The Transition of Transactions

The month of February has been VERY interesting in the world of sports. More moves, affecting the long term landscape of professional sports happened in this short month than have occurred in any single month in recent memory. Football, basketball, and baseball all had transactions that made headlines. Of course, the biggest news happened in the NBA, which, of course, we will look at today. However, the big NBA moves (Carmelo…cough…Deron Williams) should not completely overshadow the other power impacting moves in other sports.

NFL

Mike Vick – The Philadelphia Eagles placed the franchise tag on quarterback Michael Vick, ensuring that he will be in Philadelphia in 2011 (if there is a 2011 season) and receive a big, fat payday. In all probability, the Eagles and Vick will work out a long term agreement, rendering the one year assurances of the franchise tag moot. This has several impacts on the Eagles and the league.

Eagles quarterback Kevin Kolb, the starter at the beginning of the 2010 season, is placed in a challenging career limbo. The Eagles have the option of retaining Kolb, who will earn about $2 million in base salary in 2011.* Given Vick’s aggressive running style of play, placing Vick at a heightened risk for injury, a backup, capable of starting in the NFL (which are few in number in today’s NFL), is of greater value to the Eagles than to many other teams.

Philly also has the option of trading Kolb. Kolb, in my opinion, is at the level of an average starting NFL quarterback. That statement may not be sensational, eye-popping, or sound particularly complimentary, but the NFL has A LOT of BAD quarterbacks. The NFL has a lot of BAD quarterbacks who are starting, making good teams bad and bad teams worse. Kolb is NOT a bad quarterback. Philadelphia has two QBs that are not bad. Barring something catastrophic happening with Vick, the Eagles can garner considerable value for Kolb.

Kolb’s recent contract extension included an $11 million signing bonus.* If the Eagles already paid and will likely not retain Kolb after 2011, oatmeal is better than no meal. The Panthers, Cardinals, Vikings, Redskins (assuming Donovan McNabb leaves), Titans, Raiders, Browns, and Bengals (assuming Carson Palmer leaves), among other teams, would all become better overnight by adding Kolb to the roster. None of those teams were in the playoffs last season, meaning that they will have more valuable draft assets than other teams.

I do not have a read, one way or the other, on what the Eagles will do. The expiration of the NFL’s collective bargaining agreement makes the future even more uncertain. Regardless, the decision (or indecision) on Kolb will impact the power structure of the NFL in 2011 and possibly the long-term.

Kevin Kolb (left) and Mike Vick (right). This town isn't big enough for the both of them. Or IS it??? 1

Peyton Manning – the Indianapolis Colts placed the franchise tag on quarterback Peyton Manning. I also think that the Colts and Manning will agree to a long term deal as soon as they are able to, making the franchise tag no more than an insurance policy. Peyton Manning wants to be the highest paid player in the league, topping the $18 million per season being earned by New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady. Assuming this comes to fruition, and all indicators are that it will, Manning, along with Brady and Vick, will set the ceiling and the standard for pay of elite, veteran NFL quarterbacks.

"Damn it's good to be us!" 2

MLB

Albert Pujols - The proverb, “Don’t be penny wise and pound foolish,” exists for a reason. Albert Pujols is the best hitter in the game. He may be the best first baseman in the history of the 141 year old game by the time his career is over. He has the best hitting numbers of any player over the past 10 seasons (on a National League team, no less), including Alex Rodriguez. He is showing no signs of slowing down. The Cardinals always have a chance to win any close game with Pujols in the lineup.

PAY THE MAN! The equation is very simple. If you want someone’s services, you need to pay what those services are worth to receive them. The market decides the value and the market has already dictated, through Alex Rodriguez's current 10 year, $275 million deal, that Pujols is worth more than that.

Making matters worse, the Cardinals did not contribute to any goodwill by lowballing the man. Pujols set a deadline of the day after the start of spring training to conclude negotiations to focus on preparing for the upcoming season. Pujols wants $300 million over 10 years. A-Rod is earning $275 million over 10. WHAT made the St. Louis Cardinals think Pujols would accept the last minute, 8 year, $200 million offer put forth on the final night before the deadline?

A reporter actually asked Pujols why he thought contract negotiations during the season could be a distraction. REALLY? Does it look like Albert could just coast from his car to batting practice? Perhaps it would be excusable if the question was from a special, blind reporter, but it was an ESPN guy. 4

I understand that nearly everyone reading this is earning less than seven figures of income annually and some of these numbers may prompt the average person to say, “How could he be so greedy? Just TAKE IT!” It is not “greed” to ask for what you are WORTH. Worth is dictated by what others will pay. The Cubs, Angels, Mets, Marlins, and Red Sox, among others, will likely offer Pujols exactly what he wants if he tests the free agency market in 2012. The Cardinals would have been better served working on a more creative solution to resigning Prince Albert. With the loss of ace pitcher Adam Wainwright for the 2011 season to Tommy John surgery and the possible loss of Pujols after the season, the Gateway to the West may have some lean baseball years ahead.

After that lowball by the Cardinals, Cubs fans have cause to get a little excited about next year. Some would practically tear their clothes off to get Phat Albert to the north side of Chicago. 3

NBA

I cannot recall any other week leading up to the NBA trading deadline that resulted in the movement of as much talent as was moved in this past week. These moves are going to have both an immediate and long term impact on the power structure of the NBA.

Carmelo Anthony & Chauncey Billups to the New York Knicks – This trade was the big one. Will the Knicks win the NBA Championship in 2011? Not likely. Can they create problems and potentially eliminate and upset an opponent in the first round? It is possible. The fact that this is even possible places the Knicks LIGHT YEARS ahead of where they have been over the past several years, in which a playoff appearance of any kind was a pipe dream. The Knicks have a foundation, with Billups, Anthony, and Amare Stoudemire, to build upon to rise to the top of the Eastern Conference very quickly following this season.

New York basketball is back! 5

Deron Williams to the New Jersey Nets – I never saw this coming. Apparently, Williams did not either. ESPN reported that Williams, himself, learned of his trade out east while watching television in the Jazz training room. While it is unclear whether or not the recent, sudden resignation of 17 year tenured Head Coach Jerry Sloan played a role in the unexpected trade, it is clear that there may be a new trend among smaller market teams with star players whose eyes appear to be on the bright lights of big cities.

I can't help but notice that Williams was surrounded by Nets coach Avery Johnson and General Manager Billy King when he was introduced as a Net to the media. Was it to make sure he didn't bolt for the exit? I've seen more genuine smiles at a dentist's office before a root canal. 6

Williams had the option to opt out of his contract with the Jazz after the 2012 season, leaving the club holding his contract with no further compensation. After witnessing the Cleveland Cavaliers receive very little value for LeBron James and the Denver Nuggets having their season mired in drama and distractions, the Jazz got on top of the free agency steamroller, instead of in front of it or under it. Utah traded Williams to New Jersey for considerable future value, including two first round draft picks, both possibly lottery picks considering that they are draft picks belonging to the Nets in 2011 (almost certainly a lottery pick) and perennial playoff spectator Golden State in 2012.

The long term impact of this deal depends almost entirely upon Williams. If he likes where he sees the Nets going and signs an extension after the 2012 season, the Nets will become a playoff contender and probably a contender in the East within a few years. If not, and Nets owner Mikhail Prokorhov should be able to gauge Williams' intentions before next year’s trade deadline, the Nets should be able to recover significant value, deal Williams to his eventual destination, and continue moving forward to build a contending team.


Carl Landry to the Hornets – I find it curious that the Hornets took on an additional $2 million in salary (trading shooting guard Marcus Thornton to Sacramento). I also found it curious that the Hornets took on such expense to acquire a power forward when they already have All-Star power forward David West. Landry is talented, tough, and a valuable defender. Could the Hornets plan on running a bigger unit by rotating Landry in and out with West, center Emeka Okafor (when he returns from injury), and forward Trevor Ariza? Is he (much needed) insurance, a player who can start and be productive, in case of an injury in the Hornets’ starting front court? Marcus Thornton was a popular sharpshooter, earning less than $1 million per season**, with two more seasons remaining on his contract after this season. Landry’s $3 million contract** is expiring, so the Hornets are neither weighed down by the cost of nor certain to benefit from Landry’s services in the long run. This move will give the Hornets an added push down low and improve their long odds of advancing in the Western Conference playoffs.


Mo Williams to the Los Angeles Clippers – Could not have happened to a better guy. Williams is a hustling, hard working player who had the rug pulled from under him when LeBron James took his talents to South Beach. While the Clippers are going nowhere this year, they are going places soon with super-rookie Blake Griffin. The tone in the Staples Center is much more optimistic than in years past when the Clippers are playing.

Baron Davis to the Cleveland Cavaliers (traded from the Clippers for Mo Williams) – Could not have happened to a better guy. This man whined his way out of New Orleans, leading to a 2005 season in which the Hornets were bankrupt of backcourt talent and only had the draft lottery to look forward to, after signing a max contract with the Hornets. I should probably thank Davis as his trade-demanding antics made the Hornets so bad that they were able to draft Chris Paul in 2005, bringing more positively charged excitement to the team than Davis ever did and eventually bringing a Southwest Division championship to New Orleans in 2008. I am thrilled to see this malcontent out of L.A. (Clippers), with emerging stars in Blake Griffin and Eric Bledsoe and into the NBA’s hell hole of Cleveland.

I think the towel is part of the uniform in Cleveland. 7

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*Source: NFL Fanhouse
**Source: ESPN
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