This is my initial attempt at a mock draft.  Surely, it is an exercise in futility for several reasons.  For instance, the season is barely half over which means determining the order is even a crapshoot and guessing who will even apply for the draft is difficult.  That being said, if the draft order were determined by current records, the draft lottery gave the three worst teams the spot in the order they would have received based on performance, and no trades were made between now and the day after the draft, it could play out like this:

1.  Charlotte Bobcats - LaMarcus Aldridge - 6'11" C - Texas

For next season, the Bobcats have Raymond Felton and Brevin Knight at point guard, Kareem Rush at shooting guard (probably), Gerald Wallace at small forward, Emeka Okafor and Sean May at power forward, and Primoz Brezec at center.  They also have tons of cap space to make runs at free agents.  So, getting wing help through free agency is more likely than getting a valuable big man, and Aldridge has the potential to be a great one.  Paired with Felton and Okafor, he will be a fantastic base to a bright future for this expansion franchise.  A player they should consider is Adam Morrison who would give the team a scoring punch, but the Bobcat front office is incredibly conservative and will likely be hesitant to risk a first overall pick on a white guy with limited athleticism.

2.  Chicago Bulls (via New York Knicks) - Andrea Bargnani - 6'11" PF - Italy

The Bulls are stacked in the backcourt with Kirk Hinrich, Ben Gordon, Luol Deng, Chris Duhon, and Andres Nocioni.  In the frontcourt they have Tyson Chandler.  This team starts Othello Harrington.  So, while Rudy Gay is the "best available" player, the Bulls have to get some help up front.

3.  Atlanta Hawks - Rajon Rondo - 6'3" PG - Kentucky

Atlanta should probably look to trade down in this scenario.  It is too high to take Rondo, but Gay has the same skill set as every other player on the team's roster.  The Hawks really need a point guard and Rondo will probably be the best in the draft.

4.  Toronto Raptors - Rudy Gay - 6'9" SF - Connecticut

If this scenario plays out, it is a windfall for the Raptors.  Many consider Gay the best player in the draft and Toronto needs star power.

5.  Portland Trail Blazers - Adam Morrison - 6'8" SF - Gonzaga

The Blazers would have to leap at this.  Morrison is likely the best scorer in the draft pool and he is wildly popular in the Pacific Northwest.  Of course, taking him means they will have a problem with Darius Miles, but that can be solved with a call to Isiah Thomas.  Thomas apparently wants Miles for the Knicks, and is pretty easy to swindle.

6.  Boston Celtics - Tyrus Thomas - 6'9" PF - Louisiana State

Many Boston fans, who miss Larry Bird, will be upset that they just missed out on Morrison.  Even though Morrison plays the same position as the two players the team is supposedly building around (Paul Pierce/Wally Szerbiak), the Celts would be elated at the chance to draft him.  Thomas, though, has had the most buzz of any player lately, and would actually fit into plans to build around their established stars.

7.  Seattle Supersonics - Ronnie Brewer - 6'7" SG/PG - Arkansas

For some reason, Brewer has been given a free pass on his failure to lead his teams to victory.  Since his arrival, the Razorbacks have been horrid, yet his draft stock keeps rising and rising.  The Sonics need a point guard to spell Luke Ridnour, and Brewer gives them that and a large frame that can let the Sonics "go big" on occasion.

8.  Houston Rockets - Rodney Carney - 6'7" SF - Memphis

No point guards make sense at this selection, so the Rockets go with the best available non-post player.  Carney is probably the most athletic player in the draft and that fills a void the Rockets possess.

9.  Orlando Magic - J. J. Redick - 6'4" SG - Duke

There is a lot of talk that Redick's game will not transfer to the pro ranks.  I don't buy that.  He is too good of a shooter and too great of a competitor not to succeed whereever he plays.  The Magic could use someone with that kind of attitude.

10.  Chicago Bulls - Tiago Splitter - 6'11" PF - Brazil

If the Bulls knew ahead of time that Splitter would fall this far, maybe they do something different at the two slot.  Instead, they get two awfully good big men in a draft that is supposedly weak on post players.

11.  Sacramento Kings - Randy Foye - 6'4" SG - Villanova

One thing the Kings lack is a sparkplug scorer.  Foye can play that role.  He can likely take some of the point guard duties from Mike Bibby, as well.

12.  Minnesota Timberwolves - Al Horford - 6'9" PF - Florida

The comparison being made for Horford is Amare Stoudamire.  Odds are that is overhype, but if it is not, the T-Wolves cannot pass him up.

13.  Golden State Warriors - Mardy Collins - 6'6" PG/SG - Temple

Golden State has stocked up on young players over the years and has made a long term committment to many.  The last thing they need is another prospect.  Collins could have some trade value for the many teams needing a point guard, but if the Warriors keep him, he provides a taller floor general than what they currently have available.

14.  Utah Jazz - Shelden Williams - 6'9" PF - Duke

Assuming that Jerry Sloan does not retire, Williams is his kind of player.  It does not hurt that the Jazz are in serious need of some post help.

15.  Philadelphia 76ers - Paul Davis - 6'10" C - Michigan State

Personally, I think Davis will be worthless as a pro.  His ceiling is low, based on his failure to improve since his freshman year as a Spartan, and he really offers very little that is not height.  That being said, the 76ers have Shavlik Randolph in their frontcourt rotation, so Davis cannot be a downgrade.

16.  New York Knicks (via Toronto via Denver) - Brandon Rush - 6'6" SG - Kansas

A ton of Jayhawk fans are under the delusion that Rush will be back for a sophomore year at Kansas.  This is a player who declared for the draft last year and barely withdrew when he could not get a first round guarantee.  Then, he nearly went to a prep school this season because he did not want to go to class.  The odds of his one (impressive) year in Lawrence convincing him that studying is fun and the millions can wait are not listed in Vegas.

Now, for why the Knicks will take him:  They picked up two decent young big men and a promising point guard in last years draft.  Adding a promising young point guard would give the Knicks an impressive corps of prospects.  Now, if they can only exile Stephon Marbury...

17.  Phoenix Suns (via Los Angeles Lakers) - Shawne Williams - 6'9" SF - Memphis

Williams fits coach Mike D'Antoni's preference for versatile players.  He has a lot of potential, as well, and no immediate need to produce.  It is a good fit for both parties.

18.  Washington Wizards - Julian Wright - 6'9" PF - Kansas

With a strong backcourt, the Wizards need more front court help.  Wright has been somewhat disappointing at KU, but he has a lot of potential.

19.  Oklahoma City Hornets (via Milwaukee) - Josh McRoberts - 6'10" PF - Duke

Pickings are slim late in the draft.  McRoberts has (say it with me) potential, and the Hornets need height.  McRoberts would be a player who could replace P.J. Brown when he decides to hang them up.

20.  Oklahoma City Hornets - Rudy Fernandez - 6'5" SG/PG - Spain

Speedy Claxton has already dropped hints of leaving Oklahoma City, most likely for San Antonio, after the season.  That means the Hornets will be in dire need of a back up to Chris Paul.

21.  Indina Pacers - Maurice Ager - 6'5" SG - Michigan State

Ager shot up the draft charts when he dominated the Maui Invitational at the beginning of the college season.  Since then, he has been awfully quiet, but he is probably the best player available to the Pacer who could use some depth at shooting guard.

22.  Memphis Grizzlies - Curtis Stinson - 6'3" PG - Iowa State

The Grizz are in dire need of a back up to Bobby Jackson.

23.  New Jersey Nets - Nick Fazekas - 6'11" PF - Nevada

Fazekas is being hurt by Keith Van Horn comparisons.  Regardless, the Nets have to get someone with height, especially considering that Cliff Robinson is going to fossilize at some point.

24.  Cleveland Cavaliers - Daniel Gibson - 6'3" "PG" - Texas

Someone is going to be convinced that Daniel Gibson can play point guard, and my bet is on the team that thought signing Damon Jones long term was an answer to the point guard position.  When (and I said when) Gibson fails as a floor general, the Cavs are finally going to move LeBron to the position full time.

25.  Miami Heat - Marcus Williams - 6'2" PG - Connecticut

Gary Payton is going to have to quit sometime, and then the Heat will be stuck with "White Chocolate" as their only option.  They need to start grooming a long term running mate for Dwayne Wade.

26.  Los Angeles Clippers - Leon Powe - 6'8" PF- California

L.A.'s "other" team has had a great season based on a great corps.  They really are not looking for a miracle worker anymore, so they can take a risk on a guy like Powe who has fabulous upside, but knees that could possibly give out at any time.

27.  Phoenix Suns - Corey Brewer - 6'8" SG - Florida

The Suns do not need anything, but since they have the pick, Brewer is another versatile player who can contribute.

28.  New York Knicks (via San Antonio) - Taj Gray - 6'9" PF - Oklahoma

I took a vow never to say anything positive about an Oklahoma Sooner, to whom I was not related, and I am not going to start now.

29.  Dallas Mavericks - Brandon Roy - 6'5" PG - Washington

The kind of combo guard the Mavs have favored since giving up on Steve Nash.

30.  Portland Trail Blazers - Hassan Adams - 6'4" SG - Arizona

What the Blazers really need is a shot blocker, but I doubt any of UConn's front court stays in the draft.  That means the Blazers will have to settle on taking a chance on Adams.  Adams may end up being a better NBA player than college player due to his incredible athleticism, but he has been unable to put it all together at Arizona.

As anyone with more than a cursory interest in the NBA knows, the New York Knickerbockers are as dysfunctional on the court as the Portland Trail Blazers used to be off the court.  Despite having on the league's all-time great coaches, and the highest salaried players in the league, they rest in the cellar of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference at 14-33 (behind Toronto and Boston).  This record is even misleading when recent play has the team losing their last six and eleven of the past twelve contests.

Isiah Thomas has been the punching bag for the team's woes, and to an extent, most of the problems can be traced back to him.  However, he is not horrible enough to have caused all of the team's problems...this is a team sport.  Isiah, who is a bad team president, works for a bad owner, replaced a bad general manager, and caters to a bad fanbase.  It is the perfect storm for putting a team into a dire situation.

Hope for righting the ship is not entirely lost, however.  While "fixing" the team is probably a dream, some things can be done to get them back on the right track.  I submit two plans, one more realistic than the other, that Isiah could pursue.

PLAN A: Make the team more Competitive now

Step 1:  Get rid of Stephon Marbury for market value

This is the key to any plan that could improve the Knicks' circumstances.  Acquiring Marbury from the Phoenix Suns has been the marquee roster shake-up of the Thomas era in New York.  It got the Knicks the kind of bigger-than-life star a New York fanbase demands.  The fact that Marbury grew up in Big Apple and honed his "me-first" craftiness as a local playground legend helped.  Selling it to the fans was easy, but the repurcussions have been horrible.

Marbury has no business playing team sports.  Sure, he's talented.  And sure, he is not a Ron Artest-like distraction in the media.  On the floor, though, he's cancer.  In a team full of guys talented enough to command salaries that have the Knicks tripling the league salary cap limit and practically doubling the luxury tax threshold, Marbury pretends he is the only guy on the floor.  Maybe those other players are overrated and overpaid, but they have enough talent to have become overrated.  Steph does not see it that way.  If he played any position other than point guard, perhaps he would be a valuable player who could isolate and play one-on-one whenever passed the ball.  The problem is that Marbury is the point guard and he does try to play one-on-one evertime he touches the ball which is every possession.

Other teams have noticed that Marbury is not a good team player.  When he left Minnesota for New Jersey, the Timberwolves started a string of making the playoffs (something they did not do when Marbury played there).  When he was traded from New Jersey to Pheonix, the Nets went from lottery team to Eastern Conference champion two years in a row.  Then when Isiah procured him from Pheonix, the Suns suddenly became one of the most feared teams in the league.  With a salary ranking him among the league's elite, and a pedigree of doing a team more good afterwards, his market value is minimal.

With his talent, though, some team is bound to overpay for him.  The best option available is a deal the Knicks are supposedly working on right now.  Rumor says that the Knicks are attempting to pry away Kenyon Martin and Earl Watson from the Denver Nuggets.  The problem is the rumor involves someone other than Marbury on the Knicks side.  Instead, the Nuggets would get Penny Hardaway's expiring contract and possibly Channing Frye.  Another rumor has the Knicks sending Jamal Crawford to the Orlando Magic, the Magic sending Steve Francis to Denver, and Denver giving New York Kenyon Martin.

Considering that Francis and Marbury are basically the same player, the Knicks should look into making a hybrid of the two trades without involving the Magic.  If Isiah could convince Kiki Vandewege to take Stephon (who could be the shooting guard the Nuggets have coveted), Trevor Ariza, and one of the two young bigs (David Lee and Channing Frye) in return for both Martin and Earl Watson, it would do a lot toward making the team competitive right now.

Losing Steph would be an addition by subtraction and Ariza is coveted even though he's on New York's inactive list.  New York would have to give up one of their young bigs in Frye or Lee, but with Martin coming in there would not be enough minutes for all three.  After this trade, the team's depth chart could look like this:

PG:  Earl Watson - Nate Robinson

SG:  Jamal Crawford -  Anfernee Hardaway - Qyntel Woods

SF:  Jalen Rose - Quentin Richardson

PF:  Kenyon Martin - Frye or Lee - Malik Rose - Maurice Taylor

C:   Eddy Curry - Jerome James - Jackie Butler

Watson makes the rest of the team better.  As a pass-first point guard, he can keep the offensive minded starting line-up involved in the game.  When an offensive minded player is happy on the offensive end, they play better on defense also.  Martin gives the team a shot blocker.

Step 2:  Eat Hardaway's expiring contract

With the trade outlined above, the Knicks will have improved enough to satisfy the New York fans as much as New York fans can be satisfied.  This team is not going to make the playoffs and an improved product is the best that can happen.  What that means is that using Anfernee Hardaway's expiring contract as bait to bring in another player would be a mistake for the longterm.

Obviously, Hardaway is hardly even a decent bench warmer anymore.  So, the only way to get any value for him is to take another bad contract from a rebuilding team that is hoping to clear salary cap space.  The most likely deal that could be made for his contract would be Ruben Patterson and Darius Miles from Portland.  While that is the kind of star power that New Yorkers want, it is difficult to see how those two would fit in.  Patterson (who once felt compelled to inform the public, "I ain't no rapist") has been complaining he deserves starters minutes, and in New York he would probably be nothing more than a defensive specialist.  Miles, on the other hand, has no skill to provide the team (though ESPN's Sports Guy would be pleased to see him re-united with Quentin Richardson), and has another five years and $41.25 million left on his deal.

PLAN B:  Look to the future

Synopsis:  Getting a fanbase to swallow a prolonged rebuilding period is a difficult sell.  Doing so in New York is damned near impossible.  Supposing Isiah were willing to look toward building a team that can compete year in and year out instead of bandaid fixes to keep the status quo, and were willing to take the short term p.r. fallout, it could be done.

Step 1:  Blow it up.

Cap space in New York is a pipe dream.  This is never going to be a team that can fit themselves comfortably enough under the cap to make a run at a premiere big name.  That's why they always get stuck taking big names who are past their prime and make too much money.

That being said, if the team were a healthier environment that was not stocked with egos, New York does have a location that is attractive to free agents.  When a player who cannot get a big deal has to select from teams that can only offer the salary cap exception, the Knicks would be able to get whomever they wished.  That would mean jettisoning the high priced egomaniacs for role players or just buying them out.

Step 2:  Tank the next two seasons.

David Stern wants the team in the nation's largest media market to succeed.  Conspiracy theorists think that is why the Knicks won the first draft lottery and the prize of that draft class, Patrick Ewing.  Next season, the odds could easily be on their side, even without commissioner intervention, if they let their current young guys have the floor and get rid of guys like Marbury and Jalen Rose who make the team competitive.  Next year's prize is Greg Oden, a young big man with star power like LeBron James.

After two seasons are completed, the Knicks salary situation is a lot more manageable.  Allan Houston, Jalen Rose, Penny Hardaway, Malik Rose, and Maurice Taylor will be off the books.  The players left would be pieces the team could win with in the 2007/2008 season.

PG:  Nate Robinson

SG:  Jamal Crawford

SF:  Quentin Richardson

PF:  Channing Frye - David Lee

C:  Eddy Curry - Greg Oden - Jerome James

That could develop into strong front line and they could get some backcourt help in with their mid level exceptions.

Journalists have been joking about this for awhile now, but it seems to keep happening.  Any player with a bad contract has to be on Knicks' President Isiah Thomas' wish list.  Sure, a lot of the bad contracts on the Knicks cap were inherited by the mismanagement of the Scott Layden era.   Since Isiah took over, things have only gotten worse.  Some of his acquisitions:

*  Stephon Marbury -- the most overrated point guard in NBA basketball and his max contract

*  Anfernee Hardaway -- Making $16MM a year to sit at the end of the bench

*  Quentin Richardson -- Has five years and $41 million left on a contract that cannot be insured on account of Richardson's back problems.

*  Jamal Crawford -- Despite the fact that no other team could offer him more than $4.5 million a year, Isiah engineered a deal that allowed Crawford to make twice that.

*  Jerome James -- A career back-up, Isiah inked him to a long term deal for nearly $6MM a year.

*  Malik Rose -- Three years and $20MM left on a contract for a powerforward who has to crane his neck to look several point guards in the eye.

*  Eddy Curry -- Probably the best of his bad acquisitions.  He's making $7.5MM this season, which is a decent price for a starting center.  Of course, this will likely get ugly in the off season when Isiah gives him a max deal that cannot be insured based on Curry's heart defect.

The Knicks had three things going for them as far as contracts went.  1) In the new collective bargaining agreement, the "Allan Houston Rule" was instituted allowing teams to cut a player and get his salary off the books for luxury tax purposes.  2)  Antonio Davis' $14MM contract was in it's final season, and 3) Anferee Hardaway's $16MM contract was in it's final season.  Getting all three of those contracts off the books would have put New York beneath the luxury tax threshold.  Isiah screwed it up from the beginning when he failed to pick up that the "Allan Houston Rule" was there to allow them to get the chronically injured shooting guard off their books.  Instead of cutting, say Allan Houston and his $20MM contract, they cut a forward who had a reasonable contract.  While he still possesses Hardaway's expiring contract, today he lost Davis for a player who provides even less help to the team.

That's right, today Thomas made another heinous trade.  In return for a player who isn't helping the team this year for $13MM, he acquired a player who won't help the team for the next two seasons at $16MM a year when they picked up Jalen Rose from Toronto.  I mean, Isiah may earn an award for "Man of the Year" from NBA executives in honor of all the charitable efforts he's made to rid the other 29 teams of bad contracts.  No one wanted Rose.  Aside from his horrible contract, he is no longer even a decent player.  He does not care about winning.  And he pouts.  So, Isiah gives away one of the few contracts that was about to stop stinging the team, and gets a player who could pollute the team's horrible chemistry.

When I was younger, I used to love the NBA's All-Star Weekend.  I liked watching the best three point shooters drain shot after shot.  I liked watching the best dunkers contort their bodies wildly as they competed for style points.  I even enjoyed the all star game, even if it did amount to the same organization as a YMCA pick-up game (with incredibly talented goliaths).

Over the years my interest, along with (apparently) the interest of the rest of the civilized world, in the events has declined.  The league has fiddled with the formats to the point where a couple of years ago the slam dunk contest included a Wheel of Fortune of classic dunks the participants would have to emulate.  A rookie challenge was added, and now there is some sort of "skills" competition.

Gimmicks are not what this formerly great tradition needs.  The real reason that interest waned is that the games stopped being about providing entertainment for the fans and more about providing marketing for the league.  It is kind of like if you were a member of NetFlix and instead of them sending you the "Wedding Crashers" video you had in your cue, they sent you a DVD of skits about the benefits of joining NetFlix.  Let me explain...

Back in the day, established legends like Larry Bird, Michael Jordan, Dominique Wilkens, et cetera, participated in the events that they were most apt for.  Now, the NBA force feeds the viewers young guys who are only admired by their hometown crowds (if that).  For instance, this year, former slam dunk champion Desmond Mason openly lobbied the NBA to include him and the leagues other former champions in an effort to make the dunk contest a real event.  Who is participating?  Rookies Nate Robinson and Hakim Warrick, and second year players Josh Smith and Andre Iguodala.  Granted, Smith is a former champion, but he is a former champion who won in a watered down competition.  Of the four competitors, only Iguodala is a starter for his team, and he is more known for his defensive prowess than his highlight reel.  I am a huge basketball junkie, and none of those players have me anxiously awaiting this competition.  Personally, I'd prefer the guys who make ESPN's top plays everynight...and it is not these guys unless you count them as being in the background in their warm-ups.

The three point competitors have not been announced yet, but if this is like the past few years, most of the competitors will be guys who wave towels for a living.  There will probably be a couple of joke entries of centers who never wander outside the paint, and I will not be watching.

If the league wants to market some of their up and coming players, I'm fine with that.  But isn't that what the Rookie/Sophomore challenge is all about?  Let those guys play their little scrimmage, and let the big boys who have developed a reputation show off in the individual spotlights.  And if guys like LeBron James turn them down, David Stern needs to make them.

On a completely different rant that also shows the stupidity associated with the All Star weekend, the Rookie/Sophomore Challenge rosters were announced today.  Five of the nine players on the rookie roster are point guards.  T.J. Ford who was a rookie two years ago apparently received a medical redshirt allowing him to be a sophomore this year.  This does not sound promising.

Even before Chris Andersen was suspended for violating NBA drug policy, the Oklahoma City Hornets were thin on the front line.  Andersen, at 6'10", spelled P.J. Brown (6'11") and occasionally David West (6'9").  It was a small line-up that could go ultra-small with Rasaul Butler (6'7") shifting to the power forward position.  Now that Andersen is gone, the team not only needs a player who can help in the post, they need a replacement for him.

Complicating matters is that the Hornets are actually decent.  Before the season started, had this scenario been mentioned, the likely response would have been:  "So what?  Let them play undersized, it will get the team a better draft slot."  Instead, the rejeuvenated team is actually battling for a playoff spot in the loaded Western Conference, getting to a .500 record with their win over Eastern Conference contending Milwaukee last night.  With the playoffs in their eyes, something will be done to strengthen the glaring weakness.  The question is "What?"

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Option 1:  In House

Coach Byron Scott recently mentioned that he only trust "eight or nine" of his players.  One of those was certainly Andersen, so that means he now feels comfortable with only seven of the players on his roster.  The good news about that is that there is room for someone who is already in Oklahoma City to step up and pick up the minutes that are now available.  The bad news is that these guys will have to get back in Coach Scott's good graces.

The Candidates:

Jackson Vroman (6'10")

Maciej Lampe (6'11")

Brandon Bass (6'8")

Of these three, Vroman is the most likely to step up.  He has already been the most consistently used reserve big man outside of "The Birdman."  Scott called him out specifically, though, when he was talking about his rotation.  He really brings little to the floor.  His defense is suspect and he spends more time around the perimeter on offense than trying to bang for offensive rebounds.

Lampe has the most potential to step up.  In the preseason, Lampe appeared to be more likely than David West to take the starting slot opened in the trade of Jamaal Magloire.  He even managed to lead the team in scoring in a couple of preseason games.  However, once the season began, Lampe was on the inactive list and has only played in two games this season.  He certainly has good potential, but injuries have derailed this season, and his inability to rehab from them has angered Coach Scott.  Even after the Andersen suspension and Lampe being healthy, Scott kept him on the inactive list.

Bass is a longshot.  The second round pick from the 2005 draft tends to play only in the fourth quarter of blowouts.  If the team had more depth at the power forward position, Bass would almost certainly be playing with the Tulsa 66ers of the Developmental league.  He is a longshot to get any significant playing time this season unless the Hornets get into a really bad injury situation.

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Option 2:  Trade

With the trading deadline rapidly approaching, the buzz is that the Hornets are seriously looking into the option of a trade.  As a trading partner, the Hornets are certainly attractive.  They were six million dollars under the salary cap before the Andersen suspension, and his departure cleared an extra two and a half.  That means the Hornets can take back up to $8.5 more in salary than what they send out.  This is a huge asset when trying to make a trade with a team who is over the salary cap (which is every team except OKC and the Charlotte Hornets).  The Hornets also have two first round picks in the upcoming draft.

That's the good.  The bad is that from a personnel standpoint, the Hornets do not have a lot to offer.  The seven or eight players on the roster that Scott would be willing to give up are not going to be players other teams are clamoring to get.  There may be some value in Lampe, since it is Scott's doghouse keeping him from production, and the guard position is loaded keeping foreign prodigy Arvydas Macijauskas on the end of the bench.  Neither of those players have been allowed to prove themselves, though, so it would be difficult to get a valuable rotation player in return.  That means the only trade asset of any real value is J.R. Smith.

Smith, who came to the NBA straight from high school, was the Western Conference Rookie-of-the-Month three consecutive months of the 2004-2005 season.  He began the season as the starting shooting guard, but was supplanted by Kirk Snyder when Smith fell into a shooting slump and angered Scott with his lack of effort on defense and in practice.  At twenty years old, he has tons of potential, and it would be tough to think the Hornets would give up on him this early in his career in hopes of barely making the playoffs.  For the right player, he might be available.

The Candidates:

Boston Celtics - Michael Olowokandi for a second round pick

This is the deal that should be done.  Boston acquired Olowokandi in last weeks blockbuster with Minnesota.  Odds are, Boston did not really want or need the "Kandiman" and would like to unload him in order to open up playing time for Al Jefferson.  Rumors are that the Celts, if they cannot find a suitable trade, will buyout Olowokandi's contract and waive him.  Considering that, the Hornets may be able to get him cheap.  They have the cap space to assume his contract, which is in the final year, and Boston would save some money and get a no-risk draft choice.

Seattle Supersonics - Vladimir Radmonovic for a first round pick; Vitaly Potapenko for Maciej Lampe or Bostjan Nachbar; Reggie Evans for Maciej Lampe

In an earlier blog post I lauded the logic of a Vladimir Radmonovic trade.  In the current scenario, he is less ideal for the team.  While he is tall, he is anything but a traditional post player.  It would still be a good trade in the long run.  In that same blog, I also mentioned a possibility of a Potapenko trade.  He is a traditional post and could fill the void left by Andersen.  Since that posting, though, Reggie Evans has begun making noise about wanting to be traded.  He is the shortest of the three, but probably the best rebounder.  He is tenacious on the boards and able to "goon" it up underneath.  If the Hornets could get him or Potapenko without giving up one of their rotation players (a first round pick would likely be overpaying, also), either could improve the team.

Toronto Raptors - Jalen Rose and Rafael Araujo for Desmond Mason and Arvydas Macijauskas; Charlie Villanueva for J.R. Smith and a 1st Round Pick

The first trade would be very short-sighted, the latter trade is very unlikely to even be discussed seriously.  Should the Hornets acquire Rose and Araujo for Mason, the Raptors would benefit from clearing cap space for next season.  Araujo is big, but has been very disappointing.  The Hornets would be rolling the dice that he could offer quality minutes.  Rose, on the other hand, is an alpha-scorer the team lacks.  His contract goes thru next season at approximately $15 million and would eat up all of their cap space.  His production certainly does not merit that, and his attitude is very likely to disrupt the chemistry of this overachieving team.  As for the second trade, it is entirely unlikely, but the Hornets would have to leap at such an opportunity if it became available.  Smith could replace the excitement the Raptors lost when they traded Vince Carter, and Villanueva is the kind of budding young player who could pair with Chris Paul for years to come.  Getting a young big for a guard is only something that might happen if Isiah Thomas were involved, though.

Denver Nuggets - Nene for J.R. Smith

Such a trade would do nothing for the Hornets short term.  Nene is out for the season with a knee injury.  For the long-term, it would be a good trade for Oklahoma City.  P.J. Brown is nearing the end of his career and Nene could be his aire apparent.  The Nuggets are in dire need of a shooting guard and would probably leap at getting Smith.

Miami Heat - Michael Doleac for Arvydas Macijauskas

Doleac is buried on the Heat depth chart and has been rumored to be on the market.  Whether the Heat would accept a potential sharp shooter for him is hard to say.

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Option 3:  Free Agent

There is typically a reason a player is not playing in the NBA, and it typically involves those player not being good enough.  This is certainly the worst choice if trying to make a playoff run.  That being said, some players are capable and wait until mid season to sign with a team.  Finding said player and convincing him that he would benefit from playing for the Hornets is hoping to catch lightning in a bottle, though.

Option 3A:  The D-League

The benefit of looking in the D-League is that the players are definitely in playing shape.  Talent-wise, however, they may not match some of the other free agents.

Candidates:

Ken Johnson

Peter John Ramos

Marcus Fizer

Of the three, Fizer is the most NBA seasoned.  He had several injury-plagued seasons for the Chicago Bulls.  Fizer is likely the best offensive player of the three, as well.  He currently is among the Developmental Leagues scoring leaders and rebounding leaders.  His downside is that he's also the shortest of the three.

Ramos is the tallest of the three.  At 7'4", he would be the only Hornet at or above seven foot.  Of course, it says something when a guy of that height cannot make an NBA roster.  In the D-League, he is among the leading shot blockers and rebounders, but the competition level is much lower than NBA competition.

Defensively, Johnson is probably the best of the three.  Even in the Developmental League, his offensive numbers are poor.  Considering the Hornets needs, though, he could be worth at least a ten day contract to see if he can provide the support they need.

Option 3B:  Former NBA players who are without a team

Candidates under this option may sound more sexy than the D-Leaguers, but that's until one sees them and the poor shape they are likely in right now.

Candidates:

Shawn Kemp

Rodney Rogers

Andrew DeClercq

Christian Laettner

Vin Baker

Keon Clark

Dennis Rodman

Robert "Tractor" Traylor

Paul Shirley

Several of these players are former All-Stars, but are long past their prime.  Of them all, Shawn Kemp is the player with the most desire to return.  After bloating himself out of the league, the player who used to be known as "Reign Man" has reportedly droped 55 pounds in an effort to interest teams.  Considering the Hornets situation, he may be worth giving a minimum contract.

Other players who could possibly be a short term stop gap include Vin Baker (who has had problems with alcohol abuse), Rodney Rogers (who is running a landscaping company right now) and Robert Traylor (who may not be able to play because of a heart defect).  All three are big bodies who provide offense, as well.  When in top form, any of the three could be starting for the Hornets, but at this point in their lives, none are close to that form.

Some of the more interesting candidates are Dennis Rodman and Christian Laettner.  Rodman is one of the best rebounders in NBA history, but his (shall we say) personality makes him tough to swallow.  Laettner is a former college legend and a solid NBA player who could possibly provide solid minutes.  The odds of him coming out of retirement to play for a borderline playoff team are slim.

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