(Warning: I'm a Kings fan, and I'm a little unstable right now.) The belle of this season's trade deadline ball has been, in the absence of Amare Stoudemire, Mr. John Salmons. Salmons is a fine little player, a 29-year-old jack-of-some-trades who can score and pass and defend.
Brad Miller ... well, you know about him. A highly skilled center who can't jump over a pancake (not that he'd want to) and carries a $12 million salary next season. Everyone wanted in on Salmons, while Miller's destinations seemed few. Idea! Why not package them together to make sure you lose the dud? Sacramento did just that today in swapping the pair for Chicago's Drew Gooden and Andres Nocioni.
The Nocioni acquisition is odd at best for Sacramento; Andres is 29 years old, getting worse every year, and signed above the midlevel until 2012. He might fit better in Sacramento than Salmons did, but Salmons is cheaper and less likely to eat children. We like our children in Sacramento, and we like our children to have heads.
Gooden's deal expires this summer, as do the contracts for auxilliary players Cedric Simmons, Michael Ruffin (who heads to Portland) and Ike Diogu. As such, the Kings save $10 million next season and might be able to make a small free agent play. However, Sacramento now has three small forwards signed through 2012: Nocioni, Francisco Garcia and rookie Donté Greene. Two-guard Kevin Martin is also signed long-term.
The Bulls should certainly make the playoffs now. Salmons could very well start in front of Ben Gordon (and make him expendable this summer). I imagine Vinny Del Negro will start Miller; it's plausible that Tyrus Thomas or Joakim Noah could be involved in some trade talks, as well. (Who knows?)
Trade! Chicago Grabs Miller, Salmons for Gooden, Nocioni originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Wed, 18 Feb 2009 17:23:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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