There is a beacon of hope in anotherwise bleak landscape, friends and neighbors, and it doesn't involve primaries, caucuses, conventions, or superdelegates.
The erstwhile complacent Cavaliers general manager Danny Ferry pulled off a major trade approximately one minute before the trading deadline on Thursday. The buzz has been that Cleveland needs a stronger supporting cast to give LeBron James some help going into the playoffs. At least on the surface, it looks like a brilliant move.
The Cavaliers get the defense and rebounding powerhouse Ben Wallace, journeyman forward Joe Smith, and a draft pick (from the Chicago Bulls), a reliable shooter Wally Szczerbiak and promising point guard Delonte West (from the Seattle Sonics).
They give up an adequate power forward Drew Gooden, talented but disappointing point guard Larry Hughes, and a couple of guys I've never heard of, Cedric Simmons and Shannon Brown (to the Bulls) and a couple of role players, Ira Newble and Donyell Marshall (to the Sonics).
Gain five (potential) impact players in exchange for six who helped out but didn't really deliver. Of course it's a gamble. Ben Wallace's best years with the championship Pistons are years behind him, and he'll never be the force he was then. But paired with Zydrunas Ilgauskas up front, he could - emphasize could - be the dominant rebounder the Cavalier need against the likes of Tim Duncan, Yao Ming, Shaquille O'Neal, and Dirk Nowinski. Szczerbiak can hit a shot when everybody is triple-teaming LeBron (think John Paxson shooting threes for the Bulls when Michael Jordan kicked it out).
It's a poetic trade. The old, battered, blue-collar Wallace will go into battle alongside the young Greek godlike LeBron, and what's not to like about a lineup (in Cleveland!) that includes two white guys named Ilgauskas and Szczerbiak. And just in time. It's late February, and some of us need something to look forward to.
Did I mention that this is about basketball?
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