NBA Trade Deadline: Ranking the Moves Most Likely to Happen

The March 15th NBA trade deadline is fast approaching, and with incessant rumors circulating, it's hard to decipher between which ones are false and which ones are true.

With high-profile names like Steve Nash, Rajon Rondo, Dwight Howard and Pau Gasol potentially hitting the trade market, the 2012 trade deadline could be one of the most memorable in recent history.

There's no doubt that there's potential for some blockbuster trades in the next week. It would be exciting to see some of those guys move around, but in all reality, the most likely trades to happen are going to be ones that don't involve truly high-profile players.

Ahead is a ranking of the potential trades that could transpire, along with the players involved in them. 

Players That Won't Be Traded

Phoenix Suns PG Steve Nash  

The Phoenix Suns have reportedly said that they are only going to try and trade Nash if he requests or demands a trade, and there's a high likelihood that's not going to happen.

Unless something extraordinary happens in Phoenix, Steve Nash will be wearing a Suns jersey on Mar. 16th, the day after the NBA trade deadline. 

Orlando Magic C Dwight Howard

Unless you haven't turned on ESPN in the past five months, you've heard about the Dwight Howard trade rumors. While Howard has been handling his situation in Orlando with poise over the past few weeks, the Magic haven't been able to find a deal that they feel is worth sending Howard out of Orlando.

If Orlando hasn't made a move yet, I find it hard to believe that they will in the next week or two. Orlando trading for someone else to lure Howard to stay is a more realistic option here.   

Toronto Raptors PG Jose Calderon

Jose Calderon's name has popped up all over the trade rumor world, especially with the Los Angeles Lakers looking to make an upgrade at the point guard position in the next week or two. While Calderon would be a major upgrade for the Lakers, the Raptors are reportedly only listening to offers, according to Ryan Wolstat of the Toronto Sun.

Toronto needs to blow up their roster, but now doesn't seem like the right time. 

Golden State Warriors SG Monta Ellis  

Trading for Monta Ellis would be a great move for the Magic as they try to lure Dwight Howard into staying in Orlando at the end of the 2011-12 NBA season. Unfortunately, there's not much on the Magic's roster, aside from D12, that the Warriors are interested in.

Trading Dwight Howard for Monta Ellis would be the exact opposite of what the Magic need right now. That's the main reason why Ellis will be wearing a Warriors jersey for the rest of the 2011-12 season.   

No. 6: Kirk Hinrich to Los Angeles Lakers

According to ESPN's Marc Stein, the Lakers are interested in Atlanta Hawks backup point guard Kirk Hinrich.

While it's a tempting option for the Lakers, as Hinrich is known for being a tough defender on the perimeter, Los Angeles needs to stay away from Hinrich. He's not much of an upgrade, offensively speaking, over the options the Lakers have right now at the point guard position.

However, Hinrich will be someone the Lakers can fall back on. His $8.1 million contract would fit nicely into their $8.9 million trade exception obtained through the deal that sent Lamar Odom to the Mavericks. 

Realistically, the Lakers could pull off a trade for Hinrich with either a second-round draft pick, which is arguably too high, or by sending some cash and Steve Blake to the Hawks.

Los Angeles has better options to pursue before the trade deadline, but if those options fall through, expect Kirk Hinrich to be wearing a Los Angeles Lakers jersey in a couple of weeks. 

No. 5: Raymond Felton to Utah Jazz

Raymond Felton and Devin Harris haven't been all that amazing this year, with both players playing significantly below their career averages. While a direct switch between Utah and Portland for their point guards won't be feasible, mainly because Harris is playing at a much more efficient level than Felton, this is a trade that should happen before March 15th.

Devin Harris is a more offensive-minded point guard than Felton, while Felton is a more assist-oriented floor general. There's no doubt that Harris' offensive mindset would fit well on the Trail Blazers, while Felton would benefit from the Jazz's array of offensive weapons to pass the ball to. 

Here's a potential trade involving Felton and Harris that could go down before the trade deadline.

Jazz get PG Raymond Felton and 2012 second-round draft pick

Trail Blazers get PG Devin Harris and SG Jeremy Evans

This trade would give both teams a fresh start at the point guard position heading into the home stretch of the 2011-12 NBA season, which is something both teams sorely need.

No. 4: Pau Gasol to Houston Rockets

The Lakers' interest in trading Pau Gasol seems fueled by hopes of luring the Houston Rockets into sending star point guard, Kyle Lowry, their way.

Unfortunately for the Lakers, no matter how much the Rockets like Gasol, it doesn't seem like they are interested in offering up Lowry, according to a report by ESPN's Marc Stein.  

With all that being said, the Lakers can still make a blockbuster deal with the Rockets by forgetting about Lowry and focusing instead on Goran Dragic and Houston's future draft picks. 

Here's a realistic trade that could go down between the Rockets and the Lakers before the Mar. 15th NBA trade deadline.

Rockets get PF Pau Gasol, SF Devin Ebanks, G Darius Morris 

Lakers get PG Goran Dragic, PF Luis Scola, C Hasheem Thabeet (cap space), SF Terrence Williams, 2012 second-round draft pick

While this trade might seem outlandish based on how many players are involved, it's an ideal trade for both parties involved. If the Lakers are serious about contending this year, it's a trade that they will go ahead and make. 

No. 3: Chris Kaman to Miami Heat

If there's one thing that we learned about the Miami Heat while Chris Bosh was at home mourning with the death of his grandmother, it was that the Heat need a legitimate offensive presence in the paint.

While Chris Bosh returning to the starting lineup will get the Heat back to normal, there's no doubt that they would be a more complete team with a guy like Chris Kaman coming off the bench, or even starting, at the center position.

The Heat currently have Joel Anthony and Dexter Pittman at the center position, but their combined per-game averages of a whopping 5.0 points and 6.1 rebounds aren't getting the job done in the paint.

It's going to be hard for the Heat to make a trade for Kaman and his humongous $14 million-dollar contract, but where there's a will there's a way. Here's a potential trade that would work for the Heat and the Hornets.

Heat get C Chris Kaman, PG Greivis Vasquez 

Hornets get C Joel Anthony, PG Mario Chalmers and SG Mike Miller, 2012 second-round draft pick

Expect Pat Riley to pull the trigger on a trade like this in the next week if the Heat continue to struggle as much as they have during their recent two-game losing streak. 

No. 2: Ramon Sessions to Los Angeles Lakers

The best available solution for the Los Angeles Lakers' point guard woes appears to be Cleveland Cavaliers point guard Ramon Sessions.

Sessions is a better option than guys like Raymond Felton and Kirk Hinrich, and while the Lakers will have to bite the bullet and throw in a second-round draft pick in the trade, it's an uncommon scenario where the Lakers can get production without blowing up their roster.

Ramon Sessions could be the spark the Lakers have been looking for ever since trading away Lamar Odom this past offseason, as they would be getting an offensively-minded point guard for the first time in quite a while. 

Here's a potential, but highly unlikely trade (as it doesn't include a draft pick) for Lakers fans to consider. 

Cavaliers get PG Steve Blake, G Darius Morris 

Lakers get PG Ramon Sessions

No matter what the trade looks like between the Lakers and the Cavaliers, it's almost inevitable that one is going to happen before the deadline. 

No. 1: Michael Beasley to Anyone

The Minnesota Timberwolves are once again looking to deal away inconsistent small forward Michael Beasley, and it appears like they're willing to send him away for next to nothing.

According to a report from Fox Sports writer Sam Amico, the Celtics are interested in adding Michael Beasley in exchange for aging veteran Jermaine O'Neal. If the Timberwolves are considering that as a good option for Beasley, then it's clear that they are open to moving him for whatever they can get.

The Los Angeles Lakers are reportedly interested in Beasley even after turning down an initial offer that would've sent Beasley to Los Angeles for a first-round draft pick. If the Lakers wait until closer to the trade deadline, there's no doubt that the Timberwolves will lower their asking price. 

Here's a potential trade that makes sense for the Timberwolves and the Celtics moving forward.

Celtics get SF Michael Beasley

Timberwolves get C Jermaine O'Neal and 2012 second-round draft pick (No. 59 overall, from OKC trade for Lazar Hayward)

No matter where Beasley lands, it's all but certain that he'll be moved by deadline. 

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