2010 NBA Draft Possible Trades

With the NBA Draft just about two weeks away there are trade rumors flying all over the place. Some are very easy to dismiss, but others make so much sense that they could easily happen. Here’s a look at some of the more intriguing possibilities:

Evan Turner – No player is creating more potential for upheaval than the national player of the year. If things were to stay as they are then the Sixers would be debating between him and Derrick Favors with their number two pick. Things don’t seem likely to stay as they are, though. The Sixers have a lot of issues, and it’s hard to believe that Turner can single-handedly right the ship. There are at least a couple of teams that do think Turner would look very nice in their colors, though, and Philly seems to be committing to Turner more these days – likely in order that people believe they are going to pick him and the trade value is increased. The first obvious choice is Minnesota. They have a young team already, and Turner would fit in nicely with what they are trying to build. They also have the assets to make a deal. They have three first round picks this year – 4, 16 and 23 – and are very likely to use one of those picks on a player they can stash in Europe if they were going to use them, so they might as well deal the pick. Philly might be able to get Favors with the fourth pick, but if the Nets pick him then Wesley Johnson would be a very nice consolation prize.

The other team that seems very interested is the Pacers. The Pacers are also very interested in Turner, and they have the 10th pick and some expiring contracts to play with. The potential twist in this whole thing is what Philadelphia could demand. At this point the team is demanding that a team takes Elton Brand’s disastrous contract as part of any deal for the pick. If they stick to that demand then they aren’t nearly as likely to keep the pick. It’s hard to believe how quickly Brand has gone from prized free agent to anchor pulling a team down.

Minnesota – If the Wolves can’t get their hands on Turner they are still very likely to make a deal because they have at least one more first round pick than they need. Golden State’s Anthony Randolph is a player who keeps coming up in rumors, but I’m not sure I am buying that – Randolph is making nice progress, and is part of what could be a strong core with the Warriors. He’s the type of player that Minnesota would like, though, and they can afford to be aggressive to get what they want.

Detroit – The Pistons need some size, ad there is some size to be had in this draft. Either Demarcus Cousins or Derrick Favors would fit the bill very well, and Detroit seems to be drooling over both of them. They have the seventh pick right now, and would likely need to move up at least two spots to secure one of those players. The good news is that there is likely room to move up because teams above them could be tempted. The bad news is that the Pistons might struggle to put together a package attractive enough to get one of their men.

San Antonio – The Spurs were able to continue their success because they brought Tim Duncan in before David Robinson was done. If they want to continue their success now then they need to bring in their next big man while Duncan still has some rubber on his tires. They have their eyes on the same two players as Detroit. What makes their efforts most interesting is that it seems possible that they would trade Tony Parker or George Hill to get what they want. Good point guards are always in demand, so that could be part of a winning package.

Oklahoma City – Here’s yet another team that is in the hunt for a big man. The Thunder have a very good core, and showed this year that they are on the right track. The piece they don’t have, though, is someone in the middle to crash and bang and make some room. Nenad Krstic doesn’t seem like a long term solution, and I really don’t believe in B.J. Mullens and they don’t seem to either. They have two first round picks and two more second rounders that could be part of a deal. The problem is that those picks are only 21st and 26th, so the team would likely have to get creative and find something else to throw in. It could be costly, but it could be worth it if they can take the next step forward.

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