NBA Trade Rumors: Latest Buzz Surrounding Joe Johnson and Brendan Haywood

Even with all the talk of winners and losers that is usually associated with trades in the modern NBA, there is one goal in mind for each team when it makes a deal official to swap players, picks, money or even a coach: the future.

For some teams on the cusp of competing for an NBA title, a trade can be seen as the way to bring in the final piece of the puzzle needed to get into the elite tier of the league or even push themselves past a pesky rival.

On the other hand, for teams that aren’t likely to win a championship this year and need to look more toward the future, it can be seen as a way to jump-start a rebuild and receive a couple of bargaining chips—whether they be young talent or cap space—for next offseason.

There is often overlap between the two—a competing team that needs to clear up some additional space to sign the role player needed to win a title—but either way, a trade represents a move for the future. Here are some of the latest trade rumors from around the league that are likely to change the look of the NBA for next season and beyond.

Joe Johnson no longer on the trading block

John Bazemore/Associated Press

One of the more surprising developments of the offseason so far came when the Brooklyn Nets bought out Deron Williams, sending the much-maligned point guard to his hometown of Dallas to try and fix whatever is going on after the Mavericks lost DeAndre Jordan.

The Nets likely weren’t going to be in a place to compete this season anyway—especially after having to swap picks with the Atlanta Hawks in the NBA draft—even in the Eastern Conference, but losing Williams really sets the franchise back a couple of steps.

They are now head-on into rebuilding mode, but with some of the monster contracts the Nets have on their books, there isn’t a lot of business to be done until the cap rises next offseason. One of those huge salaries is owed to forward Joe Johnson, who is set to be the second-highest paid player in the league next year.

Speculation running rampant about the seven-time All-Star potentially joining a championship contender, but according a report by NetsDaily.com, it doesn’t look like the Nets are willing to part ways with Johnson:

The report would go on to clarify that Brooklyn had shopped him around to teams, but his scoring ability and veteran leadership are too important for a young Nets team looking to rebuild:

Last season, Johnson averaged 14.4 points, 4.8 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game and would have been a valuable commodity for any team in the league looking to dethrone the Golden State Warriors as NBA champs:

But while the Nets prospects for this year have taken a serious hit with Williams leaving, it appears letting go of Johnson was just a step too far for the team to go.

Brendan Haywood's contract continues to draw interest from around the league

Mark Duncan/Associated Press

Let me introduce you to Brendan Haywood. A 14-year veteran center and former NBA champion, the North Carolina product is arguably the most sought-after player on the trading block in the league.

The only issue is, as a player, Haywood is almost irrelevant. A career role player, the 35-year-old spent last season with the Cleveland Cavaliers and averaged 1.6 points and 1.3 rebounds in 5.4 minutes per game, even if he does hit a game-winning shot or two:

These numbers would be perfectly acceptable for a player making the minimum at the end of the bench, but Haywood isn’t set to make the minimum next year. His contract is worth $10.5 million. While that number is currently clogging up the books in Cleveland, it is incredibly valuable for a number of teams around the league.

For teams looking to clear up cap space, Haywood’s non-guaranteed contract represents the holy grail, which is why so many teams are interested in trading for the center, according to Sam Amico of Fox Sports:

Even with the cap likely to jump significantly the next two summers, it is hard to ignore the value of dumping Haywood’s contract to open up more than $10 million in space. Teams would be willing to part with a role player or two to clear that kind of money.

The Cavaliers, on the other hand, look to benefit from one of the sillier contracts in recent memory. If they can get a bench contributor for Haywood's contract, not only will they have ditched his big-money contract, but there is almost no chance the player they would receive in return isn’t at least a slight improvement.

Being so close to a title against the Warriors, with things possibly turning out differently were it not for a couple of untimely injuries, the Cavaliers would love to add to their already productive offseason by bringing in a bench player for Haywood.