NBA Rumors: Teams Whose Bids to Make Deadline Deals Will Fall Short

While there will always be big names and big teams talking about making deals, don't fall into a trap with these guys. Every one of these NBA franchises needs to improve its roster, but it's not going to happen. The trades may be needed, but they just aren't there to happen.

Los Angeles Lakers

The Lakers need a point guard, but it's not going to happen.

Mike Bresnahan of the Los Angeles Times talked about many trades that the Lakers have been looking at, but in the article, he detailed one that hasn't happened yet:

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The Lakers were close to a smaller deal with Cleveland for backup point guard Ramon Sessions but didn't want to part with the future first-round pick they acquired from Dallas for Odom.

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That is a problem that's going to be there for any target. Other than Andrew Bynum, and possibly Pau Gasol, that first-round pick is the most valuable commodity the Lakers have. Giving up either one of those two players would only thin the Lakers out even more, which they can't afford. 

Sessions for that pick is a good deal. Sessions is a strong upgrade at the point guard position for the Lakers and is also a young player that you can build around for several more years. Bynum is the centerpiece, but he'll need some talent to play with. Kobe Bryant and Gasol won't be there forever. 

If they weren't willing to make this deal, then the right trade isn't out there. They may bring in a veteran free agent, but don't look for any big-name trades. 

Orlando Magic

The big name for Orlando is Dwight Howard. Any notable trade they make or even talk about, he'll be a part of. 

Writing for ESPN, Chris Broussard detailed a potentially big trade that has been in talks:

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The Orlando Magic have reached out to the Golden State Warriors about trading for Monta Ellis, according to league sources.

No deal is imminent, but Orlando is trying to add Ellis to its roster in hopes of appeasing Dwight Howard.

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Unfortunately, there's a huge problem with that, and it was detailed by Broussard in the same article:

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Golden State's greatest desire is to add a quality big man to its roster.

In fact, sources say the Warriors would actually like to trade for Howard, even though he has said he will not sign to play there long-term. In approaching the Magic about a Howard trade earlier this season, the Warriors were willing to send Ellis to Orlando in the trade.

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Translation: The Warriors want Howard, but don't want to give up Ellis. The Magic want Ellis, but don't want to give up Howard. Do you see the problem?

But even if a team was willing to give up a lot to get Howard, it won't be after reading this report from Kurt Helin of Pro Basketball Talk, in which he says, "Howard is not signing an extension immediately wherever he is traded for financial reasons."

Obviously, Howard is not going to come cheap. No team is going to give up the pieces that will be needed to get a player like Howard unless it knows that he's a long-term option. Dealing some of your franchise's best players for someone that could walk at the end of the season is not a chance that any sensible GM would take.

Howard is going to finish this year in Orlando and test the free-agent market. If Howard isn't involved, the Magic don't have any other pieces that teams would go hard after.

Boston Celtics

Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe detailed the season-long plight of Rajon Rondo:

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It’s the second time in three months that Rondo has been the subject of trade rumors. In December, team president Danny Ainge acknowledged Rondo was part of a package to attempt to acquire Chris Paul from New Orleans. That deal fell through, but at the time Rondo said he was shaken by the possibility of leaving.

This time, he said he’s been assured that the team isn’t looking to move him.

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Boston has a problem here. The Celtics are a contending team, at least when it comes to making the playoffs. Therefore, they can't really be labeled as "sellers," which means that the Big Three of Paul Pierce, Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett will go nowhere. 

But if the Celtics are looking to really improve, Rondo is the best player they can give. The problem there is that he's also their only long-term option, and it would be absolutely pointless to mortgage their future for a move that would still likely leave them well behind at least Miami and Chicago.

The names just aren't out there to match this one up. Get used to seeing this group together, because the current Celtics roster will look exactly the same for the rest of this season.

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