A Couple of pre-draft day deals were made today.

Trade #1:
New York traded Tyson Chandler (2yrs/28.6M) and Raymond Felton (3yrs/11.3M) to Dallas for Jose Calderon (4yrs/28.8M), Wayne Ellington (final year) and Samuel Dalembert (final year). Financially New York has managed to dump Felton and spread out the injury-prone Chandler’s money over 4 years. If that wasn’t enough New York also received PG Shane Larkin fresh off his rookie season and a couple of 2nd rd picks 34th (originally Boston’s pick) and 51st (Dallas’ own pick).

ANALYSIS: I like the move for New York from both a financial and a basketball standpoint; but it isn’t going to make much difference short-term or big-picture. However, this is how to fix the Knicks: slowly and with the long term in mind. I don’t hate the move for Dallas BUT they are going to have to address PG through free agency or trade since they no longer have any draft picks… and they aren’t getting any younger.

Trade #2:
Houston traded Omer Asik to New Orleans for a 2015 1st rd pick. The pick cannot be traded until after the draft due to the modified Stepian rule, which prohibits teams from trading/owing a first rd pick in consecutive future years.

ANALYSIS: I love the move for New Orleans. Asik is a true 5 which allows Anthony ‘The Brow’ Davis to move into his natural position of PF. Asik is a plus defender and coupled with the return of Jrue Holiday, the Pelicans may be able to make a move into the playoffs this year. I also like the deal for Houston. The Rockets are always aggressive in improving their roster and I feel like they have the best chance (and represent the best fit) of landing Carmello Anthony if the Knicks’ star leaves the Big Apple. This move and a possible trade of Jeremy Lin – coupled with allowing Chandler Parsons to become a restricted free agent – allows them the chance to be a player in the off-season sweepstakes.