Cavs appease LeBron at deadline, but are they better for it?

While it takes a few weeks for players to adjust following a major deal, Wallace is confident playing with James will help his game.

"It's going to be a great experience because he demands so much attention," Wallace said. "He draws double teams and triple teams without doing anything. I think it's going to compliment my game, being able to get to the boards. On the defensive end, he's become a great defender and that's going to allow me to roam around a little bit."

Of course, Wallace isn't the only player in the deal who will play a significant role with the Cavaliers. Each of the other three players is a part of the team's regular rotation.

West has stepped into the starting lineup at point guard (plugging a long-time hole for a playmaker) and was averaging 10.6 points and 4.8 assists. Szczerbiak has averaged 13 points in four games as the team's sixth man and will be asked to take pressure off James with his deadly perimeter shot.

Meanwhile, Smith, the overlooked player in the trade, will provide a front-court scoring option off the bench, which is a necessity with Wallace and Anderson Varejao ahead of him in the rotation.

But even if everything works out according to plan, the Cavaliers still would be no better than the third choice in the East in many people's eyes behind the Boston Celtics and Detroit Pistons.

That's why the trade is a huge gamble for general manager Danny Ferry. By taking on the huge contracts of Wallace ($15.5 million) and Szczerbiak ($12 million), the Cavaliers' payroll has soared to $81.2 million this season, the third highest in the NBA. Their luxury tax bill also jumps to $13.3 million.

But Ferry, with the blessing of owner Dan Gilbert, believes it's a worthwhile gamble because having a happy, motivated James -- which he definitely is now -- always gives you a chance.

"We want to win, and not just 45-50 games," Ferry said. "We want to win a championship. That's what our Cavaliers legacy should be."

John Jackson is the NBA columnist for the Chicago Sun-Times.