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Sports

Season's major trades yet to be seen

Pro Sports Fan

Arica Jefferson

There isn't a need for me to do this very often, but I have to retract my words about the NBA All Star game Sunday. Last week I predicted that the Western Conference would mop the floor with the Eastern Conference and win the All Star game for the fourth time in a row. But clearly I underestimated the East and forgot to realize how the power of Shaquille O'Neal, mixed with the agility and skill of Allen Iverson added with a sprinkle of LeBron James, could create such a delectable treat.

As I watched the game, I realized more players in the East were serving it up to the players in the West. My apologizes for thinking Tracey McGrady, Kobe Bryant, Kevin Garnett, Tim Duncan, Dirk Nowitzki and Steve Nash could out-power the East. Maybe if Amare Stoudemire could have gotten that dunk together or maybe if Kobe wouldn't have had the look of "I just can't stay away from Colorado" in his eyes, the West could have pulled it out -- not that I'm making any excuses. 

Now that the All-Star game is over, the rest of the season must resume. Since the mid-season trades and the collective-bargaining agreement, which expires June 30, serious offers and talks have to roll in. 

With the trading deadline coming Thursday, there have been talks of trades, but the most major ones have been just that -- talks. There was a substantial amount of trading that happened way before the deadline even got close. The biggest one was probably Vince Carter being acquired by the New Jersey Nets from the Toronto Raptures. Also, the Pistons getting Carlos Arroyo to come to the Motor City worked in Detroit's best interest. 

Houston's acquisitions of David Wesley and Jon Barry were great for the Rockets. Wesley joined the Rockets from Charlotte with career averages of 13.3 points, 4.8 assists and 1.46 steals and now averages 12.1 with Houston. 

There have been talks that the Los Angeles Lakers would like to trade Lamar Odom for Utah's Carlos Boozer, but both organizations have denied the trade rumors. 

"We haven't been shopping Carlos around at all," Jazz owner Larry Miller said to Fox News. "I have a hard time imagining circumstances that would have us trading Carlos." 

That is a wise decision by Utah, but if the Lakers were thinking about making a trade before the deadline, they might want to do it now because they are in extreme danger of not making the play-off for the first time in 11 years. 

Antoine Walker, Latrell Sprewell and Michael Redd are also on the trading block. Although highly unlikely, the Celtics are actually thinking about getting Walker back after being traded to Dallas then to Atlanta. The Nuggets are looking at Milwaukee's Redd. 

NBA commissioner David Stern said during his annual "State of the NBA" press conference Saturday that there are some differences, but both sides are optimistic about reaching an agreement. Espn.com reported that Stern said a lockout, like the one in 1998, will be avoided. 

If a lock-out will be avoided and the differences aren't that bad, why even mention it? If executives and the players association are all going to get along by June 30, why put that word "lock-out" out there?

After seeing what happened for the 2005 NHL season, that makes people nervous.

A few things that the Commissioner says that are definitely on the table are issues such as contract lengths, the substantial amount of money the players are making and the revenue owners are losing because of it. Also Stern wants to step away from the Developmental League and create a "true" minor league for the players who want to come straight out of high school or 20-year-olds or younger. Touchy subject. But that is a discussion for another day. 

Stern promised a new agreement would give the public the assurance that steroids and drugs, especially marijuana, were strictly forbidden in the league.

Thanks baseball. Now not only do the children have to prove themselves in a minor league before they go to the "big people" league, but the players in the NBA are going to be ousted as druggies. Why fix what isn't broken? See what bad publicity gets you. All the NBA smokers better clean it up now.

There are about 30 games left in the season. After the trade deadline and before the playoffs, I will give my predictions. Right now it all depends on who has a surge in the second half of the season. Well, some can be counted out -- like Portland, Toronto and the Kings.
 

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