Not Bullish on First Big Trade

Desperation, the mother of invention....

Two NBA teams, Indiana and Chicago (giving the Bulls the benefit of the doubt), began moving bodies in earnest, and more continued to shop, hoping their general managers don’t drop, at least before Thursday’s trade deadline.

Not the locals, however. Insiders confirm the Lakers’ and Clippers’ claims they’re sitting this one out.

The Lakers, of course, need a healthy Shaquille O’Neal and there aren’t any on the market.

The Clippers’ Lamar Odom and Corey Maggette have been mentioned a lot, but that’s just other teams licking their chops over talented young players they think Donald T. Sterling doesn’t want to pay.

I know, Donald, it’s unfair. I can’t imagine where they got that idea but you’ll show ‘em.

Won’t you?

Actually, the time may come when the Clippers have to think about trading Odom, who’s no longer their linchpin and remains irresponsible, not to mention accident-prone, for something they need, like a big-time, lights-out shooter.

On the other hand, no one is offering a big-time, lights-out shooter for him so that time isn’t now.

On to the big deal of the day:

Chicago sends Brad Miller, Ron Artest and assorted journeymen to Indiana for Jalen Rose, Travis Best and assorted journeymen and draft picks (a “conditional No. 2,” whatever that is).

Comment: Have the Bulls lost their minds?

In a word, yes. Of course, it happened years ago, before they ran off their dynasty.

Four seasons, one coach and 179 losses later, they’re dismayed to find rebuilding isn’t as much fun as it looked. Since no free agent they’d want will sign with them, for them, it may be impossible.

Now as crowds finally dwindle in the United Center, people around the Bulls say things like, “We could never take another young player,” because they don’t think they can wait that long anymore.

Why can’t they? They’re not in this mess by accident. They got here the old-fashioned way, they earned it.

It’s a surprise to them that terminating a dynasty and starting from scratch, to say nothing of doing it in a very-cold-weather city with a very-player-unfriendly rep, carries a certain risk?

Now they have Rose, who can score (20 points a game last season, 18.5 this one) and, best of all, can’t flee, signed as he is for four seasons after this one, at an average of $15 million per.

On the down side, he always was moody and stardom, even at his level (this isn’t Kobe Bryant or Tracy McGrady or even Vince Carter; Rose has never been an All-Star) hasn’t turned him cheerful, optimistic or selfless.

Rose’s problems with Coach Isiah Thomas have been an open secret for months, since Thomas lamented:

“If the guys I have can’t take me past .500, then I have to find a way to get past .500. It’s not, ‘I’ve been in the league eight years and I’m owed.’ You ain’t owed [anything.] Your money’s guaranteed but your minutes aren’t.”

Rose, 29, has been in the league eight years.

Meanwhile, the 6-foot-11 Miller, 25, took off 40 pounds and turned into one of the East’s better centers, averaging 13 points and 8.4 rebounds.

In other words, in the West he’d be a decent power forward, but big men are scarce and he still represents a major upgrade over the Pacer starter, Jeff Foster, and should work well with Jermaine O’Neal.

Then there’s Artest, an intriguing, young, 6-7, 246-pound guard, a relentless competitor and a tremendous defender, on and off the ball.

Of course, he’s either a little wacky, or, as Bull insiders claim, completely out of his gourd.

Maybe it was just his surroundings, which he certainly had an impact on. On the way out of the Bull practice facility Tuesday, he took his photo off the wall.

Assuming Artest, 22, remains at liberty and comes to games and practices, the Pacers have acquired a fine prospect while shoring up their front line and moving Rose out of the way of the kids their program will rise or fall on, Al Harrington and Jonathan Bender.

Then there are the others, priced to move, or not:

Nick Van Exel, Denver--You may remember him. Jerry West dumped him in 1999 and, although the Lakers don’t retain anyone from that deal (Tyronn Lue, Tony Battie), it remains one of West’s best moves.

Van Exel is the Michelangelo of moods and--surprise!--is once again upset. In his final Laker days, he refused to reclaim his place in the starting lineup, because coach Del Harris wanted him to. Now, after floating the possibility of opting out of the last two years of his contract in 2003--at a cost of $26 million--Van Exel has recanted.

My bet is Van Exel saw Charles Barkley on TV, raving this would be one the dumbest moves of all time. Now Van Exel says he won’t give up the money and it’s the Nuggets’ fault for saying he would, which can’t be true.

Bottom line: Anyone who didn’t know what a pain he can be, just got a refresher course. Van Exel will probably have to finish the season in Denver before the Nuggets get desperate enough and give him away in summer.

Raef LaFrentz, Denver--All of a sudden, people are talking about this soft, 6-10, three-point shooting, uh, center, averaging 15 points and seven rebounds, as if he were a prize. Of course, the Knicks are in there pitching, offering their 230-pound, 50-game-a-season, uh, center, Marcus Camby. So far, the Nuggets have resisted the urge.

Stephon Marbury, Phoenix--Having offed coach Scott Skiles, the Suns are out of scapegoats and must turn to root causes. They can move Marbury, who has deep-sixed two teams in a row now, if they’re not too fussy about what they get back.

Penny Hardaway, Phoenix--Unfortunately, the Suns gave him a contract that has four more seasons--at $56 million--on it, so moving him will require someone beyond desperation and into panic. In other words, they should try the Knicks.

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(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX)

Trading Places

The players involved in the deal between the Chicago Bulls and Indiana Pacers:

TO THE BULLS--Jalen Rose, Travis Best, Norm Richardson and a conditional second-round draft choice

TO THE PACERS--Ron Mercer, Brad Miller, Ron Artest and Kevin Ollie