NBA Midterm Trade Evaluations: Early Team Report Cards

Now that we have seen all the teams that made big trades before the deadline in action, it is a good time to do an early evaluation.

The Los Angeles Lakers, Phoenix Suns, Dallas Mavericks, Atlanta Hawks, Chicago Bulls, and Cleveland Cavaliers all pulled off blockbuster trades in hopes of pushing their respective teams closer to a championship.

You might say it's a little too early to make any type of judgement—but some teams have already shown that they are the ones to beat.

So who are biggest winners and losers this far? Let's pull out the old-fashioned grade book to determine that.

Atlanta Hawks 

New Faces: Mike Bibby 

Record Since Trade: 3-5

Due to a weaker Eastern Conference, the Atlanta Hawks actually have a shot of making the playoffs this season.

Atlanta sat eighth in their conference earlier this season, but hold the ninth seed as of today.

Before the trade the Hawks were already a young up-and-coming team, but needed a point guard to help run the show. No disrespect to Tyron Lue and Anthony Johnson, but they simply were not the answer at the point guard position if Atlanta was serious about making the playoffs.

Although he's never been to the Finals, Bibby is playoff-tested from his Sacramento days.

Since his arrival in Atlanta, Bibby's scoring average has stayed exactly the same as in Sacramento, averaging 13.5 PPG. His assists total, though, has gone from 5.0 to 7.3, and has turned out to be a big upgrade from the point guards they shipped off in exchange for Bibby.

Bibby has been a difference maker in Atlanta, but two of their three wins since the trade have were against teams under .500.

Trade Grade: B-

Chicago Bulls

New Faces: Larry Hughes, Drew Gooden, Shannon Brown, and Cedric Simmons

Record Since Trade: 1-4

The Bulls came into this season with high expectations after last year's playoff run, but haven't lived up to it. After a terrible start, coach Scott Skiles was fired, and GM John Paxson was looking for a change.

Chicago sat fourth in their division, in which they were expected to finish second or third at best.

Right before the trade deadline passed the Bulls made a deal with both Cleveland and Seattle that sent Ben Wallace and Joe Smith to Cleveland. Since the trade the Bulls have only won a single game, but looked better offensively.

Larry Hughes was clearly unhappy during his tenure in Cleveland and has proven that by showing us the Larry Hughes of old. In the five games Hughes has played, he has started two of them. His scoring average has gone from 12.3 to 19.0 PPG. Hughes will also bring perimeter defense to Chicago.

Drew Gooden's scoring average has pretty much remained the same, but his rebounding average has slightly increased.

Shannon Brown and Cedric Simmons haven't been involved much in the offense, and that probably won't change. Brown is an exceptional player and the Bulls could use him in the rotation, but it hasn't happened so far.

Although it may not look good on paper, this was a good trade on Chicago's behalf.

Ben Gordon, Luol Deng, and Andres Nocioni were the main guys on offense, but they now have a consistent go-to guy in Hughes.

Kirk Hinrich, however, will need to be more productive because he has taken a step back this season.

The Bulls playoffs hopes aren't dead yet, but if they remain at the same pace they have been, those chances will be shot quickly.

Chemistry is also a issue when new players arrive to a team. This trade will benefit the Bulls for next season because it could be too late this season.

Trade Grade: B

Cleveland Cavaliers

New Faces: Delonte West, Wally Szczerbiak, Joe Smith, and Ben Wallace

Record Since Trade: 3-2

This trade was based off a request by LeBron James.

The Cavs made a run to the NBA Finals last season, but after a makeover in Boston during the offseason and the Detroit Pistons playing so well, their chances of making another run to the Finals didn't look too good.

On the plus side, Cleveland gets a much needed point guard in West, good low post defenders in Smith and Wallace, and another shooter in Szczerbiak.

On the more negative side, Cleveland lost Hughes and Ira Newable, who were both good defenders on the perimeter. Cleveland did addition by subtraction in this case. 

Delonte West's numbers have gone from 6.8 to 10.6, while starting all five games since his arrival. Wally Szczerbiak's numbers have pretty much remained the same, but he has stood out the most of the four on the offensive end.

Joe Smith has came off the bench for his five games in Cleveland and has looked impressive as a backup. Smith's numbers are down from his days in Chicago, but his impact has been more beneficial to the Cavaliers.

And Ben Wallace is starting to look like his former self in Cleveland. His offense has never been taken seriously, but it has taken a three-point increase. Wallace's impact on the defensive end is the main thing he brings to the Cavs.

While they lost two good perimeter defenders and a good rebounder in Gooden, this trade is what they needed if they want to compete with Boston and Detroit.

Trade Grade: B

Dallas Mavericks

New Faces: Jason Kidd, Malik Allen, and Antonie Wright 

Record Since Trade: 4-4

Don't be fooled by the 4-4 record—the Mavs have improved since acquiring Jason Kidd.

The Western Conference all of a sudden went from the great to dominant in a matter of weeks. Dallas needed to make some kind of move, and Jason Kidd appeared to be the best decision to owner Mark Cuban.

During the eight games Kidd has played for Dallas, his impact has been a positive one. Kidd has still managed to average a double-double, and his steals have sky rocketed.

Dirk Nowitzki, meanwhile, has played excellently since Kidd's arrival in Dallas, averaging 29 PPG since Kidd began his second stint with the Mavs.

Erick Dampier has also excelled to a different level with Kidd in Dallas, averaging double figures in rebounding the last eight games.

The Mavs obviously are living more for the present than the future, considering they traded their point guard of the future in Devin Harris. Harris' penetration, along with his ability to present problems to San Antonio's Tony Parker will be missed.

But on the positive side, they now have a guy who is mentally tough and brings veteran leadership in Kidd. Why Kidd wasn't in the game during the final seconds of their lost to San Antonio last week will remain a mystery to all. 

No doubt that the trade for Kidd has made them a better team, but in a loaded Western Conference it may not be enough for a championship run.

Trade Grade: A-

Los Angeles Lakers

New Faces: Pau Gasol 

Record Since Trade: 12-2 

This has been the best move since the trade deadline—the record tells it all.

Talks of Chicago and maybe New Jersey acquiring Pau Gasol had been rumored the last couple of seasons, and then the Lakers came out of nowhere and snatched him.

Gasol has been a perfect fit to Phil Jackson's triangle offense, averaging 20 PPG in a Lakers uniform.

Already having the best player in the league in Kobe Bryant, all the Lakers needed was another piece to help Bryant and the Lakers become legit contenders.

The Lakers bench has been deep all season, and Derek Fisher along with Lamar Odom have been solid to complement that.

As scary as Los Angeles is right now, Andrew Bynum is expected to return before playoff time.

Kobe and the Lakers went from being a good team to favorites to win it all.

Whiile Gasol has been a Laker, Los Angeles has gone on a 10-game winning streak. This was the Lakers first double-digit win streak since Shaq's departure.

If any team was to stand in Los Angeles' way, it would be the defending champions San Antonio Spurs.

Trade Grade: A+

Phoenix Suns

New Faces: Shaquille O'Neal 

Record Since Trade: 2-4

With Shaq having played six games in a Suns uniform, you can already tell that Phoenix misses Shawn Marion.

The Suns were the best team to watch on offense, but have looked all but that the last six games.

Steve Nash's assist total has went down from 11 per game to nine.

Shaq has had three games in which he has scored in double figures, but Amare Stoudemire has been on another level. O'Neal has also played an average of 28 minutes per game, when most predicted he would play 15 to 20 minutes.

Since the trade, Stoudemire has gone on to average 29 PPG.

Phoenix suffered losses against Philly, New Orleans, and Los Angeles, and a 30-point blowout to Detroit.

Can they still turn things around? Of course they can. But right now it looks like a long road ahead.

Trade Grade: C-

Michael Whittenberg is a senior writer and NBA Community Leader for BleacherReport.com.