The principals of the big 4 team deal during the offseason was Andrew Bynum going from the Lakers to the Sixers, Dwight Howard from the Magic to the Lakers, Andre Iguodala from the Sixers to the Nuggets. The rest of deal went as follows:
Orlando got guard Arron Afflalo and forward Al Harrington from Denver, forward Moe Harkless and center Nikola Vucevic from Philadelphia, and forward Josh McRoberts and guard Christian Eyenga from the Lakers. The Lakers got Howard, guard Chris Duhon and forward Earl Clark from Orlando. The Magic also traded guard Jason Richardson to Philadelphia.
Usually it’s best to wait awhile before trying to figure out who got the best of the deal, but in this case at least from the point of view here it seems that the Sixers and the Lakers didn’t get what they wanted and the Nuggets and the Magic got the better of the deal.
The Sixers thought they were getting an all star caliber player in Andrew Bynum and veteran player in Jason Richardson. Richardson is lost for the season following surgery on his left knee, and Bynum hasn’t played a game at all yet for the Sixers following the big trade, due to injury.Now there are reports that he feels pain again in his knee. Wonder for all the Lakers problems with Dwight Howard, if they relieved that Bynum isn’t their problem anymore?
Andre Iguodala is averaging 13.4points per game 5.3 rebounds 4.7assists .446 Fg 34.3 minutes per game for the Nuggets.
Earl Clark has been the best thing for the Lakers in the trade. He has moved into the starting lineup at one point during the seaon and has giving the Lakers inspired play. He was a throw in for cap purposes. Howard was supposed be inspired.
For Orlando it has been addition by subtraction, the drama has moved West leaving the Magic to build a team going forward. At least this time they have pieces to build with after losing a big man to the Lakers (Shaq left Orlando for the Lakers and the Magic got nothing in return)
On paper this looked like this was going to be a slam dunk for the Lakers, and it might be somewhere down the line especially if Dwight Howard stays in LA after the season. The Sixers clearly didn’t get what they had hoped for in Bynum, but maybe he might turn out to be what they expected once he proves he is healthy and playing.
At 33-20 the Denver Nuggets are 5th in the Western Conference meaning if the season were to end today, the Nuggets would be in the playoffs and the Lakers would not.
At 15-36 the Magic are where you would expect them to be after gutting the team, and with a new coach new general manager and new players.
So if you were these four teams giving what we know now, do you think the trade would happen again?
smallthoughtsinasportsworld 