NBA Trade Rumors: 10 Teams Gilbert Arenas Could Lead to the Finals
NBA trade rumors are starting to heat up, and should continue to do so as the trade deadline starts to get closer.
One of the names that should be expected to be thrown around in rumors will be Gilbert Arenas, who's pretty much publicly said he expects his time in Washington to be coming to an end. There was one rumored trade in the works between Washington and Orlando, but that was quickly shot down.
Arenas can still be a very useful player in the right system, and one would expect that a good shooter like Arenas would be in high demand towards the trade deadline, if anyone is willing to pick up his contract.
With that in mind, here are 10 teams he can take to the Finals if he were to join them.
10. Memphis Grizzlies
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Yes, I said the Memphis Grizzlies.
Memphis would be well-served to have a shooter like Arenas compliment its young core, including Rudy Gay and Marc Gasol. Of course, the likelihood of this happening is very slim, like most of these teams. But the Grizzlies are only a game out of a playoff spot, and having a young group plus a shooter that can hit the late shot could do wonders for them.
9. Houston Rockets
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As bad as the Rockets started the season, they're still in the playoff hunt now. And Arenas could provide scoring off the bench that can spark the Rockets. A few years ago, the Rockets made a move to acquire Mike James and he played a key role coming off the bench. Help up front is the bigger need, but Arenas could provide that scoring spark off the bench. Now, whether he'll play defense or not is a different story.
8. Portland Trail Blazers
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Brandon Roy is aging quite rapidly for someone still in his mid-twenties, and a team that had so much promise a few years ago might have already missed its window. Arenas, however, could very well give the Blazers a good outside shooter and take pressure off Roy. Those two, combined with LaMarcus Aldridge, give Portland a very good combination and might make them a player again.
7. New Orleans Hornets
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The Hornets could use a sharpshooter and a scorer on the outside to either come off the bench as a sixth man or possibly start at the two or three instead of Marco Belinelli or Trevor Ariza. He would bring offensive punch to the Hornets and with the offensive firepower he could give them, the Hornets could once again compete with the rest of the West.
6. New York Knicks
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The Knicks are competitive for the first time in a long time thanks to Amar'e Stoudemire, among others. And bringing in a star like Arenas to give the Knicks a pretty lethal backcourt and a designated outside shooter would definitely bring legitimacy and give the Knicks a shot in the East. But that would also mean taking his contract and possibly blowing up a chance to really build for the future.
5. Oklahoma City Thunder
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Perhaps the most exciting team in the NBA and one that's really close to entering the upper echelon. Arenas gives them an outside threat and another weapon for Russell Westbrook to find. Playing with a star like Kevin Durant might be enticing, and adding an Arenas as a spot shooter could give the Thunder the extra boost to get to the Finals.
4. Utah Jazz
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Arenas would give the Jazz five players averaging at least 10 points per game and would also provide a dangerous shooting touch from the outside. Of course, would he fit in Jerry Sloan's system and would he be willing to play second fiddle to Deron Williams? Those are the big questions, but it would be interesting to see how to stop a lineup like that.
3. Chicago Bulls
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The expectation was that the Bulls could be the team of the future in the East. So far, they're playing very well. But Arenas would be a huge upgrade at shooting guard over the combination of Keith Bogans and Ronnie Brewer. A proven outside shooter and a third option for Derrick Rose to look at on top of Luol Deng and Joakim Noah. If Arenas could add defense, it could be a huge impact.
2. Orlando Magic
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Out of all the teams mentioned, this might actually be a likely scenario since there were rumors of a trade involving Orlando and Washington as I mentioned earlier. Arenas would be a compliment to Dwight Howard on the outside and a deadly shooter, but would the oft-injured Arenas be an upgrade over the oft-injured Vince Carter, who was rumored to be heading the other way. Nevertheless, many of the pieces are already in place and Arenas could put the Magic over the top.
1. Dallas Mavericks
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Dallas might be primed and ready to finally break through once again in the West, and while someone like Arenas might be a luxury, he would be a big piece of the puzzle. He'd give the Mavericks a big boost on offense either off the bench or in the starting lineup. He'd provide another shooter for Jason Kidd and Jason Terry to find and he'd be on probably the best team he's ever played on in the NBA. Anything else he gives you after that is gravy.
