When Jerry Krause uttered that now-infamous quote, he probably wasn't thinking of his organization winning a championship for somebody else.
Yet that may be exactly what happens as a result of the trade Krause made last year to get Jalen Rose from the Indiana Pacers. In that deal, he gave up Brad Miller, Ron Artest and Ron Mercer. The trio filled Indiana's needs for a center, a wing defender, and a bench scorer and keyed the Pacers' club-record nine-game winning streak -- achieved with franchise icon Reggie Miller on the injured list -- that has Indiana sporting the league's second-best record at 10-2.
In the middle, Brad Miller is averaging 15 points and nearly nine rebounds while shooting 83 percent at the line -- where he gets nearly seven attempts a game. He is on pace to play in his first All-Star Game come February, especially given the dearth of quality centers in the East.
On the wings, Artest is as good a one-on-one defender as there is in the league, and blossomed at the offensive end this year. He's averaging a career-high 16.6 points and shooting a scalding 52 percent from the field, including 42 percent on 3-pointers. His defense hasn't let up, either, as he showed when he suffocated Orlando's Tracy McGrady Friday and held him 19 points below his league-leading average (31.8).
Off the bench, Mercer has made important contributions as well, shooting a career-high 49.6 percent and averaging 11 points a night. He even fills in as a backup point guard most nights.
In return, the Bulls got Jalen Rose, half a year of Travis Best (who has since signed with Miami) and a guy named Norm (Norm Richardson, to be exact, whose current address is unknown). At the time, the trade was sold as the Bulls getting the veteran star they needed to bring along their young players, but the results have been disappointing to say the least.
While the three Pacers have been key contributors to one of the league's best teams, Rose has been, well, Jalen Rose. He's an above average, but hardly spectacular, scorer and passer (averaging 22 points and four assists) who is a liability defensively and on the glass. In fact, if Miller does make the All-Star team in February, he'll have one more appearance than Rose.
But wait a minute; this trade was even worse than it sounds. First, there are the players' ages. Rose will be 30 in January and is good as he'll ever be, while Miller (26), Mercer (26) and Artest (23) all hold the promise of better things to come.
Then there's the more important issue of contracts. Rose makes nearly as much as the three players for whom he was traded put together, and the Bulls have to pay him the maximum until 2005. The three Pacers have far more friendly deals, although Miller will be more expensive after his impending free agency this summer. Over the next two years, Rose's deal will likely prevent the Bulls from adding other free agents to improve the roster.
Add it all up, and it looks like the Bulls helped Indiana a lot more than they helped themselves. In their effort to obtain a Rose, the Bulls overlooked the blooming talents they already had. They ended up giving up two players who were younger, making less and at least as good as Rose (Miller and Artest), and another quality reserve (Mercer). That goes a long way toward explaining why Indiana is 10-2 and Chicago is 4-10.
Mighty Mavericks
Getting bored with the usual routine, Dallas decided to spot Seattle a 16-point lead late in the third quarter before Dirk Nowitzki led a huge rally that gave the Mavs a 115-105 victory. That was their 13th straight, including tough road wins at New Jersey and Boston and a one-sided romp over 11-3 Detroit. If they continue winning, the Mavericks will break the record for the longest unbeaten stretch to open the season this Saturday against Chicago.
Shaq is back
After missing the first 12 games while recuperating from offseason toe surgery, Shaquille O'Neal returned to the Laker lineup Friday night and paid immediate dividends. Shaq contributed 17 points and seven rebounds during the Lakers' win over Chicago, and followed that up with 24 and 11 to help the defending champs beat Milwaukee Sunday.
Kiss my ... donkey
TNT's Charles Barkley told colleague Kenny Smith that he would kiss his butt if Yao Ming scored more than 19 points in a game. Unfortunately for Charles, Yao went off for 20 that very weekend. On Thursday night, it was time for Charles to pay up, and Smith was generous enough to bring in a donkey for Charles to smooch. Ever the honorable gentleman, Sir Charles puckered up instead of welshing on the bet.
SWISH: Yao Ming
Yao announced his arrival in spectacular fashion Thursday night, dropping 30 points and 16 rebounds on the undefeated Mavericks. For the week he averaged just over 15 points a game and just under 10 boards. In addition, he continued his ridiculously accurate shooting, nailing 69 percent of his shots and yet watching his field-goal percentage go down.
BRICK: Jay Williams
It's been back to school for Chicago's rookie point guard after he ripped Jason Kidd for a triple-double two weeks ago. Williams averaged just nine points a game as the Bulls dropped four straight on a Western swing, and he shot an ugly 29.7 percent on the trip.
SWISH: Michael Finley
In addition to keeping the Mavericks in the game against Seattle, paving the way for their thrilling comeback Saturday, Finley has been uncharacteristically fierce on the boards all week. He averaged over 10 rebounds and paired them with stellar shooting: 11-of-19 on 3-pointers, 100 percent from the foul line and 25 points a night.
BRICK: Pau Gasol
After eclipsing 20 points in each of Memphis' first five games, the Grizzlies' second-year forward has struggled of late. In four games this week, he shot 40 percent and averaged a meager 11 points and eight rebounds a night. While he partly redeemed himself with some great passing to close out Memphis' first win of the season Saturday, he also finished with just seven points.
SWISH: Jamal Mashburn
Mashburn scored 37 points, his best total as a Hornet, as New Orleans held off Philadelphia Tuesday, and averaged 26 on the week. Best of all, the normally low-percentage Mash shot 52 percent, and he filled out the stat sheet with seven rebounds and six assists as the Hornets won all three games.
BRICK: Dikembe Mutombo
Mutombo has struggled mightily with the Nets thus far, and this week was no exception. In four games, he scored 22 points -- combined -- while shooting just 36 percent. His current averages would shatter his career lows in points, rebounds, blocks and field-goal percentage.
Los Angeles Lakers at Orlando Magic, Wednesday, 7 p.m. EST Forget about Shaq. The prize in this matchup is seeing the NBA's two best off guards -- and arguably the two best players under seven feet tall -- go head-to-head. Tracy McGrady is currently leading the NBA in scoring at 31.8 points per game, while Kobe Bryant isn't far off the scent at 27.8. Both are also accomplished defenders and should go after each other with zeal.
New Jersey Nets at Phoenix Suns, Wednesday, 9 p.m. EST Ever since the trade of Jason Kidd for Stephon Marbury last summer, the contests between these two have been heated. Last year in Phoenix, Jason Kidd signaled "We're No. 1" to Suns fans, but used the wrong finger. This year he'll try to do two things differently: 1) not make obsence gestures, and 2) come away with a win.
Dallas Mavericks at Indiana Pacers, Thursday, 7:30 p.m. EST This Thanksgiving, do yourself a favor and forget about football. If the Mavericks get past Detroit on Tuesday, they will be trying to go 15-0, which would tie the league record for consecutive wins to start the season. With No. 16 being a home game against the Bulls, they're essentially playing for a spot in the history books Thursday night. But they'll have to earn it on the road against the Central Division-leading Pacers.
As mentioned above, Yao Ming's switch flipped to "on" this week, as the league's top draft pick wiped away the memory of his slow start with a few dominating efforts. Just for giggles, the Glance decided to look at some comments about Yao from, oh, say, 10 days ago:
"Yao Ming makes Shawn Bradley look like Bill Russell." -- Charles Barkley, TNT, Nov. 14
"They call Yao Ming 'The Next Big Thing,' but he looks like the 'Next Big Stiff' ... The Chinese government may want to go to war after Shaquille O'Neal puts a hole in Yao's chest. He'll have an average NBA career." -- Ron Higgins, Memphis Commercial Appeal, Nov. 10.
"The Rockets gambled on Yao Ming in the draft and so far it's looking like they crapped out." -- New York Daily News, Nov. 10
"The Great Wall of China is among the Seven Wonders of the World. Yao Ming becoming an All-Star caliber NBA center would merit consideration as the eighth. I'm glad I wasn't a scout who recommended that the Houston Rockets select the 7-foot-5 Chinese center No. 1 overall in the 2002 NBA draft." --Bob Matthews, Rochester Democrat and Herald, Nov. 10
Questions, questions. This week Off the Glass answers a few you might not have considered, like whether Dikembe Mutombo retired and just forgot to tell anyone, or why Chauncey Billups is killing so many fantasy teams. OTG also opens up the mailbag, answering posers like whether you should care that Derrick Coleman is back in the lineup.
This is the part where we ask you, the reader, to stop waving that towel on the sidelines, pull off the warmups, get on the floor and take some shots. Each week we'll ask a question and post the best responses a week later.
Last week WAAG asked who should coach the U.S. Olympic team in 2004. Phil Jackson of the Lakers was the overwhelming choice, with Philadelphia's Larry Brown a distant runner-up.
It's definitely a no-brainer: Larry Brown is the definite answer. His approach to coaching and record speak for themselves. So what if Shaq won't play. All USA Basketball has to do is stop worrying about Allen Iverson's image and give him a chance. Luke Simkins, Sydney, Australia
Phil Jackson. This is a no-brainer of Zen-like clarity. I mean, who else has a chance of convincing Shaq and Kobe that their music careers require less attention, not more? James Ball, Victoria, British Columbia
Larry Brown. The U.S. team will have to play some REAL basketball in order to win gold, so forget Shaq. Samba D., Brussels, Belgium
Bobby Knight. Try cutting backdoor with a chair flying at you. James G., Riverside, Calif.
Phil Jackson has earned his right to fill that spot; he has nine rings to back up his talented way of coaching. Carlos Rave, Bogotá, Colombia
Larry Brown. The best teacher in the NBA today. Oliver Sabitsana, Philadelphia
Pat Riley. We need someone who can instill defensive discipline against the patterned international offenses and will turn offense into a team game. Jason, Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.
Jerry Sloan. No other coach has guided his team to 50-plus wins for the longest time and has remained unrecognized. Jam de Guzman, Pasig, Philippines
Definitely Phil Jackson. He has lead teams to countless championships, is a veteran of the game, and a smart man. Plus, what's a team without Shaq!? We need Phil. Emilie, Kirkland Lake, Ontario
Go old school with this team. We saw what happened at the World Championships. With Chuck Daly and Lenny Wilkens at the whelm this team of fresh talent will be unstoppable. Scott Lachman, Farmington Hills, Mich.
I hate to say it, but Phil Jackson. No other coach has such a great track record when working with huge talents and huge egos (MJ, Kobe, Shaq, etc). He's proven that he knows what it takes to get teams to win. It's a wonder that he's been overlooked for so long. Mallar, Montreal
Phil Jackson -- not for the triangle offense or any Zen voodoo, but because every player in the league will come out to play for him. Matthew Gaus, Lawrence, Kan.
Coach K should coach the U.S. team in 2004, and he should bring with him a squad of collegiate players who will play hard and not embarrass the U.S. like this past summer. Jason Millberg, Philadelphia
Jim O'Brien. He's done a great job turning around Boston and could do the same for the National team. Kevin Burger, Boston
Probably me. The team would lose to the more dedicated/better prepared internationals anyway, but at least I would be able to appreciate Athens. Flynn Cratty, Durham, N.C.
This week's topic: Are the Mavericks now the team to beat, or is it still the Lakers or Kings?
John Hollinger covers the NBA for CNNSI.com. "Week at a Glance" appears each Monday during the season.
As mentioned above, Yao Ming's switch flipped to "on" this week, as the league's top draft pick wiped away the memory of his slow start with a few dominating efforts. Just for giggles, the Glance decided to look at some comments about Yao from, oh, say, 10 days ago:
