NBA Trade Ideas: Moves Every Team Can Make To Bolster Their Defense

The NBA Trade Deadline is only one day away and teams will be loading up for the postseason—which is less than two months away.

Every team desires to improve on the defensive end.

So, it got me thinking of some acquisitions that can improve each team defensively

Now, some of these trades have no chance of happening. However, keep in mind these are just moves that will improve the overall defense of the team.

Atlanta Hawks

Hawks trade: Josh Smith

Bucks trade: Andrew Bogut

The Hawks greatest strength is their pick-and-roll defense due to the quickness of their big-men. However their greatest weakness is defending strong big-men such as, Dwight Howard.

Charlotte Bobcats

Bobcats trade: Boris Diaw and Nazr Mohammed

Kings trade: Samuel Dalembert

The Bobcats need a bigger presence at the rim. Mohammed and Diop haven’t been the answers.

Boston Celtics

Move: Celtics trade Marquis Daniels

Pacers trade: Danthay Jones

Boston is another team on top of defensive standings. So there is no drastic move that has to be made.

But, if the Celtics make a move for Jones, he could fill the void left by Tony Allen.

Charlotte Bobcats

Bobcats trade: Boris Diaw and Nazr Mohammed

Kings trade: Samuel Dalembert

The Bobcats need a bigger presence at the rim. Mohammed and Diop haven’t been the answers.

Chicago Bulls

Bulls trade: Keith Bogans, Brian Scalabrine

Grizzlies trade: Tony Allen

Thoughts on a team currently ranked number one in defensive efficiency would be nothing more than nitpicking.

Now, if there is one position the Bulls need to improve defensively, it would have to be at starting shooting guard.

While Bogans is strong and possesses a dogged mentality on defense, he has shortcomings, starting with his short wingspan and declining lateral quickness.

Tony Allen one of the best perimeter defenders in the league, he has the athleticism and the lateral quickness. He will make this stingy Chicago defense even more daunting.

Cleveland Cavaliers

Cavs trade: Jamario Moon

Timberwolves trade: Wesley Johnson

The Cavaliers have problems all over the place.

Now, if they were to start improving somewhere, they can start with the perimeter defense.Wesley Johnson is no perimeter-stopper, but he has the potential to be.

Dallas Mavericks

Dallas trades: Caron Butler

Utah Trades: Devin Harris

The Mavericks are already one of the best defensive teams in the NBA.

Defending penetrating guards will make them an even stronger defensive unit. Harris is no lock-down defender, but he can save Jason Kidd from guarding speedy guards like Russell Westbrook and Tony Parker.

This will allow Kidd to defend bigger shooting-guards.

Denver Nuggets

Nuggets trade: JR Smith

Pacers trade: Jeff Foster

Denver’s biggest weakness defensively is their undersized front-court. They struggle defending the likes of Dwight Howard, Tim Duncan, and Pau Gasol.

Foster will be an extra body the Nuggets can throw at opposing teams.

Detroit Pistons

Pistons trade: Tayshaun Prince and Charlie Villanueva

Hornets trade: Trevor Ariza and Emeka Okafor

The Pistons have grown soft defensively over the last few years.

Ariza is a young perimeter defender and Okafor will elevate the team defensively with his strength and defending the low-post.

Golden State Warriors

Warriors trade: Vladimir Radmonavic

Suns trade: Marcin Gortat

Gortat would make the Warriors bigger in the post and lift a team at the bottom of the league in defensive efficiency.

Houston Rockets

Rockets trade: Yao Ming

Kings trade: Samuel Dalembert

The Rockets have coveted a starting center for the last two years. They are one of the smaller teams in the league and they need a big-man to make them more formidable defensively.

Indiana Pacers

Pacers trade: Danny Granger

Sixers trade: Andre Iguodala

Granger has had trouble guarding opposing perimeter threats for much of his career.

Iguodala would be a major upgrade defensively on the perimeter. He has the size, strength and quickness.

Los Angeles Clippers

Clippers trade: Brian Cook

Celtics trade: Avery Bradley

Bradley has tremendous defensive potential and the Clippers could use some defensive help at the back-up shooting guard spot.

Los Angeles Lakers

Lakers trade: Artest and Walton

Bobcats trade: Gerald Wallace

There used to be a time when Ron Artest possessed the lateral quickness to stay in front of explosive perimeter players.

However, Artest is now 31 years-old and has lost plenty of that lateral quickness.

Wallace gives the Lakers a dimension on the perimeter that they haven’t had since Trevor Ariza.

Memphis Grizzlies

Grizzlies trade: Mike Conley and Greivis Vasquez

Blazers trade: Andre Miller

Miller would be an upgrade on defense over the smaller Mike Conley.They already have a big physical front-court, Conley is the weak link.

Miami Heat

Move: Hope for Jeff Foster to get bought out

The Heat defense is all built around the athleticism of LeBron James.

As exciting as that may be, the Heat still have to be concerned about their lack of size in the low post. Jeff Foster’s quick feet and wide frame will make Miami more formidable defensively.

Milwaukee Bucks

Bucks trade Corey Maggette

Bobcats trade: Gerald Wallace

Wallace brings much more defense and athleticism to the table than Maggette.

Minnesota Timberwolves

Timberwolves trade: Eddy Curry

Bucks trade: Andrew Bogut

Bogut’s shot-blocking prowess would be the perfect complement to Love’s rebounding skills.

New Jersey Nets

Nets trade: Anthony Morrow

Grizzlies trade: Tony Allen

Tony Allen's strength and athleticism would complement Deron Williams well in the backcourt.

New Orleans Hornets

Hornets trade: Jarrett Jack

Blazers trade: Wesley Matthews

Matthews would be a nice player next to Paul in the back-court. Players will have a hard time protecting the ball around these two ball-hawks.

New York Knicks

Knicks trade: Kelenna Azubuike

Grizzlies trade: Marc Gasol

The Knicks now have no frontcourt depth in light of the recent Carmelo Anthony trade. The Knicks will struggle defending stronger back-to-the-basket big-men.

Gasol will help in that department.

Oklahoma City Thunder

Thunder trade: Morris Peterson, Nenad Krstic

Bucks trade: Andrew Bogut

The Thunder will get that much needed presence in the middle. They have only been average defensively this year. A big-man like Bogut can anchor this young and athletic defense.

Orlando Magic

Magic trade: J.J Redick, Malik Allen, Earl Clark

Blazers trade: Joel Pryzbilla

On surface it appears crazy, Redick is a fan favorite in Orlando and Pryzbilla has had trouble staying healthy.

However, Redick has become more of a luxury than a necessity at this point and the Magic need more size.

When Howard comes out of the game, the team defense plummets. Orlando has no other big body to challenge opposing players at the rim.

The only reason why the Magic are relevant in the defensive rankings is because of Dwight Howard.

There were rumors swirling around the Magic when they depleted their front-court depth in the huge trade that they made in December.

Pryzbilla can come in and be that extra rebounder and shot-blocker next to Howard.

Philadelphia 76ers

Sixers trade: Jason Kapono and Andres Nocioni

Clippers trade: Baron Davis

The Sixers struggle defending strong point-guards.

Davis has never been known as a stout defender, but it isn’t due to lack of ability—it is lack of effort.

Now with Doug Collins running the show, he can get better effort out of Davis on the defensive end.

Phoenix Suns

Suns trade Steve Nash

Mavericks trade: Jason Kidd

This certainly seems crazy, but Nash has been a sieve defensively his whole career.

Kidd is obviously no longer the defender he used to be, but he is a better option than Nash due to his strength.

Portland Trail Blazers

Move: Hope Greg Oden gets healthy.

This is a long shot, but when Oden was on the court he was a game-changer on defense. And they also have other very good defenders in Nicolas Batum and Wesley Matthews.

Sacramento Kings

Kings trade: Beno Udrih

Blazers trade: Andre Miller

The Kings are horrid defensively and Udrih is one of the main culprits. Miller is a guard who can bring strength and toughness to the point-guard position.

San Antonio Spurs

Move: wait for the possibility of a Tayshaun Prince buyout.

The San Antonio Spurs have raced out to the best record in the NBA. However, it is not because of their defensive prowess, but their offensive creativity.

Most people will say that San Antonio is nowhere near as good defensively as they have been in years past, but are currently sixth in defensive efficiency.

Now, there certainly is room for improvement—mainly the perimeter defense.

This is where Prince comes into the picture. He can use his length to bother the opposition’s best perimeter scorer.

Toronto Raptors

Raptors trade: Leandro Barbosa

Rockets trade: Shane Battier

Nobody on this Raptors team gives any effort on defense. If the Raptors want to improve, they can start by getting rid of their biggest sieve—Leandro Barbosa.

Now, Battier is no longer the defender he once was, but acquiring him will be a step in the right direction.

Utah Jazz

Jazz trade: Mehmet Okur

Hawks trade: Josh Smith

The Jazz biggest weakness is their pick-and-roll defense. When a Jazz big man picks up the point guard, it normally leads to a layup because they have trouble funneling that man away from the rim.

Washington Wizards

Wizards trade: Al Thornton

Pacers: Dahntay Jones

The Wizards need a better perimeter defender. Al Thornton has looked disinterested for most of the