The NBA trade deadline is on Thursday and the trade rumours around the league are really starting to heat up.
Speaking of heat, the Miami Heat are “coming hard” after Amar’e Stoudemire of the Phoenix Suns. Sources say the Heat are trying their hardest to secure the services of Stoudemire and are willing to part with Michael Beasley and are willing to offer Jermaine O’Neal’s expiring $23million contract in the deal as well. But the Suns, according to league sources, have no intention of taking O’Neal as it would require them giving Miami more players to balance their salary cap.
The Heat also have first round draft picks available to offer the Suns, which is what the Suns would prefer but Miami appear to be stalling over that part of the trade.
The Cleveland Cavaliers were also pushing hard for Stoudemire but it appears as if their offer of Zydrunas Ilgauskas and JJ Hickson won’t be enough to secure Stoudemire’s services. As a result the Cavs are looking at Corey Maggette as a backup plan. The Cavs are hoping Ilgauskas’ expiring contract will be enough to persuade the Golden State Warriors to trade the small forward. The Cavs will be also hoping that the Warriors will waive the big center so that they can re-sign him after 30 days.
Elsewhere, the Portland Trailblazers are looking to sign Marcus Camby and according to sources the two teams are close to a deal. The Trailblazers would send Travis Outlaw and Steve Blake to the LA Clippers. All players involved in the deal have expiring contracts so no team would be taking on any extra money. So it begs the question: why are the Clippers doing the trade? Well it looks as if they are trying to make enough cap room available to sign a max contract free agent and that player could be LeBron James.
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