With the NBA season tipping off Tuesday night, and lots of talk about disgruntled players looking to be traded out of their current situations, I decided to see if I could come up with a few trades that might help both teams involved.  Here are 5 trades I put together that just might make sense.  You won't need your calculators, I've already checked these trades against the NBA rules, and they all work.

1.  Lakers trade Kobe Bryant to the Pistons for Rip Hamilton and Tayshaun Prince

     With all the talk coming out of Los Angeles these days, you almost have to propose a Kobe trade if you're going to write an article about trades.  I avoided trying to come up with a Lakers-Bulls trade for two reasons.  First, everybody is writing about Kobe going to the Bulls, so there's not much left to say.  Second, I don't think the Bulls should make that trade.  The Bulls have refused to include Luol Deng, a stand with which I agree, leaving the only real option to be a package which includes both Kirk Hinrich and Ben Gordon.  I know Kobe is one of the best players ever, but the Bulls are trying to put together something special in Chicago with young players (except for the bizarre signing of Ben Wallace) and a focus on defense.  The Bulls are a team on the rise, and I don't think they should rock the boat for a selfish chemistry-killer like Bryant.  You think Scott Skiles wants to put up with a prima donna like Kobe?  I don't.  If the Lakers agree to let the Bulls keep Deng and Hinrich (getting Gordon, Nocioni, Thomas, etc.), the Bulls should jump on it, but I don't think the Lakers are quite that stupid or desperate. 

     So, if we put aside the Bulls, who's left?  The Lakers would, of course, prefer to send Kobe to an Eastern Conference team, and they'll need players back with scoring punch and name recognition (it's L.A. after all).  Rip Hamilton isn't going to put up 30 or 40 points every night like Kobe seems to do, but on team where he would be the unquestioned #1 option, he could easily average in the twenties for the season.  Tayshaun Prince is one of those glue guys who does everything well that every team needs - a guy who gives great effort, plays great defense, and averaged 14 points and 5 rebounds a game last season.  Hamilton takes up a lot of the scoring void that would leave with Kobe and Prince would be a fan favorite.  With Prince starting at the 3, Luke Walton could return his role as an energy guy off the bench, and get plenty of minutes substituting for both Prince and Lamar Odom.  A starting five of Derek Fisher, Hamilton, Prince, Odom, and Mihm, with Kwame, Bynum, Walton, Brian Cook, and Radmanovic coming off the bench, could definitely make the playoffs year after year.

     Look, I understand that a lot of people would say the Lakers aren't getting fair value in this deal, but the simple fact is that the Lakers are not going to get fair value for Kobe in any trade.  When you are talking about a player of Kobe's magnitude, it's probably impossible to get fair value.  It would therefore seem that the Lakers shouldn't trade Kobe at all, and in a perfect world, they wouldn't.  However, the situation in L.A. appears to have gotten to the point of no return.  Kobe has been asking for a trade for months, the owner says he's listening to offers, and now Phil Jackson has gone public in criticizing Kobe's commitment to the team.  Something has to give, and even if they have to take back less, the Lakers have little choice but to move him and get back as much as they can before the situation spirals out of control.

     But, of course, the Pistons would have to agree to this deal also.  Hamilton and Prince are extremely popular in Rock City (insert KISS air-guitar solo here), and it would be tough for the Pistons to part with them.  However, unlike the Bulls, the Pistons are a team on the decline and need to make a move at some point.  By basically standing still (or worse, if you count losing Ben Wallace for nothing a year ago), the Pistons are falling behind in the Eastern Conference they used to dominate.  Cleveland went to the Finals last season, Miami still lurks depending on the health of Shaq/Wade, the Bulls are steadily improving, and the Celtics have loaded the wagons for a huge championship run (as I promoted on this site back in July even before the KG trade in my article, "Defending Danny Ainge").  As their veterans get older and slower, and Rasheed Wallace gets crazier and crazier, Detroit's chances at another championship get smaller and smaller.  A shake-up like this proposed deal is just what the Pistons need to inject some life back into the franchise.  Unlike his predecessor, Flip Saunders is an offensive-minded coach who loves to score points, which makes the defensive-minded Prince somewhat expendable, and puts an insane scorer like Kobe at the top of Saunders' wish list.  A core of Chauncey Billups, Kobe, and 'Sheed would be extremely formidable and could compete with any of the Eastern powerhouses, including the new Celtics.

     And that's an important point that most of the talking heads on television and sports radio are not discussing enough - what will the team getting Kobe look like after the trade is completed?  If you're the other team, you don't want to sacrifice your whole roster to get the deal done.  If you're the Lakers, you can't send Kobe to a team with a gutted roster because Kobe has a no-trade clause, the only one in the entire league, and will refuse to go to team that doesn't have a chance to compete for a title.  That's another reason I don't think a Bulls trade will work, because I don't think Black Mamba will agree to go to Chicago with Chris Duhon as his starting point guard and nobody in the frontcourt who can take some of the scoring pressure off of him and Deng.  In Detroit, he would have the best point guard he's ever played with in Billups and also Rasheed up front to share the scoring load.  Neither Kobe nor the Lakers are going to find a deal that makes then perfectly happy, but if they are insistent on parting ways, this might be the best option available.

2.  Cavaliers send Drew Gooden to the Bulls for Chris Duhon and Tyrus Thomas

     OK, I know it sounded like I just insulted Duhon a little bit by saying that Kobe wouldn't be thrilled to go to Chicago with Duhon as his starting point guard, but it wasn't meant to be.  As a Duke grad, I love Duhon, but I just don't think he's a player that is going to get somebody like Kobe fired up.  However, a pass-first point guard with Duhon's ability is just what the doctor ordered for Lebron and crew.  Lebron needs help running the show in Cleveland and he's not getting it from Eric Snow.  Duhon averaged 4 assists per game last season as a backup, and could easily average at least 6 or 7 a night given a starter's minutes.  Duhon can also knock down an open 3-pointer, which is something the Cavs desperately need to keep the double and triple teams off of Lebron, and something Eric Snow cannot provide (0-4 in 3-point attempts last season).  At 25 years old, Duhon also has much younger legs on defense than the AARP-eligible Snow.  Additionally, acquiring Duhon lets the Cavs continue to develop young Daniel Gibson without putting the weight of championship hopes on the shoulders of a kid with only one year of experience in the league.

     In the frontcourt, if the Cavs end up signing Anderson Varejao to a big contract as expected, Drew Gooden becomes expendable as the Cavs will need to open up more minutes for the Brazilian Sideshow Bob.  With King James, a healthy Larry Hughes, and Ilgauskas in the paint, Cleveland doesn't need much scoring help.  All they need from the power forward position is rebounding, and although Gooden is a good rebounder, the Cavs can get the same production in that area from Varejao and Tyrus Thomas.  Thomas doesn't strike me as an offensive threat, but if all he is asked to do is grab a few of Lebron's misses off the glass, he should work out just fine as the backup at the 4.  On the flipside, however, Gooden's frontcourt scoring would be greatly appreciated in the Windy City.  The Bulls almost pulled the trigger on a Pau Gasol trade due to their need for some scoring down low.  Gooden doesn't have the scoring punch of Gasol, but he's still a nice improvement in that area and costs half as much.  At less than half the price of Ben Wallace, $6.5 million compared to $15 million, Gooden averaged twice as many points and only 2 rebounds less per game than Big Ben.  This trade is unlikely to happen since the Bulls and Cavs are in the same division, but if it did, both teams would be better off in the end.

3.  Knicks send Eddy Curry & Quentin Richardson to the Kings for Ron Artest & Brad Miller

     As expected, Ron Artest has worn out his welcome in Sacramento.  Fortunately, there's a general manager out there who is just crazy enough to want Artest on his team.  Isiah Thomas has tried to get Artest to come to New York ever since the Pacers were trying to get rid of him after The Brawl.  Artest has also always stated a desire to return to Madison Square Garden after starring there in college at St. John's.  I stayed in a hotel right across the street from the Garden a couple of months ago, and as scary as it sounds, Ron fits in pretty well with your average New Yorkers - lots of crazy folks walking around with no idea how nutty they are. 

     In my opinion, which is far from universally shared, the Knicks made a good deal in stealing Zach Randolph from the Blazers for a handful of magic beans, and dumping Steve Francis in the process.  But, the Knicks don't need both Randolph and Curry, who are basically the same player.  In addition, starting both would continue to keep David Lee on the bench, and he needs to be starting.  So, Curry can be moved and the Kings could definitely use his size and abilities in the paint.  The price the Kings pay to get Curry and to get rid of Artest is that they have to take Richardson's contract.  Richardson is very talented but he cannot stay healthy.  The Kings are in a position where they don't have much to lose and can take a chance on Q's health.  A starting five of Bibby, Kevin Martin, Richardson, Abdur-Rahim, and Curry would be an improvement over their current roster if they get lucky and everybody stays healthy.  To get Artest, the Knicks have to swallow Miller's over-inflated contract, but paying backups tons of money is nothing new for Isiah's Knicks (See Jerome James, Jared Jeffries, Malik Rose, etc.).

4.  Timberwolves send Antoine Walker to the Rockets for Rafer Alston and Kirk Snyder

     Once the Timberwolves decided to pull the trigger on the Kevin Garnett deal, they were in full-fledged rebuilding mode.  Part of the rebuilding included shipping out Ricky Davis, but getting 'Toine back in that deal leaves them with another move to make.  The Wolves need to get Walker's bloated contract, bloated attitude, and bloated body off of their team and away from the collection of young players they have assembled.  I'm not convinced that Minnesota is going to find any team to take Walker and his cap-killing contract (4 years left at $8.3 million per), but if anybody does, it just might be the Rockets.

     The Rockets have a real chance to contend for a title this year if (a big IF), of course, T-Mac and Yao can stay healthy.  In the offseason, the Rockets made trade with the Spurs to get Luis Scola at power forward.  Most observers think it was a smart deal, but although Scola has shown talent in international competition, he has never played a minute in the NBA.  On some teams, it might be fine to take a chance on the guy and/or bring him along slowly.  On a team looking for a championship, it's a risky proposition.  So, the Rockets can bring in a proven veteran on the decline as insurance just in case Scola is a bust.  If Scola is great, then you've got a seasoned veteran on the bench who can provide offense in short spurts.  If Scola can't handle the position, the Rockets have plan B in Walker.  Minnesota doesn't want Walker's sometimes sour disposition around their young players, but with a core in Houston including Yao, T-Mac, and Shane Battier, the Rockets don't have to worry about attitude problems.  And while I think Rafer Alston has played well in Houston (13.3 points, 5.4 assists, 3.4 rebounds last season), the Rockets seem resolved to get rid of him, as evidenced by the trade for Mike James and the signing of Steve Francis this summer.  Bringing Alston to Minnesota to run the offense also gives the Timberwolves the opportunity to move Randy Foye to the shooting guard position where he really belongs.  Snyder is just a throw-in to make the salaries work under the NBA rules (it was going to be Bob Sura, but the Rockets just cut him as I was writing this article).  If the trade happens in December or later, the Rockets could ask for another player in the deal, but due to a bizarre NBA rule, Walker can only be traded by himself for two months following the Wolves' trade with Miami that brought Walker to Minnesota.  After two months, he could be packaged with another player (maybe Gerald Green, a T-Mac clone?) in this deal to make it easier for the Rockets to swallow.

5.  Jazz send Andrei Kirilenko and Ronnie Brewer to the Pacers for Mike Dunleavy and Marquis Daniels

     Another disgruntled player and an organization looking to move him - such is the situation with Kirilenko in Utah.  Especially considering the down year last season from AK47, it is going to be tough for the Jazz to get fair value for Kirilenko in any trade.  That being the case, why not get a similar player with a smaller contract in Mike Dunleavy?  Dunleavy was equal to or better than Kirilenko in virtually every statistical category last year except blocks, and he makes $5.5 million less per season.  Plus, in swapping for Dunleavy, the Jazz don't run afoul of the Utah state laws which require the team to have at least one white dude in the starting lineup at all times.  I think if Kirilenko is happy, which also means his wife has to maintain her "free pass" policy as to other women, he has the potential to outplay Dunleavy, so I think the Pacers would love to have him, but in his current situation, he's not happy and he's not playing up to that potential.  I think he and the Jazz need to part ways and this trade allows them to do so.  Brewer and Daniels are two players with potential, but who are really just thrown into the deal to make the salaries work.  Both players have only two years left on their contracts, so if they don't work out, the teams aren't locked into anything long term.

     If you think I'm a genius, or more likely an idiot, or if you have other trades you think would make sense, share your ideas with us in the new blickees forums.  If you want to offer me a job in the front office of your NBA team, just send the jet to pick me up - I'm packed and waiting.