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Trade Wind Blowing in Indiana

With the Pacers fielding offers for Ron Artest, the rumor mill is now in overdrive. There are a few trade scenarios that have been starting to take shape over the course of the last week. I don?t think that the Pacers will be able to get equal value for Artest since they are obviously desperate to move him and other teams would use that as leverage during negotiations. The fist trade scenario being bounced around the league is for Indiana to move Artest to the Kings for Bonzi Wells & Kevin Martin.

A source close to the Kings says Bonzi has come to the realization that he wants to compete, and is finding the laid back atmosphere in Sacramento annoying and has hinted that he?d want a trade. The numbers work salary wise given the new 25% rule, for Sacramento they get Artest who they have coveted for some time, without giving up Peja ? Indiana gets a player Jermaine O?Neal approves of, and a young player in Kevin Martin who they have scouted in each of the past too summers.

Another plausible trade scenario would be a three-way trade between the Pacers, Nuggets and Hawks. Indiana wouldn?t mind getting Al Harrington back, and that Denver had eyes for Ron Artest, the scenario goes that Denver trades Earl Watson to Atlanta, who sends Al Harrington to Denver, who send Harrington to Indiana for Ron Artest ? its likely one other players has to be included to make the change work in trade in the Watson to Atlanta leg. It?s been suggested that Nene would be included in the deal to sweeten the offer, but a league source denies that he?d be included.