This season in the NBA we have few winners and a whole lot of losers as far as trades go. It’s beyond comprehension just how horrible some of these trades have been. One team giving up its star player, hell it’s only player, for a handful of second rate players and some pocket lint? Yikes. Anyway, let’s list off some winners and the really big losers.

Winners:

Los Angeles Lakers: Kobe Bryant isn’t crying now. After throwing an epic temper tantrum about Andrew Bynum, Kobe and his Lakers are sitting pretty after being 12-1 in February and now the only team in the west with 40 wins.

If that wasn’t enough, they somehow managed to commit grand larceny in getting Pau Gasol, the star center/forward from the Memphis Grizzlies. When Bynum does come back from his knee injury the Lakers could take the West out from under the Spurs. I wonder if Kobe still wants to leave?

Dallas Mavericks: When aren’t the Mavs winners? They have the 7-foot three-point shooter in Dirk Nowitzki and a host of excellent players in Jerry Stackhouse, Jason Terry and Juwan Howard. If that wasn’t enough, the fifth place Mavs nabbed superstar Jason Kidd for Devin Harris, the semi-retired Keith Van Horn, and some stickers. With Kidd adding his 10+ assists 10+ boards, and 15+ points per game, the Mavs could easily move into first if they stay healthy.

Phoenix Suns: OK, they only got one guy and they didn’t really lose a lot, but it’s Shaquille O’Neil. After sending Shawn Marion and Marcus Banks to the Miami Heat, the Suns managed to nab one of the most dominating big men in the NBA today, if not ever.

Losers:

Miami Heat: Dear Pat Riley, please remind your front office, and probably yourself that trading away the best big man in the league is a really stupid idea, especially when you are struggling as it is. If, in bizarre-o world where things like this make sense, this trade was a good idea, why in the name of Wilt would you not try to get someone worth Shaq! Someone really dropped the ball on that one.

New Jersey Nets: As if living in New Jersey wasn’t bad enough, the Nets manage to boggle a trade for Harris and Devean George, but George blocked the trade. Then they had a deal with Jerry Stackhouse where he would be released after the trade for Kidd so he could be resigned by the Mavs, which the NBA blocked. Now, giving up on anyone especially good, they trade Kidd for Harris and Van Horn. The Mavs should send the Nets a fruit basket every day for the rest of the season, just as a thank you for letting them keep everyone good.

Memphis Grizzlies: The losers to beat all losers. Clearly, someone in the front office was smoking the hippie lettuce to allow this trade. Pau Gasol, easily the best player on the Grizzlies, was traded to the Lakers for Kwame Brown, a handful of players no one had ever heard of, and the draft rights to Marc Gasol, his younger brother. Yikes. I would call the police but I don’t know who to blame.

New York Knicks: These guys are always losers.

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