H o o p s C o r n e r . c o m
<< Previous -------------------- February 25, 2005 Sixers-Kings trade
Several trades happened yesterday in NBA land but we'll just expand on the juiciest move for now, and hit you up right back later on the other ones. The biggest trade in NBA land yesterday was the trading of Chris Webber from Sacramento to Philadelphia. Sacramento got forwards Brian Skinner, Kenny Thomas, and Corliss Williamson and Philly got forwards Chris Webber, Matt Barnes, and Michael Bradley. Talent wise the Kings didn't get close to what the Sixers ran away with. But talent isn't the problem for sacramento. In fact when Webber was out after having surgery last year, they were doing just fine. Peja stepped up and became the league's second leading scorer. Any doubt he can do it again? Let's make it clear, before hand. There's no confirmation on this: but what we think was going on is that perhaps Stojakovic's trade demands were stemming from his reduced role once Webber came back as just a shell of his former self after surgery and Peja still had to hold his game back to allow for Webber's output. So from our expert basketball mentality the trade was done because Peja's game was being tucked away, to a player who no longer was the best on the team, and of course add in the fact that the team will save bundles of cash, Peja is younger and these days he's as good as the best of them. Not so for Webber anymore. He lost a step. Truth is Peja had been through a similar incident before with Corliss Williamson (who's coming back to the team). Corliss was starting when Peja was clearly the better player. After Corliss was traded to Toronto, Peja had a breakthrough season in 2000-01. Once you knew what he (Peja) could do and the team was winning, in pure business terms, was Chris Webber a necessity? ...I mean check out the Kings' offensive arsenal: Mike Bibby , Cuttino Mobley from "Wink and Cat" fame, Brad Miller, and then you add in injured Bobby Jackson and Peja!!! That's quite a lineup. They'll be just fine without Webber. However Philadelphia does need Chris Webber. But in Truth this move is about 4 years delayed. Sorry Webber but here it's Iverson Town. You're second option. Iverson is finally getting help, but let's hope this works out. He hadn't been getting help in previous years because his style of play couldn't accomodate any other high scoring player. You can fill an All-Star reserves squad of the players Iverson could have teamed up with. Philly should get a boost from the trade but we'll have to wait and see how much better they get. << Previous Back to 2004-05 archive |
|
|