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NBA Trade Rumors: Wizards Picked Nene Deal Over One Involving Chris Kaman, According To Report

By Mike Prada
Mar 12, 2012; New Orleans, LA, USA; New Orleans Hornets center Chris Kaman (35) grabs a rebound in the second half of their game against the Charlotte Bobcats at the New Orleans Arena. The Bobcats won, 73-71. Mandatory Credit: Chuck Cook-US PRESSWIRE
Mar 12, 2012; New Orleans, LA, USA; New Orleans Hornets center Chris Kaman (35) grabs a rebound in the second half of their game against the Charlotte Bobcats at the New Orleans Arena. The Bobcats won, 73-71. Mandatory Credit: Chuck Cook-US PRESSWIRE

David Aldridge of NBA.com snuck in a really interesting nugget in his Monday Morning Tip column. According to Aldridge, the Washington Wizards were close to acquiring Chris Kaman from the New Orleans Hornets, but preferred the trade for Nene instead.

They were on the phone with any number of teams and had a lot of possible deals on the table that the other side passed on -- they were talking to Washington about the same McGee/[Nick] Young package that went to Denver, but the Wiz balked on Kaman, preferring Nene -- so it's not all the Hornets' fault.

Kaman would certainly have been a very different kind of acquisition than Nene. Besides being a completely different kind of player, Kaman also had an expiring contract. On the one hand, the trade would have been salary-neutral, but on the other hand, the Wizards' long-term prospects at center would have been less clear.

It's interesting to think about, at least.

(More on Nene's first press conference later).