Made Up Trade: Sixers Fourth Team In Carmelo Anthony Blockbuster
By Spike Eskin
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) – I know what you're thinking. You're thinking after the Sixers are probably going to go 82-0 this year. At the very least, they'll win 70 games. After Wednesday night's shocker over the Heat, we shouldn't be worry about trades, rather parade routes and where Michael Carter-Williams will keep his Rookie Of The Year and MVP trophies.
But even the Sixers going undefeated through one game cannot stop the made up trade. This week's is a big one. And it of course would be paired with the Sixers making moves to assure themselves of the 2014 NBA Championship.
The made-up trade commissioner, Ethan Giles (on Twitter @Giles1228), decided that Carmelo Anthony would eventually get dealt because the Knicks will have a disappointing season that will lead them to believe that they cannot keep Carmelo Anthony. That, and I said, "Ethan, I want to see a Melo trade."
Knicks Receive:
Charlie Villenueva ($8.6 Million, One Year)
Rodney Stuckey ($8.5 Million, One Year)
Greg Monroe ($4.1 Million, One Year)
Steven Adams ($2.1 Million, Four Years)
Hasheem Thabeet ($1.2 Million, Two Years)
Kyle Singler ($1.0 Million, Two Years)
Sixers Protected 2014 2nd Round Pick
Pistons Receive:
Carmelo Anthony ($21.4 Million, Two Years with Early Termination Option)
Andrea Bargnani ($11.9 Million, Two Years)
Oklahoma City Thunder Receive:
Tyson Chandler ($14.1 Million, Two Years)
Jonas Jerebko ($4.5 Million, Two Years)
Sixers Receive:
Kendrick Perkins ($8.7 Million, Two Years)
Jeremy Lamb ($2.1 Million, Two Years)
Perry Jones III ($1.1 Million, Three Years)
Why The Knicks Do It: Well, we sort of outlined that earlier. In this scenario, the Knicks suck, and they're pretty sure that Anthony is opting out and not coming back. In this scenario, they clear some salary, and grab their frontcourt of the future in Greg Monroe and Steve Adams. As well, they add a wing player who can shoot at a controlled price in Kyle Singler. They're also happy to get Hasheem Thabeet so they can try to make a bad basketball player good and eventually fail at doing so.
Why The Pistons Do It: Remember when the Nets traded for Deron Williams without the assurance that he'd stay? They sent a boatload of stuff over to Utah, and just decided that the money was enough of an advantage and they'd take their chances. It seems pretty clear that they'll end up moving Monroe, and Anthony gives them the #1 option they'll need to consider themselves a real threat.
Why The Thunder Do It: Well first of all, they ship off the albatross of a contract in Kendrick Perkins, who by all accounts is no longer a useful basketball player. In Chandler, they add another rim protector to pair with Ibaka, and in Jerebko they add a person who is alive.
Why The Sixers Do It: Why not! In exchange for absorbing the awful Perkins contract, they get two more "upside guys" in Lamb and PJIII. As well, the Perkins contract, while pretty awful, will be an expiring next season and possibly have some value.