Philadelphia

The vibe: 9-11 overall, near the bottom of the Atlantic Division with a monster payroll and little to show for it right now

The move(s): The 76ers used all their available cap space to sign Elton Brand to an $82 million deal and left little room to do anything else of significance, namely adding a quality shooter to space the floor around their new low-post staple.

The verdict: Sixers president Ed Stefanski has said publicly that he would, "do it again in a New York second." He's probably the only general manager in the league willing to make that claim, publicly or otherwise. While Brand hasn't been a bust by any stretch, he hasn't been the difference-maker Sixers fans envisioned. Brand's supporting cast has come up short on numerous occasions. And his supposed sidekick, Andre Igoudala, has struggled mightily adapting to his new role as the team's No. 2 option after being No. 1 last season.

Toronto

The vibe: 8-10 overall, and fading fast from the view of NBA -, Eastern Conference-, and Atlantic Division-leading Boston

The move(s): The Raptors traded T.J. Ford to the Pacers for Jermaine O'Neal, believing that Jose Calderon was ready to assume control of the team and O'Neal would help All-Star Chris Bosh and former No. 1 overall pick Andrea Bargnani form the most imposing frontcourt trios in the league.

The verdict: Raptors coach of five years Sam Mitchell paid with his job for general manager Bryan Colangelo's miscalculation. Not only have the Raptors missed Ford, who has played well for the surprising Pacers, but neither O'Neal (injuries) nor Bargnani has lived up to their respective hype. Calderon has played well, especially when you realize that the Raptors got him for a bargain. But he's not as dangerous without the fear of Ford directing the Raptors' attack when he's not on the floor.

New Orleans

The vibe: 10-6 overall, and trailing Houston for the top spot in the Western Conference's suddenly mediocre Southwest Division

The move(s): The Hornets didn't do much outside of plucking winner extraordinaire James Posey via free agency, a subtle move designed to give the Hornets that championship edge they lacked last season.

The verdict: The Hornets are staying afloat out West, but they are little more than a shell of the inspired bunch that challenged for a spot in the NBA Finals last season. Even with Posey playing his super sub role, the Hornets haven't been able to find a good rhythm around their All-Star and point guard/director Chris Paul. Teams are content to let Paul have his way with them as a scorer so long as he doesn't have anyone else to rely on to pick up the slack. The Hornets might have needed to make a few more moves than they did to ensure that this team didn't get complacent after last year's breakout season.

Milwaukee

The vibe: 9-12 overall, and losing ground in the Central Division with Cleveland and Detroit distancing themselves from the riffraff in what used to be the league's most competitive division

The move(s): Too many to mention just one, but the deal to send Mo Williams to Cleveland for table scraps doesn't look so good anymore.

The verdict: Having the likes of Richard Jefferson, Michael Redd, Andrew Bogut and Charlie Villanueva on the same team was supposed to make the Bucks capable of scoring at will from inside and out. Injuries to both Redd and Bogut no doubt slowed the Bucks' momentum. And the options at point guard are slim with Luke Ridnour, Ramon Sessions and former Hawks point guard Tyronn Lue available. It'll be up to coach Scott Skiles to figure a way out of this mess with top teams in the Eastern Conference looking to create more space between the haves and the have-nots.

--- Records through Friday