On Swindling

As a Hoosier (that means someone from Indiana, not necessarily someone who went to Indiana University, or who derives their personality from a movie starring Gene Hackman and Dennis Hopper*), and someone whose adolescence corresponded with the rise of the Reggie Miller Era of the Indiana Pacers (Boom Baby, Knicks v Hicks, Memorial Day Miracle, etc.), I still have a strong allegiance to the blue and gold. That means I also have a skewed worldview that I share with fans from other small-market teams of the NBA, otherwise collectively known as the "David Stern Big Market Farm System."

 *Note: I have never seen Hoosiers.

So in the last couple days, when news of the Dwight Howard "trade" from the Orlando Magic to Los Angeles Lakers for a bunch of trash, it just confirmed to we of the Small Team Brigade, fans of teams like the Milwaukee Bucks, Sacramento Kings, Portland Trailblazers, and yes, Orlando Magic, it's the Lakers and Heat and other big towns' world, we're just living in it.

Now, I've already seen a post by a Lakers fan I know, and he essentially thinks this is a fair trade. He was incredulous that anyone would even think it was a giant swindling by the Lakers. "They traded Andrew Bynum, the second best center in the league!" he pointed out, probably laughing the entire time. "And two young athletic players (giggle, snort), and a future first-round pick as well! (doubles over with laughter)"

Which is a total goddam joke. Let's review.

The Lakers traded Andrew Bynum, Josh McRoberts, Christian Eyenga and a future first-round draft pick.

Ok, Andrew Bynum is technically a physically gifted center, a "true" 7 foot center with a giant frame, subtle offensive skills, and a pretty good rebounding rate. Sure, he probably is the second best center in the league....when he's interested. And that's the problem. I'm willing to bet in two years, after his enigmatic, aloof, bizarre, teasingly talented self drives Philly to consecutive .500 finishes, he wont be able to safely walk from his car to the arena in Philly without a horde of fans loaded on Riot Punch descend upon him with batteries and frozen snowballs at the ready.

Josh McRoberts? Ugh.
Christian Eyenga? Who?

And that future first-round pick is useless will be in the low 20s at the very least, meaning the Magic get a future version of Josh McRoberts or Christian Eyenga. Yippee!

Now, obviously Orlando got some other crap from some other teams. But come on. Arron Afflalo is probably stunned he's the best player going to the Magic out of this deal. Al Harrington will be traded by the deadline, I guarantee you. And those five draft picks over the next five years, um, yeah good luck with that. And even if Orlando manages to snag some future Hall of Fame talent with that pick, it's not hard to imagine that player following the blue print laid down by Shaq and Howard and leave town too.

So, to make a long-winded point short, yes, the Lakers just swindled the hell out of everyone, and probably set themselves up for another half-decade of dominance.

And of course Lakers fans wouldn't see anything wrong with this. It's their birthright. Meanwhile the rest of us poor schlupps in our blue and gold, or purple and black, or whatever the hell color combo Milwaukee rolls out next, go back to drinking away our beers and cheering for second round dismissals.