RealGM

I keep seeing all of these rumors about us trading for the #5 and/or #6 pick(s), with no players overlapping (meaning no one is rumored to be in both deals).

The possibilities I've been hearing are:

Shawn Marion for Stephon Marbury and the #6 pick

and

Udonis Haslem for Brian Cardinal and the #5 pick.

Now, I'm not sure if I want us to make either of those deals (Marion and Haslem are both very good players), but does that mean that we have a legitimate chance of having a roster like this?

PG Stephon Marbury/Jerryd Bayless/Marcus Banks/Chris Quinn
SG Dwyane Wade/Daequan Cook
SF Dorell Wright/Kasib Powell
PF Michael Beasley/Stephane Lasme/Brian Cardinal
C Brook Lopez/Mark Blount/Alonzo Mourning/Joel Anthony

I'm not sure if those are the players we would take, but they are realistic choices.

I don't know if I want us to make those trades (or if Memphis or New York would even accept), but what are your thoughts?

The Knicks trade was invented by a beat writer. He plainly stated as such when he presented it. But of course, it's now being reported all over and debated. Ridiculous. Anyways, scratch that one.

The Memphis trade (Haslem for #5 and Cardinal) has virtually no shot of happening like that. No one -- not even the Grizz -- tosses in the #5 pick to upgrade from one hustle player to another. Their contracts are about the same too.

There does seem like an outside chance we end up with 2 high picks. But I'd say there's just as good a chance we end up with no picks.

What's funny is, we won't even know what we've ended up with for another month, when the last substantial free agent is off the market. I can just imagine Riley drafting Beasley, then calling Maggette at midnight on July 1st offering him $11 mill/year if he can work out a sign-and-trade, then once Maggette demands the Clips send him to the Heat, Riley offers them Beasley/Marion for Maggette/Brand. I know, it's convoluted, but that's exactly how Riley's mind works.

Whatever the case, we're not going to have closure on this for a long time IMO.

Even if both were on the table, I don't think Riley would actually want those 3 top 6 picks. If he could get #5 for Haslem, filler or whatever that trade is, I don't think he'd be interested in sending Marion to NY for Marbury and #6.