Trade Reviews v1.3

Ok, ok, ok, so this one happened a while ago and I never got around to writing about it. Instead I've been spouting out these random speculations about my dream roster and who I think the best players in the league are. So here you have it:

Oklahoma City, Cleveland, and Miluakee
Cavaliers receive Mo Williams
Thunder receive Desmond Mason and Joe Smith
Bucks receive Luke Ridnour, Damon Jones, and Adrian Griffin

For the Cavs it looks like a win situation, you have a guy that can score. Williams isn't by any stretch of the imagination an All-Star, but coming off of the previous season averaging 17.2 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 6.8 assists playing next to Michael Redd isn't too shabby. At least now it gives them a semi-legitimate scorer after LeBron, definitely an upgrade on number 2 scoring option from Zydraunas Ilgauskas, and definitely an upgrade from Joe Smith, Wally Sczerbiak, and/or Daniel Gibson. With Williams, one of the benefits lies therein that he can handle the ball too, hopefully allowing the Cavs to run some sort of offense with LeBron moving off ball. All in all, not a bad trade, I don't know that this makes them instant contenders, but I think it's a step forward, a bigger step than Ben Wallace and Joe Smith were, not a huge step, but a step forward nonetheless.

For the OKC Thunder (ugh... I hate this name), they get veteran Joe Smith and local fan favorite Desmond Mason, I suppose it gives them a little more depth offensively... sort of... Personally I'd still start Chris Wilcox and Jeff Green (or Kevin Durant if they decide to slide him over) over these two, but I suppose Desmond Mason is more reliable than Damien Wilkins and Joe Smith can fit into the C position no-less awkwardly than Nick Collison has been. Johan Petro and Robert Swift haven't really shown anything special so any sort of semi-legitimate post player is worth it right? I guess so... You'll see me saying that a lot with the Thunder, but that's because they're a pretty sad looking roster. In terms of potential they're off the charts, but right now they're marginally better (arguably not anymore) than Memphis. The best thing to come out of this trade is that they got rid of their glut of guards, with Luke Ridnour gone, there's no more question of who to start, him or Earl Watson. OKC front office was smart in taking Russell Westbrook as well, they could potentially play a small and fast lineup with Watson and Westbrook in the backcourt and then a small frontcourt of Wilcox, Green, and Durant. I'm going to cross my fingers and hope that Durant and Green have improved significantly. If things don't work out, at least they have like a bajillion picks over the next 3 years.

So the Bucks give up Mo Williams and Desmond Mason for 2 point guards and a guard-forward who averaged a combined 14.8 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 6.7 assists last season. Statistically, we'd say they're almost as good as Mo Williams (17.2 ppg, 3.5 rpg, 6.8 apg), but it's not really an apt comparison I suppose. With the arrival of Richard Jefferson, Mason became somewhat unnecessary, and this also gives them the backup spot to develop draft pick Jason Alexander. The arrival of Luke Ridnour and Damon Jones sort of creates a platoon at the PG position and makes me wonder if the front office was paying attention to Ramon Sessions at all last season. Undertsandably all his playing time came during garbage time when the Bucks weren't going to make the playoffs, but in the 7 games where Mo Williams did not play, the guy averaged 13.14 assists per game, tack onto that a not too shabby 12 point per game, 5.57 rebounds per game, and 1.71 steals per game for those 7 games, including 2 against Boston (in which he averaged 10.5 points, 10.5 assists, and 5.5 rebounds) you have to say that there's something going on there. I'd give him a go, just based on his 20 point, 8 rebound, 24 assist performance against Chicago. Maybe they will, and Ridnour and Jones will have to battle for the backup spot. Then again, they do have a new coach, maybe Scott Skiles will give him a try. That being said, unless Ramon Sessions turns out to be some sort of major stud, the trade (which basically gives him more playing time) doesn't help the Bucks too much except get rid of a pair of hands that needs the ball a lot.