It wasn’t too long ago — just a couple of months, actually — that Rudy Gay was a lock to put Memphis in his rear view mirror as soon as possible. Forget 2010 free agency; there was some talk that Gay could be traded before the February deadline to a contender in need of a scorer while Memphis insured itself against losing a young All-Star caliber talent for nothing. Read More »

Earlier today, Dime posted its NBA trade deadline winners and losers. But you all know your teams better than we do. So we asked our readers to rank their own winners and losers, with the best of them listed here:

WINNERS

The Cavs are way better now that they have Jamison instead of Amar’e. Here’s why: (1) Amar’e doesnt like Shaq. (2) Amar’e wants to be the unequivocal MAN on his team. That’s not happening with the Cleveland LeBrons. Read More »

We’ve been over the winners. Following a hectic NBA trading season where 39 players changed addresses leading up to Thursday’s deadline, here are the trade deadline losers:

1. Los Angeles Lakers — It’s easy to see why the defending champs would be content with what they’ve got, especially when they’re currently sporting the best record in the West. But the Lake Show does have some noticeable flaws that could have been addressed with a trade. Namely, L.A. needs a guy who can handle the ball and deal with fast guards. Remember the ‘09 playoffs against Aaron Brooks? Last night it was tough watching Derek Fisher and Jordan Farmar trying to stay in front of Rajon Rondo, and at some point that defensive hole could come back and bite L.A. in the butt. Read More »

Tracy McGrady is finally a Knick, Nate Robinson is a Celtic and Tyrus Thomas has transformed from a sulky Bull into a brooding Bobcat. There were also a few odds and ends to note as the trade deadline passed, and it’s clear that fantasy owners have some work to do if they want to sort through the debris to separate the gems from the rubble. Let’s take a look at the notable fantasy implications. Read More »

Today, without a doubt, was a busy NBA Trade Deadline. But while everyone focuses on the big trades, or the trades that didn’t happen, there are always a few deals that slip under the radar. Here a three of those deals: Read More »

Stan Heath, whose eight-year head coaching career has already included three NCAA tournament appearances and two NBA players (Ronnie Brewer & Sonny Weems), is building something special at the University of South Florida. After leading the Bulls to the school’s first victory against a top-10 ranked team – a 57-56 win against No. 8 Marquette last February – Heath is at it again. The Bulls have caught fire recently, beating No. 7 Georgetown last night for their fourth Big East victory in a row, after they beat No. 17 Pitt on Sunday. Read More »

It’s safe to say that when the Grizzlies started the season, they (A) didn’t think that Zach Randolph would be an All-Star, and (B) didn’t think that they’d make the playoffs. But with (A) taken care of, it’s on to (B). With that in mind, you can understand why the Grizzlies – and the $3.2 million they have available – are looking to shore up their bench. Read More »

Late last night I was watching Rick Pitino weekly Louisville coach’s show — one of my favorite things about having 264 sports channels — when Pitino made a great point about defensive mentality.

Essentially, Pitino said, there are guys who get upset when they miss a shot, but aren’t nearly as bothered when they get beaten off the dribble. “We’re not going to be a good team until it bothers us more to get beat defensively than it bothers us to miss a shot,” he said. Read More »

Deron Williams is definitely full of surprises. Ninety percent of the time, D-Will makes the simple play: The layup instead of the dunk or the bounce pass instead of the behind-the-back. But every now and then, D-Will let his hair down (especially if it’s against a team like the Nets) and do some And1-mixtape-worthy-type stuff on the court. Up 29 points in the third quarter against New Jersey on Saturday night, Williams dropped this ridiculous fake behind-the-back, then wrap around pass to Carlos Boozer for the easy lay in. Read More »

I don’t think any one – including Allen Iverson – thought that the Grizzlies would be sitting at 22-19 through 41 games. But just like any good team, they’re looking to get better. According to the Memphis Commercial Appeal, Memphis is discussing a trade that would net Ronnie Brewer from the Jazz in order to improve their bench. A great basketball move for Memphis, and another cost-cutting measure by Utah. Read More »