TORONTO RAPTERS TRADE VINCE CARTER TO NEW JERSEY NETS

[THUNDER HANDS]

Yay!!!!

Carter goes to Jersey for Mourning, Eric Williams and 2 draft picks.

Amazing trade for the Nets, spectacular.

They are arguably title contenders now.

I'm so excited I can hardly type...i have to change my avatar back to the Nets logo now!

[lazarus]

1. This could be fun

But what will you guys do for an inside game? That's the same problem Cleveland and Orlando have right now; Detroit and Indiana and Miami are still the favourites because of their strength in the middle.

But this could be a great run and gun experiment if nothing else.

Rumour has Kidd getting traded also. I wonder what's going on there if that happens.

[THUNDER HANDS]

2. nah, Kidd probably won't go

I expect the Nets to make a run and trade one of their backup point guards (Travis Best, Jaques Vaughn) and maybe a spare shooting guard (Ron Mercer, Rodney Buford) for a power foward.

Maybe the Mailman, Karl Malone - or a Tyson Chandler or Eddie Curry.

I'd say the Nets are the favorite in the Atlantic division, which is putrid. And this puts them at maybe the level of a Miami and Detroit.

I think a Kidd-Carter-Jefferson combo is the best trio in the NBA. I don't see anyone in the East who can match up to that.

But their front court is so thin, I'm worried we'd just get pounded inside mercilessly.

[lazarus]

3. Kidd Carter Jefferson

may be the best in the East. But the West is a different story.

I'd take TMT from San Antonio, obviously (Duncan, Manu Ginobili, and Tony Parker). Obviously. :D

Seattle's big three of Allen, Radmanovic, and Daniels is damned good, too.

Phoenix has Nash, Stoudemire, and Marion.

I can't find breakdowns by trio, but by pairs you've got:

1 SA Ginobili Duncan
2 PHO Richardson Stoudemire
3 SEA Allen Radmanovic
4 DAL Terry Nowitzki
5 CLE James Gooden

Those are the most effective in the +/- category according to http://www.82games.com/ppairs0405.htm.

The biggest problem in the NBA this year, as it was last year, is the chasm in quality between East and West.

Only two East teams would qualify for the playoffs if they were in the West.

Only 4 Eastern teams have a .500 or better record against the West.
Only 5 Western teams have a losing record against the East.

Something's gotta be done.

I also think this has been going on for a long, long time. Think about it. When Jordan retired the first time, a Western team won both championships. Since Jordan retired, only one Eastern team has won a championship, and that was in large part due to a complete meltdown by the Lakers.

I think the mindset in the East during the Jordan years was "playing for second place", and they haven't recovered from that. Also, the East is so wide open virtually anyone can make the playoffs (with a losing record, even) and possibly the Finals. So teams aren't willing to wait and build; they see the possible revenue from a playoff run and jump for it. Coaches and GMs who can't make the playoffs in the East are fired.

So they all settle for mediocrity. Last year, 4 teams at or below .500 made the playoffs in the East. Two teams at or below .500 weren't able to make the playoffs in the West. (One of them, Utah, would have been tied with Miami for 4th place. A non-playoff team in the West would have tied for a homecourt slot in the East.)

Owners and fans in the East need to realise that a slow rebuilding is necessary. That's the only way to avoid things like what Isaiah Thomas is doing to the Knicks. That franchise won't be any good for at least 4 or 5 more years, if not longer.

On edit: wow, where did all that come from? I'm going to pull out the East/West stuff and give it its own thread!

[Smirking_Chimp]

4. Good Move-Vincannity and Homies.

Vince makes us showtime again, Kidd is healthy, RJ playing unbelievably great(Eastern Conf. player of the week),Carter will help us score at will.
Think we still need a good defensive Power Forward.
Although Veal Scalabrini had a good game the other night.
Mourning will probably opt out, and sign with Heat
Sorry to see E Williams go, he was finally home!
I'm gonna miss the A-Train.