Feb 22, 2013; Oklahoma City, OK, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder center Kendrick Perkins (5) reacts to a call in action against the Minnesota Timberwolves during the second half at Chesapeake Energy Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark D. Smith-USA TODAY Sports

The NBA trade deadline came and went and no big names were traded. The Oklahoma City Thunder made a few minor trades of their own sending Eric Maynor to the Portland Trail Blazers for a trade exception and a second round pick to the New York Knicks for Ronnie Brewer.

Days leading up to the deadline, there were rumors and speculation about the Thunder trading their starting center Kendrick Perkins.

This has been the case with Perkins the past few seasons. He is described as an intangibles guy who does the little things that keeps this Thunder team together. He is vocal on defense, sets hard screens and a leader in the locker room.

It’s hard to give Perkins much credit for his intangibles when you can’t really measure them. The Thunder are consistently better with him off the floor in all areas over the past few seasons.

After losing in the NBA Finals to the Miami Heat last season and to the Heat twice this season, it started to feel like the team with the second best record in the NBA should deal their starting center.

Perkins was one of the biggest reasons why the Thunder did not win the NBA Finals. The Thunder were simply in too tough of a matchup situation vs. the Heat whenever he was on the floor. Perkins was only decent at defending Chris Bosh and the smaller starting lineup for Miami featuring LeBron James and Shane Battier at the forward spots got out to big leads in almost every game.

Perkins was acquired by the Thunder two years ago so that OKC would be better able to match up with the size of the Los Angeles Lakers. With the decline of the Lakers and other teams in the Western Conference that have size, it’s starting to feel like Perkins’ value has also gone down.

The Thunder could survive against the Lakers, Spurs, Grizzlies or Clippers this season without Perkins, no one is disputing that.

And if the Thunder could have acquired Phoenix Suns center Marcin Gortat for Perkins a few days ago, which was a rumor, how much better would the Thunder be now?

A stagnant offense with their starting five would cease to exist for the Thunder. It would no longer be four-on-five with teams spelling Perkins at all costs. The defense would maybe take a slight hit but the improvement offensively would have more than made up for it.

The real question is if that deal would have even been possible for the Thunder. Would the Suns have even wanted to do it or was it the Thunder that would have said no first?

We don’t know the answer to that right now. All we will find out is if still having Perkins on the roster as the starting center will once again come back to hurt the Thunder in the long run.

Nov 8, 2012; Chicago, IL, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder point guard Eric Maynor (6) drives past Chicago Bulls center Joakim Noah (13) during the second half at the United Center. The Thunder beat the Bulls 97-91. Mandatory Credit: Rob Grabowski-USA TODAY Sports

The Oklahoma City Thunder have been reportedly active in shopping third string point guard Eric Maynor.

It is now being reported that the Thunder are looking to acquire a first-round pick for Maynor.

Oklahoma City has been seeking first-rounder for PG Eric Maynor, but no takers so far.

— Sam Amick (@sam_amick) February 21, 2013

It’s hard to imagine a team willing to send a first-round pick to the Thunder for only Maynor. Maynor has been dreadful this season shooting just over 30 percent from the field and does not look like the player he was before tearing his ACL a year ago.

There are a few teams out there interested in getting a backup point guard. The Toronto Raptors, Philadelphia 76ers and Utah Jazz are a few of them.

The Raptors reportedly called about Maynor and a deal was discussed that would have brought Alan Anderson and John Lucas to OKC for Maynor. That deal is now dead.

The Jazz still seem like a possible destination for Maynor. They drafted him and are reportedly interested in him. They have a lot of young talent on their roster so they may not mind giving up a first-round pick for him.

The Thunder already have at least two first-round picks this coming draft. Getting another would obviously be to a plan to gain assets as opposed to drafting a bunch of rookies.

The deadline is at 3 p.m. EST. We will keep you up to date here with the latest rumors and news about the Thunder and the rest of the league.

Feb 6, 2013; Oklahoma City, OK, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder center Kendrick Perkins (5) handles the ball against Golden State Warriors center Andris Biedrins (15) during the second half at the Chesapeake Energy Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark D. Smith-USA TODAY Sports

Oklahoma City Thunder starting center Kendrick Perkins has often been thought of as the weak link on the Thunder roster.

Perkins came to OKC with the reputation of being some kind of defensive anchor. He could defend Dwight Howard one-on-one better than anyone in the league and he was going to be the missing piece for the Thunder in their quest for an NBA title.

Then last year happened and the Thunder made it to the NBA Finals and Perkins was one of – if not the – reasons the Thunder lost in five games to the Miami Heat.

Yesterday, Perkins was linked to a trade rumor with the Phoenix Suns. The potential deal would have sent Perkins, Eric Maynor, Jeremy Lamb and a first-round pick to the Suns for Marcin Gortat and P.J. Tucker.

Shortly after the rumor, it was announced that Perkins would miss the game against the Houston Rockets with a sprained right knee. After being off for the last five days mind you.

The rumor felt like it would come true if you were reading between the lines, and everyone was. Then a source came out saying it was nothing more than a rumor and the original source that started the whole thing said it was a “league rumor” and that the Thunder and Suns actually hadn’t discussed this trade.

Too bad for the Thunder.

Ridding themselves of Perkins and gaining Gortat to replace him would have been monumental. Gortat isn’t anywhere near the defender that Perkins is but offensively he is far superior. Gortat can actually score from the post too and is great at rolling to the rim in the pick-and-roll. He would have been something the Thunder offense – which is the best in the league – has never had.

The loss of Perkins defensively would not be a big deal either. With the decline of the Los Angeles Lakers and Memphis Grizzlies, Perkins has less value as a great defender of post-up players. The Thunder don’t really need that so much anymore and can easily survive without it.

What OKC needs the most is more scoring in the paint. Whenever they lose, it’s usually because they are shooting too many jumpers and not getting enough easy looks. There is not a ton of balance in where the Thunder offense can hurt you as it is mostly from the outside.

Gortat would change that overnight.

So the question isn’t just “Should the Thunder trade Perkins?” It depends on what they can get. If acquiring Gortat to replace him is possible, they need to do it. If Kevin Garnett is a possibility, do that too.

The Thunder know this and they would never let him go for nothing. They probably value him more than any other team in the league.

The trade deadline is later today at 3 p.m. EST. We will know soon enough of Perkins is on the way out or not.

Feb. 10, 2013; Phoenix, AZ, USA: Oklahoma City Thunder center Kendrick Perkins reacts after being called for a technical foul in the second quarter against the Phoenix Suns at the US Airways Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

The Oklahoma City Thunder weren’t expected to be very active at the trade deadline this year. They have the second best record in the NBA and there aren’t many holes in their roster.

Reports have surfaced today that the Thunder are considering a trade with the Phoenix Suns that would send starting center Kendrick Perkins to Phoenix in exchange for Marcin Gortat, according to the Arizona Republic.

The Thunder would also send Eric Maynor, rookie Jeremy Lamb and a first-round pick to the Suns and receive P.J. Tucker in return as well.

The Thunder would owe Perkins over $17 million the next two seasons if they keep him. Gortat has another year left on his contract worth $7.72 million.

It would be a pretty big surprise if the Thunder part ways with Perkins this season because they’ve never said before they are looking to trade him.

With the decline of the Los Angeles Lakers and Memphis Grizzlies in the Western Conference the Thunder may not see Perkins as such a big need anymore.

Receiving Tucker as part of the deal would be sneaky good too. Tucker is one of the premiere hustle guys in the league right now as a defender and offensive rebounder. He would actually be a decent option for the Thunder to have defend LeBron James too.

We’ve already heard Maynor’s name linked to a few trade rumors and there have been reports that the Thunder are aggressively shopping him.

Lamb seems like a trade chip at best in the Thunder’s eyes since he has hardly played at all this season.

This is just the beginning hearing about this trade. The Thunder and the rest of the league have until tomorrow afternoon at 3 pm EST to make any deals.

Update: It looks like this was nothing more than a rumor…

I mentioned All-Star break talk of a Perkins/Lamb/pick-Gortat/Tucker swap. Apparently, that was a league rumor but not actual team talks.

— Paul Coro (@paulcoro) February 20, 2013

Feb 19, 2013; Denver, CO, USA; Boston Celtics forward Kevin Garnett (5) reacts during the first half against the Denver Nuggets at the Pepsi Center. Mandatory Credit: Chris Humphreys-USA TODAY Sports

There have been a lot of trade rumors involving Kevin Garnett recently which is interesting since he has a no-trade clause in his contract.

The Boston Celtics have been linked to the Los Angeles Clippers involving a Garnett trade but now it looks like that deal may be dead.

The Oklahoma City Thunder is a destination that many would like to see for Garnett.

Garnett in OKC makes almost too much sense on the court. Something tells me Garnett wants to win a title above all else and Boston probably can’t do that for him anymore, not with Rondo out of the picture. Now that the Lakers and Grizzlies have fallen out of the title-contention circle, Perkins doesn’t make sense on the roster. Garnett, as a defensive maestro and leader, does.

Of course, Boston doesn’t even think about this deal unless they’ve committed to rebuild, rebuild, rebuild. That Toronto pick could easily end up in the top seven once Rudy Gay decides to stop making every do-or-die shot at the buzzer. And if healthy, Perry Jones has about as high of a ceiling as any player in the draft (to reiterate: if healthy). Boston probably balks at this deal even with the young, high-upside pieces, but it’s too tantalizing from OKC’s standpoint not to mention.

Via Tom Haberstroh/ESPN

This potential trade would send Garnett, Chris Wilcox and Jason Collins to OKC for Kendrick Perkins, Eric Maynor, Perry Jones and Toronto’s first-round pick.

This would be of course very interesting and overall, pretty unrealistic. The Celtics would have to be committed to rebuilding which they may not be at the moment. They are currently the No. 7 seed in the Eastern Conference and have a history with this team of believing they can turn it on once the playoffs start.

The Celtics would also probably be more interested in this if they could get a few more draft picks and possibly Jeremy Lamb instead of Jones. Not every team sees Jones for his potential and rather a big risk that probably won’t amount to much in this league.

Garnett in OKC sounds nice but how much better could he even make the Thunder? You have to imagine they get better defensively despite Garnett’s age getting up there.

Garnett could help space the floor a lot better than Perkins too. He has a great midrange game still and would probably be able to take advantage and score in the post a lot in OKC as well.

Garnett said earlier this week that this past All-Star Game would be his last. That might mean the Thunder would only be getting Garnett for one season.

The Thunder aren’t risking too much in this potential deal though. Parting ways with Perkins is something they really should do sometime soon. Maybe they could even get Garnett to play another season.

The trade deadline is tomorrow afternoon at 3 p.m. EST. We’ll find out what happens with Garnett then.

January 25, 2013; Sacramento, CA, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Eric Maynor (6) dribbles the ball next to Sacramento Kings guard Jimmer Fredette (7) in the fourth quarter at Sleep Train Arena. The Thunder defeated the Kings 105-95. Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports

It was reported yesterday that the Oklahoma City Thunder were aggressively shopping third-string point guard Eric Maynor.

Maynor lost his backup point job to Reggie Jackson in mid-December. Maynor is going to become a restricted free agent in the summer and the Thunder likely won’t want to match an offer sheet for him.

The asking price for Maynor is high according to reports. Maynor has not been very good this season but before his ACL injury last season was considered one of the best backup point guards in the league.

The Thunder couldn’t get much back from Maynor alone. They’d definitely need to involve draft picks, Jeremy Lamb or Perry Jones, III if they want to get something substantial back in a trade.

The Utah Jazz is a team that is in need of a backup point guard. It has been rumored that they are trying to trade away Al Jefferson or Paul Millsap, who are both in the final years of their contracts.

Jefferson could only ever be a rental for the Thunder so he doesn’t really make sense. Millsap could have a future with OKC beyond this season if he were to be acquired. The Thunder would have to include Kendrick Perkins in a trade for Millsap though which wouldn’t exactly have the Jazz jumping up and down to do the move.

There is another player on the Utah roster that would be interesting for the Thunder and that is DeMarre Carroll. He is making just $885K this season so the Jazz would have to throw in someone like Jamaal Tinsley to make the trade work. The Thunder would have to probably throw in a draft pick in this deal too.

Carroll is a great athlete who can play the three and four positions. He would be an ideal guy for the Thunder to throw on LeBron James if they end up making it to the NBA Finals again.

The Philadelphia 76ers are another team interested in a backup point guard for Jrue Holiday. A trade sending Maynor and Lamb to Philly for Evan Turner or Dorell Wright would work. The Thunder would get more depth at the wing position either with a creator or spot-up shooter.

The Toronto Raptors are also interested in a backup point guard but they really don’t have anything to offer the Thunder.

Then there is always the chance OKC would trade Maynor simply for a draft pick. That doesn’t sound like a high asking price and they would be sacrificing their backup point guard insurance as well if Jackson ever got injured.

It looks like there is a good chance Maynor will be dealt at the deadline. The Thunder probably won’t make any blockbuster deals tomorrow but there are potential moves out there involving Maynor that could make the Thunder more of a contender this season.

January 25, 2013; Sacramento, CA, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Kevin Martin (23) tries to regain control of the ball next to Sacramento Kings forward Travis Outlaw (25) in the fourth quarter at Sleep Train Arena. The Thunder defeated the Kings 105-95. Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports

The NBA trade deadline is just three days away. Teams will have until Thursday, Feb. 21 at 3 p.m. EST to make any moves.

The Oklahoma City Thunder have not been linked to many rumors involving trades but that doesn’t mean they can’t be players this week.

One of the biggest reasons the Thunder made the James Harden trade before the start of the season was to acquire a lot of assets and become flexible in forming their roster in the future.

The Thunder have a lot of valuable pieces that could be used in a trade by the deadline in a few days starting with…

Kevin Martin

Martin is an expiring contract making $12.4 million this season which makes him a very valuable trade piece. Martin has admirably tried to fill the Harden void this year and done a pretty good job averaging 15.0 points per game off the bench. The Thunder could use Martin in a trade for a big time player like Josh Smith or Al Jefferson. Since it is unlikely the Thunder are in the market for someone like that, it is most likely Martin will stay.

Eric Maynor

Maynor lost his spot in the Thunder’s rotation in mid-December. He will be a restricted free agent this coming summer and with the emergence of Reggie Jackson, the Thunder probably won’t try and re-sign him. That means OKC would want to get something in return for him if possible unless they just plan to keep him for insurance reasons. There are many teams like the Utah Jazz and Philadelphia 76ers that could be interested in a backup point guard and Maynor would be a good fit.

Jeremy Lamb

The No. 12 pick in the 2012 NBA Draft has hardly played at all for the Thunder this season. Lamb has spent most of his time in the D-League with the Tulsa 66ers and it doesn’t look like he’ll be cracking the Thunder rotation anytime soon. It is unclear if the Thunder see him as part of their future or someone they can use in a trade. Many teams would be interested in acquiring Lamb. If the Thunder are targeting a veteran wing defender or outside shooter, they would like be involving Lamb in that trade.

Kendrick Perkins

Perkins gets thrown into the ESPN Trade Machine more than any other Thunder player. The Thunder value Perkins probably more than any other team in the league and when you think about it that way, you understand why it would be so hard to trade him. The Thunder’s commitment is to becoming an elite defensive team and they see Perkins as their anchor. Perkins is set to make around $9 million per season after this year and it would make sense for a lot of reasons to trade him but it is very unlikely at this point.

Perry Jones, III

The Thunder’s first round draft pick is the definition of potential and upside. Jones hasn’t gotten a lot of run this season and if the Thunder are pursuing any kind of trade, his name will surely be asked about to be included in a trade. The likelihood of dealing Jones – who is a project and someone the Thunder surely feel like they can develop into a very good player – is less than that of Lamb. His value isn’t as high and unless the Thunder were trading for a big time player, Jones isn’t going anywhere.

Reggie Jackson

Jackson has stepped up as the Thunder’s new backup point guard. He is an incredible athlete and rebounder for his position and improving as a scorer and distributor. Teams have to be taking notice and if the Thunder would plan on going after a big name or even someone like Paul Millsap, Jackson may be a perfect player to be included in that trade. The Thunder have Maynor who could step right back in to the backup point guard role as well.

Draft picks

The Thunder have three first round draft picks for next year’s draft. They have the Toronto Raptors’ if it falls between 4-14, they have the Dallas Mavericks’ if they make the playoffs (the probably won’t), and they have their own. They also have the Charlotte Bobcats’ second round pick which will be early in that round. This year’s draft is being described as a weak one so the Thunder would probably be more interested in trading some of these picks for proven talent in the league rather than waiting until the draft. If the Thunder make any deal at all, it is almost certain that a draft pick or two will be involved.

Feb 14, 2013; Oklahoma City, OK, USA; Miami Heat forward LeBron James (6) handles the ball against Oklahoma City Thunder guard Russell Westbrook (0) during the first half at the Chesapeake Energy Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark D. Smith-USA TODAY Sports

Thursday night was quite the demoralizing loss for the Oklahoma City Thunder as the Miami Heat beat them on their home floor 110-100.

The Thunder had the same old problems that caused them to lose in the NBA Finals a season ago vs. the Heat. They fell behind early, couldn’t defend LeBron James or the spot-up shooters and couldn’t get any rhythm going on offense.

If these problems are something that cannot be fixed internally, the NBA trade deadline is coming up in less than a week.

What are the biggest issues for the Thunder when playing the Heat?

Matching up with LeBron and defending the spot-up shooters

Right now, the Thunder only have two players who can guard LeBron: Kevin Durant and Thabo Sefolosha. Neither does a spectacular job either. OKC could definitely try and find another body to throw on him.

They’d want someone versatile who can play the three and four positions. The Thunder need to be able to play more small lineups vs. the Heat because keeping up with all of the spot-up shooters is as big of a problem as any.

The Heat role players know they are going to get open looks all game long. If the Thunder can change this mindset by being able to match up better with them, it would go a long way.

Slow starts

The Thunder have consistently gotten out to very slow starts against the Heat over the past year. While the Thunder have one of the most efficient offenses in the NBA, it is mostly because of superior talent and the ability to overwhelm their opponents. They aren’t able to do that as much against the Heat and the predictability of their offense leaves them relying on third and fourth options more often or taking bad shots.

The starting unit of the Thunder is not their best offensive unit. They start those five for defensive purposes but against the Heat, they aren’t even able to be a force defensively because of the matchup problems.

The biggest problem is Kendrick Perkins. The Thunder essentially play four on five (or three on five if Thabo Sefolosha isn’t making shots) with their starters. This allows the Heat to double Durant on every catch and swarm Russell Westbrook.

Trading Perkins wouldn’t be easy and probably isn’t something the Thunder are planning to do but in this matchup with the Heat it would be very beneficial to try and find a different starting five.

Getting better shots

The Thunder are a team that generally knows what shots they are going to get every night. They’ve really improved in this area this year. A lot of the players have been together for awhile now and their chemistry has resulted in OKC having one of the bets offenses in the league.

The Heat take the Thunder out of their rhythm offensively. By doubling Durant and sometimes Westbrook, they force those two to try and become playmakers instead of scorers. They’ve gotten better at that this year but against the Heat have both failed to be effective getting their teammates involved.

This goes back to the weak starting five where Perkins and Sefolosha can essentially be ignored. If the Thunder could find some more offensive-minded players to surround Durant and Westbrook at the start of the game, it would go a very long way in keeping up with the Heat.

What trades are out there to fix these things?

The Thunder have not made any kind of impression that they are looking to make a trade at the deadline. The second loss to the Heat may change this mindset though.

The pieces the Thunder have most available to trade are Eric Maynor, Jeremy Lamb and draft picks. The other pieces the Thunder have that they should consider trading are Perkins, Sefolosha and Kevin Martin.

If the Thunder would consider trading those last three mentioned, then a player like Josh Smith could be acquired from the Atlanta Hawks.

Smith would perfectly fit in alongside Durant at forward and you could move Serge Ibaka to start at center. The Thunder could send draft picks, Lamb and Perkins/Martin to Atlanta to make this deal work.

The Hawks are looking to move Smith most likely because he wants a max contract after this season and Atlanta isn’t interested in giving him one.

The Thunder probably wouldn’t be able to give Smith max money either but a trade for Smith would immediately make the Thunder title favorites this year.

Paul Millsap is another player that would help the Thunder a lot. Starting him instead of Perkins would give OKC a lot more fire power on offense and they probably wouldn’t take much of a step back defensively either. Millsap is versatile enough to match up with the smaller Heat lineups better as well.

The Utah Jazz are looking for a backup point guard and the Thunder could send Maynor to them as part of this trade. The Thunder would probably have to include Perkins in a deal but could still make it worth Utah’s while by also including Lamb and draft picks.

J.J. Redick is another player that could help the Thunder tremendously. He’s not a great defender but his ability to spread the floor as a spot-up shooter would be very valuable for the Thunder. He would immediately help make the Thunder offense more effective against Miami.

The Thunder could close out games Westbrook-Redick-Martin-Durant-Ibaka. Offensively that lineup would be insane but it could be a big problem defensively.

There’s the idea of acquiring more athletic wing players to try and make the Thunder roster more versatile. We already went into depth about those kinds of players that may be out there who the Thunder could acquire.

Most likely scenario?

The Thunder probably aren’t going to make any big trade at the deadline. But after watching them against the Heat on Thursday night, it feels like they need to if they want to win it all this season.

By trading James Harden before the season, they gave themselves the ability to be more flexible in constructing their roster. It may already be time to take advantage of that by searching for a deal before Feb. 21.

Feb 13, 2013; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Celtics forward/center Kevin Garnett (5) drives against Chicago Bulls small forward Luol Deng (9) during the fourth quarter at TD Banknorth Garden. The Boston Celtics won 71-69. Mandatory Credit: Greg M. Cooper-USA TODAY Sports

The Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Clippers are reportedly discussing a trade involving All-Star Kevin Garnett, according to Yahoo! Sports.

The potential trade would involve the Clippers sending Eric Bledsoe and DeAndre Jordan to Boston for Garnett. Garnett would have to waive his no-trade clause for the deal to go through as well.

Garnett has a home in Malibu and is a close friend to Chauncey Billups, which is believed to make his approval a distinct possibility should a deal be reached.

The Clippers are increasingly confident that they will sign Chris Paul in the offseason, which has increased the odds of dealing Bledsoe.

ESPN reports that Vinny Del Negro is pushing for the trade, but that the Clippers’ front office is against moving Bledsoe and Jordan for Garnett.

Via Yahoo! Sports

There was a rumored trade for Garnett and the Clippers a few weeks ago that would have sent Bledsoe and Caron Butler to Boston for KG. That rumor was shot down shortly after coming out.

This would be a better haul for the Celtics if they can get Jordan instead of Butler in the deal.

The real question is whether the Celtics really want to part ways with Garnett right now. He is in his 18th season in the NBA and will be starting in the NBA All-Star Game tomorrow night.

The Celtics are 28-24 entering the All-Star Break which is good for the seventh seed in the Eastern Conference. They’ve won eight of their last nine games which have all come since Rajon Rondo was injured and lost for the year.

Garnett said earlier this week that this All-Star Game would be his last. That might mean that he plans to retire after this season and if that is the case, then why would the Clippers consider dealing two of their most promising young players just to rent him?

Adding KG wouldn’t necessarily make the Clippers an immediate NBA title favorite either. They have something good going right now that involves Jordan and Bledsoe quite a bit.

Throw in the fact that Chris Paul is going to be a free agent after this season and if you deal two young players to rent Garnett and it doesn’t work out, maybe Paul will decide to jump ship.

The trade deadline is next Thursday, Feb. 21.

Feb 11, 2013; Dallas, TX, USA; Atlanta Hawks forward Josh Smith (5) during the game against the Dallas Mavericks at the American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports

The most popular big name being linked to trade rumors these days has been Josh Smith of the Atlanta Hawks.

We’ve heard Smith’s name mentioned with the Los Angeles Lakers, Brooklyn Nets and now the San Antonio Spurs are reportedly interested in him.

The Spurs are among the teams with interest in Hawks forward Josh Smith, a source told Yahoo! Sports. Keep in mind, Hawks general manager Danny Ferry was previously with the Spurs.

Via Yahoo! Sports

Smith is in the final year of his contract making $13.2 million this season. He has come out and said he expects to be signed to a max contract this coming summer and the Hawks are likely not interested in committing that kind of cash to him.

That’s why there is a good chance Smith will be moved by the Feb. 21 trade deadline and the Hawks will try and get something back in return for him.

The Spurs currently have a very value trade piece in Stephen Jackson who is an expiring contract making $10.1 million this season. They could package him along with Tiago Splitter and Nando De Colo or Patty Mills for Smith.

This trade is an interesting prospect because Smith isn’t exactly the efficient type of offensive player that we see the Spurs filling their roster with. He’s not a great outside shooter but would be very good in an up-tempo offense like the one in San Antonio.

Smith is a versatile defender too that would undoubtedly take the Spurs up a notch defensively which is something they need to do to compete with the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Smith would be a solid player to have try and defend Kevin Durant, something the Spurs failed miserably at last year in the Western Conference Finals.

The Spurs have also been linked with the Utah Jazz in a rumored trade for Al Jefferson. It seems like they may see their window closing somewhat and want to try and go all-in this season for a title.

Dec 14, 2012; Oklahoma City, OK, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder point guard Eric Maynor (6) drives the ball past Sacramento Kings point guard Isaiah Thomas (22) during the game at the Chesapeake Energy Arena. The Thunder defeated the Kings 113-103. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

When you look at potential trades involving the Oklahoma City Thunder, it’s hard not to include the backup point guard that lost his job, Eric Maynor.

Reggie Jackson took over the backup point guard duties in mid-December and Maynor has vanished from the rotation.

Maynor only played nine games last season before injuring his knee and missing the rest of the season. His return this season was supposed to be a bigger deal. Especially with James Harden leaving town, Maynor was going to be a very valuable player on this team.

It hasn’t exactly gone as planned. Maynor has played in 37 games this season averaging 10.6 minutes, 2.8 points and 2.0 assists per game. He’s shooting 31.3 percent from the field and 32.6 percent from downtown.

While he’s not making an impact on the Thunder, he could be viewed as a buy-low option by other teams around the league.

After Maynor struggled with his comeback from a torn ACL, Scott Brooks moved Reggie Jackson ahead of him in the rotation during mid-December. Since then, Maynor has barely played 60 minutes in nearly two months. While players do tend to shoot worse after tearing their ACL, Maynor is sure to make more than 30.3 percent of his 2-point attempts going forward. A team adding him at the deadline could evaluate Maynor’s progress before he becomes a restricted free agent this summer and gain an experienced backup point guard in the process.

Via Kevin Pelton/ESPN

The big reason why the Thunder would be interested in trading Maynor now is to get some value for him and not just see him walk this summer. Maynor will be a restricted free agent then and with Jackson’s emergence, the Thunder are unlikely to match any offer sheet Maynor signs.

Maynor was one of the best backup point guards in the league a few years ago and some teams probably still remember that and could use that player.

Maynor is essentially just insurance for the Thunder right now if someone gets hurt or starts playing badly.

But the Thunder might want to stay put and not mess with team chemistry with another trade writes John Rohde of The Oklahoman.

Doubtful. Who could the Thunder get who’s better for the price ($2.34 million)? The Thunder has zero space under the tax level. To me, the biggest downfall of making a trade is OKC already made a major move before the season, so why mess with team chemistry again 4 1/2 months later? The team is 39-12, fercryinoutloud. Other teams are trying to catch OKC, it’s not the other way around. I say ‘stand pat.’

There are a lot of players for $2.34 million or less who could help the Thunder that we looked at yesterday.

The trade deadline is right around the corner now, Feb. 21. If the Thunder do make a trade, there’s a good chance Maynor will be part of it.

July 18, 2012; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Houston Rockets guard Jeremy Lamb (1) handles the ball during the first half of the game against the Chicago Bulls at Cox Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports

One of the valuable pieces the Oklahoma City Thunder received from the Houston Rockets in the James Harden trade was the No. 12 overall pick from the 2012 NBA Draft, Jeremy Lamb.

Lamb has not gotten a chance with the Thunder this season yet playing just 64 minutes for them while spending most of his time with their D-League affiliate Tulsa 66ers.

Are the Thunder planning to trade Lamb?

The question is whether that will happen with the Thunder, which may be better off resigning the efficient Martin after the season and using Lamb in a deal for a center. Phoenix could be a good trade partner, since it has the prized big man to offer — Marcin Gortat — and a big need at the shooting guard position.

Via Joe Kaiser/ESPN (Insider)

It will be hard for the Thunder to tell this early if they are going to be able to sign Martin after the season. He is in the last year of his contract making $12 million this season and would have to take a significant pay-cut to stay in OKC.

If the Thunder decide that they cannot keep Martin then Lamb becomes a nice backup plan. Lamb is showing that he can score in his time in the D-League and he could blossom into a more versatile version of Martin in a few years.

The Thunder are in the business of winning now. Waiting on Lamb to develop over sticking with the proven Martin could cost them a chance at winning a title.

If the Thunder were to trade Lamb Phoenix’s way for Gortat, they would be taking on some money. Gortat is due $15 million this year and the next. The Thunder would basically have to choose between Martin, Gortat and Kendrick Perkins.

Many people will scream to let Perkins go and whether or not that would be the right move, it just doesn’t seem like the Thunder would. They value Perkins so much with what he brings them on the defensive end.

One of the reasons the Thunder made the James Harden trade was to become more flexible with their roster forming for the future. It wasn’t to acquire Lamb and right now Lamb resembles a trade chip than anything else.

The trade deadline is Feb. 21, expect Lamb’s name to come up a few more times.

February 9, 2013; Sacramento, CA, USA; Utah Jazz power forward Paul Millsap (24) and center Al Jefferson (25) react after being called for a foul as Sacramento Kings center DeMarcus Cousins (15) looks on during the third quarter at Sleep Train Arena. The Kings defeated the Jazz 120-109. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

The Phoenix Suns have not had a very good season at all and are looking to be major players at the trade deadline.

The Arizona Republic is reporting that the Suns have engaged in trade talks with the Utah Jazz and New York Knicks regarding Al Jefferson, Gordon Hayward and Iman Shumpert.

Jefferson has had his name linked with trade rumors all season and most recently with the San Antonio Spurs when it was rumored they may be targeting him. The Jazz have plenty of big man and are looking to unload at least one of them whether it be Jefferson or Paul Millsap.

The Suns have been interested in Shumpert for awhile too as they tried to trade for him last summer in a deal that would have sent Steve Nash to the New York Knicks.

Phoenix would look to include Jared Dudley and Marcin Gortat in trades for any of these players.

If the Suns can acquire Jefferson or Shumpert they will still more than likely miss the playoffs and the affect in the Western Conference balance of power will be minimal. The Suns currently have the worst record in the conference.

Carmelo Anthony came out today and said he hopes that the Knicks don’t make any trades.

The real news here is that if the Suns are the team that acquires Jefferson, then the Spurs are not.

If the Spurs were to get Big Al it would surely give them a boost this season and possibly make them the favorites to be the Oklahoma City Thunder in the Western Conference.

Meanwhile, the Thunder just wrapped up their season series with the Suns beating them all four times.

Utah is currently the No. 7 seed in the Western Conference and would play the Thunder in the first round if the playoffs started today. You can’t imagine them getting any better by losing Jefferson and replacing him with a Gortat or Dudley.

The Jazz were very unlikely to have any kind of chance on the road in the first round of the playoffs this year anyway.

These potential trades are a good deal away from going down. What we know for sure is that the Suns are really interested in making a trade by the deadline and the Jazz are too.

The trade deadline is Feb. 21.

Dec. 25, 2012; Miami, FL, USA; Miami Heat small forward LeBron James (6) dribbles in front of Oklahoma City Thunder center Kendrick Perkins (5) during the second half at American Airlines Arena. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports

The Oklahoma City Thunder have played about as well as any team in the NBA this season. They are only a half game behind the San Antonio Spurs for the best record in the league and have the best offense in the league despite trading James Harden before the start of the season.

There aren’t many holes when you break down the Thunder roster. But for Thunder fans that still remember the 2012 NBA Finals, there is one thing still missing from this team.

The Thunder aren’t deep when it comes to matching up with LeBron James. Not many teams are if any but it really could be the Thunder’s Achilles heel in their matchup with the Miami Heat.

LeBron averaged 28.6 points, 10.2 rebounds and 7.4 assists per game against the Thunder in last year’s NBA Finals. He easily was the MVP of that series and the biggest reason why the Thunder weren’t able to beat the Heat.

The Heat went small in that series playing LeBron at the four which was a major mismatch for the Thunder and especially their starting five. Miami consistently got out to better starts in every one of those Finals games and the Thunder could not figure out what to do with the game’s best player.

For all of the Thunder’s growth as a team this season, they haven’t made any progression in this area. They still will have an incredibly tough time matching up with LeBron.

Right now, the best defender OKC has to put on LeBron is Kevin Durant. The Thunder would rather not put Durant in a situation where he has to guard LeBron and score 30-plus points on the other end.

Thabo Sefolosha is the only other solid option to guard LeBron. But LeBron has shown he can easily take Sefolosha into the post and make plays whether it be scoring or finding open shooters.

The Thunder really need another option for defending LeBron. In the Finals last year they got stuck putting Harden on him and that really put the Thunder at a huge disadvantage.

You’re always going to be at some kind of disadvantage defending LeBron but the Thunder can still become much better at matching up with him.

Look at the team that has done the best job defending LeBron since he came to Miami: the 2011 Dallas Mavericks. They were perfectly constructed to stop LeBron with Shawn Marion and DeShawn Stevenson and Tyson Chandler patrolling the paint.

With the trade deadline coming up Feb. 21, the Thunder really need to take a look at acquiring an athletic wing defender that they can at least throw on to LeBron for 10-12 minutes per game.

The Thunder aren’t looking to make a trade that will overhaul their roster right now so don’t expect anyone big to join the team this season. The best bet is finding someone who isn’t getting a lot of run at their current team that might be interested in one of the Thunder’s draft picks or a Jeremy Lamb or Eric Maynor.

Here’s a few potential players the Thunder could look at: DeShawn Stevenson, Atlanta Hawks; Damion James, Brooklyn Nets; Jimmy Butler, Chicago Bulls; Alonzo Gee, Cleveland Cavaliers; Dahntay Jones, Dallas Mavericks; P.J. Tucker, Phoenix Suns; Jared Jeffries, Portland Trail Blazers; James Johnson, Sacramento Kings; DeMarre Carroll, Utah Jazz; Martell Webster and Cartier Martin, Utah Jazz

As you can see, none of these players will be able to shut down LeBron. The goal would be just finding someone who is athletic and could slow him down. Someone who could use all of his energy in 10-12 minutes to make LeBron work harder than he would like to.

It would be nice if one of these guys could bring a little something on offense too like be able to make spot-up three-pointers or cut well off the ball.

The Thunder won’t necessarily be able to acquire any of these players for Maynor or Lamb straight up. They’d have to include one of their draft picks for sure. These would be valuable assets to give up simply to hopefully match up better with LeBron but it would be worth it for the Thunder.

The argument against a trade for one of these guys would be that the Thunder already have this type of player in DeAndre Liggins. Liggins will likely get a shot against LeBron if the Thunder play the Heat in the Finals but he really isn’t big enough to do much against him. LeBron would easily be able to take Liggins into the post where he is most effective in hurting the Thunder.

Jeffries, Johnson or Carroll are among the best athletes from this list and would likely cause LeBron to work more on the perimeter where the Thunder would have the best chance of slowing him down.

The Thunder have been quiet about any trade talks and there’s probably a better chance than any that they don’t make any moves at all. But don’t underestimate the importance of bringing in a player like this if the Thunder do pull the trigger on Feb. 21.

January 25, 2013; Sacramento, CA, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Eric Maynor (6) dribbles the ball next to Sacramento Kings guard Jimmer Fredette (7) in the fourth quarter at Sleep Train Arena. The Thunder defeated the Kings 105-95. Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports

Midway through the month of December, Reggie Jackson took over the backup point guard role from Eric Maynor for the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Maynor played just nine games last season before injuring his knee and missing the rest of the season. He was one of the best backup point guards in the league before his injury and his return to the Thunder rotation was highly anticipated and expected to be a big impact.

Maynor has struggled this season averaging 10.6 minutes per game in 36 games. He’s averaging 2.8 points, 2.0 assists and shooting 30.6 percent from the field and 31.1 percent from three.

With the trade deadline approaching Feb. 21and Maynor essentially scratched from the Thunder rotation, teams have begun expressing interest in him.

Thunder has been getting numerous inquiries about guard Eric Maynor, sources tell Y! Sports. OKC inclined to keep Maynor but is open-minded.

— Marc J. Spears (@SpearsNBAYahoo) February 10, 2013

Any team that would want Maynor is a team with a need for a backup point guard. The Phoenix Suns, Utah Jazz and Philadelphia 76ers are three teams with that need and rumored to be possibly active at the deadline.

The Thunder don’t want to give up Maynor for nothing. He will be a restricted free agent this coming summer and likely won’t be signed by OKC but you never now. He’s a good insurance policy to have just in case someone gets injured.

The Thunder are always in the market for another shooter to help spread the floor and allow more space for Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook. J.J. Redick is one name that has been floated out there that the Thunder could be interested in. But OKC would have to give up more than they would like to bring in Redick.

What the Thunder really need is another athletic wing player who can play the 3-4 positions and be another body the Thunder could use on LeBron James in a potential NBA Finals rematch.

The Suns have a guy like that in P.J. Tucker that the Thunder could use. The Utah Jazz also have a player that fits that mold in fourth year pro DeMarre Carroll.

Both Tucker and Carroll are making less than $1 million this season and the Thunder could always throw in a draft pick to sweeten the deal for either team.

The Thunder probably don’t see an addition of Tucker or Carroll as a gigantic need at the moment and again, hanging on to Maynor just in case is still the most likely scenario.

Greg M. Cooper-US PRESSWIRE

Rajon Rondo and Russell Westbrook were linked via trade talks at the beginning of this season that envisioned the Celtics and Thunder swapping their point guards.

Rondo had more trade rumors surrounding his name than Westbrook but the thought of the two being traded was an interesting prospective.

The two obviously stayed put and helped lead their teams to the Conference Finals. The Celtics and Thunder are both down 0-2 now. Would this be the case if Rondo were on OKC and Westbrook a Celtic?

Rondo is just coming off perhaps the best game of his career in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Finals in Miami. He played all 53 minutes of an overtime loss, scored a career-high 44 points to go with 10 assists, eight rebounds and three steals.

Westbrook is back to receiving the same criticism that he did last year in the playoffs. The Thunder have lost two in a row to the Spurs and he is shooting more than Kevin Durant.

Rondo and Westbrook are both very different players who would completely change the other’s team if they were traded for each other.

Would the Thunder be better overall with Rondo instead of Westbrook?

Rondo would help Durant reach his potential as an offensive player quicker than Westbrook is helping him. Rondo has led the league in assists the past two seasons and is one of the best in the league at getting great shooters great looks.

Durant would thrive playing with Rondo and you could envision him scoring well over 30 points per game.

Rondo would also be able to extract the most out of Oklahoma City’s offensively challenged bigs. Kendrick Perkins might not become an offensive stud but Serge Ibaka might really take off alongside Rondo.

Ibaka possesses a very formidable midrange game and is one of the best athletes in the league. Looking at what Rondo does with Brandon Bass, he and Ibaka could become very deadly together.

James Harden would also probably get better overall with Rondo. Harden would even make more sense as a starter with Rondo instead of Westbrook since Rondo isn’t someone who needs to shoot even at all to be effective.

Harden has some Paul Pierce in his DNA and is a pretty good spot-up shooter so he would definitely fit right in next to Rondo running the show.

The Thunder would lose one of the true offensive studs in the league right now in Westbrook. Westbrook does so many things for this team and at times becomes the best player on the floor, even better than Durant.

The Thunder are better when Westbrook shoots more than Durant given their current roster and style of play. It can be criticized but it has worked.

But if the Thunder becoming a championship team means Durant needs to reach new heights, Westbrook could be holding him back in a sense while Rondo would aid Durant in his ascension to legend status.

Durant-Westbrook-Harden-Ibaka is only 90 years old. They will keep improving. Durant and Westbrook may coexist well enough to eventually win a title.

Westbrook will get the blame if they don’t and all we’ll be able to do is wonder if Rondo could have made a difference.

Howard has wanted to be traded and pretending not all season long and somehow the Magic decided not to at the trading deadline.

A lot of trade rumors have surrounded Howard this season even one involving the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Back in March, Orlando approached Oklahoma City about a trade that would send Howard to the Thunder in exchange for James Harden and Serge Ibaka.

The Thunder said no.

The Thunder would have just been renting Howard if they went through with the trade because his contract would have been up after the season. But wouldn’t they have been guaranteeing themselves a championship by putting Howard next to Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook?

It’s easy to see now why they would have basically no interest in the deal since they are competing for a title right now with the team they have.

It still would have been pretty cool to see Durant, Westbrook and Howard on the court together wearing Thunder uniforms.

The Magic would have loved the trade getting Harden and Ibaka. It would have been the best possible outcome for them and part of why they haven’t parted ways with Howard yet is that teams don’t have a lot to offer for him right now.

There were always rumors surrounding the New Jersey Nets trading for Howard, potentially sending Brook Lopez, MarShon Brooks and some pieces to pair Howard with Deron Williams but that never happened.

The Magic want more for Howard and they should want more, but they shouldn’t expect it.

When your star player wants to be traded, you trade him. It never works out if you don’t. The Magic will inevitably do so whether it be in the offseason this year or during next season.

After the Los Angeles Lakers lost in the second round for the second straight season, there are now rumors of them blowing up their roster and they might have enough pieces to send Orlando’s way to land Howard.

Andrew Bynum had a breakout season and Pau Gasol’s days in L.A. seem numbered so sending both for Howard seems like a decent idea for both teams.

One thing is for sure though, the more this is drawn out, the more that no team wants anything to do with Dwight Howard.