Ryan ChartrandThe NBA trade deadline has passed, and the dust is finally settling following the flurry of the latest player transactions. Here are grades for each team evaluating the trades they have made this season:
Atlantic Division
Boston Celtics (A-): Over the summer, Danny Ainge must have sold his soul to the devil (aka Kevin McHale) in order to revitalize the Celtics and make them one of the NBA powerhouses.
New Jersey Nets (A): Not many teams can trade a disgruntled, aging all-star, get cap room and a better player in return like the Nets did last week when they shipped out Jason Kidd for Devin Harris. Statistically, Harris is better than Kidd on offense and defense.
New York Knicks (D-): They made some noise while pondering trading either Eddy Curry or Stephon Marbury up to the trade deadline. To nobody’s surprise, both men are still Knicks.
Philadelphia 76ers (B): Since trading for Gordan Giricek, the 76ers have won more and are now competing for the last playoff spot.
Toronto Raptors (N/A): Even after acquiring Primoz Brezec, the Raptors still deserve an incomplete because they did not address any issues.
Central Division
Chicago (C-): Even though Ben Wallace was a huge disappointment in Chicago, trading for Drew Gooden and Larry Hughes was not the answer. Obviously, John Paxson has never visited www.heylarryhughespleasestoptakingsomanybadshots.com.
Cleveland Cavaliers (A): Wallace should provide the Cavaliers with veteran leadership and defensive toughness. Joe Smith will add depth to the bench, and Wally Szczerbiak will spread the floor out for LeBron James.
Detroit Pistons (A-): By trading for Juan Dixon, the Pistons didn’t really accomplish much, but they didn’t need to because they are a great veteran team playing in a weak conference.
Indiana Pacers (N/A): They needed to trade Jermaine O’Neal while he still had an ounce of value, but with all of his injuries, he made it impossible.
Milwaukee Bucks (N/A): The Bucks have terrible team chemistry and can’t even make the playoffs in the Eastern Conference. The roster needs to be shaken up, and players like Michael Redd, Andrew Bogut and Mo Williams could have brought great value back in the trade market.
Southeast Division
Atlanta Hawks (B+): Trading for Mike Bibby finally addressed their point guard issues and it will take pressure off Joe Johnson in the backcourt.
Charlotte Bobcats (N/A): They didn’t make any trades, but surprising as it may seem, that was the right move. This team possesses talent; it just needs more time playing together before it can make a run for the playoffs.
Miami Heat (A+): Wow, what a steal. They squeezed one last championship out of Shaquille O’Neal and then dumped his $40-million salary for one of the best small forwards in the game, Shawn Marion.
Orlando Magic (D-): Although they did not make any recent major transactions, this is just a reminder that they vastly overpaid for Rashard Lewis this summer considering that Hedo Turkoglu plays very similarly and at the same level.
Washington Wizards (N/A): It is understandable that they didn’t want to make any last-second trades at the deadline because Gilbert Arenas will be rejoining Antawn Jamison and Caron Butler in the lineup soon.
Northwest Division
Denver Nuggets (C-): The Nuggets traded for Taureen Green right before the deadline. It’s OK if you don’t know who he is; most Denver fans don’t know either.
Minnesota Timberwolves (D): By sending Gerald Green to Houston, the Timberwolves received a second-round draft pick, but was it really worth it? Kevin McHale must have missed the cupcake dunk during the all-star game because there is no way he would have traded Green.
Portland Trail Blazers (N/A): There were rumors of them being involved in the Kidd trade; they were going to send many players on their bench for Harris. The team’s young talent has developed very well and when Greg Oden returns next year they will be a force to be reckoned with.
Utah Jazz (A-): They’ve played lights-out since acquiring Kyle Korver more than a month ago. Silently, they are one of the best teams in the West, and people are sleeping on this team even though it reached the Western Conference finals last year.
Seattle Supersonics (B+): David Stern made it official when he told the media that the Sonics will inevitably move to Oklahoma City. Before the relocation, the Sonics decided to rid themselves of excess salaries for more draft picks.
Pacific Division
Golden State Warriors (D+): They weren’t able to trade Mickael Pietrus before the deadline, even though many teams were interested in him. Now, the Warriors face the possibility that he will sign with another team this summer as an unrestricted free agent, and they will have nothing to show for it.
Los Angeles Clippers (N/A): The season is lost and they are still only focusing on when Elton Brand will return. Instead, they should be making the proper changes that will allow them to compete for the playoffs next year.
Los Angeles Lakers (A+): Kobe Bryant’s game rose to a whole new level of intensity with Pau Gasol in the lineup. There is no doubt in my mind that Bryant would elect to amputate his injured pinky instead of surgery, which could sideline him for six weeks.
Phoenix Suns (B-): Bringing O’Neal in was not the best move, but Marion’s threatening to opt out of his contract this off-season didn’t help.
Sacramento Kings (F): The Kings must have realized that they can’t compete in the Western Conference any time soon so they have entered the rebuilding mode. The problem with that is they didn’t trade Ron Artest.
Southwest Division
Dallas Mavericks (B-): Yes, it was bad to trade for Kidd, but Mark Cuban and the Mavericks had no other choice. Kidd will bring veteran leadership to the Mavericks and will be a better facilitator than Harris.
Houston Rockets (B): On Thursday the Rockets traded Bonzi Wells and Mike James for Bobby Jackson. Wells and James were lost on the bench and this move was done so that the team could add some veteran leadership.
Memphis Grizzlies (F): John Wayne in “The Searchers” said, “Well, there are some things a man just can’t run away from.” Grizzlies general manager Chris Wallace needs to remember that quote because the chain reaction he caused when trading Gasol to the Lakers created a wild West many other managers, coaches and team owners will not easily forget.
New Orleans Hornets (C): Although they added more depth with Wells and James, it was unnecessary. They were already one of the top teams in the Western Conference, under the radar.
San Antonio Spurs (A+): Bringing in Kurt Thomas through a Brent Barry trade was a fantastic move for the Spurs. He is a veteran who will know his role in the offense. Thomas is also one of the few people that could guard Tim Duncan effectively, and now that they’re teammates, that problem is resolved.