The NBA Trade Deadline

Click on the title to go over to The Worldwide Leader's up to the minute coverage of the NBA trade deadline. They event had a "Sportscenter Special" from 2-3 ET. Trades can come in late because they have to be submitted by 3 PM ET but sometimes the approval process can take awhile. Any who, there have been no blockbusters today. The Spurs acquired Kurt Thomas from the Sonics last night and the Hornets and Rockets traded spare parts today. So we're ready to break down our winners and losers for the trade deadline.

WINNERS

Lakers - Everybody knows they stole Pau Gasol and gave up nothing. But giving up first round picks always catches up with you. But the price was right for this one. If they don't make the conference finals it's because of injuries.

Hawks - Mike Bibby might not be a franchise player but the Hawks needed a point guard, a veteran starter and somebody with playoff experience. Bibby fits all those needs and they got him for nothing. Too bad they gave up way too much for Joe Johnson but what the hell.

Spurs - Kurt Thomas might not be exactly what the doctor ordered but given the Spurs track record I'll go ahead and say that he'll work out great. Again, the Spurs basically gave up a first round pick for him. He's got an expiring contract so he's an expensive level but he offers veteran production for the playoffs and cap relief after.

Suns - This was a tough call to make but I looking at it from the perspective that they were gonna lose Marion for nothing after this season or next and they managed to dump Marcus Banks and his contract. Plus I think Shaq gives them a dimension they sorely lacked as well as leadership, confidence and Finals experience. If they could just swing a trade for Ron Artest they'd be significantly better.

Sonics - Because of the way they acquired and traded away Kurt Thomas they acquired 3 extra first round picks and added zero salary obligation past this season. Outstanding.

Miami - It ain't perfect but they managed to move Shaq. Marion is an asset either as a player, trade bait or cap relief. Marcus Banks, once upon a time, scored a whole bunch of points playing for a bad Minnesota team. The Heat need to make some other deals though or D-Wade will walk in two years.

LOSERS

Dallas - Yes they got Jason Kidd. But it cost them about $18 million, their second best big man, 2 first round picks, and their point guard of the future, who also happened to be their best young player and best defender. Even if they win a championship they're gonna end up just like the Heat in two years.

Cleveland - King James is walking in 2 years. They have way too many bad contracts. Something has to give.

Sacramento - They're on this losers side strictly because they failed to use Bibby or Artest to move Kenny Thomas and his albatross of a contract. And they didn't get a first round pick for Bibby. The going rate these days is 2 first round picks.

Minnesota - You ain't attracting any free agents. You couldn't do that when you had KG. Walker, Jaric and Gerald Green all want out and have some value. And they have Ratliff's humongous expiring deal. Y'all should've done SOMETHING. Expect season ticket renewals to drop. Again.

Philadelphia - Decide if you're building or making a playoff run. Iguodala is going to get paid and soon. There goes all of your precious cap room. If they do trade Andre Miller they have to move Willie Green and/or Reggie Evans and their contracts to actually have cap room after signing AI2. Needless to say trade Dalembert as well but who wants him and his deal. How bad does Indy want to move Jermaine O'Neal. Speaking of.....

Indiana - Shit or get off the pot Larry Bird. Trade Tinsley and O'Neal an blow it up or try to move a couple of pieces around and make 1 last run with them. Just pick one and do it.

Clippers - Why can I believe that they'll just let everybody jump shit next year and reap the cash savings and luxury tax checks. Cassell is a free agent, Maggette is gonna opt out and most likely so will Elton Brand. But they already have Kaman, Mobley and Tim Thomas who all have big deals and they have to re-sign Shaun Livingston (good luck with that problem) so they're not going to be flush with cap space anyway. In other words they should have used Cassell and/or Maggette to move Thomas and/or Mobley.

Knicks - Isiah this was the one time you were actually supposed to make a deal. Anything is better than what you've got. Everybody should be on the block. If you're willing to take back some more bad contracts the stars can come back to MSG.

Bucks - Same deal as the Knicks basically. They have a whole bunch of overpaid players who play the same positions and have similar skills. Move some of them, somewhere, somehow.

Toronto - They needed to make some kind of move to give them the ability to hang with the Pistons or Celtics come playoff time. They didn't do it.

Orlando - Yet another team in the East that needed one more piece. And Orlando had the goods to do it with a boatload of expiring deals. You can't use the high dive if you're scared to jump into the deep end fellas.

Chicago - Are they really going to pay Deng and Gordon? If they can't win now does Wallace (Ben) have any value to them? They went in the loser column last year when they had pieces people wanted and they stood pat. Now nobody wants their pieces, partially because they might just be able to sign them as free agents soon. Y'all blew it Chicago, fucking Kobe was a pipe dream and y'all bought it. Although it is kind of amazing how much Memphis wanted from Chicago for Gasol and what they ultimately got for him from the Lakers. Credit Jerry West with the assist.

Memphis - They're on the losers side because I don't think that they're gonna spend very much of this cap room they're accumulating. And they backed down off of making whoever got Gasol take Brian Cardinal and his contract. If you're gonna have a fire-sale remember, everything must go.

Charlotte - This team is fatally flawed. They don't really have any assets that anybody wants and they show no signs of developing into a playoff caliber team. So be it I guess, but shouldn't they have tried something? Feels like the NBA will be leaving Charlotte for a second time at this rate.

Denver - You already have the 3rd highest payroll, a crazy coach and the original AI. Camby and Martin are relatively healthy so this is your best shot. They'll end up regretting not making a move when they get bounced in the first round. Again. If they make the playoffs.

Warriors - Your big move was signing Chris Webber? That won't get it done. Why didn't they make an inquiry about Shaq? You could argue they need him for the same reason the Suns did.

INCOMPLETE, N/A or NOT NEEDED

Detroit - Don't mess with success and try to avoid LeBron in the playoffs.

New Jersey - The Kidd deal was great but this is an incomplete until the move Vince Carter.

Boston - Same as Detroit plus they really don't have anything else to trade away.

Washington - With all of their injuries it was impossible for them to make any kind of a good deal.

Utah - They already made their deal when they got Korver.

Portland - No deal worth making until next year.

Houston & New Orleans - They traded spare parts which is about all these teams can do, they really don't have any assets that they would part with that anybody else would want.

Wow I wasn't actually going to go over every team but what the hell. Updates coming later tonight when the dust settles.