NBA Trade Rumors: Playing Fact or Fiction with the Hottest Trade Rumors

Before the lockout happened and thus crippled all teams' front offices in terms of making trades or signings, NBA-land was fraught with trade rumors and speculation.  Experts and fans alike would sit down and debate a myriad number of possibilities.  Would Dwight Howard leave the Orlando Magic for another team after next season?  Would the Golden State Warriors find a way to unload the massive contract of Monta Ellis?

No matter if these rumors were fact or fiction, there's no denying that a lot of debate and discussion was born out of them.  Yet, while entertaining, some of these rumors seemed a bit far-fetched.

That being said, let's look at some of the pre-lockout trade rumors and separate the ones that could happen from the ones that are pure fiction.

Rudy Fernandez to the Cleveland Cavaliers?

Ever since he entered the NBA with the Portland Trail Blazers back in 2008, Rudy Fernandez has never been satisfied.  He didn't like being a bench player with the team and often demanded that he be traded to another squad.  On NBA draft night, the Spanish shooter got his wish as he was sent to the Dallas Mavericks.

Yet, for the past year or so, rumors have swirled about Fernandez being traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers.  In Dallas, he would more than likely come off the bench as a shooter or maybe even start at shooting guard if DeShawn Stevenson signs elsewhere.  That being said, why not send him to a young team like Cleveland where he could potentially become a star?

Still, though the idea of Fernandez in Cleveland may make some sense, the general consensus is that he wouldn't be happy there.  He asked out of a small market like Portland and is now in a slightly larger one in Dallas, a market that is fresh off a championship.  Thus, while his role in Dallas could leave him unsatisfied, I don't see him asking to leave a team with so much potential so that he may join one that's in a rebuilding phase.

VERDICT: FICTION

Monta Ellis to the Lakers?

In the days preceding the NBA draft, CBS Sports reported that electrifying shooting guard Monta Ellis was growing dissatisfied playing for the Golden State Warriors and wanted out.  Shortly afterward, the International Business Times reported that the Los Angeles Lakers were interested.

Were that trade to happen, it would have been a three-team deal involving the Lakers, Warriors and Chicago Bulls.  The Lakers would have given up Lamar Odom and Shannon Brown while the Bulls let go of center Joakim Noah.  Of course, this trade did not end up happening.

The general idea was that were Ellis to become a Laker, he would start at point guard while perennial All-Star and Lakers alpha dog Kobe Bryant handled the shooting guard duties.  This would make sense, seeing as how Ellis would both help shoulder some of the scoring load as well as play some tight defense against the opposition.

While this trade may look good on paper, I don't see it happening for a number of reasons.  First, the Warriors and the Lakers play in the same division, the NBA Pacific.  Call me crazy, but I don't think that Warriors GM Larry Riley wants to trade his best player to a team with whom the Warriors will compete for both a playoff spot and a division title.

On top of that, Ellis has three years (including a player option) and potentially $33 million remaining on his deal.  Seeing as how the Lakers tried the super team before by putting Karl Malone and Gary Payton in the same lineup as Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal and thus failed (despite making the NBA Finals), I don't see it happening again.

Last, we have the age-old question.  What if the pairing doesn't work?

VERDICT: FICTION

Monta Ellis for Andre Iguodala?

Early in June, ESPN's Ric Bucher reported that the Golden State Warriors were in talks with the Philadelphia 76ers about doing a straight-up trade: Monta Ellis for Andre Iguodala.  Both players' salaries are such so that league salary-cap rules would be met and at the same time, both teams would fill certain needs.

I'll be honest, folks.  While I would hate to see either player traded from their current team, this deal has the potential to become one of the best trades in NBA history.  Looking at the situation of both teams, it is clear that swapping these two could open lots of doors for both.

In Ellis, the Sixers would receive the electrifying shooting guard they lack in the starting lineup and at the same time, soon to be second-year player Evan Turner would accumulate more minutes at small forward.

On Golden State's end, the team would be receiving a dynamic forward in Iguodala.  His ability to pass, shoot and dunk would light a fire under the young Warriors team and give them someone who could be a leader as well as an effective offensive and defensive presence on the court.  If you think about it, Iguodala has the makings of the effective point-forward type innovated by former Warriors head coach Don Nelson.

This trade may not have happened at first, but don't be shocked if it's revisited once a new labor agreement is in place.

VERDICT: FACT

Steve Nash to the Timberwolves?

On the day of the NBA draft, ESPN reported that the Phoenix Suns had been in talks with the Minnesota Timberwolves about trading veteran point guard Steve Nash for the No. 2 pick in the draft.  Suns management repeatedly stated that there was no intention to trade Nash, who currently has one year and $11.7 million left on his deal, not to mention the fact that he'll be 37 in February. 

The trade did not happen and the 'Wolves drafted Arizona's Derrick Williams with the second pick, while the Suns took Kansas forward Markieff Morris at No. 13.

Though the team is a shell of what it was during the glory days of Mike D'Antoni and basically in a rebuilding mode, there's no way that the Suns will even revisit a trade with the Timberwolves or any team.  When push comes to shove, Nash is their best player and unquestioned leader.  Losing him would set the franchise back more than a decade.

On top of that, the Timberwolves have no use for Nash now that Ricky Rubio has chosen to come to the NBA after being drafted two years ago.  Even if Rubio does not pan out, Minnesota would look to replace him with a younger point guard who has plenty of years left.

As good as Nash is, his trade value isn't exactly high.  The skills are there, but his age is something that Minnesota and every other team in need of a point guard will find hard to simply overlook.

VERDICT: FICTION

Dwight Howard to the Lakers?

Here we have the potential trade that has been a hot-button issue for months.  Following the Lakers' being swept out of the playoffs by the Dallas Mavericks, the International Business Times ran a sports editorial about the possibility of the team trading volatile center Andrew Bynum to the Orlando Magic for future Hall of Famer Dwight Howard.

On paper, it's understandable why some may find this potential swap ridiculous.  Bynum is a young center who hasn't played a full season in four years, thanks to injuries, and Howard is a perennial All-Star who has slowly become the Orlando Magic's savior since being drafted back in 2004.  On numbers alone, this trade is ridiculous.

Yet, let's look at Howard's time in Orlando.  He has made five All-Star teams and has won the NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award three years in a row.  Most importantly, he helped lead the Magic to the NBA Finals in 2009.

Yet, as evidenced by the past few years, Howard is drowning in Orlando.  He doesn't have much help on the court besides point guard Jameer Nelson and head coach Stan Van Gundy's offensive plan always seems to be "Get the ball to Howard."

In Los Angeles, Howard would have some help with the scoring by sharing the court with veteran champion Kobe Bryant.  Here, he could focus more on playing without the weight of the world on his back seeing as how he wouldn't be the only extremely big name on the team.

Seeing as how Bynum isn't ever going to be the replacement for Shaq that Lakers GM Mitch Kupchak hoped he would be, don't be surprised if this trade picks up steam and ends up happening at some point down the road, particularly if the Lakers offer a lucrative contract extension to go along with the trade.

VERDICT: FACT