The One Player Every Contender Should Trade For
Hint: It isn’t Derek Bell.
What up, people? It’s Wednesday, three days after the Superbowl, and my laptop has gone into its annual operation shutdown (word to Derek Bell). So the last three days I’ve been in the SLAM Dome using the computer our intern Konate usually works on. It also means I can’t get at all my bookmarks and my browsers and email and stuff, so I feel a little off-kilter, like a fish out of water. To top it off, it’s 15 degrees in New York today.
The other reason I was AWOL was that we were finishing up issue 107, which is going to be another winner. Crappy past few days all the way around. The lone highlight was arriving at work yesterday and finding “MVP 07 NCAA Baseball” waiting for me. My favorite video game of last year is back with a brand new edition. Sam and I have already broken it in. I got the new Winning Eleven for the 360 today, so I know tonight’s going to be a waste.
The best hoops game I saw over the weekend was the Hawks/Nets game. I didn’t attend in person because it tipped at noon on Sunday, when I’m usually just waking up. Also, wanted to save my energy to review Superbowl commercials. But I watched the Hawks/Nets from start to finish on TV, and I got to see Joe Johnson carry the Hawks (and kill Eastern Conference All-Star Jason Kidd) throughout the second half, finishing with 37 points. When Ty Lue sank that three to win at the end of overtime, I was up off my couch, furiously pumping my fist. Wifey saw the Hawks players celebrating wildly and said, “Look how happy they are!” It’s because they never win, I told her. Big win for the Hawks.
Monday night I watched a veritable smorgasboard of basketball. Started with Hawks/Lakers, which wasn’t much of a game. The Hawks were flat throughout, and the lone highlight for Hawks fans was Josh Smith’s unbelievable reverse alley-oop. Just watch this.
Later, after watching “24″ and the latest episode of the maddeningly addictive “The Hills” — I’m not sure there has ever been more stupid people on one TV show — I watched some West Coast action. That Nuggets/Suns game was mildly interesting, but Nash got injured and Iverson was hurt and didn’t play. This forced a miserable Steve Blake/Marcus Banks match-up. Steve Blake, I’m sorry to say, just makes me nervous to watch. And Scott Hastings kills me to listen to — he might be the most biased/homer announcer in the NBA.
I can’t get enough of watching Chris Paul. As good as Deron Williams is, I’d still take Chris Paul over him, ten times out of ten. Paul made a play in the Hornets game the other night that had me shaking my head: He led the team on a break and got near the rim when he found himself in midair, and the trailer who was rushing the rim wasn’t close enough for CP3 to make a regular pass to him. So Paul bounced the ball off the floor and up into the air, and the trailer grabbed the ball on the way down and stuck it in the hoop for a lay-up. It was like a pass out of a Globetrotters game or something. And yes, I’d rather have Chris Paul than Marvin Williams. But we have Marvin Williams, so I’m living with that, and he’s actually much improved from even one month ago.
I also watched a lot of college ball, and while I’m still not a college hoops fan — the games seem so sloppy to me — I will allow that Texas A&M has the coolest court I’ve seen this year. Couldn’t find a picture online.
Back to the NBA. One player has really stood out to me lately, and he’s been standing out every time I’ve watched him play the last few weeks: Josh Childress. He gets next to no publicity because he’s on the Hawks and none of the so-called “experts” ever watch the Hawks play (as evidenced by Joe Johnson not making the All-Star Game). But Childress is their most consistent player, and he’s probably their smartest player, too. He knows when to take guys off the dribble, he knows when to get the ball to better players, he’s shooting 53-percent from the floor, he guards everyone from point guards to power forwards. I’m just not sure what he’s doing on the Hawks. He would immediately make San Antonio or Los Angeles or even Phoenix a much better team. The only team I’m not sure he would help straight away is Dallas, although he surely wouldn’t hurt them.
This should lead into a discussion about Hawks GM Billy Knight and the way he’s mismanaging this Hawks team, but I don’t want to go there right now.
Anyway, I’m back. More tomorrow.
41 Responses to “The One Player Every Contender Should Trade For”
Feb.7 at 9:48 pm
Lang Whitaker says:
First!
Feb.7 at 10:00 pm
CAPO says:
where are the links lang…..i need the links
Feb.7 at 10:02 pm
Tom Jackson says:
Strangely silent from SLAM on the John Amaechi front. What’s up with that, Lang? A 6′10″ British guy who began flaunting his homosexuality on Jerry Sloan’s watch in SALT LAKE CITY? Where’s the rapier wit?! This is the best story since Handlogoten, maybe better.
Feb.7 at 10:06 pm
Cooonnnnor says:
niiiice lang.
Feb.7 at 10:49 pm
Drolfe says:
That Josh Smith oop was silly.
Feb.7 at 11:49 pm
Dean says:
do think they would take Josh Childress more seriously if he didn’t have that hair?……..Chris Paul if definitely the best of that bunch….and IT IS A CRIME THE JOE JOHNSON IS NOT AN ALLSTAR ….. go raps
Feb.8 at 12:02 am
RiseKing says:
http://www.aggieathletics.com/facilities.php?FID=11 Lang, here’s a pic of Reed Arena @ A&M…thanks for the ATLien link.
Feb.8 at 12:33 am
Boing Dynasty says:
Every time i see Josh Childress score i feel like it was 51% luck…
Feb.8 at 12:38 am
J R says:
ur lucky its 15 degrees. try living in mn.
Feb.8 at 1:30 am
Ryan Jones says:
TJ: It’s generally wit-free (rapier or otherwise) but I do address the Amaechi situation over on the Farmer Jones blog. Check me out.
Feb.8 at 1:30 am
David says:
Lang, thank you, “first” made me laugh out loud. But i’m not convinced that every contender should trade for Childress. He strikes me as one of those under-achiever types that someone WILL trade or sign for, and then realize that he’ll never progress any further. (e.g. Swift, Harrington)
Feb.8 at 1:41 am
cw says:
Lang, you should definitely check out the pass from Bargniani to Bosh in the Raps-Hawks game (I think). You’d be jumping out of your seat! It’s on YouTube. Paul ain’t got shit on Il Mago!!
/end homerism
Feb.8 at 2:34 am
Topher says:
Chilress is way more about intangibles than Al or Stro and like the teams Lang mentioned he woould work great where there are other guys to carry the big load and Josh do the little things and learn a decent pace, al a Tayshaun Prince
Feb.8 at 2:47 am
Co Co says:
Lang, I’m a Hawks fan and I don’t want Chills to be traded for all the reasons you named. He’s the best player we have coming off the bench! Are you trying to set us back even further or farther? I honestly don’t know right now!
Feb.8 at 3:14 am
Danny says:
One player everyone should trade for? How about Ray Allen? Can you imagine him on the Jazz, Wolves, Bulls or Cavs? Instant contenders… ok, maybe not the Wolves. I still wonder if they had not made that draft day trade (Allen for Marbury) — would Ray have stuck around and Garnett’s resume would now look more like Duncan’s?
Feb.8 at 3:28 am
Boing Dynasty says:
that trade was a nesesity, with out it we would never have had the pleasure of the Gary Payton reign in Milwaukee…
Feb.8 at 4:16 am
Alecks says:
That’s the problem if you’re a good player on a bad team… you wouldn’t get the exposure, the TV time…here in the Philippines the Spurs, Wolves and the Nuggets are among the teams whose matches are frequently aired on TV. Not so with the Hawks and Knicks. Dang!
Feb.8 at 4:41 am
Slobodan Chutzpah says:
Nice quip (”First!”), Langster.
Feb.8 at 8:30 am
FLUXLAND says:
Lang? You still work at SLAM?
Feb.8 at 9:31 am
FLUD says:
THE UTAH JASS.
Feb.8 at 10:50 am
» The D.A.Y. of giving up on Denver - SLAM ONLINE says:
[…] Oh, almost forgot about the Hawks-Nets game. Well, the Nets hung on when Josh Childress passed to J-Rich for the shot to win it. Jeremy Richardson. Marvin Williams was kind of dominant down the stretch. But so was Vince, other than his blown dunk. var staf_confirmtext = ‘Mail sent’ #stafBlock { position: absolute !important; z-index: 100000; display: none; width: 200px; } #stafForm { background-color: #ffffff; border: 1px solid #cf2652; padding: 5px; margin:0; } #stafForm h2 { margin: 0; } #stafForm input, #stafForm label, #stafForm h2 { font-family: ‘Lucida Grande’, Verdana, Arial, Sans-Serif; font-size: 1em; color: #222222; } #stafForm input { width: 90px; height: 15px; margin-top: 5px; border: 1px solid #ccc; } #stafForm label { float: left; display: block; width: 90px; line-height: 16px; } #stafClose { float: right; margin-right: 5px; } x […]
Feb.8 at 11:00 am
coach says:
josh childress does’nt get any attention because of his atrocious jumpshot . there ought to be a penalty against that !
Feb.8 at 11:34 am
Cub Buenning says:
Hastings- the most homer announcer? For sure. Lang, haven’t you always considered him “the best inbounds passer of all time!” He’s also currently lobbying (through his radio show w/ ex-Bronco Alfred Williams) for the soon-to-be-open Colorado U. gig.
Feb.8 at 11:49 am
Mike says:
Lang: If you think Hastings is a brutal homer, you haven’t been subjected to the Chuck Swirsky experience. Try tuning into a Raptors game and you’ll be treated to the very definition of “homer”. Swirsky either invented the homer broadcaster, or learned at the feet of the man who did invent it. He is godawful. It makes me long for the days of Rod Black. Black was the original Raptors play by play man who had no knowledge of the game, and who actually is a broadcaster for such basketball-related events as Canadian Championship Figure Skating and the Hamilton Santa Claus parade. The fact that I pine for the man who compared every basketball play to a hockey play should give you a small taste of my dissatisfaction with Swirksy. Swirsky makes every Raptors play seem like a game-winning shot in Game 7 of the Finals, and makes every opposing team’s play seem like it was just luck. Raptors’ dunks are the greatest plays in the history of the game, while opponents’ dunks are classless acts of exhibitionism that are bringing down the league. Man he sucks. For the Americans and others worldwide who haven’t taken a ride on the Swirsky Express, and for the Canadians who feel dumber by the minute due to Swirsky exposure, I’ll leave you with a couple Swirsky gems: “ONIONS BABY ONIONS!!!!” And the always popular phrase Swirsky uses to close a meaningless win “RAPTORS WIN RAPTORS WIN RAPTORS WIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”
I feel like puking. Can we get a “Fire Swirsky” movement going? It seemed to work with Layden.
Feb.8 at 12:01 pm
mutoni says:
mike, i’ve been working on the ‘fire swirsky’ for a while now…
Feb.8 at 12:25 pm
Lang Whitaker says:
I’ve heard Swirsky. I try not to. I miss John Saunders doing the Raptors games. And Cub, I’ve always said that Hastings was the best inbounds passer on the Hawks teams in the 1980s. Not of all time, though.
Feb.8 at 12:44 pm
Cub Buenning says:
That’s quite a difference, Lang. Who(m) then do you consider to be the Hawks best inbound passer of the 90s? The obscenely overpriced, Koncack?
Feb.8 at 1:01 pm
mutoni says:
koncack had a phenomenal mullet. so, that has to count for something.
Feb.8 at 1:44 pm
Chris says:
In defense of chuck swirsky, and I really can’t dispute the points that have been raised, I like the fact he has fun with his play-by-play. Is he corny, ABSOLUTELY, but at least he’s enjoying himself. As a Raps fan living in California, I have to follow the raps through the league pass, which this season primarily has not been showing the raptors broadcast team (apparently they’ve been hearing complaints about swirsky too) but some of these other announcers have no pulse and annouce the game in monotone (I’m talking about your milwalkee and you orlando, and half a dozen other teams). Swirsky, in my biased opinion is far from the worst. The best are probably the nets with mark jackson, or the hawks with steve smith. and I want to punch the kings announcer (grant napear) in the face.
Feb.8 at 2:23 pm
Matt says:
Childress eerily reminds me of Darius Miles somehow…
Feb.8 at 3:12 pm
Ted says:
hey, don’t hate on the hawks/lakers game… the fans at that game definitely got their money worth… I’ve never seen a game like that where the entire stadium was actually erupting when the opposing player scores… what’s going on in Hotlanta? do the fans really have nothing more to cheer for? by the way.. three crazy alley hoops by Josh Smith? that’s one hell of a game in my book…
Feb.8 at 3:26 pm
Reggie Evans says:
I doubt Lang was cheering “MVP” along with the other fans in Atlanta at the Lakers game.
Feb.8 at 3:33 pm
Le Rob says:
Maybe i´m weird but i like Swirsky because his exuberance. Sure he roots for his team but at least he doesn´t try to say that every call against the raptors is wrong like that jerk who calls the Kings games. let Swirsk root 4 the Raps as long as he keeps it honest.
Feb.8 at 3:34 pm
Steve Francis/ Cuttino Mobley says:
John Amaechi has given us the courage to come out of the closet too!
Feb.8 at 3:38 pm
Maha10k says:
Hastings is the worst. I acutally wrote that in my blog the other day. He’s the downside of watching the Nuggets on League Pass. I was hoping to get Suns road announcers and instead I get 2.5 hours of how the Suns have committed every foul since the invention of the whistle, while Reggie Evans sets neckbreaking picks. The Nets probably do have the best team. I really like Mark Jackson and Marv is a legend. Even Ian Eagle is good.
Feb.8 at 3:50 pm
William says:
How could Childress not helping the Mavs? They could plug him in the SG position, guarding the bigger players (Devin Harris and Jason Terry is only 6-3)
or they could bring him off the bench backing up Josh Howard and Devin Harris.
Feb.8 at 5:01 pm
Colin says:
Josh Childress has always reminded me of Shane Battier. He isn’t the best at any one thing but he is always better at his opponent at one or two facets of his game and is smart enough to maximize that factor. Both of them make great supporting players on good teams or as ideal 6th men.
Feb.8 at 6:36 pm
goat says:
Take it easy on the Chuckster guys. Sure he does bleed Raptor Red and Black. But like someone else said, he is honest and passionate. Very corny at times, but once you get past that things are gravy.
Chuck calls the game very fairly, and gives respect (when it’s due) to both teams, not just the home squad. If you wanna fire somebody it should be his partner, Leo Rautins, who spends more time trying to make fun of Chuck than he does actually calling the play by play action.
I challenge you to name another nba announcer you knows more obscure facts about the NBA than Chuck. And for those of you who have heard Chuck scream “ONIONS!” after a big shot at the end of a game but have no idea why, heres some insight…..it’s because he considers the shot that was just made a “tear-jerker” I wish he would drop the whole Salami & Cheese routine, even though I find myself getting excited when I think it’s coming up soon….
Feb.8 at 8:06 pm
Garrett says:
Thanks for the insight on the whole, “Onions!” thing goat. I cringe at some of the things Chuck says, but at the same time I like him because he seems like a regular dude who just likes basketball. Some of the banter between him and Rautins is decent, especially when they have candid moments discussing other players or teams when things are kind of boring during the game happening in front of them. Oh yeah, can’t forget, “Another MP3 download from the corner!” when Mo Pete hits his obligatory 3 from one of the corners.
Feb.9 at 12:49 am
TC says:
Someone thinks he would pick CP3 over Marvin….wow, how could this be???
Feb.9 at 10:47 am
Matt says:
“From downtown Hamilton, this one comes to you from blah blah blah…” He was better when he only did radio. He’s gotta drop the gimmicks ASAP.