With such a flurry of recent trades in the NBA, even an avid basketball fan may have a hard time keeping up with all the activity. Here’s a rundown of the top trades that have occurred during this year’s transfer window:

1. Shaq was traded to the Suns for Shawn Marion and Marcus Banks.

2. Jason Kidd was traded to the Dallas Mavericks for Devin Harris and Dasagna Diop.

3. Pau Gasol was traded to the Lakers.

4. Mike Bibby was traded to the Atlanta Hawks.

5. Kyle Korver was traded to the Jazz for Gordon Giricek.

6. Ben Wallace, Joe Smith and Wally Szerbiak were traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers for Drew Gooden and Larry Hughes.

So who got the best deal? Who is now a top contender in your conference? The following is a list of qualifications for each of the trades and the equipment involved.

1. Shaq-Marion: For this trade, the Heat got a B+. Getting a perennial All-star in Shawn Marion and getting rid of a sick Shaq was a good move. Once Marion joins the rest of the Heat team, he will make Miami that much better. The Suns, on the other hand, get a incomplete. This trade could work very well and result in a long-awaited championship or blow up in their face. It all depends on Shaq’s health and willingness to give everything he’s got, even if his tank is nearly empty. If Shaq can perform like the Shaq of old or even the Shaq of Miami’s championship days, the Suns can win him this year.

2. Kidd-Harris: Personally, I think New Jersey is getting the best point guard. Devin Harris is not only putting up better numbers than Kidd this year, but he is young and will be a great player for years to come. Like the Suns, the Mavericks seem to be focused solely on the short term. They want a championship now and they think Kidd can take it home. Mavericks: B- Nets: A-

3. Pau Gasol: Outside of Boston getting Garnett and Ray Allen without losing Paul Pierce, this is the best trade I’ve seen in a long time. The Lakers got it all without losing anything. Gasol is a fluid, talented big man who is a perfect fit for the Lakers. Once Andrew Bynum gets back on his feet, the Lakers will have the nastiest frontcourt: Bynum, Gasol and Odom. I don’t know of any team that can deal with such speed, height and talent. A++

4. Mike Bibby to the Hawks: This trade received less exposure than the trades listed above. Why? Because it won’t have much of an impact. Yes, Mike Bibby is a good point guard, but he has definitely lost a step or two over the years. He’ll help the Hawks make the playoffs, but he won’t make them good enough to get past the Celtics, Pistons or even the Magic. So while this trade is good in terms of getting a good player, it won’t have as big of an impact. B+

5. Korver-Giricek: The Jazz couldn’t have done a better trade. Yes, they could have traded several of their talented bench players for another big name. But why mess with a good thing? The Jazz are playing very well. The only thing holding them back was sales artist Gordon Giricek. Trading him for the sharp-shooting Kyle Korver was a stroke of genius. The Jazz get an A for this trade.

6. Wallace, Smith, Szerbiak – Gooden, Hughes: I really don’t know about this trade, for either team. The Bulls are riddled with injuries right now. Breaking the flow of the few remaining players they have may seal their playoff fate. However, Larry Hughes is having a pretty good year and Drew Good is pretty reliable. So the Bulls get a B- in my book. As for the Cavs, I’m a little torn. I want to give them a high rating for securing a big name, experienced player, but I don’t know how much, if any, improvement the Cavs will show. The Cavs are generally a good defensive team. What has been hammering at them is their lack of scoring options aside from Lebron. Neither Ben Wallace nor Joe Smith are very dangerous on the offensive end. They did Wally Szerbiak, who is a good outside shooter and can help them in that regard. But what he adds on offense, he lacks on defense. I’m not sure this trade is going to work. Only time will tell. Cavaliers: B

Although I’m not sure about some of these trades, the amount of activity during this year’s trading season has me very excited to see how trades will turn things around. The second half of the season is going to be a lot of fun to watch.