting from Stackhouse, i thought about it, and i think Dallas goes no where even with Kidd. They gain, they lose a lot, and what about the West's moves? Everyone is stacking up the paint to take out Duncan. Smart move. Dallas is taking weight out from below the rim... that could pull them out of the race... by means of taking down the defending champs and hopes for (still) a first title.

How does the checklist look?  Let's see....

New Jersey - trade Kidd

Washington - trade Butler and Arenas

Toronto - trade Bosh

Cleveland - trade Lebron  ok, that's not even worthy of a humorous post.

Orlando - trade Howard

Detroit - trade Hamilton and Billups to Atlanta

Boston - trade entire team to Minnesota

One trade down, and five more to go, and the Hawks can back their way into the playoffs.  Woo hoo!!!!