Sport-Blog.com

By Ed Jennett

The trading deadline of the NBA is three weeks from today (February 23rd). Rumors are running rampant and some teams have already gotten started, with the Pacers and Kings swapping SF Ron Artest and SF Peja Stojakovic highlighting the transactions that have taken place so far. This six-part series will cover the rumors and actual deals on a division-by-division basis, starting with one of the red-headed step children of the NBA: the Atlantic Division. Not surprisingly, the teams in this abominable division are actively trading and looking to trade.

The Boston Celtics might be the hardest team in the league to figure out. It is unclear what GM Danny Ainge is attempting to do. Boston is supposedly rebuilding, yet they acquired SG/SF Wally Szczerbiak (and his horrific contract) from the Timberwolves. Paul Pierce is their best player, but there have been endless rumors that Ainge wants to trade him.

Since Ainge has a history of making head-scratching trades (the Szczerbiak deal, all three trades involving PF Antoine Walker), the most likely scenario is another jaw-dropping deal. The most interesting questions are: 1) Where will Pierce be traded to? And 2) How badly will the Celtics get robbed in the deal?

The New Jersey Nets would be among the elite teams in the league if they could find the right big man (men) to combine with their incredible perimeter trio of PG Jason Kidd, SG Vince Carter, and SF Richard Jefferson. It has been rumored for quite some time that the Nets have interest in Wolves PF Kevin Garnett, but acquiring him would cost the club at least one member of The Big Three (most likely Carter and/or Jefferson) so that would be pointless, assuming Minnesota would even agree to the trade.

Unfortunately if the Nets are to add bigs before the trading deadline they will be much less talented. The most likely targets for New Jersey are upcoming free agents PF/C Chris Wilcox of the Los Angeles Clippers and PF/C Melvin Ely of the Charlotte Bobcats. The cost for Nets will be low (cap filler such as Marc Jackson or Jeff McInnis and a first-round pick) but the return will be low as well. The decision to kill the deal for PF Shareef Abdur-Rahim is looking like the mistake that will kill the Nets quickly in the playoffs.

The New York Knicks are almost guaranteed to make a trade. Not only is the team one of the biggest disappointments in the league, they also have some of the best trade bait. The expiring contracts of PF/C Antonio Davis ($13.86 million) and PG/SG/SF Anfernee - Penny -Hardaway ($15.75 million) will be sought out by countless teams, thus opening up countless possibilities for Knicks GM Isiah Thomas. One of the most likely scenarios is the rumored swap of Hardaway for Toronto PG/SG/SF Jalen Rose finally becoming reality. The only holdup with the deal was the Raptors reluctance to include their later 2006 first-round pick (from Denver via the Vince Carter and Kenyon Martin trades). Since Toronto recently fired GM Rob Babcock (in part because of his reluctance to make trades) this rumor now has a greater chance of actually happening. There is more to the proposed swap than the Knicks receiving the much better (though declining) player and a first-round draft pick. The trade would result in New York having two huge expiring contracts next season Rose ($16.9 million) and PF Maurice Taylor ($9.75 million).

If that deal takes place it also gives the Knicks additional ammunition to acquire another of their rumored targets: Atlanta SF/PF Al Harrington. New York could trade Davis along with the first-round picks of Denver and San Antonio to the Hawks for Harrington. This would enable the Hawks to get the first-round picks they want for Harrington (thus recouping the two they lost in the awful sign-and-trade for PG/SG/SF Joe Johnson) and keep them from taking up cap space, since Harrington ($6.875 million) and Davis both have expiring contracts. Due to the Hawks being under the salary cap they would be able to accommodate the larger salary of Davis in order for the one-for-one trade to be consummated.

The transaction would give the Knicks the Bird Rights of Harrington so they would be able to re-sign him without using the MLE. So not only would New York not have to worry about another team outbidding them for the services of the New Jersey native (which could happen if the Knicks wait until the offseason to try to land Harrington with the MLE or a sign-and-trade), the Knicks would also be able to use their MLE for another player (or other players). Most likely New York would split the MLE to re-sign unrestricted free agent SG/SF Qyntel Woods, restricted free agent SG/SF Trevor Ariza, and restricted free agent PF/C Jackie Butler. If acquired via a trade, it is virtually guaranteed that Harrington would re-sign with the Knicks. Not only could they offer the most money (because they would have his Bird Rights) and he would be playing for the team he watched as a child, he would be playing for Thomas, who was the first Indiana Pacers coach to give Harrington significant minutes.

Just like they did last year with their acquisition of PF Chris Webber, the Philadelphia 76ers began taking care of business before the trade deadline. The Sixers corrected their error of signing C Steven Hunter as a free agent this past offseason by trading him to the Hornets for two second-round picks. A likely scenario for Philadelphia is using those picks and some cap filler to acquire SG/SF/PF Eric Williams from the Raptors. Williams is lousy offensively, but with Webber and PG Allen Iverson on the team, offense isn't needed. What is needed in Philadelphia is defense and locker room leadership, which will both be provided by Williams.

The Toronto Raptors might have already made the best move of the season by firing the bumbling Babcock. Interim GM Wayne Embry followed up that long overdue transaction with another one: trading disgruntled PF/C Aaron Williams to the Hornets for two second-round draft picks. Aaron Williams has been miserable in Toronto since he was acquired from New Jersey last season in the insane Carter trade.

Embry will most likely be able to dump the other disgruntled Williams from the foolish Carter deal, Eric, on the 76ers. Rose should already have his bags packed and be waiting for the phone call that he has been traded for Hardaway. Although the deal will cost them one of the picks from the Carter fiasco, it will also get the Raptors under the salary cap.