NBA Trade Deadline: Three Trades That Should Happen

This is what happens when I mess around with ESPNs Trade Machine in the wee hours of the A.M. 

I make hundreds of trades between teams until I find something that’s either inconceivable/stupid or genius (it’s a rarity, I’m working on it).

There’s been more forced rumors by the media this year than actual talk between teams. It’s like the NBA universe is trying to trick the GMs into making trades.

Since I consider myself a part of that universe, here are some trades I came up with.

Boston receives: Jamal Crawford and J.J. Hickson.
Trail Blazers receive: Ray Allen, Tyreke Evans and Fransisco Garia.
Sacramento receives: Gerald Wallace, Raymond Felton and Marquis Daniels.

I think I’m a little bit too objective about this one, which would put this deal in the inconceivable category. Nonetheless, I will argue for it to the death.

That’s right—the death.

It’s no secret Boston needs size and bench scoring, and this is probably the best deal they could get for an aging Ray Allen. 

Insert Avery Bradley into the starting lineup alongside Rondo and you have the best defensive backcourt in the league. 

Crawford and Hickson come off the bench with much needed energy—much needed because it allows Kevin Garnett to ease off his intensity throttle before his eyes explode.

The Trail Blazers get rid of three players that just don’t fit their system or future plans, and in turn they receive a sniper in Ray Allen and a poor man’s Brandon Roy in Tyreke Evans. 

It’s more evident than ever that the loss of Roy has hurt this team. Evans is a tall, athletic guard who can do everything that Roy did, except not as well (yet). 

If you’re an opposing defense and you have to stop LaMarcus Aldridge, Ray Allen, Nicolas Batum and Tyreke Evans, well, you’re not going to.

The Kings would stand to benefit the most from this trade. 

The Tyeke Evans/Marcus Thornton/John Salmons circus trio is fun to watch but they end up taking about a combined 10 really bad shots between them in the course of a game. 

Felton is a true point guard who can spread the ball around and become DeMarus Cousin’s best friend.

Gerald Wallace would serve as a veteran presence on a young team. I know this is cliché to say at this point, but he makes all the hustle plays and can guard multiple positions.

Whew, okay, now that that’s over with: on to the next trade.

New Orleans sends Chris Kaman to the Pacers for a second round pick.

This was actually the highlight of my two hour grind on Trade Machine. After spending seven minutes figuring out who the Pacers would even consider trading for Kaman, I realized two things: a) no one and b) they didn’t have to.

They have enough cap room to just throw a second round pick at New Orleans and get Kaman. On Trade Machine, the final trade looked as though the Hornets got nothing in return because you can’t trade picks on there. 

And it’s true—they’d get nothing.

This one falls under the genius category—for the Pacers anyway—who need a back-up center.

The next, and final proposed trade, is my favorite, but also the one I want the least to happen.

The Magic trade Dwight Howard and Hedo Turkoglu to the Knicks for Amare Stoudemire, Tyson Chandler, Tony Douglas and a first round pick.

Wow. As a Bulls fan, I hate this trade. 

As a fan of the NBA, I want nothing more than the Knicks to be relevant rivals again. I want to hate them.

As far as the pieces involved, I’m sure this is the best Orlando could do at this point, so I won’t spend time debating that.

As far as the Knicks go, D’Antoni is gone: it’s time to start over (sort of).

What excites me is what this trade would mean for basketball in the East. 

Can you imagine the top-heavy conference—as it currently stands, it has two elite teams led by elite players (Miami and Chicago)—becoming a conference of three to five powerhouse teams (not to mention another three or four very good ones behind)?

My head hurts. I need a beer.

As much as I want to drown myself in self-praise, this trade is probably inconceivable and stupid, but in a mad genius sort of way. 

Sorry, I had to sneak that in there.