What Happens to a Trade Deferred?

Does it miss the playoffs -- like a Phoenix Sun?

Or sulk like a soar sport -- refusing to run?

Does it stink like Hasheem Thabeet?

Or crust and scab over-- like athlete's feet

Maybe it just sags like a salary cap expense.

Or does it play defense?

Looks like the NBA trade deadline is going to pass by with barely a whimper.  Antawn Jamison to the Cavs?  Whatever helps you sleep at night, Cleveland.  McGrady to the Knicks?  Look out, playoffs!  Robinson to the Celtics?  NBA must be allowing the Celtics to play with more than one ball on the court at a time.  Thomas and Elson to the Bulls?!?  Those two pawns will surely serve their sacrificial purpose before the Queen in the 2nd round of the Eastern Conference playoffs.

More and more the NBA trade deadline is beginning to look more like the NFL trade deadline (wait, does something like that even exist in the NFL?  Who cares).  Ultimately, the more things change, the more they stay the same.  Salary dumping is the primary objective, especially in lieu of the upcoming free agent class, and so the only teams that have a true need to become better are the teams trying to keep their big stars from fleeing the scene come July.  In other words, the Cavaliers and Heat.  Everyone else in the league is simply trying to create wiggle room in order to become more competitive in the open market this summer.  But, since everyone is in the same boat, trading one oar for another really doesn't make all that much sense in the grand scheme.

In fact, the only teams that actually appear to be trying to get better in the here and now are the Rockets (Kevin Martin over a useless T Mac) and Celtics (A scoring guard over a... scoring guard)... And only technically.   Sure, the Cavs have improved in a way, but this seems more like a meager gesture to the King, than an actual attempt at sharpening the spear.  Okay, I think we've had enough royal metaphors for one post. Our eyes and ears are open for something cool to happen, but this is the NBA, not the NHL, so what are the chances really?