The Wild, Wild Western Conference: Wheeling and Dealing Shakes Up the NBA

As the NBA trading deadline passes, most suggest the Los Angeles Lakers' acquisition of Paul Gasol kicked off the Western Conference trading frenzy. However, the real dealings started earlier in the year when the Utah Jazz acquired Kyle Korver from the Philadelphia 76ers. While Korver is not a starter, several teams coveted his outside shooting prowess and the Jazz eventually upped the ante by including a future 1^st Round draft pick to acquire the sharpshooter. Before the trade, the Jazz had been struggling; since the trade, Utah is as hot as any team in the NBA. Utah's post-acquisition winning streak coupled with Andrew Bynum's knee injury created the perfect storm for the Lakers to make the deal for Gasol, which immediately turned up the heat on other Western Conference General Managers.

Over the last month, Phoenix, Dallas, Los Angeles, Houston, San Antonio and New Orleans - six likely play-off teams - have made deals to strengthen their position in the mighty Western Conference.

Lakers

Los Angeles made the biggest splash when it acquired Pau Gasol without surrendering anything too noteworthy. While the Lakers were a contender before Gasol's acquisition, he provides insurance from Bynum's injury and adds another weapon when Bynum returns. The Lakers made the deal without sacrificing its tremendous depth. The Lakers' role players on the bench - Luke Walton, Sasha Vujacic, Jordan Farmar, Ronnie Turiaf, Vladimir Radmanovic and Trevor Ariza (another key acquisition during this season) - are more talented than any bench in the league. Assuming Bynum returns to his developing self after the injury, and the combination of Odom, Bynum and Gasol fit together on the front line, the Lakers have the most talented team in the NBA. Los Angeles also boasts championship experience in the backcourt (Kobe Bryant and Derek Fisher) as well as the most talented player in the NBA (Bryant). On paper, the Lakers have few weaknesses and have the size and scoring to beat anyone. The Gasol trade cemented their status as championship favorites.

Spurs

As usual, San Antonio made a couple smaller deals which managed to help the bottom line while positioning the Spurs for their play-off push. First, with Tony Parker sidelined, the Spurs fought off numerous suitors fort he services of Damon Stoudamire, another quick scoring PG who can create his own shot. Next, they dealt little used Francisco Elson and Brent Barry for Kurt Thomas, another interior defender who can make the mid-range jump shot. While basically getting something for nothing, acquiring Thomas also saved the Spurs money and put them under the luxury tax, an amazing achievement for the defending champs, considering the skyrocketing payrolls of some other teams. While not a big deal, this is another indication of why the Spurs are the best run organization in the NBA.

Suns

If the Lakers made the biggest splash by acquiring Gasol, the Suns made the most controversial move when they traded Shawn Marion and Marcus Banks for Shaq. Most people thought Shaq was finished, but the Suns gambled on the game changer. Phoenix has the best training staff in the NBA and an MRI revealed no structural damage to his hips or ankles. Marion wanted out of Phoenix, there had been rumblings of locker room discontent for over a year and Marion only had one more year left on his deal. In other words, they had to trade Marion now or in the off-season. The Suns could not beat the Spurs or Lakers (before the Gasol trade) as they were constructed, so while this trade created the most discussion, it is a gamble the Suns had to make.

Commentators have spent the two weeks since the deal talking about Shaq hurting the Suns' spacing and slowing them down. It is as if they have not even watched the Suns play this year, despite their omnipresence on television. The Suns have slowed themselves to an extent this year and run more set plays than ever. This is not the Phoenix team of Nash's first year with Nash, Quentin Richardson, Joe Johnson, Marion and Stoudemire. Grant Hill is not a great three-point shooter and Boris Diaw is not a shooter. Phoenix starts with Stoudemire setting the screen for Nash. However, while they look to push in transition, they are more conventional than ever. Shaq's acquisition changes things, but not necessarily in a negative way. Stoudemire looks more and more like a small forward anyway. Running the floor and shooting jump shots, he looks less like Tim Duncan and more like James Worthy. With Shaq and Diaw in the game, Stoudemire has more room to roam. Shaq and Diaw pass as well as any big man tandem in the NBA. Essentially, that is Phoenix's biggest attribute now: Hill is an exceptional passer on the wing, Nash is as good as anyone at the point and Shaq/Diaw pass better than any posts. Shaq will not slow the Suns' fast break, as fast breaks do not require five players. If anything, he should help their fast break because he will be a bigger boarding presence and he is a great passer when he gets the rebound. If the Suns do not get anything in transition, Shaq fills to the low post and the Suns can run their offense through Nash with the pick and roll, Diaw at the high post or Shaq in the low post. They have lots of options. As for spacing, if Shaq is on the opposite block and Stoudemire and Nash run a pick and roll, if Shaq's man helps to take away the pass to Stoudemire, Nash can throw the ball at the rim and no weak side wing defender is going to be able to stop Shaq at the rim. And, Shaq draws fouls which will put the Suns, one of the league's best free throw shooting teams, in the bonus earlier. While the Suns will miss Marion's defense on players like Tony Parker and Dirk Nowitski, Shaq adds another dimension which Phoenix has never had and makes them a tougher out in the play-offs.

Mavericks

When the media first reported the Jason Kidd to the Dallas Mavericks trade, the immediate reaction was that Dallas was going for the championship this season. While Kidd is again putting up phenomenal statistics and nearly averaging a triple-double, he is in his mid-thirties, his defense is not as effective as earlier in his career and his shooting percentage is at its all-time worst. Meanwhile, the Mavericks dealt Devin Harris, DeSagna Diop, Maurice Ager and 2 1^st Round Draft picks. While Kidd is a great player, the Mavericks paid a high price to acquire him. The two biggest questions are: (1) Is Kidd a significant improvement for Harris this season? and (2) Can the Mavs replace Diop in the middle? Diop is another role player whose value is often overlooked. However, he s long and agile and provided a nice defensive presence for the Mavericks. Now, Dallas looks like a team that will go small with Dirk Nowitski, Brandon Bass, Josh Howard, Jason Terry and Kidd. Is that enough to put the Mavericks over the top?

Rockets and Hornets

The Rockets traded Bonzi Wells and Mike James to the Hornets for Bobby Jackson. BJack reunites with Rick Adelman for whom he played his best basketball in Sacramento. Houston saves money and acquires a player familiar with Adelman's system and desires. He should fill-in admirably as Rafer Alston's back-up, a role with which he is familiar. As for New Orleans, after a special first half of the season, I am unsure why they would take on two players with a history of malcontent and risk the good times. However, talent-wise, they certainly acquired two talented players with play-off experience. If James is happy as a back-up off the bench - and he actually sees the court unlike in Houston - he can add some punch to an often anemic bench. Likewise, Wells is a tough match-up for many of the Western Conference teams, especially off the bench. Together, Wells and James can add some life to the Hornets' second unit, which has been its biggest weakness all season. If Wells and James are happy to fit in and play their role, this is the type of under the radar move which could have a big impact in the post-season, where James can knock down some shots while Chris Paul gets a breather and Wells can pound the glass to get to the line. Both teams have to be happy with the deal and feel that it improved their chances in the play-offs.

After the wheeling and dealing, the Lakers have the most talented team. However, once cannot discount the Hornets who have been at the top all season, though they lack the play-off experience, the Spurs, even though they have appeared lethargic during much of the season, or the Jazz, who have the same nucleus as last season's Western Conference Finalists, plus Korver. If the Suns click and Shaq fortifies their interior defense, Phoenix appears ready to contend as well. Dallas certainly appears to be a play-off team, but is it hard to imagine the Mavericks, as currently constructed, beating Los Angeles, New Orleans, San Antonio, Utah or Phoenix. That leaves Houston, Denver and Golden State fighting for the final play-off berth in the incredible Western Conference. If Denver or Golden State fails to make the play-offs, will they view the flurry of deals made by the top contenders prior to the trade deadline and wonder what more they could have done? Or, are they afraid to mortgage the future just to make the play-offs right now?

Of the teams making the deals, Seattle has to be ecstatic. During the summer, Phoenix gave Seattle two future 1^st Round picks to take Kurt Thomas and save the Suns' payroll. Now, the Spurs gave the Suns another first round pick for Thomas. Seattle now has multiple first round picks in the next three drafts, which makes them the major player on draft day as they attempt to re-build around Kevin Durant and Jeff Green. New Jersey orchestrated a great trade, as Kidd had made his trade demands public, and the Nets still received fair value, acquiring a young, talented point guard, a young big man, a young wing, cap space and two 1^st Round picks.