The NBA trade deadline has come and gone, and once again, just like has been the case in the past few years, Amare Stoudemire is still a Phoenix Sun. However, the deadline, which ended Wednesday at 3 PM ET, did come with a few shockers, as teams either tried to gear up for a playoff run or add some cap space and twiddle their thumbs until draft day 2010. This offseason promises to be one of the most prolific in NBA history, with superstars such as Lebron James (have you heard of him?), Dwayne Wade, and Chris Bosh all waiting to be courted by promising suitors. In all essence, the trade deadline was a glorified chess match, with teams not only loading up in search of a title this year but also positioning themselves for the “King James Sweepstakes” of the 2010 offseason. Let’s see how each team did.

Winners:
Cleveland Cavaliers. The Cavs took a much-needed step towards securing Lebron James next season as well as making a run for a NBA title when they added Antawn Jamison from the Washington Wizards, a versatile forward who can score from anywhere on the court, play within a system, and has been known as a great teammate and unselfish player. Cleveland parted ways with Zydrunas Ilgauskas and a 2010 first round pick, but what they are getting is well worth the loss. Jamison’s addition should force opposing defenses to double-team James less often, and give him a sidekick the likes of Jordan-Pippen and Kobe-Shaq. The Cavs are still not the favorite to resign James due to their small market and limited cap space, but they certainly improved their stock on Wednesday.

Charlotte Bobcats. The Bobcats traded Acie Law, Ronald “Flip” Murray (I have to wonder how he got that nickname), and a first round draft pick to the Chicago Bulls for former 4th overall pick Tyrus Thomas. This move only adds to the Bobcats’ young core of talent, as they added a player that is only 23, has NBA experience, and is also one of the best pure athletes in the game. Thomas is still a little raw, but he is a good shot blocker, can rebound and has a developing mid-range jumper to go along with an insane vertical. Thomas’ issues in the past couple seasons have been motivation, but if he develops chemistry with Charlotte’s young players they could have a good core of talent for years to come.
Not only that, but Charlotte and Chicago are currently battling for a playoff spot, so whoever gets the better of this trade will likely beat out the other for a chance to play in the Eastern Conference playoffs. I think Thomas is a better addition for the stretch run this season than what the Bulls got in return, which is an aging shooting guard (Murray), and another player who peaked as a star for the Texas A&M Aggies in the Big 12 Conference (Acie Law). We’ll have to wait and see how this plays out.

Portland Trail Blazers. The Blazers acquired Marcus Camby at the deadline from the Los Angeles Clippers (I didn’t know there were two teams in LA either), and in doing so added to a frontline that has been decimated by the injury bug. Both of Portland’s centers, Joel Pryzbilla and Greg Oden, have went down, so it was crucial for Portland to make a move for a big man if they want to make any kind of serious run in the Western conference. And they did just that with Camby, a proven veteran that is a great defensive player, a capable scorer, and has significant playoff experience. To get Camby Portland dealt Travis Outlaw, Steve Blake and cash to LA, basically unloading their excess baggage but not giving up anybody of real substance. If Brandon Roy stays healthy Portland can now be considered a super sleeper in the West.

Losers:
Sacramento Kings. Talk about calling it quits. The Kings basically gave away their best pure scorer, Kevin Martin, for a Starbucks gift card and a high five. What they really got might’ve been worse, as the names of Carl Landry, Joey Dorsey, and Larry Hughes don’t exactly strike fear in the opponent. Sacramento is packing it in for the remainder of this season, as they should, but they clearly could have gotten better talent or more draft picks for the young, talented Martin. Instead they will hope desperately to land a big name this offseason, but that is likely only pipe dreams when competing against big market teams in New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles. Sacramento’s glory days of Chris Webber, Mike Bibby, and Vlade Divac are gone. Hopefully they enjoy that Starbucks gift card.

New York Knicks. The Knicks made a heap load of trades before Wednesday’s deadline, but the biggest name they brought in was without a doubt Tracy Mcgrady (barely beating out Eddie House). They plan on using Mcgrady’s name to try to lure Lebron James to New York this offseason. But here’s Mcgrady’s profile- he’s aging (31), has barely played all season (2.3 PPG), is often injured, can’t jump like he used to, has an erratic jump shot, and has never, EVER won a playoff series. Not only that, but he basically plays the same position as James, so that too is a potential conflict. If you are Lebron James, is that really so enticing? If The Knickerbockers fail to land “The King” they will be left with nothing but a former superstar who is a shell of his former self. Good luck with that.