Marc Serota / Reuters

Shaquille O'Neal gives the Suns a 50 percent better shot at winning the NBA title this season, writes Steve Jones of MSNBC.com. 

For Lakers, a steal of a deal
The Lakers got Gasol and a second-round draft pick in 2010 from the Grizzlies in exchange for Kwame Brown, Javaris Crittenton, Aaron Mckie, the draft rights to Marc Gasol (Pau's brother), and a first-round draft pick in 2008 and 2010. In other words, they got Gasol for virtually nothing. It was a heist as Memphis owner Michael Heisley parted with the face of his franchise to save money.

Many think with the addition of Gasol the Lakers leap to being the top team in the Western Conference. Disagree. While it was a good deal for the Lakers, it doesn't elevate them to the status of the team to beat in the West. Gasol has talent and good years ahead of him and he should play well in the Lakers' system. He will far exceed what the team was getting out of Brown.

Gasol is a smart player but not a physically overpowering one, though he can block some shots. Certainly the Lakers are a better team with him. His presence combined with the continued emergence of Bynum (who should be back from a knee injury in time for the playoffs) and phenomenal play of Kobe Bryant gives the Lakers a run of at least two rounds in the playoffs. But there's no way Gasol's arrival makes the Lakers a lock to be throwing a coming-out party this spring and marching their way to a conference championship.

No "Kidding" about Dallas' need
With the Lakers and Suns having made major moves aimed at boosting their chances of claiming a conference crown, the Mavericks should be wise enough to figure they need to follow suit. If Dallas wants to give itself the best shot at winning a championship, it needs to go out and get Kidd from the Nets. Kidd still has plenty to offer a team, but he has outlived his usefulness in New Jersey.

Playing the point, Kidd would do for Dallas what Devin Harris and Jason Terry haven't done at that position for the Mavericks. He would give them superior play as a floor general in addition to rebounding and toughness. It's no fluke that Kidd gets so many triple-doubles. He's one of kind at his position.

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Even though Kidd is not the player he was when he led the Nets to back-to-back appearances in the NBA Finals in 2002 and 2003, he remains a unique talent who can influence a game without scoring a single point.

Dallas' resident superstar Dirk Nowitzki doesn't like to go into the post and spend a lot of time there and he'll be asked to do that a lot less with Kidd as his point guard since the veteran playmaker will be getting him layups. For Dallas, Kidd is the defining chip to not only vanquishing San Antonio, but to also winning the whole thing.

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