Written by James Buce
Last weekend Dallas hosted the NBA All-Star Game, the break in the season when players can relax before the push for the playoffs.
To most, the All-Star Game marks the midpoint of the season, but for some, the second half of the season does not begin until the trade deadline has passed. This year during the All-Star Game the first big trade prior to the deadline was announced. A seven player deal sending Caron Butler, Brendan Haywood and DeShawn Stevenson from the Washington Wizards to the Dallas Mavericks in exchange for Josh Howard, Drew Gooden and two other players. The Mavericks made the trade hoping to shorten the gap between the L.A. Lakers and the rest of the Western Conference.
Thursday, Feb. 18, at 3 p.m., the trade deadline, marks the day when fans either look toward next season or begin to believe this is the year. Thursday was the last day teams were able to make in-season trades.
Every year in the NBA, players are placed on the trading block for teams in hopes of winning a championship. One player could make or break a season for most franchises, and this time of year, commentators are speculating about where players may end up.
The biggest name in circulation this year was All-Star Amare Stoudemire of the Phoenix Suns. A trade involving Stoudemire would put pressure on the Suns and make the team getting him an instant threat for the championship.
The NBA is unique because teams look to make big moves and are willing to trade the future of the franchise for one player, whereas other professional sports tend to let their respective trade deadlines pass without any big moves.
This past season in the NFL, one trade made headlines when Braylon Edwards of the Cleveland Browns was sent to the New York Jets. The trade was a big deal because rarely are top notch players traded midseason in the NFL, and Braylon Edwards is not a top tier receiver (the Jets did make the playoffs, while the Browns continued to look toward next year). The chances of one player making a significant difference in the NFL are laughable, so trades are usually saved for the offseason.
Major League Baseball tends to share this same sentiment. Trades are regular throughout the MLB season, but big name players are normally not involved. MLB is also different than the NBA or NFL because it has two trade deadlines (non-waiver and waiver), and teams are able to send players packing through the end of August.
The NBA is different. One player can change a team’s playoff hopes, and now is the only time the trade can be made.
This year the trade deadline in the NBA is causing a greater stir compared to past years because of the number of players whose contracts expire at the end of the season. Teams want to keep their superstars and, in doing so, are trying to trade for complementary players.
Other teams are gearing up for the free agency frenzy in the offseason by trading expiring contracts and freeing up money in order to make a push at one of the big free agents. Many teams are writing off the current season and hoping for something better next year.
This tends to create a larger gap between the good and bad of the NBA but will continue to happen if teams want the big trade and hold out for one player who can change a franchise’s history.
Whether a team is trying to keep a superstar or making room for one later, the NBA trade deadline makes for good headlines and creates buzz about the future of teams during the year.
