Special feature

2010 NBA deadline trades recap A team-by team look at trades completed before the deadline. NBCSports.com

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Bronze medal benefits
Milwaukee Bucks: In many ways, the Bucks are hoping Salmons can provide this season what he provided at the end of last season in Chicago, a tangible scoring boost for a playoff push.

While Salmons' 2010 option could add salary to the equation, it's not as if the Bucks were positioned to do much in 2010 free agency.

It's a shame that more never became of Warrick. But at least the nightmare that was the draft pick spent on Joe Alexander is now excised.

Boston Celtics: Not sure I truly get this one.

Sure Nate Robinson is unique, but might he be perhaps too unique for a team that thrives with such fundamental concepts?

By contrast, even amid an uneven season, Eddie House stretched the defense by his mere presence. Then again, Boston somewhat made it work last season with Stephon Marbury, so who's to doubt coach Doc Rivers?

Minnesota Timberwolves: No, not because they got Darko Milicic in exchange for Brian Cardinal, but because it at least allowed us to use the words "Minnesota" and "Timberwolves" without mentioning Ricky Rubio in the same sentence. (Doah!)

Now, at least when the Wolves come to a town near you, you get one last chance to read about how the forward was drafted ahead of Carmelo Anthony, Wade and Chris Bosh in 2003.

Charlotte Bobcats: Tyrus Thomas and Larry Brown? Who thought this was a good mix? The kid either will learn how to play or never see the light of day.

Lead medal lowlights
Washington Wizards: To insinuate that Josh Howard is being given a two-month tryout is ludicrous. Many of Howard's indiscretions are the exact type of moments the Wizards are trying to distance themselves from after the Gilbert Arena affair.

So, in essence, Washington got nothing for Butler and Haywood.

Ditto for the Jamison trade, considering Thornton wasn't good enough to even make it with the Clippers.

And enough about cap space. A team that produced a 19-63 finish last season and will produce something similar this season, has no right to ask its fans to wait through yet another such season in 2010-11.

The Wizards had assets in Butler, Jamison and Haywood. They could have gotten something tangible. Instead, the Verizon Center is turning into a toxic dump, with, ironically, only Arenas remaining from the big three.

Sacramento Kings: How exactly does a team push for a new arena while pushing aside salary?

And what exactly happened to the Maloofs as big-money players?

Sure the chemistry between Martin and Tyreke Evans proved an ill-fit, but Martin nonetheless was an asset. More certainly could have been mined than merely Carl Landry and Jordan Hill.

So, again, the pressure reverts to Geoff Petrie to make as much out of the draft as he did with Evans and Jason Thompson.

Philadelphia 76ers: Jodie Meeks and Francisco Elson from the Bucks for Primoz Brezec and Royal Ivey. Seriously? Seriously, that's all Ed Stefanski could do?

Oh, what's that, you're not allowed to trade the coach? OK, then.

Ira Winderman writes regularly for NBCSports.com and covers the Heat and the NBA for the South Florida Sun-Sentinel.

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