NBA Trade Speculation: Grading the Best Trade Targets

Now that the NBA season has started off to a great, big bang, the trade rumors are starting to warm up and people are starting to look at their teams and decide what fat can be trimmed and what fat can be traded.

One of the best trade targets you're going to hear about over the next few months will obviously be Dwight Howard, whose name you'll hear approximately 59.3 times a day, increasing exponentially as the trade deadline nears.

However, there are a few players I have ruled off this list. First, I find Rajon Rondo and Russell Westbrook to be completely gruntled, and their teams not dumb enough to trade them. Shipping either of them away would lead to their teams having to integrate a new point guard into their system during a compressed regular season, a near-impossible task.

Similarly, I don't see Rudy Gay as a threat to be moved at this point with Zach Randolph out and him being their main scoring option. That is, of course, unless some team bowls Memphis over with a trade offer; think something like Golden State offering Monta Ellis and Dorell Wright for Gay. That's not a trade I think many teams are sane enough to make during the season.

So, here I have for you the top trade targets that you'll surely be hearing about over the next month.

10. Antawn Jamison

At the end of last season I would have smacked myself for including Jamison in any kind of "Best Of" list; now, I'm rethinking my stance.

At that point I had just watched Jamison not care for six months on a team that had won 19 games as he stood around on defense and waited for someone to give him the ball on offense.

Now, however, he has shown that he can still shoot the ball, get to the rim and even D it up every now and again if you really need him to.

The latest on Jamison is that the Charlotte Bobcats are willing to take him off Cleveland's hands, although they're a lot higher on him now than they were even just two weeks ago.

9. Ramon Sessions

Another player the Cleveland Cavaliers could end up shipping away is Ramon Sessions, their backup point guard who has come into his own over the past year.

Sessions is a decent ball-handler and has a floater that is sweeter than a jar of honey, plus he's a pretty good defender.

Cleveland may be enticed into trading Sessions away for the right price, but it could take a bit more than once thought, as it's starting to look like pairing him with Kyrie Irving for the next few years could benefit the Cavs more than any trade could.

8. Michael Beasley

While Michael Beasley is one of the biggest contributors on the Minnesota Timberwolves, he also happens to be blocking Derrick Williams from getting more minutes and improving as a player.

It was suspected when the Timberwolves drafted Williams that Beasley could be on the block, but it seems like they are going to hang onto him for a while to increase his trade value and get teams to come after him, rather than seem desperate and shop him early.

Only time will tell whether Minny wants to ship him away or not, but he could definitely be a good addition to a team now that he seems a bit more level-headed.

7. DeMarcus Cousins

The hottest recent trade rumor has, of course, been DeMarcus Cousins and his apparent falling-out with Kings coach Paul Westphal.

Cousins has since rejoined the Kings and is coming off the bench. Yesterday, Cousins came out and claimed that he never demanded a trade, but the whole ordeal between him and Westphal sounds like it could come to a head again.

It's entirely possible that if this does come up again a team could swoop in and trade for him if they're willing to gamble on his talent overcoming his attitude.

6. Josh Smith

The Atlanta Hawks are one of the teams that are still in the running to trade for Dwight Howard as they have three All-Star-caliber players that they could include in some package for the big man.

However, if they don't win the Howard sweepstakes, there's still a slim chance that they could ship Josh Smith away and look at the future, but at this point they're playing well, so I don't see anyone going anywhere unless it is for Dwight.

5. Monta Ellis

Ever since the playoffs it seems like the hottest trade rumor not involving Dwight Howard or Chris Paul was surrounding Monta Ellis.

In fact, at one point near the end of November it seemed that there was a deal in the works started from the Golden State side of the picture, so they aren't completely against flipping Ellis for the right player.

Ellis is a great scorer and there aren't many players out there who can put up 25 points a night consistently, so whomever it was inquiring would be getting a great player in return.

4. Andre Iguodala

It seems as if Andre Iguodala has been on the trading block for the past three years or so, and this season is no different than any other.

Philadelphia will probably only ship him away if they end up struggling, but as of right now he's probably going to be staying.

However, with the right offer a team could end up with a great defender, a decent shooter and a player who has grown into a leader over the past few seasons.

3. Steve Nash

I would consider Steve Nash the best possible player to rent over the next few months to try to get your team to get over the hump.

Sure, right now there is no real news coming out of Phoenix about Nash being on the trade block and Nash showed his support of the franchise over the summer, but there's no telling how each side feels even just a few weeks from now.

Nash is far too loyal a guy to demand a trade and the Suns are far too happy with him in orange to start to shop him, but I think if the Suns struggle mightily over the next month the two sides should come to a mutual agreement that he should be traded.

2. Andrew Bynum/Pau Gasol

After the Lakers gave up Lamar Odom for pennies on the dollar before the season started it seemed pretty obvious that they weren't going to be giving up both Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum. It would devastate their frontcourt. 

However, if the year goes along and the Lakers are having troubles winning games the way they're used to, they may make a rash decision and move the two of them for Dwight Howard.

However, either of these two on their own would be a good pickup as well for any team out there, and as Los Angeles showed when they tried to get Chris Paul in purple and yellow, they don't have any reservations about moving one of their big men for a superstar player.

1. Dwight Howard

This one's a huge surprise, right?

Well in case you didn't hear, there are a few teams interested in the big man in Orlando who requested a trade around mid-December.

Howard would be a good fit with many teams out there including the Lakers, Nets, Knicks, Hawks and Bulls, all of whom presumably would give up a few guys to bring the big man to their team.

If you are one of those twitterers, you can follow me @JDorsey33.