NBA Trade Rumors 3/5/12

Busy Blazers
A pair of Portland guards have hit the trade rumor mill in a large scale over the weekend and into the first week of March. Jamal Crawford has had a fine season, but it seems like he’s never been a great fit with the Blazers. Several teams have interest in the scoring guard, most notably the Clippers and TimberWolves. The Kings, Bucks and Raptors have also shown interest. Crawford has a player option on his contract next season, and the Blazers are reportedly afraid they’ll lose him in free agency.

Another Blazer guard who could be dealt is Raymond Felton, who is enduring the worst statistical season of his career. One interested team is the Lakers, who desperately need a point guard to contend this season in the Western Conference. One possible piece going back to PDX is Steve Blake. However, the Lakers’ pursuit of other players are reportedly being held up by the team’s interest in Dwight Howard. There’s even a rumor that Lamar Odom wants to come back to the Lakers, but the chances of Dallas trading him back to LA are probably slim.

Extra Points
-Miami has been looking for an extra big man and could be desperate for one, so much so that they reportedly worked out Rasheed Wallace last week. The Heat are known to be interested in acquiring a veteran big man before the deadline.
-With Brandon Jennings thriving in Milwaukee, backup PG Beno Udrih would welcome a trade. Could the Bucks package him with Stephen Jackson to a team like the Lakers?
-Charlotte won’t make any trades that would jeopardize their rebuilding efforts, but they could move Boris Diaw. The French forward has fallen out of favor with head coach Paul Silas.
-If Jermaine O’Neal needs season-ending surgery, Boston may waive him and sign another center. He was mentioned in trade rumors last week, including one for Minnesota’s Michael Beasley.
-Chicago, Houston, Denver and Utah are among the teams that own draft picks that could be used in trades in the next 10 days.