NBA Trade Rumors: Latest Stars Being Rumored in Trade Talks

Oh, how so much can change in such a short amount of time.

It was only a week ago when the lockout ended and the first rumor to be heard was one involving a possible swap of elite point guards between the Boston Celtics and New Orleans Hornets. Since then, that point guard from New Orleans has been linked to a number of teams and it is completely unclear as to how the Hornets are going to handle this situation.

Of course, that point guard isn't the only player to be involved in trade talks as a number of other notable names are on the trade block as well. With some of these players possibly being involved in sign and trades, becoming a free agent soon, or just showing up on the market after remaining relatively quiet, we're sure to be in for an exciting off season period that's set to only last three weeks.

With so little time to make moves, we can expect a number of signings and trades to take place within a 24 hour period. Organizations will be looking to make moves as soon as they get the chance as to be ready in time for the season opener on December 25th. Being careful and waiting for the moment won't be an option here as teams will only be given two weeks on who they want on and off their roster.

These five players have dominated trade headlines over the past few hours and could be on the move within the next two weeks so get to know who could soon be your teams next biggest star.

Chris Paul

The center of attention these days, Chris Paul has been at the focal point of trade rumors since the lockout came to an end as he has been linked to a number of teams that would like to see him running the show.

All of this and he doesn't even become a free agent until next year.

The offseason officially started with word that the Boston Celtics offered Rajon Rondo to the New Orleans Hornets in return for Paul, a deal that was quickly shot down. The attention than shifted a little south as the New York Knicks became front-runners overnight after reports flew in that Chris Paul's agent reportedly told the Hornets that he wants a trade out of New Orleans and onto the Knicks.

Like every rumor we've heard so far, that was quickly shot down with Paul being the one to dispel of the rumor. Since then, Paul has been linked to a number of teams including the Los Angeles Lakers, Los Angeles Clippers, and the latest dark horse in the Golden State Warriors who may just emerged as favorites to secure Paul in a trade.

The trade to the Warriors may be the most likely to happen as it was reported by Tim Kawikami that the Hornets have a great deal of interest in Golden State point guard Stephen Curry. The Hornets have shown interest in trades with the Lakers involving Andrew Bynum and the Clippers involving a number of their young players, but the Warriors possessing Curry may just be the answer to drawing Paul out of New Orleans.

The chances of any of these trades happening? Actually likely according to SI.com as they report that a trade involving could happen before the 2010-11 actually begins.

Paul Millsap

Making his appearance in the trade rumors for the first time, Utah Jazz power forward Paul Millsap has found himself possibly being on the trading block with the team looking to favor Derrick Favors (see what I did there?) as their next starting power forward.

Millsap is coming off the best season of his career as he was rewarded with the start the four following the departure of Carlos Boozer. In the 76 games he played and started in, Millsap managed to average a solid 17 points on 53 percent shooting to go along with eight boards per. He strengthened one of the top front courts in the NBA as he, Andrei Kirilenko, and Al Jefferson dominated in the paint on offense and defense.

He probably had the top moment for the rest of his career when he led the Jazz to a stunning comeback over the Miami Heat early on in the season. Millsap made three three-pointers in the final minute after making two in the first four years of his career.

Now Millsap could see his days numbered as a member of the Jazz after spending his first five seasons with the team. The latest rumor to begin popping up in the Millsap camp is that the Indiana Pacers are interested and could be willing to make a trade in order to fill in the vacant spot at the power forward position.

With Tyler Hansbrough and Josh McRoberts being the teams current power forwards, the Pacers could desperately use a player like Millsap as they have reached out to him as well as fellow power forward David West.

Millsap would leave one top tier front court for another as he'd formed one of the NBA's better three man groups with himself, Danny Granger, and Roy Hibbert spending time down low.

Dwight Howard

Chris Paul couldn't control all of the spotlight in this first week following the end of the lockout as Orlando Magic center Dwight Howard has also dominated headlines as if they were Omer Asik when it comes to him being potentially traded before he becomes a free agent in 2012.

Howard is coming off a stellar season from an individual standpoint as he averaged a career high 23 points per to go along with 14 rebounds and two blocks per while also leading his Magic to a solid 52-30 season and a fourth seed. It was in the postseason that got the Magic worried about Howard possibly leaving as his team went down in six games to the division rival Atlanta Hawks.

Dwight's averages in the series? Only 27 points and 16 rebounds per, so don't go blaming that series on Howard. Blame the fact that the Magic took on average nearly 30 three-pointers per game and had the lowest field goal percentage from beyond the arc amongst post season teams in the first round.

Since making the NBA Finals in 2009, the Magic have only regressed. They haven't made any significant improvements to surround Howard with talent and only have a Conference Finals and a first round loss to show for it. With teams like the Miami Heat, Chicago Bulls, and New York Knicks only improving, the Magic have been left behind by standing pat with what they had.

Howard has made it clear that he's thought about leaving Orlando and because of that, he now has been at the center of a number of trade rumors as the Magic could be looking to trade him as to avoid not getting anything in return if he does walk during free agency.

Among the teams he's been linked to include the Los Angeles Lakers, New Jersey Nets, and the Chicago Bulls being the most recent team to enter the mix all of which are set to offer the Magic a number of quality players in return for the services of Howard.

Chris Kaman

With word coming in that last year's starting center in DeAndre Jordan was offered a deal worth $40 million over the next five years, it seems that Chris Kaman may have just played his last injured games in a Los Angeles Clippers uniform.

Speaking on the Jordan contract, aren't those the types of deals that had the NBA end up in a lockout? $8 million per year to a center that averaged seven points, seven rebounds, and two assists per while showing absolutely no offensive prowess is the exact type of deal that organizations should shy away from as to avoid another massacre like the 2011 lockout.

Back to Kaman. The eight-year center who was drafted with the sixth pick in the 2003 draft by the Clippers has shown plenty of promise and potential over the past few years, but has seen any progress made become deterred by constant injuries. These injuries have been so persistent that Kaman's been forced to sit out a great deal of time three out of the past four seasons while playing in 32 games or less twice over the past three years.

Kaman showed a ton of promise two years ago when he averaged a career high 19 points per game while showcasing an offensive repertoire that featured elite post work and a solid mid-range game. However, any progress was ended as Kaman played in only 32 games last year and finishing the season averaging only 12 points and seven boards per.

He may have been injured, but in a league where centers who can score is a rare commodity, teams will show interest. Among those who have shown a bit of interest in Kaman's services include the San Antonio Spurs who have been in desperate need of a center and the Detroit Pistons who are looking for a center with Ben Wallace nearing retirement.

Jamal Crawford

But wait a minute John, isn't Jamal Crawford an unrestricted free agent?

Why yes, he is actually but that doesn't mean he can't be traded. While a number of teams are looking to sign Crawford as a free agent, there are also a number of teams who are attempting to work out a possible sign and trade deal with the Atlanta Hawks in order to acquire the services of the famed sharp shooter.

Among those that have inquired about a sign and trade include the Orlando Magic and the Chicago Bulls with both teams in desperate need of a player of Crawford's caliber. In the Magic's case, they're just looking for anyway to keep Dwight Howard around while the Bulls are attempting to find a capable starting shooting guard to replace Keith Bogans and put them over the top so that can compete with the Miami Heat.

The Bulls exhibited a great need for a player like Crawford during their Conference Finals loss to the Heat as Derrick Rose was basically left alone to fend for himself. With Carlos Boozer and Luol Deng not contributing in their usual manner, it became obvious that a reliable second option was needed thus the reason for the pursuit of Crawford.

Crawford's been playing as the Hawks sixth man for the past two years and has won a Sixth Man of the Year reward because of it. Jamal averaged 18 points per game off the bench that year, but has regressed after a year where he only averaged 14 points per and show a lowly 34 percent from deep.

It's no matter to teams like the Magic and Bulls though as they are searching for a stellar perimeter threat that can spread the floor and attract some attention away from their star players.