So...what kind of crazy rumors are going around. I only wrote this post because I heard one that was ridunculous.
The Suns and a number of other teams are talking to the Minnesota Timberwolves, New York Knicks, Los Angeles Clippers, Milwaukee Bucks, Portland Trail Blazers and Nets about trading up in (or out of) the draft... The Wolves seem especially ready to make a deal if Michael Beasley isn't on the board at No. 3. This is all preceded by rumors that Chad Ford has heard saying that the Suns want to find a starting small forward and bring Grant Hill off the bench, and then lists several players that are available, Tayshaun Prince being one of those players.
But with the Suns dangling Barbosa, Diaw and the 15th overall pick, there would not be much interest from Dumars. Other players listed are Josh Howard, Richard Jefferson and Gerald Wallace. Mr. Ford goes through the reasons why there are problems with the Suns ability to acquire any of those players. But let's take the column as a whole and see if there is something that can be worked out to the benefit of everyone.
With the Wolves looking to trade down from the third overall pick, the Knicks wanting to trade Zach Randolph for cap relief, the Suns putting Diaw, Barbosa, and the 15th overall pick as trade bait, Joe Dumars saying his whole roster is in play(sans Rodney Stuckey), the Bobcats holding the 9th overall pick and Gerald Wallace as tradable assets and the Mavericks putting Josh Howard on the block, there seems to be the making of a massive trade that could work out for all of those teams.
In a scenario that works, the Timber Wolves could end up with the 6th overall pick from New York, a future first from the Mavericks and their second round pick from the Pistons returned(Ronald Dupree trade), the Knicks get Jason Maxiell, Rasheed Wallace and the 29th overall pick from the Pistons, the Suns get Tayshaun Prince, the Bobcats get Josh Howard and the 15th overall pick, the Mavericks get Diaw, Barbosa and the 3rd overall pick and the Pistons get Gerald Wallace, Zach Randolph and the 9th overall pick.
There would have to be additional players involved as cap fillers, but it's a deal that works for everyone involved. Based on the information that Chad Ford gives in his Insider piece, there could be some big trades during the draft, and finalized in July. This is just one of the many possible scenarios that could occur.
Ummm...so what it boils down to is the Pistons trade Sheed, Max, and Tay for Gerald Wallace, Zach Randolph, and the #9 overall pick in a trade that features every team in the NBA. Riiiiiiight.
