NBA Trade Rumors: Which Players Can Turn Pretenders into Contenders?

The NBA may be in a lockout, but rest assured, teams are still looking to make moves this summer. There are a slew of players on the trade block, and a number of them could turn a fringe playoff team into a real threat.

The best example of this is Dwight Howard, who has been linked to just about every team who may have the star power to deal Howard.

Most recently, Howard has been linked to the Nets, who are making a play for Howard in order to lock up Deron Williams long term.

Howard has made it clear that he wants to be surrounded by decent players. If Orlando can't provide him with that, the Nets are ready and willing to do so.

Another team with trade rumors swirling around them is the LA Lakers. The Lakers have three big men who could be on the move. Pau Gasol is an all-star caliber forward, Andrew Bynum is on the verge of becoming one of the most dominant centers in the NBA and Lamar Odom is an elite sixth man for the Lakers, who could very well be a starter elsewhere.

The Lakers lack cohesion, which caused them to tank in the playoffs. Kobe Bryant isn't the same player as he was three years ago, which points to an even greater regression in his immediate future.

It's time to cash in on some of their assets and surround Bryant with the sort of talent to win another championship, while gearing up for the future in the process.

The Lakers could contend for a championship next year with their current roster, but there are many pretenders who could use their assets to make the jump into contention.

One such team is the Golden State Warriors, who have trade rumors circulating around Monta Ellis, as usual. The team came out and said they weren't going to trade him, but they also left the door slightly open, saying it would take a monster deal to part ways with Ellis.

The Lakers have the fire power to create such a deal. They have terrible frontcourt problems, and after addressing a lesser need by drafting Klay Thompson, they are still in need of a big man.

David Lee could use some help in the paint, and if the Warriors can't package up an Ellis deal to bring in Howard, Bynum certainly serves as a decent consolation prize.

He's young and he would round out an incredibly talented lineup. Obviously the Warriors aren't going to give Ellis away, but don't buy into the "off limits" sign they seem to be putting on him.