Right now, moves in the NFL are being made so ferociously that I can’t even keep up. One minute it’s Donovan McNabb. Then dudes like Roy Williams are being released and Carson Palmer is talking retirement. Now it’s Albert Haynesworth.
With the lockout being abruptly lifted, it’s a mad dash to training camp, who can secure which players and who will come out on top. While lockouts have always sucked, the aftermath is normally like shoving all the owners into a closet, giving them caffeine and then telling them not to come out until at least half the teams have discussed epic trades. The season after a lockout never ceases to be wild, inconsistent and memorable.
So as the NFL is in the midst of it’s shortened offseason, I decided to head back to the NBA’s last lockout “offseason” in 1999 and find some of the best/most impactful trades or signings of that period. Of course, the biggest change of all – Michael Jordan retiring for a second time – is obvious. But here are a few others.
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Mar. 11, 1999
New Jersey gets: Chris Carr, Bill Curley, Elliot Perry & Stephon Marbury
Milwaukee gets: Paul Grant, Sam Cassell, Chris Gatling
Minnesota gets: Terrell Brandon, Brian Evans & 1999 1st round pick
While it didn’t happen immediately once the lockout was lifted, this trade was partially a product of the new deal, a deal that wouldn’t allow a player such as Marbury to get the mega-contract Kevin Garnett had recently signed in Minnesota. That planted the first seed of discomfort, which eventually led to Starbury asking out, even to a place as desolate as New Jersey (he figured he was going home).
As for Minnesota, Brandon was a solid player (the following season would be his last at a high level, averaging 17 & 9). But the potential wasn’t there. It felt like someone had put a ceiling on how high the T’Wolves could go now that their young combo was broken up, and it was never really the same. Still, that first round pick turned into Wally Szczerbiak.
Jan. 21, 1999:
*quick note…somehow the Warriors went 21-29 that season despite their leading scorer being a 34-year-old John Starks who didn’t even average 14 points a game. How does this stuff happen?
New York gets: Latrell Sprewell
Golden State gets: Terry Cummings, Chris Mills & Starks
The subplot of Sprewell and P.J. Carlesimo had been ongoing since December. What would happen with the former All-Star? Who would trade for him? How much would Golden State get in return? People forget, but Sprewell was considered an outlaw to a degree that might’ve been even worse than the image Ron Artest dealt with during his season-long suspension.
Then New York stepped forward, scooped up Sprewell for a relatively modest price of a declining Starks, Cummings and Chris Mills’ gangsta and they were on their way.
Jan. 22, 1999
Houston gets: Scottie Pippen
Chicago gets: Roy Rogers and a 2002 2nd round pick
One day after the shocking Sprewell deal (seriously, I don’t think a SportsCenter went by during that offseason where Sprewell wasn’t talked about…only fitting that he ended up in NYC), Chicago went through with the inevitable and dealt Pippen. During the Bulls’ last title run, Pippen missed over the half the regular season with an injury and actually said he would never play in the Windy City again. It didn’t happen until after MJ retired, but everyone knew it was coming.
I remember ESPN the Magazine running a preview on the NBA with Pippen in one of those terrible Houston jerseys on the front and everything just seemed off. Of course, it was one of the greatest oddities of the lockout. He lasted just one year there, feuding with Barkley and being perhaps the biggest disappointment of the season (many thought the Rockets were getting the 1993 Pippen and that they would win it all; instead, he averaged 14.5, 6.5 & 6, and they lost in the first round as he got destroyed by Kobe Bryant). The Bulls got virtually nothing for him as Jerry Krause seemed determined to turn his team into the biggest laughingstock in any sport.
Also, that pick ended up being the immortal Jake Voskuhl.
Jan. 22, 1999
Minnesota signs: Joe Smith
They signed him at well-below market value, promising future riches with a second larger contract if he did. We all know how that turned out. This whole summer was the beginning of the end for what looked like an extrememly promising KG-era. First, they let go of Tom Gugliotta because he didn’t like Marbury and because the team figured it needed to save money to re-sign the point guard. Then, Marbury turned around and said he wanted out as well. He couldn’t handle not being the man.
So the team lost two of it’s three stars (even though Gugliotta was never really the same after leaving), then used some of their cap space to get Smith illegally…which no one found out about until a year later.
Jan. 22, 1999
Sacramento signs: Vlade Divac
After trading for Chris Webber earlier in the year, the Kings stole one of the most underrated big men in the league away from Charlotte. In one year, Sacramento went from 27-55 with Michael Stewart and Olden “police officer” Polynice in the middle to 27-23 with Divac in the pivot. The Hornets went from 51-31 in 1998 with Divac to 26-24.
Vlade flourished in Sacramento, had perhaps his best season in 1999 (14, 10 & 4) and the Kings became relevant and fun for the next generation.
What was the craziest storyline/trade/signing of that lockout-shortened season?
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