Courtside Seat: 2012 trade deadline recap
The 2012 NBA trade deadline will likely be remembered more for who didn't get dealt rather than the players who actually switched teams. Many of the superstars rumored to be traded -- Dwight Howard, Pau Gasol, Rajon Rondo, Steve Nash, etc. -- are still in their same cities.
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But we still had plenty of drama.
The biggest trade was a three-team deal involving Nene going from Denver to Washington, JaVale McGee moving from Washington to Denver and Nick Young leaving the Wizards for the Clippers. The Fantasy value for Nene and McGee won't change much, but Young is another story.
Stephen Jackson was traded again, this time from Golden State to San Antonio for Richard Jefferson, which happened just days after he was traded from Milwaukee to the Warriors. Does anyone want this guy, including Fantasy owners?
And Portland unloaded two starters by trading Marcus Camby to Houston and Gerald Wallace to New Jersey while also firing coach Nate McMillan. It is officially rebuilding time for the Trail Blazers.
It was a busy day and Fantasy owners will likely benefit and suffer from many of the moves. With that in mind, we're here to help with five winners and losers following the end of the trade deadline.
Winners
Ramon Sessions, point guard, Lakers
Sessions was traded from Cleveland to the Lakers along with Christian Eyenga for Jason Kapono and Luke Walton. He escapes his reserve role behind standout rookie Kyrie Irving and should start for the Lakers, who helped him by trading Derek Fisher to Houston. Sessions will be the No. 4 option at best for the Lakers behind Kobe Bryant, Andrew Bynum and Gasol, but the increased playing time should help his value in all formats.
Gerald Wallace, small forward, Nets
Wallace was traded from Portland to New Jersey for Mehmet Okur, Shawne Williams and a draft pick. Fantasy owners should be excited because Wallace has the chance to turn around a down campaign. He is averaging almost 2.0 points and 1.5 rebounds less than he did last season and he thrived the last time he was in the Eastern Conference with Charlotte. The Nets need scoring and Wallace will play well with new point guard Deron Williams.
Jordan Crawford, shooting guard, Wizards
With Young going to the Clippers, Crawford now has the starting shooting guard spot all to himself. Crawford has started the last seven games for the Wizards, during which time he is averaging 14.9 points per game on 37 percent shooting from the field. And most of those games were shared with Young, so now his production should rise. This move is a big win for Crawford owners.
Klay Thompson, shooting guard, Warriors
With Monta Ellis being traded from Golden State to Milwaukee, Thompson is now the starting shooting guard for the Warriors. And with Stephen Curry (foot) out, he is being asked to do a lot of scoring, which has been great for his Fantasy value. In two games since Ellis was traded, Thompson is averaging 20.0 points and 4.5 assists. He should only improve, especially with Jackson now out of the way with his trade to San Antonio, so add him if he's available.
Chris Kaman, center, Hornets
Kaman was almost guaranteed to be traded but he remains with the Hornets. There is still a chance he could receive a buyout but since he's still in New Orleans he can remain a focal point on offense. He has four double-doubles in his past six games with 10 blocks over that span and Kaman should remain a starter in all leagues, especially with Emeka Okafor still dealing with a knee injury.
Losers
Monta Ellis, shooting guard, Bucks
Ellis is not going to regress dramatically going from the Warriors to the Bucks, but he likely won't be as productive with his new team. Sharing a backcourt with Brandon Jennings could be dicey since Jennings has a quicker trigger than Curry and the Bucks just don't score at the same pace as the Warriors. Ellis will remain a must-start option in all leagues but his value has declined following this trade.
Marcus Camby, center, Rockets
Camby already was a shell of the player he used to be and he has just four games with double digits in points on the season. Now he goes to Houston where he will split time with Samuel Dalembert. Camby will still rebound and block shots, so owners in category-based leagues should be all right if Camby was a starter. But in most formats you can likely cut Camby since he is not going to help you.
Stephen Jackson, shooting guard, Spurs
Jackson started out as a winner with his first trade when he was dealt to Golden State from Milwaukee as part of the Ellis trade for Andrew Bogut. But going to San Antonio won't be much of an upgrade from when he was actually playing for the Bucks. Tony Parker, Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobili will dominate the offense, and Jackson will have to find his role. He might have some decent scoring nights, but consistency will remain an issue.
Raymond Felton, point guard, Trail Blazers
Felton was one of the players expected to be dealt by the trade deadline, but not only does he remain in Portland, so does Jamal Crawford. That means this shared point guard situation will continue, and both players will suffer. On top of that, Portland also added Jonny Flynn as part of the Camby trade, and he may get a few minutes of action if the Trail Blazers want to evaluate his talent. Felton will continue to be a reserve guard in most Fantasy leagues.
Nick Young, shooting guard, Clippers
Young was a decent Fantasy option with the Wizards even as he shared playing time with Jordan Crawford. He was averaging 17.4 points in his past five games with 11 3-points over that span, but now he will join a crowded backcourt with Randy Foye and Mo Williams. Chris Paul isn't going to the bench much, so Young will have to find his role in limited minutes. His scoring will likely suffer, which means his Fantasy value will decline.
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