Two trades--Dallas goes international

[SeriousSummer]

When do you get good value in trades?

When the other team wants to get rid of somebody. I didn't realize I'd brought in all international players until I looked back at the trades, but talent is talent.

Taking that into consideration, here are two proposed trades to balance the Mavericks:

1. Jason Terry & DJ MBenga to Toronto for Jose Calderon and Rasho Nesterovic.

Dallas clears the deck for Harris to start at point guard, while bringing in a capable (and young) back up point. Nesterovic isn't a great center, but he scores well enough so you can't ignore him. Dallas needs that different look.

Toronto clears Nesterovic's contract and eliminates a budding point guard controversy. JET gives them a talented outside shooter and back up point, while DJ is a physical presence at center.

2. Erik Dampier, Greg Buckner & Moe Ager for Andrei Kirilenko and Gordon Giricek.

Utah is big time down on Kirilenko and Giricek. Dallas doesn't need both Dampier and Diop, while Utah can now play a big man rotation of Dampier, Okur and Boozer, depending on the match ups. Dampier and Buckner are defensive players in Jerry Sloan's system, while Ager adds young talent.

Dallas gets a starting small forward, who will work well with Dirk, and a back up shooting guard.

Dallas line up:

Nesterovic/Diop
Dirk/Croshere or MLE/(but AK actually gets the minutes)
Kirilenko/Stackhouse/(but Howard swings down to get the minutes here)
Howard/Giricek/(but Stackhouse probably gets the most time here)
Harris/Calderon

or by time:

C: Nesterovic (22), Diop (22), Dirk (4)
PF: Dirk (32); AK (12); MLE/Croshere/Pops (4)
SF: AK (24); Howard (16); Stackhouse (8)
SG: Howard (24); Stackhouse (12); Giricek (8); Calderon (4)
PG: Harris (32); Calderon (16)

Dallas has an extremely flexible and athletic team. Diop plays when you need defense. Nesterovic when you need an offensive threat. You can go big, with Kirilenko at small forward and Howard at shooting guard, or you can go small with Kirilenko at power forward, Howard at small forward and Dirk at center.

You still have Stackhouse for scoring off the bench, Giricek is a shooter, and you have two young, promising point guards to run the team.

Dallas also still has its MLE, LLE and draft picks to fill up the roster, but for the most part, Dallas will go only 8 or 9 deep--Nesterovic & Diop at center (with Dirk when needed); Dirk at PF with Kirilenko backing him up; Kirilenko at SF, with Howard playing behing him; Howard at SG with Stackhouse playing behing him; and Harris and Calderon at PG. Maybe Giricek can get a few minutes, or a resigned Croshere or George, or someone signed with the MLE or LLE. Last years rookies compete with this year's for roster spots.

But Dallas has solved the issues of a scoring threat at center, and a too small back court, while bringing in enough depth in Calderon and Giricek to rest its starters.

[nashtymavsfan13]

The second one is fine, but I think we can get a lot more than Calderon/Nesterovic for Terry. By trading Terry we should clearly be upgrading our team, and the first trade doesn't seem to do that. I also don't think the Jazz would accept that trade, but they might.