OK, the Bulls combine Ben Gordon, Tyrus Thomas and Andres Nocioni and …
I know, not yet. There is no trading until after the NBA Finals. But you can be certain you’ll hear perhaps a half-dozen of your favorite — or not-so-favorite — Bulls in trade rumors this summer.
After all, it was two trades that took the Boston Celtics from 24 wins last season to perhaps an NBA title this season. After sweeping the three Texas teams on the road last week and having a better record against the West than the East, the Celtics would enter the Finals as the first East favorite since the 1997 Bulls.
Boston got Ray Allen from Seattle for Wally Szczerbiak, Delonte West and the No. 5 pick, Jeff Green from Georgetown. Then executive director of basketball operations Danny Ainge sent Al Jefferson, Ryan Gomes, Gerald Green, Theo Ratliff, Sebastian Telfair and two first-round picks to Minnesota for Kevin Garnett. Four of those players have since been traded again.
It’s still hard to believe — and it should net Ainge the executive of the year award.
So it can be done.
The question is whether it can be done midseason. This season saw one of the busiest trading periods in many years, and thus far it hasn’t been a bonanza for everyone, with growing pains in several places. Here’s a look at the biggest deals and their results:
Dec. 29: Sixers trade Kyle Korver to the Jazz for Gordon Giricek and a protected first-round pick.
It’s hardly all because of Korver, but the Jazz took off after acquiring him and are 29-9 since, including a 10-game winning streak. Korver’s averaging about 10 points on 48 percent shooting and gives Utah perhaps its first true deep threat on the wing since Jeff Hornacek. The 76ers didn’t use Giricek, released him and he signed with the Suns. Winner: Jazz.
Jan. 29. Chris Webber signs with the Warriors, causing much Bay Area excitement.
Webber made his debut in a loss to the Bulls on Feb. 7 in Chris Duhon’s best game of the season. Webber is averaging 3.9 points and 3.6 rebounds over nine games (eight starts). The Warriors are 6-3 in that time but Webber couldn’t keep up and has been sidelined since March 4 with knee pain. He may not play again this season. Winner: No one. The Warriors’ cheap gamble didn’t hurt.
Feb. 1: The Grizzlies send Pau Gasol and a second-round pick to the Lakers for Kwame Brown , Javaris Crittenton , Aaron McKie , the rights to Marc Gasol and 2008 and ’10 first-round picks.
The Lakers ran off a 10-game winning streak and were 16-3 with Gasol before he sprained his ankle March 4; he hasn’t played since. He’s a chronically slow healer, so it’s uncertain when he’ll return. But his size and production (Gasol was averaging 18.9 points and 8.8 rebounds with the Lakers), along with the hoped for return of Andrew Bynum, has made the Lakers title contenders. The Grizzlies are 3-18 since the deal and irrelevant in Memphis. Winner: Lakers.
Feb. 6: In the shocker of the season, the Suns acquire Shaquille O’Neal from the Heat for Shawn Marion and Marcus Banks .
While the Garnett deal was the story of the season, this one was the headliner after the Kobe Bryant non-trade to the Bulls. After a 3-6 start with O’Neal, the Suns have won seven straight and are the NBA’s hottest team. He is averaging a double-double in an unselfish role at 11.8 points on 61 percent shooting and 10.7 rebounds. The Heat is 3-16 with Marion, who is averaging 14.3 points, his lowest since his rookie season. Perhaps that trade request wasn’t such a good idea. Winner: To be determined — in the playoffs for Phoenix and in the draft for Miami.
Feb. 16: The Hawks acquire Mike Bibby from the Kings for Shelden Williams , Lorenzen Wright , Anthony Johnson and Tyronn Lue .
The Hawks are 8-11 with Bibby averaging 12.6 points and 6.5 assists on 41 percent shooting. Williams hasn’t played much, but the surprising Kings are 8-9 since the money dump and likely will re-sign Beno Udrih. Winner: Kings. And the Hawks, if they can hang on to the final playoff spot in the East.
Feb. 19: The Mavericks acquire Jason Kidd , Malik Allen and Antoine Wright from the Nets for Devin Harris , Trenton Hassell , Maurice Ager , DeSagana Diop , Keith Van Horn , first-round picks in 2008 and ’10 and $3 million in cash.
Kidd has struggled. He doesn’t have a triple-double and is averaging 8.5 points, 9.6 assists and 6.3 rebounds. The Mavs are 9-8 and haven’t beaten a team with a winning record. They are having more difficulty adjusting to Kidd’s up-tempo style than the Suns are to O’Neal’s half-court style. And with Dirk Nowitzki’s injury Sunday in a loss to the Spurs, making the playoffs is in doubt for Dallas. Winner: No one. The Nets are a mess and the Mavs appear to be fading.
Feb. 21: Bonzi Wells and Mike James to the Hornets, Bobby Jackson to the Rockets and Marcus Vinicius to the Grizzlies.
The Rockets won 13 of their 22 in a row after moving Wells, who can be a distraction. In the Hornets’ 10-5 run, Wells has played in only eight games but had a season-high 25 points in beating Houston. Winner: Rockets.
Feb. 21: Cavs get Ben Wallace, Joe Smith , Szczerbiak and West, Bulls get Larry Hughes, Drew Gooden, Shannon Brown and Cedric Simmons; Seattle gets Ira Newble, Donyell Marshall and Adrian Griffin .
This deal was about guys nobody wanted. The Bulls are 6-10 since, or about the same winning (losing) percentage, although Hughes and Gooden are scoring more than in Cleveland. The new Cavs are scoring less since LeBron James dominates everything in Cleveland, which is 9-7, about the same season winning percentage. Winner: No one.
Bird’s nest of unrest
No matter how bad you think you’ve got it, someone else has it worse. So if the Bulls think they have problems, welcome to the world of the Indiana Pacers, whom the Bulls lost to Saturday night.
Long a model, player-friendly franchise with the dream arena in the NBA, the Pacers are last in the league in attendance following a series of player incidents and arrests that have horrified the community.
Longtime team President Donnie Walsh is rumored to be staying in Indiana, turning down the chance to take over the Knicks. If he stays, general manager Larry Bird probably is on the hot seat, as is first-year coach Jim O’Brien.
All-Star forward Jermaine O’Neal has played in only 33 games but could return next week. Point guard Jamaal Tinsley, who’s played in 39 games, probably won’t make it back.
It’s all a shock to Bird.
“It’s painful,” Bird told me last week. “But you have to deal with it. We lose Jermaine in the post. We got more shooters to balance that, but now guys have to come in and play more minutes than they have and it catches up. It’s a new coach with a new system.
“I thought we’d win 40 to 45 games, but we lose Jermaine, Tinsley, and then all the negativity off the court. It’s pulled the team down.”
AI, all grown up
Allen Iverson returned for the first time to Philadelphia since he was traded to Denver. He had 32 points but the 76ers won.
One of the most paradoxical figures in sports, Iverson remains one of the most unusual players ever. At perhaps 6 feet and 165 pounds, he is a marvel of durability, strength and resolve, one of the true transcendent figures in NBA history.
“I’m 32 years old now. I don’t make the mistakes, do some of the things I was accustomed to doing, anymore. I don’t want to be that person that I used to be,” Iverson said. “But I don’t regret any of it because I feel like going through what I went through [in Philadelphia], my ups and downs, helped me to be the man I am today.
“I came to [the 76ers], I was 21, I thought I was ready. I wasn’t ready. I never had a dime in my life, and then all of a sudden I came into a bunch of millions. … Looking back on it, it’s embarrassing, but I can share a lot of experiences, a lot of do’s and do nots.”
Agent Zero hour
Gilbert Arenas is going to be the biggest question mark of the off-season for the Wizards (who have prospered without him) and teams who may pursue the free-agent-to-be. Arenas has been hedging on playing again this season.
“If you were a general manager, would you pay someone max money if he’s had three knee surgeries? I wouldn’t,” Arenas told D.C. media.
“That’s just business. That’s the scared part I have going on in the back of my head. If I go out there, I can’t be second-guessing. That’s how you get hurt in the first place. It’s about having that comfort.”
You won’t find a more honest player.
Running thoughts on the Bulls
This is not to excuse Duhon, who didn’t show up for that shootaround in Detroit. But it was an injured Duhon dragging himself through games in February with several Bulls players taking time off to heal. It’s the same Duhon who saved the Western trip with that 34-point effort in Golden State. So take it easy on him. And baseball fan Thomas may have the NBA’s most complete collection of caps, with every team and in most of their various styles .
Layups
Sounds like the ’90s again for Phil Jackson, who despite playing without Gasol and with Bynum still recovering said the Lakers are the West’s favorites: “I think we’re the front-runner. If we had a healthy roster, I would be much more capable and comfortable saying that, but at this point, given our schedule (10 of their last 13 at home plus a ‘road’ game against the Clippers), I think we have a really good opportunity.” …
Former Bucks general manager Larry Harris, in a classy exit after losing his job: “We had some divine intervention. The East is trying to let us in. They tried to keep my job. And we still couldn’t get it done.” …
Don’t blame the Rockets. It is a big letdown. After winning 33 in a row in 1972, the Lakers lost four of their next six. After winning 20 in a row in 1971, the Bucks lost five of six.
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sasmith@tribune.com
