2011 NBA Trade Rumors: Trade and Draft Buzz for All 30 NBA Teams
The 2011 NBA Playoffs are in full swing.
The lottery has taken place. The draft order is set.
And now, we can get on with all of the hype, all of the rumors and all of the buzz that will start happening as we move toward the NBA Finals, the NBA draft and a very significant offseason.
Let's look at some of the real and possible moves that could be made in the days, weeks and months ahead that will shape franchises, build careers and possibly change the direction of the league (OK, I got a little carried away).
We'll check the teams out in reverse (alphabetical) order.
Washington Wizards
1 of 30
The Washington Wizards need a tough-nosed perimeter defender and should take San Diego State's Kawhi Leonard with their No. 6 pick.
He has moved into the high end of the draft and would help the Wizards move on from depending on Josh Howard.
Utah Jazz
2 of 30
The Utah Jazz are at a cross-roads as a franchise.
They need to determine whether they are truly going to go young and work through the growing pains that come with that or try to field a team more for the here and now.
The first big decision is what they are going to do with unrestricted free agent Andrei Kirilenko.
Kirilenko has let it be known that he wants to continue playing with the Jazz.
With the emergence of C.J. Miles at the SF, the Jazz may look to work a sign and trade so that they get some value for AK-47.
Whatever they do with Kirilenko is going to direct what they do in the draft.
The Jazz ended up with the No. 3 pick in the upcoming draft.
Some analysts have suggested that Kentucky PG Brandon Knight might be a good selection at 3.
If the Jazz don't feel like Mehmet Okur is going to come back to full health, other players projected for that third pick include Enes Kanter, a 6'11" forward from Turkey and Jonas Valanciunas, a 6'10" forward from Lithuania.
Toronto Raptors
3 of 30
The Raptors may be looking to make a trade for Minnesota Timberwolves guard Jonny Flynn.
If the T-Wolves do end up signing Ricky Rubio, then Flynn is expendable.
Toronto has the No. 5 pick in the draft. No one would be surprised if the Raptors went international again a chose Lithuanian teenager, Jonas Valanciunas.
At 6'10", 230 lbs, Valanciunas may be a nice addition to the Toronto frontline.
Leandro Barbosa hasn’t informed the Raptors whether he’ll exercise an option in his contract that would make him a free agent this summer.
Toronto president and general manager Bryan Colangelo wants to re-sign Barbosa, calling him a "keeper."
San Antonio Spurs
4 of 30
Would the Spurs let aging Tim Duncan leave town through free agency?
The answer to that is absolutely not. While he may not dominate games in the same way that he used to, but Duncan still was a major factor in the Spurs ascent to the top of the Western Conference regular season standings.
L.A. Times NBA reporter Mark Heisler explains why Tony Parker would be attractive to the Los Angeles Lakers.
Because the Spurs' picks in the 2011 NBA Draft are the second to the last slots in the first and second rounds (29 and 59), you wouldn't think that San Antonio would make a lot of noise in this year's draft.
But before you go too far down that road, here is a list of players that they have selected at the very end the first round:
2008 - No. 26 pick: George Hill
2004 - No. 28 pick: Beno Udrih
2003 - No. 28 pick: Leandrinho Barbosa
2002 - No. 26 pick: John Salmons
2001 - No. 28 pick: Tony Parker
Pretty impressive scouting and selections, right?
More than one mock draft has the Spurs going international in the draft (again).
They could select Brazilian big, Lucas Nogueira. They could place him in Europe for a few years and allow him to develop his game and fill out physically.
Sacramento Kings
5 of 30
Because of selecting at the very highest end of the lottery the last couple of years, the Sacramento Kings have been able to build a talented young team, with Tyreke Evans and DeMarcus Cousins leading the way.
This year, the Kings have the No. 7 pick, and it is unclear who Sacramento might pick.
ESPN's Chad Ford thinks that because Evans isn't a PG, that the Kings should select Kemba Walker.
With Cousins and Jason Thompson in the middle, another need will be to replace unrestricted free-agent center Samuel Dalembert.
Even though Dalembert has never set the world on fire, there are many other teams, like the New York Knicks, that would love to have him patrol the middle.
Portland Blazers
6 of 30
The Portland Trailblazers continue to take steps forward as a franchise, but they are facing some big decisions this offseason.
Word on the street is that the Blazers front office has not decided whether they are going to exercise a team option for aging PG Andre Miller.
The Blazers are also hoping that they might finally get a healthy Greg Oden on the court. If Oden could come back and contribute alongside LaMarcus Aldridge and Gerald Wallace, Portland would have a potent frontcourt.
It's possible that the Trailblazers will look to add insurance/depth on this front line by drafting Donatas Motiejunas, the 7-foot Lithuanian teenager.
Phoenix Suns
7 of 30
Jason Richardson is gone, and Vince Carter is headed out the door.
The Suns are going to need to find someone to contribute from the SG position.
While Jared Dudley had a decent '10-11 season, he is not the long-term answer.
ESPN's Chad Ford has suggested that Phoenix should consider taking Jimmer Fredette with their No. 13 pick.
Philadelphia Sixers
8 of 30
The 76ers really need inside help and they might be able to find some help in this year's draft with the 16th pick.
Philadelphia might pick up some home-grown help by selecting Kansas' PF Markieff Morris.
A Philly native, Morris is the most NBA-ready big that may be left at this point, and he could help right away with rebounding and defense.
It seems that there is lots of people that want the 76ers to shop/get rid of Andre Igoudala. Almost 70 percent of respondents to a recent Philly.com poll want Andre Iguodala gone.
Orlando Magic
9 of 30
The Orlando Magic are evidently not protecting even some of their best players as they try to make some much needed improvements after their early departure from the 2011 Playoffs.
Could Jameer Nelson be on the trading block? Orlando GM Otis Thorpe indicates that Nelson is one of the few players that other teams might be interested in, so...
Orlando does not have a first-round pick. In fact, the Magic's only slot is the No. 53 overall pick.
One question that the Magic may consider is whether or not they would take Rashard Lewis back on the cheap.
It is possible that the Wizards may buy out his contract, and he would be a free agent.
Oklahoma City Thunder
10 of 30
The only player on the OKC roster to not be under contract for 2011-12 is Nazr Mohammed.
Don't know that the Thunder make re-signing him an offseason priority.
One possibility has them taking Kenneth Faried, the NCAA rebound leader/PF out of Morehead State.
Would be a nice move for them, great place for him.
New York Knicks
11 of 30
The Knicks have done a lot of retooling in the last year, bringing in Amare Stoudamire, Carmelo Anthony and Chauncey Billups.
Their biggest challenge is to not stop after they have started.
It is an accepted fact that the Knicks will try to find their center by going after Sacramento Kings' 7-footer and unrestricted free agent Samuel Dalembert (pictured).
The Knicks may use their No. 17 pick on selecting their future PG.
While Kyrie Irving, Kemba Walker and Brandon Knight will be long gone by this point, New York may choose between Nolan Smith, Reggie Jackson, Josh Selby or Charles Jenkins.
New Orleans Hornets
12 of 30
Whether or not David West exercises a player option for 2011-12 is a huge issue for the Hornets.
Because West is rehabbing from surgery to repair a torn left ACL, it is not likely that he will opt out and become a free agent.
New Jersey Nets
13 of 30
The Nets lost their lottery pick to the Utah Jazz (in the Deron Williams deal), but don't think that New Jersey is going to stay put at the bottom of the first round (27th pick).
Nets GM Billy King is ready to wheel and deal.
When he was in the same position for Philly, he made deals in seven of 10 drafts.
The Nets also need to figure out if they are going to attempt to resign any of their free agents (Dan Gadzuric, Sasha Vujacic and Kris Humphries).
If the answer is no, then they will have a lot of money to spend to go after free agent PFs Andrei Kirilenko or Glen Davis.
Minnesota Timberwolves
14 of 30
Lots of people have said that Kyrie Irving and Derrick Williams will go 1-2 in the draft.
But there is a lot of talk about the T-Wolves doing something other than pick the PF from Arizona.
One of the ideas is that Minnesota will take Enes Kanter with their No. 2 pick.
That way, he could play alongside Kevin Love and Michael Beasley.
The other issue that Minnesota needs to firm up is what's going on with Ricky Rubio (pictured). Is he finally ready to come over from Spain and start his NBA career?
If he does come over and lives up to his hype, the T-Wolves are going to be a much improved team
Some would say, after going 17-65, there's no where to go but up.
Milwaukee Bucks
15 of 30
Milwaukee are building their team around center Andrew Bogut and point guard Brandon Jennings.
Michael Redd will be a free agent and whether the Bucks take a run at re-signing him will determine a lot of where they go and who they draft.
The Bucks front office has not ruled out pursuing Redd, even though he is coming off of surgery and a long recovery.
There's a good chance that Milwaukee will take a long look at selecting Alec Burks, a 6'6" slasher from Colorado, with their No. 10 pick.
Miami Heat
16 of 30
The Heat hold the No. 31 pick overall (first of the second round). Not going to probably get "the next LeBron" with this pick.
Miami is likely to select a project player who is not expecting to play any time soon.
NBAdraft.net thinks that the Heat could go with Nikola Mirotic, a 6'10", 225 lbs combo forward from Montenegro.
Memphis Grizzlies
17 of 30
Memphis took a huge step forward this postseason.
They won their first playoff game, their first playoff series and made it to the Western Conference semis.
Keeping their nucleus together may be easier said than done.
While the Grizzlies would like to retain everyone, that's not likely to happen.
Mike Heisley is talking as if players like Shane Battier and O.J. Mayo are wanted but may not be able to come back next season.
Los Angeles Lakers
18 of 30
Is it time to blow up the Lakers? After their awkward departure from this year's playoffs, many are wondering if Los Angeles needs to reshuffle their lineup while Kobe is still Kobe.
The Lakers have no expiring contracts to speak of, so they won't make changes due to not re-signing free agents.
The Lakers have no first-round picks but, oddly, have an unheard of four second-rounders (41, 46, 56, 58), so they're not likely to get much help here either.
But Los Angeles might consider dipping into the free agent market themselves to find some help/answers to their lineup challenges.
Players like Laker-killer J.J. Barea, Aaron Brooks or Marc Gasol have been suggested as possible targets.
Los Angeles Clippers
19 of 30
As it stands right now, the Clippers aren't likely to get much help in this year's draft.
They do not own a first-round pick. They have the No. 37 overall pick, which means they aren't likely to change much of what they are going to put on the floor in 2011-12.
NBADraft.net has the Clippers taking Kyle Singler with this pick.
If he is available, the LACs should pick him up.
The Clippers don't have much flexibility with expiring contracts either. They have a team option on backup SF Jamario Moon. That's all.
Indiana Pacers
20 of 30
Will Mike Brown, LeBron's coach in Cleveland, be the next coach for the Pacers.
He is one of the people that Pacers' president Larry Bird is speaking with as a part of his search to fill that position.
The Pacers currently hold the No. 15 pick in this year's draft but they are talking to Minnesota about moving up. Danny Granger is being mentioned as a possible piece to this deal.
Houston Rockets
21 of 30
Will Kevin McHale be the next Rockets head coach? He is definitely deep in the process that also includes the Mavericks Assistant Coach Dwane Casey.
Golden State Warriors
22 of 30
Before the Warriors look at their roster, they are close to hiring their new head coach.
And many people are thinking that it will be former New Jersey Nets head coach Lawrence Frank.
Golden State has gained permission from the Boston Celtics to speak with Frank an assistant under Doc Rivers...
Besides Frank, the Warriors are also talking to Dallas Assistant coach Dwayne Casey.
The Warriors have lots of holes to fill, especially on the front-line.
With the No. 11 pick, they should have a good selection from which to choose.
Jan Vesely, 6'11", 240 lbs PF from the Czech Republic, might be special.
Big 12 POY Marcus Morris could still be available.
Detroit Pistons
23 of 30
The Pistons need lots of help in a lot of places.
It is not real clear what is going to happen with Tayshaun Prince.
The Pistons could have moved him at the trade deadline, but they chose to pass on the deals that were offered to them and now he is a free agent.
Detroit has the No. 8 pick in the draft.
Chris Ford has the Pistons taking Tristan Thompson.
Thompson is "a proven commodity" and "a terrific offensive rebounder."
Thompson would give Detroit another young Big to put alongside of Greg Monroe if they are trying to rebuild from the inside out.
Denver Nuggets
24 of 30
The Nuggets have some big decisions to make about what they are going to do about their free agents: Kenyon Martin and J.R. Smith.
Denver went through this whole season without striking deals with either of these players and it appears that both players will be on the open market, which usually means that the team had other plans and that they are gone.
Wave bye-bye, Nuggets fans
Dallas Mavericks
25 of 30
After the positive impact that Tyson Chandler's had on the Mavericks this season, is it possible for Dallas not to re-sign him in the offseason?
When asked, Chandler sounds like he wants to come back, but he also said, "That's not to say that things always work out."
Cleveland Cavaliers
26 of 30
Very few teams have the opportunity to reset their team with young talent the way that the Cavs will in this years NBA draft.
Through the magic that is the Lottery, Cleveland has both the No. 1 and 4 picks in the 2011 draft.
They will most likely decide between Duke guard Kyrie Irving and Arizona's combo forward Derrick Williams.
It's obvious that Cleveland is strongly considering taking Kyrie Irving as their first pick.
According to Sam Amico of Fox Sports Ohio, the Cavs saw all eleven of Irving's games for Duke this last year.
Chicago Bulls
27 of 30
If you are a Bulls fan, life is good.
Your team is tied 1-1 in the Eastern Conference finals and they have all of their core players locked up and will be coming back.
Even though the Bulls were criticized for "failing" in last summer's free agent frenzy, Bulls GM Gar Forman looks like a genius in how he constructed this team.
As far as the draft goes, Chicago can draft someone for future purposes.
Adding some depth at PG is a possibility. The Bulls could go for someone like Duke's Nolan Smith, the ACC POY, who may be available when the Bulls make their pick at the end of the first round.
Charlotte Bobcats
28 of 30
The Bobcats have lots of options of what they could do in this year's draft.
They have three (9, 19 and 39) of the first 40 picks.
So, they could use all or some of these or package them to acquire players through trades.
One of the possible players that Charlotte could choose is Alec Burks.
Boston Celtics
29 of 30
Glen "Big Baby" Davis may have played his last game in a Boston Celtic uniform.
Davis wants (1) to start and (2) starter's money. And, with Doc Rivers returning, it is very possible that Davis will be moving on during the offseason.
Atlanta Hawks
30 of 30
The Hawks made a nice showing in the 2011 Playoffs and figuring out what's going to happen with Jamal Crawford.
Crawford, 31, wanted to stay put, but evidently Atlanta's frugal front office has different plans.
The Hawks don't have a draft pick until the 48th pick, so it is not likely that they are going to find a difference maker there.
Possibly Atlanta should go with locals such as Travis Leslie (Georgia) or Iman Shumpert (Georgia Tech) to fill this hole
