NBA Trade Rumors: Categorizing Each NBA Team By Need

Not too long ago, Indiana, Houston, New Orleans, and New Jersey made a four team deal that really made sense for all sides.

Just a few months earlier, Sacramento and Houston swapped Kevin Martin and Carl Landry in a deal that made sense for both squads.

For people thinking of making hypothetical trades, here's a little categorization of what each team needs when they're thinking of making potential trades.

We're a Mess, Who Wants Our Leftovers?

Teams:

• Cleveland Cavaliers
• Detroit Pistons
• Toronto Raptors

These teams all need to start from the ground up.

Jose Calderon, Richard Hamilton, Antwan Jamison, Jamario Moon, and Tayshaun Prince all have more trade value than value on theirown team, and need to be moved for either an expiring contract, some draft picks, or both.

They need to start this off by having a bad record and a number of draft picks, and you can kick each of those processes off by shipping off those players.

Compatible with:

• "Major Gaps in the Starters Prevents Playoffs"
• "We're Good, But We Still Need One More Big Upgrade to Be Elite"
• "Minor Tweaks Could Be Made, But Too Much Will Just Hurt"

Too Much Mediocrity, Not Enough Star Power

Teams:

• Indiana Pacers
• Minnesota Timberwolves

Minnesota and Indiana are in a little bit of a pickle when it comes to making trades. They both don't have a lot of clear gaps in their lineup, it's just across the board they are mediocre.

So these teams need to start packaging. Trade about three-four players for some draft picks, or a misplaced star, and stop having a team 10 players too deep. You don't need three candidates for 6th man of the year when your win total doesn't break 35.

Compatible with:

• "Major Gaps in the Starters Prevents Playoffs"
• "Full Starting Lineup, Let's Exchange Other Players" - For Draft Picks

Also, the reason these teams are not compatible with "Fingers crossed our star doesn't leave" is because those players will probably leave these teams too when their contract is up, and they don't need veterans.

Major Gaps in the Starters Prevents Playoffs

Teams:

• Charlotte Bobcats
• New Jersey Nets
• Philadelphia 76ers
• Sacramento Kings
• Washington Wizards

These teams have some clear stars like Gerald Wallace, Stephen Jackson, Devin Harris, Brook Lopez, Evan Turner, Andre Iguodala, Elton Brand, Tyreke Evans, Carl Landry, DeMarcus Cousins, Gilbert Arenas and John Wall.

But each team has some major holes in the starting five. Philadelphia, Charlotte, and Sacramento lack good point guards. The Nets, Wizards, and Kings need a solid wing. The Wizards, Bobcats, and 76ers all need a center.

These holes are harder to fill with their trade assets, but they may need to sacrifice stars to get two good players in return.

Compatible with:

• "We're a Mess, Who Wants Our Leftovers?"
• "Fingers Crossed that Our Star Doesn't Leave"
• "Too Old For the Future, Too Focused on Now"

Fingers Crossed that Our Star Doesn't Leave

Teams:

• Denver Nuggets
• New Orleans Hornets

There are two directions these teams could go. 

One way is to "protect the star." Orlando has built a great team around Dwight Howard so that he won't be motivated to leave. These two teams need to trade for their own Jameer Nelson, Vince Carter, and Rashard Lewis. They've each got some good assets, and could probably put together a better team than they have.

Or, they need to avoid free agency losses, and just trade the star now. There's more value in trading the big stars away then to just have them leave and get nothing. The problem that leaves them is what to do with the older, supporting cast that's been placed around those players.

But that's not the major issue anyway.

Compatible with:

• "Major Gaps in the Starters Prevents Playoffs"
• "Too Old For the Future, Too Focused on Now"
• We're Good, But We Still Need One More Big Upgrade to Be Elite"

Too Old For the Future, Too Focused on Now

Teams:

• Boston Celtics
• Dallas Mavericks
• San Antonio Spurs

These teams need to consider downgrading. 

While they all do have the capabilities for one or maybe two more runs in the tank, they are all aging very fast and should think about moving stars for some young guys instead of seeking the championship so clearly belonging to other teams.

They all have some reliableplayers (Rondo, Davis, Blair, Hill, Beaubois, Barea) that are young, but for the most part they've just got aging veterans, and there are young playoff teams that would just rather have those players.

Compatible with:

• "Major Gaps in the Starters Prevents Playoffs"
• "Fingers Crossed that Our Star Doesn't Leave"
• "We're Good, But We Still Need One More Big Upgrade to Be Elite"

The Team is Too New, We Still Need to See How It'll Work

Teams:

• Chicago Bulls
• Miami Heat
• New York Knicks
• Phoenix Suns
• Utah Jazz

These teams shouldn't be making trades. They all completed their current offseason moves, and should just let the year play out a little bit before addressing any "problems."

They've each got not only multiple new players, but multiple major contributers, and they've got to play to know what needs to be done about them.

Not Compatible

Full Starting Lineup, Let's Exchange Other Players

Teams:

• Golden State Warriors
• Los Angeles Clippers
• Oklahoma City Thunder

These teams have each constructed a good five. They've slowly added players one by one to construct a complete starting lineup.

The problem is they're not great yet.

So, these are the teams that need to make a few test moves. They all need a great sixth man, and making a move to upgrade their bench like that would be very beneficial. Or, even though their starters look good on paper, if it's not translating into wins then their complete starting five isn't complete, and they need to make some changes.

These teams don't need trades for players, as much as they need trades for picks and cap room.

Compatible with:

• "Too Much Mediocrity, Not Enough Star Power"
• "Minor Tweaks Could Be Made, But Too Much Will Just Hurt"

We're Good, But We Still Need One More Big Upgrade to Be Elite

Teams:

• Atlanta Hawks
• Houston Rockets
• Milwaukee Bucks
• Memphis Grizzlies
• Portland Trailblazers

These teams are similar to the teams with roster holes. The difference is, these teams are actually good.

Each of these teams, however, have one or two positions where the starter just isn't quite up to par as their star player. And because they're stars aren't HUGE players, they need to add one or two more starting players before they can make a run at a championship.

For the Hawks, it's a point guard or a small forward. For the Rockets, it's a center (which could be Yao). For Milwaukee, it's a power forward. For Memphis, it's a point guard, and for Portland, it's a small forward and arguably also a center or point guard.

Compatible with:

• "We're a Mess, Who Wants Our Leftovers?"
• "Fingers Crossed that Our Star Doesn't Leave"
• "Too Old For the Future, Too Focused on Now"

Minor Tweaks Could Be Made, But Too Much Will Just Hurt

Teams:

• Orlando Magic
• Los Angeles Lakers

You're not going to be making many deals with these two.

Orlando may look to plan ahead a little more than they have, but neither team is going to be making any noise in their starters any time soon.

These are the kinds of teams that will be doing the most with the mid-level exception, not with trades. However, they will exchange players to cut salaries, move distractions, or if the deal just seems right.

Compatible with:

• "We're a Mess, Who Wants Our Leftovers?"
• "Full Starting Lineup, Let's Exchange Other Players"