Rapid Reaction: Sonics Trade Away Lopez, Johnson
September 24th, 2015
By Vonny Lee
The Sonics have begun making there moves. Owner and GM "Mad Max" Newman has begun the inevitable dismantling process that everyone knew was coming. The trade made, however, is one that should make Seattle fans proud.
Jamal Crawford, the unofficial ambassador and godfather of Seattle basketball since the retirement of Doug Christie is back in Seattle. Known for running a basketball Pro-Am in the city during the summer, Crawford has kept basketball alive in Seattle during the long years it has been absent and now he's a member of the newly revived Sonics. Crawford had this to say about the trade:
"I'm honored and excited to play in Seattle for the Sonics ... I was a fan, like everyone else, when I was a kid of the Sonics and to be part of this squad is more than I could have hoped for."
The three team deal also gives the Sonics the Wizards 1st rounder (top 8 protected), veteran Gary Neal (on a small expiring) and veteran center Marcin Gortat, who's contract isn't favorable nor is his age (31).
The Clippers receive Nene and Andrea Bargnani, given them a defensive post presence in Nene and a proven -- if injury prone -- shooter in Bargnani. Both he and Nene have injury concerns, but both combine to give the team nearly 14m in cap relief this summer, something the team needed after agreeing to a monster contract with DeAndre Jordan this past offseason. Doc Rivers has a deep bench to help keep his bigs fresh for what he -- and all the Clippers fans -- hopes is a deep run in the postseason.
For the Wizards, this trade is a win for them in the short and long term. They managed to significantly upgrade their center position with Lopez, then went and added Thad Young to the mix, who should flourish playing with Wall and Beal -- Young's versatile skill set will allow the Wizards to play him at the three and four, which will give their lineup more flexibility moving forward. This trade almost certainly signifies the end of their potential pursuit of Kevin Durant, but the Wiz fans shouldn't fret -- with Lopez back in the Atlantic Division, he should thrive against the subpar centers of the East.
Trade Grade: B-. Parting with Lopez was necessary, but having to take back Gortat and trade away Thad Young might hurt the team in the short-term. Getting that 1st rounder and Crawford, however, sets Seattle up well for the immediate future and is a nice move for the franchise from a
PR standpoint.
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The Sonics weren't done there, however; they had one more move to make, this one out of left field but that's not entirely odd considering their trade partner.
The Sonics managed to acquire Nerlens Noel from the 76ers for Joe Johnson, 2nds, and young players on expiring contracts. This trade signifies the first move Philly has made in years to better the product on the court and gives Coach Brett Brown a knowledgeable, smart playing veteran in Johnson. The 76ers have been hearing for years how poor they've been and purposefully so, but it appears the front office is beginning to finally attempt to build a real basketball team.
With the drafting of Jahill Okafor by the 76ers this past summer, Noel was rendered expendable, especially considering that Joel Embidd still remains on the roster (and is slated to finally see action at the beginning of the season). With Okafor and Embidd waiting to take the floor, someone had to be shipped out and Noel drew the short straw -- never having displayed the post skills and potential Okafor or Embidd did in college, Noel looks to have the lowest ceiling.
Hinkie might be planning another move in conjunction with this one -- he has Gerald Wallace's expiring contract on the books, too, and between him and Johnson, that's over 35m in expiring contracts between only two players. The 76ers settled lower than they probably could have here, but having the giant contract of Joe Johnson (and his talent) will give them a massive trade chip they can use to make another move -- the Hinkie will provide.
For the Sonics, getting Noel for Johnson is a steal -- parting with two 2nds hurts more than it would for most teams, due to the Sonics lack of assets (thank you Billy King) but a young big with untapped potential is just what Lionel Hollins ordered.
Trade Grade: A. The Sonics snagged a young big for an aging veteran on a giant contract. That's a win any day.