by Derek Flack

Created on: April 29, 2008   Last Updated: October 31, 2008

The 2007-08 trade deadline was some of the most exiting days of player movement in recent NBA (National Basketball Association) history. Superstars were being moved like a closeout sell at a superstore. Jason Kidd, Shaquille O'Neal, Shawn Marion, and Pau Gasol all relocated to new cities, which made for an exciting finish to the regular season.

With so many big trades happening this past season the 2008 off-season trade rumors will be tough to get exited about. There are, however, some great trade rumors that could become reality in June during the NBA draft.

Stephon Marbury has been rumored to be on the move for a few years now and with Isaiah Thomas now longer in charge of the team anything can happen. Donnie Walsh, the former architect for the Indiana Pacers is now in charge of the Knicks. He has already made headlines in New York for his quick firing of Thomas, so a deal involving the team's highest paid player is not out of the question. Marbury is owed $21.9 million next season, which is the final year in his contract. Though he is owed a lot of money for little production, his expiring contract will be enticing to a lot of teams and Walsh could have some great scenarios to look at in the off-season.

Another rumor involves the Knicks again, but this time Pat Riley and the Miami Heat are involved. Riley is the Head Coach and General Manager of the Heat. He recently traded away his center, O'Neal, for small forward Marion, which was one of the blockbuster deals that happened in February.

Riley now has a roster without a legitimate center and has been rumored to be a big fan of Eddy Curry, the disgruntled Knickerbockers big man. Curry has been an underachiever playing under Thomas, the former Knicks head coach. Thomas was a point guard when he played and probably didn't know hot to coach the man, Riley, however, has coached some of the greatest centers of all time in Kareem Abdul Jabbar, Patrick Ewing, and the aforementioned Shaquille O'Neal, so Curry could thrive under a coach who knows how to handle big men.

A recent trade rumor slithering around comes at a time of turmoil and meltdown in Denver. With the Nuggets getting stomped by the Los Angeles Lakers in the first round of the 2008 playoffs Denver superstar forward Carmelo Anthony and Head Coach George Karl have been feuding about commitment and work ethic and things have gotten ugly. The Nuggets have two stars on their team in Anthony and Allen Iverson, so the Nuggets could shop Anthony for a true point guard that plays defense to shore up the guard line for the Nuggets.

Anthony could be victorious in his battle with Coach Karl though; typically organizations side with the money making superstar rather then the Coach, even if the coach is right. If Karl is fired Denver might not have to make a trade, but right now things are falling apart in Colorado and something has to happen

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