Well, the 2012 NBA Trade Season is officially under way. The Golden State Warriors finally broke up their undersized back court and sent Monta Ellis, Ekpe Udoh and Kwame Brown's expiring contract hands to the Milwaukee Bucks for Andrew Bogut and Stephen Jackson.
I'm not exactly sure I like this trade for either team and I definitely think both teams took some big risks. The Warriors gave away Udoh who I really like and are still stuck with Andris Biedrins' $18m owed over the next two year and they gave up one of the league's best scorers to get Bogut and Jackson.
Jackson is a head case but maybe he'll be OK back in Oakland where he was last seen leading the "We Believe" Warriors to a first-round upset over the Mavericks in 2008 before demanding a trade the following year. Some how, I don't see he and Mark Jackson getting along.
Bogut is out with a broken ankle for the rest of the season. He's a top five center when healthy but hasn't been healthy. Bogut hasn't played more than 70 games in a season since 2007-08. Maybe he's unlucky with a fall that broke his elbow and this year's ankle break. The Warriors better hope so since he's owed $27m over the next two seasons.
If GSW is paying over $20m a year for two centers, they better get some production...or at least some court time.
For the Bucks, they dump Jackson and give Bogut the trade he wanted as well. But on the flip side, the end up with the same problem the Warriors had, and undersized back court. Monta Ellis might be smiling now, but a few weeks with Scott Skiles will likely change that. It's hard to see this ending well for them either.
Meanwhile, if Bogut comes back healthy next season, consider the Pacific Division with Andrew Bynum, DeMarcus Cousins, DeAndre Jordan and Bogut. Marcin Gortat is a pipsqueak next to those beasts.
Two more day until the deadline which is at 3pm ET / noon AZT on Thursday.
Oh, and if you believe the likes of Peter Vecsey (who's not very reliable in these matters), the Suns were almost part of this deal:
Peter Vecsey: Dwight Howard’s days with Orlando Magic numbered ... or not - NYPOST.com
Last week, it looked like the two-for-one deal (Robin Lopez would have been obtained from Phoenix and rerouted to Milwaukee) was almost 100 percent approved by both sides.
IF, and by that I mean IF, this rumor is true, it would signify that the Suns aren't keen on matching offers for Lopez this summer so he could be moved before the deadline. Then again, who the hell knows.