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With the NBA's trade deadline quickly approaching on February 21st, I want to take a look at what teams have done so far. The league has been criticized in the past for boring deadlines where franchises are afraid to make a big splash and look stupid if the deal doesn't work out for them, but this year has been a little bit different, thanks to one big trade that I have already discussed, as well as some big name players signing contracts. Also, we have some time for (perhaps) Jason Kidd to find a new home, despite Mark Cuban saying he won't be returning to where his career began, in Dallas.  So far, Shaquille O'Neal has become a Sun, Shawn Marion and Marcus Banks are in Heat, Pau Gasol is a Laker, Chris Webber back in Golden State, Damon Stoudamire plays for the Spurs, and Kyle Korver has joined the Jazz.  That's a combined 24 All-Star selections changing uniforms during the season. Ok, 14 of those All-Star nods come from Shaq, but still, there's some big names changing addresses. Toss out Marion going to the Eastern Conference, the worst team to boot, and you have 5 teams in the West making a move that they think can either get them over the top or solidify themselves as a championship contender. Let's take them each one by one. Shaq, although I still don't agree with the move, gives Phoenix a low post threat and allows Amare Stoudemire to play his natural position. Can these guys make it work? How many games will Shaq play? In his first practice with Phoenix, he was exhausted. Will the games be different? It's going to be interesting no matter what happens.  Pau Gasol has been a force with the Lakers, and they look great. Even with Andrew Bynum still sidelined, L.A. is 5-1 with Pau in the lineup, and the big Spaniard is averaging an even 20 points a game playing with Kobe Bryant. Do they now have a chance to win the whole thing? With Kobe, Gasol, Lamar Odom, Bynum, and whoever else they want to throw out there... yes, yes they do. Chris Webber is ba...

Read the full post at ArmchairGM

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