PROTECT THE PAINT

Amare Stoudemire is a hot name isurfacing n trade rumors with just under 2 weeks remaining before the NBA trade deadline. The New Jersey Nets, Miami Heat, Chicago Bulls, Cleveland Cavaliers and a handful more teams are rumored to be investigating what it will take to acquire Stoudemire.

For certain teams, landing Stoudemire represents a scenario dramatically increasing a shot at the title: Cleveland, Miami, and Chicago. In the cases for Miami and Chicago, this is more realistic next year if they can retain Amare past this season, more free agents would consider signing with their team.

Whereas the Cavs would have a shot this season if they could liquidate players Zyndrunas Ilgauskas with a youngster like J.J. HIckson, for example.

Ya know Craig, New Jersey is looking good next year. (Credit: picpp.com)

Teams like New Jersey or the Golden State Warriors are looking to liquidate contracts and overhaul rosters already ripe with young talent.

The Warriors seem determined to trade away draft picks and players with huge upside with maturity issues (think Anthony Randolph) in order to purge their roster, and start over in 2010-11 Warriors fans are quite used to this scenario (Think Chris Webber, Mitch Richmond, Antawn Jamison, Troy Murphy, and more), and Phoenix would not be sending Amare to a team that could hurt them in the West this year.

Of the teams allegedly in the Stoudemire sweepstakes, there are two franchises I find possessing the most “right pieces” to facilitate what it would take for Phoenix to ship Stoudemire out of town.

Amare is expecting a departure. (Credit: picapp.com)

Miami Heat

Michael Beasley is the centerpiece of the package Miami would have to offer up in order to claim Amare. The most sensible trade for Miami would include Udonis Haslem and Dorell Wright, both whom are expiring contracts, and would immediately clear roster space for 2010-11 free agency.

Phoenix would also want some draft pick considerations to to sweeten the deal. Beasley’s game is currently not near the same stratosphere as Amare’s, howver, his upside and young age are desirable qualities for a team looking to stay competitive in the West as they start their life after Stoudemire.

Haslem gives Phoenix a tough rebounding presence and Dorell Wright can give quality backup minutes, and can hit the 3, which suits him for the Suns uptempo game. Beasley is under contract for 2 more years and could flourish in the uptempo environment.

Phoenix has the option of letting Wright and Haslem walk if they don’t like what they see.

The upside for Miami is that if they can retain Amare past this year,  Dwyane Wade and LeBron James might both consider signing with Miami. That is a downright frightening potential “Big 3″ for Miami. If traded, Amare and Wade could gel together for the remainder of this year, and as their comradeship grows, so will the future of the Miami Heat.

New Jersey Nets

The New Jersey Nets have a wealth of young talent. Having only won 3 games thus far this year, they have a great chance at landing John Wall via the Lottery. Which basically means they stink, in a less sugar-coated way of telling the truth.

If New Jersey acquires Amare, they would likely trade Bobby Simmons’ ridiculous contract bundled with a combination of Yi Jianlian, Courtney Lee, Chris Douglas-Roberts. Basically, anyone other than Brook Lopez and Devin Harris is on the trading block.

The main advantage New Jersey has over anyone else is that owner Mikhail D. Prokhorov is willing to spend. If he is anything like fellow Russian Roman Abrovovich, owner of English Premier League team Chelsea, a luxury tax will be a small bump on his road to acquiring talent capable of winning a championship.

A new arena in Brooklyn will be another factor for potential free agent signings. If the Nets have a new stadium in a stylish new location with Harris, Lopez Stoudemire and (possibly) John Wall, how could someone not consider playing for New Jersey?

Wade, LeBron, and the free agent class of 2010 would have to entertain a huge new market in Brooklyn, New York. Brooklyn is a spot historical for professional sports. Who would not want to be a part of bringing that back to New York?

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