Exciting Times

With a little over a week to go before the NBA's trade deadline, times could neither be more exciting nor more apprehensive for two of the league's most storied franchises: the Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Lakers. The rivals have been locked in a race for World Championships (and league domination) since time immemorial and are poised to vie anew for hardware in June. The Celtics are currently sitting on an NBA-best 17 championships while their Purple and Gold nemesis is just one shy of their trophy haul. With both teams primed for title contention the onus in 'now or never' mode has never been more imperative.

Boston, in particular, is working with a tight two-year window to win crown(s) before stars Paul Pierce (32 years old), Kevin Garnett (34), Ray Allen (35) and Shaquille O'Neal (38) ride off into the proverbial sunset. Los Angeles' stars, though younger, are not too far behind with Kobe Bryant (32), Derek Fisher (36), Pau Gasol (30), Lamar Odom (31) and Ron Artest (31) all in their 30s. The Lakers' window is tightened by the task of capturing a rare 'Three-Peat', which would raise the team onto a dynastic class of its own while providing a deserved send-off for retiring (as of this writing, at least) head coach Phil Jackson.

But while both teams are clear-cut contenders (Boston is currently 39-14, first in the East; L.A. is 38-18, third in the West), they are not the only ones giving serious chase to the World Championship. The San Antonio Spurs and Dallas Mavericks are leading the Lakers out West, while the Miami Heat, Chicago Bulls and Orlando Magic are hot on the Celtics' tail in the East. Then there are dark horses such as the Oklahoma City Thunder, New Orleans Hornets, Atlanta Hawks and New York Knicks, which are also capable of giving them a run for their money come Playoff time.

This is what makes this year's approaching trading deadline a most significant and rather anxiety-filled moment for the C's and Lakers - as the current trading climate is so volatile it could alter the title-chasing fortunes of either club. The volatility originates from the unhinged situation of the Denver Nuggets' star F Carmelo Anthony, who would like to change addresses by the Feb. 24 deadline. Following last month's failed attempt to move Anthony to New Jersey*, the Nuggets had been unsettled and uncertain about whether to pursue a new deal for their franchise player or not.

As publicly declared, 'Melo's destination of choice remains New York and while Nuggets and Knicks brass have been engaged in discussions in the past couple of weeks, none of the proposals so far have been acceptable for either party. The latest configuration sees Anthony and G Chauncey Billups going to New York for F Wilson Chandler, G Raymond Felton, C Eddy Curry and a future first-round pick. Similar to last month's negotiations with the Nets, the Nuggets are appearing underwhelmed by the offer and are supposedly seeking more assets from N.Y. - like F Danilo Galinari, promising rookie Landry Fields and/or another pick. The Knicks, however, are not prepared to gut their roster and send more assets to Denver for a player who could just fly on over in the summer and join them as a free agent. Dealing away all those players also leaves the N.Y. talent-base bare which makes no sense of their efforts to build a winning team.

Should the Nuggets accede and deal Anthony to the Knicks for the aforementioned players, though, New York would surely crowd itself into Eastern Conference title picture. With a proposed lineup headed by F Amar'e Stoudemire, Billups and a reinvigorated 'Melo, the Knicks (currently 27-26, 6th in the East) could quite possibly make a significant surge in the second half of the season and make some noise in the Playoffs.

If a deal cannot be made with New York, Denver may try knocking on the doors of the Lakers, which reportedly whispered the idea of an exchange for young C Andrew Bynum (Lakers management denies any such conversation, though). While L.A. may not be Anthony's chosen destination, observers believe it is a realistic option for 'Melo as the City of Angels provides him with the big-city, major-market audience he seeks and a tangible shot at the NBA championship. Anthony in Purple and Gold would be the "shot in the arm" which Lakers officials (and even Laker Legend Magic Johnson) said they needed following a lethargic couple of weeks at the top of the month in which the team's efforts were questioned++. It would also make L.A. so much more potent - on offense, at least - with a 1-2, Kobe-'Melo punch.

Other rumored or mentioned 'Melo suitors include Dallas, which is amenable to 'renting' a mercenary Anthony to reinforce its 2010-11 campaign. Whether or not 'Melo eventually signs a contract extension with the Mavs is of lesser concern to seeing a title run that would team him with F Dirk Nowitzki, G Jason Kidd, F Shawn Marion and C Tyson Chandler. The Houston Rockets (currently 26-30) hope to salvage their season too and are equally interested in employing the 'gun-for-hire' philosophy, offering Denver a package which begins with the contract of injured All-Star C Yao Ming.

Meanwhile, two players who had been part of the 'Melo trade conversations last month are hoping to be bought out of their contracts soon in order to salvage the balance of their 2010-11 seasons. Detroit G Richard Hamilton and New Jersey F Troy Murphy were originally added to the Nuggets-Nets-Pistons three-way proposals as complimentary pieces which would fulfill requirements (making salaries even up and compatible, etc.) for the entire exchange. But as the deal fell through, Hamilton and Murphy remained in limbo and are now asking for the chance to play elsewhere. Hamilton, who was benched beginning Jan. 10 in anticipation of that failed three-team swap, has since just appeared in one game and registered 19 DNP-CDs. Murphy has seen sporadic action, playing only 18 games in total this season, averaging career-lows of 16 minutes and 3.6 points per game.

If Hamilton and Murphy are bought out by the end of this month, teams like the Mavs, Heat, Magic and Celtics are said to be keen on signing them up. The 6-11, 245-pound Murphy, in particular, intrigues Boston which seeks support for its band-aid brigade of injured frontliners (Kendrick Perkins, Shaq and Jermaine O'Neal and even rookie Semih Erden have all missed parts of the season to injury). Should the defending East champs nab Murphy, they not only get a big body with a deft outside shooting touch, but they will also keep him away from their Florida rivals, Miami and Orlando, who are arguably just a piece or two away from usurping the Eastern throne.

It's never easy being on top and never more, perhaps, has that adage been more true for either Boston or L.A. than right now. A franchise star is shaking up the NBA landscape and it's impacting their shot at glory: one with an eye at a historic 'Three-Peat' and the other with hopes of claiming an unprecedented 18th championship. What trades or signings will they make by the deadline? Or will they even make any moves at all? Do they have an open roster spot to accommodate a free agent? Do they even have enough cap flexibility to make roster changes? Can any of their moves ensure a World Championship?

However these questions are answered, I only hope the Celtics and Lakers find themselves in a return engagement in the Finals this June. Nothing could be better, really, than seeing those NBA titans clashing once again. Green v. Purple and Gold. Kobe v. Ray Allen. Pierce v. Artest. KG v. Pau. Fisher v. Rondo. Perkins v. Bynum (if he's still around). Shaq v. Kobe. Doc v. Phil.

Exciting times. Apprehensive times. Great times!

*UPDATES (2/17/11): the New Jersey Nets have reportedly re-entered negotiations for Carmelo. This, even after the Nets' Russian owner Mikhail Prokhorov angrily took the deal off the table last January after he felt the Nuggets had stalled the deal for too long. Perhaps Nuggets management really could not find a better proposal than that which New Jersey had offered (built around promising rookie Derrick Favors).

++The Lakers efforts were questioned anew after they were upset by the Cleveland Cavaliers last night, 99-104. This is a Cavaliers squad which just recently set the record for the longest losing streak in history (26 games) and lost to these same Lakers in a monumental blowout (112-57) last Jan. 11. Could this be the straw which breaks the camel's back? And encourage the Lakers to pull the trigger on a deal for 'Melo?