NBA Superstars on the Move? Daily Dribbles' Trade Rumors

Countdown to NBA Trade Deadline: 23 Days

What I’m Reading

• Two of the biggest names on the trading blocks, Chris Bosh and Amar’e Stoudemire might not be getting traded after all.

• All of the Andre Miller trade rumors are now apparently false, according to Blazers GM Kevin Pritchard. Funny how this coincides nicely with this .

• Rajon Rondo, one of the top defensive point guards in the game, is struggling all of a sudden on D. Have other teams found a hole in Rondo’s game ?

• T.J. Ford still has a lot to offer to a team. Just not the Pacers .

• This just in: The Bulls have traded center Aaron Gray for Hornets guard Devin Brown. Daily Dribbles: your source for insignificant breaking news!

What I Think About It

• These two superstars won’t be getting traded for lack of interest. I do think at this point Stoudemire is still more likely to get traded than Bosh, but even with just over three weeks left, it might be difficult to pull something off. Both Bosh and Amar’e are now saying that they’re happy where they are, singing different tunes than they have in the past.

The reason that Stoudemire may still be moved is that one of his suitors is the Timberwolves. Who do the Wolves own the rights to? Ricky Rubio. Who is going to need a fresh, young gun point guard in a couple of years when he comes over from Spain? The Suns. Fits like a glove.

• Did anyone see this coming? In January, Miller is averaging 19.5 points, 7.5 assists, 4.3 rebounds, and is shooting 51.3 percent. Holy cow! All-Star game starter Steve Nash’s January splits: 18.6 ppg, 10.4 apg, 3.8 rpg, 50.9 percent. So Miller is obviously playing at a very high level right now. He seems happy, and everything appears to be headed in the right direction in Portland now after things got ugly. And look at what Pritchard had to say: "We have no interest in trading Andre Miller. Zero. None. Write it." Now tell me that isn’t crystal clear. It is.

• In the past four games, opposing point guards have averaged 21.2 points, 8.7 assists, and 7.7 rebounds, while shooting 50 percent from the field. Rajon, we need to have a talk. This isn’t good. All four of the point guards that scorched you (Rose, Kidd, Stuckey, Miller) are all bigger than you.

In fact, most of the point guards in the league are built a little heavier than your listed 6'1", 171-pound frame. So this can’t continue to be a problem. Granted, in those four games, three were losses without Garnett and one (against Portland) was a win with him. He elevates everyone’s game when he’s on the floor, so this issue might resolve itself in the long run. But it’ll be very, very interesting to see how Rondo handles Baron Davis when the Clippers come to town tonight.

• Obviously, Ford has had some success in the NBA. He just hasn’t found much of it in Indiana. The former POY in college, T.J. began this season in a starting role for the Pacers only to see it diminished to no playing time, mired in the role of a backup of a backup situation behind Earl Watson and A.J. Price. He hasn’t even played this decade.

While still doing everything he’s supposed to be doing and maintaining game shape, he knows his time with the Pacers is most likely over and is ready to move on. He has admitted to being very open to a trade, saying that he just wants to play.

Coach Jim O’ Brien knows it’s a possibility: "I don't think there's any doubt," O'Brien said. "He's a quality point guard. He could really help another franchise." But Pacers president Larry Bird isn’t so sure. "I'm not looking to trade T.J.,'' said Bird. Either way, it’s a shame to let him waste away on the bench. He isn’t the greatest by far, but he still has plenty left in the tank. I still expect him to be dealt.

• As little of a trade as this might seem, I like it for both squads. Despite only managing a mere 18 points this season, I still think Aaron Gray is going to be a sufficient NBA player. After watching him in beast-mode in college at Pitt, I was sure he was going to dominate. He didn’t really get the minutes he needed, but I still saw that he was doing the right things fundamentally. His per 36 minute averages his rookie year were respectable, at 15.4 ppg and 9.4 rpg. But those averages came with a 6.9 fouls per game. Not so good, but he’s still got plenty of potential.

And Devin Brown is definitely going to help out the Bulls as another scorer off the bench. Like I’ve been saying since the Bulls were on the verge of firing Vinny, they’re going to make the playoffs this year. Guess what—they’re currently in eighth in the conference at the half-way point of the season.

PD

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