NBA Trade Rumors: 10 Trade Rumors Flying Under the Radar
The 2011 NBA trade deadline is less than two weeks away and there is no shortage of rumors swirling around the Internet waves.
Everyone knows about the Carmelo Anthony situation. Recently the whispers of Steve Nash leaving after the season have been made public.
But what are some of the rumors that aren’t appearing on the front of your favorite sports website?
There are going to be plenty of shake-ups over the course of the month and some of them are still flying under the radar.
Here are 10 of the latest trade rumors that deserve your attention.
10. Jose Calderon's Style Plagues Raptors Franchise
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The Raptors are going nowhere and the Jose Calderon era has been a disappointment.
He may be averaging 10 points and nine assists per game, but his defense has been atrocious. The Raptors can’t afford to keep around Calderon and his $20M still on his contract that runs through the 2012-2013 season.
The Raptors mimic the style of Calderon in many ways and where has that gotten them?
The Raptors have been shopping him for a while as he was halfway to Charlotte before Michael Jordan vetoed the trade at the last minute.
Reggie Evans is also a name to watch on the trading block.
9. Who Wants a Giant Expiring Contract?
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Yes there are other Nuggets involved in trade rumors besides Carmelo Anthony.
Martin is a prime candidate to get traded to a team that desperately needs cap relief. Any front office in the NBA would love to take on a $16.5M expiring contract.
Kenyon Martin admitted to The Denver Post this summer that he was slowly rehabbing his knee injury because Al Harrington already had been signed, thus becoming a lame duck.
His numbers are down to six points and five boards a game. But the good news is...his minutes are increasing and now he is almost up to 27 minutes a game as his knee begins to get stronger.
Martin has no future in Denver and trading him away for some sort of bench player of late draft pick is their best option.
8. Will the Blazers Allow Andre Miller to Persue a Ring?
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The injuries to Greg Oden and Brandon Roy have put shackles on the Blazers
The Blazers have very little flexibility right now—but trading away Andre Miller will benefit the long-term future of the team.
It's apparent the 34-year old Miller wants an opportunity to play for a ring and he isn't getting a chance to this season. According to The Oregonian, the front office has begun to listen to offers on their PG.
Trading Miller and his 13 points and 7.4 assists a game for a late first round draft pick makes plenty of sense.
Expect Miller to be dealt to a team in need of a point guard before the February 24th deadline.
7. Trading Jeff Green Can Bring the Thunder a Title
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It’s not easy to trade away a guy that is averaging 15 points and six rebounds a game. But it’s all about selling high and the stock of the third-year vet is on the rise as we speak.
The Thunder have to find an above-average big man if they want to compete against Andrew Bynum in the Western Conference and Dwight Howard and Kendrick Perkins in the Eastern Conference.
Serge Ibaka brings a lot of energy off the bench and is a solid nine point and seven rebound a night contributor—but they need more.
The Thunder have plenty of forwards and Green is the one that can yield a big return for Oklahoma City.
6. Cost Cutting Hawks Need to Say Good-Bye to Jamal Crawford
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He wants to sign an extension when he becomes a unrestricted free agent this summer. But where will the money come from?
The Hawks already locked-up All-Stars Joe Johnson and Al Horford this season and have absolutely zero interest in paying the luxury tax.
So why not trade him now and gain some sort of cheaper player/pick in return?
It may be risky for the current No. five seeded Hawks to get rid of a 15 point a game scorer at the trade deadline…but getting younger and cheaper sounds quite enticing for the Atlanta front office.
5. What Struggling Franchise Wants to Take a Flyer On Omer Asik?
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The 24-year-old Asik may be one of the hotter commodities at the deadline. His two points and three boards a night are nothing to go wild about—but it’s the improvements he shown over the season that have teams giddy.
“He’s improved every day. He’s a hard worker before games, after games…the sky’s the limit for him because of his work ethic” said veteran Bulls center Kurt Thomas late last week.
The Bulls have a championship on their minds and know they need another shooting guard to get there. Are the Bulls willing to sacrifice the future to improve right now?
A tough question to answer for the Bulls front office in the next two weeks.
Teams with little hope at reaching the playoffs (Kings, Warriors, Nets, Bucks) would be smart to give the young guy a chance to see what he can do with big minutes.
4. Is Aaron Brooks as Good as Gone?
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It seems as if Brooks is the odd man out in Houston. G.M. Daryl Morey has been stockpiling assets and is locked-and-loaded to make a big splash at the deadline.
Kyle Lowry has more than held his own at the point and Brooks is really beginning to struggle. In two games since returning from a one game suspension for leaving a game early, Brooks has combined to shoot 3-for-22 from the field.
The distractions are starting to get in his head and now is the time to ship Brooks and his expiring contract out of Houston.
3. Could Devin Harris Finally Flee From New Jersey?
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My, oh my how can everything change in the matter of two years. In 2008-2009 Harris was an All-Star snub in route of averaging 21 points and seven assists per game for an up-and-coming Nets squad.
This season, the Nets and new head coach Avery Johnson are no longer sold on Harris as an essential piece to the puzzle and are exploring trade opportunities for the 27-year old PG.
After four years of failed team expectations, both Harris and the Nets need fresh starts. The tandem is a proven failure and it would be best for both sides to start over. The issue will be on the asking price for Harris.
Will the Nets demand too much for the six-year pro? Adding Harris to a contending team could be a game changer in this years playoff picture.
2. Have the Memphis Grizzles Had Enough With O.J. Mayo?
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He still has a world of potential and is in desperate need of a fresh start. The Grizzles are done with Mayo after his 10-game suspension for a banned substance.
Why would they be so ready to ship out their 2008 No. three overall pick?
Well, maybe it’s because the Grizz went 8-2 during his suspension.
His act is getting old in Memphis and they can still land an above average player in return. A Mayo trade could be one where both sides prosper in the end.
Imagine if the Grizzles land another strong and powerful big guy to play with Zach Randolph. The feisty Grizzles may get even feistier.
1. What Team Has Been Asking About the Nuggets Nene?
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The Golden St. Warriors front office has reportedly called the Nuggets about their 6'11" power forward/center. The rumors have really began to heat up over the last week.
He is a versatile big man that would fit in the Warriors high-powered offense. Nene is currently averaging 15 points and seven points a game for the top offensive team in the league.
As the Nuggets prepare to go under an extreme makeover, getting rid of Nene and his contract that has another season of $11.3M remaining after this one is a good idea.
The Nuggets are going to look very different next season.
