NBA Trade Rumors: 5 Sneaky GMs Who Will Work Magic at Trade Deadline

As the NBA trade deadline draws closer, speculation grows as to which teams' GMs will come out of the woodwork and make key trades.  I could go on about the Los Angeles Lakers' Mitch Kupchak and guess what trade he'll soon add to his already impressive resume, or maybe take a gander at what Minnesota's David Kahn has up his sleeve.

However, instead of taking a look at the usual suspects, I'd much rather explore the options regarding the front office gurus who tend to fly under the radar.  Take Orlando Magic GM Otis Smith, for example.  Out of all the front office heads in the NBA today, he has probably got the toughest job of them all: Does he move All-Star center Dwight Howard to another team and bring in a ton of talent in return, or does he risk letting him leave via free agency and then receive nothing?

That being said, let's dive right in and take a look at five GMs who could surprise us all come the deadline.

5. Gar Forman, Chicago Bulls

The Bulls may have the NBA's best record, but that doesn't mean we should count them out as a team willing to deal.  There has been some speculation about them being players for Dwight Howard, and they certainly have the assets required to make such a deal.

Enter reigning Executive of the Year Gar Forman.  Here's the man essentially responsible for the Bulls' turnaround over the past couple of years, yet I can't recall one moment other than his receiving of the aforementioned honor in which he was at all praised for his efforts.

The old saying goes, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it," but just imagine how incredible the Bulls could be if Forman could swing such a deal.  By sending a draft pick along with a package of Joakim Noah and Luol Deng in exchange for Howard, Chicago could go from being the Windy City to Lob City: Eastern Conference Edition.

4. Larry Riley, Golden State Warriors

Since replacing Chris Mullin in 2009, Larry Riley has had a tough job.  He basically has a team that is only as deep as its starting five, and we all know that those types of squads never really go far.  On top of that, he has a talented player in guard Monta Ellis, but also a ridiculously expensive contract.

Ellis is averaging 22 points and six assists per game this year, but still he has struggled overall.  Given said struggles, the growing presence of rookie Klay Thompson and the team's growing need for a big man, Monte Poole of the San Jose Mercury News believes that Ellis is expendable.

Riley and the Golden State brass continue to market Ellis as their star player, but is he really?  He has yet to take them to the playoffs and still isn't an All-Star, so don't be surprised if Riley is secretly listening to offers for the talented scorer so that a trade that will make the team more whole can happen.

At that point, one of two things will happen: Riley will either be labeled a genius, or he could become one of the most hated men in Oakland sports history.

3. Billy King, New Jersey Nets

In New Jersey, it's hard to tell who's really running the show.  Is controversial owner Mikhail Prokhorov pulling all of the strings, or is GM Billy King making decisions independently?

No matter what the situation, King already has a pretty impressive trade on his resume.  In acquiring Deron Williams from the Utah Jazz last year, he traded away popular point guard Devin Harris and rookie power forward Derrick Favors, who the Nets had drafted with the third pick in the 2010 draft.  Sure, Favors hasn't really lived up to the potential expected of that high a pick, but it was still a head-scratching move nonetheless.

That being said, having covered the trade when it happened last season, I don't once recall King getting an ounce of credit for making such a ballsy decision.  With the Nets constantly in the mix for Dwight Howard, don't be surprised if King pulls the trigger on a blockbuster deal and then slinks back into the shadows as he did post-Williams trade.

He's already got a rep for making big deals, but he certainly doesn't wear it on his sleeve.

2. Otis Smith, Orlando Magic

Poor Otis Smith.  Not only does he work for a team that plays in the tough NBA Southeast, but he probably has the hardest job in the league right now.  Does he trade star center Dwight Howard for a package of talented players and draft picks, or does he let him walk as a free agent and anger the fans by getting nothing?

Needless to say, it's kind of astounding how Smith's name has rarely popped up in trade rumors involving Howard.  Instead, Howard himself seems to be the focus.  How quickly we all forget that Smith is the man who not only brought Hedo Turkoglu back to the Magic, but he also dumped some bad contracts in Rashard Lewis and Vince Carter.

Simply put, the guy knows how to make a good deal and has done a fine job running Orlando's front office since 2006.  The are constantly in contention and while the results may not be perfect, he could still surprise us all by getting a deal done this deadline.  Unfortunately, I doubt that his efforts will get as much recognition as the players involved in such a deal will.

1. Dell Demps, New Orleans Hornets

Otis Smith's job may be tough, but it's still not as hard as Dell Demps'.  He is the GM for the New Orleans Hornets and not only is his team in full rebuilding mode, for lack of better word, but they don't even have an owner.  Currently, they are run by the NBA.

Demps traded star point guard Chris Paul to the Los Angeles Clippers for Chris Kaman, Eric Bledsoe and Eric Gordon and as a result, his team now has the second-worst record in the NBA.  Still, if he's looking to acquire some more talent, the Hornets actually have some decent trade chips.

Kaman and his expiring contract were involved in some trade rumors recently, though he was ultimately taken off the table.  On top of that, bench forward Carl Landry has provided some valuable minutes and Jarrett Jack has become a reliable point guard despite recently missing time with injury.  If Demps chooses to dump salary, I'm sure there are plenty of teams out there who would make a big play for the talented Trevor Ariza.

That all being said, the Hornets are actually a much more talented team than their record indicates, and it shows with some of the players they have.  Demps may not be calling all of the shots, but don't at all be surprised if he swings another big trade in the very near future.