Wednesday Insider (this is a good one)

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Now that the NBA free-agent frenzy has finally wound down, it's time for the NBA trading season to get into full gear. To date, there has been only one major trade -- the four-team deal that swapped four guys no one else wanted -- Latrell Sprewell, Keith Van Horn, Glenn Robinson and Terrell Brandon.

That's a major disappointment when you consider how many top teams struck out in the free-agent market this summer.

The Mavericks haven't answered the moves by the Lakers, Spurs, Kings and T-Wolves. The Jazz replaced two Hall of Famers, Karl Malone and John Stockton, with, Keon Clark. That $20 million-plus in cap room has to be good for something. The Blazers are conspicuously quiet, the Pacers have been on the verge of something for six months, and the Knicks can't rest on Van Horn and "optimistic" Antonio McDyess.

With the "A" and "B" list free agents off the board, trades are the only way for teams to upgrade their roster, clear cap space or take care of a logjam. So far the rumor mill has been surprisingly quiet. It's about time that changed.

While we can't save everyone, here's our best shot at fixing the Bulls, Celtics, Sonics, Hawks, Blazers, Mavs, Wizards, Pacers, Sixers, Cavs, Warriors and Grizzlies in one fell swoop.

In an effort to jump start the process a little, Insider takes a look at several trades that should happen this summer. Please note that these are NOT trade rumors or speculation, just trades we'd like to see. However, in the name of realism, all the trades do conform with collective bargaining agreement guidelines.

In reply to:

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TRADE 1

Antoine Walker to Chicago; Donyell Marshall, Marcus Fizer, Jerome James and Eddie Robinson to Boston; Shareef Abdur-Rahim to Seattle; Vladimir Radmanovic, Brent Barry, Eric Williams and Bulls' No. 1 to Atlanta

Antoine Walker

Forward

Boston Celtics

Profile

2002-2003 SEASON STATISTICS

GM PPG RPG APG FG% FT%

78 20.1 7.2 4.8 .388 .615

Why the Bulls should do it: It appears that the Bulls have settled on the three young players they intend on building around -- Tyson Chandler, Eddy Curry and Jamal Crawford. Now it's time to think playoffs. The addition of Scottie Pippen this summer was a move in the right direction, but adding Walker to the mix finally propels them into playoffs. In return the Bulls must give up three bench players, which shouldn't be hard to do. They've been trying to dump Robinson's contract all summer and neither Marshall nor Fizer has the talent that Walker does. Walker's ability to handle and pass the ball are perfect in the triangle offense, and spies in Chicago claim that Walker, a Windy City native, is in the best shape of his career after intensive workouts this summer. A front line of Chandler, Walker and Curry will be among the biggest and most versatile in the East. Put them together with Crawford and Jalen Rose and the Bulls should make plenty on noise this season. The downside? The Bulls lose some depth on the bench by dumping Fizer and Robinson.

Projected Starting Five:

PG Jamal Crawford

SG Jalen Rose

SF Tyson Chandler

PF Antoine Walker

C Eddy Curry

Why the Celtics should do it: Danny Ainge claims that he hasn't been shopping Walker, but the rampant trade rumors surrounding Walker suggest that where there's smoke there's fire. The Celtics' problem the last few years has been depth. If Walker or Paul Pierce are having off nights, the team was doomed. Not anymore. Marshall and Fizer are both versatile enough to play the four or three. James is the closest thing to a center the Celtics have had in a long time, even if he is a project. And Robinson's athleticism should be a nice complement in the backcourt to rookie point guard Marcus Banks. The downside? Cap flexibility. The Celtics were due to have Williams off the books next summer. Marshall and James have two years left on their contracts. Robinson has three. Fizer will be a restricted free agent next summer. Can the Celtics afford to pay him?

Projected Starting Five:

PG Marcus Banks

SG Eddie Robinson/Kedrick Brown

SF Paul Pierce

PF Donyell Marshall/Marcus Fizer

C Tony Battie/Jerome James

Shareef Abdur-Rahim

Power Forward

Atlanta Hawks

Profile

2002-2003 SEASON STATISTICS

GM PPG RPG APG FG% FT%

81 19.9 8.4 3.0 .478 .841

Why the Sonics should do it: Despite having three 7-footers collecting more than $15 million in salary next year, the Sonics lack a real power forward or center who can command double teams in the post. Without one, Ray Allen and Rashard Lewis can't get the open looks they need to knock down the big shots. While Abdur-Rahim isn't a classic four, he's the best guy available. He's young, athletic, rebounds and can score in the paint. The Sonics actually flirted with acquiring him two years ago in a swap for Gary Payton. A core of Allen, Lewis and Abdur-Rahim is about as good as the Sonics are going to get given their cap restraints. The downside? The Sonics give up a lot to get him. Radmanovic still has the trappings of a star, but he just can't get enough minutes behind Lewis. Barry has played a big part in the Sonics' success the past two seasons, but he's a free agent next summer and the team can't afford to keep him. And for all of James' problems last year, he's still has upside in the middle.

Projected Starting Five:

PG Antonio Daniels

SG Ray Allen

SF Rashard Lewis

PF Shareef Abdur-Rahim

C Vitaly Potapenko

Why the Hawks should do it: Cap space. New owner David McDavid is going to want to come and put his stamp on the team sooner rather than later. Abdur-Rahim isn't the problem in Atlanta, but he also isn't a guy you build around either. Radmanovic is a restricted free agent next summer and Barry and Williams are unrestricted free agents. If the Hawks pulled the trigger on the deal, they would be roughly $10 million under the cap next season, assuming they re-sign Terry. Radmanovic is the key to the deal. He's young, versatile and should have a breakout year in Atlanta given plenty of playing time at the three. Barry could also turn into a valuable asset down the road. His ability to swing between both guard positions should help Terry's game. The downside? The apathy in Atlanta over the Hawks is already rampant. Will dumping Rahim, a Georgia native, drive the 15 fans the Hawks have left away?

Projected Starting Five:

PG Jason Terry

SG Brent Barry

SF Vladimir Radmanovic

PF Theo Ratliff

C Nazr Mohammed

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Trade 2

Rasheed Wallace to Washington for Kwame Brown, Jahidi White and Christian Laettner

Why the Blazers should do it: It's time to clean house. New Blazers GM John Nash has to rethink everything the Blazers have done the last five years. On paper, they still have the talent to compete in the West. But in practice, the team just doesn't work. With five teams in the West already primed and ready for a run at the title, what's the point of a first-round playoff exit and more embarrassing off-the-court problems. The team should start the process right away by shipping Wallace out of town. For all of his talent, what has he really done for the team? He's an unrestricted free agent next summer, and third-year forward Zach Randolph is already their best low-post scorer. Adding Brown takes the sting out of losing Wallace. Brown has been disappointing his first two years in the league, but he's still very young and really needs a change of scenery. White and Laettner are cap fillers. The good news is that they both have only two years left on their contracts. The downside? Brown continues his listless play.

Projected Starting Five:

See Trade 3 below.

Rasheed Wallace

Power Forward

Portland Trail Blazers

Profile

2002-2003 SEASON STATISTICS

GM PPG RPG APG FG% FT%

74 18.1 7.4 2.1 .471 .735

Why the Wizards should do it: With the addition of Gilbert Arenas, the Wizards now have one of the best backcourts in the East. They need a frontcourt veteran to complement them and Wallace is a low-risk proposition. Wallace already has one tour of duty in Washington and spent two years in North Carolina playing with Stackhouse. If he plays up to his potential, the Wizards should be one of the top five teams in the East next season. If he doesn't, he comes off the books next year and the Wizards drop $17 million below the salary cap during the summer of 2004. The downside? Kwame catches fire in Portland and averages 20 and 10 for the rest of his career.

Projected Starting Five:

PG Gilbert Arenas

SG Jerry Stackhouse

SF Jarvis Hayes/Jared Jeffries

PF Rasheed Wallace

C Brendan Haywood

Trade 3

Raef LaFrentz and Michael Finley to Portland for Dale Davis, Ruben Patterson and Bonzi Wells

Michael Finley

Guard-Forward

Dallas Mavericks

Profile

2002-2003 SEASON STATISTICS

GM PPG RPG APG FG% FT%

69 19.3 5.8 3.0 .425 .861

Why the Blazers should do it: Because removing one bad apple won't be enough to change the karma in Portland. If the Blazers can also dump Wells and Patterson, they have, over night, changed the character of this team for the better. Finley is an all-star-caliber swingman without the baggage or inconsistency that Wells brings to the table. LaFrentz isn't the tough interior defender that Davis is, but when given the minutes, he's one of the best shot blockers in the league. The downside? The Blazers lose a little on the talent, but the gains in chemistry should more than make up for that. Forget about cap space. Both LaFrentz and Finley are locked into long-term deals.

Projected Starting Five:

PG Derek Anderson

SG Michael Finley

SF Kwame Brown

PF Zach Randolph

C Raef LaFrentz

Why the Mavs should do it: The Mavs are one of the most exiting teams, offensively, in the NBA. But they lack the toughness on defense to get deep into the playoffs. Mark Cuban and Co. have struck out in every attempt to get a blue collar big man. This is the best they can do. Davis may not do much on offense, but he's a relentless rebounder and a tough low-post defender. The Mavs will also upgrade their backcourt toughness. Wells is one of the most physical two guards in the league and Patterson has made a living shutting down athletic swingmen. The downside? Do you really want to mess with a good thing? Will the upsurge in toughness kill the great chemistry the Mavs have? Losing Finley is a high price to pay.

Projected Starting Five:

PG Steve Nash

SG Bonzi Wells

SF Dirk Nowitzki

PF Dale Davis

C Shawn Bradley

Trade 4

Eric Snow and Dajuan Wagner to Indiana; Al Harrington, Jamaal Tinsley and Sam Clancy to Cleveland; Darius Miles and Fred Jones to Philly

Eric Snow

Point Guard

Philadelphia 76ers

Profile

2002-2003 SEASON STATISTICS

GM PPG RPG APG FG% FT%

82 12.9 3.7 6.6 .452 .858

Why the Pacers should do it: They haven't given up on Tinsley, but they need a veteran to run the point and an explosive two guard who can hit from the perimeter and get to the basket. Snow is ideal for them because of his consistency and superior on-the-ball defense. Pair him together in the backcourt with Artest and you have a lockdown on the perimeter. Put him together with Wagner, and you could be looking at the next Iverson. The downside? The Pacers don't want to trade Harrington or Tinsley. Jonathan Bender will really have to step up for this trade to work for Indy.

Projected Starting Five:

PG Eric Snow

SG Dajuan Wagner

SF Ron Artest

PF Jermaine O'Neal

C Scot Pollard

Why the Cavs should do it: The Cavs don't want to admit it, but they've got a big logjam in the backcourt. Wagner, Ricky Davis, Miles and LeBron James is just too much. The team could really use some size, interior scoring and a real point guard to run the show -- at least until James gets a little more accustomed to playing in the NBA. In Boston at the Reebok Pro Summer League, he looked much better playing small forward than he did at point guard. Miles also looked good in the summer league, but he becomes a restricted free agent next summer. Can the Cavs afford to keep him? Harrington gives them a young, athletic big body who can play the three or the four. Tinsley ranked sixth in the league in assists last year. While he struggles to be a 40-minutes-a-night guy, with James and Kevin Ollie, there are plenty of guys out there who can relieve him when he struggles. The downside? Both Wagner and Miles have big upsides. The Cavs may not be ready to give up on them just yet.

Projected Starting Five:

PG Jamaal Tinsley

SG Ricky Davis

SF LeBron James

PF Al Harrington/Carlos Boozer

C Zydrunas Ilgauskas

Darius Miles

Guard-Forward

Cleveland Cavaliers

Profile

2002-2003 SEASON STATISTICS

GM PPG RPG APG FG% FT%

67 9.2 5.4 2.6 .410 .594

Why the Sixers should do it: Second-year point guard John Salmons looked great in both summer leagues this year. He has the size, scoring ability and defensive toughness to step right in and take the starting point guard job. That leaves the Sixers with a unique opportunity to steal a young, athletic forward in Miles. Glenn Robinson won't be playing in Philly forever and Miles looks to still be another year or two away from being a star. But eventually, an Salmons-Iverson-Miles combination looks pretty intriguing. The downside? Losing Snow is a tough. He's so steady and such a superb defender.

Projected Starting Five:

PG John Salmons

SG Allen Iverson

SF Glenn Robinson

PF Kenny Thomas

C Marc Jackson

Trade 5

Erick Dampier and Danny Fortson to Memphis for Wesley Person and Brevin Knight

Erick Dampier

Center

Golden State Warriors

Profile

2002-2003 SEASON STATISTICS

GM PPG RPG APG FG% FT%

82 8.2 6.6 0.7 .496 .698

Why the Grizz should do it: Jerry West is getting impatient. He wants to win this year and he's willing to pay the price to do it. The Grizzlies' biggest need is in the middle. Dampier isn't an all-star but he's a big, tough rebounder and shot blocker. And, he's probably the best big man available via trade. Fortson's contract is terrible, but he is one of the premier rebounders in the league and a small price to pay for adding a legit big man like Dampier. The downside? Forget about cap room for the next four or five years and start saying luxury tax.

Projected Starting Five:

PG Jason Williams

SG James Posey

SF Mike Miller

PF Pau Gasol

C Erick Dampier

Why the Warriors should do it: GM Garry St. Jean didn't take my advice last week when I implored the team to make the trades necessary to keep Gilbert Arenas. Fine. Without Arenas, the Warriors don't have a shot at making the playoffs in the West. If that's the case, why not raise the white flag now, get a couple of bad contracts off the books and start over again next summer. Person and Knight are both in the last year of their contracts. The trade would put the Warriors roughly $13 million under the cap next season and allow them to pursue a top-flight point guard via free agency. It also would put them at the bottom of the standings in the West and give them an excellent shot at the No. 1 pick in the 2004 NBA draft.

Projected Starting Five:

PG Speedy Claxton

SG Jason Richardson

SF Antawn Jamison

PF Troy Murphy

C Adonal Foyle

Around the League

The Jazz finally scored someone with all of that cap room when they traded for Keon Clark on Tuesday. It's an interesting move for the Jazz when you consider that character has always been a major issue for owner Larry Miller. Clark, as you may recall, hurt his free-agent chances last summer when police found marijuana in his car following a routine traffic stop.

Clark has an enormous amount of talent, but he's struggled to realize it during stints with the Nuggets, Raptors and Kings. Can he turn it around in a starting role with the Jazz? Clark is in the last year of a two-year contract, so he'll have the incentive.

"[He's] a kid who wants to play," GM Kevin O'Connor told the Salt Lake Tribune. "It behooves him to have a good year, and it behooves us for him to have a good year. He blocks shots, he is athletic, he has great length and he runs the floor well. His ability to defend at [center and power forward] can also help us."

Fair enough, but what about the character issues? Is this the dawn of a new era in Salt Lake? "There have been no problems, based on the past year," O'Connor said. "We did a lot of homework on him and, last year, he was not late, he had no problems with the coaches and he played in 80 games."

The Jazz still have $16 million left under the cap and are looking at two restricted free agents, Jason Terry and Stephen Jackson.

Lamar Odom left Miami without an offer sheet Tuesday night. However, the Heat are expected to tender an offer to Odom this week. The Miami Herald reported that Pat Riley will fly to L.A. today in an attempt to seal the deal. According to the Sun Sentinel, the Heat are ready to offer a deal in the six-year, $65 million range. As much as $23 million could be paid up front in an attempt to scare the Clippers from matching. However, Clips coach Mike Dunleavy believes the team will match any reasonable offer.

"He's a very talented player, and we're expecting to have him back," Dunleavy told the Sun Sentinel. "I'm going to push him to be a much better player. He can play four positions [all but center]. He's very versatile, so he gives me so many different options. We'll tap into his ability to make plays more than had been the case."

Odom has threatened to sign the one-year tender with the Clips if he didn't get a deal that averaged around $10 million per season. Odom reportedly turned down a three year, $24 million offer with the Clips previously.

Speaking of the Heat, Mavs owner Mark Cuban denied that the Mavs were close to trading for Heat forward Brian Grant. A report in the Sun Sentinel earlier this week claimed that the Mavs and Heat were talking about trade that would've sent Eduardo Najera, Avery Johnson and a re-signed Walt Williams to Miami. The trade would've given the Heat an extra $10 million in cap room next summer.

The Pacers could lock up Reggie Miller as early as today. The question is, for how much? The Pacers are about $6 million under the projected luxury tax for next season and are still interested in signing veteran guard Jon Barry as well. Miller made $12 million last season and was expected to take a big paycut to return to the Pacers this season.

According to the Rocky Mountain News, the Nuggets are talking with Serbian forward Predrag Drobjnak. Drobjnak is a restricted free agent, but the Sonics are having trouble signing him because of cap issues. "Denver is definitely near the top of Peja's list, and they're very interested in him," his agent, David Bauman, said. Atlanta, Miami, Utah and the Clippers, to a lesser extent, also are interested. "He's the best big man available (in free agency)."