Part Time GM: Trading Diaw and Barbosa

Sometimes when I'm bored, I let my imagination grow. So to entertain myself, I got on the NBA Trade Machine and started to search far and wide for a fair trade to dump Diaw and LB. And I came across a blockbuster, and a slightly less notable, trade option.

Here's my first trade I created between the Suns, Knicks, and Sonics Oklahoma City Desperadoes (Sweet name I now.):

• SEA/OKC Trades: Nick Collison, Luke Ridnour and Donyell Marshall
• SEA/OKC Receives: Stephon Marbury
• NY Trades: Stephon Marbury
• NY Receives: Luke Ridnour, Leandro Barbosa, and Donyell Marshall
• PHX Trades: Leandro Barbosa
• PHX Receives: Nick Collison

Now before you start threating to throw sharp objects in my direction, look at our 2nd trade between the Bobcats and us:

• CHA Trades: Matt Carroll and Raymond Felton
• PHX Trades: Boris Diaw and D.J. Strawberry

Here's the "Desperadoes" depth chart after the trade:

• C-Chris Wilcox-Mouhammed Sene-DeVon Hardin
• PF-Jeff Green-Serge Ibaka-D.J. White
• SF-Kevin Durant-Adrian Griffen
• SG-Damien Wilkins-Earl Watson/Russell Westbrook
• PG-Stephon Marbury-Earl Watson/Russell Westbrook

Just sign one more shooter and you have yourself a pretty solid run-and-gun team. Stephon Marbury gives them someone who doesn't have to take out his I.D. to purchase an adult beverage. Sure he's not what he used to be, but he's still a talented player. And I'm pretty sure they don't plan to resign him after his final year so that gives them pockets-full of cash to extend Durant's and Green's contract and still have enough to sign a big name free agent.

Here's the Knicks depth chart after the trade:

• C-Eddy Curry-Jerome James
• PF-Zach Randolph-David Lee
• SF-Danilo Gallineri-Quentin Richardson
• SG-Jamal Crawford-Leandro Barbosa
• PG-Luke Ridnour-Nate Robinson

If they can pick up one more center in free agency, they have one hell of a team that will still somehow find a way to underachieve. Barbosa follows the D'Antoni Bros to the Big Apple to top off a fantastic bench. Picking up Ridnour allows Jamal Crawford to move back to his more natural position and still keep PG depth. New York might be getting the best of the three way deal.

Here's the Bobcats Depth Chart after the trade:

• C-Omeka Okafor-Nazr Mohammed-Alexis Ajenca
• PF-Boris Diaw-Sean May
• SF-Gerald Wallace-Adam Morrison
• SG-Jason Richardson-Jared Dudley
• PG-D.J. Augistin-D.J. Strawberry

They aren't exactly title contenders but their wishes do come true. They get to dump off Felton and get more big man depth. They also become the newly crowned "run and gun" Phoenix Suns by moving Okafor to C. With Morrison returning, the 3,4, and 5 are very deep but they still are thin at PG. Just sign a vet to put the two young guys under his wing and you have an potential 7 or 8 seed.

Last but definitely least here's what our Depth Chart looks like:

• C-Shaquille O'Neal-Robin Lopez
• PF-Amare Stoudimire-Nick Collison
• SF-Grant Hill-Alando Tucker
• SG-Raja Bell-Matt Carroll
• PG-Steve Nash-Raymond Felton

I seems like I've said, "This is our last shot at the title" for a few years now but this truly is our last chance. After this year Shaq and Grant are most likely gone and I'm not sure how much damage Nash's body can still take. Kerr has been talking about really cutting down Nash's minutes so we obviously need another PG to step in. Felton gives us a potential starter coming off the bench which can really cut down Steve's playing time to save him for the playoffs. Matt Carroll gives us that much needed jump shooter off the bench if we don't resign G.G. Collison is a more athletic, consistent Boris Diaw. (Another bonus is that he isn't afraid of the rim.) If we just sign another back up to Grant Hill, we probably have the deepest bench in the league, which is exactly what the doctor ordered for our prehistorically old starting lineup.

Although this trade benefits some teams more than others, I still think its a pretty fair trade all-around. And I know that it's never going to happen so don't get on me with all the negativity. Think of this as just food for thought...