[Izulde]

Atlanta Hawks receive
PF Booker Werner
Detroit Pistons 2029 2nd round pick

Detroit Pistons receive
PG Bart Shipley

What this means for the Hawks
The 29 year old Werner's a solid all-around, intelligent bench player, if a bit weak on the defensive end. Very accurate shooter with some nice passing and handling skills for a big man. It'll be his second half-season in Atlanta, the other half in 2024.

What this means for the Pistons
Shipley, a 20 year old rookie, is extremely raw, but he has the potential to become a great reserve PG someday. Unfortunately, he's not going to realize that in Detroit, where he's inactive and there's no room on the D-League roster for him.

Winner: Atlanta
Werner brings value to the Hawks, whereas Shipley's a roll of the dice unlikely to pan out as he rots away in little-used territory. The extra 2nd rounder for Atlanta just strengthens the argument.

New Jersey Nets receive
SG David Chambers
Charlotte Bobcats 2029 2nd round pick

Charlotte Bobcats receive
C Tony Cooper
SG Mario Mihm

What this means for the Nets
Chambers, 29, is a fantastic scorer off the bench and instantly steps in as New Jersey's 6th man. Good rebounder for a good and underrated as a passer. Subpar on defense and basketball IQ, but his point production and accurate shooting makes it all worthwhile.

What this means for the Bobcats
Want proof that Charlotte's in decline? Look no further than their acquistion of big, young, worthless Cooper and the worst #1 pick in the history of the NBA. Granted, Mihm has defensive specialist talent and he works harder than any other player in the league, but there's no way he should've been the first overall pick, no matter that it's the worst the league has ever seen.

Winner: New Jersey
Tim Duncan just committed highway robbery and he has the Nets in position to make a run for the title, giving up trash and getting great value in return.

Indiana Pacers receive
SF Andrew Soloman
New Jersey Nets 2029 2nd round pick

New Jersey Nets receive
SG Isaac Campbell

What this means for the Pacers
The 37 year old Soloman is a one-dimensional player as a scorer and is only a min-sal expiring contract. A mid-bench pickup and a low 2nd rounder is all.

What this means for the Nets
Campbell, 21, is similiarly one note, but has potential to develop into a phenomenal defender. Still very raw and won't ever be more than a bench player and won't get the PT he needs to develop, but it doesn't matter because he's expiring anyway.

Winner: Draw
An inconsequential deal for both teams.

San Antonio Spurs receive
C Fabian Kruger

Charlotte Bobcats receive
PF Todd Dissinger
San Antonio Spurs 2029 1st round pick

What this means for the Spurs
Kruger's been rumored out of Charlotte for a few seasons now and he finally goes, jettisoned to the Spurs, who now make their offense even more scary than it already was. Ameirin Qipani/Prokopios Vadeki/Damian Thomas/Jamarcus Wilson/Kruger is an explosive firepower five that rivals that of the Kings. On the downside, the 7'3, 299 lb Argentinian is a complete sieve on defense.

What this means for the Bobcats
Dissinger's an $8.7 million expiring contract as opposed to Kruger, who's signed to a multi-year deal, which, combined with Charlotte's other expiring deals and assuming the Bobcats renounce everyone, means the team will be approximately $19.86 million under the cap and major free agent players this offseason. The first rounder's a late one, but it's another piece for the Bobcats to try and rebuild with.

Winner: Charlotte
Brilliant work by the Bobcats here, who spin an offense-only, 31 year old C with a fairly nasty contract into cap room and a first round draft pick. The Spurs overpaid, but they're in the NBA's best conference and have to contend with the Nuggets and Kings, among others.

I have to say, I'm really impressed myself with what Charlotte managed to flip Kruger for. That completely makes up for Tim Duncan ripping them off.

Our last game of the six game road trip and our first game of March is a 109-101 loss to the Heat. Luke Smith played just 15 minutes because of foul trouble and 24 points each from Vladimir Tupolev and Justin Richler plus William Tackett's 13 bench points weren't enough to overcome that handicap.

Back home in Sacramento, we beat the Pistons 114-102 as Jim "Twizzler" Johnson scores 26, Justin Richler adds 23 points and Vladimir Tupolev is the third 20 point scorer with exactly that. William Tackett leads the bench with 10 points.

Another 3 Kings with 20+ points key our 125-91 rollover of the Grizzlies: Vladimir Tupolev (28 points), Justin Richler (25 points) and Vladimir Raschupchin (24 points). Brandon Edmond's the top reserve this game with 12 points on 5/5 shooting.

The Clippers give us a great fight, but in the end, they're no match for Justin Richler's 39 points and fall 104-97. Contributing to the Red and White's demise were Jim Johnson with 19 points and 15 rebounds and Luke Smith with 11 points and 11 boards.

Perhaps the biggest win in team history next, 140-76 over the Rockets. Funny thing was, only two players with 20+ points: Vladimir Raschupchin with 29 and William Tackett with a jaw-dropping 21 point, 12 assist, 5 steal game off the bench. Throw in Luke Smith's 10 points and 10 rebounds and David Jackson's 19 point surge and you start to see why we manhandled Houston so well.

Conversely, the Magic don't get put away until the fourth quarter, but we still win 108-100. 24 points from Justin Richler, 22 points from Vladimir Tupolev and 21 points from Vladimir Raschupchin seal the deal from the starters while William Tackett continues his marvelous March with 11 bench points.

Golden State tries to throw off our rhythm, but we prevail 110-103 on Justin Richler's 36 points, Vladimir Tupolev's 24 points and Jim Johnson's 20 points.

Our first doubleheader in a long time is a squashy sweep. 22 points from Justin Richler, Jim Johnson's 17 points and 13 rebounds and David "50 Ninja" Jackson's stunning 20 points and 13 rebounds off the bench bury the Clippers 99-73. Jim Johnson and Justin Richler combine for 26 and 21 points and William Tackett powers the second team with 18 points in our 118-85 steamrolling of the Warriors the next evening.

We top the Trailblazers 118-109 on the three-headed hydra of Justin Richler (26 points, 12 assists), Jim Johnson (27 points) and Vladimir Tupolev (21 points) to keep our win streak going.

Not even the Mavericks can offstride us, though the 130-122 takes a total team effort captained by Justin Richler's 31 points and 12 assists and supported by The Two Vladimirs, Tupolev with 28 points, Raschupchin with 20. I'd be remiss to dismiss the shock cavalry of our reserves, particularly William Tackett and David Jackson with 15 and 12 points respectively.

The real test, of course, is an away game against the Nuggets and I'm sad to say that despite Justin Richler's 33 points, Vladimir Tupolev's 27 points and Luke Smith's 10 points and 18 rebounds, we bombed, blown out 139-109 as Denver shot 63.9%. Ugly, no matter how you look at it.

But we've yet to lose two games in a row this season and come right back for a 122-104 win over the 76ers on Justin Richler's 35 points and 11 assists, Jim Johnson's 27 points and 10 rebounds, Vladimir Tupolev's 22 points and William Tackett's 11 bench assists.

Still, I feel like we've been rattled somehow and my sense of that is growing after we drop one in Detroit, 117-109 and thoroughly waste Justin Richler's gorgeous 47 point, 11 assist gem.

We very nearly lose two in a row for the first time this year, but we rally in the fourth for a 111-107 win over the Cavs, once again riding our stellar backcourt. Justin Richler scores 33 and Vladimir Tupolev adds 24 points.

So at 60-14, we've already clinched the #1 seed in the West. Phoenix is 16 games back in the division and the Nuggets appear to be headed for the #2 seed, as 48-23 gives them a 4 game lead over the Sonics and Mavericks for that spot, while Dallas is 3 games up on the Spurs in the Southwest.

I'm really hoping the Jazz have a poor run of form at the end of the season and that Portland gets hot so Utah misses the playoffs and I get the first non-lottery pick. From what Mateen Yeaton tells me, it should be an excellent class, one I'd love to trade it up in.

Rough first year for Mateen at WCU, by the way. They needed that mini-run in the SoCon tournament just to break even recordwise, but his recruiting class should pay off huge dividends immediately.

Anyway, Indiana's sewn up the Central at 47-24, but 46-27 New Jersey and 45-27 Boston are chasing them for the East's top seed. The Central's looking like the bad division now, as the second-place Bucks are .500, while we have two +.500 teams in the Southeast, 38-34 Orlando and 37-34 Washington.