Trade deadline winners and losers (cont.)

LOSERS

Phoenix Suns

• No moves

• Skinny: The Suns remind me of Carl Spackler in Caddyshack: They made a lot of noise but they got nothing done. Now they have a disconsolate star big man in Stoudemire, who knows the organization neither wants him nor wants to pay him. They have a bunch of players who were expecting a deal. And they have to play out the remainder of the season with a false smile covering their grimaces.

Boston Celtics

• What they got: G Nate Robinson, F Marcus Landry

• What they gave up: G Eddie House, G J.R. Giddens, F Bill Walker

• Skinny: Methinks the veteran Celtics players are not going to be fond of playing with Robinson. I don't understand this trade.

Chicago Bulls

• What they got: G Acie Law, G Flip Murray, F Joe Alexander, F Hakim Warrick, first-round pick

• What they gave up: F Tyrus Thomas, G John Salmons, two second-round picks

• Skinny: I'm torn here. I know they are trying to free up cap space to pursue Dwyane Wade. But I wonder what becomes of them if they don't land Wade. They have some pieces, but not enough. They are in the worst possible spot, always average, which never allows them to be completely good or completely bad. And they could struggle just to hold on to their playoff spot this season. It all seems a bit hollow. Not to mention they are admitting that giving up LaMarcus Aldridge for Thomas and Viktor Khryapa in 2006 was a miserable failure.

Philadelphia 76ers

• What they got: G Jodie Meeks, C-F Francisco Elson

• What they gave up: G Royal Ivey, C Primoz Brezec

• Skinny: They worked the phones for weeks trying to unload the contracts of Andre Iguodala, Samuel Dalembert and Elton Brand. Instead they unloaded Brezec and Ivey. Seems like they were just trying to justify making all those phone calls.

San Antonio Spurs

• What they got: Future second-round pick

• What they gave up: Theo Ratliff

Skinny: They wanted to unload Richard Jefferson. An unhappy Roger Mason sought a trade. And they look old and beaten down. R.C. Buford is a shrewd GM, but this team needed some infusion of talent or energy.

Los Angeles Clippers

• What they got: F Drew Gooden, G Steve Blake, F Travis Outlaw

• What they gave up: F Al Thornton, G Sebastian Telfair, C-F Marcus Camby, F-C Brian Skinner

• Skinny: Call me cynical, but does anybody really think that the Clippers can unload contracts in order to attract big-name free agents? Really, is LeBron or Dwyane or Bosh realistically going to go there? With their track record? They had all the talent in the world this year and could not make anything happen, so why is that going to change? And how many times have we heard that the Clippers are rebuilding?

Minnesota Timberwolves

• What they got: C Darko Milicic

• What they gave up: F Brian Cardinal

• Skinny: Darko Milicic? Really? I guess the cash from New York is nice, but what are they hoping to do, revive his career?