RETRO: proposed trades in 2007

Normally, I would have a whole mid season NBA report ready. It's always nice to examine things during the all-star break. But with the trade deadline just 10 days away, and with me being away during the weekend, I'm holding off until I know for certain where teams are headed.But I will give you the teams that have surprised me, good and bad:

BETTER THAN I THOUGHT

Magic (but falling), Jazz, Lakers, Wizards, Bulls, Raptors, Blazers

DISAPPOINTING

Sixers, Sixers, Sixers, Nets, Clippers (but starting to do okay), Hornets (same), Celtics

Honestly, if the Sixers don't get one of the top two spots in the draft, they might be the most disappointing team in pro sports in the past decade.I'll wait until trades are finalized, but here are some trades that need to happen:

CLIPPERS trade

Corey Magette, Daniel Ewing, and Yaroslav Koralev to

PACERS for

Mike Dunleavy, David Harrison, Oriene Greene

The Clips need to move Magette and they need shooting. If Dunleavy can accept playing for his own dad, he'll give them that. Magette gives Indiana more athleticism at the two and a scorer who can help Jermaine O'Neal. Harrison and Ewing add depth to each team.

CAVS trade Damon Jones and Shannon Brown to PISTONS

PISTONS trade Nazr Mohammed to TIMBERWOLVES

TIMBERWOLVES trade Mike James to CAVS

This is a thee-way deal that would help every team and player. Jones and Brown add shooting and depth to the Pistons. Mohammed is unhappy in Detroit, but the Wolves would give him minutes (you can't go with Mark Blount all year). James, who's not living up to his contract, needs to go to make room for Randy Foye. He'll be the shooting point Cleveland wants.

GRIZZLIES trade Pau Gasol and Brian Cardinal to

BULLS for Tyrus Thomas, Loul Deng, P.J. Brown, and a draft pick

---OR---

GRIZZLIES trade Pau Gasol and Brian Cardinal to

CELTICS for Gerald Green, Sebastian Telfair, Kendrick Perkins, Leon Powe, and a draft pick

The Grizz can trade Gasol, rebuild, and get some good prospects in the exchange. Either trade would help them and help the other teams. The question is if the Celtics want to keep sucking and get in the lottery, or start winning again now. It's a tough choice, as they gamble with a lottery while Gasol is a proven scorer down low. I think the Bulls' offer makes sense, and would make them possibly the best team in the East, but I'm holding out hope for the Celtics, because that improves them immediately and gives the Sixers a better shot of being the worst team.

KNICKS trade Steve Francis and Mardy Collins to

LAKERS for Brian Cook, Aaron McKie, Smush Parker, and a draft pick

This seems one-sided, but the Knicks need to get rid of Stevie Franchise any way they can, and the Lakers want another big-time guard to help Kobe. Francis might just fit in their system, and Collins is a big point who can't get time. The Knicks get cap relief by dumping Francis and picking up McKie, and Cook and Parker give them a little depth.

Also, the Blazers can unload Jamaal Magliorre for something, and the Bobcats can do the same for Brevin Knight. They should get draft picks out of contenders that need them.

I've been hearing rumors that New Jersey and Sacramento are ready to give up and start trading away everyone. Sacramento may have a point - if they can't win with Artest and Bibby playing well, Kevin Martin stepping it up, and a decent collection of post guys, there's not much more they can do. New Jersey, though, might want to rethink this. They've been disappointing, but that's because they have a lot of injuries. A key addition or two plus some health and they're a contender in this wide-open Eastern race.