Deal Going Down...

Antoine Walker is on the move again.

ESPN is reporting that Antoine Walker will be dealt from Miami to Minnesota for Ricky Davis and Mark Blount. The deal also includes center Michael Doleac and forward Wayne Simien heading out to Minnesota with Walker. A future first round pick from the Heat is also rumored to be part of the deal going to the T-Wolves.

Lots of ex-Celtics on the move these days. It is amazing how many players have worn the Green and white since Danny Ainge took over in the spring of 2003. That could be a fun list to put together on a really slow off day. For now lets look qucikly at this deal:


Ricky being Ricky during his days as Celtic.

Miami gains a very talented but at times crazy scoring guard in Davis who when teamed with a healthy Dwayne Wade will make a very formidable backcourt. He can also play some minutes at the small forward if Pat Riley wants to go small and spread the floor with Jayson Williams, Wade and Davis. In Blount he acquires a quirky 7 footer that is better 17 feet from the basket than he is close to it. He can knock down the jumper on the catch but do not expect much help on the boards.
The Heat rid themselves of Walker whom Riley was very uphappy with after Toine reported to camp overweight and out of shape.

The Wolves continue to re-shape their future PG (Post Garnett) as Davis and Blount while contributors in the scoring column could be big negatives in the lockerroom around the new young T-Wolves. I bet Al Jefferson is very happy to see both of them go.

The Wolves get back two veterans with championship rings that will hopefully mentor their young nucleus this season. Toine and Al Jefferson seemed to get along during Al's rookie year with the Celtics. When Toine was dealt to Boston in February of 2005 the Green reeled off 12 straight wins. Though Antoine no longer has those legs his basketball IQ and experience should help some of these kids grow this season. Wayne Simien is a bog body with talent that simply has not put it together yet in the league.

With a roster which includes bigs Jefferson, Theo Ratliff, Mark Madsen, Craig Smith, Chris Richard, Juwan Howard, Walker, Simien and Doleac, the T-Wolves are going to have to let 3 to 4 of these players go before the season. I also did not include Ryan Gomes who plays the 3 and 4 position. I am sure Ainge and the Celtics are all over this situation as Boston could use one more big on their roster.

The Heat who are winless in the preseason needed to make a move for some scoring and this deal accomplished just that. Developing the chemistry is another story.