We Want Zeke! We Want Zeke! We Want Zeke!

The NBA all-star break is almost upon us. Of course, this means that trade rumors are beginning to make their way around The Dick and Bo Show rumor mill, also known as the Internet. This year's big rumor is that the Phoenix Suns are shopping everyone except Steve Nash. This got Dick and I talking about trades to make our teams better.

Let's lay our teams out at the beginning: Bo - Chicago Bulls/Dick - Houston Rockets. With that said, Dick is tired of the Rockets and their current roster situation, so he is abandoning them until further notice. To improve the team he formerly supported, he wants to get rid of two over-paid, not clutch enough "superstars" - Tracey McGrady and Ron Artest. The Rockets should keep Yao and build around him with their young talent. That is the only acceptable way for the Rockets to keep Dick's booming cheers headed their way. So, let's do this again: Bo - Chicago Bulls/Dick - Cleveland Cavaliers.

After the Los Angeles Lakers beat the Cavs this past weekend, handing Lebron James and rest of the Cavs their first home loss of the season, Dick realized what I had been saying all along. The Cavs need to be deeper in order to win a championship. Here's the first trade to shore up the Cavs that Dick would like to see happen: Cleveland trades Wally Sczcerbiak to the Los Angeles Clippers for Marcus Camby and another player for salary cap purposes. This immediately gives the Cavs depth in the front court, a decent scorer, and an excellent defender/rebounder. If this happens, I say look out Eastern Conference.

Here's the second trade: Cleveland sends Wally Sczcerbiak and Eric Snow to Phoenix for Shaquille O'Neal. This trade is plausible on many levels. The Suns get two expiring contracts and, if the rumors are true, expiring contracts are exactly what you want if you are trying to dump salary. The Cavs get a proven post player who will make them the team to beat in the East. Now you might be thinking, Shaq is old and pretty washed up. Actually, I agree with that. But check out his stats from this season so far. Not too bad. Plus, he'd be able to split time in Cleveland with Big Z.

Now, on to my team, the Chicago Bulls. I'll make this quick. The Bulls need a dominant low post player. The Phoenix Suns are trying to dump big salaries. The Bulls should send Kirk Hinrich and Tyrus Thomas to the Suns for Amare Stoudamire. This trade could work for the Suns because, not only they would be getting rid of a big salary, they could use Hinrich as Steve Nash's replacement. Nash is an expiring contract next year that could be a nice piece in a trade. It'd be great to see Derrick Rose and Stoudamire running the floor together or working a pick and roll.

All of our discussions about trades led us to this epiphany...we need Isiah "Zeke" Thomas back running a team. Talking about trade rumors are just like making predictions for NFL games. They're pretty useless because we are just guessing and, most of the time, we, along with the other "experts", are wrong. So, in order for the NBA to have exciting trades every year and not just rumors, Commissioner David Stern should mandate that Zeke becomes the general manager of Oklahoma City, Sacramento, Memphis, or Los Angeles Clippers. This is the team that we think Zeke would've rounded up this year:

Jermaine O'Neal - C, $21.3 million with 2 years left

Ben Wallace - PF, $14.5 million with 2 years left

Larry Hughes - SF, $12.8 million with 2 years left

Tracey McGrady - SG, $20.3 million with 2 years left

Kirk Hinrich - PG, $10 million with 4 years left




















Although there are four players that have expiring contracts in two seasons, we're sure Isiah would sign at least 2 of them to ridiculous contract extentions. Be sure to notice how Bulls General Manager John Paxson signed two of the contracts (Wallace and Hinrich) and has another one (Hughes) on the team. Good job Mr. Paxson.