NBA Trade Rumors: 10 Plausible Trades That Provide an Instant Upgrade
NBA trade rumors are going to come fast and furious over the next several weeks, as teams across the land will look to upgrade their prospects before the league's trade deadline rolls around on February 24th.
There are several teams that probably need to make a move, and among the names that have been bandied about to this point in the season are Memphis Grizzlies shooting guard O.J. Mayo, Detroit Pistons guard/forward Richard Hamilton, and of course, Denver Nuggets forward Carmelo Anthony.
There have been no shortage of trade ideas throughout the season, but there haven't been a whole lot that actually make sense.
That's the name of the game today, as ahead of you are 10 trade ideas that are actually plausible. We know this because most of them check out on ESPN's NBA Trade Machine.
Enjoy.
10. Carmelo Anthony To Golden State Warriors
1 of 10
SI would be really surprised if the Warriors actually ended up trading for Carmelo Anthony.
Come to think of it, "really surprised" doesn't even cut it. I'd be shocked.
Nonetheless, I couldn't help but explore the notion thanks to the fact that the Warriors' new owner, Joe Lacob, went on record saying that he wants to get a "superstar," and that he would be willing to break up the backcourt duo of Stephen Curry and Monta Ellis.
Immediately, just about everyone in the Bay Area had Melo in mind.
In toying around with ESPN's NBA Trade Machine, I discovered that such a deal is possible. All it would take is Stephen Curry, Dorell Wright, Vladimir Radmonovich and Jeremy Lin going the other way.
Will it happen? No.
Is it plausible? Yes.
9. Devin Harris To Portland Trail Blazers
2 of 10
Nets point guard Devin Harris was one of the players that would have been on his way out of New Jersey when the deal for Carmelo Anthony was in place. Since he's had issues with Avery Johnson in the past, it's likely that Harris could still be traded before the deadline.
One of the more intriguing destinations for Harris would be the Portland Trail Blazers. They have Andre Miller running the point right now, whose numbers and salary are very similar to Harris'. The obvious difference, however, is that Harris is much younger.
Brandon Roy apparently wanted Miller out of Portland, what we could end up seeing here is a straight one-for-one swap meant to give both players a change of scenery.
8. Danny Granger To New Jersey Nets
3 of 10
The day that the Nets ended up breaking off their pursuit of Carmelo Anthony, there was a rumor earlier in the day that Utah's Andrei Kirilenko was their primary "Plan B" in the event that things didn't work out.
This seems a little odd in retrospect, as surely Mikhail Prokhorov and co. could come up with better options than AK-47.
How about Indiana's Danny Granger? It sounds like a ridiculous idea, no doubt about that, as there doesn't seem to be any reason for the Pacers to trade their leading scorer.
This does not mean it's not plausible, however, and the Nets certainly have the goods to make the deal a reality. Once again, a deal would have to center around Harris, and a Harris-for-Granger trade actually works as a one-for-one deal.
Nevertheless, one suspects that the Nets would have to sweeten the deal a little, perhaps even with Derrick Favors. That would also work.
7. Chris Kaman For Andre Iguodala Or Gerald Wallace
4 of 10
With Blake Griffin taking the NBA by storm and DeAndre Jordan establishing himself as a more than capable center, the Los Angeles Clippers do not need Chris Kaman.
Of course, Kaman hasn't been on the floor much anyway, as he is currently dealing with a bum left ankle that has sidelined him since early December.
According to the Los Angeles Daily News, head coach Vinny Del Negro more or less admitted on Tuesday that Kaman is expendable.
Two players the Clippers have been known to have their eyes on are Charlotte's Gerald Wallace and Philadelphia's Andre Iguodala, and it just so happens that a one-for-one trade for either one of these players actually works out.
That doesn't mean that it's going to be easy to convince the Bobcats or the 76ers to do it, but it would work if the Clipps managed to do so.
6. Samuel Dalembert To Dallas Mavericks
5 of 10
The Sacramento Kings have openly stated that they are willing to trade Samuel Dalembert, but his expiring contract makes him decidedly difficult to move.
Among the teams that could use a big like Dalembert are the Houston Rockets, Dallas Mavericks, Detroit Pistons and Milwaukee Bucks. Between the four of them, the Bucks are probably the most in need, but the Mavericks might be the best fit.
The Mavs could unload Brendan Haywood on the Kings if they can, but they would obviously have to include somebody else in the deal. Maybe Shawn Marion, but preferably someone else.
5. Gerald Wallace To The Los Angeles Lakers
6 of 10
I for one thought it was kind of funny how surprised people were when Lakers GM Mitch Kupchak came out and said that he was open to making a deal.
After all, it's pretty much his job to make the Lakers better, and they definitely need to get better.
One of the major names on the trading block at the moment is Charlotte Bobcats veteran small forward Gerald Wallace, and some (including B/R's own Sean Merriman) have opined that he would look great in purple and gold.
Acquiring Wallace won't be easy, but it could be if Kupchak decides to give up on Ron Artest.
The old Trade Machine tells me that Wallace could be had for Artest and Luke Walton, which is pretty darn convenient.
The Bobcats may not be willing to make this trade, mind you, but the Lakers should. I think it's safe to say at this point that Artest is not the best fit for the Lakers, and that abandoning the experiment altogether isn't such a bad idea.
4. O.J. Mayo To Chicago Bulls
7 of 10
I'm not even going to bother talking about Carmelo Anthony as a possible trade target for the Chicago Bulls. There has been enough chatter on that front already, and I frankly just don't buy any of it.
One way or another, the Bulls do need a shooting guard, and O.J. Mayo is probably the one player who is the most gettable of the bunch. He has obviously worn out his welcome with the Grizzlies, and his recent positive drug test should convince GM Chris Wallace to lower his asking price.
In fact, I found that Mayo could be had in a simple exchange for Ronnie Brewer, which I'm sure the Bulls would love to do. It obviously won't happen, but you get the idea.
Mayo may not be Anthony, but he is the kind of player who could take some of the scoring pressure off of Derrick Rose, which is exactly what the Bulls need.
3. Steve Nash To Atlanta Hawks
8 of 10
There's obviously plenty of talent on the Atlanta Hawks, as Josh Smith, Al Horford, and Joe Johnson make for one of the best frontcourts in the NBA.
However, the backcourt could definitely use an upgrade, and it's doubtful that they're going to be able to make it very far in the Eastern Conference playoffs unless they do so.
Thus, Steve Nash. His name has been on the block seemingly ever since the start of the season, and the Hawks are one of the few teams that actually make sense.
Things are complicated by the fact that the Suns are still in the race in the Western Conference, but that doesn't mean they should kid themselves into thinking they're better off keeping Nash around.
Jamal Crawford could go the other way in a trade, and the Hawks could also offload Mike Bibby if they so please. Either way, it's hard to see Nash going anywhere other than Atlanta.
2. Andre Iguodala To Dallas Mavericks
9 of 10
The Mavericks are sitting pretty with the third best record in the Western Conference, but I don't think I'm delusional in saying they don't look like serious championship contenders as they are currently constructed.
While they could indeed look to acquire Dalembert to improve their frontcourt, their bigger need is an able replacement for Caron Butler, who of course is out for the rest of the season.
Among the players on the block who could pick up the slack left from Butler's injury is Andre Iguodala, who has been rumored as a potential target for just about every team in the NBA.
That being said, it is going to be tricky in order to swing a deal for AI, as the Mavs don't have much in the way of youth to offer the 76ers in exchange. Then again, the Mavs have been known to make trades when they want to, and Iguodala is simply a better option for them than, say, Stephen Jackson.
1. Carmelo Anthony To New York Knicks
10 of 10
The New York Knicks seriously want Carmelo Anthony, that much is certain.
In fact, they even went so far on Monday as to hire former Denver Nuggets GM Mark Warkentien to be a "high level consultant."
One assumes he's there to tell Donnie Walsh and co. what the heck it's going to take to land Melo. Given the fact the Knicks can't seem to figure that out, bringing Warkentien aboard is as good an idea as any.
The general thinking regarding the deal that would land Melo in MSG is that it's going to take a couple of first round picks, as none of the players the Knicks could send the other way are going to get Denver to bite.
As for where the Knicks could get that second first round pick, it's probably going to have to come from a trade involving little-used big man Anthony Randolph. Of course, this is a tricky proposition, but not altogether impossible.
Regardless, you can rest assured that the Melo-to-New York talk is going to go right up until the deadline.
