Panic Runs Amok in the West

Been a few weeks since my last update, my work schedule has been hectic and after waking up at 4 AM every day last week, I really didn't have it in me to write. Anyway, I wanted to revisit the last couple weeks in the NBA since my podcast will return to talk hoops this week.

A few weeks ago, I wrote that the Lakers may have made themselves an NBA championship favorite by acquiring Pau Gasol from the Memphis Grizzlies. A quick check on the actual output since he suited up for the Lakers. The Spaniard has averaged 20.5 points, 8.3 rebounds, shooting 64.5% from the floor, and the Lakers are 5-1 in the six games he has played. Early signs indicate great things. If Kobe Bryant can fight through his finger injury and still be productive, the Lakers certainly appear to be on the short list of contenders.

This update isn't about the Lakers though. At least, not directly. This is about the knee jerk reactions the teams in close competition to them have made thus far. The Phoenix Suns owned the best record in the Western Conference and have knocked the Lakers out of the playoffs the last two years, yet they traded away their best perimeter defender and a key cog to their system in Shawn Marion for what's left of Shaquille O'Neal. Banking heavily that he can heal up, get in shape, run, and defend at a championship level again.

Another contender, the Dallas Mavericks, appear to be making another perplexing trade. Acquiring a very long in tooth Jason Kidd from the New Jersey Nets while giving up Devin Harris and some other parts of their depth. Banking that the Kidd who struggles defending quick guards, is a horrible shooter, and is only marginally effective in a half court game like the one Dallas plays can contain burners like Steve Nash, Chris Paul, and Tony Parker while knocking down kickout jumpers created by Dirk Nowitzki and Josh Howard in a slow paced game unlike the type he is accustomed to.

These are huge gambles that smell like panic trades. Any good executive in sports will tell you if you are making moves to counter another team, you have already lost. The Suns and Mavericks are guilty of doing just that and have now backed themselves into a corner. The Mavericks were the best team in the NBA last season and two wins (and some clean refs) away from winning a championship the year before. It seems that the powers that be there are getting to caught up in what others think about them and their competition than what is in their best interest while getting worse in the process.

Shaquille O'Neal and Jason Kidd WERE fantastic players capable of carrying teams to the NBA Finals. They are now shadows of those players as age has caught up with them. As far as I'm concerned, the competitors to the upstart Lakers are now practically paving the path for the purple and gold to get back to the finals. When all is said and done, it could be proof positive that cooler heads do indeed prevail in these situations. Too often, we feed the beast that are our franchises. We see a slump and we panic. We see what our rival opponent does and we decide we have to make a trade to get a "superstar" no matter what the cost. When you are dealing with a desperate GM, you are likely going to win the deal more often than not.

By next season at least, Nets fans will be elated that they got a player the caliber of Devin Harris out of an aging Jason Kidd. If Shawn Marion does test the market (which would be foolish because he won't get nearly as much as he would by picking up his option), Miami will be able to shop the free agent market and find a good post complement to Dwyane Wade. All because Dallas and Phoenix worried too much about what the Lakers were doing and too little about what was in their own best interests.

Maybe in the end, I'm wrong and one of those teams ends up making a run and winning an elusive ring thanks to their bold reactions to the Lakers. For now, in the era of second guessing, I will first guess both of these deals.