Boykins Traded to the Bucks

[Master___Pain]

Fine by me. There was going to be little time for him once Melo returned.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=2727760

The Denver Nuggets need some breathing space from luxury-tax territory. The Milwaukee Bucks need backcourt scoring to counter their injury crisis.

That's why the teams, according to NBA front-office sources, are combining on a trade featuring Earl Boykins that will be announced later Thursday.

Now 10 games into the Allen Iverson Era, Denver has agreed to send Boykins and little-used forward Julius Hodge to the Bucks for guard Steve Blake.

The surging Boykins has scored 20 points or more in eight of his 10 games alongside Iverson, but his shots and minutes were certain to dwindle when Carmelo Anthony returns from suspension on Jan. 22. Denver couldn't resist the opportunity to trade him now given that Boykins will soon be its odd man out and more so because this move ensures that the Nuggets will not be paying luxury tax at season's end.

The Nuggets, sources say, had hoped to keep Boykins for a few more games while Anthony completes his 15-game ban. But they had to make the trade immediately because Milwaukee's $4.3 million injury exception created by Bobby Simmons' season-ending ankle and foot surgeries -- its only mechanism for taking back Boykins' contract in this exchange -- expires Friday.

Boykins' arrival will be a welcome boost to the Bucks, who have lost leading scorers Michael Redd (knee) and Mo Williams (shoulder) to injuries in the past week. Redd is expected to miss at least a month, with Williams sidelined two to three weeks. Charlie Villanueva (shoulder) is also out indefinitely and Simmons didn't play a single game this season before it was determined that he'd need two operations.

The Bucks are hoping Boykins' scoring can help keep them in the playoff hunt until Redd and Williams return. The 5-foot-5 dynamo makes $2.95 million this season and is scheduled to earn $3 million next season but has the right to opt out of his contract and become a free agent July 1.

Milwaukee, sources said, also managed to extract an estimated $700,000 from the Nuggets to pay the remainder of Hodge's $1.2 million salary.

Blake, meanwhile, will get an opportunity to win some back-up minutes in Denver's backcourt, with the Nuggets admittedly looking for pass-first facilitators who can play with Iverson, Anthony and swingman J.R. Smith.

Marc Stein is the senior NBA writer for ESPN.com. To e-mail him, click here.

[c_lazy_r]

I don't know who Blake is. Doesn't look like Denver did very good to me.

[yerner]

White kid from U of Maryland.

[Paladin]

Let's hope Blake doesn't try to dunk over 7 footers like Boykins tried to do a lot. The Nuggets have lost a lot of games late because of Boykins, IMHO.

[JunkyardWillie]

this is a good trade because Blake wont be a cry baby when he gets limited minutes when Melo comes back like Boykins would have been.

[wolf754life]

Milwaukee, sources said, also managed to extract an estimated $700,000 from the Nuggets to pay the remainder of Hodge's $1.2 million salary.

Can you say Salary DUmp!

Better not have an injury!

[Tredici]

Earl really stepped up during the player depletion. Which made his trade value as high it was probably ever going to be. Best of luck to the Boykins man.

[Meck77]

I hope the new kid isn't a midget.

[c_lazy_r]

Originally Posted by Meck77

I hope the new kid isn't a midget.

6'3 and white...

5'5 and black...

Bucks tore us up.

[Man-Goblin]

Addition by subtraction?

As long as AI is healthy, they don't really need a guy to put in more than 5-10 minutes per night at the PG position. And now with Smith back, they'll have more than enough talent at the swing positions when Melo comes back.

This was obviously a salary cap move, but personally I'm glad boykins is off the squad.

Now, get rid of Nene's Kneeknee...god he was horrendous last night. Dude seriously should have stuck to soccer because I have never seen a bigger set of butterfingers in my life.

[ND Bronco Fan]

I had to turn off the game last night cuz Boykins was frustrating me so much, how does he get lost so badly on defense just never ceases to amaze me.

[Clockwork Orange]

Boykins can be good for you if you're looking for a spark, some instant offense off the bench with your second unit.

Run him for too long with your first unit, though, and you're asking for trouble. He's a shoot first point guard, he pulls up on 3 on 1 breaks to take jumpers, he can't guard anyone and there are times that I think he'd break out in hives if he actually passed the ball.

I can't say I'm sorry to see him go. I do wish him well in Milwaukee, though.

[i4jelway7]

I always liked the little guy... I almost bought a Boykins jersey.. I hope he does good for the Bucks

[Hercules Rockefeller]

Boykins was a black hole once he got the ball, it was never coming back. Good luck, but good riddance.

[Mountain Bronco]

Boykins is such a liability on D that his offense is overshadowed in my opinion. Even his Offense is very streaky. However, we don't have a true point guard on the roster at this point. Hopefully Blake can hit some 3 balls as that is what we are lacking.

[Kaylore]

Oh great. We lost our best shooter and the guy who had the most chemistry with AI. Hate it.

[Mountain Bronco]

Boykins did not appear to be well liked by some teamates because he was a over-dribbling ball hawg (pure speculation on my part). With Iverson filling that role much more capably, we didn't need another shoot first, to small to guard anyone point guard, but not geting anything in return is stupid, unless blake can hit the 3 ball consistently.

[bronco_diesel]

Originally Posted by Kaylore

Oh great. We lost our best shooter and the guy who had the most chemistry with AI. Hate it.

no, this is a great move by the FO.

boykins is overrated. he's played well with the suspensions -- outside that he's hurt the team more than he's helped it.

he is not a team player - he's a shoot first pg. if he's hitting he looks great, but if not he's horrid.

he often holds the ball too long not involving others in the offense - usually ending in a poor shot selection on his behalf or leaving someone else with a bad shot.

he's terrible, absolutely terrible on defense.

the FO took advantage of his rising stock and got the most out of him. this helps with the luxury tax for next year - as well provides a solid pass-first backup who isn't going to hurt you as bad on defense.

this will hurt for the next 4 games, but the trade is made for the long haul.

[Kaylore]

I just don't feel great about a team that struggles to complete shots from the outside letting go it's best shooter.

[bronco_diesel]

Originally Posted by Kaylore

I just don't feel great about a team that struggles to complete shots from the outside letting go it's best shooter.

he's not really the best shooter. he has been during the suspensions, but beyond that - no way. JR is a better shooter than boykins.

besides that - when you have a full roster - look at what will happen.

you cannot double melo because of AI
you cannot double AI because of Melo
because of AI and Melo - JR is going to be wide open.

I'd much rather have JR take those shots.

[bfoflcommish]

so we go from a player avg 15.2 pts at 41.3 % woth 4.3 assists a game to

3.6 pts 34.9% & 2.6 assists

hmmmm don't like it.

Yes Boykins has is bad moments, but noone one this team as better at getting a nice rally started either. For all the talk that Boykins never passed well now we just dropped almost 2 assists a game with this trade.

[footstepsfrom#27]

Originally Posted by bfoflcommish

so we go from a player avg 15.2 pts at 41.3 % woth 4.3 assists a game to

3.6 pts 34.9% & 2.6 assists

hmmmm don't like it.

Yes Boykins has is bad moments, but noone one this team as better at getting a nice rally started either. For all the talk that Boykins never passed well now we just dropped almost 2 assists a game with this trade.

Dropped 2 assists a game? You got to be kidding...this guy passed when he had no other choice and that's it. Any normal guard who handled the ball as much as he did would get more than 2 assists...I'm thrilled he's gone. Earl the Squirrel was a complete liability on defense, a ball hog on offense and no way he fits on this team. Little Earl neve saw a shot he didn't love. The fact that we'd trade this guy with the big numbers for somebody that's obviously nothing but salary cap money speaks volumes on how frustrated Karl was with his act.

Good riddance.

[bronco_diesel]

Originally Posted by footstepsfrom#27

Dropped 2 assists a game? You got to be kidding...this guy passed when he had no other choice and that's it. Any normal guard who handled the ball as much as he did would get more than 2 assists...I'm thrilled he's gone. Earl the Squirrel was a complete liability on defense, a ball hog on offense and no way he fits on this team. Little Earl neve saw a shot he didn't love. The fact that we'd trade this guy with the big numbers for somebody that's obviously nothing but salary cap money speaks volumes on how frustrated Karl was with his act.

Good riddance.

thank you! someone who's obviously watched the games.

[epicSocialism4tw]

You guys will like Blake, he doesnt demand the ball and he's a nice off-the-ball spot up shooter. He gives effort on defense and can hit important shots.

He's not quite as good as Boykins, but he can provide more of what the Nuggets need. This is a good deal for Denver, because Iverson and Anthony will be hoisting up probably 60% of the shots on this team. Denver needs role players.

[epicSocialism4tw]

Blake will be able to come in for 20 minutes a game to play 2 guard next to Iverson.