RealGM

My twist is to remove the Sonics & have the Heat trade with the Kings.

Heat trade: Udonis Haslem, Alonzo Mourning & Jason Williams

Kings trade: John Salmons, Mikki Moore & Kenny Thomas

Why?

Heat: If they are interested in Szczerbiak why not get Salmons, the better player & on a deal of a contract. Salmons & Moore inject some energy into a team that desperately needs it. Right now where stand they could draft Derrick Rose. Rose/Wade/Salmons is a nice young combo.

Kings: If they don't trade Bibby or Artest the guy they can get some trade value for is Salmons. Martin is the Kings future & Salmons needs playing time to be successful.

Breaking down the trade, with Salmons play he has equal or greater value than Haslem on a great contract. Moore has more value than Mourning because he is likely to retire due to injury & Mikki would be complimentary fit next to Shaq. Williams provides more value than Thomas because of his expiring contract but I still think Thomas can contribute with a change of scenary.

The Heat improve on the court & the Kings get some cap relief to resign Bibby, Artest or possibly both.

New lineups

Heat
Dwayne Wade/Chris Quinn/Smush Parker
John Salmons/Daequan Cook
Ricky Davis/Dorell Wright/Luke Jackson
Mikki Moore/Kenny Thomas/Alexander Johnson
Shaquille O'Neal/Mark Blount/Earl Barron/Joel Anthony

Kings
Mike Bibby/Beno Udrih/Jason Williams
Kevin Martin/Dahntay Jones/Quincy Douby
Ron Artest/Francisco Garcia
Udonis Haslem/Justin Williams/Sharee Abdur-Rahim
Brad Miller/Spencer Hawes/Alonzo Mourning

Replace Salmons with Artest and we'll think about it.

Salmons is replaced with Artest.

Deal?

It'd be close. Though IDK if we want to take on Moore AND KT. But we'd take on KT IMO.

If it was Artest instead of Salmons I could see the Heat doing this, but then the Heat would need a point guard. And Salmons isn't a more valuable player then Haslem. Haslem first of all is a big man, you don't trade big for small. And Haslem fits a need for the Heat, Salmons doesn't. His style of play is very similar to Davis'.

Funny thing on trade checker when you replace Salmons with Artest the Change in Team Outlook: 0.0 ppg, -0.9 rpg, and -1.4 apg between 2 teams. Talk about even statiscally.

The original trade is awful. $36 million in bad contracts (what Moore and Thomas are guaranteed) just to land John Salmons? I seriously doubt it.

Now, for Artest, I might be able to see it, but not for John Salmons. He's just not that good...

As the others have said maybe for Artest but sure as hell not for Salmons. I'd think it'd be contengent on him signing an extention with us becuase we sure as hell ain't trading for that other trash just to have Artest opt out.

Switch in Artest, and the Heat would still probably have to think about it.