NBA Trade Deadline Winners and Losers:

What a crazy trade deadline, like Charlie Sheen, it seemed like a new surprise sprung up every five minutes. Some were good; others made me scratch my head (Perkins to OKC). There were winners and losers, but after all the dust settles the same teams that were favored to win the title in December are still the favorite. For the casual fan here are the key winners and losers from last week trades:

Duh, Winners

Knicks and Nets:

The Knicks got the man they have wanted since Lebron decided to go to Miami. Adding ‘Melo to the lineup solidifies that the Knicks will be a top five team in the east for the next 6-7 years and do not under estimate the Knicks picking up Chauncy Billups. Did the Knicks over pay? Yes, they did but I look at it this way, if you had the chance to go out with a model or movie star wouldn’t you go out of your price range to impress her?

The Nets completely shocked the media by pulling off the trade for Deron Williams. What Utah got in return; two first round picks (2011, 2012) and two players (unproven Derrick Favors and Devin Harris). Nice trade for the Nets to acquire a top five point guard and a new face to the team.

OKC adding depth at center:

Welcome Oklahoma City to the serious discussions for NBA west contenders. All season this has been my pick to overtake the Lakers and with adding Kendrick Perkins from Boston, the Thunder now has the size inside to compete with L.A. and San Antonio. The Perkins trade blew me away, I know he has been injury prone the last few years, but when he is on the floor he is the best low post defender in the league.

Memphis and Portland:

Both of these teams are trying to make a playoff push and fighting for playoff seeding. Memphis’s acquisition of Shane Battier isn’t going to set the league on fire, but adding more depth and leadership to this young team shows Memphis is building for the near future.

Portland had the steal of the draft by picking up Gerald Wallace. Portland currently the seventh seed now has an additional perimeter player and made themselves a tough out when the playoffs begins.

Losers

Boston and Charlotte:

All Boston did was weaken its frontcourt and give more confidence to the other top teams in the east that this is their year. Perkins, when healthy, was the defensive anchor for the Celtics. Now the staring center will be either Nenad Kristic or Shaq.

The Bobcats move are just sad and should be seen as a cry that the leads needs to look at contraction. The bobcats are battling for the eight seed and its second trip to the playoffs, yet they trade their best player?

Baron Davis:

What a career the Baron has had. Let’s go back a few years after forcing his way out of the Hornets organization, where he spent his first six years, Davis lands at Golden State. He led the high octane Warrior offense for four years and a few nice playoff series wins, however, in 2008 he joined the Clippers and that is where everything went crazy.  As his owner said “He was fat and out of shape” for three years his numbers dropped, but the Blake Griffin came along and Davis started to play like he did in New Orleans and Golden State. Plus he was the mini-me sidekick in this past dunk contest. Davis was finally starting to play for his hometown like we thought he could. Then is the traded to Cleveland? You have to feel bad for the guy who seemed to finally get his role with the Clips. The lesson on this trade; when you are a lottery pick and paid a ton of cash, then demanding a trade after feuding with a coach (twice), don’t be surprised to land in a dump (Cleveland).