NBA Power Rankings: The Top 15 Players We're Amazed Didn't Get Dealt at Deadline
Trade deadlines are a part of basketball.
They can be rewarding to some, and heart-breaking to others.
Some teams even forget there is a deadline, sending in their trade agreement to the league a minute after the clock strikes 3 p.m. EST.
Teams unload, revitalize, stay put or improve with the acquisition of simply one player, like the Carmelo Anthonys and Deron Williamses have a way of doing.
It's a time of celebration, defeat, and, frankly, confusion.
Here are the 15 players that should have been dealt and whose non-existent departure left me confused along with the rest of us.
In the case of Detroit's Richard Hamilton in this photo, to quote The Sandlot, "God, he looks like a dead fish."
15. Stephen Jackson
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Any time forward Stephen Jackson is rumored to be on the trading block, I always find it hard to believe that he isn't actually traded when all is said and done.
Particularly in this situation, where the Charlotte Bobcats are on the outside looking in to the playoff picture and with Gerald Wallace traded by the deadline.
If Wallace was traded, why not trade Jackson too, a noted "bad seed" who can snap at any moment?
Without Wallace, it's likely the Bobcats won't make playoffs this year, and I find it hard to believe no one would give up something for Jackson, albeit for his generally solid play on the court, not his attitude.
14. Danny Granger
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Danny Granger is a star in the league, and a borderline superstar.
Although the Indiana Pacers are in the playoff hunt in the East, it's not like they're looking to get much better anytime soon.
I certainly don't blame the Pacers for trying to keep Granger, who's been rumored as a trade piece since the offseason; I simply can't see why a player of Granger's caliber would want to hang around.
Although the coaching change seemed to help a bit.
13. J.R. Smith
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J.R. Smith, along with Nene Hilario, was rumored to be dangled in front of teams leading up to the deadline.
But, unlike with Nene, a young, talented big man in a world with very few, Smith is simply a scoring guard and not much else.
He's a decent scorer, don't get me wrong, but he's also shot 42 percent for his career without really contributing in many other areas.
A free agent after this season, I expected the Nuggets to send Smith to a contender somewhere out there.
12. Ron Artest
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I think it's pretty clear by now that forward Ron Artest has certainly declined this season with the Los Angeles Lakers.
He's been called out on numerous occasions by coach Phil Jackson and the Lakers were in need of a boost by the deadline, in my opinion, to address a team that doesn't appear to be the same as it was last year.
But the only thing that keeps Artest this low is he has a massive contract, and frankly, what could the Lakers get for him?
11. Andrei Kirilenko
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Forward Andrei Kirilenko does have a gigantic contract, but he also has an expiring one, due to end this year.
You would have think with all the moving and shaking going on around Utah these days, the Jazz would have sent him to a contender for some pieces to build with after Deron Williams and Jerry Sloan's untimely departures.
But that would have been the logical thing to do.
Kirilenko isn't the five-category star he once was, and he's not getting any younger.
Move on with your lives, Utah Jazz.
10. Samuel Dalembert
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Samuel Dalembert was a widely-known trade possibility ever since complaining about his lack of playing time and reports had him asking to be traded from the Sacramento Kings.
Dalembert has played better, giving the Kings a noteworthy defensive presence, but what good is that when you're team is in last place in the Pacific Division?
Plus, Dalembert's a free agent after this season; why not get something out of him?
9. T.J. Ford
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The Indiana Pacers reportedly find little use for point guard T.J. Ford, especially given they are expected to buy out his contract after not being able to trade him.
The only problem is, he's rejected a buyout before, like as in last summer.
Perhaps he wasn't traded because teams knew they could possibly claim him if his contract was bought out, but you would have thought the Pacers would have done everything in their power to get something—a draft pick, anything.
8. Tayshaun Prince
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Before Tayshaun Prince's participation in a mutiny Friday, he was rumored to be traded anyway from the Detroit Pistons before the deadline.
This is his last year in Detroit before he hits free agency, and despite his remarks that he expects to stay with the Pistons, the Detroit Free-Press certainly doesn't seem to think so.
And no, a bad stomach doesn't seem like a good excuse to be involved in a mutiny, Tayshaun.
Don't forget Prince is good pals with Richard Hamilton, who we will discuss later.
7. Steve Nash
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I keep on expecting the Phoenix Suns to trade Steve Nash, and every time they give us all the same tired line: "We aren't trading Steve Nash."
Nash, considered one of the great point guards in the game, enters free agency in 2012, he's on a bad team that isn't going to get much better by the time he's a senior citizen, and, did I mention he's old?
Why would one of the great point guards in the league not try to win a championship somewhere before all is said and done?
I mean, he's Steve Freakin' Nash!
Plus, he'd likely give the Suns something good in return.
6. DeMarcus Cousins
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Sacramento Kings top pick DeMarcus Cousins has already had little riffs with coach Paul Westphal regarding playing time.
He also reportedly got into a fight with teammate Donte Greene, which is always lovely.
The fight happened after a game in which Greene inbounded the ball to Tyreke Evans, who missed the potential game-winning 3-pointer.
I'm guessing Cousins wanted the ball.
With friends like these...
5. Jason Kapono
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Like T.J. Ford, Jason Kapono is another player expected to be bought out after the trade deadline passed.
The Philadelpia 76ers were expected and rumored to be seeking a trade partner, but apparently couldn't find one.
I'm sure there's a demand for Kapono, which will likely rear its head when he's bought out, but you would have thought the 76ers, on the fringe of the playoff hunt, would have been able to get something for him before the deadline.
4. Terrence Williams
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When a little-used player vents on a team going nowhere, you expect the team to ship him out and get rid of anything that could make the season even more ugly.
But the 28-31 Houston Rockets apparently either couldn't find anyone to trade for Terrence Williams or simply didn't try.
I'm guessing it's the former.
3. Anthony Parker
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Not only does guard Anthony Parker have an expiring contract, he's also on the Cleveland Cavaliers, a team currently going nowhere that needs a bunch of pieces to contend in the coming years.
The Cavaliers reportedly were trying to get something for Parker, which would have made sense.
But the deadline has come and gone and now Parker will likely become a free agent and be signed by another team in the summer.
Photo: Hmmm...I didn't know there were one-point shots. Then again, he is on the Cavaliers, where anything's possible.
2. O.J. Mayo
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O.J. Mayo not only was involved in numerous trade rumors that the Memphis Grizzlies wanted him out, he also could have netted them something in return, considering he's still a young talented guard.
In fact, he would have netted them Josh McRoberts and a 2011 first-round draft pick if they hadn't missed the deadline by one minute.
Well, better luck next year Grizzlies.
In the meantime, try to hire a counselor for Mayo and teammate Tony Allen, who get into fights over card games on team flights.
1. Richard Hamilton
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Veteran guard Richard Hamilton, a core part of the Detroit Pistons' magical title run in 2004, was upset the minute second-year coach John Kuester relegated him to the bench.
He even reportedly was set to lead a team mutiny at a shootaround before the All-Star break...which is why it is strange he didn't accept a trade to the Cleveland Cavaliers as reported.
Well, Hamilton wasn't traded by the deadline, and now he has apparently led a team mutiny, with fellow teammate Tayshaun Prince by his side.
Of course, you could take the team spokesman's word for it, who said Hamilton simply missed the team bus, resulting in him missing the team shootaround.
I'm guessing Kuester looked around the team bus, asked if anyone was missing, noticed Hamilton was gone, and then said, "Yep, we've got everyone."
