The NBA’s trade deadline has come and passed, and considering how many hours I spent tracking all of the rumors, this is a good thing. I love trade rumors, and this year for a variety of reasons, there were more of them than ever. With a possible lockout looming over the association, bad teams were willing to sacrifice their higher priced players for cap relief, future picks, and flexibility. Teams like the Bulls, Heat, Clippers, Nets, and the New York Knuckleheads have cleared the books in anticipation of the greatest free agent class in NBA history. The Houston Rockets really helped themselves by fleecing the Kings and Knicks in stealing promising shooting guard Kevin Martin. The Knicks are all in on free agency, and if they don’t get the guys they want……their decade of misery will continue. For the Bulls, they managed their situation perfectly. They kept the core of their team intact, they found a sucker for John Salmons and his 2010-2011 $6 million dollar player option, and somehow got a 1st round pick plus expiring deals for the enigmatic Tyrus Thomas. The Bulls now have between $18-$20 million  dollars to spend on a “Max” free agent this summer. The Bulls are thinking big, like LeBron James, Chris Bosh, and Dwyane Wade big. The Knicks gave up the farm (already without a 1st round pick in 2010, they gave up their 1st rounders in 2011 and 2012. The 2011 pick is top 1 protected, and the one in 2012 is top 5 protected). That’s where the Knicks’ plan is flawed. They may have the two “Max” slots, but they don’t have the building blocks the Bulls and Clippers have. They will lose their best player in David Lee, Nate Robinson is going to Boston, and with no 1st round picks….where’s their core? After this deadline day, the Bulls and Clippers are at the top of the list of teams with mass amounts of cap space.

Tyrus Thomas will take his attitude and uneven play to Charlotte. The Bulls somehow fleeced Jordan's Bobcats for two expiring deals and a future 1st round pick.

Let’s breakdown the Bulls’ trades, the 3-team blockbuster that went down between the Knicks, Rockets, and Kings, and the Antawn Jamison to the Cavs deal.

1. Cleveland Cavaliers: Antawn Jamison. Jamison has 2 years left after this at $11 million average

Washington Wizards: Zydrunas Ilgauskas and his $11.5 Million dollar expiring deal and Al Thornton

Los Angeles Clippers: Drew Gooden’s expiring deal

Analysis: This was part of Wizards GM, Ernie Grunfeld’s, give away trade season. Having given away Caron Butler and Brendan Haywood to the Dallas Mavericks for expiring deals, Grunfeld gave hope to Cavs fans by giving the team the versatile Jamison. This deal does get the Wizards under the luxury tax, but it doesn’t justify Grunfeld altering the balance of power in the East. Big Z may work a buyout with the Wizards and return to the Cavs after the 30 day waiting period. Jamison gives the Cavs the stretch 4 that they lacked in last year’s Playoffs. Now when Orlando and Cleveland square off, the Cavs have a player that Rashard Lewis has to actually pay attention to. This might just put the Cavs into the Finals, and it gives LeBron what he wanted. Does it ensure that The Queen will stay in Ohio? Hell no, but you have to think after all Danny Ferry and owner Dan Gilbert has done for him, he would re-up with the Cavs. This trade also puts the Clippers in the LeBron sweepstakes. Nobody really believes that he would make the move west to play 2nd banana to Kobe and the Lakers, but the Clips have a shot. Why? Because of a good, young core of Blake Griffin and Eric Gordon, an All-Star in Chris Kaman, and the veteran leadership of Baron Davis. Will the cheapest owner in sports pony up for a chance at landing James? You’d think so, but we are talking about Donald Sterling here.

Every Clippers fan knows Sterling’s ways, and can now continue to shake their heads in disappointment.

Back to the Wizards for a second. By giving away Jamison and Butler, they now have plenty of cap space going forward which is always good for a rebuilding team to have. However, tell me which free agent would want to go to D.C., and even more important, who in the blue hell would want to play with Gilbert Arenas?! Wizards fans can now light themselves on fire or jump off the capitol building. Either sounds good to them looking at their future.

The fact that the Bulls found a taker for John Salmons is a bigger shocker than the poor ratings NBC is getting for the Winter Olympics.

2. Milwaukee Bucks: John Salmons and his $6 million dollar 2010-2011 option, 2 second round picks, and option to swap picks with the Bulls if the pick isn’t in the top ten

Chicago Bulls: The expiring deals of Hakim Warrick and Joe Alexander

Analysis: Two teams who both helped each other. The Bucks won’t have cap room until 2011, and Milwaukee is about as good of a free agent destination as Haiti right about now. Much like Washington with Arenas, the Bucks will never be a free agent destination so they can absorb Salmons’ 2010-2011 player option. The Bucks needed a shooting guard with Michael Redd going down for the season, and he should be decent playing under Scott Skiles.

For the Bulls, it’s part of their master plan to create as much cap room as possible for this summer in their dream of acquiring hometown Dwyane Wade to pair with Derrick Rose in the Bulls dream backcourt. Gar Foreman and John Paxson should be given a parade in Deerfield for finding a taker for Salmons. I never thought that a team would take on his deal considering his play this year….(12.7 ppg, 2.5 apg, on 38% shooting from the field). Salmons has been the complete opposite of Billy Hoyle this year. It’s been a mason’s convention at the United Center everytime Johnny was hoisting up bricks. Salmons’ solid play in the Playoffs was actually a detriment because the book was out on him after the Boston series. Teams knew what to expect this year, and Salmons looked like Corey Benjamin for the better part of the season’s first half. This is a BIG win for the Bulls.

3. Charlotte Bobcats: Tyrus Thomas. Thomas has a $14 million dollar cap hold for 2010

Chicago Bulls: The expiring deals of Ronald “Flip” Murray, Acie Law, and a future 1st round pick

Analysis: My man, Michael Jordan, hooked his former team up. Why Jordan would send a future 1st to the Bulls is anyone’s guess. This is the same guy who drafted Kwame Brown with the 1st pick in the draft, and Adam Morrison with the 3rd pick. Somehow, I think when John Paxson called Jordan the conversation went like this:

Paxson: Hey, Mike, it’s Pax how would you like Tyrus Thomas?

Jordan: Well ,quite naturally, I’d love Tyrus Thomas.

Paxson: Great. How’s 2 expiring deals, and a 1st round pick?!!

Jordan: Sure. Deal. Look Pax, I gotta 30 foot double bogey putt here. Let’s make that deal. Talk to you soon.

Paxson: Woooooooooohoooooooo!!! Paxson then was seen doing cartwheels on the Berto Center floor.

This was a win for the Bulls. Bulls are 2 for 2 in their deals, and have set themselves up very nicely to make a run at LeBron James, Chris Bosh, and Dwyane Wade. Great job by John Paxson and Gar Foreman. Thomas gave Bulls fans some wow moments like his play in Game 1 of the 2007 series vs the Heat, but he never took the leap that top 5 picks are supposed to take by their 4th year. Thomas is the same player now that he was in 2007. It’s fine with me now because he is now Jordan’s, Larry Brown, and the Bobcats problem. If he plays well in Charlotte, don’t feel like the Bulls gave up on him too soon. This was absolutely the right move, for now, and for the future of the franchise.

4. New York Knicks: Tracy McGrady’s $22.5 Million Dollar expiring contract and guard Sergio Rodriguez

The Sacramento Kings: Carl Landry, Joey Dorsey, and Larry Hughes’ expiring contract

The Houston Rockets(Trade Deadline’s BIGGEST Winner): Kevin Martin 3  years left after this one at a $9.6 million dollar average, Hilton Armstrong, Jared Jeffries, Jordan Hill, and the Knicks 1st round pick in 2011, and 2012

Analysis: The Knicks 1st round picks going to Houston are protected. The 2011 pick is top 1 protected and the 2012 pick is top 5 protected. The Knicks plan, when Donnie Walsh took over the team two years ago, was to get far enough below the cap to pursue two “Max’ free agents this summer. Well, old smokey looks to have accomplished that goal. Now, all they have to do is pursue 2 of the 3 best players in the league (James, Bosh, Wade) to come to New York and play with a gutted roster, no 1st round pick until 2013, high state taxes, no point guard, and the most ridiculous media this side of CNN. Good luck, Donnie. Look, the Knicks had to do this deal. It’s their only chance to get great (which is the only point and only chance to win a title) and become relevant again. The problem? If this fails and the big 3 look at that insanely bad roster and, say no thanks, the Knicks won’t be good until 2034. It’s one hell of a gamble, but one the Knicks had to take. Will LeBron go to the big apple? I guess it’s possible, and if he does, mark it down that he becomes basketball A-Rod. One guy can’t do it alone, and Bosh doesn’t want to be 2nd banana to anyone let alone James in NY. Same goes for Wade. This has the Bulls in 2000 written all over it. That’s why this will be the day that people look back on 5 years from now and remember when the Knicks franchise died.

The Houston Rockets are the big winners of today’s deals. They knew the Knicks were desperate, and stole 2 1st round picks from New York. GM Daryl Morey should wear a mask whenever he goes to the bank from now until Yao Ming’s foot heals. To get Kevin Martin for essentially McGrady’s carcass was a great move. Martin was in demand, most notably by Boston GM Danny Ainge (Insert Danny Ainge nerd jokes here). Martin gives the Rockets a young and talented 2-Guard that will fit in nicely next to Aaron Brooks. Morey has the Rockets in a good cap situation which enabled them to take on Martin’s deal, and also maintain flexibility going forward. They are virtually guaranteed the Knicks picks in 2011 and 2012, so the pipeline will continue to be full thanks to one of the NBA’s best 5 General Managers.

And so it begins, the official countdown to July 1 has begun. The LeBron James sweepstakes has started, and the Cavs, Knicks, Bulls, Clippers, Nets, and Heat are in position to sign the biggest prize to hit NBA free agency since Shaquille O’Neal fled Orlando for Hollywood in the summer of ’96. Where will LeBron end up? Who knows. Same goes for Wade, Bosh, Joe Johnson, Rudy Gay, and several other star level players in what promises to be the craziest summer the NBA has seen in my lifetime. Of all these teams, the Bulls are positioned the best because they have their 1st round picks, the big market, Joakim Noah, Taj Gibson, solid veterans in Kirk Hinrich and Luol Deng, and the best young point guard in the NBA…..Derrick Rose. Having Rose matters, and don’t think for a second that the top free agents don’t know that. The Knicks? They have a slick shooting small forward from Italy with a bad back. Start praying Knicks fans, you’ll need to.

The biggest star in the NBA is set to be a free agent on July 1, and the Bulls are ready to make a bid.