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Midwest Fixer-Uppers: Is it time to deliver the Mailman to a contender?

by Chad Ford

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Also Below: Insider Write Back: Pistons, Blazers fans attack! | Wizards, Jazz discussing sign-and-trade for Russell? | Mavs working on sign-and-trade for Wang Zhizhi? | Writers Bloc: U.S. players feeling the pressure | Peep Show

NBA position battles: Will the Nets find room for Lucious Harris?

NBA Free Agent Watch

NBA Insider Chad Ford will be chatting live on ESPN.com today from the World Championships in Indianapolis at 1 p.m. E.T. Click here to submit your questions.

Note: Over the past two months, Insider has broken down what last season's NBA lottery teams need to do to get to the playoffs. ESPN.com's "Fixer-Upper" series continues on Insider this week with the playoff teams. Today we tackle the Midwest Division playoff teams. Friday we'll do the Pacific.

Dallas Mavericks

The Kings and Lakers may be the teams to beat in the West, but for how long? Mark Cuban's ability to outspend, and in many cases, outwoo the top teams in the NBA puts Big D in an enviable position. How else can you explain Rashard Lewis' reported willingness to leave $45 million on the table in Seattle for a chance to play with the Mavs? The team is deep, but it's still a piece or two away from knocking off L.A. or Sacramento. Here's how the Mavericks can get there.

Step 1: Swap Nick Van Exel for Kurt Thomas and Charlie Ward

This trade rumor has been out there since draft night mainly because it makes sense for both teams. The Knicks need a real point guard in the worst way and the Mavs need a guy willing to roll up his sleeves and bang down low. Coach Don Nelson loves Thomas and he'd be the perfect fit in Big D. So what's the holdup? The Mavs are concerned about Steve Nash's durability. However, Nash's decision to sit out the World Championships may give the Mavs enough confidence to pull the trigger. If worse comes to worst, they still would have depth with Ward and Avery Johnson.

Step 2: Say hello to Popeye, welcome back Najera and Wang

The Mavs have also been flirting with Popeye Jones. Like Thomas, he's a hard-nose, low-post warrior with a good team attitude. He's looking for a multi-year deal and Cuban has the wallet to give it to him. The team should also re-sign Eduardo Najera and Wang Zhizhi. It looks like the Mavs are close to locking up Najera. Wang, however, remains a mystery. His defiance of the Chinese Basketball Association has caused the Mavs to rethink their future with Wang. The Mavs don't want to step on the Chinese government's toes. But Wang has potential. He looked great for the Warriors in summer league play and could be their best option to back up Raef LaFrentz.

Those moves would give the Mavs this opening-day roster:

Point guard: Steve Nash, Charlie Ward, Avery Johnson

Shooting guard: Michael Finley, Tariq Abdul-Wahad

Small forward: Dirk Nowitzki, Eduardo Najera, Adreian Griffin

Power forward: Kurt Thomas, Popeye Jones, Wang Zhizhi

Center: Raef LaFrentz, Evan Eschmeyer, Shawn Bradley

Minnesota Timberwolves

The T-Wolves have had an awful summer. They've been spurned by almost every free agent imaginable, including their own. Their starting point guard is still 50-50 on whether he'll even be able to play this season. And did we mention that Kevin Garnett and Wally Szczerbiak are expecting extensions this summer? Mired in the rut of early first-round exits, V.P. Kevin McHale is going to have to be bold to get the Wolves deeper into the playoffs. Troy Hudson alone isn't going to do the trick.

Step 1: Swap Terrell Brandon and Anthony Peeler for Damon Stoudamire

Earlier talk about a trade that would also include Bonzi Wells and Szczerbiak looks dead. If the T-Wolves could get that deal, they should pull the trigger in a second. But if they can't, Stoudamire for Brandon and Peeler makes a lot of sense. Stoudamire clearly needs a change of scenery and appears to be the odd man out in Portland with the trade for Antonio Daniels and the signing of Jeff McInnis. Brandon is coming off season-ending surgery and is a big question mark. Portland has the depth to take the gamble, Minnesota doesn't. Right now, the only holdup on the trade appears to be a dispute between the Wolves and Peeler about certain incentive clauses in his contract. If that gets resolved, there's a good chance the trade goes down.

Step 2: Find a couple of veterans

The T-Wolves don't have much depth anywhere, but it is especially a problem at the two and three. What they need is a veteran who can play both positions and give them an edge come playoff time. Former Jazz swingman Bryon Russell is the best available player out there. They still have half of their mid-level exception and, at this point, Russell would probably grab it. While they're at it, why not offer their $1.4 veteran's exception to Shawn Kemp? Joe Smith has been marginal at best playing power forward. If Kemp could regain his old form, he would be the piece that could put the Wolves over the top. If he doesn't, nothing is really lost.

Step 3: Don't overpay for Rasho

I know we're sticking with two steps, but I'd be remiss if I didn't point out that the Wolves may be better off forcing Rasho Nesterovic to take his one-year tender this year. Right now, he's holding out for a contract that exceeds the mid-level exception. While Rasho is talented, the market and the Wolves' salary situation can't sustain his demands. They're already paying big money to two players and will have to open up the bank to Wally soon. Marc Jackson and Loren Woods aren't exactly star material, but they'll both do the job for a lot less. One more note — the Wolves better be careful with Woods. He too is a restricted free agent, and with so many teams (Magic, Knicks, Sixers) looking for another center, he may get an offer soon that the T-Wolves can't afford.

Those moves would give the T-Wolves this opening-day roster:

Point guard: Damon Stoudamire, Troy Hudson, Maurice Taylor

Shooting guard:: Wally Szczerbiak, Felipe Lopez, Igor Rakocevic

Small forward: Kevin Garnett, Bryon Russell, Maurice Evans

Power forward: Joe Smith, Shawn Kemp

Center: Radoslav Nesterovic, Marc Jackson, Loren Woods

San Antonio Spurs

The Spurs are still rolling, but Father Time is getting a little impatient. David Robinson, Steve Smith and now Kevin Willis? The team has to eat dinner at 4 p.m. just to keep the old fellas happy. But offense is an even bigger concern. Tim Duncan does too much of the heavy lifting. Smith won't put up big numbers anymore. Tony Parker looks great, but who knows how much offense he can produce? The Admiral's ship is sailing and newcomer Emmanuel Ginobili will be a rookie. The problem for the Spurs is cap room. They've cleared enough to make a run at another top-flight free agent next summer. It's the only way they'll convince Duncan to stick around.

Step 1: Find another scorer

The team talked to the Cavs about a swap that would bring Lamond Murray in, but eventually balked because it was trying to save enough room under the cap next season to make a run at a top-flight free agent. The Spurs don't have enough players under contract to make a trade and can only afford to give a player a one-year deal for the minimum if they want to remain under the cap. The answer to their problem may be right under their noses. Stephen Jackson didn't have a big impact on the team last season, but he never really got the playing time he needed. He's young, athletic, loves to run the floor, and has a decent outside jumper. He looked fantastic in the summer leagues and could be a long-term answer to the team's scoring woes.

Step 2: Give a little cash to Loren Woods

This is what I was talking about in the T-Wolves' fixer-upper. Robinson and Willis are both gone next season and the Wolves don't really have a center of the future. Woods stayed healthy last season and he's willing to work cheap. If the Spurs were to offer him say, $1.5 million this year, with a team option for years two and three, they'd get an inexpensive look at a kid who could turn into something. If he bombs, the Spurs lose nothing. If he's good, he'd be a steal.

Those moves would give the Spurs this opening-day roster:

Point guard: Tony Parker, Speedy Claxton, Erick Barkley

Shooting guard:: Steve Smith, Emmanuel Ginobili, Steve Kerr

Small forward: Bruce Bowen, Stephen Jackson, Danny Ferry

Power forward: Tim Duncan, Malik Rose

Center: David Robinson, Kevin Willis, Loren Woods

Utah Jazz

It's over. I know, I've been saying this for the past three years and every year the Jazz figure out a way to out tough prettier contenders in the West. But, c'mon, this team can't go on forever. It lost two major free-agent pieces this summer, and heralded rookies Raul Lopez and Curtis Borchardt have injuries that put their futures in question. The team did grab Matt Harpring and Calbert Cheaney via free agency. They're cheaper, but are they really upgrades over Doneyll Marshall and Bryon Russell? Yes, I still believe the Jazz could grab the eighth seed in the West. But is what Jazz fans are shooting for? Karl Malone may be a legend in Utah, but if the Jazz don't move him this summer, while he still has value, the team may be mired in lottery hell — something the good people of Utah just won't stand for.

Step 1: It's time to deliver the Mailman to a contender

It won't be easy to move Malone and his $20 million contract, but it can be done. The key for the Jazz is to get a few solid players with flexible salaries. They won't be getting a gaggle of young prospects; Malone just makes too much money for that. What they need is to find a couple of teams with big salaries on the books that can facilitate a trade. It seems like the Blazers crop up in just about every trade scenario, but it's for a good reason. They have a lot of players with big contracts and their GM loves to deal. Would the Blazers be interested in Malone? Here's what it would take. The Jazz would send Malone and Greg Ostertag to the Blazers. Portland would turn around and send Scottie Pippen (big contract, last year of his deal), a re-signed Bonzi Wells and Antonio Daniels (also in the last year of his contract) to Denver. The Nuggets would turn around and send Juwan Howard and Marcus Camby to Utah.

Why would the Jazz make this trade? Howard, like Malone and Pippen, is in the last year of his contract. He will, however, be willing to accept much less money next season when he becomes a free agent. A year in Utah might convince him to stick around. If he bombs, the Jazz will still have $20 million in cap room to use next summer. Ostertag's contract has been an albatross around the Jazz's neck. Camby makes similiar money, but if he's healthy, he's a big upgrade. The Blazers covet a veteran star like Malone to put them over the top. Ostertag, despite all of his faults, always gets under Shaq's skin and gives them more bulk in the middle. For the Nuggets, Pippen for Howard is a wash. Neither player is in the team's long-range plans. In fact, GM Kiki Vandeweghe could just go ahead and waive him, giving Pippen an opportunity to end his career on his own terms. The key to the deal for Denver is Bonzi Wells. Wells would give the Nuggets that young, big scorer in the backcourt they've coveted for some time. Daniels would alleviate the point guard problem the team has. Losing Camby hurts, but he doesn't really fit in the Nuggets' rebuilding plans.

Step 2: Swap Bryon Russell for Travis Best

Raul Lopez's injury puts a major kink in the Jazz's plans. Now they need a point guard in the worst way to back up John Stockton. The Jazz don't have any money left, but they do still hold the rights to Russell. The Bulls have shown interest in Russell and still hold the rights to Best. A sign-and-trade with one- or two-year contracts would help both teams with needs. And when Stockton retires next season, Best would be a reliable backup to Lopez.

Those moves would give the Jazz this opening-day roster:

Point guard: John Stockton, Travis Best, Raul Lopez

Shooting guard:: Matt Harpring, DeShawn Stevenson

Small forward: Andrei Kirilenko, Calbert Cheaney

Power forward: Juwan Howard, Jarron Collins

Center: Marcus Camby, Curtis Borchardt, John Amaechi

Also see: Nuggets Fixer-Upper | Rockets Fixer-Upper | Grizzlies Fixer-Upper

Insider Write Back: Pistons, Blazers fans attack!

Wednesday's Pistons fixer-upper generated the most feedback since I suggested earlier this summer that the Wizards trade Michael Jordan.

Now here's the great part. Pistons fans and Blazers fans both hated the trade that sent Jerry Stackhouse, Zeljko Rebraca and Corliss Williamson to Portland for Bonzi Wells, Dale Davis and Amal McCaskill. But none of you could agree on exactly why you hated it. Some Pistons fans thought trading Stack for Bonzi was awful, but liked the Rebraca for Davis part. Others liked the Stack-Bonzi part, but thought Williamson and Rebraca for Davis was insane. Blazers fans, apparently, have made up with Bonzi and think Stack is the scourge of the Earth.

Check out these two e-mails. I'm not making this stuff up.

Ford my man you have officially lost your mind. I'm usually pretty agreeable to the things you write but you are WAY OFF on the Pistons. No way we trade Stack for Bonzi, as you've said before — How much do you pay him to insult your fans? Stack has become an emotional and vocal leader for the Pistons. After the sacrifices he made for the good of the team last year, to think about trading him would be traitorous. Also, we are not going to give up Zelly to get Dale Davis and Amal McCaskill. Zelly is a legit 7-foot center and is only scratching the surface of his NBA talent while the other two are undersized and washed up. Ludicrous trade. -- Jay Wiseman, Syracuse, N.Y.

Have you lost your mind? I usually love your fixer-upper series but no way the Blazers trade Bonzi for Stack. Bonzi is younger, more versatile and comes cheaper. And Dale Davis for Rebaca and Williamson? Are you kidding me? Davis is a former All-Star and would still be an All-Star if he was playing in the East. He's an underrated, hard nosed blue collar worker. Rebraca is soft as Charmin man! And while we're at it, Corliss Williamson? He's overpaid. Ruben Patterson is better and cheaper. Ludicrous trade. -- Desmond Walker, Eugene, Ore.

FORD: One prominent GM once told me that the definition of a good trade is when both sides felt, at the end of the day, that they gave up too much. The problem is that local fans almost always overvalue their own players because they've seen them play a lot. Davis was an All-Star just two years ago and at 33, is just three years older than Rebraca. He's also 6-foot-11, officially one inch shorter than Rebraca. He can play center in the Eastern Conference. The year he did it in Indiana he averaged 10 points and 9.9 rebounds a game in 28 minutes. Even last season's performance, 9.5 ppg and 8.8 rpg, is an upgrade on Rebraca.

Stackhouse is clearly more accomplished than Bonzi right now. But part of being a good GM is managing the cap. Stack's a steal at 6 million a year this season. But is he worth 10 or 12 million next season? If your owner is Paul Allen, the answer is yes. If you're the Pistons, however, trading Stack for Bonzi makes sense. Bonzi can score, play D and shoot the three — something Stack has been unable to do everywhere he's gone. The Pistons need better outside shooting from their guards and Bonzi is a big upgrade there (38 percent to 28 percent). He also shoots 46 percent from the field to Stackhouse's 39 percent, and averages more steals and more rebounds than Stack. Stack is a better defender and showed signs of being a team player last season, and that's why the Blazers would be interested.

Wizards, Jazz discussing sign-and-trade for Russell?

It looks like Bryon Russell will be a Wizard. The question right now is how.

Both the Washington Post and Salt Lake Tribune are reporting that the Wizards and Jazz are discussing a sign-and-trade that would send Russell to Washington in return for either Chris Whitney or Tyronn Lue. Given the Jazz's desire to remain below the luxury-tax threshold, Lue, who makes $1.8 million this year, is the most likely target.

If a sign-and-trade cannot be reached, the Post indicated that Russell likely would sign a one-year deal for Washington's $1.4 million, league-allotted exception and occupy the Wizards' final roster spot.

Jazz vice president of basketball operations Kevin O'Connor did not comment on specific trades but told the Tribune a sign-and-trade for Russell is "something we're taking another look at."

Wizards Eying Russell

Steve Wyche / Washington Post

Trading Russell Could Help Jazz at Point Guard

Phil Miller / Salt Lake Tribune

Mavs working on sign-and-trade for Wang Zhizhi?

It looks like the Mavs will dump Wang Zhizhi after all.

Simon Chen, Wang's advisor, told the Fort Worth Star Telegram that he's "99 percent" sure that Wang won't be playing in Dallas next season.

Chan said he believes in the next five to 10 days, the Mavericks will work out a sign-and-trade and ship Wang to either the Warriors, Knicks, Raptors or Magic.

Wang's decision to defy CBA orders to return to China in preparation for the World Championships created a rift with the team. The Mavs, who have spent years fostering a good relationship with China, are afraid to damage that relationship by "rewarding" Wang with a lucrative deal this summer.

Of course, if the Mavs do work out a sign-and-trade, aren't they profiting all the same?

Working out a sign-and-trade for Wang will be difficult. If he signed for anything over $2 million, he'd be a base-year compensation player, meaning that the Mavs could only take back half of his salary in any trade.

All four of the interested teams have blue collar big men they may be willing to part with in order to get their hands on Wang. It's no secret that the Warriors are shopping Danny Fortson, the Knicks could dangle Kurt Thomas, and the Raptors could offer Jerome Williams and the Magic have Horace Grant.

Wang's Mav days likely over

Dwain Price / Fort Worth Star-Telegram

Writers Bloc: U.S. players feeling the pressure

Bang the drum. Sound the trumpet. Cry havoc and let slip the dogs of war. The World Championship of Basketball begins today with or without Kobe Bryant, Kevin Garnett and Shaquille O'Neal.

"God bless the mega-stars for declining to play here," writes C. Jemal Horton of the Indianapolis Star. "The rest of the world's best players are better than our college kids. Fine. Our Hall of Fame-caliber players are better than the rest of the world's best. Cool. But this group of NBA guys, the in-between players, offer a chance for intrigue. What we have in this world championship, with the NBA's upper-middle class playing, is the potential for a pretty fair fight. It's a chance to not just see that American players jump higher and run faster, but a chance to see how much better the United States is when it comes down to true basketball skill and strategy in relatively close games with so much at risk . . . 'Nobody wants to be the first NBA team to lose (in international competition),' U.S. forward Ben Wallace said. 'I don't want to go back and look those other (NBA players) in the face after something like that. That's a lot of pressure for us.' It's about time."

Fine. If they want a fight, then we'll give them one. It's still our game, in our country playing against our NBA players, even if Chris Webber, Tim Duncan and Jason Kidd aren't here.

"Relax," says Bob Ryan of the Boston Globe. "We'll win. Probably. The United States of America remains the planet's hoop mecca. We invented the game, and we are still its leading practitioners. They still come to us when they want to learn. Kids are bouncing basketballs all over America. We start identifying our best talent when the prospects are as young as 10 or 11 years old . . . until one June night they are standing proudly in new suits, a baseball cap bearing a team logo perched on their heads, at the NBA draft. A few years later, having demonstrated superior expertise, they are tapped to wear a uniform wearing the label 'USA' in some prestigious international competition, whereupon they administer a frightful beating to some Sergei, Juan, Wang, or Andrew. . . . Long forgotten are the days when just playing the hallowed Yanks was an honor. The new international message is: no pictures, no autographs. We are here to play ball. Period. 'They are not just happy to be on the same floor with us,' muses Antonio Davis. 'They come out to kick our butts.' "

That's right. If Yugoslavia, Germany or some writer from Canada (below) thinks they can beat us at our own game, then let's have at it. We don't need Tracy McGrady, Allen Iverson or Vince Carter to tell us who's best.

"It is about time to retire the myth of the Dream Team," cries Chris Young of the Toronto Star, "and in the most sporting way possible: with its defeat, right here in the heartland. Okay, so no one with half a brain seems to be throwing that DT stuff around anymore. Yes, the United States remains the best basketball nation on the globe . . . But at this world championship starting today, America's fundamental margin over the rest of the 16-team field has shrunk to thinner than Keon Clark's legs. It's no longer a question of if but when these NBAers, carrying a 53-and-out run since the 1992 Olympics, will finally be stopped. Let the global watch begin. The best possible place and time for the streak to end is right here and right now, in their own backyard, in their own basketball nursery. That would be earth-shaking, alarm-sounding history, a subtitled Hoosiers remake for the new millennium — precisely what this tournament, this game and maybe even this gate needs."

It's good that this is not a Dream Team

C. Jemal Horton / Indianapolis Star

It's no longer a slam dunk for US basketball

Bob Ryan / Boston Globe

U.S. Dream Team is nearing nightmare loss

Chris Young / Toronto Star

Peep Show

Bucks: Big men are falling like flies. Milwaukee center Joel Przybilla is the latest offseason casualty and is expected to miss most if not all of training camp after undergoing surgery to remove bone spurs in his left ankle. Veteran Ervin Johnson is expected to slide back into the starting spot he lost last season to Przybilla while draft pick Dan Gadzuric backs him up.

Kings: Forget Yugoslavia and the World Championships, Sacramento sharpshooter Peja Stojakovic may miss some of training camp if his bad wheel doesn't get any better. "It's going to stay swollen probably the next couple months," Stojakovic said. He hurt his right ankle last year during the playoffs and was forced to miss most of the Western Conference Finals series against the eventual NBA Champion Lakers. However, he is in Indianapolis and is expected to play for Team Yugo. "It still gets sore after workouts and swollen, but it's good," Stojakovic said. "It didn't bother me the last month."

Surgery to limit Przybilla's camp time

Michael Hunt / Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel

Peja's bad ankle might linger into training camp

Scott Howard-Cooper / Sacramento Bee