The Toronto Raptors believe they have found Vince Carter some help.
The Raptors and Bulls agreed to a deal that sent Jalen Rose, Lonny Baxter and Donyell Marshall to Toronto for Antonio Davis, Jerome Williams and Chris Jefferies, Bulls general manager John Paxson confirmed Saturday.
The deal, which is contingent upon all six players passing physicals, was approved by the league on Monday.
"We're giving up talented players," Paxson said, adding that
the presence of Davis and Williams will help the Bulls on the
inside where they have young and erratic prep-to-pros Eddy Curry
and Tyson Chandler.
"This is hard to do, but I think it's right for the
organization right now," Paxson said. "It's been a long tough
week in a lot of ways. I think we're in position now where we got a
big basketball team. We've still got issues and I don't expect
miracles right away, but I expect us to be a competitive team."
Davis, Williams and Jefferies were in Chicago on Monday taking
their physicals, and the Bulls hoped to have them available for
that night's game against Milwaukee.
"We're hopeful," new Bulls coach Scott Skiles said after the
team's shootaround Monday. "I'll do my best to put them out
there."
Even though Rose struggled this season with the Bulls, he was the key player in the deal. Three times in his career he has averaged more than 20 points per game, including the 2002-03 season (22.1). He has a career scoring average of 14.4 points per game.
Paxson fired coach Bill Cartwright last Monday after Chicago
lost 10 of its 14 games. Then on Friday, he named Scott Skiles to
replace him. The Bulls are 4-12 overall.
Rose, a small forward in his 10th NBA season, is averaging 13.3
points -- third best on the team -- but has shot just 38 percent from
the field this season. He would give Toronto, which has struggled
to score points, an offensive punch. He came to the Bulls in
February 2002 in a trade from the Pacers.
The 6-foot-9 Davis, averaging nine rebounds and 8.6 points,
presents a veteran inside presence
"Antonio Davis can't help but be a good influence on the other
guys and Jerome Williams hustles all the time. He gets up and down
the floor," Skiles said.
"Sometimes you have to give good things up for things that make
more sense at the time. I think we've become a more physical and
tougher team that can rebound and defend better," Paxson said.
Marshall, averaging 8.7 points and six rebounds, said he got a
phone call Saturday from Paxson telling him of the deal.
"I feel a little in shock right now. I kept hearing about it
for a week and a half now," Marshall said.
"Usually when trade rumors go around that long, usually they're
dead. I was laying at home getting ready to come into the second
practice and my phone rang and it was Pax," he said.
"I've been in this league 10 years. I know it's a business, I
know you gotta do what you've got to do to make this team better. I
guess it was a trade that both teams felt they got something good
out of it."
Veteran Scottie Pippen, who returned to Chicago this season to
provide leadership, said it's tough to see Rose and Marshall
depart, but it's all part of the business.
"Davis will give us some toughness inside and Williams has a
lot of energy and enthusiasm," Pippen said. "We got veteran guys
who know how to play the game. I think it should make us better."
ESPN.com reported last week that the two teams were discussing a trade involving Rose, and were trying to get the right players involved so the deal would work under their respective salary caps. This was the third attempt between the two teams to get the deal done.
Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.