NBA Rumors: Moves That Should Happen by All-Star Weekend

Teams need to start pulling the trigger on trades that have so far just been rumors. The season is winding down, and it is time to get new pieces in place to prepare them for a run at the playoffs. 

Here are a few trades that must be made sooner rather than later.  

Blockbuster Three-Team Trade

Pau Gasol to the Rockets

Yahoo! Sports' Adrian Wojnarowski reported that the Rockets are still supremely interested in Gasol

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The Houston Rockets still have a longing for Gasol, but the Lakers would want a player the Rockets are most reluctant to part with point guard Kyle Lowry. 

The Lakers could probably pry a combination of Kevin Martin and Luis Scola for Gasol, league sources said, but it’s doubtful they’ll move Gasol without solving their point guard problem. Lowry has developed into one of the league’s finest point guards, but Rockets general manager Daryl Morey isn’t trading him.

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The Lakers need to get a point guard back from the Rockets if they are going to trade Gasol. With Houston apparently unwilling to trade Lowry, LA should turn their attention to another point guard, and they have reportedly been eyeing the Rockets' Jonny Flynn. 

Chris Broussard of ESPN reports:

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The New York Knicks and Los Angeles Lakers have contacted the Houston Rockets about acquiring Jonny Flynn, according to league sources.

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Obviously, a Gasol for Flynn trade is not a good value for the Lakers, nor would it work under the NBA trade guidelines. Houston would have to sweeten the pot. They could throw in the previously mentioned Scola and reserve power forward Patrick Patterson. 

This trade would work under the guidelines, and it would benefit both teams. Houston would get their low-post presence with Gasol, and the Lakers would get their point guard and the pieces to pull off the other part of this trade.

Dwight Howard to Lakers

The Magic have to deal Howard. This has been hanging over their head all season, and it is time they face the reality that they aren't likely to re-sign him at the end of the season. It is time to get some value for Dwight. 

The Lakers have been one of the most rumored destinations for Howard. Like this one from Ken Berger of CBS Sports:

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Despite assertions to the contrary, the Lakers remain firmly on Howard's list of three teams he's asked to be traded to, along with the Nets and Mavericks, multiple people familiar with the situation said. The Lakers' clear preference is to trade Pau Gasol in a Howard deal and not Andrew Bynum, who was elected as an All-Star starter for the first time this week. 

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Here is where the Lakers would have to be willing to deal Bynum. With Gasol gone, they have no other way to land the big man. 

They could center a package around Bynum and the newly-acquired Scola. The Magic would have to throw another salary in there to make this work, but it wouldn't take much. 

This would give Orlando a nice front court and solid value for Howard. Gasol and Scola would work well together down low.

This would also give the Lakers the big man they have had their eyes on, and they would have an upgrade at point guard with Flynn and Patterson to help them at power forward. 

Steve Nash to Anyone

It is time for the Suns to deal Nash. This team is not going anywhere, and they must start rebuilding. They can get a head start on this by dealing their legendary point guard while he is on the last year of his contract.  

They just have to have the gumption to pull the trigger. 

Sam Amick of SI.com had a story that strongly hinted at Nash staying with the Suns. Here are a couple of quotes that illustrate that. 

Nash:

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I have no idea what the club will eventually do if a bunch of offers are thrown in their face, but I feel like I'm not nervous about [the trade deadline] and I'm not thinking about—what's the word?—I'm not anticipating anything to happen. I feel like I made a commitment and I feel like I owe it to my teammates—the city, the fans, the club—to play it out and to play as hard as I can.

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Suns president of basketball operations Lon Babby: 

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Our position has been the same all along, which is I've told him that he has earned the right to stay with our franchise as long as he wants provided that he believes in what we're doing, and provided that he's all in and wants to do that.  

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Phoenix needs to begin actively shopping Nash. He is still an excellent point guard and will have tremendous value for a team looking to make a run at a championship this season. Phoenix could certainly land some young talent for Nash. 

Not only will he boost a contending team on the court this year, but he has an expiring contract. That would help whichever team that trades for him have flexibility this offseason. 

Meanwhile, if Phoenix kept Nash, they would have a hard time converting their cap space into legitimate players without overpaying for them. This franchise is a ways off from winning. The only way to get closer to that is by dealing Nash.