Since one of my dream jobs is to be an NBA general manager, I love making up fake trades and trying to find deals that help both teams. I often scoff at the national pundits' trade articles because half of them don't make a lick of sense and most of the time they are horribly one-sided deals. This year, however, I'm not able to stand on a high horse because this is one of the toughest seasons to find deals that both teams might actually pull off. Yes, the Chicago Bulls want a two guard but unless they get a sweetheart of a deal or are willing to move Taj Gibson (which they don't seem to be) then I can't find a trade to make it happen. The Memphis Grizzlies want to move OJ Mayo but right now I'm not seeing a fair deal out there.

So what deals did I come up with?

1. Nene for Josh Smith:
Atlanta would have to get the big Brazilian to agree to an extension before the deal went down but this seems like a nice move for both teams. The Nuggets move their big man, who is probably gone this offseason, while the Hawks add the true center that the team has been missing (and that Al Horford has been praying for.)

2. Hasheem Thabeet and Demarre Carroll for Marreese Speights and Darius Songaila
The Grizzlies probably hoped for more for Thabeet but swapping him out for another project center and a useful enough bench player isn't too shabby. The deal also cuts a little money off of their cap for next year and every penny counts since they have to re-sign Z-Bo and Marc Gasol. The Sixers could use a defensive minded big and since Speights is out of their rotation already anyway, it's not like they are losing too much in the swap. If need be, the two teams could also agree to swap picks with Memphis.

3. Michael Redd, Chris Douglas-Roberts, and a protected 2011 first round pick for Anthony Parker and Antawn Jamison
The Cavs would like to get a late first for Parker and should want to dump Jamison so this deal works out perfectly for them. I just can't see too many contenders opting for Jamison after he came up little for the Cavs last season but he could help the Bucks add some offensive punch and Anthony Parker can give them some good minutes at the 2. The deal does eat up Milwaukee's cap space next season but after throwing substantial long term deals at John Salmons, Corey Maggette, and Drew Gooden last year, Milwaukee might be better off with less to spend. As for Cleveland, they welcome local kid Redd home for half a season, take a flyer on CDR, add a decent mid-first round pick, and clear off 10+ million from their ledger.

4. Travis Outlaw for Josh Childress:
One teams overpaid player is another teams... overpaid player. Outlaw and Childress will probably never earn their keep but they have to be able to do better than they have been this season. A change in scenery could make them seem slightly less overpaid than they are.

5. Jermaine O'Neal for Andres Nocioni:
The only thing riskier than the Celtics trading away their big man depth is having Jermaine O'Neal be said depth. You just can't be an emergency backup if you spend most of your time in the emergency room. The C's add to their wing depth with Nocioni and the Sixers add another big body to rotate wit Hawes and the newly acquired Thabeet.

6. Russell Westbrook, James Harden, Nick Collison for Emeka Okafor and Chris Paul:
I probably should have led with this blockbuster but it's completely unrealistic so I'll bury it in the middle. But the fact of the matter is that this deal makes a lot of sense for both teams (if the Thunder can get Paul to re-up immediately.) For the Hornets, they dump Okafor's monster deal and, rather than sitting around waiting for the CP3 Derby to start next season, they get a young star point guard whose rights they'll control for years to come. The Thunder get an MVP candidate who is a perfect fit for their squad. They also add Okafor who can help improve their defense. Again, it'll never happen but I think both franchises would be in a better place if it did.

7. Vince Carter and Mickeal Pietrus for Kenyon Martin and JR Smith
Because of league rules, I think this deal would have to be two separate deals but I like what it does for both teams. Like everyone else Phoenix picked up recently, Vince isn't working out and could use a new address. The Nuggets could also use Vince as a warning sign for 'Melo - See what happens when you force a trade to the Tri-State area? K-Mart, meanwhile, would add some toughness to the Suns frontcourt and I think he still might be able to get up for a few Nash alley-oops. Pietrus gives the Nuggets a defensive minded swingman which is what they need more than JR Smith. Smith, however, could put up some big numbers ala Leandro Barbosa did when he ran with Nash.

8. Al Jefferson for Aundray Blatche, Yi Jianlian, and Hamady Ndiaye
Basically, this is a swap of lazy for crazy. Al Jefferson simply doesn't fit alongside Paul Millsap so he needs to be shipped elsewhere. Washington might not be a bad fit since he could be alongside a mobile defender in Javale McGee there. On the other hand, Aundray Blatche has worlds of talent and could be a nice fit alongside AK-47 and Millsap and running with Deron Williams. The deal cuts some money off of next year's cap for the Jazz. The Wiz can afford to add the year's since they should focus on 2012 when Big Al and Rashard Lewis will be expiring deals.

9. Carl Landry for protected 2011 Pacers pick
The Kings probably want more for Landry but I'm not sure anything more is out there. And since Landry isn't in their long term plans now that DeMarcus Cousins is around, they probably should look to move him and get something rather than losing him for nothing. The Pacers were talking about dumping their #1 pick for Anthony Randolph but I think that Landry is a better gamble. He can step in right away and help out and should add some offensive punch that Hansbrough and McRoberts just can't deliver right now. The Pacers have a trade exception so I don't think they need to move anything in the deal.

As for 'Melo, I've kind of stopped caring. The Nets probably won't field a team better than his current Nuggets and I don't love his fit with the Knicks. The team that makes the most sense is the Clippers but Donald Sterling is too cheap to re-up 'Melo to a 2nd max deal.