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Every year at this time we are promised the moon and finally the NBA trade deadline delivered. We hear the rumors, Ray Allen is going to Boston, Michael Redd to Portland, Chris Webber to Dallas in return for all of Texas' oil. In reality, all we usually get is Joe Wolf traded to the Clippers for a baby seal. Well, not this time! Thursday the NBA saw 11 deals, including 15 teams and 35 players....Hooray! Let's take a closer look at the wheelings and dealings at the NBA trade deadline.

Let's start with the biggest surprise of all, Chris Webber to the Philadelphia 76ers for Kenny Thomas, Corliss Williamson and Brian Skinner. No, that's not a joke, that is all the Kings got for the five-time All-Star that averages 22 points and 10 boards per game. I would love to have heard this conversation between Kings GM Geoff Petrie and Sixers GM Billy King...

Petrie: "Hey Billy, it's Geoff Petrie with the Kings, got a second?"

King: "Yeah, but make it quick, I have to tear the crust off Glenn Robinson's peanut butter and jelly sandwich and get it to him before Dora the Explorer starts. The guy's still mad at management and won't play."

Petrie: "Well, I wanna trade Chris Webber, but I don't want anyone nearly as talented as him in return."

King: "Fine, I'll give you Thomas, Skinner and Corliss for him."

Petrie: "Done."

King: "No, I don't think you know how this works. See, I lowball you with those three players, then you come back and tell me who you really want."

Petrie: "I heard you and I wanna do the deal."

Maybe the deal didn't go down quite that way, and maybe it was Bob the Builder that Glenn was getting ready to watch, I don't know, but that's the deal that was made. The Sixers get C-Web, in a conference starved for power forwards and they get to keep Mark Jackson and Samuel Dalembert, both legit big men. Add in Kyle Korver and Andre Iguodala, and this team could be downright scary. As for the Kings, I guess you do the deal to make Peja happy so you can re-sign him at the end of the year, reports were that the two didn't get along. The Kings do get some depth with Thomas, Corliss and Skinner, BUT it's Chris Webber!! That's the best you could do? Every other team in the legue is kicking themselves, saying, "That's all it took? We should have got him". Oh, one more thing, Glenn Robinson was eventually dealt to the New Orleans Hornets for Rodney Rogers and Jamal Mashburn. Nothing could make me happier, have fun in The Big Easy.

Speaking of New Orleans, don't think I've forgotten about the horror that was Chris Anderson in the slam dunk contest, we'll get to that later.....

Shame on me for not believing Danny Ainge when he said, "I have a plan". It took almost two years for it to come full circle, but now it's so clear. Simply trade Walker to Dallas, then have Dallas send Walker to Atlanta, where he could deal again for the 3-point bomber. I actually like this deal for Boston, especially if Atlanta buys out Payton and he re-signs with the Celtics as a free agent (no foul play suspected there!). Pierce has never been the same since Walker left, it's become apparent that Paul needs that "other guy". I don't know if it's Walker but the two have been to the Eastern Conference Finals, and they certainly weren't heading back there BEFORE this deal. As for Atlanta, I'm beginning to wonder if they even want their franchise anymore. They actually have some pieces in Al Harrington, and the high-flying Josh Smith, shame on them for doing that deal and not getting Tony Allen or Al Jefferson as well.

Baron Davis gets his wish and is headed back home to California. Granted, he'll be playing for the Golden State Warriors, but he's back on the West Coast. Davis and Jason Richardson are going to be a fun backcourt to watch and it will take pressure off Mike Dunleavy, who might finally be able to produce. Heck, Baron Davis might even be able to get Adonal Foyle more than two baskets a game, that alone is worth the investment.

"Give us your tired, your poor, your huddled masses and we will grossly overpay them to play for the Knicks". Thanks to Isaiah Thomas THAT'S the sign that should sit under our Statue of Liberty. In an effort to have the monopoly on overpaid power forwards, the Knicks have acquired Mo Taylor and Malik Rose. How does Isaiah Thomas keep his job? The Knicks have the highest payroll in the NBA at $104, and they have the third WORST record in the Eastern Conference, not to mention Herb Williams is their head coach. Do you hand $104 million worth of ANYTHING over to Herb Williams? That team had to make a HUGE shakeup, instead they trade their only center for more, you guessed it, power forwards. Just go ahead and sign Charles Oakley and get it over with.

Lastly, I am begging along with Magic Johnson, Kenny Smith and the entire TNT crew, to PLEASE have LeBron James, Vince Carter and Kobe Bryant return to the slam dunk contest. As NBA fans, and well, just human beings in general, we should never again be subjected to watching Chris Anderson attempt to dunk. Part of me says we should be proud of Chris, at least he WANTED to be in the contest when no one else did. But then, so did my little brother David, it doesn't mean we should let him. Watching Anderson throw lousy lob after lob, was like watching Joe Namath try to kiss Suzy Kolber, it was just uncomfortable for all involved and really never should have happened.

Dante welcomes your comments, questions and alternative opinions. E-mail him here.

Dante’s Speak is solely the opinion of Dante Marchitelli and does not reflect the views of the Orlando Magic or the NBA. Marchitelli has served as radio producer in the Orlando Magic's Broadcast department for six seasons.