It's no secret that I'm a Cavaliers fan. So how do I like today's blockbuster trade?
Well, I'm not dancing in the streets, but I do like it. I think it betters their chances of winning the East, though they're still not the conference favorite.
Here's my breakdown of the 11-player trade for each of the three teams involved:
Cleveland: While Ben Wallace is the biggest name in the deal, he may not make the biggest impact for the Cavs. The acquisition of Wally Szczerbiak could be huge. With a player like LeBron, outside shooters are critical, and in Wally, the Cavs just added one of the league's best.
In limited duty for the Sonics this season, Szczerbiak's still averaging 13 points while nailing 42 percent of his treys. Now Daniel Gibson, who is out with sprained left ankle, is not the only consistent 3-point threat in Cleveland. Damon Jones is still there too, but I think Wally's more consistent and reliable.
I also like getting Joe Smith. Smith is quietly having a very productive year. He's averaging 11 points and 5 boards, but in seven starts this month, he's posted 18 points and 7 rebounds a game. Smith is a smart, skilled player who'll play well off LeBron James, and those famous brain cramps Drew Gooden was known for will be no more.
Don't get me wrong. I think Big Ben will be a factor. First, going to a legit EC contender will rejuvenate him. I also think his presence will give the Cavs even more of an edge over Detroit than they already enjoyed, having handled the Pistons in the Eastern Conference finals last year and almost pulling off the upset in 2006.
Despite their problems with Cleveland the past two years, the Pistons have always thought the Cavs were soft. Obviously, that has changed, and I actually think Ben will have a little mojo over his former club. Seeing him in a Cavs uni next to LeBron won't be a good feeling for the Pistons. (The Cavs and Pistons meet three more times this season.)
Now, Cleveland has a very tough four-man rotation at the 4 and 5 spots with Ben, Smith, Zydrunas Ilgauskas and Anderson Varejao.
And I can't forget about Delonte West, one of those guys who's just a good basketball player. He's tough and smart -- not a true point guard, but I don't think you necessarily need one with LeBron.
A big key in this deal is that Cleveland didn't lose much. All they really lost was Gooden, but Varejao's emergence this season made Gooden expendable. Varejao was outplaying him, and now they've replaced Gooden with a tougher guy (Ben) and a smarter, more skilled guy (Smith). Two for one.
Hughes was no loss whatsoever. He had no bearing on whether the Cavs won or lost (see the 2006 conference finals vs. Detroit for evidence). And financially, the Cavs got rid of his bad contract without taking on longer contracts.
I thought Cleveland had a shot at winning the East before the deal. Now, I think they've got a much better shot. But getting through Detroit and Boston is still going to be tough.
One of the biggest benefits of this deal is that LeBron, I'm told, likes it.
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