NBA Trade Rumors: The Latest on Steve Nash, Carmelo Anthony and More
The NBA trading deadline is quickly approaching, and teams are starting to see just what they have and what they need.
The West is deep, and the teams without championship hopes (see Denver, Phoenix, Sacramento) will be looking to dump salary.
The East, on the other hand, is top heavy (see Boston and Orlando), and the teams on the bottom are looking for those one or two players that will put them over the top.
What this means for hoops fans is a flurry of rumors and speculation about who's going where, and what teams are going to give up to get them.
1. Carmelo Anthony, SF Denver Nuggets
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Who Wants Him: Everyone, but most notably New York and New Jersey.
Where Will He Go: It looks as if Anthony is in a New York state of mind. His wife, La-La, wants to live in New York, so it appears that Anthony would sabotage a trade anywhere else by refusing to sign a contract extension.
Where Should He Go: The Nets, while they may have the pieces that Denver likes, doesn't have the parts around anything to make him a winner. Devin Harris isn't much of an upgrade from Chauncey Billups, just younger.
New York is only a fit if Chris Paul makes his way there when his contract is over. Otherwise you have a good front court, but nothing behind it.
And don't discount the new dark horse in the race: the Lakers. They are reportedly offering Andrew Bynum and Lamar Odom in the trade. If Denver finds real value in Bynum, and many teams have, he could be headed to L.A and guaranteed a shot at a title.
2. Steve Nash, PG Phoenix Suns
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Who Wants Him: No one in particular. Everyone would like to have a point guard the caliber of Nash, but there is no one making an aggressive push for him.
Who Will He Go: Nowhere. After the Suns pulled off the monster six-player deal this past weekend, the Suns seem happy with the roster they have now. The Knicks sniffed around for Nash, but are ultimately waiting to see if they can land Melo, Paul or both. Nash is likely to finish out his season, and his career, as a Phoenix Sun.
Where Should He Go: Nowhere. Look, the Sun's aren't going anywhere and it would be nice to see Nash get a ring, but no team in real contention needs him. And even if he did get traded to Boston (not happening), the Lakers (no way) or the Heat (with what money?), he would struggle to fit in and might hurt a teams chances of making the post season. He's good right where he's at.
3. J.R Smith, SG Denver Nuggets
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Who Wants Him: Chicago.
Where Will He Go: Nowhere. The Bulls losing Joakim Noah has crippled their rebounding, not to mention their energy level. They need a big man in the worst way, so they are likely to table the talk of J.R Smith. They will have to focus their efforts on finding a replacement for the next 30 games, and they'll need trade bait to do that.
Where Should He Go: J.R Smith would love to be a Bull and the Bulls would be lucky to have him. He's an upgrade at the 2-guard spot. The Bulls can pull D-League stud Courtney Sims up to fill in for Noah and take advantage of what is an easy schedule for the next month. However, it's likely that the trade deadline will come and go with J.R Smith still a Nugget.
4. Rip Hamilton, SG Detroit Pistons
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Who Wants Him: Chicago, Charlotte
Where Will He Go: Charlotte. Rip Hamilton would be an upgrade for either team right now. The Bulls have a hole at the 2-guard and Hamilton could fill that void, but it won't happen for two reasons:
1) Hamilton has a massive contract that guarantees him $12 million plus over the next two seasons.
2) He appears to be a bit of a cancer these days and the Bulls have a team that really seems to gel.
Charlotte, on the other hand, have a need for a veteran presence. They could make the money work, and Hamilton played well for Larry Brown in the past.
Where Should He Go: Charlotte. If Joe Dumars can dump that contract, more power to him. It's time for a change for both parties. Reuniting with Larry Brown might instill some of the veteran leadership Hamilton has lacked this year. It's a win-win trade for both teams.
5. Joel Przybilla, C Portland Trail Blazers
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Who Wants Him: New York.
Where Will He Go: New York. This is a simple transaction for both teams. The Knicks are desperate for a big so they can commit Amare to the power forward position. The Blazers are in dump mode with their team decimated by injuries. The Knicks could pretty much swap the contract of Eddie Curry (expiring) for Przybilla (expiring) and everyone would benefit.
Where Should He Go: Now that Noah is out with a broken thumb, it would make sense for the Bulls to get into the mix. As long as the Blazers weren't asked for Noah or Gibson, the Bulls could give up James Johnson, C.J Watson, and some cash and get the center they need.
6. O.J Mayo, SG Memphis Grizzlies
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Who Wants Him: Chicago, New York
Where Will He Go: Nowhere. Chicago and New York have both had interest in the shooting guard, and rumors were that Memphis was looking to trade him since he is now a bench player. However, it looks as if talks have cooled all around, and Memphis is denying that these talks were ever happening. Look for Mayo to be dealt in the off season, after they see where they will pick in the lottery.
Where Should He Go: Nowhere. He doesn't do a lot to upgrade the Grizzlies. He doesn't seem to be mature enough for what the Bulls are trying to do. Maybe a season will give him more maturity and these teams can revisit him down the road.
7. Hasheem Thabeet, C Memphis Grizzlies
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Who Wants Him: No one in particular.
Where Will He Go: Anywhere really. New York, Chicago, Houston. These teams need size and if they can get Thabeet for an expiring and hope they can get something out of him, then maybe he could be on the move. But don't look for any team to be ultra aggressive with Thabeet. There isn't much there to go after.
Where Should He Go: Houston would be a nice fit for him. With Ming out for the year, and maybe longer, this would give Thabeet a chance to play in a low pressure situation. New York and Chicago have high hopes, and a large media presence that might not be good for a guy desperate to figure his game out at the pro level.
8. Stephen Jackson, SG Charlotte Bobcats
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Who Wants Him: Detroit, Chicago
Where Will He Go: Detroit. This is the trade most likely to happen. He is one good shooting guard. While the Pistons have Gordon and aren't looking for another guard, everyone knows that Detroit is more eager to dump Hamilton. They might be willing to make a desperate trade.
Where Should He Go: Nowhere. Detroit would be giving up one big contract to take on another. Don't bother. Rip Hamilton will go away in another season. Don't take on Jackson. It won't make up for it.
9. Anthony Parker, SG Cleveland Cavaliers
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Who Wants Him: New York, Chicago
Where He Will Go: Nowhere. There will be talk, and Cleveland will be looking to pick up young players, but neither team will pull the trigger. He will have to be a complimentary piece in a bigger package. Otherwise he'll be a Cavalier for the rest of the season.
Where Should He Go: For Cleveland's Sake? Anyone who will take him. For the teams like the Bulls and the Knicks, they should stay very far away.
10. Andrew Bynum, C Los Angeles Lakers
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Who Wants Him: Everyone.
Where Will He Go: Nowhere, maybe Denver. Bynum's upside is only overshadowed by his amazing ability to get injured. The Lakers keep telling the world to wait until he gets healthy, but the Hoops world is starting to wonder if that day will ever come. Teams would love to play it out. The Lakers know this, so it's going to take a King's ransom in order to get him out of L.A.
Where Should He Go: Miami. If the Heat had the resources, they would benefit from having his size inside. He could take the load off old veterans like Dampier, and allow Bosh to focus on scoring. But there is no chance the Lakers are helping the Heat...unless they include No. 6 in that deal. Otherwise Miami doesn't even have the money necessary to pay for Bynum.
