Gerald Wallace likes to hurt Kobe Bryant, thus we like Gerald Wallace.
  • Gerald Wallace likes to hurt Kobe Bryant, thus we like Gerald Wallace.

It truly is the most wonderful time of the year. I say this not because I'm already wasted on egg nog and Rumple Minze cocktails (I call it the "Steve McQueen on a Stolen Nazi Motorcycle" because it's the manliest drink on earth), but because the NBA is full of trade rumors. Let's rundown the two notable Blazers rumors du jour.

The teams: Portland and Charlotte
The source: Sam Amick of NBA Fanhouse
The Blazers get: Gerald Wallace, DeSagana Diop, D.J. Augustin, and maybe Michael Jordan's Hitler mustache
The Blazers lose: Marcus Camby and Andre Miller
Do it! Don't do it!: Well, no. Only because the deal just would never happen as it is structured. But it's no secret that I adore Wallace; he's a ferocious player who rebounds well, scores in a variety of different ways, shines on the defensive end (he was first team all defense last season), and has a nickname ("Crash") fitting of a player that will do anything to win. Plus he gets injured all the time, meaning he'd fit in just fine as a Blazer. Charlotte team owner Michael Jordan is desperate to rebuild that stalled franchise, and now is a golden opportunity to get Wallace, one of the NBA"s more underrated players. Another problem is that Wallace is a SF, which doesn't free up any playing time for Nicolas Batum. I'd hate to see the Blazers trade their best, and most consistant, player in Miller, but I'd be willing to give this trade my blessing if it involved Joel Przybilla instead of Camby. Sorry, Dre.

The teams: Portland and Orlando
The source: Brian Schmitz of the Orlando Sentinel
The Blazers get: J.J. Redick
The Blazers lose: Joel Pryzbilla
Do it! Don't do it!: The Orlando Magic are clearly panicking and shipped off Dwight Howard's backup (Marcin Gortat) last week, meaning they need a big body to play center when Howard gets hurt (this never happens) or picks up his fifth foul with a dozen minutes left in a game (this happens all the time). Redick is a pure jumpshooter, plus he was the token white guy from Duke that you really hated back when he was in college. He would add perimeter scoring, but since this move would leave Portland without a backup center—something they clearly need, especially after this past week—it seems unlikely to go down with just these two players. But don't rule out a larger package that might include Miller headed to Florida with Pryzbilla, possibly in exchange for Jameer Nelson, Brandon Bass, and maybe even Reddick as well.