NBA Trade Rumors: 4 Players to Be Dealt in Last Minute Holiday Shopping
With the holidays just around the corner, there are plenty of teams in need of filling out their holiday shopping before the season begins. With Chris Paul now a Clipper and Dwight Howard trades put on hold (for now), there still are plenty of quality players bound to be dealt—if the price is right.
Here are four players I see getting dealt before the season opener.
Josh Smith—Atlanta Hawks (2 Years, $25.6 million)
The Hawks have finally hit a wall. Their initial return to the postseason in 2008 led by a nucleus of Joe Johnson, Al Horford and Josh Smith pushed the eventual NBA champs, the Boston Celtics, to a seven-game series.
The following three seasons, the Hawks have fallen short of advancing past the second round by running into LeBron James, Dwight Howard and most recently Derrick Rose.
With long-term contracts committed to Johnson and Horford already, Smith is the odd man out on a team in dire need of a roster change and cost savings in the near future. Thankfully for the Hawks, Smith is still just entering his seventh NBA season. The high-flying former slam dunk champ won’t have any trouble finding a home.
Ideally, Smith would most likely be suited in a run-and-gun style of play, preferably with an above-average point guard. In return, the Hawks will most likely be looking for a quality center to move Horford back to his natural power forward spot, expiring contracts to put the team below the cap for next offseason and/or draft picks to compensate for moving the 27-year-old forward.
Christmas List: Center to pair up with Al Horford, salary cap relief to offset Joe Johnson’s massive contract.
Potential Trades:
Josh Smith to the Nets in exchange for Brook Lopez and Anthony Morrow
Smith to the Nets is a solid plan B if the Nets fail to acquire Dwight. Smith has never had the luxury of playing with an elite point that can get him easy buckets, which explains why he looks great when he scores off of put-back dunks and fast-break jams, and not so great when he’s forced to go one-on-one and shoot three pointers.
Lopez would provide a perfect complement to Horford; he’s long and tall enough to block shots against bigger centers in the league and can still work off the high post while Horford takes advantage of smaller fours that will guard him.
Josh Smith to the Suns in exchange for Marcin Gortat and Michael Pietrus
Smith would provide some kind of excitement for Steve Nash and the fans in Phoenix. Although he won’t fill the All-Star caliber void left by Stoudmire two seasons ago, Smith will have an opportunity to flourish under coach Gentry’s up-tempo style.
Plus, is doesn’t hurt having two-time MVP Nash feeding you balls all night long.
Although Gortat does not necessarily have the upside of a Lopez, he proved last season that he’s no average stiff in the paint. In 55 appearances for the Suns, Gortat averaged 13 ppg, 9.3 rpg, and 1.3 blocks.
Again, it pays to play with Steve Nash. If Nash can help Gortat post those numbers, imagine what he can do for Smith.
Ben Gordon—Chicago Bulls (3 years, $37.2 million)
It wasn’t exactly a match made in heaven for Joe Dumars when he signed Gordon to fill the void as the Pistons third guard, a role vacated by Allen Iverson the season before.
The unbalanced Pistons roster, filled with point guards and wing players alike, is desperate for a post player to pair next to second-year forward Greg Monroe. With the drafting of rookie Brandon Knight, the Pistons will rid themselves of Gordon and his massive contract in return for some value in the frontcourt.
Also entering his seventh season, Gordon has proven to be a valuable scorer in the NBA, averaging a career 16.9 points per game both as a starter and as a sixth man.
Pistons Christmas List: Anyone who doesn’t play PG, SG or SF.
Playing Santa: Bulls, Jazz, Cavs
Potential Trades:
Ben Gordon and Jason Maxiell to the Bulls in exchange for Carlos Boozer and Ronnie Brewer
There is no one more desperate for a shooting guard in the league than the Bulls. Last year’s Eastern Conference Finals against the Heat, Derrick Rose was desperate for someone on his team to create some offense, and no one could stand up to the challenge.
The Boozer signing can be forgiven and forgotten by moving him and re-promoting Taj Gibson to the starting lineup. It was only a couple of seasons ago that the Pistons were hot for Boozer before he elected to remain with the Jazz for one final year and lead Dumars to overspend on Charlie Villanueva and Gordon.
Although the recently acquired Hamilton (also from Detroit) has joined the team, the Bulls are still in need of some scoring off the pine. Their current bench of Kyle Korver, CJ Watson and rookie Jimmy Butler won’t cut it.
Ben Gordon and Ben Wallace to the Jazz in exchange for Al Jefferson
The Jazz are in obvious need of a shooting guard, a position that was occupied by Raja Bell and CJ Miles last season.
After trading point guard Deron Williams in a deal that brought over rookie forward Derrick Favors and following that up with Enes Kanter in this year’s draft, the Jazz have a log jam in the frontcourt similar to the issue the Pistons have in their backcourt.
Jefferson, the highest-paid frontcourt player on the Jazz payroll, is an obvious suitor to be traded.
Michael Beasley—Minnesota Timberwolves (2 years, $14.4 million)
Beasley is coming off his best season of his short career, averaging 19.2 points per game and 5.6 boards playing small forward for the Wolves.
The real reason the talented yet troubled forward would be on the block is due to David Kahn’s selection of Derrick Williams, who plays the same position as Beasley. Despite Beasley’s talents on the court, his off-the-court incidents regarding marijuana use and fighting with fans in pickup basketball games makes him much more difficult to move.
Still, there should be some value in return for a scorer like Beasley to help a young Minnesota ball club in dire need of some veterans.
Christmas List: Anyone over the age of 25.
Potential Trades:
Michael Beasley and Luke Ridnour to the Raptors in exchange for Jose Calderon and James Johnson
With Bayless coming along after being traded twice in his short career, it seems as though he’s finally found a home in Toronto.
This puts Calderon on the block, making $8 million this season. Calderon would provide the Wolves twofold as a veteran in the league and as a mentor to develop his fellow Spaniard and friend Ricky Rubio.
For Toronto, Beasley slides into an empty 3-hole, where he’ll join Andrea Bargnani and Demar DeRozan as a high-scoring trio.
Michael Beasley and Darko Millic to the Cavs in exchange for Anderson Varejao and Danial Gibson
There may be no team in greater need of offense than the Cavs.
With rookie point guard Kyrie Irving running the show, there are not many options he can lean on as far as scoring is concerned. Beasley can slide into the 3-hole, where he can add a versatile wing scorer and pair next to the Cavs' other rookie, Tristan Thompson.
Varejao is an immediate upgrade at center for the Wolves team in dire need of a defensive presence in the middle.
Emeka Okafor—New Orleans Hornets (3 years, $40.6 million)
Money is only getting tighter for the league-owned Hornets. With the departures of free agent All-Star David West and the trade of Chris Paul, it has become a total rebuilding process in New Orleans.
With their two best players off the team, any new owner would cringe at the thought of paying the remaining dollars on Okafor’s contract for a team destined for the lottery. With that being said, Okafor has still remained a productive rebounder and shot-blocker, despite being overpaid.
Christmas List: Expiring deals, cheaper center in return
Playing Santa: Rockets, Timberwolves, Hawks
Potential Trades:
Emeka Okafor to the Rockets for Hasheem Thabeet, Jonny Flynn and Jordan Hill
With the Rockets’ cap space and the need to fill a defensive-minded center, Okafor is a near-perfect fit.
The move nets the Hornets some underachieving yet curious former lottery selections. Flynn provides them as a reserve point behind Jarrett Jack while Thabeet and Hill will bulk up the front line, which currently has Chris Kamen.
Emeka Okafor and Jarrett Jack to the Timberwolves for Michael Beasley, Martell Webster, Nikola Pekovic, Luke Ridnour and Malcolm Lee.
Out of all the deals listed above, this one makes the most sense for both parties swapping parts.
For the Hornets, packaging two of their larger contracts (Jack, 2 years, $11 million) in exchange for pieces to their rebuilding puzzle seems like the wise move.
With Gordon as the team's only real scoring threat, Beasley will alleviate some of that pressure.
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