NBA Trade Rumors: Updated Info, Amar'e Stoudamire To Cavs?

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Amar'e to Cleveland?

Well everyone, this just might be one of the biggest trades of the year/decade/or perhaps ever? I don’t know, but with the way the phones are ringing, it’s looking like the Cleveland Cavaliers are about to get that last piece they’ve needed since losing Boozer in ‘03.

According to ESPN’s Chris Broussard, the Cavs and Suns are closing in on a blockbuster deal that would ultimately send All-Star F Amar’e Stoudemire to Cleveland, in return for the expiring contract of Zydrunas Ilgauskas, and the “full-of-potential” F, JJ Hickson.

It has been noted that the Cavs would need to take on the contract of Suns G Jason Richardson, in order for any deal to be made. But the early Sunday hours have begun to tell us something else.

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“The ball is in Phoenix’s court. The Suns are mulling whether the financial relief provided by Ilgauskas’s $12 million contract and the young and talented Hickson are enough for them to part with Stoudemire, ” according to Broussard.

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Such a deal would help the Suns not only financially (they are $5 million over the luxury tax), but it would bring them a great young talent in JJ Hickson.

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“The natural trade that makes sense here would be Zydrunas Ilgauskas and J.J. Hickson for Stoudemire. The Suns could also ask for draft picks, as the Cavs own their full slate of first-round picks in the future. The Cavs and Suns talked about Hickson in the O’Neal deal, but the Cavs wanted to keep him. So the Suns have a history of interest in Hickson. They also considered drafting him in 2008 but took Robin Lopez instead,”  according to Cavs beat writer, Brian Windhorst.

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Well now the Suns can get their man, and the Cavs can potentially obtain their difference maker. Not only is Stoudemire a monster in the paint, but he has two things the Cavs strongly need in another forward other than #23, a greatly developed mid-range jump shot, and an excellent pick & roll game.

Let’s not get TOO ahead of ourselves…

Cleveland may be the front-runner, but they have Philly, and Miami trailing not too far behind. Both Philadelphia have players that they could give up,which woul entice a much more “basketball” orientated deal for the Suns (something the Cavs have little of).

Miami has stated that everyone other than Wade, including Beasley, is available. But the issue with Miami is, is that they might not have the right contracts, and Phoenix isn’t too thrilled on the thought of picking up Beasley.

On the other hand, Philly has the one player Phoenix wants VERY bad, in Andre Iguodala. It has been reported that the Suns would ask for Iguodala, Dalembert and possibly a pick or two, in return for Amar’e and J-Rich.

Other than that, its being said that the Cavs have the best shot, and it just might be due to the fact that GM’s Ferry and Kerr were teammates and are great friends. But don’t be suprised if Cleveland needs to bring in a third team, in order to sweeten the deal for the Suns.

So again, any deal with Cleveland would include JJ, Ilgauskas and possibly Wally (Cleveland owns his bird rights).

But there is always the speculation of the Shaq/Amar’e porject:

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“Of course, LeBron James is in the picture as a playmaker, but O’Neal and Stoudemire had Steve Nash, one of the greatest playmakers of this era, to help in Phoenix. So all of this could be simple posturing and due diligence from the Cavs. They’d have to be convinced the two could work together and that they would have a good chance of re-signing Stoudemire to go forward with it, ” according to Windhorst.

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also…

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…there’s fear among some members of the Cavs’ organization that, while Stoudemire would be a good long term pairing with LeBron, incorporating him on the floor with Shaq might present too difficult of an adjustment for the rest of the season…, according to CBSSports.com

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According to ESPN, the Cavaliers feel that they have secured LeBron past this summer, and beyond with the Amar’e deal. The organization also feels that they have all of the capability to also re-sign Amar’e for this summer and beyond.

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Photo courtesy: Yahoo! Sports