NBA Trade Rumors: Ron Artest to Denver?

The NBA All-Star game is approaching and with it comes the trade deadline.

This year, there are quite a few players involved in the trade winds. Let's take a look at a few...

Ron Artest, SF, Sacramento Kings 

While Sacramento is shopping him around the league, Artest has yet to voice his support for a move.

The Kings are apparently putting Artest in a package with Kenny Thomas, and offering them to whoever will listen.

The last team in negotiations with the Kings were the Nuggets, but they have backed out. There are reports that the only thing that would bring Denver back into trade talks would be if Sacramento would lower it's price. Sacramento currently wants both Nene and Linas Kleiza.

The most Denver wants to give up is a first round pick and Eduardo Najera.

Jason Kidd, PG, New Jersey Nets

With the Nets are actively shopping Kidd, the point guard and his representatives are trying to get a deal done with either Dallas, Los Angeles, or Cleveland.

The teams that the Nets are currently dealing with remain, for the most part, unknown.

Eddy Curry and Jerome James, C, New York Knicks 

The Knicks have offered both Curry and James for Artest and Thomas, but the Kings have declined, mostly because of the $12.8 million left on Curry's two-year contract.

Kyle Lowry, PG, Memphis Grizzlies 

Lowry could be the most fought over player in the NBA right now. Denver, Chicago, Philadelphia, Miami, New Jersey, and Golden State have all expressed interest in trading for the starting point guard. Denver is willing to use it's 2008 draft pick to pick up either Artest or Lowry, and it appears that they lead the Lowry sweepstakes. 

Mike Miller, SG, Memphis Grizzlies 

Memphis wants, according to an unnamed source, "to have at least three first-round picks this summer..." They are certainly trying. Along with Lowry, Memphis is also attempting to sell Miller, but to little success because they are also trying to package high-paid, little-used Brian Cardinal in any deal.

Sam Cassell, PG, Los Angeles Clippers 

Cassell doesn't seem too happy with his home in Los Angeles. He wants the Clippers to buy out his remaining contract, but they are trying to trade him away.

Rumors have it that Denver is in the mix for Cassell if a trade is involved. However, if the Clippers buy Cassell out, it is almost certain that he will join Kevin Garnett in Boston with the Celtics. 

The Celtics are currently starting 21-year-old Rajon Rando as their point guard, and will probably need a veteran to lead their team if they go deep into the playoffs. Cassell would be glad to fill that role now.

Vince Carter, SG, New Jersey Nets

The Nets are trying to shop Jason Kidd as well as Carter. The potential trade that makes the most sense would be a Jermaine O'Neal for Carter swap, with New Jersy throwing in another player.

Ben Wallace, C, Ben Gordon, SG, Chicago Bulls

The Bulls are trying to trade both Wallace and Gordon, but nobody really knows where as of now. There was recent trade talk between the Bulls and the Hornets regarding Chicago SF Rasual Butler, but they have now stopped negotiating.

The trade deadline is on February 22, and many things are still up in the air. It will be exciting to see where these players end up being traded to, if anywhere.