Double A
Senior Writer, Everything Sports
My 100th article should be a huge deal, at least you know now, and that’s why I waited up to this point to write about any big topic: transactions. At this point in the year, the NBA is closing and MLB is opening its wings for postseason drama. Both have had rumored-filled summers with a massive impact on the league. We can’t see it yet in the NBA, but certainly have seen some in the MLB. The analysis here will forecast the future for the player and the team, as not every relationship is a good fit. I won’t feature anything from past articles, like NBA Free Agency: Sneaky Edition.
NBA
Melo (and Schroder) trade
Analysis: Very surprised the Thunder were able to get something out of that horrible contract, a need that is to put up production when Westbrook is absent. They also got a shooting guard in TLC from Philly. So I would say it’s a win for everyone, as OKC saves money buy purchasing something cheaper and Atlanta opens cap for the future. I don’t think top free agents will want to go there, but you never know what the young squad as in store for this season to showcase the Hawks’ future. If the Lakers can lure LeBron (Philly being close, too), and the city does matter, then don’t count the Hawks out just yet on what they can do.
Leonard for DeRozan trade
Analysis: This trade is even. Brilliant for the Raptors and reasonable for the Spurs. Pop is going to retire soon and gets top player who can slide immediately into the starting lineup. All they care about is staying relevant and competing for their Hall of Fame head coach. For a piece like Kawhi, someone who is questioned about his health and his intention to go the Lakers next summer, it achieves that goal. For Toronto, I’m talking about business not Demar “the face of the franchise”. He had a long and massive contract, but never really a top 20 player like Kawhi. He wouldn’t have the impact in the playoffs has would Kawhi, even without LeBron there. They needed a scenery change, and because of it they can have a run for the finals right now. If Kawhi does leave like expected, then I see a rebuild of at most three years. It’s risky, but not as much as most pose it to be. They could never capitalize on building talent (through late draft picks or free agency), so if Kawhi stays it changes all that. If he leaves they have a chance to finally get a superstar through the draft and build Toronto has a premiere destination for free agents to go to. Either way is a win in my eyes.
Doncic for Young trade
Analysis: I was surprised that Young was valued higher than someone that bound to go to Sacramento at number two, but saw something in this boom or bust prospect. If Young is a great player, I can see this being same type of trade Boston made with Philadelphia last year. Not only did Boston get a 1st rounder from Philly, they got the player they want for less money (third pick compared to if they stayed at first overall). Tatum seems like he will be a star, independent of what Fultz looks like right now. Thus, I see the Hawks potentially winning this trade by imitating what Boston did.
Extensions (PG13, Jokic, Capela, CP3, Love, KD, Booker)
Analysis: All impactful here since there could have been a huge power shift in the league if any of these guys didn’t leave their current team (e.g George signs with Philly). Anyway, at least some loyalty is shown through all the chaos that happened in the offseason (Stars like Cousins and LeBron leave, two players spurn their teams to sign with the Kings). The most shocking one has to be Kevin Love, though George would come in second place. The big man, I think, would have gotten less money next year than what he actually got (and it wasn’t the max). I don’t think Cleveland will want to keep that contract by the third or fourth year, either. He’s about to be 30 next month. Booker, Jokic, Capela was all expected due to restricted free agency after their rookie contracts. Chris Paul and Durant were as well as they are too valuable for their teams to leave, especially in the postseason. Paul George was interesting, but it made sense. Lots of people had the Lakers, I had the 76ers. At the end of the day it was the Thunder who traded for him.
LeBron to LA
Analysis: I like the fit already, as LeBron is calling the shots by calling over Stephenson, Rondo, McGee, and Beasley to his side. This team has a lot of potential next year, with the likes of Kawhi and promise of the young core of Ball, Kuzma, Ingram, and Hart. For now, they are probably going to be a bottom four team within the top eight west teams and won’t go that far in the playoffs. Again, that’s okay with the process they have set up for LeBron here. He is getting older, but for this year he won’t have to deal with as much play-making or stress since he his team doesn’t have Finals aspirations. He should really have a great (MVP?) year for the 2019-2020 season.
Boogie to Golden State
Analysis: “This is my chess move”, says DeMarcus. It’s funny that a team like the Twins signs a guy for two years, knowing he won’t play the first year due to injury. They know Pineda has the talent, and would come back from the injury returning back to his form. The NBA, however, was a bit harsher to the center market and especially one with an Achilles injury. Pelicans offered him two years for $40 million. If it the contract was cut in half (just one year) he would have taken that. He’s worth the max and he knows that. This season for him is just getting healthy and showing his worth in the process, cashing in afterwards. So any contract he would take was going to be cheap compared to his value. Personally, I’m not bothered by him going to the Warriors (mostly in part he called them out of desperateness). Either way, Golden State was going to win the championship in 2019. DeMarcus doesn’t change that. No one has done enough to beat them, at least not until next summer rolls around (when he and Klay leaves).
Honorable Mentions: Derrick Favors, DeAndre Jordan, Zach LaVine, Isiah Thomas, and Julius Randle
MLB
Machado and Dozier head to Dodgers
Analysis: No team is secured in a tightly contested NL West, which you can tell by the flurry of moves made by the Diamondbacks and Dodgers. Ironically, the Rockies got one reliever (Oh from Toronto) and that was it. The Giants couldn’t do so much, but look for them to sell in August. Though Colorado can still make a run for the division title, I see them as a fringe wild card team. I see the division as a two team race, so let’s dive in on their trades. Arizona got three relievers and Eduardo Escobar. Jake Lamb is going to be gone for a while with a shoulder injury, so building depth with him is perfect. The bullpen is revamped with Andriese, Ziegler, and Diekman, though I hope they can handle the difficulty of Coors Field and the stacked Dodgers lineup. As for the Dodgers, they really revamped their infield. Got an elite shortstop (or third basemen) and an all-star second basemen. Axford helps with their bullpen depth going down the stretch of the season. Dodgers have the goods to go and possibly win the World Series, with the Dbacks giving them a headache in the process. Looking at the future, both teams didn’t give them much for these seven guys (more so quantity than quality). However, six of them are going to free agents after this season. Remember, the Dodgers got Yu Darvish and the Dbacks got J.D Martinez last year. One helped significantly and the other couldn’t, and then both left months later. This time around, you never know what can happen.
Cleveland get Martin from Tigers and RPs from Padres
Analysis: Never stop, never settle. Sure the Indians will win the AL Central rather easily, but rather than claiming the playoff spot and moving along, they are making sure that have a shot of winning it all. You see Boston, Houston, New York all having a better team than Cleveland, but with a little bit of that playoff luck, anything goes with them closing the gap. Martin was having a great year before his injury, but he knows the division well enough to get back on track. Hand and Climber might have been too little of a return for their top prospect, but if they are confident in Gomes and can’t resign Miller in the offseason, the Indians can make it work.
Lynn, Britton, Happ go to the Bronx
Analysis: A lot of people said to go after (fill in the blank) just because Judge is out a few weeks. They didn’t. They created depth in the bullpen and not on the field. Because usually you have the same starters in every playoff series, it makes sense to preserve those in the bullpen in case of a certain scenario. They probably did these trades to counter the Red Sox getting Eovaldi, or at least preventing their hands to get on these arms. And it still makes sense anyway. Lynn probably would go to the bullpen with Britton, and Happ is their fifth starter (German was never their answer). Besides, they know the offense can handle itself. Of course with pitching you would rather be careful than sorry, especially with the powerful Red Sox meeting them ten more times. I see them as potential World Series winners in a year or two at most, though I know all three will be free agents after the season. That doesn’t mean they won’t sign one or two.
Brewers create logjam in infield
Analysis: It’s funny how the Brewers needed starting pitching, but instead got two infielders and reliever Soria. I’m not complaining about Schoop or Moose, since with all these shifts players are out of position anyway. Schoop is the only guaranteed one playing for them next season. However, I wouldn’t be too comfortable with Anderson and Miley in that rotation. The fit was more for Harvey, who’s still available via wavier trade this month. They could have gotten Hamels away from the Cubs, where he performs very well at Wrigley Field. Why not Lance Lynn? He knows the division pretty well too. I don’t know what the Brewers envision, but they shouldn’t be too comfortable. The Cubs have Morrow coming back, Chatwood got moved to the bullpen, and they got Chavez and Kinztler via trade. I like their chances to keep the division, but not by much.
Phillies get upgraded, Braves get three arms and Duvall
Analysis: So the Phillies, nearly last in defensive runs saved and lack veteran experience, get what they needed and more depth in the bullpen. Loup from the Blue Jays is a good fit, a lefty capable of striking out guys as well as getting to ground out. He is struggling this year, but a new ballpark (and league) should help him. Cabrera and Ramos are great bats to plug into the lineup and probably better defensively than Kingery and Alfaro, respectively. All three are bound for free agency, with Ramos the only one I see staying after this season. That’s not the case at all with Atlanta, as the only guy of their four that’s waiting for free agency is Brad Brach. The rest are more than just one year rentals: Duvall, O’Day, and Gausman. All the arms were acquired by the O’s and should completely help them not fall behind Philadelphia. Whoever doesn’t win the NL East, probably will miss the wild card by a game or two because you have at least three playoff teams in each the Central and West division. Most, I would say, are better positioned than the Braves or Phillies. The urgency was there for both teams to make moves and they did, and now they will be staring down at each other until their last series of the regular season.
Pirates and Rays make the biggest splash
Analysis: It seemed like the Cardinals were weirdly selling, as they got one piece from the Yankees and trading away decent pieces. The headliner is Pham going to Tampa, as he solidifies a nice outfield along with a change of scenery for his slumping bat. This could have been the icing on the cake do to a move for Pittsburgh. With the Cubs’ holding firm on the division, the Brewers weren’t trading for any starter, and the Cardinals preferring they rid the outfield jam instead of having depth, the Pirates are looking for a spot in the wild card game. They even got a closer from the Rangers in Keone Kela, with three years of control. And though their chances aren’t high, they have an ace in Archer for the future to build on the rotation. That didn’t come without risk, as the Rays did good on their end of the deal. Two promising young players with a lot of team control, along with their young core already in the field, tells me Tampa is decreasing their effort to be in the playoff race. With or without Archer, their chances were slim as well to make a wild card spot with the Yankees, Mariners, Athletics bound to occupy the two. Both teams are looking for the future, but in different ways. Pirates wanted someone ready and the Rays wanted to continue to build on the youth.
AL West got more than just interesting….it got dramatic
Analysis: As of today, August 1st, the Mariners are four games back and the Athletics are five games back of the division leading Astros. Sure, the NL West has two teams only half a game back of their division leader (Arizona), but all were expected to be in the thick of the race. The Mariners had high hopes, but to be this close to Houston? Same for Oakland! No one had them near the playoff hunt, but they are right there with Seattle and New York for the wild card game. Anyway, not too big of the moves came in this division but regardless still helps. All three teams added relievers. Oakland got Familia, who has been pitching great. Seattle got Maybin, Tuivailala, Duke, and Warren. Houston got Osuna, Pressly, and Maldonado. Some of these guys have team control, but all three teams are looking for only this season and a chance in the postseason. If I were to bet, I would say Houston is going to win the division. Though I believe the Mariners have a better overall team than Oakland, it’s very difficult to say who will win the second wild card spot. August will get more clearer with more games being played, but also more trades being done. Either way, nothing is safe in that division.
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