Four Blockbuster Trades that Should Happen in the NBA
Boston Celtics receive Amare Stoudemire, Iman Shumpert, and Raymond Felton
New York Knicks receive Rajon Rondo, Gerald Wallace, and Marshon Brooks
This trades helps out the Boston Celtics in that they get the veteran leader, Stoudemire, who could help this young team grow. Also, Iman Shumpert would be an excellent addition to this team. Avery Bradley would finally be able to play his true position, point guard. Shump would give this team an edge and some passion, which they lack. Felton would also be a great player for them coming off of the bench, as he could give another veteran presence. Amare still has something left in the tank, and if Brad Stevens can get that out of him, the team could improve a lot. Also, they trade one big contract (Wallace) for another (Stoudemire), but they only need to hold onto Amare until 2015, whereas they would’ve had to hold onto Walace until 2016.
The Knicks would benefit from this because Rajon Rondo is an absolute star. Not only would he improve their play on the court, but their pitch for Carmelo Anthony an Kevin Love will be heightened and give them more incentive to come to, or stay, in New York. This also clears up a lot of time for Tim Hardaway Jr. to play, and in the little time that he has played so far, he’s looked very good. The first round pick was lost in a backcourt that was loaded with talent, but now he’ll have more of a chance. Carmelo Anthony doesn’t have a great backup at the SF position, and Wallace would take that spot, as Carmelo would have more time to rest, and they wouldn’t have to worry about the opposition taking advantage of their weak backups. Marshon Brooks has a lot of untapped potential and if Woodson can get to it, he can be a star for this team.
Los Angeles Lakers receive Nick Collison, Reggie Jackson, 2014 2nd Round Pick
Oklahoma City Thunder receive Jordan Hill and Ryan Kelly
This trade would improve both teams significantly. The Lakers lose Jordan Hill, who is an extraordinary talent, but they get a good amount in return. Collison is a pretty decent option to either start or play the role of a 6th/7th man for the Lakers, and would give their front court much more depth. Reggie Jackson, in my opinion, is one of the most underrated players in the entire NBA. During Russell Westbrook’s absence, Jackson has showed how talented and explosive he is. The Lakers, who are a very old team and don’t have a young player to build around, could finally get that in Reggie Jackson. While he’s not a star YET, I envision something along the lines of Eric Bledsoe’s emergence in Phoenix. Also, the 2nd Round pick could be valuable, as this is a very deep draft class.
The Thunder would also improve a lot. Jordan Hill would be a great addition to this team. Mike D’Antoni, who knows quite a bit about big men- as he coached Shaq, Amare Stoudemire, Shawn Marion, Pau Gasol, Tyson Chandler, and Dwight Howard- said confidently that Jordan Hill is the best player on the Los Angeles Lakers. Each and every year, Hill has significantly improved. Kendrick Perkins is a solid starter, but Jordan Hill is a very good starter, and would make the Thunder’s lineup even deeper. Think about this for a second: Russell Westbrook, Thabo Sefolosha, Kevin Durant, Serge Ibaka, Jordan Hill. That’s one of the more deadly lineups I’ve seen in a while. Also, every team could use a stretch-4, as well as a young, passionate big man, and the Thunder would get both of those in Ryan Kelly.
San Antonio Spurs receive Omer Asik
Houston Rockets receive Boris Diaw, Cory Joseph, and 2015 1st Round Pick
The San Antonio Spurs have always been a team in which the front court is the most important aspect of the game. At center, they have Tiago Splitter, who is an awful basketball player. It goes without saying that they need to find a new center. Also, with Tim Duncan aging, Asik could fill Duncan’s spot when he retires, and it wouldn’t be a terrible downgrade. Asik has so much potential, and with Tim Duncan as a mentor, he could get that much better. Gregg Popovich also likes working with foreign players, as he has on their current roster. Pop and Asik would work very well together.
Houston, in reality, doesn’t need another center as good (or as expensive) as Omer Asik. They have Dwight Howard, the best center in the league, and Asik just wants out at this point. In the return for him, they get Boris Diaw, who Gregg Popovich turned into a very solid player. He can shoot the 3-ball, defend pretty well, and is a solid inside offensive player. He’d be a very good backup for the Rockets. Cory Joseph is a project. He was a very good player at Texas University, so the Spurs took a chance on him at the end of the first round. He’s yet to have much of an impact at all for the Spurs, and maybe a change of scenery would be good for him. Also, sitting behind Tony Parker, one of the best players in the league, could be detrimental to anybody’s playing time. Also, the 1st Round pick is important, not just because it’s an extra first rounder, but also because by 2015, with an aging roster, the Spurs could have a very down season, and end up with a good draft pick.
Chicago Bulls receive Kevin Love and JJ Barea
Minnesota Timberwolves receive Carlos Boozer, Jimmy Butler, several future draft picks
The Chicago Bulls would be ecstatic with this trade. As it is, they severely need a backup for Derrick Rose, as he has significant injury risk and is still not playing at his previous level. JJ Barea is an excellent backup, and would be great to fill that role. And then there’s Kevin Love. The Chicago Bulls already have a very good team, and this would make them so much better. Kevin Love is arguably a top 5 player in the NBA. He’d give much more incentive for free agents to join the Bulls, and Luol Deng would be more likely to stay, as they’d arguably be the best team in the league (Rose-Deng-Love-Noah).
The Minnesota Timberwolves have a pretty good idea that Kevin Love will walk when his free agency comes up in two summers. And rather than waiting and getting nothing in return, they build for the future. They receive Carlos Boozer, who despite his old age, is still a very good player in the league, and should be for another 2 to 4 years. Also, Derrick Williams, the improving young star, would be able to learn from one of the best power forwards of the 2000s. Jimmy Butler has proven to be a dynamic player, both on offense and defense, for the Chicago Bulls, and if the T-Wolves could get a player like him, they’d improve a lot. Also, the several future draft picks would help Minnesota build up their team even further through the draft.
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