Former defensive player of the year, Ben Wallace, is headed to the Cleveland Cavaliers to help LeBron James get back to the NBA Finals.
The Trade
- The Chicago Bulls receive guard Shannon Brown, guard Larry Hughes, forward Cedric Simmons, and forward Drew Gooden.
- The Cleveland Cavalier receive guard Delonte West, forward Wally Szczerbiak, forward Joe Smith, center Ben Wallace, and a 2009 2nd round draft pick.
- The Seattle Sonics receive guard Adrian Griffin, forward Ira Newble, and forward Donyell Marshall.
For the Chicago Bulls
The Chicago Bulls basically did this trade to rid themselves of Ben Wallace.
The former defensive player of the year was obviously unhappy playing in Chicago. It was to the point where his effectiveness was quite limited. His refusal to be a team captain and his bickering with rookie teammate Joakim Noah basically ruined the team chemistry.
Plus, Ben Wallace has another 2 years left on his contract after this season. He is owed $28.5 million.
Larry Hughes has a pretty big contract as well, but the Chicago Bulls would rather take the risk with him as opposed to keeping things the same with Ben Wallace. Larry Hughes should be able to start in the backcourt alongside Kirk Hinrich. He’s also insurance (albeit an expensive one) in case Ben Gordon leaves the team this summer. The change of scenery could do wonders for Larry Hughes.
Drew Gooden is a solid big man. He should be able to contribute immediately. Plus, if the Chicago Bulls don’t want him in their long term plans, he becomes a valuable commodity next season as a big man with a $7 million expiring contract.
Shannon Brown and Cedric Simmons are basically just two prospects for the team. The Chicago Bulls aren’t expecting a lot from them, so any contribution they give would be a bonus.
For the Cleveland Cavaliers
The Cleveland Cavaliers did this trade in preparations of a long playoff run. They want to return to the NBA Finals again.
In Ben Wallace, the Cleveland Cavaliers add a guy that could be a force as a rebounder, shot blocker, and defender. If the trade rejuvenates him, then Ben Wallace provides the team with everything that they needed in the paint.
Ben Wallace should also be a perfect complement for center Zydrunas Ilgauskas. Big Z can focus on the offensive end while Wallace can focus on the defensive side. Plus, With Zydrunas Ilgaskas being able to step outside with a reliable midrange jumper and good passing abilities, that should allow Ben Wallace to get a couple offensive touches.
Veteran Joe Smith brings added depth to the Cleveland Cavaliers bench. His energy on defense should endear him to fans in the same way that Anderson Varejao does. In fact, the energy from Joe Smith, Anderson Varejao, and Ben Wallace could even become contagious for the other players on the team.
Wally Szczerbiak, who played college basketball in the state of Ohio, will be a great complement for LeBron James. His outside shooting abilities should clear more space for King James to operate in the lane. It also works the other way around as well as the defensive focus on LeBron James should allow for more open shots for Wally Szczerbiak.
For years, the Cleveland Cavaliers have been in search of a point guard. Delonte West could very well become that point guard that they’ve been looking for. When you play with someone like LeBron James, you need to be able to play off the ball. Delonte West came into the league as a combination guard, so he does have that ability. The franchise should be set for the next few years at the position thanks to the combination of Delonte West and Daniel Gibson.
For the Seattle Sonics
The Seattle Sonics basically did the trade for salary cap purpose.
Wally Szczerbiak was making approximately $13 million. It’s a lot easier to trade several players with smaller contracts as opposed to trading a player with a huge contract. With the team focused on the future, moving the sharpshooter made sense.
Adrian Griffin and Ira Newble are both veterans with small expiring contracts. They’ll provide some defense for the rest of the season and then move on.
Donyell Marshall has an addition year on his contract after this season, but it wouldn’t be difficult at all for the Seattle Sonics to find a taker for the veteran bench scorer. They could also choose to buy him out, too, if they wanted.
Closing Thoughts
This seems to be the season for trades that work out for every team involved. This three way trade is no exception.