NBA Daily Dribbles-Trade Rumors: Who's It Gonna Be?

Countdown to NBA Trade Deadline: Tomorrow!

What I’m Reading

• While Amar’e is the “sexier” fit in Cleveland, the Cavs are still torn between Stoudemire and Antawn Jamison, and talks are reportedly intensifying with Washington.

• Raptors GM Brian Colangelo has all but bolted the door on any move involving franchise star Chris Bosh , but that doesn’t mean he’ll be in Toronto for the back end of 2010.

• The Celtics are apparently all aboard the Nate-Train again, will they finally make a deal for the recently anointed 3-time Dunk Champion?

• Out of all teams, it would appear to me that T-Mac is likely to end up in Chicago. Reports are that the Bulls have recently offered a hefty package for McGrady’s services.

• Count the Jazz out of this year’s trade deadline dealings. Jerry Sloan is content with the team he has . Says Sloan, “Why would we make a trade when we have a solid core already? Karl, John, and Jeff Hornacek are just playing just fine. This is the year we steal one from Jordan.”

What I Think About It

• The Cavs are trying desperately to come out of the deadline a stronger, more athletic team. Amar’e would be the ideal candidate to fill the role of the power forward

But Jamison would also play a huge part in the Cavs run for a championship if they were to acquire him. He brings different elements of the game to the table with his ability to hit threes and stretch the defense.

At this point, offers have been thrown back and forth between Cleveland and Washington. The Wizards are patiently waiting to see if Cavs GM Danny Ferry comes back to them today with a firm and finalized offer.

But sources indicate that Phoenix is hesitant to pull the trigger on any Amar’e deal until the final hours of the deadline, which in turn forces Washington to wait until tomorrow to hear a definitive offer from the Cavs, if at all.

It’s going to be a disappointment for Cavs fans if neither one of these deals passes. I will also not be pleased, as I’ve developed severe carpal tunnel issues from writing about it so much over the past few weeks.

I’m kidding, but still.

It will be a letdown of enormous proportions for a city that is just begging for a title at this point. Give ‘em what they want, Ferry.

• Colangelo is no dummy. He sees what is going on. His team has viciously clawed its way back up the standings to fifth overall. Does that mean he has to make a move if teams above and below him do? Not necessarily.

"If there's something to move us forward significantly, fine; we'll certainly look at that. But if it's something that we would perceive as a lateral move, it doesn't really make a whole lot of sense,” says Colangelo .

Alright, so trading Bosh is out of the question because it clearly wouldn’t significantly move the team forward, but what about making moves to make Toronto a more attractive destination for him once he hits free agency?

"You can't make moves just because of what another team does," says Bosh.

Oh, I gotcha. Kind of like what Cleveland is trying to do with Amar’e and Jamison? Well that might actually work, you know.

If the Cavs get Stoudemire, win a championship, and he opts to stay, doesn’t that make Cleveland the favorite in the LeBron chase?

Look, I can’t blame Colangelo for not wanting to shake things up while his team is playing well, but if the season doesn’t result in a championship and Bosh walks, that obviously doesn’t move the team forward significantly.

As Canada’s only NBA franchise, they can’t afford to lose fans, but that’s what will happen if it plays out the way I expect it to.

• Nate would love to play for the Celtics. The Celtics would love to have a backup point guard who can score in bunches.

The Celtics fans? Well, I think they’re a little iffy on this.

Because Robinson is a base-year comp player, the C’s can only offer half of Nate’s $4 million salary in return, plus a potential draft pick.

The “half of Nate’s $4 million salary” is indubitably going to come in the form of heavy fan-favorite Eddie House.

It’s a fact that Boston fans get attached to their hard-nosed, hard-working role players. Just ask Walter McCarty.

If this deal for Robinson goes down, while it may make for a better basketball team, Boston fans might not see it that way. Expect the comparisons to last year’s New York pariah castoff to the Celtics, Stephon Marbury, to come pouring in.

• Brad Miller, Tyrus Thomas, and Kirk Hinrich/John Salmons? What is Houston waiting for?!

If the Rockets are at all concerned about the rest of the season and building on the playoff success that they enjoyed last season, they’ll do this trade immediately. It upgrades the team immensely, especially considering that they won’t have to give up any players that are actually, well, playing.

Apparently the Rockets just aren’t all that interested in either Hinrich or Salmons, which is why the deal is being held up. Well, ok. But still!

A third party is likely to have to get involved in any deal involving Chicago and Houston, but I do still consider the Bulls as the front-runner for McGrady.

Just imagine if he does end up there, too. Definite, definite playoff team.

• “What? Malone and Stockton have been retired for more than half a decade? I don’t believe you.”

Well, believe me, Jerry.

Alright, all kidding aside, the Jazz are in a decent spot right now. They’re third place overall in the conference, Boozer has been playing solidly and hasn’t said anything idiotic lately, and Deron Williams is Deron Williams.

Apart from dealing Boozer who is most likely going to be out the door once the season is over, the Jazz don’t have much incentive to make any moves at the deadline to improve from a basketball standpoint.

But they should think about trimming off some salary, because as things stand right now, Utah is in line to pay a pretty penny in player payroll costs—roughly $14.5 million. Ouch.

If they were able to shave off about $5 million to get under the cap, that near $15 million would just get wiped away, never to be heard from again.

You know what can be bought with $15 million? A pretty decent free agent to replace Boozer.

Think about it Jerry.

‘Til Thursday…

PD

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