NBA Trade Deadline 2012: 5 Biggest Winners and Losers ... and Dwight Howard

FIVE BIGGEST WINNERS

 

Los Angeles Lakers

The LA Lakers are now at worst the second best team in the Western Conference and at best the team to beat in the West and on their way to their fourth Western Conference title in 5 seasons.

The Lakers dumped a player they would have gladly traded for a pair of sneakers in Luke Walton and the little used Jason Kapono for a new starting point guard in Ramon Sessions. They also dumped Derek Fisher for a true backup center and a player that is easily their 3rd best big in the vastly underrated Jordan Hill.

In essence, the Lakers swapped the 37-year-old Fisher for the far superior 25-year-old Sessions and two players who almost never play unless it's garbage time for the talented Jordan Hill. That is a massive upgrade.

Personally, I would have liked to see the Lakers get Michael Beasley as well, but they were serious about saving money this year and there is no guarantee Beasley would have been a great fit.

Indiana Pacers

The Pacers got dynamic combo guard Leandro Barbosa for basically nothing and therefore are huge deadline day winners. Indiana went from a top-five team in the Eastern Conference to quite possibly the third best team with a much improved chance of beating the Bulls in a seven game series.

Denver Nuggets

Nene was a bad, over-priced signing for the Nuggets. To turn him into the extremely talented Javale McGee and give themselves some cap space in order to sign Wilson Chandler, was a magnificent move. McGee is taller, longer, younger and far more athletic than Nene. McGee is a better defender and far superior rebounder. Denver fans should be thrilled!

Stephen Jackson

Captain Jack went from riding the bench as well as being in coach Scott Skiles doghouse in lottery bound Milwaukee, to starting on a team with the 2nd best record in the Western Conference and playing for a coach who adores him. This was undoubtedly one of the best days of Stephen Jackson's career.

Ramon Sessions

Sessions went from being the backup point guard on a lottery bound Cavs team to being the starting point guard for the Los Angeles Lakers. Proving that the NBA truly is "where amazing happens".

FIVE BIGGEST LOSERS

Derek Fisher

Perhaps the best thing from Derek Fisher's point of view is, "at least he wasn't traded to Charlotte". In all seriousness, Fisher should fill a role on the Rockets and help guide them into the playoffs. But being traded by the team you helped lead to five NBA titles can't feel good.

Nene

Nene could have signed with Indiana, New Jersey or any number of other NBA teams this past offseason. He chose to remain in Denver and apparently even give them a bit of a hometown discount as it was reported that his wife wanted to stay in Denver. Nene's loyalty was rewarded by being traded to one of the worst teams in the NBA. Nice.

Washington Wizards

Trading a future star center for one who is not only far less talented but nearly 6 years older and far more expensive is the sort of lunacy that leads to General Managers being fired. 

New Jersey Nets

New jersey went from possibly becoming the NBA's next great super team to having Gerald Wallace as the face of their franchise next season.

Trading away what could be as high as the 4th pick in this year's insanely deep draft for Gerald Wallace was idiotic. I would not be surprised at all to see Deron Williams choose to take his talents to his hometown of Dallas and team up with legend, Dirk Nowitzki over staying in Brooklyn with Gerald Wallace.

Phoenix Suns

The Suns lost their only chance to dump one of their bad contracts (Josh Childress or Hakim Warrick) and give Steve Nash the chance to play on a title contender by doing nothing. The sad thing is, we all saw this coming.

DWIGHT HOWARD 

Superman was both a winner and loser.

Dwight Howard no doubt endeared himself to NBA fans coast to coast and primarily Orlando Magic fans when he chose to extend his contract through next season.

Howard also chose to stay with a team that has a bleak future, rather than align himself with the Nets. Howard could have become the face of Brooklyn next season and led a team that already had a top point guard, a talented young power forward, and the best backup big in the league (Brook Lopez would have backed up Howard). Not to mention a lottery pick which could have turned out to be a future star in Harrison Barnes, etc.

That makes him deadline loser.

As for Dwyane Wade`s mocking tweet about loyalty, Wade is also a trade deadline loser who should have kept his mouth shut, or fingers from typing. Dwight Howard decided to extend his contract with Orlando after a time of prayer and fasting and I do believe it was out of a sense of loyalty rather than intelligence as the smartest thing to do would have been to go to Brooklyn where more money, endorsements and a better chance of winning a title lied.