Celtics A Possible Trading Partner With Bulls Says Smith

[Way Of The Ray <wayray@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

http://chicagosports.chicagotribune.com/sports/columnists/cs-030522smith,1,5306272.column?coll=cs-bulls-headlines

Sam Smith
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On Pro Basketball
Bulls likely to deal No. 7

Wouldn't you know it. NBA executives and scouts generally regard the
2003 NBA draft as a six-player draft. And the Bulls have the seventh
pick.

The best player expected to be available there is Marquette shooting
guard Dwyane Wade, a 6-foot-5-inch junior who is regarded as more of a
slasher and scorer. It's also possible Texas point guard T.J. Ford,
targeted by most NBA scouts at the end of that supposed top six, could
be available for the Bulls.

 But their problem is they hardly need another point guard, especially
one who's 5-10. And though Wade is an appealing prospect, he doesn't fit
the Bulls' needs with Jamal Crawford bidding for shooting guard time
when he's not playing point guard, and Jalen Rose at shooting guard.

This is why the Bulls probably will put their top pick up for auction.
Orlando, Boston and Utah, all looking for point guards, are possible
trading targets, though none of them has much to offer.

But there are a couple of good possibilities. Two small forwards who
have long been linked to the Bulls through suggestions (mostly from me)
are Sacramento's Hedo Turkoglu and Memphis' Shane Battier.

With the Grizzlies' trade for Mike Miller, Battier is said to be
available. If that's the case, a deal of Marcus Fizer and the No. 7 pick
for Battier would make some sense for both teams. Memphis was the big
loser in the draft because its pick, No. 2, goes to Detroit from the
long ago Otis Thorpe trade. It would love to recover from that trade
with a higher draft pick (it also has No. 13) and could use the inside
presence Fizer brings.

Sacramento figures to be looking for some young players for the future
and to avoid paying extensive luxury taxes with Turkoglu, who hasn't
played much, coming up for a new deal. The Bulls could get creative and
try to get backup center Scot Pollard, who doesn't play much, and
Turkoglu for the No. 7 pick and Eddie Robinson because the contracts of
Robinson and Pollard are similar.