There is no team (other than New York) that's stupid enough to take on Amare's contract. in 2014, it might become an asset ($23M expiring contract), but I can pretty much guarantee you that nobody will touch that contract with a ten foot pole until then.
I agree, I was throwing out extreme longshot ideas. If the amnesty clause had not been in the new CBA, then they might at least have some options. Amare for Rashard Lewis or Gilbert Arenas. But the equally bad contracts have been axed.
Elton Brand is the only straight up trade I that is remotely phesable that works on paper... and I dont know if either team would do it. Sixers would likely prefer to have the cap space and as appealing as dumping Amare would be, sending him to a division rival might be too much for the Knicks dignity.
The Houston trade is also a longshot. But their GM has been stockpiling little chunks of trade bait, has tried to get in on virtually ever big trade negotiation and failed. He is probably getting desperate and the trade I laid out is basically a Scola for Amare swap. The kind of trade that looks great on paper but will destroy their cap and ability to compete for 3 years. But many GMs and owners are more interested in pointing at the roster and saying "look, we tried" than making sound, long term, decisions. Their GM has seemed forward thinking, so the trade is very doubtful, but at some point he has cash in his chips and take a chance before he gets canned.
