Kings trying to ship out Bibby before trade deadline

	Mike Bibby is having a career-low season with 16.6 points and 5.2 assists, scoring 20-plus points in just one of his past nine games. Greg Nelson/SI

As potential trades go, the best ones were either dehydrated, prostrate or about to have their plugs pulled. But with less than 24 hours to go, the Cleveland Cavaliers were making a final all-out attempt at reviving their candidate patient.

His name is Mike Bibby, and the Cavs were still hoping to acquire his contract by the NBA trade deadline of 3 p.m. ET Thursday.

League sources report that the Cavaliers spent the early part of Wednesday trying to acquire Bibby in a multi-team deal that would have left Sacramento with power forward Drew Gooden, point guard Marcus Banks (via Phoenix) and the expiring contract of center Scot Pollard, whose $2.2 million comes off the books this summer.

The Kings thought about it for awhile before, said no thanks -- then invited Cleveland to come back with another offer that includes more expiring dollars. I'm speculating here: Gooden, a No. 1 pick and another expiring contract to go with Pollard's.

It was a logical response from Sacramento president Geoff Petrie, who is willing to yield Bibby only if he nets the expiring money that will enable the Kings to be free-agent players this summer, in addition, of course, to one or more draft picks and one or more young players.

Why is the trade important to Cleveland? It would instantly make the Cavaliers (31-22) a legitimate NBA Finals contender in the woeful East, where they stand just 2½ games behind the conference-leading Pistons. Bibby is shooting a career-worst 38.8 percent this season, and his averages of 16.6 points and 5.2 assists are four-year lows. But he's only 28 and would give the Cavaliers the starting point guard they've long desired. He's also one of the best clutch shooters in the league with 3-point range. Cleveland would create immense matchup problems with LeBron James, Bibby and Larry Hughes on the wing, which would generate more space inside for center Zydrunas Ilgauskas.

The East is available to be stolen this spring, and Bibby would help the Cavaliers swipe it.

Instead of folding Banks into a deal with Sacramento -- the Suns have been trying to unload his regrettable five-year, $21.4 million contract all season -- the Cavaliers must now find a way to lure in one or more expiring contracts instead of or in addition to Pollard's. A few of the possible suspects include:

• Jamaal Magloire ($8.4M), though the Blazers desire a high draft pick.

• P.J. Brown ($8.6M), though the Bulls are unlikely to aid a divisional rival.

• Austin Croshere ($7.3M), though the tax-paying Mavericks would need something delicious in return for the expense.

• Morris Peterson ($4.6M), though the Raptors need someone like him to help them win their first divisional title.