The courtside TV shots of Bob Whittsit in the second half of game 2 looked like a guy that just found out his beloved wife had found a new man. I've been watching the NBA for a long time now and I don't ever recall a division leader going into the All-Star break go thru such a colapse as the Blazers have the last quarter of this season; and last quarter of games for that matter. Having the right chemistry among players has never looked so important before. Because the Blazers didn't have much of it and lost what they had, along with losing Bonzi Wells to a knee injury, they didn't have as much chance as last year of competing with the Lakers. And I don't consider Shawn Spent a late season loss - I consider it a Blazer disaster having lost the heart and soul of their team in Brian Grant, to get 'Spent' into drug rehab. So, it's the Lakers in 3, maybe 4, 1 in a 1000 chance to get to a league mandated Laker win in game 5 (via the refs). So, what can the Blazers and Sonics do this summer; especially in light of the high salaries and cap? ...

... Nothing? Or ...

... Rumors were already flying around P-town of a good possibility for a trade of Blazers Rasheed "T" Wallace + Da-man "not" Stoudamire will go to Toronto for superstar Vince Carter this summer; with an extra Toronto throw-in player to make the deal work under salary cap rules. And that works for me if they could pull that one off. Why would Toronto take a couple of 'heads' for a superstar? Well, Damon was a popular star in Toronto where he can get the 25 shots a game he wants and thinks he deserves and 'Sheed has great talent and potential. But mostly it is because Toronto is unlikely to be able
to re-sign Carter when he becomes a free agaent soon. That's an unfortunate syndrome for the fans of the leagues lowly teams - such as the 2 Canadian teams and the Clippers - they can't re-sign there star players who want out. It took Minnisota $120 million to get Kevin Garrnet to stay in a cold town with an average team. Utter craziness. So, if the Blazers get Vince Carter and clean out a couple 'heads', that leaves getting a center with good legs that can get fair treatment from the refs to replacement Sabonis. Good luck. Too bad Whittsit didn't come up with Mutombo before Philly got him this season. Aren't many out there, and practically no good ones available. How about 2 years for a Michael Jordan comeback in Portland with Pippen (and near his Nike office). Cool, but not likely; especially if they got Carter first. Man, I don't envy what's facing trader Bob or coach Dunleavy at all. What should they do??? ...

As for the Sonics, that's a tough deal too. Wally "Wonder Why" Walker says he will now entertain offers for any Sonic player; including Payton, for whom he wants a starting 5 team + $100 million + SI swimsuit cover girl Elsa Benitez in return . Ewing is dragin' and gone. Baker is the guy highest on the trading block. Wait ... I know ... Ewing + Baker for Sabonis + Davis . Then we can both get lottery picks next season? Naaah. They used to call Walker "Wally Who" back in his playing days with the Blazers. Now it's gonna be - hey Wally, who? Gonna be an interesting off season in the NW.

RT