The Philadelphia 76ers pulled off a big trade with the New York Knicks, Minnesota Timberwolves and Atlanta Hawks. All four teams either received someone or something they needed.

The Knicks were able to get a big body, while the Timberwolves were able to get another scorer to complement Kevin Garnett. The Hawks received cap room.

	Glenn Robinson's defense will be just as important as his offense.

It's an interesting trade for the 76ers, though.

In two seasons, they have gone from a tough, hard-nosed team with a penchant for defense to a team that's more offensive-minded. This may be a problem because they have older players who are used to a certain defensive intensity and who may become frustrated when they don't see it from the new guys. This places a large weight on the shoulders of new coach Randy Ayers, who must now mold this collection of players into a team. To do this, he will have to be resolute in terms of what he wants and needs from this team.

But this was a good trade for the 76ers for several reasons.

One, they've increased their talent pool for trades. Before this deal, Allen Iverson and Keith Van Horn were the only tradeable assets on the roster. But with the addition of Glenn Robinson and Marc Jackson, they now have two more players who can be dealt. Having talent to make trades is big for a team because it gives it an opportunity to improve itself during the season. It also gives a team the flexibility to decrease its budget if the need arises.

Second, the Sixers have added depth to the team with Jackson. He's a big body who can get in the paint and draw fouls. Jackson is a 77 percent foul shooter and has showed a proclivity for getting to the line during his short career. That will be a major asset for the 76ers as they're still uncertain about Todd MacCulloch's recovery from a neurological disease.

Also, the addition of Robinson will lessen the burden on Iverson.

Iverson is at a point in his career where he realizes, in order to compete for a ring, he needs a partner to carry the burden of scoring and leading the team. Robinson will decrease the number of "tired shots" that Iverson takes. These "tired shots" are ones that he takes late in the game with 10 or 11 seconds still on the clock because his body is fatigued and he doesn't trust his teammates. He now has someone to trust and pass the ball in those situations. Iverson also will now have someone who can take the pressure off of him in the fourth quarter and who'll allow him to do the things that he does well.

But even with this trade, the 76ers are still not on the level of the elite teams of the Eastern Conference. The Nets and Pistons are still the class of the conference with their offseason moves. The 76ers will at least be able to compete with those teams and give them trouble.

Fred Carter is an NBA analyst for ESPN.