The Trade - One Week Evaluation

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I know it seems premature to evaluate the trade after only three games, but I have to call it as I see it for now, with the understanding that there's been almost no time to practice, no time to get in sync, injuries, sickness, and a horribly refereed game that included a travel on a prayer three pointer at the buzzer. But here is my evaluation, player by player...

Delonte West

• Positive - very good defender, quick, good finisher around the basket, can create his own shot, pushes the ball
• Negative - can't shoot*, a bit out of control

Wally Szczerbiak

• Positive - Strong (and pretty chewy), no hesitation - see negative
• Negative - Shoots WAY too much, from the "Keep Missing, Keep Shooting" school of Larry Hughes*, doesn't have much else of a game

NOTE: I can see why Wally wears on teams and has been traded 47 times in 7 years.

Ben Wallace

• Positive - Tough, attitude, good rebounder, smart defender
• Negative - Doesn't seem to be the dominant force he was in Detroit, offense, free throws (we pretty much knew what we were getting there)

Joe Smith

• Positive - Excellent shooter, smart, all around very good player
• Negative - Not much, may be the steal of the trade deadline

* Notice the asterisk by the shooting notes. Why does it seem that superb shooters come to Cleveland and suddenly can't shoot? See Wally Szczerbiak, Damon Jones, Donyell Marshall, and even Yuri Welsh. Then the average shooters become horrible like Larry Hughes and Delonte West. At least Damon Jones has seem to have found his shot after three years.

SUMMARY
The potential still seems to be very intriguing and positive once everyone gets on the same page. I'm giving the benefit of the doubt to Wally, that he will calm down and shoot better. Something about the team right now, as expected, seems to be off and is making me a little nervous. Even Lebron seems lost and the offense seems to have reverted back to two years ago when it was PAINFULLY difficult to generate offense. Hopefully this will change and there will be some more continuity and flow. There's only 20 some games left and I just hope we don't drop in the seedings to far.