It seems to me that the most common way the best General Managers in the league have gotten the best players is by understanding chess - they've made a few preliminary moves in order to increase their chances of making the bigger moves.
Examples:
Lakers - Jerry West:
* He has no idea if he can get Shaq. Maybe he's heard stuff through "back channels", but still there is no guarantee...
* He trades nearly half his team to put himself "in position" to offer Shaq a big deal.
* He gets Shaq
Celtics - Danny Ainge
* He had no idea he could get KG - he just knew KG was probably about to be traded somewhere.
* Pierce wasn't enough to draw KG's interest
* He trades for Ray Allen
* Any great basketball mind - which KG is - knows when he looks at Pierce and Ray Allen, he is looking at a shot for a ring if he joins them.
* Ainge pulls off the KG trade - we win a ring - in contention the last four season...
Miami - Pat Riley
* Guts his team and puts himself "in position" to land two max guys to go with Wade
* He lands James and Bosh
Celtics - Dwight Howard
* #1 - Howard should come to the Celtics - it's about time we had another great Center to extend the legacy of Bill Russell, Cownes, Parish, etc..
* Going to LA would be cliche
* The best way to get Howard is to make a move that makes him want to come to Boston.
* Rondo may be enough - it would be for me if I were Howard
* But if through back channels you hear Howard really wants to play with Chris Paul...you start rebuilding right now in preparation.
1. Trade Rondo for Chris Paul - that is a fair trade straight up - especially as NO would get Rondo for cheap ($11 Mil) in comparison to Paul's contract and also since Paul is likely to walk. They won't find a better replacement than Paul
2. Sign and Trade Big baby for a good, young, promising off guard. OJ Mayo?
3. Sign a stop gap center this year. KG, Pierce, Ray and Paul might be enough to get you another ring anyway.
4. If you want to go BIG in trying to lure Howard and by making up front moves to increase your chances - you package Ray, the Clipper pick and possible Jeff Green for some other stud at PF SF
5. But I'd probably wait on that.
Free agent center / Jermaine
KG / Landry or someone else / JJJ
Pierce / Jeff Green / Gilbert Brown
Ray / Mayo / Von Wafer or Etwan Morre
Chris Paul / Delonte / Bradley
That team above can win a ring - then, moving forward...
1. Clipper's Pick / Your own Pick / KG and Ray coming off the books
2. Pierce / Jeff Green / JJJ / Chris Paul / Mayo / Delonte
3. KG & Ray as returnign Vets...
That should be enough to lure Howard - he'd be a fool not to walk into that crop of talent.