NBA Trade Rumors: New York Knicks Eying Philadelphia 76ers SF Andre Iguodala?
We are now two months into the season and teams are starting to figure out who they are.
We have already seen the Magic and Suns completely blow up their teams, and Michael Jordan seems set on doing the same with his Charlotte Bobcats.
The Knicks are still questioning whether or not they should make the move for Carmelo Anthony. They are now also wondering what their other options could be if they do not try to trade for Denver’s superstar.
With players unhappy, teams trying to build championship contenders, which players could be on the move in the next few weeks and months leading up to the trade deadline in February?
Here is some NBA food for thought trade rumors, with a break from the Carmelo Anthony saga.
Chauncey Billups to the Orlando Magic
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The Magic may not be done blowing up their team. Management is going all out to shake things up and build a championship supporting cast around Dwight Howard. The next step could be to find a better point guard to get Dwight Howard the rock.
Devin Harris would be interesting, but Chauncey Billups makes the most sense. Denver may lose out on Carmelo Anthony and needs to get younger. The Nuggets would be able to acquire Jameer Nelson and Chris Duhon to secure their back court to fill the void left by Billups.
Billups is a perfect fit for this new veteran Magic team. He is a very good shooter, but more importantly, a clutch shooter. Even better, he is not always looking to take a shot, he is looking to get the rock to his supporting cast, like a true point guard. Billups has the championship experience the Magic are searching for.
Richard Hamilton to the Milwaukee Bucks
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Richard Hamilton has reportedly been declared a distraction by the Detroit News. Hamilton was not fond of losing his starting position to Ben Gordon. Hamilton, along with the Pistons overall, has been on a steady decline.
A change of scenery is clearing in order for Hamilton.
The Bucks are now dealing with Brandon Jennings’ injury, which will keep him out for around six weeks. The Bucks should be a playoff team in the Eastern Conference, but it seems every year they suffer injuries that hold them back from reaching their potential. The Bucks still have Michael Redd’s expiring contract to play with. Since Redd has proven to be useless for the Bucks, they should use the contract to acquire another scorer.
Richard Hamilton could be that scorer for the Bucks. Once Jennings gets back on the court, Hamilton would be a great compliment for the sophomore guard.
Hasheem Thabeet to the Cleveland Cavaliers
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The Grizzlies have reportedly taken Thabeet off of their unavailable list. Thabeet is just in his second season and was one of the best defensive centers in college when he played.
He didn’t materialize in his rookie year and is still a raw talent. Still, with the right coaching, Thabeet has the skills to be one of the top defensive centers in the game.
With Marc Gasol and Zach Randolph in Memphis, Thabeet only averages nine minutes per game.
The Grizzlies may decide to wait, but Byron Scott and the Cleveland Cavaliers could decide to make a push for the young center and take the chance on him meeting his potential.
Jared Jeffries to the Cleveland Cavaliers
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Head coach Byron Scott reportedly wants to get tougher in the post. If the Cavaliers trade Anderson Varejao, they will need to quickly fill the void.
Jeffries is a decent role player. The good thing about him is that he has an expiring contract. He is not a quality offensive player, but this is already a lost season for Cleveland, for the most part.
Baron Davis to the Charlotte Bobcats
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Michael Jordan is looking to make a splash. This is an odd one. Baron Davis is getting up there in age and is one of the more injury prone players in the game.
It has been reported in recent weeks that Baron Davis has been heckled by Los Angeles Clippers owner, Donald Sterling. Baron Davis desperately needs to be traded from Los Angeles as soon as possible, so it makes sense for Davis and the Clippers in general.
The rumor is Davis to Charlotte for D.J. Augustin, Matt Carroll and DeSagana Diop. Augustin has not lived up to his hype, but Davis most likely won’t help the Bobcats much. Sorry, MJ.
Gerald Wallace and D.J. Augustin to Portland Trailblazers
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There are rumors that Michael Jordan is determined to blow up the Charlotte Bobcats.
Justified.
The Bobcats have failed to reach their potential.
A fire sale is in order. There is plenty of talent to be had in Charlotte, but finding the right pieces in return is the issue.
The rumor now is Gerald Wallace and D.J. Augustin to Portland for Marcus Camby and Andre Miller. It has been reported that Brandon Roy and Andre Miller cannot co-exist in the Portland back court.
Augustin has failed to impress thus far, so this is an interesting move for Portland. Gerald Wallace is a great, gritty player. He is a fantasy rebounding forward who plays great defense. The issue, though, is that Wallace’s style of play leaves him vulnerable to injury. Yes, injuries can strike any player at any time. It seems they strike more often in Portland.
Also, Portland still needs help at the center position, especially in the West with the Los Angeles Lakers. Marcus Camby is one of the best defending centers in the game, so this is quite the interesting rumor as far as Portland is concerned.
Daniel Gibson to the New York Knicks
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Mike D’Antoni’s system thrives on having a spot-up three-point shooter. Wilson Chandler is not that type of player. Danilo Gallinari is, but they cannot rely solely on the Italian sharpshooter. Toney Douglas has yet to develop a consistent shot in his sophomore season.
Daniel Gibson would be able to provide a huge spark off the bench for the Knicks. Gibson is the type of three-point shooter who can get very hot. He would fit in very well in D’Antoni’s system.
Anderson Varejao to the New York Knicks
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It is no secret that the Knicks are one of the major players involved in almost all trade rumors. The Knicks have the Garden rocking but they still have a lot to improve on. They desperately need to get tougher down low. They need more players who can do the “dirty work,” which means grabbing rebounds and playing gritty defense.
Anderson Varejao has been that type of player for the Cavaliers. Varejao would be able to take a ton of pressure off Amar’e Stoudemire down in the post, which the Knicks truly need to do if they hope to contend in the playoffs. The playoffs are a long ways away and Mike D’Antoni cannot afford to have his superstar fatigued in the spring.
Andre Iguodala to the New York Knicks
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It has been reported that if the Knicks fail to land Carmelo Anthony due to Denver’s demands, the Knicks may turn their attention to another swingman, Andre Iguodala of the Philadelphia 76ers.
Although Iguodala is not the player Anthony is, he is still one of the better players in the league. Iguodala is a do-it-all player who has triple-double potential on any given night. He is an all around quality rebounder, scorer and defender. Iguodala also has solid court vision and ball handling skills. He would give the Knicks another ball handler to create room for Amar’e Stoudemire down low.
