Deadline Day in the NBA

Wednesday brought us the biggest draft deadline deal....{scroll down the blog to read my take on it}....but Thursday brought a flurry of minor deals.

SONICS GET:  Earl Watson, Bryon Russell, a 2008 second-round pick and cash from the Nuggets.
NUGGETS GET:  Reggie Evans, Ruben Patterson and Charles Smith.
BLAZERS GET:  Voshon Lenard and Brian Skinner.
KINGS GET:  Vitaly Potapenko and Sergei Monia.

Interesting "mega" deal.  Denver makes out like the bandit here.  They give up Leonard and Russell [whom they weren't using] for Patterson, Evans and Smith.  Patterson gives the Nuggets that defensive hound they can harrass other swing men with.  Evans is a beast of a rebounder which they need with K-Mart, Camby and Najera trading places on the injured list.  Seattle gets a defensive minded point guard and some piece of mind with Potapenko and Evans gone.  They're moving on to the Collison-Petro-Swift era.  Portland gets rid of Patterson and gets a veteran shooter and veteran big man.  Kings get salary cap help in the coveted 2007 free agency period. 

CAVALIERS GET:  Ronald Murray
SONICS GET:  Mike Wilks and cash.

This is a "we need someone to replace Larry Hughes" deal.  While Murray isn't Hughes, he can score and could bring back some of Hughes' missing numbers.  He's a liability on defense, however, so shotblockers better be ready.

HORNETS GET:  Marc Jackson and Linton Johnson.
NETS GET:  Bostjan Nachbar

This deal was essentially made by the Hornets to add frontcourt depth.  With Chris Andersen being thrown out of the league for substance abuse, the Hornets have been making these mini deals of late [Aaron Williams, Moochie Norris] to add some help for a playoff push.   The Nets get rid of Jackson's attitude and get back a guy with some good athleticsm who may surprise with New Jersey's attack.  Or not. 

HEAT GET:  Derek Anderson
ROCKETS GET:  Gerald Fitch

Not a bad risk for Miami at all.  If Anderson can play, he's the perfect intangible guy [and unselfishly so] that they really need.  If he can't get healthy, well, all they lost was Fitch. 

CAVALIERS GET:  Lee Nailon and 2006 second-round pick
SIXERS GET:  conditional 2006 second round pick. 

The minor-est of all deals.  Philly dumps problem player Nailon back to Cleveland for nothing of much merit.