Trade week winners and losers. (NBA Insider).(Brief Article)

This much is certain about last week's trading-deadline deals: 1) The Celtics went from playoff hopeful to conference finals contender by adding two solid scoring options at a minimal price. 2) The Warriors officially botched the Marc Jackson situation; after going through months of acrimony, the best they could do was trade him for Dean Garrett and a 2007 second-round pick.

Other than that, teams that went shopping did well enough at least to buy themselves time before an accurate assessment can be made. Take the Bulls, for example. If Jalen Rose is as good as he thinks he is, if Travis Best decides to re-sign and if the high-schoolers take advantage of their increased playing time, the Bulls actually could have taken a step in the right direction by making a seven-player deal with the Pacers. It will be next season before we know.

It did not take long to judge the outcome for a number of individuals involved or affected by last week's trades.

Winners

Nick Van Exel, Nuggets to Mavericks. Who says whining doesn't work? After acting like a brat for weeks (if it was an act), Van Exel was granted his trade and ended up on one of the league's best teams. Even Van Exel will have trouble complaining about working for Mark Cuban. But is Van Exel really the kind of player who will value winning over his 25 shots a night? Sure he is--for the rest of this season anyway.

Brad Miller, Bulls to Pacers. He went to a playoff contender where he will line up next to one of the East's best big men in Jermaine O'Neal, and Miller also ended up with another date with Shaquille O'Neal. Miller, the near victim of a wild punch by O'Neal earlier this season, was talking big before the Bulls' rematch with the then Shaq-less Lakers. Well, last week's trade gives Miller another chance to show up O'Neal because ...