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| MarShon didn't get off the bench much with the Celtics, and predictably complained about his baffling lack of playing time. Good for him to get a change of scenery with a winning Warriors team |
In the first notable trade of the 2014 calendar year, a former Net (one of my personal favorites of recent years) and a former Net draft pick (who was traded on draft day) were sent westwards to the Golden State Warriors.
MarShon Brooks–whom I love and fully believe will develop into a star if given significant playing time–and Jordan Crawford–who was drafted by New Jersey in 2010 and who Brooklyn was interested in in 2014–were traded today by the Celtics to the Warriors in a three-team deal that saw the Heat get Toney Douglas from GSW and send Joel Anthony and a pair of draft picks up north to Boston.
The move is the 2nd trade Marshon has been in since June, as he was dealt by the Nets to Boston, along with Kris Joseph, Gerald Wallace, Kris Humphries, Keith Bogans, and a trio of draft picks, in the blockbuster that brought Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, Jason Terry, and the promptly-waived D.J. White to Brooklyn. That marked the end of Brooks' two-year tenure with the Nets that demonstrated the Providence product's offensive ability, ridiculous athleticism, and defensive weaknesses.
Interestingly enough, the guy Brooks was traded with to the Warriors, Jordan Crawford, was originally picked by the (New Jersey) Nets but was immediately shipped, on draft day night, to the Hawks along with Tibor Pleiss for Damion James, who spent two injury-riddled years–the last two in New Jersey–with the Nets.
Going back to MarShon, I, on a personal level, am ridiculously happy he got the change of scenery he desperately needed and can start over in the West. Brad Stevens barely played him with the Celtics, as Brooks only appeared in 10 games with Boston this year for a grand total of 73 minutes. On the Warriors, a winning team, he'll serve as a key backup and–although not likely to get 20 minutes a night–will at least see more action in The Golden State than he did in The Bay State.
I'll be rooting for him out in Oakland, and I know the few Nets still on the team from last season will be too. MarShon certainly has his shortcomings in terms of his basketball ability, but the talent and upside he has is through the roof. Zach Lowe (@ZachLowe_NBA) of Grantland may not agree with this idea, but the kid that was born on the Jersey Shore will be a good, maybe great, player in the NBA one day.
Now, when that day will be in unknown at this moment. But watch out, because it's inevitable, even if it doesn't come when he's still on the Warriors. If I'm Billy King, I would try to bring MarShon back to Brooklyn in a few years, when the Nets clear some more cap, but who knows what will happen by then.
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