#SLOE: People's Basketball Sim League

-- "Down the stretch they come". I can't myself help but use the analogy that's so often used to describe the madness of activity that is normally surrounded by end of a tightly contested race. One horse edges out the other or a race car bumps another for positioning. It's often the thrill of the very end that defines the pure emotion that captures the essence of why we love sports. So when applying that very phrase to the world of basketball and NBA in general, the trade deadline day often signifies to every fan base, far and wide, the intentions of the direction each club is going and what it means for the next few months and the future ahead. Now, there were only five deals made in total over the span of 24 hours leading up to the deadline itself but hopefully after reading this, you'll see the impact and ramification each deal has on the perspective franchises. Lets dig in.

1) Charlotte Hornets & New York Knicks: The particulars were Aaron McKie and Rafer Alston heading up I95 to Madison Square Garden and joining the 11-41 Knicks and Charlotte welcomed back an old face in Sean Elliot and underperforming lottery pick from the 1997 draft, Ron Mercer.

-- Facing the luxury tax bill for the first time, the Hornets needed to ease some of the financial strain that could come from such a steep bill and made numerous calls around the league supposedly offering McKie for next to nothing in some offers. McKie's talents as a combo guard and versatile wing would seem like a value to some teams that are trying to make the playoffs but his contract according to some GM's around the league simply "didn't match the talent" that he displayed on the court. With the amount of minutes he was being given to lead the second unit, Charlotte was quite displeased with his play. The Knicks were actively looking to dump the expiring Sean Elliot contract they had on their books and hoping to net a deal that made them younger and set the course for the upcoming offseason ahead where the Knicks would surely have a top 5 lottery pick in this deep NBA Draft. The Knicks also acquired backup point guard, Rafer Alston, who gets to return home and play in front of his family and friends. He can now be a backup to the Knicks cornerstone, Jason Terry. Sean Elliot's last full season with the Hornets was nearly 10 years ago but he's been able to remain productive over the last few years. Now his #'s on the Knicks may be a tad inflated due to who was around him and what the Knicks asked him to do but Elliot will be able to take a step back and give the Hornets a viable 6th man scorer off the bench that can also rebound on the wing. This deal saved the Hornets about half a million but on the court gives this a solid option behind Ron Artest. While this move may seem minimal, for a rental purpose that Sean Elliot purely will be, I think the Hornets and Knicks both made out well on the deal.

Hornets Grade: B-
Knicks Grade; B

2) Milwaukee Bucks & New Jersey Nets: The particulars Nick Anderson & 4 Points for Rex Walters.

-- Now, this deal isn't as significant as the one I'll bring up later in the article but the Nets have been freefalling to say the least and appear to be in the mode of aiming for the draft lottery. One win in the last 3 weeks has been the direction of the Nets and even then, after dealing the much beloved, Gugs, the Nets stand just 3 games out of a playoff spot. Nick Anderson will ride out his days with the Nets and likely be a player that cycles through teams on vet min contracts till he retires. He still plays under 10 minutes a game. One controversial rumor circulating around the Nets organization was that after they dealt Gugs that the team didn't want any "soft white players" anymore. I'm still wondering what that means for the much beleaguered Nets organization after getting bounced by these very same Bucks last season during the playoffs. Now, Rex Walters has good potentials as a jump shooter and can handle the basketball and not turn it over everytime he catches it. Walters will definitely find himself some minutes around the rotation of Piatkowski, Howard Eisley, and Anthony Goldwire. The Bucks deep depth on the wings will serve them handy come playoff time. The Bucks have the 3 seed all but locked up and fashion themselves as the second best team in the East...Only behind the massive favorite to win the next NBA Championship, the Atlanta Hawks.

Bucks Grade: B
Nets Grade: C-

3) Seattle Sonics & Chicago Bulls: The particulars Wally Szczerbiak and 5 points for Earl Boykins and 2002 Bulls 1st Round pick.

-- The general consensus after this deal was approved was "Welcome back Darth!" with rolled eyes and almost that stabbing sensation some have talked about where it leads to a gruesome trail of blood. Before this deal, Seattle was winless on the season and couldn't buy a win at all. Not only did they win but won their first 2 games of the season this past week in impressive fashion on the road against the Knicks and the Pistons. Granted, the record now leaves them at 2-50 but the wins alone are enough for a celebration for what's otherwise a failure of a season in Seattle and #1 draft pick, Michael Redd. The addition of the Bulls 02 pick along with the previously acquired Celtics pick in that draft class now leaves with a possibility to rebuild the franchise into a playoff squad possibly by the 2003 season. The Bulls didn't see the pick as having much value after they acquired Portland's 02 pick earlier in the season and with the amount of young talent they have at their disposal but the addition of Wally now gives them a decent perimeter offensive minded player and defense isn't his strong suit. Wally will see minutes behind rookie Stephen Jackson and for the 24-28 Bulls, they have had a rollercoaster of a season. At one point, they were 18-13 but that record is good enough for 7th which would project themselves in a matchup against the Bucks if the playoffs started today. The Bulls original mission was to try and pair that pick up with Tim Hardaway but that was not apparently the case.

Sonics Grade: A-
Bulls Grade: C

4) Denver Nuggets & New Jersey Nets: The particulars; Kevin Johnson and the Nuggets 01 first for Isiah Rider and Greg Anthony and a few points.

-- This was the final piece to the Nets dynasty being shipped off. Gugs and Isiah were a dangerous duo for a few seasons but after failing to reach the Conference finals, GM RPF had had enough. The Nuggets may have mortgaged a lot to acquire the likes of Isiah Rider and Shawn Bradley and 2 expiring contracts. Now, they are also without their own first round pick till 03. The Nuggets currently stand 4.5 games back of the 8th spot in the West and would have to hope they can start to make up ground quickly for those hasty moves to bare fruit. At the core, the Nuggets have a nice balance on paper with Rider and Stacey Augmon who's chained to a longterm 8 figure contract but if they can't leapfrog the Clippers and Spurs, the Nets will be sitting with 2 lottery bound picks in a draft that is far better than the last ones that have occurred the last few years. Personally, I think the road ahead is too tough for the Nuggets to make it which makes this gamble one that leads to fools gold.

Nets Grade: A
Nuggets Grade: D+

5) Charlotte Hornets & Utah Jazz: The particulars: Allan Houston and Larry Johnson for Steve Smith.

-- Once considered a thorn in the side of the Hornets for many years playing on the Detroit Pistons, Steve Smith now gets to play on a squad that may be having its best season ever. In a deal literally submitted in the final minute, both teams improved in maybe the deal of the day. The Jazz get a high volume shooter in Allan Houston that can instantly be an offensive weapon next to young phenom, Tim Duncan and help out Stephon Marbury assists numbers if he gets hot. Houston won't be known for his defense but with Bonzi Wells out, Houston can play the 2 or the 3 and gives the Jazz a formidable threat from deep that will aide the Jazz come playoff time. Not to mention the addition of Larry Johnson who has been an anchor for the Hornets second unit all season long since being acquired before the season from the Washington Wizards. Steve Smith gives the Hornets an all purpose wing player that will be paired next to the Admiral and give the Hornets another jolt as they seem locked in at this point into the 5th seed, maybe more. The Hornets have maybe played their best basketball since the clock turned to 2001 and haven't lost a home get yet this new calender year and are 15-3 in their last 18 games and continue to climb.

Hornets Grade: A
Jazz Grade: A

Good writeup Nick, hopefully you can do this article again with a more active deadline in the future seasons. I felt this deadline was a little anti-climatic

Great article Nick!

AWARDED 5 POINTS! THANKS FOR YOUR CONTRIBUTION!