We pulled our Team Transactions Data over the previous 10 Trade Deadline periods to examine the levels of activity in period leading up to the deadline.

The below is an annual average of the number of players acquired by each team (click on any of the below links to see a year-by-year infographic).

Sacramento Kings: 2.7
New York Knicks: 2.3
Houston Rockets: 2.2
Oklahoma City Thunder: 1.8
Cleveland Cavaliers: 1.7
New Orleans Hornets: 1.7
Denver Nuggets: 1.6
Memphis Grizzlies: 1.6
Charlotte Bobcats: 1.6
Atlanta Hawks: 1.5
Brooklyn Nets: 1.5
Milwaukee Bucks: 1.5
Portland Trail Blazers: 1.5
Chicago Bulls: 1.4
Golden State Warriors: 1.3
Boston Celtics: 1.2
Orlando Magic: 1.2
Los Angeles Clippers: 1.1
Phoenix Suns: 1.1
Washington Wizards: 1.1
Dallas Mavericks: 1.0
Minnesota Timberwolves: 1.0
Toronto Raptors: 0.9
Philadelphia 76ers: 0.8
Utah Jazz: 0.7
Indiana Pacers: 0.6
Los Angeles Lakers: 0.6
Miami Heat: 0.6
Detroit Pistons: 0.5
San Antonio Spurs: 0.5

The following are the collective breakdowns by year:
2003: 14
2004: 36
2005: 48
2006: 44
2007: 22
2008: 45
2009: 45
2010: 51
2011: 51
2012: 29 

Before the season started, many questioned whether James Harden could thrive without Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook. Three months later, he looks like a lock for the All-Star Game. After several years of wandering in the wake of Yao Ming’s retirement, the Houston Rockets have a new franchise player, a 23-year-old already in the discussion for best shooting guard in the NBA. The next step is building a team around him that maximizes his strengths and minimizes his weaknesses.

Harden has prototypical size (6’5, 220) and shooting ability (career 36 percent from beyond the arc) for a shooting guard, but what separates him from his peers is his uncommon feel for the game. Unlike most great players, Harden isn’t a plus athlete for his position, he just does an incredible job of maximizing his physical abilities. He’s a young player with the game of a 40-year-old man. If he can attack a defense in space, he will almost always make the right decision. LeBron James is the only non-traditional point guard in the NBA who averages more assists a game than Harden (5.3).

What Harden does have is exceptional length (6’11 wingspan) and timing. Very few guards can be efficient when they start playing amongst the trees in the lane. Harden’s ability to extend the ball in front of him and create contact with defenders allows him to draw fouls at an absurd rate. Dwight Howard is the only player in the NBA who averages more free-throw attempts a game than Harden at 9.8. And since he’s rarely jumping very high off the ground, Harden isn’t as likely to get injured as guys like Dwyane Wade.

He is one of the rare players who can knock down three-pointers, draw free throws and distribute the ball at an elite level. Not only is that an unbelievably efficient combination of skills to have, stars with his skill-set make the game so much easier for their teammates. He creates shots for them with the ball in his hands and creates space for them just by spotting up off the ball. And by drawing fouls at the rim, he puts his team in the penalty earlier in the game and forces opposing team to go to their bench.

There isn’t a position in the NBA as thin as the SG; Harden’s success with Houston has moved him near the top of that very short list. Kobe Bryant, Dwyane Wade, Joe Johnson and Manu Ginobili are all in their 30’s while Brandon Roy’s comeback looks headed for a premature end. Eric Gordon is the only under-25 shooting guard in the NBA with Harden’s skill-set and he hasn’t been healthy in years. Even after a recent shooting slump that has coincided with a seven-game losing streak for Houston, Harden trails only Wade and Kobe in PER among two-guards. I’m going to give a shout-out to Ben McLemore of Kansas right here; he could be Harden’s greatest competition down the road.

However, as good as he is offensively, his lack of athleticism means he’ll never impact the game defensively as much as guys like Durant or Westbrook. On top of that, he has to spend most of his energy on the offensive end, where he’s responsible for an inordinate load of the Rockets offense. He’s their only player with a usage rating above 21. That’s where the rest of their roster becomes so important. Harden needs to be protected defensively, in much the same way Phoenix protected Steve Nash in the mid-2000’s. Jeremy Lin and Chandler Parsons are going to have a hard time guarding Westbrook and Durant in a seven-game series.

When Nash was winning MVP’s, his weakness on defense was never a big deal because he was protected by Shawn Marion and Raja Bell. Conversely, Nash made those guys better on offense by creating high-quality looks at the basket. You want players who complement your best player’s games, not replicate it. Harden, for example, was somewhat redundant in Oklahoma City, who are actually better offensively now that Durant has the ball in his hands more often.

The fit of Lin and Harden, playmaking guards who need the ball in their hands to be effective, has been problematic from the start. Defenses don’t need to respect Lin’s three-point shot (28 percent), which limits the space Harden has to work with in the half-court. The Rockets have made up for that by starting Patrick Patterson (36 percent) and Parsons (36 percent), but that creates a domino effect in terms of the number of athletes they  have on the floor. Ideally, they would have an elite shooter at the point guard position, allowing them to start at least one defensive-minded forward without compromising their floor spacing.

Lin is a credible NBA point guard with the ball in his hands, but he isn’t the playmaker or finisher Harden is. That’s why many have suggested that he be moved to the bench, where he could serve as the primary ball-handler on their second unit. It’s no coincidence his best game of the season, a 38-point 7-assist effort against San Antonio in December, came when Harden was out and he could dominate the basketball. The Rockets should sell Lin on the idea of being a sixth man, especially now that they may have found the ideal fit next to Harden.

Patrick Beverley, a 24-year-old PG whom they signed out of Europe in late December, has had an impressive NBA debut. He’s always had the physical talent to be an NBA player; he just kind of slipped through the cracks as a second-round pick who declared out of school too early. A hyper-athletic 6’1, 185 guard with a 6’6 wingspan, Beverley has the tools to be an excellent defensive player. If he can knock down shots and not turn it over, he could end up becoming a combination of Mario Chalmers and Norris Cole.  He’s only played in four games, but his lengthy experience in Europe suggests he’s capable of stepping into a role in an NBA rotation immediately.

Even if Beverley doesn’t work out, since Harden can essentially run the point himself, it won’t be hard to find an athletic guard who can shoot to put next to him. Just as important is upgrading at the forward position next to Parsons. Last year’s second-round pick from Florida is a very nice passer at shooter at 6’10, 215, but he’ll be more effective defending the weaker defensive player upfront in a seven-game series. Patterson and Marcus Morris, the two 6’8+ combo forwards they play at the 4, don’t have the physical tools to be an elite defensive player. The good news for Houston is that, much like with Beverley, their front office’s eye for talent may have already found them an answer.

Terrence Jones, their rookie power forward from Kentucky, has been overshadowed by the soap opera surrounding Royce White. Nevertheless, his skill-set fits better with what the Rockets need. At 6’9 250 with a 7’2 wingspan, he’s bigger than Patterson and Morris and far more athletic. As a sophomore at Kentucky, he averaged 7.2 rebounds, 1.8 blocks and 1.3 steals a game while also displaying the ability to create his own shot out of the high post. He slipped in the draft because he was overshadowed by Anthony Davis and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, but he was a key component of the Wildcats NCAA championship season. I think his best-case scenario is somewhere around Josh Smith.

In the long-term, the Rockets recent struggles may end up being for the best. Their current ceiling is a first-round exit; they can’t afford to ignore upside plays like integrating Jones and Beverley into the starting line-up. Daryl Morey is a big picture guy. Even if Jones doesn’t have the upside to allow them to compete with the Thunder and the Clippers down the road, he could help them get in on the seemingly inevitable Kevin Love sweepstakes two years from now. Harden may be the best SG in the NBA by that time, but as Wade and Kobe’s careers have shown, he’ll still need a lot of help to make the Rockets a legitimate championship contender.

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As has been the case in previous seasons, I open the season with my tiered power rankings. Please remember that these are not based on anything but projected regular season success. The concept is that teams could finish in any configuration within a tier and I would be surprised if they finished outside of that tier, excluding major personnel changes. 

Western Conference

Tier One:

Los Angeles Lakers: One of the single biggest talent upgrades I have seen for a high-quality team, and that includes how highly I think of Andrew Bynum. While Steve Nash has his major defensive flaws and there are still major questions on how this team will handle the last few minutes of ballgames, the Lakers again have the talent to run over most teams from now until the second round of the playoffs.

San Antonio Spurs: It feels like people are forgetting that the Spurs actually had the best record in the Western Conference last season and had a seemingly commanding lead on the Thunder before the series shifted completely. The Spurs are getting older, yet also have players like Kawhi Leonard that are ready to grow their roles and keep this team trucking, especially in the regular season.

Oklahoma City Thunder: With the recent roster changes, it may take a little longer for the Zombie Sonics to get in gear. Despite receiving quality contributions from their core, Oklahoma City needs to get get more all-around contributions from their bench (especially Eric Maynor and the bigs) in order to have a better shot at getting the top seed. 

Tier Two:

Denver Nuggets: Without too much argument, the Nuggets stand out as the deepest team in the NBA going into the season. The addition of Andre Iguodala gives Denver a cohesive identity that they have not had since the Carmelo Anthony trade and they have the upside to make a series run at tier one in both the regular season and the postseason. I would pay good money to see a Nuggets/Thunder series in any round.

Los Angeles Clippers: If the Clippers can go into the playoffs with a healthy squad, they will be an incredibly tough out. My biggest concern is that they do not have the depth to withstand injuries of meaningful length to their top guys, which is why they sit right here despite their starting lineup. As much press as their two All-Stars get, DeAndre Jordan could end up playing a pivotal role if he plays within himself and makes the right kind of impact game to game. 

Tier Three:

Memphis Grizzlies: The question for Memphis has to be whether Rudy Gay and the rest of the team can make up for not really replacing what OJ Mayo brought to the squad over the last few seasons. If they can do that, and keep Marc Gasol healthy, we could see something more like the 2011 iteration than the 2012 playoffs.

Houston Rockets: The massive upgrade they got over the summer was completed with the acquisition of James Harden this weekend. Look for him to mesh well with Jeremy Lin and Omer Asik as the Rockets battle with a series of injury-riddled teams for the last few seeds in the West.

Golden State Warriors: For the first time in a long time, Golden State has a starting five that resembles the rest of the league in both logic and quality. Andrew Bogut could be the most meaningful addition to any team in the West other than Howard, while Stephen Curry has the opportunity to define his role in the NBA.

Minnesota Timberwolves: The dual injuries to Kevin Love and Ricky Rubio could end up being long enough to keep this team out of the postseason for one final year, but I think Minnesota finally has the talent to compete with the best and brightest at full strength. Any improvement out of Derrick Williams would help a ton, particularly in the early part of the season when the team will need a boost.

Utah Jazz: A playoff team last season that did not lose much in the way of talent, the Jazz should serve as an interesting test case of the difference between building with new talent and improving by gelling and being on the right side of the aging curve. Derrick Favors needs to break out and will have no better time than this season.

Dallas Mavericks: Dirk Nowitzki's recent knee scope will hurt their chances of developing early chemistry and get a jump on one of the final spots in the playoffs. That said, I love how the Mavs got younger (and likely better) by being aggressive and procuring both OJ Mayo and Darren Collison. Roddy Beaubois should have an opportunity as well to create a niche on the team, while Elton Brand will have a shot to make an impact at the start of the season.

Tier Four:

New Orleans Hornets: My #1 NBA League Pass team to start the season, the Hornets have a compelling assortment of talent and the right level of intrigue to make them worth watching all year long. Austin Rivers has the chance to show the basketball world what he can do and where he can play, while Anthony Davis gets the opportunity to define himself on both sides of the ball after one of the best calendar years of hoops ever for a young player.

Portland Trailblazers: Possibly the most fascinating concoction of young talent because of two lottery picks (Meyers Leonard and Damian Lilllard) along with two “young veterans” in LaMarcus Aldridge and Nicolas Batum. This core should get a few years to try and make it work and I for one will be watching to see how it all starts. 

Tier Five:

Sacramento Kings: Considering they possess the big man with the highest ceiling in the entire league (DeMarcus Cousins), it still feels weird to have the Kings in the lowest tier in the West. However, their petrifying lack of swingman talent outside of Tyreke Evans and strange PG situation makes it hard to argue that they will move beyond this grouping this season. Still fascinated to see where they go when they get a little more high-end talent.

Phoenix Suns: While clearly better than the Bobcats, it seems hard to figure out exactly how the Suns will reliably beat other teams. Their offense and rebounding will be fine but not dominant, while their defense leaves plenty to be desired. Jared Dudley gets to make a statement that he can be more than a role player while Goran Dragic will get the reins of a team full-time. 

Eastern Conference

Tier One:

Miami Heat: Truly in a class by themselves when it comes to the Eastern Conference. What makes Miami so terrifying is that they do not even need homecourt in order to run rampant through this conference in the playoffs, yet they should have it anyway without breaking much of a sweat. Ray Allen’s role on this team should be fun to watch from start to finish. 

Tier Two:

Indiana Pacers: The Pacers are potentially the most underhyped team heading into the 2012-13 season. Indiana has a logical and effective starting five that features quality players at each position even though George Hill needs to continue to find himself as a PG. Roy Hibbert will be playing with a bigger contract and therefore be under a bigger microscope but has the talent to deliver all season long.

Boston Celtics: Boston moves down a few slots, not because of replacing Ray Allen with Jason Terry, but rather for the simple fact that Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett are still the lynchpins of this team, and Rajon Rondo is not dominant enough to counteract Father Time. That said, I do like the additions of Courtney Lee, Jared Sullinger, Jeff Green (sort of) and Fab Melo from a talent perspective. If Garnett and Pierce can turn back the clock, Boston could be a brutal out in the playoffs.

Philadelphia 76ers: Andre Iguodala was one hell of a player and may have been underrated during his tenure in Philly because of his offensive numbers. You know who else is one hell of a player? Andrew Bynum. Their offseason changes make a more cohesive and dangerous team on both sides of the ball while also retaining the nastiness that made them work last season.

Brooklyn Nets: Despite carrying some notable flaws, the Nets have the talent to stick in this tier as long as Deron Williams stays healthy most of the year. Joe Johnson and Gerald Wallace would have been a much better backcourt half a decade ago, yet still should be able to make teams sweat for the next few seasons. They need Brook Lopez to become more than he has been in order to go beyond the second round. 

Tier Three:

Chicago Bulls: The Bulls break my tier rules because I have absolutely no idea where they will end up. A fully healthy team sits as the second-best team in the conference, even after executing the bench mob that helped make them so successful last season. Derrick Rose, Luol Deng, Joakim Noah and Tom Thibodeau are just that good. However, who knows if and when we will see the whole gang together again. 

Tier Four:

New York Knicks: I will undoubtedly get some heat for having the Knicks here (and below their newly closer neighbors), but this stands as the correct placement for them. The incredibly disappointing move to not retain Jeremy Lin and instead go with Raymond Felton kneecaps what could have been a much more potent all-around team and likely wastes the best years of the Melo/Amare/Tyson triumvirate.

Atlanta Hawks: While ESPN The Magazine apparently thinks this team can finish second in the East, I am dubious despite loving Al Horford considerably. This Atlanta team needs both an identity and late-game production that can win them close games. The gaping hole at small forward and lack of depth at the big man spots scare me enough to leave them firmly right here. 

Tier Five:

Toronto Raptors: As a believer in Jonas Valanciunas, I feel the Raptors can be a relevant team immediately, even though they are still incredibly flawed. The addition of Kyle Lowry gives them better point guard play than they have had recently and that could yield some benefits for a swingman group that needs breakout stars.

Milwaukee Bucks: A full year of the Brandon Jennings/Monta Ellis backcourt experiment will be a blast and a half. My biggest problem with the Bucks is that their talent does not fit together well and it seems hard to piece together how they can win enough games to outpace this tier.

Cleveland Cavaliers: Kyrie Irving is the real deal. Unfortunately for him, the Cavs have the worst swingman group in the entire league (and yes that includes the Bobcats). Any production from those guys would go nicely with a solid enough big man rotation and get this team on the road to what counts as prosperity without King James.

Washington Wizards: Another underrated team in the East, the Wizards finally have a roster that makes sense even if it needs more offensive firepower. Trevor Ariza, Emeka Okafor and Bradley Beal each add something Washington has needed in recent years and now is the time for John Wall to become the franchise player he was drafted to be, even if he still cannot shoot. 

Tier Six:

Detroit Pistons: Adding a high-upside big like Andre Drummond helps keep the Pistons on the path to long-term success. Unfortunately, the rest of the team does not have the talent or production to keep the team in the playoff hunt until Drummond is ready for prime time. Look for Brandon Knight to create a more clear-cut role for himself this season.

Orlando Magic: While the Pistons have some talent that could guide them out of the wilderness, the Magic just traded themselves deep into it. This should be a rough year for Orlando since their talent suddenly does not make since due to the lack of a certain elite big. If they go anywhere this season, Arron Afflalo should be the one to do it since he has the all-around game to help them forge an identity. 

Tier Seven:

Charlotte Bobcats: The Bobcats were so bad last year, even a meaningful improvement leaves them down here by themselves again. Michael Kidd-Gilchrist is a great piece for an eventual playoff teams, giving the team exactly one player that fits that description. 

Award Predictions

Most Valuable Player: LeBron James

Coach of the Year: George Karl

Rookie of the Year: Anthony Davis

Defensive Player of the Year: Dwight Howard

Sixth Man of the Year: Lou Williams

Most Improved Player: Kawhi Leonard 

Playoff Predictions

Western Conference

First Round:
Lakers over Warriors in five
Spurs over Rockets in seven
Thunder over Grizzlies in seven
Nuggets over Clippers in six

Second Round:
Lakers over Nuggets in seven
Thunder over Spurs in seven

Western Conference Finals:
Lakers over Thunder in six 

Eastern Conference

First Round:
Heat over Hawks in four
Pacers over Bulls in seven
Celtics over Knicks in six
76ers over Nets in seven

Second Round:
Heat over 76ers in six
Celtics over Pacers in seven

Eastern Conference Finals:
Heat over Celtics in five

NBA Finals: Heat over Lakers in six
Finals MVP: LeBron James