VanGundier is right, this deal smells like the Pacers dumping salary to make room for Al Harrington. This plus letting Fred Jones go to Toronto (I was kind hoping the Rockets could get in on that one and get Jones). Great deal for Dallas here! VERY SMART move. AJ is a solid PG and they really needed a veteran backup PG. Actually AJ might end up being better for the Mavs than Mike James would have been because AJ would play the same solid defense while probably not taking away shots from Dirk/Terry. You got to love teams that swarm in on teams that are trying to cut salary. Just smell the blood in the water and you can get $1 dollars worth of value for only $.30 cents.
I hate Dallas but they got better since last year. The lost Van Horn, Griffin, and Daniels and replaced them with Croshure, Buckner, and Johnson.
I really don't think this helps dallas that much. Johnson is a decent player, not much else. They didn't really need him though. This is not the type of move that significantly makes them better
You think so? Guess I don't really see it. Buckner is a pretty decent defender and an average jumpsooter, but is he that much of an upgrade over Griffin and Daniels? Johnson is certainly better than Armstrong, but they basically have three point guards who better than their best player at the two. Croshere may be the only real improvement on that roster as he is more physical and healthier than Van Horn. I for one have never liked how the Mavs built that team and think Johnson has done an unbelievable job of mixing and matching parts on a regular basis. They basically have three slow-footed 7-foot shot blockers with no offense at the five, two pure small forwards who really don't match up well at other positions (Howard and Stackhouse), and now three point guards of which none can actually defend the two. Add in the fact that their star is a such a defensive liability they desperately have to rotate their lineups to find a matchup that won't be too easily exploited either by a physical five or an athletic four, and I think Johnson was working with smoke and mirrors last year.
Jones? I'd rather swoop in and get Salmons for the same salary he turned down, but for 'only' three years. Harris? Does anyone smell a big deal brewing for Dallas with him heading out?
Harris isn't going anywhere. He will be starting at point guard with Terry playing the two most of the time.
It's unbelievable. Dallas gets a great deal! Anthony Johnson has gotten a lot better when Tinsley was injuried - now Dallas only gets better...
1. Perahaps if this Avery contract thing doesn't work out, Anthony Johnson will be ready to take over once Avery's contract expires. 2. Wonder if the Rockets have any interest in Jasikevicius... 4 mil a year might be a bit steep for yet another Euro guard. At least this one has a year of adjustment in the NBA under his belt, though, and is known as a shooter. His D is not stellar, but at least the stats indicate he didn't get burned any more than Johnson and Tinsley did. 3. The Mavs are better next season than they were before. Croshere is not a choker like KVH (decent regular season player, but puts on the "White Stromile Swift face" in the playoffs). Anthony Johnson is a steady vet with acceptable shooting range, a better fit than M. Daniels, a guy his coach doesn't trust anyway. Griffin for Buckner is pretty much a wash for the defensive wing job.
I think it is curious that this deal is one-sided in favor of the Mavericks, whereas the earlier Marquis Daniels-Austin Croshere deal was solidly in favor of the Pacers. I think that very possibly both deals were worked out together, at the same time, but some procedural snafu held up the AJ for Armstong and loose change part of the larger deal. As a larger trade of Croshere+ Johnson for Daniels + Armstrong (retiring) + low cost waivable players I think it makes sense for both teams.
Today's ESPN article on the Harrington talks sheds light on the one-sided Johnson deal with Dallas. Indiana got a small trade exception in that deal, which they can send to Atlanta for backup scrub center Edwards, so Atlanta trims extra money off their books. They also send the big 7.5 mill trade exception for Harrington. The sticking point being what else will the Hawks get-- Atlanta wants 3 million and a 1st, and Indiana is balking at that. So the Pacers gave away Johnson for a better shot at getting Al.
