Pop off, Popovich

One thing the first half of the NBA season is not usually known for is trades, especially ones… One thing the first half of the NBA season is not usually known for is trades, especially ones involving stars.

This year was quite different, with a few huge trades happening recently.

All of the trades that were made seemed to improve already talented Western Conference teams, unless you count the huge Kings-Hawks trade that sent Mike Bibby to Atlanta. I’d like to, but alas, I don’t.

It’s exciting for fans to see some great attempts at one-upmanship involving All-Star players.

One man who isn’t happy about this is defending NBA Champion San Antonio Spurs coach Greg Popovich.

The Lakers acquired Pau Gasol from the Memphis Tigers – er, Grizzlies – for four players who surmount Gasol only in height and weight if they were all counted as one giant person. Popovich let the world know he isn’t excited to see Gasol in Los Angeles.

“What they did in Memphis is beyond comprehension,” Popovich told si.com. “There should be a trade committee that can scratch all trades that make no sense. I just wish I had been on a trade committee that oversees NBA trades. I’d like to elect myself to that committee. I would have voted no to the L.A. trade.”

He has a point. I can’t think of one logical reason why NBA coaches shouldn’t be able to veto trades made by other teams. One can only wonder what Popovich thinks about the recent trade activity taking place in the NBA. We should take a look starting with the Gasol deal.

The Lakers were already surprising doubters this year thanks to a much-improved Andrew Bynum. When he came out of high school a few years ago, many analysts thought he’d be great, but up until this season, he wasn’t.

Thanks to some resounding confidence in his game by teammate Kobe Bryant in the offseason, Bynum was playing the best basketball of his career this season. Then, he dislocated his knee.

With Bynum hurt, the Lakers traded for Gasol. They did have to give up the hefty price of Kwame Brown, Javaris Crittenton, Aaron Mckie and the rights to Marc Gasol, Pau’s younger brother currently playing overseas.

Pau Gasol has immediately fit in with Bryant and the Lakers, who have won five of six games since he joined the team. Once Bynum returns, which is expected to be sometime in mid-March, the Lakers look like a contender to win the West.

As for the Grizzlies, now the world is finally going to know the answer to the question of what would happen if Kwame Brown and Darko Milic joined forces? Buckle up and enjoy the ride, Memphis.

And since this was the trade that sent Popovich over the edge, what would he have rather seen? He would’ve wanted the Lakers to give up Bryant, Brown and Bynum for Jason Collins, Brian Cardinal and Casey Jacobson.

Shortly after the Gasol trade, the Phoenix Suns made a major trade, as well. The Suns acquired Shaquille O’Neal from the Miami Heat for Shawn Marion and Marcus Banks. Marion, while a four-time All-Star, has been unhappy in Phoenix because he felt he wasn’t appreciated like teammates Steve Nash and Amare Stoudemire.

The trade was immediately thought by many to worsen the Suns because of their fast-paced offense and Shaq’s ever decreasing ability to look like he’s still athletic or is even trying anymore, but it also has the possibility to finally win Phoenix a title. And it’s Shaq’s return to purple jerseys. Since he was last on the Lakers, he’s become a little rounder, so we’re getting closer to successfully using Grimace references.

Somehow, I don’t think Popovich liked this deal, either.

If he had a say, he might suggest the Suns trade Marion, Nash and Boris Diaw for Daequan Cook, Luke Jackson, Smush Parker and Ricky Davis. Popovich knows giving up four guys for only three might seem a little unfair, but sometimes it needs to be done.

The last trade has finally gone through. The New Jersey Nets are trading star point guard Jason Kidd and Malik Allen to the Dallas Mavericks for Devin Harris, DeSagana Diop, Trenton Hassel, Maurice Ager and Keith Van Horn, who had taken the past two seasons off to spend time with his family. His rights are still owned by the Mavericks, so before the deal could go through, Van Horn has to agree to re-sign with Dallas and then go back to the Nets.

Popovich probably doesn’t like this trade too much either, but then again, I don’t think he’s all that threatened by Dallas. Either way, he’d like it more if the Mavericks traded Jerry Stackhouse, Josh Howard and Jason Terry for Jamaal Magloire.

Maybe those don’t seem fair to the Western Conference teams involved, but that’s not what’s important here. What matters is that the integrity of the league is at stake, and it might take one brave man to stand up and form a committee to veto trades that benefit rivaling teams.

And that man is Greg Popovich.