NBA Trade Rumors: 8 Blockbuster Trades That Would Change the Game

Dwight Howard and Chris Paul are easily the biggest pieces on the NBA trade market. There are several deals that would change the game of professional basketball if they were to happen before the trade deadline.

Howard and Paul could change the dynamics of the league if they were dealt to championship contenders, and that's why you will see their names multiple times.

Here are a few blockbuster trades that would change the way we look at the NBA. 

8) Chris Paul to Boston Celtics

Remember that potential Boston Celtics trade that would have brought Chris Paul to Boston? What happens if the Hornets can’t find a suitor for Paul and they scramble and pull the trigger on the deal that would involve Rajon Rondo?

It’s possible. We have seen teams revisit trades that were flirted around in previous instances.

Potential Players Involved for Celtics

Rajon Rondo would be the main piece the Celtics would give up. They would also give draft picks in order to get Paul.

As expressed in the original interest, there would have to be a third team involved.

Potential Players Involved for Hornets

Chris Paul would be the only one involved.

Who Would Get the Best Deal?

Paul has stated that he doesn’t want to stay in Boston, so the Celtics would lose out unless they could convince him to stay.

Both Rondo and Paul are similar players with similar athletic ability. The main difference between the two is the fact that Paul can shoot the ball and Rondo has more length.

Boston would get the best deal for this season, but the Hornets would get the better of the deal if Paul were to leave.

How Would Boston Be with Paul?

Bringing in Paul would give the Celtics the best chance to win an NBA championship this season. With the Big Three winding down, this may be their last season to win another ring. Paul gives them the best opportunity to win this year.

I can’t see this deal happening, though. The only way Boston will do it is if Paul would sign after his contract is up. 

7) Steve Nash to Miami Heat

Could we see Steve Nash join forces with LeBron James and Dwyane Wade? It would be pretty sweet to witness. I root for a guy like Nash. I would love to see him get his first ring.

Miami needs a point guard. I’m not sure if Nash would be the best fit for the Heat, but it would be awesome to watch.

A guy like Chauncey Billups would be a better option, in my opinion.

Potential Players Involved for Suns

There could be other players involved, but Nash would be the biggest one on the block.

Potential Players Involved for Heat

Future draft choices. There would probably need to be a third team involved.

Who Would Get the Best Deal?              

Miami would probably get the best deal despite my thought of him not helping more than a Billups could.

How Would Miami Be with Nash?

They are going to be a solid team no matter what. With as much as Wade and James control the ball, I’m not sure that adding Nash would help that much. 

6) Chris Paul to Golden State Warriors

Chris Paul to the Golden State Warriors? Could the Warriors do what the Indiana Pacers did with David West by swooping in and landing an All-Star?

It’s quite possible.

If this trade were to happen, I believe that it would have a tremendous impact on the NBA—not because of where he goes, but because of where he doesn’t go.

Paul wouldn’t be on the Lakers or Clippers—he would be on the Warriors. He wouldn’t be in championship contention like he would be if he was on the Lakers.

Potential Players Involved for Warriors

Stephen Curry appears to be a great piece that could be dealt. There would be several draft picks, more players and possibly a third team involved.

Potential Players Involved for Hornets

Paul would probably be the only chip in place with the deal.

Who Would Get the Best Deal?

We would have to wait to see exactly who New Orleans could get out of Paul. I like Curry and his perimeter game, but I would need to see much more than that to say this was a great deal from the Hornets' standpoint.

Golden State would be getting a steal if Curry was the main piece from the Warriors. He does shoot 44 percent from beyond the arc, he does score 18.6 points per game, he does dish out 5.8 assists per game and he does rebound the ball pretty well from the guard position. However, I would need to see the other pieces involved.

Curry would be a start, but I would need to see much more.

How Would Golden State Be with Paul?

They would improve, depending on how much they give up. If it is Curry, another player and picks, I think they could have some success in the future because that isn’t nearly enough to match everything that Paul can bring.

Would Paul even want to stay in Golden State? I don’t think he would. 

5) Dwight Howard to Chicago Bulls

Dwight Howard to the Chicago Bulls isn’t something that we should expect to see, but it could happen. You just never know when discussing places for stars. Did you believe that LeBron James would have joined Dwyane Wade in Miami? Probably not.

Chicago has a great team already, but Howard would definitely push them over the top. The Bulls will be in competition with the Miami Heat for several years to come. It would be great for the organization to grab the only piece or position that Miami doesn’t have talent—center.

That would mean that Chicago would have the advantage with Derrick Rose and Howard against the two obvious weak spots of the Heat.

Players Involved for Bulls

Draft picks, and pretty much anybody but Rose would be fine with me. Taj Gibson, Carolos Boozer, Luol Deng; it wouldn’t matter if they could land Howard.

Players Involved for Magic

Howard would most likely be the only chip used in a trade. There may have to be a third team in the deal in order for it to work.

Who Would Get the Best Deal?

Adding Howard would easily give the Bulls the best part of the deal. Putting him with Rose would make for future championships if they could fill in the correct role players.

How Would Chicago Be with Howard?

They would easily put their stamp on the Eastern Conference every season with Howard as their center. He would give the Bulls the best point guard/center combinations in the NBA.

4) Chris Paul to Los Angeles Clippers

Could the Los Angeles Clippers make a humongous splash in the NBA free agency by signing Chris Paul? They very well could. They appear to be the front-runners at this point.

Who wouldn’t love a guy like Paul on their roster? He can single-handedly carry teams to the postseason just because of the plethora of things he can do on the floor.

You need points? Paul averages 18.7 points per game. You need assists? Paul averages 9.8 assists per game. You need a guard who can rebound? Paul is one of the best rebounding point guards in the Western Conference, averaging 4.1 per game. You need a game changer on defense? Paul has some of the quickest hands in the league. He averages 2.4 steals per game.

Potential Players Involved for Clippers

Pretty much anybody but Blake Griffin. This leaves Eric Gordon, Mo Williams, Eric Bledsoe and some first-round draft choices.

All three of these players could be possibilities.

Potential Players Involved for Hornets

Paul is easily the best player involved in the deal. He would probably be the only player involved on the Hornets’ end.

Who Would Get the Best Deal?

The Clippers would have two NBA All-Stars on their roster. That’s what the NBA is about these days. Could you imagine Paul lobbing one to Griffin? I can’t because he wouldn’t just lob one, he would make a 10-minute highlight reel with many. 

How Would Los Angeles Be with Paul?

The Clippers may be able to slide into the Western Conference finals with Paul on their roster for this season. However, their team will look completely decimated after they trade several pieces to acquire the All-Star.

They wouldn’t be a team that I would want to face in the postseason, but they will probably be beatable in the first season.

However, this would be a dangerous team for years to come if they could find some shooters to surround Paul and Griffin.  

3) Dwight Howard to New Jersey Nets

If the New Jersey Nets could land Dwight Howard in a trade, it would instantly put them on the map. With a move to Brooklyn in the immediate future, Howard could be playing in the great state of New York.

Howard has provided double-doubles throughout his seven-year career. He protects the rim unlike any other player in the league. The number of altered shots during a course of a game is absurd.

He is the most talented free agent in the entire class.

Potential Players Involved for Nets

Anybody on the team not named Deron Williams. In order to keep both Williams and Howard, the two superstars would have to be on the same roster. Apparently, Howard wants to be traded to the Nets.

There would be multiple first-round selections, Brook Lopez and whoever else the Magic would want.

Potential Players Involved for Magic

Not only is Howard the main course to this meal, but the Nets would be willing to eat Hedo Turkoglu’s three-year, $34 million contract.

Who Would Get the Best Deal?

New Jersey would change the culture of their organization if they were to get Howard. It would change the franchise and instantly put the Nets on the map for future seasons.

How Would New Jersey Be with Howard?

With the Boston Celtics getting older, New Jersey would be fighting for one of the top four spots in the Eastern Conference for several years to come.

They wouldn’t win a title this year because they would need to rebuild their roster through Howard, but similar to the Knicks last season, they would be thought of as a tough out. 

2) Chris Paul to Los Angeles Lakers

We have seen the New Orleans Hornets and All-Star point guard Chris Paul involved in a deal with the Los Angeles Lakers. David Stern and the NBA quickly decided to backtrack their thoughts and block the trade.

There is plenty of time to see that trade come to fruition. Los Angeles could be back in the running of Paul any time they want.

If LA comes out of the gates extremely slow to start the season, their thought process of Paul may go through the roof.

Potential Players Involved for Lakers

Lamar Odom and Pau Gasol were two players that were in the previous deal of Paul before it was blocked. Gasol was going to the Houston Rockets and Odom was going to New Orleans.

Potential Players Involved for Hornets

Paul is the only player that would be involved with the deal. He would be by far the best player in the potential trade.

Who Would Get the Best Deal?

If the deal is anything similar to the previous one, the Hornets would by far get the best deal available. That’s what it all comes down to. They can’t allow their superstar to walk away for free like LeBron James did in Cleveland.

For this trade to happen there will have to be another team involved in the trade. Houston seemed like they wanted to take the deal. I’m sure they would be back in the talks if the Lakers really wanted to.

How Would Los Angeles Be with Paul?

We would have to see exactly how Paul and Kobe Bryant coexist. I could potentially see some problems because both would rather control the ball for the majority of the game, for different reasons. Paul runs the show and Bryant prefers to go one-on-one any chance he gets.

I could see some struggles similar to what the Miami Heat went through early last season, especially because Mike Brown is in his first season.

I was always a fan of Los Angeles staying pat with their team. They went to back-to-back-to-back NBA Finals. Could we give them a little break?

Nevertheless, Paul and his 18.7 points, 9.8 assists, 4.1 rebounds and 2.4 steals per game should help any team he does land with. 

1) Dwight Howard to Los Angeles Lakers

Dwight Howard to the Los Angeles Lakers just may give Kobe Bryant another championship ring. I would be pleased if the Lakers did nothing on the trade market because they did participate in back-to-back-to-back NBA Finals, but acquiring Howard would be the next best thing.

It would instantly make the Lakers the favorite to win the NBA title.

Los Angeles is at their best when Andrew Bynum is 100 percent healthy. The problem is that he hasn’t been fully healthy for the majority of his career.

Howard would provide that toughness needed down low in a Mike Brown defensive system. Not only does Howard block a boatload of shots (2.2), but he alters many as well. He is the ultimate rim protector.

Bynum has only played in more than 65 games once in his career. Howard has played in at least 78 games in every season of his seven-year NBA career. Howard has averaged a double-double in every year since becoming a professional.

Potential Players for Lakers

Andrew Bynum, Lamar Odom and Pau Gasol should be available for Orlando’s choosing. It’s either going to be Bynum and Odom or Gasol and Odom. Giving the upside of Bynum, you have to think it would be Bynum and Odom.

There may have to be another team involved. Expect the Lakers to give up a couple of draft picks, including first-rounders.

Potential Players for Magic

Dwight Howard will be the biggest chip in the pot.

Who Would Get the Best Deal?

Los Angeles would easily get the better of the deal. Anytime you can add a game-changer like Howard, no matter what you give up, you are bettering your chances at winning.

How Would Los Angeles Be with Howard?

The sky is truly the limit. Of course they don’t have viable point guard on the roster, but having two of the best players at different positions will always give you one of the best teams, if not the best team in the league.