NBA Trade Talk: How Much Can Golden State Warriors Get for Monta Ellis?

It is the most frequently posed question when regarding a potential Monta Ellis trade scenario: Will the Golden State Warriors be able to obtain equal value in return for their superstar? It's a legitimate question because NBA teams who trade their best player rarely get equal value in compensation.

This predicament holds true for the Warriors, who would likely be crippled in the short-term if they were to rid themselves of Ellis. He is the heart and soul of this Warriors team, and his game has improved every year since he's been in the NBA.

However, with the Warriors trying to refine their status as an "all offense, no defense" type of team, this offseason could make for the perfect storm in their attempt to finally trade Ellis.

If the Warriors were to trade Ellis, here is a list of the five best possible trade scenarios the Warriors could encounter.

5. Chicago Bulls for Luol Deng

This trade scenario has come up before due to the lucrative players the Chicago Bulls have on their roster. While players like Joakim Noah and Taj Gibson might be more appealing players in a trade for Ellis, I doubt the Bulls will be willing to part with either of them since their frontcourt was so vital to their success in 2011.

The more reasonable trade chip the Warriors could get in return for Ellis would be small forward Luol Deng. Deng is the Bulls stopper on defense and also provides the size and length on offense that the Warriors are missing. The 6'9", 220-pounder can score from a variety of spots on the floor and is still only 26 years old.

On top of that, the two players could be traded straight up for each other since their contracts are nearly identical.

4. Sacramento Kings for J.J. Hickson

J.J. Hickson is just the type of player that the Warriors need on their roster.

Hickson is a 6'9", 242-pound power forward who has plenty of size to beef up the Warriors' thin frontcourt.

Hickson certainly has the size and athleticism to become one of the better power forwards in the game, but it is always uncertain how these types of players will pan out when it's all said and done. The Sacramento Kings would realize this and take the sure thing in Ellis.

While a straight-up swap for Ellis and Hickson wouldn't be possible due to the contract differentiations—Ellis is owed $11 million in 2012 while Hickson is owed only $2 million—another player like John Salmons could be added to the mix to make the money work.

3. Memphis Grizzlies for Rudy Gay

Despite the massive six-year contract that Rudy Gay signed with the Memphis Grizzlies, his tenure in Tennessee might be coming to a close.

Gay is a prolific scorer that any team would covet, but the Grizzlies found themselves in a peculiar situation last year when they made it all the way to the Western Conference semifinals. What made it even more interesting was the fact that they did it without Gay.

Now that the Grizzlies have a backcourt filled with players like Mike Conley, O.J. Mayo, Sam Young, Tony Allen and Greivis Vasquez, there might not be any room for Gay on the roster.

Acquiring Gay would permit the Warriors to moving Dorell Wright to the sixth-man spot where he would greatly benefit this team.

2. Los Angeles Lakers for Andrew Bynum

Whether you like it or not Warrior fans, management would likely jump all over the possibility of trading Ellis for Lakers center Andrew Bynum if given the opportunity.

I, too, would cringe at the sight of Ellis in the purple and yellow, but Bynum would give the Warriors exactly what they need to succeed in this league: a legitimate center with the appropriate size.

Bynum's proneness to injury and his immature nature might scare you a little bit, but the fact is that centers with Bynum's stature are hard to come by in today's age.

1. Philadelphia 76ers for Andre Iguodala

Andre Iguodala would be the best-case scenario for the Warriors if they were to trade Ellis.

The deal would help both teams, and it has been reported that the two sides have already been in talks regarding the potential swap.

Besides a legitimate center, Iguodala would provide the Warriors with exactly what they need: size in the backcourt. Iguodala is one of the league's premier defenders and would perfectly complement Curry's lack of any defensive abilities. 

On top of that, Iggy would still contribute to the scoring and also has the ability to set up his teammates with his passing. He is only 27 years old and is one of the more well-rounded players in the NBA, which is exactly what the Warriors need in their backcourt.