Who should buy or sell at the trade deadline?

Our panel weighs in on which route teams in the middle of the standings should take before Feb. 21.

Sean Highkin, Hardwood Paroxysm: Sellers. With Avery Johnson's firing, they'll want to take some time to see how their roster works with a new offense, but I wouldn't be surprised if they moved someone. They're so capped-out that I can't really see them taking on any meaningful new players, but Kris Humphries and MarShon Brooks are very movable pieces.

David Hopkins, The Two Man Game: Buyers. The Nets spent $330 million on contracts this summer. Let's hope they are happy with the team they've built. However, their problems are a little trickier -- not so much with the roster but the culture of their franchise. With Avery Johnson gone, if they can find the right replacement, it's possible they can compete among the elite teams in the East.

Jeremy Schmidt, Bucksketball: Buyers. The Nets are in no position to be selling any time soon. Saddled with brutal contracts, the expectations have been made clear: Win now. Players such as MarShon Brooks will be used as bait, right or wrong, because they're the only assets Brooklyn has.

Darius Soriano, Forum Blue And Gold: Sellers. The expectations for the Nets probably will lead to them being buyers, but they are in salary cap purgatory with this roster and would be better off strategically selling some of their higher-priced players to build a more well-rounded team for the long term.

Brian Windhorst, ESPN.com: Buyers. They're owned by a demanding and impatient billionaire. I hear a lot of people saying they are locked into this current roster, but that simply is not true. Kris Humphries was pretty much signed to be used as a trade asset and he's movable with a large salary number. If they wanted to think bigger, there is a market for Brook Lopez that could open up a lot of possibilities.

2. Buyers or Sellers: Houston Rockets

Highkin: Buyers. Jeremy Lin and James Harden have looked more comfortable playing together lately, and it would be very easy for GM Daryl Morey to package any number of their young prospects -- Terrence Jones, Donatas Motiejunas, Patrick Patterson, Marcus Morris or Chandler Parsons -- for another impact player to propel them into the playoff picture.

Hopkins: Buyers. Houston is 16-12 with the youngest team in the NBA. Jeremy Lin and James Harden still need a little more time to find themselves.

This is not a team you would want to blow up and rebuild. Make a few adjustments here and there, and watch them grow.

Schmidt: Buyers. There's little evidence that indicates the Rockets are going to be either. They seem pretty content letting the youngest team in the NBA continue to play together, learn each other, strengthen its chemistry and develop defensively. But considering their early-season success, if the Rockets will do anything, it's buy.

Soriano: Buyers. With a foundation of talented young players and a star in James Harden, the Rockets are primed to make a playoff push this season with the proper roster adjustments. If the right deal presents itself, they'd be wise to add to their core to continue to build a roster that can make some noise this postseason.

Windhorst: Buyers. The Rockets have been waiting three years to get themselves to this level and they're not stopping now. However, they most likely won't do a big deal. One, they have 12 players who make $3 million or less, making a significant trade tough. Second, they have cap space next summer they may want to save.

3. Buyers or Sellers: Dallas Mavericks