coopdogg3
02-22-2008, 10:41 AM
Starting from best to the worst, Spurs place 4th.
http://insider.espn.go.com/nba/insider/columns/story?columnist=ford_chad&page=TradeEval-080222&univLogin02=stateChanged
The NBA trade deadline has been one for the ages.
After last year's yawner, NBA GMs got their nerve up and made a bunch of mega-deals.
Over the past three weeks we saw two future Hall of Famers (Shaquille O'Neal and Jason Kidd), three former All-Stars (Shawn Marion, Pau Gasol and Ben Wallace) and a host of other players traded.
In all, 43 players changed uniforms in February, with an amazing 19 teams involved in trades.
Who helped themselves? Who stumbled? And what about the teams that couldn't get something done?
We've evaluated each team's execution at the trade deadline, providing the pros and cons for all 30 teams.
The Movers and Shakers
From best to worst, in terms of moves made this month
1. LOS ANGELES LAKERS
Positive Spin: The team lands Pau Gasol, doesn't give up any core players and suddenly looks like the favorites to represent the West in the NBA Finals.
Negative Spin: That's tough. How about this? Adding Gasol put pressure on Kobe Bryant to play through his finger injury. If he injures it further, maybe we can blame the trade? I know it's weak. It's the best I have. This was an amazing trade for the Lakers.
2. MIAMI HEAT
Positive Spin: Instead of buying out Shaq at something like $40 million, the team gets an All-Star forward in Shawn Marion. There's no way the Heat thought they could get so much for Shaq.
Negative Spin: The Heat could've rebuilt completely -- overnight -- had they found a way to trade Jason Williams and Ricky Davis. With some many teams clamoring for the cap space the Williams-Davis contracts could provide, it's hard to believe the Heat couldn't have landed more talent beyond Marion. Now, as it stands, this team isn't looking at significant cap room until the summer of 2009.
3. ATLANTA HAWKS
Positive Spin: Billy Knight finally lands a real point point guard in Mike Bibby and gives up little to get it done.
Negative Spin: Does Bibby still have enough in the tank to make the Hawks a contender? In any case, this doesn't make up for passing on Chris Paul, Deron Williams and Rajon Rondo, among others, the past few years.
4. SAN ANTONIO SPURS
Positive Spin: The rich get richer. The Spurs give up nothing of consequence and add a tough interior defender to their front line in Kurt Thomas.
Negative Spin: The Spurs are looking old and Thomas is 35. At some point, the Spurs have to add some fresh blood to the lineup. That's tough to do when you keep giving away draft picks.
5. CLEVELAND CAVALIERS
Positive Spin: LeBron is happy. Does anything else matter?
Negative Spin: LeBron is happy . . . for the moment. It's not clear that Ben Wallace, Wally Szczerbiak, Joe Smith and Delonte West bring enough to the table to put the Cavs on par with the Celtics and Pistons. And the team's cap flexibility is now practically gone. It's doubtful Danny Ferry can make another big move before LeBron hits free agency in 2010.
6. SEATTLE SUPERSONICS
Positive Spin: They're young, they're rebuilding and they just picked up another first-round pick and more cap space next summer.
Negative Spin: Losing Kurt Thomas and Wally Szczerbiak takes away the two real veteran presences on the team. Will this team be even more rudderless than it already appears?
7. NEW JERSEY NETS
Positive Spin: Devin Harris is 10 years younger than Jason Kidd and (this season at least) is now putting up better numbers . . . without the attitude. Long term, the Nets also save some significant dough.
Negative Spin: Getting rid of Kidd was good, but what happened to that Vince Carter trade? He's going to be a problem and, at this point, I would've traded him for Stephon Marbury -- eat Marbury's contract for a year and have major cash in the summer of 2010 for LeBron.
8. PHOENIX SUNS
Positive Spin: Shaquille O'Neal is still one of the most dominant big men in the league. If he gets healthy and in shape, he still has a chance to be a big factor for Phoenix. Steve Nash and Amare Stoudemire are almost giddy at the thought of playing with a true big man.
Negative Spin: The Suns paid a high price for Shaq. Shawn Marion was crucial to what the Suns did on both ends of the floor. If Shaq breaks down, the Suns' hopes for a championship are down the drain.
9. DALLAS MAVERICKS
Positive Spin: Jason Kidd returns to Big D, where he gives the team some much-needed toughness and leadership. He gives the Mavs a chance to keep pace with the Suns, Lakers and Spurs in the West.
Negative Spin: They gave up an up-and-coming point guard who is 10 years younger than Kidd. Statistically, Devin Harris was having a better season already. They also lost a key frontcourt player in DeSagana Diop. If this experiment doesn't work, the Mavs will have egg on their face.
10. SACRAMENTO KINGS
Positive Spin: The Kings got rid of Mike Bibby's contract and avoided the luxury tax while opening up more minutes for their young players to develop. Maybe Shelden Williams can give them something in return for Bibby.
Negative Spin: The Kings started the rebuilding project, but didn't finish it by moving Ron Artest, who can walk after the season. They could've at least brought home a mid-to-late first round pick for him. That should've been enough, right?
11. CHICAGO BULLS
Positive Spin: Ben Wallace was causing problems, apparently. The team was going nowhere fast and needed a change.
Negative Spin: It's hard to understand how this makes the Bulls better. Joe Smith is having a better season than Drew Gooden. Ben Gordon and Thabo Sefalosha are better than Larry Hughes at the 2. The Bulls don't really save much money in the deal. It feels like they've just traded away decent players for someone else's junk.
12. MEMPHIS GRIZZLIES
Positive Spin: Michael Heisley saved money! The Grizzlies have a third young point guard! Marc Gasol is secretly better than his brother! Late first-round picks are fun! It always pays to scratch the back of superagent Arn Tellem!
Negative Spin: The Grizzlies gave away Gasol and got a pathetic return. They did clear cap space, but the signal out of Memphis is that they might not use it. After giving away Gasol and getting ripped for it, GM Chris Wallace suddenly started asking for much more in return for lesser talents like Mike Miller and Kyle Lowry.
Minor Players
From best to worst, in terms of moves made this month
1. HOUSTON ROCKETS
Positive Spin: Bonzi Wells and Mike James weren't really contributing, and Bobby Jackson, when healthy, can provide a spark off the bench. The deal also saves the Rockets some money. Houston native Gerald Green has a lot of talent, and they get a free look at him for a few months and then can decide whether he's worth signing to a long-term deal.
Negative Spin: With the Lakers, Mavericks, Suns and Spurs all making bigger deals, how will this deal help the Rockets keep pace in the West? They should've made a stronger push for Ron Artest.
2. NEW ORLEANS HORNETS
Positive Spin: The team needed more backcourt scoring, and Wells and James can provide it. They gave up very little in return.
Negative Spin: The Hornets took on more money to get James. What they really needed was a veteran who could help them in the playoffs. Where's local guy P.J. Brown when you need him?
3. DETROIT PISTONS
Positive Spin: You can never have enough combo guards come playoff time. Bench play has been an Achilles' heel in the past, so Juan Dixon adds needed depth. Primoz Brezec wasn't going to play for them anyway.
Negative Spin: The Pistons had other expiring contracts to trade and could've added more depth in the frontcourt.
4. TORONTO RAPTORS
Positive Spin: The team needed size and two years ago Brezec looked like he was going to have a decent career.
Negative Spin: Not sure how the addition of Brezec makes the Raptors that much better. The team is good, but not good enough to get out of the second round of the playoffs.
5. PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS
Positive Spin: As a GM, Kevin Pritchard has a hot hand, and maybe he can strike gold again with Von Wafer.
Negative Spin: The Blazers had a number of assets (Travis Outlaw, Sergio Rodriguez, Jarrett Jack, Martell Webster) that they tried to turn into a core player such as Devin Harris. Pritchard worked the phones, but in the end he came up empty. A rare strikeout for Trader Pritch.
6. MINNESOTA TIMBERWOLVES
Positive Spin: After forfeiting first-round picks for years because of the Joe Smith scandal, a second-round pick has to count for something.
Negative Spin: Gerald Green had too much talent not to get a run on a very bad team. The Wolves may regret letting him walk to Houston.
7. DENVER NUGGETS
Positive Spin: Taurean Green has more championship rings than anyone else on the roster.
Negative Spin: Green's Florida rings don't count for much in the NBA. If the Nuggets had championship dreams this season, those dreams seemed to go by the wayside when the Nuggets failed to make a big deal before the trade deadline. Now the chances of the Nuggets falling out of the playoff race look real.
On The Sidelines
From best to worst decisions at the trade deadline
1. UTAH JAZZ
Positive Spin: The Jazz already made perhaps the second best move of the year. They are 19-3 since they swapped Gordan Giricek for Kyle Korver.
Negative Spin: With all of the movement in the West, maybe the Jazz should've done more. There was interest in Andrei Kirilenko, but at the end of the day they decided not to make a move.
2. BOSTON CELTICS
Positive Spin: They have been the the best team in basketball. Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Ray Allen have great chemistry. Rajon Rondo has excelled at point guard. The bench isn't as bad as people thought it would be. There's a chance they'll be able to get help via the waiver wire in the next couple of weeks, particularly with Sam Cassell.
Negative Spin: They still seem to lack depth at the point and at center. A small move would've helped their chances in the playoffs.
3. ORLANDO MAGIC
Positive Spin: Dwight Howard is now officially Superman. Hedo Turkoglu is having a career year. Rashard Lewis hasn't been a bust. They face very little competition in their division.
Negative Spin: The Magic had a bunch of expiring contracts and couldn't land either of two desperately needed pieces -- a better starting point guard and a power forward that would allow Lewis to return to his natural position. Otis Smith once again fails to deliver at the trade deadline. The Magic might have a winning record, but they won't make it out of the second round.
4. PHILADELPHIA 76ERS
Positive Spin: Despite the fact that they're rebuilding, the Sixers have a good shot of making the playoffs this year. Andre Miller has been a great leader on and off the court. Their young guys, especially Louis Williams and Thaddeus Young, really seem to be developing.
Negative Spin: The Sixers missed a chance to get way under the cap this summer. Had they moved Miller for an expiring contract, they would've been nearly $20 million under. As it stands now, they're roughly $10 million under -- not enough to get a top-tier free agent like Elton Brand or Gilbert Arenas.
5. WASHINGTON WIZARDS
Positive Spin: Despite a plethora of injuries, the Wizards are still in the playoff hunt in the East. Once everyone's back and healthy, the team has three All-Stars and Brendan Haywood playing the best basketball of his career.
Negative Spin: The Wizards are unlikely to make it out of the first round of the playoffs. Arenas and Antawn Jamison will be free agents this summer. Things could turn sour very quickly. Why didn't they offer Jamison's expiring contract and a much better first-round pick for Pau Gasol? Did Ernie Grunfeld get caught sleeping at the wheel?
6. CHARLOTTE BOBCATS
Positive Spin: Michael Jordan is a part owner. Gerald Wallace, Emeka Okafor and Jason Richardson form a solid core. The 2008 draft isn't bad.
Negative Spin: It's hard to see how the Bobcats make the leap from here. The Nazr Mohammed trade earlier in the season hurt their cap flexibility, and signing Okafor to a big deal will cap them out. Adam Morrison looks like a bust. The Bobcats seemed to be stuck in mediocrity.
7. LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS
Positive Spin: Donald Sterling didn't have to spend any additional money.
Negative Spin: The Clippers are a mess, and things could get much worse this summer if Elton Brand and Corey Maggette opt out. They could've tried to move both players for assets now before possibly losing them for nothing in July. Sam Cassell probably won't be around much longer. This might soon be Chris Kaman's team. That's not a thought that will inspire fear in the hearts of the Western Conference.
8. MILWAUKEE BUCKS
Positive Spin: People in China love the Bucks!
Negative Spin: Owner Herb Kohl turned down several deals and appears poised to sack his GM. The team is struggling to find an identity and need to be making trades, not refusing them. By obtaining Zach Randolph for Bobby Simmons, Charlie Villanueva and Dan Gadzuric, the Bucks could've been a playoff team.
9. INDIANA PACERS
Positive Spin: Maybe Jermaine O'Neal and Jamaal Tinsley's trade value will rocket if they come back and play great basketball. Danny Granger looks like he could be a star. Shawne Williams has some promise.
Negative Spin: The Pacers desperately need to begin rebuilding, but they seem stuck. They can't give O'Neal away, but until he starts playing better, they can't get value in return. The team is holding a bunch of bad contracts after that disastrous trade last year that saw them give away Al Harrington and Stephen Jackson for Troy Murphy and Mike Dunleavy. The exit strategy here remains fuzzy. The Pacers have to find a way to move assets like Jeff Foster and Ike Diogu for draft picks and/or young players with a future.
10. GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS
Positive Spin: Remember that amazing playoff run last season? The miracle one? Maybe lightning can strike twice with small ball.
Negative Spin: The Warriors were one of the two contending Western Conference teams that did essentially nothing. Their window with Baron Davis, Al Harrington and Stephen Jackson is closing. If they fall out of the playoffs, it will be a major step back for a franchise that finally seemed to be on the upswing.
11. NEW YORK KNICKS
Positive Spin: Isiah Thomas didn't trade away David Lee for Vince Carter. He didn't doom the franchise to salary cap hell through the next decade with a ridiculous move. And things can't get any worse, right?
Negative Spin: The Knicks needed to move either Eddy Curry or Zach Randolph -- and failed. Other teams had genuine interest in Jamal Crawford, whose trade value has never been this high, and the Knicks passed. James Dolan continues to let Isiah Thomas drive the Knicks into Death Valley with no sign of a turnaround.
Chad Ford covers the NBA for ESPN Insider.
http://insider.espn.go.com/nba/insider/columns/story?columnist=ford_chad&page=TradeEval-080222&univLogin02=stateChanged
The NBA trade deadline has been one for the ages.
After last year's yawner, NBA GMs got their nerve up and made a bunch of mega-deals.
Over the past three weeks we saw two future Hall of Famers (Shaquille O'Neal and Jason Kidd), three former All-Stars (Shawn Marion, Pau Gasol and Ben Wallace) and a host of other players traded.
In all, 43 players changed uniforms in February, with an amazing 19 teams involved in trades.
Who helped themselves? Who stumbled? And what about the teams that couldn't get something done?
We've evaluated each team's execution at the trade deadline, providing the pros and cons for all 30 teams.
The Movers and Shakers
From best to worst, in terms of moves made this month
1. LOS ANGELES LAKERS
Positive Spin: The team lands Pau Gasol, doesn't give up any core players and suddenly looks like the favorites to represent the West in the NBA Finals.
Negative Spin: That's tough. How about this? Adding Gasol put pressure on Kobe Bryant to play through his finger injury. If he injures it further, maybe we can blame the trade? I know it's weak. It's the best I have. This was an amazing trade for the Lakers.
2. MIAMI HEAT
Positive Spin: Instead of buying out Shaq at something like $40 million, the team gets an All-Star forward in Shawn Marion. There's no way the Heat thought they could get so much for Shaq.
Negative Spin: The Heat could've rebuilt completely -- overnight -- had they found a way to trade Jason Williams and Ricky Davis. With some many teams clamoring for the cap space the Williams-Davis contracts could provide, it's hard to believe the Heat couldn't have landed more talent beyond Marion. Now, as it stands, this team isn't looking at significant cap room until the summer of 2009.
3. ATLANTA HAWKS
Positive Spin: Billy Knight finally lands a real point point guard in Mike Bibby and gives up little to get it done.
Negative Spin: Does Bibby still have enough in the tank to make the Hawks a contender? In any case, this doesn't make up for passing on Chris Paul, Deron Williams and Rajon Rondo, among others, the past few years.
4. SAN ANTONIO SPURS
Positive Spin: The rich get richer. The Spurs give up nothing of consequence and add a tough interior defender to their front line in Kurt Thomas.
Negative Spin: The Spurs are looking old and Thomas is 35. At some point, the Spurs have to add some fresh blood to the lineup. That's tough to do when you keep giving away draft picks.
5. CLEVELAND CAVALIERS
Positive Spin: LeBron is happy. Does anything else matter?
Negative Spin: LeBron is happy . . . for the moment. It's not clear that Ben Wallace, Wally Szczerbiak, Joe Smith and Delonte West bring enough to the table to put the Cavs on par with the Celtics and Pistons. And the team's cap flexibility is now practically gone. It's doubtful Danny Ferry can make another big move before LeBron hits free agency in 2010.
6. SEATTLE SUPERSONICS
Positive Spin: They're young, they're rebuilding and they just picked up another first-round pick and more cap space next summer.
Negative Spin: Losing Kurt Thomas and Wally Szczerbiak takes away the two real veteran presences on the team. Will this team be even more rudderless than it already appears?
7. NEW JERSEY NETS
Positive Spin: Devin Harris is 10 years younger than Jason Kidd and (this season at least) is now putting up better numbers . . . without the attitude. Long term, the Nets also save some significant dough.
Negative Spin: Getting rid of Kidd was good, but what happened to that Vince Carter trade? He's going to be a problem and, at this point, I would've traded him for Stephon Marbury -- eat Marbury's contract for a year and have major cash in the summer of 2010 for LeBron.
8. PHOENIX SUNS
Positive Spin: Shaquille O'Neal is still one of the most dominant big men in the league. If he gets healthy and in shape, he still has a chance to be a big factor for Phoenix. Steve Nash and Amare Stoudemire are almost giddy at the thought of playing with a true big man.
Negative Spin: The Suns paid a high price for Shaq. Shawn Marion was crucial to what the Suns did on both ends of the floor. If Shaq breaks down, the Suns' hopes for a championship are down the drain.
9. DALLAS MAVERICKS
Positive Spin: Jason Kidd returns to Big D, where he gives the team some much-needed toughness and leadership. He gives the Mavs a chance to keep pace with the Suns, Lakers and Spurs in the West.
Negative Spin: They gave up an up-and-coming point guard who is 10 years younger than Kidd. Statistically, Devin Harris was having a better season already. They also lost a key frontcourt player in DeSagana Diop. If this experiment doesn't work, the Mavs will have egg on their face.
10. SACRAMENTO KINGS
Positive Spin: The Kings got rid of Mike Bibby's contract and avoided the luxury tax while opening up more minutes for their young players to develop. Maybe Shelden Williams can give them something in return for Bibby.
Negative Spin: The Kings started the rebuilding project, but didn't finish it by moving Ron Artest, who can walk after the season. They could've at least brought home a mid-to-late first round pick for him. That should've been enough, right?
11. CHICAGO BULLS
Positive Spin: Ben Wallace was causing problems, apparently. The team was going nowhere fast and needed a change.
Negative Spin: It's hard to understand how this makes the Bulls better. Joe Smith is having a better season than Drew Gooden. Ben Gordon and Thabo Sefalosha are better than Larry Hughes at the 2. The Bulls don't really save much money in the deal. It feels like they've just traded away decent players for someone else's junk.
12. MEMPHIS GRIZZLIES
Positive Spin: Michael Heisley saved money! The Grizzlies have a third young point guard! Marc Gasol is secretly better than his brother! Late first-round picks are fun! It always pays to scratch the back of superagent Arn Tellem!
Negative Spin: The Grizzlies gave away Gasol and got a pathetic return. They did clear cap space, but the signal out of Memphis is that they might not use it. After giving away Gasol and getting ripped for it, GM Chris Wallace suddenly started asking for much more in return for lesser talents like Mike Miller and Kyle Lowry.
Minor Players
From best to worst, in terms of moves made this month
1. HOUSTON ROCKETS
Positive Spin: Bonzi Wells and Mike James weren't really contributing, and Bobby Jackson, when healthy, can provide a spark off the bench. The deal also saves the Rockets some money. Houston native Gerald Green has a lot of talent, and they get a free look at him for a few months and then can decide whether he's worth signing to a long-term deal.
Negative Spin: With the Lakers, Mavericks, Suns and Spurs all making bigger deals, how will this deal help the Rockets keep pace in the West? They should've made a stronger push for Ron Artest.
2. NEW ORLEANS HORNETS
Positive Spin: The team needed more backcourt scoring, and Wells and James can provide it. They gave up very little in return.
Negative Spin: The Hornets took on more money to get James. What they really needed was a veteran who could help them in the playoffs. Where's local guy P.J. Brown when you need him?
3. DETROIT PISTONS
Positive Spin: You can never have enough combo guards come playoff time. Bench play has been an Achilles' heel in the past, so Juan Dixon adds needed depth. Primoz Brezec wasn't going to play for them anyway.
Negative Spin: The Pistons had other expiring contracts to trade and could've added more depth in the frontcourt.
4. TORONTO RAPTORS
Positive Spin: The team needed size and two years ago Brezec looked like he was going to have a decent career.
Negative Spin: Not sure how the addition of Brezec makes the Raptors that much better. The team is good, but not good enough to get out of the second round of the playoffs.
5. PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS
Positive Spin: As a GM, Kevin Pritchard has a hot hand, and maybe he can strike gold again with Von Wafer.
Negative Spin: The Blazers had a number of assets (Travis Outlaw, Sergio Rodriguez, Jarrett Jack, Martell Webster) that they tried to turn into a core player such as Devin Harris. Pritchard worked the phones, but in the end he came up empty. A rare strikeout for Trader Pritch.
6. MINNESOTA TIMBERWOLVES
Positive Spin: After forfeiting first-round picks for years because of the Joe Smith scandal, a second-round pick has to count for something.
Negative Spin: Gerald Green had too much talent not to get a run on a very bad team. The Wolves may regret letting him walk to Houston.
7. DENVER NUGGETS
Positive Spin: Taurean Green has more championship rings than anyone else on the roster.
Negative Spin: Green's Florida rings don't count for much in the NBA. If the Nuggets had championship dreams this season, those dreams seemed to go by the wayside when the Nuggets failed to make a big deal before the trade deadline. Now the chances of the Nuggets falling out of the playoff race look real.
On The Sidelines
From best to worst decisions at the trade deadline
1. UTAH JAZZ
Positive Spin: The Jazz already made perhaps the second best move of the year. They are 19-3 since they swapped Gordan Giricek for Kyle Korver.
Negative Spin: With all of the movement in the West, maybe the Jazz should've done more. There was interest in Andrei Kirilenko, but at the end of the day they decided not to make a move.
2. BOSTON CELTICS
Positive Spin: They have been the the best team in basketball. Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Ray Allen have great chemistry. Rajon Rondo has excelled at point guard. The bench isn't as bad as people thought it would be. There's a chance they'll be able to get help via the waiver wire in the next couple of weeks, particularly with Sam Cassell.
Negative Spin: They still seem to lack depth at the point and at center. A small move would've helped their chances in the playoffs.
3. ORLANDO MAGIC
Positive Spin: Dwight Howard is now officially Superman. Hedo Turkoglu is having a career year. Rashard Lewis hasn't been a bust. They face very little competition in their division.
Negative Spin: The Magic had a bunch of expiring contracts and couldn't land either of two desperately needed pieces -- a better starting point guard and a power forward that would allow Lewis to return to his natural position. Otis Smith once again fails to deliver at the trade deadline. The Magic might have a winning record, but they won't make it out of the second round.
4. PHILADELPHIA 76ERS
Positive Spin: Despite the fact that they're rebuilding, the Sixers have a good shot of making the playoffs this year. Andre Miller has been a great leader on and off the court. Their young guys, especially Louis Williams and Thaddeus Young, really seem to be developing.
Negative Spin: The Sixers missed a chance to get way under the cap this summer. Had they moved Miller for an expiring contract, they would've been nearly $20 million under. As it stands now, they're roughly $10 million under -- not enough to get a top-tier free agent like Elton Brand or Gilbert Arenas.
5. WASHINGTON WIZARDS
Positive Spin: Despite a plethora of injuries, the Wizards are still in the playoff hunt in the East. Once everyone's back and healthy, the team has three All-Stars and Brendan Haywood playing the best basketball of his career.
Negative Spin: The Wizards are unlikely to make it out of the first round of the playoffs. Arenas and Antawn Jamison will be free agents this summer. Things could turn sour very quickly. Why didn't they offer Jamison's expiring contract and a much better first-round pick for Pau Gasol? Did Ernie Grunfeld get caught sleeping at the wheel?
6. CHARLOTTE BOBCATS
Positive Spin: Michael Jordan is a part owner. Gerald Wallace, Emeka Okafor and Jason Richardson form a solid core. The 2008 draft isn't bad.
Negative Spin: It's hard to see how the Bobcats make the leap from here. The Nazr Mohammed trade earlier in the season hurt their cap flexibility, and signing Okafor to a big deal will cap them out. Adam Morrison looks like a bust. The Bobcats seemed to be stuck in mediocrity.
7. LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS
Positive Spin: Donald Sterling didn't have to spend any additional money.
Negative Spin: The Clippers are a mess, and things could get much worse this summer if Elton Brand and Corey Maggette opt out. They could've tried to move both players for assets now before possibly losing them for nothing in July. Sam Cassell probably won't be around much longer. This might soon be Chris Kaman's team. That's not a thought that will inspire fear in the hearts of the Western Conference.
8. MILWAUKEE BUCKS
Positive Spin: People in China love the Bucks!
Negative Spin: Owner Herb Kohl turned down several deals and appears poised to sack his GM. The team is struggling to find an identity and need to be making trades, not refusing them. By obtaining Zach Randolph for Bobby Simmons, Charlie Villanueva and Dan Gadzuric, the Bucks could've been a playoff team.
9. INDIANA PACERS
Positive Spin: Maybe Jermaine O'Neal and Jamaal Tinsley's trade value will rocket if they come back and play great basketball. Danny Granger looks like he could be a star. Shawne Williams has some promise.
Negative Spin: The Pacers desperately need to begin rebuilding, but they seem stuck. They can't give O'Neal away, but until he starts playing better, they can't get value in return. The team is holding a bunch of bad contracts after that disastrous trade last year that saw them give away Al Harrington and Stephen Jackson for Troy Murphy and Mike Dunleavy. The exit strategy here remains fuzzy. The Pacers have to find a way to move assets like Jeff Foster and Ike Diogu for draft picks and/or young players with a future.
10. GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS
Positive Spin: Remember that amazing playoff run last season? The miracle one? Maybe lightning can strike twice with small ball.
Negative Spin: The Warriors were one of the two contending Western Conference teams that did essentially nothing. Their window with Baron Davis, Al Harrington and Stephen Jackson is closing. If they fall out of the playoffs, it will be a major step back for a franchise that finally seemed to be on the upswing.
11. NEW YORK KNICKS
Positive Spin: Isiah Thomas didn't trade away David Lee for Vince Carter. He didn't doom the franchise to salary cap hell through the next decade with a ridiculous move. And things can't get any worse, right?
Negative Spin: The Knicks needed to move either Eddy Curry or Zach Randolph -- and failed. Other teams had genuine interest in Jamal Crawford, whose trade value has never been this high, and the Knicks passed. James Dolan continues to let Isiah Thomas drive the Knicks into Death Valley with no sign of a turnaround.
Chad Ford covers the NBA for ESPN Insider.