NBA trade deadline report card

The deadline came and went with more big names getting swapped around than at any point in recent memory. Carmelo Anthony to the Knicks. Deron Williams to the Nets. Kendrick Perkins to the Thunder. So who is going home with good marks, and who failed? The SportsDude is here hand out the grades.

The Denver Nuggets: A-

I didn’t think they would pull it off. They got in a final showdown with the Knicks, and the Knicks (more specifically James Dolan) blinked first. Denver got the king’s ransom: A mixture of young and established talent, plus three picks, including a first rounder. I thought the Nuggets had waited too and were demanding too much from a team that was in good position to sign Anthony in the offseason. The only small knock on this trade They could have gotten better value for Chauncey Billups if they traded him in a separate deal. Why bring in Felton, playing at a near all-star level in New York, just to stash him on the bench behind promising point guard Ty Lawson? They easily could have traded Billups to a contender looking to upgrade at the point guard position, and received talent or picks that would be of better value than a frustrated Felton sitting on the bench.

Editor’s note: I can’t deny that the slight knock on the trade may have a little bit to do with a bias in regards to Felton. The poor guy finally got into the perfect system for his talents, and then gets traded to a team with a younger version of himself who had been chomping at the bit. After struggling in Larry Brown’s slow it down offense, the uber-quick Felton landed with Mike D’antoni, and had developed a great repoire with Amare Stoudemire. Alas, the only hope for him is to be traded to another up-tempo offensive system this offseason.

The New York Knicks: C

This grade is splitting the difference, because we won’t know how it will all work out until 2012. Billups still has plenty of game at this point, but isn’t a long-term solution for a city that measures success in championships. If the Knicks get a third superstar in 2012 (Chris Paul, Deron Williams, or Dwight Howard), this is a great trade, and the Knicks will be in the upper echelon with the Heat and Bulls for years after. If not, they will never escape the second round of the playoffs. They gave up a perfect point guard who was flourishing with Amare, a tough, talented, and young shooting guard in Wilson Chandler, and a 22-year-old averaging 15.5 ppg with plenty of room for improvement in Danilo Gallinari. Not to mention the 7’1” Timofey Mozgov, whom the organization was very high on. They certainly didn’t make themselves any better this season, and owner James Dolan (who overrode the basketball minds he pays to make these decisions) has set himself up to be hero or goat in 2012. They did bring in decent short-term depth in Corey Brewer and Shelden Williams to help offset the loss of half the roster, but still lost a ton of talent in this trade.

Oklahoma City Thunder: A+

I think the Lakers soiled themselves, just a little bit. The talent on this team has never been in question. Size, however, has been a consistent problem. Now they have arguably the best post defender in the league, in the human tree trunk known as Kendrick Perkins. Jeff Green stuck playing the four just wasn’t fair. He is a natural small forward, and one I think will garner all-star nods in Boston. Now, Perkins gets to take on the Western Conference’s elite centers, and Serge Ibaka gets to move to his natural position off power forward, where his considerable athletic prowess will result in a lot more production offensively and defensively. With the 6’9” Durant at small forward, the 6’10” Ibaka at power forward, the 280lb. brute in Kendrick Perkins, and effective true center Nazr Mohammed coming off the bench, the Thunder just turned their biggest weakness into a great strength. No one gives Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum more trouble than Perk. They also got the explosive Nate Robinson to come off the bench. The Thunder may have just given themselves an NBA Finals berth.

Boston Celtics: B

Getting Jeff Green is a great move for the future. With Rajon Rondo and Big Baby Davis, they now have three good to great pros to rely on when Paul Pierce, Ray Allen, and Kevin Garnett break down, and got themselves a super sixth man for now. However, for a team that seemed hell bent on winning the championship this season (as their championship window grows smaller with every passing year) this trade is a mystery rapped in a riddle, boxed in a conundrum. Perkins has been a defensive beast for them, and his injury that forced him out of the Finals was probably the difference in the game seven loss to the Lakers last season. Shaq and Jermaine O’Neal give them plenty of size if they are healthy, but (pardon the pun) those are two big ifs. With their roster clearing transactions in moving young big men Semih Erden and Luke Harongody, the Celtics have to have something up their sleeve. Expect Rasheed Wallace to be back in green in the next couple of weeks. If not, they may have just cost themselves a championship.

New Jersey Nets: C

They got a talent that is a better complete player than Carmelo Anthony in Deron Williams, but gave up a lot for a question mark. The Nets gave up a borderline all-star in Devin Harris (he’s already made one) and a significant talent in Derrick Favors. Six foot ten inch athletic freaks don’t grow on trees. Especially ones that are 19-year-olds averaging six points and five boards and nearly a block per game in The Association, where historically it does take young big men time to develop. On top of that, they gave the Jazz their unprotected first round pick for this season, and a semi-protected first round pick (via a trade with Golden State) for next season. In a separate deal, they brought in Brandan Wright, while true center Dan Gadzuric is decent big man depth. Unless, they can tap into Wright’s potential better than Golden State, he is nothing but a bench warmer, not a replacement for Favors’ talent. Predictably, Williams has already come out and said the Nets have one season to get it together for him to stay. Mikhail Prokhorov publicly stated he would have a championship team in five years when he took over last offseason, and his only chance is to put together a playoff team immediately. Selling the farm for a superstar rental would set the franchise back for years. Like the Knicks, they gave up way too much for a question mark.

Utah Jazz: A

This team wasn’t going to win a championship this season. So, they got an all-star caliber player in exchange for their superstar, as well as a young big man with plenty of talent in Favors, plus what will most likely be two top ten picks in the next two seasons. Not a bad way to restructure the post-Jerry Sloan franchise. They didn’t make themselves much worse this season, and greatly improved their future. If they draft efficiently, this trade is a steal.

New Orleans Hornets: B

The Hornets improve their biggest weakness in getting effective big man depth with Carl Landry. They only had to give up Marcus Thornton, who took a step back after a surprisingly impressive rookie season, and some cash considerations. Good trade for a good team, but nothing that will push them over the top in the Western Conference.

Houston Rockets: B

The Rockets opened up playing time for rookie power forward Patrick Patterson, who promptly responded with the first 20-point game of his career in the first game after the trade. Patterson can easily be as good as Landry, and they get shooting guard depth in Marcus Thornton.

L.A. Clippers: D

Baron Davis is finally playing inspired ball, and developing great chemistry with Blake Griffin, and you trade him? With promising young point guard Eric Bledsoe, I don’t have a problem with trading Davis. The problem is trading him for a similar player in Mo Williams, while giving up your lottery pick. What was the point of this trade? If you want Davis’ salary off the books, he only had two years left on his deal, and the expiring contract would have been attractive in a trade next season. They say they aren’t high on the talent coming into the draft this season, but that doesn’t mean you just give the pick away. I can’t believe owner Donald Sterling would approve a questionable (at best) roster move. Oh, sorry, I just came to my senses, and yes I can.

Cleveland Cavaliers: B+

The season is obviously lost for this franchise.  So trading one of your few valuable assets for a talented player that is going to play lazy basketball for as long as he is with the team isn’t a problem. Why? Because they got an unprotected first-round draft pick that is almost guaranteed to be in the top ten. If they get unlucky in the lottery, they can package their pick with this one for number one overall. The talent in this draft is questionable, or else this would have been an A+ move.

Atlanta Hawks: B+

Atlanta loses a little depth with this move, but gains a pure point guard with playoff experience in Kirk Hinrich. Mike Bibby is older than Hinrich, and after Hinrich lost his starting status to a couple of number one overall picks (Derrick Rose in Chicago, and John Wall in Washington) Hinrich will be chomping at the bit to start for a playoff team again. Hinrich dominates the ball less than Bibby, while also shooting a better percentage. They also gain big man depth in the 6’11” Hilton Armstrong, and for a team that uses Al Horford at center (a natural beast at power forward) the more big men they can get, the better. I highly doubt this trade will result in Atlanta being a true contender in the playoffs, but it makes them more competitive, and thus they have slightly more of a puncher’s chance.

Washington Wizards: B

They don’t lose much in having Bibby backup John Wall rather than Hinrich, and they gained a first-round pick. For teams like the Wizards in rebuilding mode, you can’t ask for much more than valuable picks. They also get Maurice Evans and Jordan Crawford to improve their overall depth, so they definitely aren’t any worse in the short-term. Good trade for a rebuilding franchise.

Charlotte Bobcats: C

Michael Jordan: World’s greatest player, world’s worst owner? He trades the face of the franchise, and a rare overall talent in Gerald Wallace for a bunch of stiffs from Portland. He freed up $8 million in cap space, and got two middling first round picks, so there is a chance I may have to eat my words. They weren’t going to win anything this year, so they didn’t lose a lot, but they certainly made themselves less competitive. The franchise is high on Gerald Henderson, and if he can be a 15ppg scorer, this trade could work out for Charlotte. A lot of ifs for a trade that just seems unnecessary.

Portland Trail Blazers: A

They got an all-star caliber player for nothing valuable. Joel Przybilla and Sean Marks are stiffs, and Dante Cunningham hasn’t proven anything, and certainly wasn’t going to get more opportunities in Portland. Great trade.

Phoenix Suns: B+

The suns get an unhappy Aaron Brooks from Houston for bargain price. This gives great depth for Steve Nash in the immediate, and an heir apparent for the future. Brooks is a good fit for this system, as he has a lot of skills similar to Nash’s, though will never be as talented a distributor.

Houston Rockets: B

This move was an obvious cap-clearing transaction for an unhappy player. Houston improves their chemistry, while also getting a decent talent in Goran Dragic. They also have a chance to make something out of Hasheem Thabeet, who is still young and still seven-foot-two. Solid move for a franchise running out of options, as they also get a first round pick.

Memphis Grizzlies: B+

They unload the eternally disappointing Hasheem Thabeet for a team desperate for size after the unfortunate destruction of Yao Ming. Memphis gains the consummate pro in Shane Battier, a player who will help them immediately in their playoff run.

Chicago Bulls: B

They unload James Johnson, a failed first-round pick, for a first-round pick. Can’t complain about that.

Toronto Raptors: B+

They lose a late first-round pick (the Miami Heat’s via the Chris Bosh trade) for a player with plenty of potential in Johnson. Johnson’s lack of playing time had more to do with a team with arguably the best depth in the league than his potential. He should be foaming at the mouth to get playing time. Tough and athletic, he should be a good player for Toronto.

Young guns highlight NBA season at the All-Star break

Seven seasons into their careers, the famed members of the 2003 NBA draft are no longer the new kids on the block. LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, and Carmelo Anthony are well on their way to forming their legacies. Dwight Howard (’04) has an NBA finals appearance on his belt, and has been a legitimate superstar for years, leaving the tag of “teen phenom” in the dust. Just as Kobe, Shaq, Tim Duncan, and Kevin Garnett have had LeBron and company breathing down the necks of their legacies, those not-so-new guys are going to be pressured by Derrick Rose, Blake Griffin, Kevin Love, and Kevin Durant for the next decade.

Derrick Rose has been fantastic from the start of the season. His recent run against the NBA’s other elite point guards has cemented his place as the best point guard in the game. He heads the list of new stars, and at 22 years old, will be the first Bull to start in an All-Star game since that Michael Jordan fella. He has gotten noticeably better in every season, and is the type of player that takes every off-season as an opportunity to turn a weakness into a strength. Whether it’s draining clutch threes, breaking ankles, or dunking on foolish defenders’ heads, he’s got the highlights to prove his dominance, and the stats to back it up. He is the current favorite for MVP, and if the voters go elsewhere, it’s only a matter of time until he adds the trophy to his mantle. At the break, he has his team just two games behind Boston and Miami for the top seed in the east, and with Joakim Noah set to come back on February 23^rd, we will be seeing this team at full strength for this firs time this season. Rose has already proven to be the type of superstar who raises his game in the postseason to another level, and the Bulls may be the toughest out in the east.

Where to start with Blake Griffin? We all knew about his strength and leaping ability when he came into the Association, but his handles have been surprisingly impressive. He has a great spin move, and has already developed a nice drop step in the post. The only question about his game, is does he have the drive of a Derrick Rose to focus on a weakness in each offseason? Rose came into the league with a suspect jump shot, and now is automatic from midrange and a very good three-point shooter. This is exactly what Griffin needs to do. The best way to stop him now is to sag off, and give him the midrange jump shot, which more often than not he clanks off the back of the iron.  If he can add that jumper, the defense will have to play up on him, making it easier for him to drive and dunk on those, poor innocent defenders. (On a serious note, I think it’s high time for a fundraiser to support the victims of Blake Griffin’s dunks). His handles are already extraordinary for a power forward, but they will get even better with experience, and he hasn’t begun to touch his potential as a rebounder and shot blocker. Once he combines positioning and awareness with his inhuman physical gifts, both of those stats will skyrocket. And if he doesn’t win the dunk contest this weekend, it will be the biggest upset since Buster Douglas knocked out Mike Tyson in Tokyo.

Kevin Love has been the NBA’s biggest surprise this season. He’s put up rebounding numbers not seen since Dennis Rodman was dying his hair with the Bulls. He’s been so good, he’ s made me question Dwight Howard’s dominance. Dwight Howard has the best combination of size and athleticism in the league, while Love’s athleticism was questioned coming out of college, and he certainly can’t jump any higher now. Love’s rebounding numbers this season (15.5 per game) are better than Howard’s career best (14.2) He gets his rebounds like Bill Russell did, by knowing where the ball is going to go before it caroms off the rim. He has the perfect combination of tenacity, smarts, and technique to more than overcome his lack of athleticism. Like Rose, Love has also added a very effective three point shot, up to 43% accuracy, which has in turn helped to improve his scoring (up from 14 ppg last season to 21 this year). With Love and the impressive Michael Beasley, the Timberwolves have two great building blocks, and GM David Kahn doesn’t quite look like the goat we all thought he was coming into the season. Now if only they could get that Spanish guy to come feed them the rock.

Kevin Durant has dominated this season. Although he’s still only 22, it already seems like he has been tearing up NBA defenses for some time now, so he’s hardly a breakout star. His running mate, Russell Westbrook, however, has burst onto the scene. He has segued his strong run with the USA gold-medal winning team to garner his first all-star appearance, with career high averages across the board. He is the only guard in the NBA that can match Rose’s physical gifts, and got the edge on Rose in the Thunder’s opening night victory over the Bulls, while Rose returned the favor later on, as the two guards pestered each other into poor shooting nights. If NBA fans are lucky, one day we will see Rose and Westbrook going head-to-head in the Finals some day. If he can add a consistent three-point shot (he’s shooting a subpar 30% from deep this season) watch out.

Breakout all-star snub: Eric Gordon. He didn’t make the all-star game, but at just 22 years old, he played like an all-star. Like Westbrook and Rose, Gordon used his Gold-Medal winning experience to improve his all-around game. A nice player in his first two seasons, Gordon has raised his per game averages to 24 points and 4.5 assists, while shooting 47% from the field. With his running mate Blake Griffin stealing all the highlights and publicity, Gordon may be the NBA’ best-kept secret. Gordon and Griffin could be the league’s next great Batman and Robin combination, with all due respect to the Durant and Westbrook. With Griffin’s dominance down low, and Gordon’s marksmanship from three-point range complementing each other beautifully, Vinny Del Negro has two exceptional pieces, both 22 and younger, to build around. Going from coaching Rose, to that duo? You know how to pick ‘em, Vinny. 

Super Hindsight:

After a day to digest the most-watched Super Bowl ever, it is time analyze what went right, what went wrong, the game-changing plays, and the future of both franchises…

The Super Plays:

Nick Collins’ interception return for a touchdown

The Steelers always rely on a strong ground game, but seemed to really be getting back to their roots here in the playoffs. Down 14-0 in the Super Bowl, a team cannot sit back and grind away the clock with the running game. Rashard Mendenhall rushed 47 times for 167 yards and three touchdowns against two of the league’s top rushing defenses in the Steelers’ two previous playoff games. The Steelers’ biggest advantage coming into the Super Bowl was their rushing offense. Mendenhall was effective when he got the ball (4.5 ypc), but 14 rushes are not nearly enough for running back to impact the game. This interception not only put the Packers up early, it negated the Steelers’ biggest advantage, and an integral part of the team’s foundation. When a team has to throw the ball around, possessions are shorter, putting their defense on the field longer, and tiring them out.

Rodgers’ laser to Greg Jennings

The extinguished running game could have easily been the difference between the Packers making the plays and the Steelers coming up just short. Steelers’ safety Ryan Clark got his fingertips on the pass that put the Packers up 21-3. If he’s just a little bit quicker, he gets there to break it up, maybe even intercept it. As it was, Rodgers’ window was so tight. If he leads Jennings, like a quarterback is trained to do, the ball is intercepted.

Clay Matthews’ big hit on Rashard Mendenhall.

This was as big of a play as Collins’ interception. The Steelers were driving and seizing momentum when Mathews hit Mendenhall at the perfect spot (shoulder pad on the ball, in an upward angle) to jar the ball loose. The Steelers were rolling, and if they finish that drive, they are up 24-21, and Ben’s interceptions are in the rearview mirror. Instead, Packers ball, and they finish the drive to go up 28-17.

Awareness

The Packers’ awareness around the ball was the difference in execution. For all the momentum-shifting plays, they were inches from going the other way. Anyone in the Steelers’ secondary William (Where’s the Ball?) Gay would have turned to make a play on Jordy Nelson’s touchdown. He had great positioning, but never turned his around to see the ball. If he had, he would have seen in floating a couple feet above his head and would have at the very least broken it up. This was indicative of the game, as the Packers were just a step quicker, up the final play of the game. Steelers’ WR Mike Wallace had his hand on the ball, and he an Roethlisberger connect on that play 9 times out of 10, but the Packers’ defensive backs reacted quick enough to break up the play.

Add another one to the list of great plays made by Rodgers. His shake off of Lamar Woodley to dump the ball to Brandon Jackson on third down in the first half was a huge play to continue building momentum. Only a player of Rodgers’ awareness and intelligence level, and only a player with Rodgers’ quickness and athleticism could have made that play. In short, only Rodgers could have done it, and he did it.

What’s next?

For Packers fans, Brett Favre should now be a swear word. Rodgers won the Super Bowl quicker than Favre, and played better. Rodgers had one of the best games in Super Bowl history joining a four-man list of players to throw for over 300 yards with three touchdowns, and no interceptions. “No interceptions” is what won this game for the Packers, and those two words do not exist together in Brett Favre’s vocabulary. Favre threw 30 interceptions in 24 career playoff games, including two (one for Green Bay, one for Minnesota) that ended his own bid at a storybook ending in NFC championship games. As great as he was, Favre was always about Favre, and Rodgers seems to be about the team.

With few exceptions, (Charles Woodson for the Packers, Hines Ward for the Steelers) both teams’ core players are under 30. Both teams build their rosters the right way, through the draft, and will continue to find key contributors strengthen few weaknesses. I don’t think any teams in the NFL can match the playmakers on both sides of the ball these teams have. The Packers have to avoid a Super Bowl hangover, and will adjust to having the target on their back for every single game next year. Losing Super Bowls is not in the Steelers’ DNA, and I fully expect them to come back hungrier than ever next season. These teams have two of the best quarterbacks in the league, and both are a good bit younger than their main competition (Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, and Drew Brees are all well over 30). With that being said, I fully expect at least two more Super Bowl appearances for both teams in the next five years. If the teams played 10 times, they would probably split the series. The Packers were hungrier for their first Super Bowl than the Steelers, who expected to win their third. I guarantee Mike Tomlin will not allow them to ‘expect’ anything again. A Super Rematch seems probable, and fans should be rooting for it.

Editor's Note

Option #5: The Lakers?

There is new information linking the Nuggets and Lakers in a potential deal that would revolve around Andrew Bynum for Anthony. This would be the best deal for both teams. The Lakers are on shaky ground. With a team as experienced as this, there is always a good chance the media is blowing their struggles out of proportion (they are half a game behind Dallas for second in the west) but it doesn’t feel like it at this point. This team seems to have serious chemistry, consistency, and defensive issues.

That being said, if they pull this off, it would be a bigger steal than when they plucked Pau Gasol from Memphis three years ago, leading to two NBA championships in three appearances. Kobe and Carmelo would be the best pure shooting guard/small forward combination since Jordan and Pippen. Dwyane Wade and LeBron James play hybrid point guard so often I don’t consider them a “pure” 2/3 combo, but they obviously are right there, too.  Which brings me to my next point:

Kick it up a notch

A deal like this would bump an already incredible NBA season up another notch. This trade would be historic. I don’t see any chance Carmelo wouldn’t sign the extension to get this deal done. That being said, it would extend the Lakers’ championship window another five years, as Kobe, assuming he can check his alpha dog ego (no guarantee) could take his foot off the accelerator, and extend his career as a second scorer/clutch assassin. This trade would lock up the Western Conference for the Lakers. Assuming the Celtics or Heat take the East, can you imagine the match-ups?

Heat:

Mario Chalmers vs. Derek Fisher

Dwyane Wade vs. Kobe Bryant

LeBron James vs. Carmelo Anthony

Chris Bosh vs. Lamar Odom

Zydraunas Ilgauskas/Erik Dampier vs. Pau Gasol

The media’s collective heads may explode. They have the one dream matchup that would trump LeBron vs. Kobe, the matchup they’ve wanted for years (remember the puppets?) in LeBron vs. Carmelo. Remember back in 2004, when this was supposed to be the next Magic Johnson vs. Larry Bird rivalry for the next decade plus? And then both players went to opposite ends of the NBA spectrum, and would only play each other four times per year, in meaningless regular season games? Well Melo-vs.-Lebron-mania would be back in flight. Squared.

And then there’s the matchup at shooting guard. Wade and Bryant are the two deadliest late-game finishers in basketball. Wade carried his team past Dallas in 2006 with Jordanesque performances to win his lone championship, and Kobe’s exploits are repeated and unquestioned. This would be the closest thing the world will ever see to Jordan vs. Kobe. They are far and away the two best shooting guards in the league, and Wade is the only player in the world that can challenge Kobe for title of second best shooting guard of all time, behind His Airness. Epic. And then there’s the…

Celtics:

Rajon Rondo vs. Fisher

Ray Allen vs. Kobe

Paul Pierce vs. Anthony

Kevin Garnett vs. Lamar Odom

Shaq vs. Pau Gasol

By my count these teams combine for six surefire hall-of-famers. Rondo and Gasol aren’t surefire, but the fire is warm. Eight potential hall-of-famers, on the same court? Are you kidding me? I might ruin my credit to get DVR so I could record this entire series, for posterities’ sake.  The storylines here are too many to count. Shaq’s best chance to match Kobe for rings. The Celtics’ big three trying to get those elusive second rings to extend their legendary career. The league’s best three-point shooter of all-time trying to match one of its greatest scorers. And poor Paul Pierce. You’re reward for slowing LeBron down enough to beat the Heat? Seven more games of guarding Carmelo Anthony!! With no Bynum, the Lakers would be looking at the same problem they had in the teams’ first matchup—Celtics bigs beating up the Lakers’. However, with ‘Melo they have the additional outside scoring to give them a fighters’ chance.

Denver Doom-O-Meter: This is the best deal the Nuggets—and the NBA— could hope for. Due to Bynum’s injuries he is no sure thing. However, his talent and size are unquestionable, and the Nuggets are running out of options. If they can keep Bynum on the court for even 70 games a year, they have a legitimate rebuilding block. This is the best you can hope for. Do it Denver. Make history. 

The ‘Melo situation: What should the Nuggets do?

With the February 24^th trading deadline looming, the Denver Nuggets are getting closer and closer to losing their franchise player for nothing. The effects of a move like this can devastate a team for years. Just ask the Orlando Magic, of whom it took twelve seasons before the franchise would win another playoff series, behind their new “Superman” center phenom, Dwight Howard, after Shaq’s exodus to the Lakers. More recently, the Cleveland Cavaliers are now extending the NBA record for most consecutive losses in a season with every defeat, and are now standing at 24 straight. They are also in the midst of a 25% revenue drop from last year’s LeBron James-led squad. Twenty-five percent of the team’s entire revenue relied on one player. The Denver Nuggets went nine years without a playoff appearance before drafting Anthony, and a comparable falloff is not l out of the question if the Nuggets fail to move Anthony before the 24^th.

Denver is facing an uphill climb here. With every passing day, they lose leverage on what they will receive for Anthony. On top of the fact that no one except the most desperate of franchises will offer up the necessary assets without first getting the signed contract extension. And of course, ‘Melo will only sign it with a contender. With one potential bridge burned (the Nets), and a decreasing number of suitors, it is desperation time for the Nuggets. That being said, where will ‘Melo wind up?

Option #1: The New York Knicks:

The Knicks are the team that have been rumored from the start, and in many ways has sparked the “Carmelo wants out of Denver,” mania. The current rumored deal is for the Knicks to package Eddy Curry’s big fat expiring a‑­­‑ er, contract, and the talented but ineffective Anthony Randolph to the Minnesota Timberwolves, with Wilson Chandler going directly to Denver.

DenverDoom-O-Meter: Cavs-esque Catastrophe. Unless they could include or trade Chauncey Billups in a separate deal, and get something valuable in return, this would destroy Denver. Billups would then walk at the end of the season, turning the team over to Ty Lawson. Lawson will be a very good point guard, but not with Wilson Chandler as his primary scorer. Chandler is a nice young player, and would be a great third or fourth option for a playoff team, but is a leading man for no team. If I’m Nuggets GM Masai Ujiri, I’m telling the Knicks not to contact me again until they get serious. And by serious I mean offer Danilo Galinari, the only true asset that should be accepted in a Melo-to-the-Knick deal. And in the karma factor, this would be the ultimate ‘get your cake and eat it too’ situation for Carmelo, and a player forcing himself out of an already solid contender does not deserve said cake.

Option #2: The Houston Rockets

The Rockets are the one team that may deal for ‘Melo without the signed extension. That’s because they are in the unique position of being out of the playoff race, but not completely out of it. They are currently 3.5 games out. The heavy revenue increase of a potential playoff run could be too much for Houston to pass up. They also have their own star player whose contract is set to expire: Kevin Martin. Denver would make this deal because Martin is one of the few players who could fill ‘Melo’s void as a volume scorer and they would have a chance to re-sign Martin in the off season, which is more that can be said about Anthony at this point.

Denver Doom-O-Meter: Ifs and coulds. This trade could work out for Denver. Again, they would have to move Billups for one more valuable asset to offset the loss of Anthony, handing the keys to the offense over to Lawson. Lawson is fast and talented, and has performed well off the bench as a spot-starter. He looks like he could easily be as good as Ray Felton with the right pieces around him, and Martins is a good piece to start with.

Option #3: The Chicago Bulls

The Bulls have the best player to realistically replace Carmelo Anthony in Luol Deng. They have a young big man Denver would wants in return, in Taj Gibson or Omer Asik. And they have two first round picks, one that should be in the lottery, courtesy of Charlotte. The addition of Anthony would most likely make them the favorite to win the East, so they have the incentive to get the deal done. And most importantly for Denver to get value in return: ‘Melo’s camp has indicated Chicago is one of the very few teams (See: the Knicks) they would be willing to sign an extension with.

Denver Doom-O-Meter: Least possible damage done to franchise. Deng would immediately step in at the 3, replacing ‘Melo. He’s a not-quite all-star-guy, the best you could expect in a deal of this nature to flat out replace your franchise guy. By running a lineup with Billups and Lawson sharing the same backcourt, plus additional minutes to the explosive J.R. Smith, the scoring loss should pretty much be offset. And Deng is a clear upgrade over ‘Melo on defense. They would gain additional assets with either Gibson or Asik. Gibson (more likely to be included in this trade) would be an immediate upgrade over the aged and injury prone Kenyon Martin and the talented but soft Al Harrington at power forward. Even if Billups walks, the team would most likely continue to be a playoff contender for the foreseeable future.

Option #4: The Field.

Somebody out there could package together some semi-talented pieces for ‘Melo. This would be futile for both Denver and Team X. Denver wouldn’t get nearly enough talent to offset the loss, and there is no chance Team X would be able to re-sign Anthony. This would strictly be a business move for Team X, as their GM would see a lost season, and try to put butts in the seats for their three-month Carmelo Anthony exhibition, while pretending to have a legitimate chance at signing ‘Melo in the offseason.

Denver Doom-O-Meter: Again, Cavs-esque catastrophe. They would be the classic team with a roster that would complement a superstar nicely. Without a superstar. Not a good combination.

This really comes down a two-team race, with Houston serving as a wild card. The Bulls have the assets, while the Knicks seem to be convinced that they can convince Denver they can package something together with a third team to get them value. I still don’t see a New York deal getting done unless they are willing to include Gallinari, Landry Fields, and/or Timofey Mosgov, and they have yet to indicate they are willing to do so. Chicago has not feigned any interest in Anthony since the Joakim Noah rumors were shot down. Still this franchise likes to play things close to the chest, and I would not rule them out. They’re leverage gets better every day, as the Nuggets will realize time is slipping away, and there is no way they are going to get Noah. If I’m Denver, I’m taking the Bulls deal, flat out. Aside of the stars aligning after a Houston deal, they are the only chance for the franchise not to fall into a decade’s worth of futility.