Re: Chad Ford Updates Trade Front
Insider portion:
Here's a look at five teams currently shopping for wings as the deadline nears.
Cleveland Cavaliers
The Cavs plugged a huge hole at point guard this summer with Mo Williams, but they've yet to find the answer at the 2. While it's not the only position they need to fill -- a more offensively skilled power forward would also help -- it's a need that they're searching for help.
That explains their interest in Vince Carter, Mike Miller and other shooting guards who could help shoulder some of the scoring burden. Sasha Pavlovic (out with an ankle injury) and Daniel Gibson are nice players, but if the Cavs are serious about winning it all, that's the spot to address.
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Toronto Raptors
One of the reasons Jermaine O'Neal is on the block is the realization that Andrea Bargnani, who has no business playing the 3, needs to be in the starting lineup.
Jamario Moon and Jason Kapono are fine at small forward, but it's still an area of concern for the Raptors. Ditto for the shooting-guard spot. Anthony Parker has been great, but he's an unrestricted free agent this summer and the Raptors need to get younger at this position.
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New York Knicks
If Mike D'Antoni's offense is really going to fire on all cylinders, the Knicks need a lot more help at the 2 and the 3. Wilson Chandler has been solid, but Quentin Richardson and Jared Jeffries aren't going to cut it.
The hitch for the Knicks is this: They can't really take back players with contracts that go beyond the summer of 2010. If they do, they hurt their chances of landing the best wing in basketball -- LeBron James.
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Oklahoma City Thunder
The Thunder have their small forward of the future in Kevin Durant. No longer playing the 2, he's back at his natural spot on the floor and he's been dynamite.
The problem is the Thunder don't have a lot of great options at shooting guard now. Desmond Mason is out for the season. Earl Watson plays there on occasion. And neither Damien Wilkins nor Kyle Weaver will get Thunder fans excited. If the Thunder can trade one of their highly coveted, soon-to-be free agent big men for a young 2-guard, it would be a huge coup for them.
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New Jersey Nets
The Nets seem to be set for the future at two positions: point guard and center. And Yi Jianlian has potential at the 4. But the wing spots are pretty wide open if you subscribe to the idea that Vince Carter could be gone sooner rather than later. In the long run, they would like to add another young guard to play with Harris in the backcourt.
The Nets have been shopping Bobby Simmons, but may not have a ton of luck there. There's some talk about a trade for Larry Hughes, though it's a struggle to see how that helps them.
