By Sam Lawler ‘19, Staff Writer

Phoenix Tries To Solve Their Point Guard Problem, But They Don’t

This is SO FRUSTRATING! Look. I’m not a Phoenix fan. But this is mind-boggling. They had 3 good point guards. Traded two of them…and then traded for another great point guard! What does that solve? Nothing. You got rid of Goran Dragic. Great. They didn’t solve any problems by getting Brandon Knight. They still have two starting point guards on their roster, and I highly doubt either Brandon Knight or Eric Bledsoe will be happy being moved to shooting guard or the bench. Phoenix also traded for something they don’t need, A POINT GUARD. Get a big man from the Celtics! They have loads of them! After trading Miles Plumlee to the Bucks, they are short at the big man spot. And they’re still too high on the point guard spot. While I’m talking about this, I might as well go into the Isaiah Thomas to Boston thing. It’s confusing. They want to build their future around Marcus Smart or something like that, right? And they’re rebuilding, right? They don’t want to be in the playoffs, right??? This trade defies all of that. Trading for a good point guard who will stunt Smart’s development really isn’t smart. Also. Michael Carter-Williams to the Bucks is a shocker. Not sure what the Sixers are thinking. Ugh. Frustrating. I think the Bucks will be dominant if Michael Carter-Williams resigns with the Bucks this offseason.

Detroit, Utah, OKC Three-Teamer

Enes Kanter wanted out, we knew that. Reggie Jackson and Perkins were probably gonna get moved. What do the Jazz get out of this, though? Smart move by Pistons and the Thunder. But Jazz trade one of their best young guys, a protected pick from OKC, a second rounder, a scrub, and Kendrick Perkins, who they are supposedly going to agree to a buyout with. So, what’s the catch? There is no catch. Pistons get a good replacement for injured Brandon Jennings and they can maybe reach the playoffs and maybe make a run at the Finals? Hey, ya never know. OKC gets a solid, young, improving big man, along with Kyle Singler who can shoot the ball, and D.J. Augustin, who has been playing pretty well as of late. This isn’t too puzzling…for people who aren’t Utah fans. And let’s face it, who is a Jazz fan anyways?

The “Whoopty-Doo” Trades

The Rockets get Pablo Prigioni for Alexey Shved and a pair of second rounders. What were the Knicks thinking? Don’t know, don’t care. Houston also gets K.J. McDaniels for Isaiah Canaan and a 2nd round pick. Bolstering their bench, smart. Denver gets nothing, Sixers get Javale McGee and an OKC protected pick. Andre Miller is shipped off to Sacramento, while Ramon Sessions is off to Washington.

The Cute Little Reunions

Kevin Garnett is back in a Minnesota Timberwolves uniform. Tayshaun Prince is in a Detroit Pistons uni yet again. That’s nice, isn’t it? But it doesn’t matter. Moving on.

Goran Dragic Is Set Free

Goran Dragic is PUMPED right now. First off, he’s living in Miami. Second of all, he doesn’t have another annoying point guard with him anymore like he did in Phoenix. Phoenix gets kind of a lot back, though. Washed-up Danny Granger, John Salmons, and 2 first-round picks. Those picks could turn out to be a big deal. Norris Cole is off to play with Anthony Davis’ Pelicans. Cole will start for now, because Jrue Holiday is sidelined with an aggravated leg injury. Poor guy. Shawne Williams was moved to New Orleans, and is expected to be waived.

Blazers Boost Their Bench…But Downgrade It Too

Trail Blazers got Arron Afflalo. Afflalo is mainly a shooting guard, and Portland already has a point guard that they like in Wesley Matthews. Afflalo can also play the small forward position if need be, and the current starting Blazers small forward, Nicolas Batum, is really struggling right now. His average points per game have gone down from 13.0 to 8.9 in a year, a full 4.1 points per game lower. Not only that, but his rebound totals have gone down from 7.5 to 5.5, and the assist numbers have dropped by 0.4 per game also. Afflalo can provide a spark off the bench or, if Batum continues to struggle, then he can start. Afflalo is averaging 14.5 points per game. Power forward Thomas Robinson was shipped to Denver but agreed to a buyout, which means Robinson will not be a Nugget and will be on the open market. Afflalo was averaging 33 minutes per game for the Nuggets this year, and Randy Foye, who is averaging under 16 minutes per game, will have to start, leaving a gaping hole at the shooting guard position.