[Izulde]

Washington Wizards receive
PG Aaron Brennan

San Antonio Spurs receive
PF Jamarcus Wilson

What this means for the Wizards
The Wizards collect another talented young PG in 24 year old Brennan, who despite having some good all-around ability has found playing time hard to come by in his 5 and a 1/2 seasons in the league. With Brennan and Tony Johnson now on the Washington roster, could Leland Peterson's days be numbered?

What this means for the Spurs
Wilson's departure has been rumored for quite some time now, with the Sacramento Kings the most popular name. Instead, it's San Antonio who snaps up the good-shooting 26 year old rebounding specialist and inserts him as their starting PF. Great young lineup forming for the Spurs with Ameirin Qipani (24), Prokopios Vadeki (23), Damian Thomas (20), J. Wilson and Mark Wilson (28). They've also a pretty good bench highlighted by 5 position 23 year old Jermaine Trask, who unlike most full court players, is actually good. Don't be surprised if the Spurs are in the playoffs next year.

Winner: San Antonio
The Spurs swap a disappointing youngster for a talented one who can step in as a starter and significantly improve their first five, while the Wizards now have way too many point guards.

I don't get that trade by the Wizards at all, unless Peterson goes. But they'd have to find a GM dumb enough to take on a 33 year old overrated PG with a fairly bad contract.

It's curious how many month-starting doubleheaders Schedulegate froze us with and we've got another one here, winning both. David Anyan and Nigel Abel each score 23, Antonio Sarchet pulls down 20 points and 11 rebounds and Jim Johnson just misses a bench double with 8 points and 10 rebounds as we knock off the Knicks 97-86. David Anyan keys our 117-111 win over the Trailblazers as well, scoring 29, with Antonio Sarchet putting up 13 points and 14 rebounds, William Tackett racking up 21 points and a great all-around performance from our reserves, including 10 points from Mateen Yeaton on 4 for 4 shooting and 11 assists from Jameel Williams.

Our biggest game of the year comes next against the Suns and we prove that we can beat them, winning 114-101 at home. Antonio Sarchet was a monster with 25 points and 21 rebounds, William Tackett knifed his way to 23 points and 13 assists, Nigel Abel scored 20 and Terrence Howard nabbed 12 points and 11 rebounds.

But our euphoria's short-lived as we lose both games of the ensuing doubleheader. Seattle stuns us 97-77 as we shoot 39.2% and can only produce William Tackett's 14 points and 10 assists and Jim Johnson's 11 bench points. It's the 123-110 loss to Dallas at home the next night that really hurts, though. Marcelino Augusto reams us for 41 points and 13 rebounds and Devone Allen tacks on 33 points to that total. In the face of that, 27 points from Nigel Abel, 17 points and 10 rebounds from Terrence Howard, William Tackett's 12 points and 15 assists and Justin Cherry's 11 bench points just don't cut it.

3 losses in a row after a 100-87 defeat to the Celtics. Terrence Howard's 12 points and 14 rebounds and Jim Johnson's 14 bench points are it and I'm going to have to seriously consider making a deadline move.

After a lot of thought and soul-searching, I come very close to pulling the trigger on a trade, but stop just short, deciding to see how we play our last couple games before the break.

We win both games of the road back-to-back, making the situation more confounding. 103-94 over the Bulls, carried by Terrence Howard's 16 points and 13 rebounds, Nigel Abel's 23 points, and 3 reserves in double-digit scoring: Mike Vines (12 points), Mateen Yeaton (11 points), Jameel Williams (10 points). It's the reverse in our 118-106 win in New Jersey, as our starters carry the day. Terrence Howard is the man of the night with 24 points and 15 rebounds, Antonio Sarchet adds 18 points and 11 rebounds, Nigel Abel scores 25 and William Tackett tosses out 17 points and 15 assists.

William Tackett wasn't going to be denied a starting spot this year and he made the Sophomore team as the PG, netting 13 points and 16 assists as the second years smashed the newcomers 100-88. Sigiswald Eckert was MVP with 26 points, but I thought Damian Thomas's 22 points and 11 rebounds equally deserving. Jim Johnson came off the bench for the Sophomores and had 10 points and 7 rebounds.

A very boring All-Star game saw the West pulverize the East 104-78, with the Clippers' Kueth Hill winning MVP honors with 22 points. No Kings made the cut, which doesn't surprise me. We don't have that go-to superstar this year.

This has been the most agonizing trade deadline I've ever been through. I feel like we're just one step away from being that championship winning team, but I don't know that player is.

I spend a lot of sleepless nights wrestling with that question. It gets so bad I even take up smoking again, indulging in it heavily.

Of course, it's somewhat helped by the fact that the pieces I'm most willing to trade are scoffed at by the GMs I'm trying to deal with. Most of them aren't willing to offer fair value and it makes a real chore. "We're not going to give up a franchise player without getting one in return" all the bastards parrot, as if the players I'm offering aren't franchise men in their own right.

I finally get so disgusted and frustrated, I just decide to stay our hand with what we have.

After such an irritating couple of weeks, it feels damned good to kick the shit out of Atlanta, winning 104-85 on David Anyan's 28 points, Terrence Howard's 24 points on perfect 11/11 shooting and 14 bench rebounds from Jim Johnson.

I make one last ditch effort to find a trade on the very eve of the deadline and just when I'm about to give up hope, I swing a swap.

Sacramento Kings receive
PG Ray Fields
Atlanta Hawks 2028 2nd round pick
Atlanta Hawks 2029 2nd round pick

Atlanta Hawks receive
PF Antonio Sarchet

What this means for the Kings
As fantastic as William Tackett has been, he's an absolute sieve on the defensive end. Fields may not be as good a passer, but he brings much better defense, veteran savvy and enough offense to replace Tackett at starting PG. There's now a 3 headed guard set of Fields (now 32), Tackett and Nigel Abel that's going to create major problems for opponents. The Kings also get rid of Sarchet's rather long contract and usher in Jim Johnson to the starting PF spot, one he's ready for.

What this means for the Hawks
Sarchet's a monster rebounder and a steady scorer, the perfect complement to pair inside with Oswaldo Apolonario, who can no longer be double-teamed in the post at the risk of freeing up the deadly accurate newest Hawk. On the downside, Atlanta doesn't have anyone capable of running the point and while the Suns have proven that's not a problem, the Hawks also don't have the sheer firepower Phoenix brings to compensate for it.

Winner: Draw
Both teams are gambling here. Sacramento's risking that they won't miss Sarchet's ability to rebound inside and that Johnson can keep his matching 60%+ shooting that he had off the bench going with his starting spot. The Kings are also betting they can keep all three of their guards happy. Meanwhile, the Hawks are banking on turning into Phoenix East, the successful team sans legit PG. Neither outcome is one we'd like to wager on.

Okay, so it's risky, but I feel it's important to give Johnson the starting job now and be able to get something for Sarchet, who'd turn into an albatross by the end of his contract.

I have my concerns about the Fields/Tackett/Anyan/Johnson/Howard starting 5 Andre Miller puts on the court, but it's good enough for us to rally in the fourth and beat the Mavericks 96-94 in Dallas. David Anyan scores 29, Terrence Howard hauls in 16 points and 13 rebounds and Ray Fields nets 13 points and 12 assists. More importantly, Fields corrals Devone Allen into shooting 35.3% and while Allen scored 23, he needed 17 shots to do it.

It's on the road for yet another doubleheader and we take both. The 76ers go down 108-94 as we share the wealth on offense, all five Kings starters scoring at least 15 points. Leading the way is Terrence Howard with 21 points and 12 rebounds, while Ray Fields records 15 points and 11 assists and Nigel Abel scores 12 off the bench. Terrible shooting by both teams, but we come back in the fourth to beat the Wizards 92-88 on David Anyan's 23 points, Terrence Howard's 13 points and 16 rebounds, Ray Fields's 12 points and 10 assists and bench performances of 11 and 10 points from Mike Vines and Nigel Abel.

I have this nagging feeling we've gotten worse by this deal and the Bobcats add to it by blowing us out 115-93 on the front end of another away doubleheader. Terrence Howard and David Anyan combine for 24 and 22 points and William Tackett has 18 points and 10 assists, back in his native PG spot, but Mike Vines's 11 bench points don't cut it and our defense goes south. We charge back for a 105-92 win over the Magic the next night, thanks to David Anyan scoring 23, Brandon Edmond posting 16 points and 10 rebounds off the bench and Nigel Abel scoring 14, but I'm starting to regret making that trade.

On the other hand, 44-15 has us a game behind 44-13 Phoenix for the division lead and #1 seed and we're 11.5 games clear of the Clippers who made a very stupid trade this month. That same trade propelled the Nuggets to 25-32 and a possible playoff team. It's Seattle in charge of the Northwest at 36-20 though, 7 games up on the Timberwolves, while 33-23 Dallas is 3.5 ahead of the Hornets.

Boston's got the East owned at 46-12, 6.5 in front of the Raptors, while 34-22 Cleveland leads by the Central by 3 games over the.... Indiana Pacers. Yes, you read that right. The Pacers have a winning record. Atlanta's doing fine, 3 games ahead of Charlotte at 32-25.

I have this sinking feeling I'm going to seriously regret that deadline deal, but we'll just see what comes of it. I suppose going 4-1 since the trade, with all 5 games on the road is something, but we only beat one good team and that was just barely, with the Mavericks.

But who knows? Maybe we're better than I think we are and we'll improve as this new unit gels together.