Trade Crazy

So, it seems just about every team in the NBA has made a move over the past few weeks.  The question is: who got the best of all the player swapping?

Top 5 Acquisitions

1. Pau Gasol to Los Angeles

Pau Gasol is absolutely perfect for this team.  Gasol and Kobe play off each other well, and there seems to be plenty of shots to go around.  To top it off, LA didn't give up much to land Pau.

2. Mike Bibby to Atlanta

Atlanta is in the playoff hunt, and Bibby is a PG that can get them over the hump.  Atlanta parted with Shelden Williams, Lorenzen Wright, Anthony Johnson, Tyronn Lue, and a 2008 second round draft pick.

3. Jason Kidd to Dallas

Devin Harris is not a championship caliber point guard, and the Mavs are looking to win now.  Jason Kidd is hungry, unselfish, and a good fit in Dallas.  The Mavericks won't win it all this year, but Kidd improves their chances.

4. Shaquille O'Neal to Phoenix

This trade changes the Suns drastically.  Shaq showed me a lot in his Phoenix debut, playing 29 solid minutes.  Phoenix would not have won a championship with Marion.  Will they win it all with Shaq?  I don't think so, but they're a more dangerous team with O'Neal in the middle.  The downside to this deal, comes next year.  Shaq will continue to decline, and he will lock up a ton of cap space.  If the Suns want a championship, it needs to come this season.

5. Shawn Marion to Miami

Wade and Marion make a solid one-two combination.  The Heat are still horrendous, due to their terrible supporting cast.  If Marion chooses to re-sign next year, Wade gets healthy, and if Miami can make some off-season moves, they can be contenders in the East again.

5 Reasons a Mid-Major Can Win It All

1. More "At-Large" Mid Major Teams

St. Mary's, Butler, Xavier, Rhode Island, Davidson, Gonzaga, Drake, St. Joe's, South Alabama, and Western Kentucky are all vying for At-Large berths into the NCAA tournament.  With a few upsets in conference tournament play, we could see the largest field of mid majors ever.

2. Widespread Talent Among Major Conferences

With superstars like Michael Beasley (Kansas St.), DJ White and Eric Gordon (Indiana), and DJ Augustin (Texas), their is talent spread across the country.  This could lead to top teams going down in the 2nd round of the tournament.  With powerhouses (UNC, Memphis, Tennessee, etc . . .) eliminated, it could open up the road for a mid-major.

3. Eric Maynor (VCU)

While his stat line isn't overly impressive (17.9 PPG, 5.3 AST, 4.1 REB), Maynor is one of the most electrifying players in the country.  Currently VCU is sitting atop the CAA.  Maynor has the ability to carry VCU to a few wins come tourny time.

4. Improved Strength of Schedule

The Mid-Majors have stepped up their level of competition during the regular season.  Xavier, Dayton, Drake, and Gonzaga are all in the top 100 of schedule strength.  Add to that, teams such as St. Mary's, Butler, Rhode Island, Davidson, St. Joe's, and S. Alabama, who have all played some tough competition as well.  These tough games will prove very beneficial when March 17th rolls around.

5. Stephen Curry (Davidson)

He's averaging 25.8 PPG, and shooting 43% from behind the 3 point line.  Curry is one of the best scorers in the nation, plus, he has a good supporting cast to play with.  If Curry is hot, he can carry Davidson past a top tier opponent.

College Hoops All Stars

The Premise: Build the best starting 5 possible from the east and west.  This idea came from today's ESPN Gameday.  The following are my East and West All Stars.

Eastern All Stars

PG

Greivis Vasquez (Fr, Maryland)

17.2 PPG, 6.7 AST, 5.5 REB

SG

Stephen Curry (Soph, Davidson)

25.6 PPG, 4.9 REB, 2.7 AST

Guard

Mike Green (Sr, Butler)

15.5 PPG, 5.0 AST, 6.4 REB

Forward
Shan Foster (Sr, Vanderbilt)

18.9 PPG, 4.9 REB

PF

Tyler Hansbrough (Jr, North Carolina)

22.8 PPG, 10.7 REB

Western All Stars

Guard
D.J. Augustin (Soph, Texas)

19.2 PPG, 5.8 AST

SG

Stefon Jackson (Jr, UTEP)

23.8 PPG, 5.3 REB

Forward

Michael Beasley (Fr, Kansas St.)

25.1 PPG, 12.4 REB, 1.7 BLK

PF

Jon Brockman (Jr, Washington)

17.9 PPG, 11.6 REB

Center

Kevin Love (Fr, UCLA)

17.5 PPG, 11.0 REB

Eastern Conference Mid-Season Awards

Most Surprising Team: Boston (39-9, 1st in the East)
Everyone thought Boston would be good . . . but this good? Even without KG, the Celtics have been playing well. They play hard every night, and their role players (Powe, "Big Baby", Eddie House, etc . .) are improving every night. The three headed monster of KG, Allen, and Pierce has been dominant. It's rare that one of the three doesn't step up and have a big game, and that's exactly what makes this team so good. Opposing coaches can't game plan to stop one, or even two superstars, they have to deal with three.

Most Disappointing Team: Miami (9-40, Last Place in East)
There is no explanation necessary. The only thing that could make this season worse for the Heat is if Shawn Marion somehow sparks some wins and knocks Miami out of the top draft spot.

Best Defensive Player: Josh Smith (1.98 Steals, 3.28 Blocks, 6.0 Def Reb)
Josh Smith is forced to guard the opposing team's best perimeter player night in and night out. The 3.28 blocks per game is extremely impressive, and Smith rebounds well for a perimeter player. His athleticism and length (combined with youthful energy) makes Josh Smith the most formidable defender in the East this season.

Best Coach: Eddie Jordan
The Wizards have managed to stay afloat without "Agent Zero". I give Eddie Jordan a lot of credit for keeping Washington in the playoff hunt (currently in the 6th spot). The Wiz have slumped, losing their last 8 games. Can Jordan keep his team together, following the All Star break?

MVP: LeBron James
He's the leagues leading scorer (averaging 30.1 ppg), and no other player is more important to their team. The "King" is the complete package, adding 7.2 assists and 7.9 rebounds per game. KG was also considered strongly for this honor, but the Celtics success in his absence solidified James as truly the Most Valuable Player.

Most Likely to Win the East: Boston Celtics
The Celtics have talent, motivation, and team chemistry. The only team that can challenge them is the Detroit Pistons. If they happen to matchup in the playoffs, I expect the Celtics to out hustle Detroit, and get huge production from their bench.

Diesel Moves to Phoenix

It appears that the proposed deal, sending Shaquille O'Neal to Phoenix for Shawn Marion and Marcus Banks is all but done (pending O'Neal's physical today). The first thought that comes to my mind as a Miami fan is . . . "thank God"! With Shaq having two additional years on his contract (at about $20 million per), the deal makes financial sense for the Heat. Marion's current salary is about 3 million less, and he will only be in Miami for one additional season (if he chooses to exercise his player option for the 2008-2009 season).

Now on to the real question, can Shaq help the Suns win a championship? To answer simply, yes. O'Neal needs this type of situation to motivate him. He needs the hype, the hoopla, and all the media attention. I feel like this change of scenery will revitalize Shaq. Will he be dominant? I doubt it. But, he will bring a new dimension to an already formidable team, and will help the Suns match up with Dallas and San Antonio come playoff time.