Breaking: Tyson Chandler Just Became a Thunder

Posted by Rob Mahoney on February 17, 2009 under News | 10 Comments to Read

Seems pretty official, folks: the Hornets are trading Tyson Chandler to the Thunder for Chris Wilcox and Joe Smith (or more importantly, their expiring contracts).

And yes, this is good good good for the Mavs.  More to come later, but let me start with this: New Orleans got hosed.

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  • David

    Good news for Mavs fans! This should make it easier for us to get into the playoffs, but that doesn’t comfort me much if WE don’t make a move.

  • http://www.nba-blog.de David

    Mhh, but New Orleans played a long stretch of the season without Chandler, and they’re still in front of us (ok, only one loss).

  • http://www.dallas-mavs.com Jared

    If you ever hear someone call Cuban cheap again (and yes, as crazy as that sounds, people do) just remind them of what Phoenix has done to stay under the luxury tax the last five years (gave away Rondo, Rodriguez, Fernandez, traded Joe Johnson, gave up two first rounders to get rid of Kurt Thomas) and remind them of what New Orleans just did.

    They just gutted their young, up and coming team by trading away their only center. A good, young center.

    Through all of his faults, I love Cuban, and I’ll love him even more if he gets us a steal like this because he’s willing to take on money right now.

  • wacc_attack

    the only time i have called Cubes cheap, and you cant argue here, is when he let Nash go. a few seasons later that decision came back and bit is straight up in the butt, forcing us to go after an older PG with a higher contract, surrendering a PG of the future + 2 first round picks and loads of cash.

    the point is, it doesnt pay to be cheap when it comes to quality players. if you can get them, get them and keep them.

  • http://www.dallas-mavs.com Jared

    The Nash thing was not about cheap, it was about financial flexibility and being smart. You can be cheap and dumb (see the Hornets giving Posey a big contract and then having to give away their center for money reasons).

    And whether or not letting Nash go was a mistake is still highly debatable. Outside of D’Antoni’s system, which emphasizes his strengths and minimizes his horrendous defense, he’s never been anything but a fringe all star point guard.

  • http://projectvibe.net Boogie

    Trade not so good for OKC either… without a premier PG with a special knack for the oop, Chandler will go back to having the same kinda year he had in Chicago… Average… but a long ways off from good.

  • Cynthia

    It does look like the Hornets are giving up on the season, doesn’t it? I’m just about as thrilled with this trade as I will be if the Mavs get Salmons. The Hornets are really going to miss their big man come playoff time….provided that they even get to the playoffs now. I couldn’t be happier for them!

  • Brian D

    I knew this situation was coming soon. George Shinn was run out of Charlotte because of his penny pinching (well, and the rape charge). Luckily for him nobody in Louisiana gives a shit about basketball, so it’ll go largely unnoticed, much like the Hornets in general.

  • Kevin

    I don’t think it’s that bad for New Orleans, Chandler only averaged 9 points and 9 rebounds this year and wasn’t that great on defense. Joe Smith and Chris Wilcox are both solid and are both motivated. If Paul stays healthy they make the playoffs.

  • Charles

    100% agree with the Nash argument. The man is a great pg, but it was D’antoni’s system that really allowed him to flourish.

    All you have to do is look at the Knicks this season to understand how much D’antoni meant to Nash and his two MVP season. Chris F*##ing Duhon is running up and down the court like some sort of basketball god in that system.

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