NBA Trade Rumor: Gerald Wallace, Kris Humphries, for Amare Stoudemire

Here's a new rumor to chew on. We've heard before that the Celtics would like to move Gerald Wallace and maybe even Kris Humphries and that they've talked to the Knicks. Now we get wind that they might be willing to eat Amare Stoudemire's salary in such a move.

Facing Uncertainity, Here's the Trade the Knicks Might Need to Make with Boston | Bleacher Report

In that scenario, according to the source, the Knicks would acquire power forward/center Kris Humphries and small forward Gerald Wallace, while the Celtics would lose two massive salaries for one, Stoudemire, who the Celtics would have to retain only until 2015 (Wallace is through 2016). The Celtics also plan on "stinking in 2014-15 anyway," according to the source close to the team, so Stoudemire's financial presence wouldn't necessarily hurt them as they have plenty of salary-cap flexibility and can continue to add roster pieces.

Interestingly, according to a source familiar with the Knicks' previous free-agency plans, they and the Celtics actually explored trading Wallace, Humphries and Courtney Lee for Stoudemire and Shumpert over the offseason. Now that the Celtics envision Avery Bradley as their shooting guard for the future-"They like him at $6 million a year," the source close to the Celtics said-they don't have a need for Shumpert.

I don't know what, if anything Stoudemire has left in the tank, but his one is mostly about the finances. The Celtics get more salary next year, but none 2 years from now. It is like taking the Gerald Wallace cap hit of $10M and moving it up a year (give or take a few million here or there). As a minor benefit, Amare becomes an expiring contract next year as well. (Technically he has an Early Termination Clause, but he' s not walking away from $23M)

On the court, well, if Amare isn't healthy then it is a big step back. Or a step up in the tanking race if you want to look at it that way. It also gets Wallce out of town (which according to the report the Celtics are "desperate" to do) and jettisons one of our many power forwards. It gives Jeff Green no backup at the small forward spot, but we could always run out some smallball sets with all our shooting guards.

The Knicks, of course, would get two useful players to make a push for the playoffs for the next few years.

Not entirely sure how reliable this report is but it is at least interesting food to chew on.