NBA Trade Rumors: Evaluating Trade Needs For New York Knicks and Entire NBA
With under three days until the NBA Trade Deadline, most teams are looking to see what moves they can make to make their team better. For some, they are looking at who they can acquire to make a run to the NBA Finals. For others, they are looking to unload contracts and grab draft picks so their team can rebuild.
There are more than enough pieces on the trading block for any team if one knows where to look. Whether a team is looking to buy or sell, as long as it fits the salary cap, a trade can be made.
Here are possibilities for all 30 NBA teams, whether they need to make a larger trade, whether they need to get rid of a major contract, or whatever else their need may be.
Atlanta Hawks
1 of 30
Trade: Ramon Sessions from Cavaliers
The Atlanta Hawks are 34-32, and will certainly be in the playoffs. They are not ready to win though. Mike Bibby and Jeff Teague are not getting much done on the point guard end, and upgrading that position could provide help.
Ramon Sessions is one of the few bright spots on the Cavs, and acquiring him could make Atlanta a lot more formidable. As long as they hand over Zaza Pachulia or Jason Collins and perhaps another piece, Cleveland will certainly make the deal.
Boston Celtics
2 of 30
Trade: Anthony Parker from Cavaliers
The Boston Celtics have won an NBA Championship with the cast they have, for the most part. They have had injury after injury after injury, yet they are top in the East with a 40-14 record. The Celtics age is usually what people focus on when saying that they won't win the title, but Shaq, Rondo, Garnett, Perkins, etc. have all missed chunks of the season, so they won't have that 82-game wear and tear.
I was strongly considering saying they'll be fine, but with the latest injury to Marquis Daniels, they need a decent shooting guard to plug into their roster. Anthony Parker can come off the bench and down a few threes just fine, so that would work.
Charlotte Bobcats
3 of 30
Trade: Gerald Wallace to Rockets
The Bobcats, despite a weak record, have two solid forwards in Gerald Wallace and Stephen Jackson. Locking up other positions should be a priority, and Wallace is one of the most-sought pieces.
The Rockets are very interested in him, and is more than willing to make a move. So long as the pieces are right, (Aaron Brooks and another seem to be the going rate) it's worth a look for the Bobcats.
Chicago Bulls
4 of 30
Trade: None
While I have several teams that I say should not make a move, this one may be the most controversial, since they probably will not win with their current staff.
Having said that, Derrick Rose has been the first-half MVP, and has kept his team in the running despite injuries to Carlos Boozer and Joakim Noah. Once all of these starters play alongside each other for a while, they should be ready to go. If they still don't like their shooting guard situation, they're more than welcome to fix that in the offseason.
Cleveland Cavaliers
5 of 30
Trade: Antawn Jamison to anyone for size and picks
The Cavaliers are not going to make the playoffs this season, I hate to break that to you. All they need to do right now. They need to start getting rid of some of their large salaries that are drawing interest, and Antawn Jamison is the prime example here.
The main team looking at Jamison is the New Orleans Hornets, and if it's a move that can help with Cleveland's utter lack of size, as well as help them draft-wise, then they should absolutely go for it.
Dallas Mavericks
6 of 30
Trade: None
When Caron Butler originally went down to injury, I was concerned about how well the Mavericks would be at that position, with Shawn Marion having to move to the starter role, resulting in a lack of depth on the bench.
Without him, Dirk Nowitzki has been playing MVP quality ball, and Marion and Jason Terry have picked up the slack, with Terry in particular being a viable Sixth Man of the Year candidate. Their 40-16 record shows they can compete with the best, and a trade might mess with chemistry this late in the season.
Denver Nuggets
7 of 30
Trade: Either of the Knicks or Nets' propositions
Let's face it. When a major player leaves a franchise, the team usually gets next to nothing for losing that player. They are going to be gaining multiple starters, younger players (Raymond Felton or Devin Harris will be much better than Billups three years from now, needless to say), and draft picks on top of it all.
The Nuggets are getting more than Anthony is worth in some cases; you would think that this guy was a multiple MVP and NBA Championship winner. Pick a deal and stop asking for even more pieces.
Detroit Pistons
8 of 30
Trade: Richard Hamilton to whoever
At this point, Richard Hamilton needs a change of scenery, and the Pistons need to get what they can for him while he still has some talent left. The only problem is who would take Hamilton's big salary.
So far, there have been no takers, so the Pistons may have to eat some of the contract if it means actually getting teams interested. The Pistons need to move on before they fall even further in the East.
Golden State Warriors
9 of 30
Trade: Troy Murphy from Nets for anyone of interest
Interestingly enough, the Golden State Warriors have expressed interest in acquiring an injury-riddled center, since they figure they can get those at a discount. Instead of that, they should acquire a big man who could work with Golden State’s fast-paced offense.
Troy Murphy would work well here, since the Nets have not been using him this season. They will have to wait on the Carmelo saga to conclude, but this would fit very well on both sides, and the Warriors would not have to give up much for him.
Houston Rockets
10 of 30
Trade: Nene from Nuggets for Aaron Brooks
Nene is a trade piece than the Rockets are highly interested in, and it looks like it would be a good fit. Conversely, Aaron Brooks looks to be on his way out in Houston, and here would be a way to get rid of him.
This trade would likely not be straight up, and other pieces would have to fall into place. This is also yet another deal that is dependent on the Carmelo situation.
Indiana Pacers
11 of 30
Trade: Package Deal with Knicks and Nuggets
I found a piece over at SBNation that suggested the Pacers become the third team in the Knicks-Nuggets fiasco, since they can add in players both teams would want, and could acquire players that will help them on their way up.
A lot of Pacers fans consider Paul George to be untouchable, and perhaps a different player could be added there instead, but it could help the Pacers big time as they try and build around Danny Granger.
Los Angeles Clippers
12 of 30
Trade: Rasual Butler to Celtics
The Clippers are a rising team, but Rasual Butler has been having a very bad shooting year. Despite this, the Celtics are looking for a backup shooting guard, and have been interested in Butler.
The Celtics getting him would be as good as The Clippers getting rid of him, so just as long as the Celtics offer something, this one actually works quite well. The hard part of this equation would actually be what the Clippers would be able to get in return for him.
Los Angeles Lakers
13 of 30
Trade: None
The Los Angeles Lakers won the NBA Championship last year if my memory serves me correctly. It would not make sense to mess with that. There has been talk about trading Ron Artest, but there is not going to be any team that is willing to take on that contract.
Memphis Grizzlies
14 of 30
Trade: O.J. Mayo and Hasheem Thabeet to any interested
Memphis has been hearing about trading O.J. Mayo since the season began, and these talks have not slowed down in the slightest. There are certainly people that want Mayo, in particular the Chicago Bulls.
If they are going to trade him though, they should add in Thabeet into the deal, since he’s not getting it done, and that can open up a roster spot. Despite Rudy Gay’s injury, trading Mayo still seems like a good move, particularly if they can get the right offer from Chicago or elsewhere.
Miami Heat
15 of 30
Trade: None
The biggest problem for the Heat heading into this season was making sure the team’s chemistry was there. Bringing in new pieces just adds to that problem, since injuries to Dwyane Wade has kept the big three from playing together in as many games as they’d like.
Milwaukee Bucks
16 of 30
Trade: Keyon Dooling for picks
The Bucks were poised to be a solid team this year, but instead they lost Michael Redd and others to injury, and are barely in the playoff hunt. They should be fine in future seasons, but anyone with an expiring contract is worth trading.
The Heat and Celtics could actually be possible options here, as Keyon Dooling would fit well. The Bucks could also get some talent that would help them in upcoming years, since they are built as a team of the future right now, with Brandon Jennings and Andrew Bogut leading the charge.
Minnesota Timberwolves
17 of 30
Trade: None
The Timberwolves are near the bottom of the league, yet have one of the league's brightest stars in Kevin Love. They should be able to start putting pieces around him, but then again, they were unable to do so with Kevin Garnett.
They are being talked about in a package deal with Knicks and Nuggets, but after looking at the trade, it makes no sense on the Wolves' end. All they can do is hope for a top three pick in the draft and go from there, hopefully bringing in better pieces in the offseason.
New Jersey Nets
18 of 30
Trade: Proposed Carmelo Deal
The Nets have been going back and forth on this long enough, and are giving up a huge amount to get Carmelo. There’s no reason to bother with any other deals, just finish the job and acquire Carmelo.
New Orleans Hornets
19 of 30
Trade: Antawn Jamison from Cavaliers
For the same reasons I noted in the Cavs slide, the Hornets sending some size help and draft picks down would help them. More importantly, acquiring Jamison could help the Hornets down the stretch.
Jamison is averaging 17.7 points per game, and the Hornets are near the bottom of the league in scoring. They need to make a move on the offensive side of the ball, even if it’s not this particular one.
New York Knicks
20 of 30
Trade: Proposed Carmelo Deal
The Knicks have been going back and forth on this long enough, and are giving up a huge amount to get Carmelo. There’s no reason to bother with any other deals, just finish the job and acquire Carmelo.
Oklahoma City Thunder
21 of 30
Trade: Jeff Green for size
The Thunder are a young up-and-coming team who need a solid interior man to make a run to the NBA Finals. Jeff Green is a player that is garnering a lot of trade buzz.
If there’s a big man who they could get for the long term, then this would be a great move. Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook, and most of the team’s core are 22 or younger. If the right move can be made now, they’ll be a force for many years.
Orlando Magic
22 of 30
Trade: None
The Orlando Magic will likely not win an NBA Championship with their current team. Having said that, they already made one monstrous move this season, however, making a second major move would cause chemistry issues that would not be able to be fixed before the playoffs.
Philadelphia 76ers
23 of 30
Trade: Andre Iguodala to Grizzlies for O.J. Mayo
Philadelphia is actually the toughest team here. Elton Brand and Andre Iguodala would be very viable pieces if their contracts were not so huge. Philly’s also in the playoff hunt despite a .500 record.
They have to make a trade, and having Iguodala get out of Philly would be best for both sides. At Memphis, he can be the small forward, moving to the two spot when Rudy Gay returns. O.J. Mayo could get a fresh start in Philly and help the young players on that team.
Phoenix Suns
24 of 30
Trade: Mickael Pietrus for draft picks
The Phoenix Suns are at a crossroads. They have some energetic youth as well as old guys. They either need to win now, which they won’t, or jump Nash and Carter, which they won’t.
Since those possibilities are out, what they can do to help build for the future is trade the one guy who would actually get some good offers in Pietrus. He’s a solid defender whose experience in the playoffs would be valuable for any team looking for that extra piece.
Portland Trail Blazers
25 of 30
Trade: Rudy Fernandez for more consistent shooter
Portland has had its share of injury problems, but it has also had to deal with the dissatisfaction of Fernandez. He was a big trade piece early in the season, but that aura wore off due to his lackluster shooting this year.
The Blazers have solid defense, but need more offense if they want to make a playoff run, especially if they’re not going to have Brandon Roy. Trading a guy who does not seem to want to be there anyway would be a start.
Sacramento Kings
26 of 30
Trade: DeMarcus Cousins to any takers
The Sacramento Kings have a solid core in Tyreke Evans and DeMarcus Cousins, and on the normally I would advise against a trade, since they’re going to get a high lottery pick anyway.
Having said that, Cousins seems to not want to be on the Kings, and he still has enough upside that the Kinds would get some good pieces for him if they were fed up with him. Even as someone who does not follow that Kings, I’m tired of seeing all his antics.
San Antonio Spurs
27 of 30
Trade: None
The Spurs have the league's best record by quite a bit, only losing 10 games, and many players have won titles with the Spurs before. Why mess with that? It would be stupid of them to make any moves.
Toronto Raptors
28 of 30
Trade: None
The Raptors will get a high lottery pick, and are stuck right now. They actually have some solid pieces; Andrea Bargnani and DeMar DeRozan have been good, and Reggie Evans was a rebounding master before his injury.
The Raptors have a very young team, so it’s going to take time before they improve as a unit. Unless a team really wants one of their young guys, a trade won’t happen, since management has already said it will be a quiet deadline for the Raptors.
Utah Jazz
29 of 30
Trade: Andrei Kirilenko for picks, long-term piece
The Jazz have a massive expiring contract in Kirilenko, and with Jerry Sloan leaving the Jazz are likely to rebuild soon. If they want to get some value, then they could trade Kirilenko, who is in the final year of a big contract and could be a solid role player for any team.
He has been consistent, and the Jazz should be able to get a couple good pieces of draft picks for him. The contract may turn off a few teams, but it is still a possibility that he could be playing for a stronger playoff team soon.
Washington Wizards
30 of 30
Trade: None
The Wizards already did their salary dump when they sent Arenas over to the Orlando Magic, and as a result, I can’t see them having anything other than a quiet deadline. Certainly if they still had Arenas then he would be a big option at the trade deadline, but that’s already been taken care of.
