NBA Trade Rumors: Fact or Fiction?

Before we start with our piece for today, let me inform the public that as per communications from Nimrod NL Quiñones, one of the officials involved with the Cebu Sports Hall of Fame, Cebu City Mayor Mike Rama wants to see its revival and have the deserving individuals enshrined during the city's Charter Week celebrations next month.

If you guys know of anyone deserving to be permanently named to the HoF, send your nominees to Mr. Quiñones or to the foundation at the Cebu City Sports Center, or Abellana oval, if you wish to call CCSC by that, with the following qualifications:

- nominee must be a native-born Cebuano or has made Cebu their place of residence for a good number of years;

- if was an athlete, has been retired from active competition;

- has competed and won in international tournaments.

For proper screening of nominees, names and pictures must be submitted together with their achievements/records. Do you have anybody in mind?

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We are halfway past the NBA regular season and above all else, this is the time for making the last push on who's staying or going somewhere else. We're talking about trading players here, and there are only two scenarios on this thing - real and absurd. Let's go to the latter as the former won't raise eyebrows.

Steve Nash, Chris Paul, Dwight Howard, Kevin Love and yes, Carmelo Anthony. The Four Horsemen of the Trade-pocalypse had been figuring prominently on the NBA rumor mill. Chances are, these guys will be wearing the same uniforms until the season ends.

Steve Nash - Rumor has it that the LA Lakers will send Andrew Bynum in exchange for Nash. Mr. Nash-ty would be perfect for the Lakeshow with him manning the point, not to mention that he can shoot those -three's. He has the vision and despite the advanced age, still has the speed. The downside is that he wouldn't blend well with the triangle offense as he's used to a fast-and-furious type of attacking the defense. The Lakers will also get considerably smaller inside. If this happened about three years ago, this would be a very ideal deal. I say both Bynum and Nash will be staying put.

Chris Paul - They say CP3 wants out of New Orleans and would like to be in New York. This talk was on the air even before the NBA season started, I guess it won't pipe down until CP3 dons an unfamiliar jersey. To grant him his wish, if ever he really wished to be traded, interested teams must offer the Hornets a player or players to compensate for CP3's loss. Or maybe deal with the salary cap and make their push in the off-season. Chris Paul will be a Hornet for the time being.

Dwight Howard - Superman's kryptonite warehouse in Orlando will be depleted by 2012 so naturally, these rumors about Superman sourcing for his power elsewhere materializes. The Magic won't let go of their franchise player, at the moment, but if the franchise can't join the festivities in June, read the NBA Finals, Howard might opt out in 2012 and we could be seeing 1996 happening all over again when Shaquille O'Neal went to Los Angeles. Just imagine Howard and Bynum together. Scary.

Kevin Love - If ever this rumor holds true, only the Lakers has the manpower and resources to consummate the deal. KL at the moment is the Wolves' franchise player, but no matter how stellar his performance every playing night, he's still stuck in the quagmire that is Minnesota. If he does goes somewhere other than the Lakers, his talents will still be displayed on a mediocre franchise.

Carmelo Anthony - Mikhael Phrokorov (did I spell this right?), the Russian billionaire who owns the New Jersey Nets has said "Nyet" to end talks about Melo going to the Nets. More or less, this is similar to CP3's case. Melo could wait till the season ends and then test the trade waters when he becomes an unrestricted free agent.

Of course, if the timing would be just right and salary caps do permit, there could be another super team in the making if a franchise has the money to burn and get CP3, Melo and Superman playing together. 

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A cousin, Msgr. Albert Venus, Las Pinas City Parochial Vicar, sent me this message yesterday which is worth sharing. "It is difficult to walk backwards because our feet are meant to make us move forward. Life is always better if we look forward to what's ahead than look at what's left behind. Let us move on and forget the past - the bitterness, the grudges, the hatred and the pain. Forgive, love and smile." Let's ponder on this thought and maybe we can be true to Nike's battlecry that says - Just Do It!

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