Sport-Blog.com

By Ed Jennett


It makes sense that the one weakling in the Western Conference is the division involved in the most trade rumors. The NBA should consider having the Northwest Division switch conferences with the Central Division to provide balance. All of the good divisions would be in the same conference while all of the bad divisions would be in the other conference. Then again, that might not be necessary since there are so many rumors about Northwest Division teams making trades with teams throughout the Eastern Conference. The franchises may not relocate, but the players certainly can. Actually, one Franchise might relocate.

The sad state of the Northwest Division is epitomized by the fact that its best, and first place team, is the one involved in the most trade rumors. Denver is the only team in the Northwest that would make the playoffs if the season ended today. But if the season ended on February 24th, one day after the trading deadline, it might be a completely different Nuggets team in the postseason.

The man who is in nearly every Denver rumor is PG Earl Watson, who the Nuggets signed as a free agent this past offseason because they believed they had a deal in place to trade PG Andre Miller and PF/C Nene to the Boston Celtics for SG/SF Paul Pierce. When Boston backed out of the swap Denver was left with too many point guards since they also had PG Earl Boykins. One recent rumor had the Nuggets shipping out Watson, Nene, and spare parts in a three team deal with the Orlando Magic and New York Knicks. Denver would have acquired Steve Francis a.k.a Stevie Franchise, in the trade. While that deal is supposedly dead, Francis will most likely be traded so it is possible that a deal that lands him in Denver could be resurrected. Another recent rumor is that Denver is trying to trade PF Kenyon Martin. No, not because of his huge contract or the back and knee injuries he has had this season. Head Coach George Karl considers Martin to be a locker room cancer and wants to cut him out before his bad attitude contaminates anyone else, especially SF Carmelo Anthony. The Knicks are interested in Martin and have been interested in Watson for most of the season. One trade scenario that would work is New York trading the expiring contract of Hardaway to the Nuggets for Martin and Watson. The Knicks could sweeten the deal by throwing in the first round pick of San Antonio, and the first round pick of the Nuggets, which was obtained in the recent Jalen Rose for Antonio Davis swap with Toronto. Ironically that pick ended up in Toronto from New Jersey in the moronic Vince Carter trade, after the Nets had received it from Denver in the sign and trade for Martin.

The Minnesota Timberwolves were involved in the supposed sweepstakes for Ron Artest. After failing to land the services of Artest, or dodging a bullet depending on your perspective, they completed the SG/SF Wally Szczerbiak and change for SG/SF Ricky Davis and change swap with Boston. Minnesota is not currently involved in any trade rumors.

The rebuilding Portland Trail Blazers have a few expensive veterans that have popped up in trade rumors. All of the rumors revolve around the Blazers getting under the salary cap so they can retain unrestricted free agent C Joel Pryzbilla. Portland is attempting to dump the massive contract of C Theo Ratliff on the Knicks for the expiring contract of Hardaway. Although the Knicks have no problem with taking on additional salary they are only doing so if it involves improving their talent. Ratliff is nowhere close to being the player that he used to be and is injury prone, so it is debatable if this deal does that. In other variations of that trade making their way through the rumor mill, the Blazers would include hothead, to put it nicely, SF Ruben Patterson or injured SF Darius Miles. If Portland were to give up Miles New York would most likely have to surrender PF David Lee or SF Trevor Ariza.

The Seattle SuperSonics also have a few veterans who keep appearing in trade rumors. SG Flip Murray, PF Reggie Evans, and C Vitaly Potapenko are all being shopped, and shopped hard, around the league. The Charlotte Bobcats have an interest in Evans, but believe Seattle is asking for too much in return. In a bizarre coincidence an asking price that is too high is the main reason that Evans is being shopped. Evans reportedly turned down a two year $4 million offer from the Sonics this past offseason. Seattle is interested in trading Murray to Denver for former Sonic Watson, but their salaries do no match, which would cause more players to have to be involved in any potential deal, thus making if far more complicated and therefore more difficult to complete. Potapenko wants the team to deal him since he fallen out of the rotation. Seattle is playing its 2004 and 2005 first round draft picks, directly from high school C Robert Swift and directly from France C Johan Petro, respectively, to speed up their development.

The Utah Jazz is not currently involved in any trade rumors.