Deadline deals raise more questions than answers

	Stephon Marbury and Steve Francis may not have much time to get close if the Knicks target Kevin Garnett this summer. Fernando Medina/NBAE via Getty Images
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A half-dozen deals went down before Thursday's trade deadline, including the Knicks' heist of Steve Francis and the Sonics' quiet overhaul of their bench. But the only move that may ultimately influence the balance of power was Denver's acquisition of frontcourt defenders Ruben Patterson and Reggie Evans, who could ultimately help the Nuggets reach the Western Conference finals.

Here's a look at the biggest deal from each conference, with hopes that we may now enjoy a two-month moratorium on all rumors involving Kevin Garnett and Allen Iverson:

In the East ...

The Knicks acquire Francis from the Magic for Trevor Ariza and Anfernee Hardaway's expiring contract.

For New York: At first I couldn't fathom the logic of adding Francis to a shoot-first backcourt already loaded with Stephon Marbury, Jalen Rose, Jamal Crawford and swingman Quentin Richardson. But it's hard to criticize the Knicks for stealing Francis, who once was so highly rated that the Magic dealt Tracy McGrady for him (and with Cuttino Mobley). Less than two years later, the Knicks landed one of the most talented players in the league for an expiring salary and a little-used second-rounder; it's as if Francis were hitch-hiking when team president Isiah Thomas picked him up on his way into the office.

But it's also hard to find anyone who thinks the pairing of Francis and Marbury will work in the long term, considering both have demonstrated plenty of trouble playing with deferential teammates. So how will they cooperate with each other? That answer may be secondary to the question of whether the Knicks can elevate their values so that one of them can eventually be included in a package for Garnett, Iverson or another superstar. (Oops, so much for the moratorium on rumors.)

For Orlando: The Magic gave Francis away for cap space in '07, when they'll try to land a free-agent wing scorer to go with young big men Dwight Howard and Darko Milicic. In the short term, however, all they have to show for McGrady is Ariza. Every big star who has gone to Orlando has had his tenure there end badly: Shaquille O'Neal, Penny Hardaway, McGrady, Grant Hill (whose entire tenure has gone badly) and Francis. Will Howard reverse that trend?

In the West ...

A four-team, nine-player deal: Seattle acquires Earl Watson, Bryon Russell, a 2008 second-round pick and cash from the Nuggets; Denver acquires Reggie Evans from the Sonics, and Ruben Patterson and Charles Smith from the Trail Blazers; Portland acquires Voshon Lenard from the Nuggets and Brian Skinner from the Kings; and Sacramento acquires Vitaly Potapenko from the Sonics and Sergei Monia from the Trail Blazers.

For Denver: After investigating moves to unload Kenyon Martin and Nenê that might have helped them in future seasons, the Nuggets settled on a trade focused on securing the Northwest Division title this year. Evans and Patterson give them size and defense on the frontline to compensate for the absences of Nenê (out for the season with a torn ACL) and Martin (out frequently this season with a variety of ailments). Coach George Karl will spend the final two months trying to develop the aggressive pressure defense that will lead to transition baskets and compensate for the Nuggets' dearth of a halfcourt scorer. If they hit a stride, they can make a legitimate run at the conference finals.