Grunwald -- Stop! Don't trade for Jalen Rose!

By the time you read this article, Alvin Williams and Jerome Williams may already be on their way to Chicago in a deal for Jalen Rose.

They shouldn't be.

There is a much better fit for the Raptors AND the team they are dealing with than the proposed three-for-one deal that would also see Morris Peterson leave Toronto.

Any way you look at it in this trade the Bulls are stocking up on players who best fit the shooting guard and small forward positions. The chances that the Bulls want Alvin to further muddy the point waters in Chi-town are very low. Chicago also has a host of wide bodies in Eddy Curry, Tyson Chandler and Marcus Fizer (when healthy) to battle in the post. This deal looks to give the Bulls a Scott Layden look (i.e. overloaded at one position).

For Toronto the addition of Rose is also confusing. Even with Jerome and Peterson traded the Raps still have Michael Curry and Lamond Murray to play the three. Rose would likely get time there, as well as some minutes relieving Carter at the two-spot.

However, Murray is as good a shooter as Rose is, and as new head coach Kevin O'Neil looks unlikely to lessen the court time of Vince Carter or Curry, two guys who are keys to his defensive philosophy (and yes that is a symbol of how far V.C. has come very quickly under O'Neil). So Rose, while he definitely adds scoring doesn't seem to add it from the right area of the court.

There is also the question of Rose being something of a defensive matador, and rumors persist that Rose whined his way out of Indiana and is now doing so in Chicago because he wanted to be "the man." Maybe entering a situation where he would clearly not be would be fine with Jalen, but maybe not.

The Raps are a team that has scored 56, 60 and 64 points in FULL games this year. Last season, minus a healty Carter for almost the entire year, and with no Murray at all, the Raps never scored less than 70 points in a game all season long.

Definitely Toronto's defense has been greatly improved, at the risk of some fast-break opportunities as players are discouraged from leaking out under O'Neil. O'Neil also likes to wait out the shot clock for the best opportunity on offense, which has the benefit of forcing more talented opponents into a slower paced contest.

But still, 56 points? Even Mike Fratello would wince at that.

So, we agree the Raps are in desperate need of an offensive injection, and who has more of it than the Dallas Mavericks?

The Mavs made a lot of moves this year that seemed to be geared towards simply outscoring their opponents en route to an NBA title. However, if any lesson can be taken from the past few seasons it is that this is not the 1980's NBA. There are too many athletic players in the league who can clamp down on defense for a team to be able to ride hot shooting all the way to the crown.

So the Mavs, ultimately, will need more defense, and the Raptors definitely need more offense.

Entertain the following notion:

To Toronto: Antawn Jamison and Tony Delk

To Dallas: Jerome Williams, Alvin Williams and Eric Montross

Why the Mavericks do this? Simplicity works.

Right now in Big D there are simply too many options. Through an admittedly limited sample size the Mavs are down just less than five points a game in scoring. Steve Nash has scored less, Michael Finley WAY less. Yes, it's early, but this team is top-heavy any way you look at it.

Adding Jerome Williams would give the Mavs a player who finished 9th in league rebounding last year even though he played just 33 minutes a game. This year Williams has averaged just under 10 boards a game. The energetic Williams is a perfect fit for Dallas' freewheeling frenetic style of game, because the snaggle-toothed Williams thrives in chaos.

Jerome has limited offensive abilities, but has an excellent ability to score off the offensive glass -- baskets that don't take away any shots from his trigger happy teammates. Williams can also be an effective scorer -- the Junk Yard Dog scored 15 or more points a dozen times for the Raps last season.

More importantly the tenacious Williams offers the Mavs flexibility on the defensive end. The energetic 6-9 product out of Georgetown can guard players at both the three and the four spot effectively.

Alvin Williams has had a tough start to this season. Battling injuries, and a regimented offensive system that limits the usefulness of his 6-5 frame, the underrated point guard would be an excellent fit in Dallas for his tough, ball-hawking defense, care with the ball (#6 in assist/turnover last season), and ability to score in the clutch. It would surprise many that Williams had 10 efforts of 20 points or more last season for the Raps.

Backing up Steve Nash, Alvin is a perfect change of pace guard, and can also play the two guard position. Williams, shackled in O'Neil's system could provide the Mavericks' second unit a much needed dose of toughness and will.

The Mavs also have to ask themselves "how long will Jamison be happy with 25 minutes or so a game?" Right now Jamison is saying all the right things, but can a man used to being "the man" really be happy in a supporting role? The Mavs have always had good chemistry, but so many chefs in the kitchen have many experts doubtful that Don Nelson can pull it off this season.

Right now the Mavs can't make this deal until late December, because of the CBA rules preventing a player from being traded twice within a two month period. Delk was traded to Dallas in late October. This extra month gives the Mav's plenty of time to test the waters. It may be a risk for the Raptors but not more than having Rick Brunson play back-up point (Carter and Rose will say they can play point, don't believe it) or Jerome Moisio -- who still hasn't grasped the defensive sets in T.O., play Chris Bosh's current minutes.

Then there is the money issue. With Montross in the deal to make the salaries match-up the Mavs are really adding two players with annual salaries in the $5.5-6.5 million range for the majority of the life of the contracts (both expire after the 2007-2008 season). This allows for greater flexibility in future dealings than one player at max money (as opposed to the Antonio Davis suggestion where the Mavs would gain a contract even more impossible to shed than Jamison's).

The two Williams' would give the Mavericks a large dollop of toughness and defensive intensity, while also allowing the top guns in Dallas to see the ball more often on offense.

A winning combination any way you look at it.

Why the Raptors make the deal? Because rapper Petey Pablo would go into conniptions?

Ok, aside from giving North Carolina fans a new "official" NBA team to follow the easy answer is offense. Jamison is averaging just shy of 20 PPG in his career and is also proficient on the offensive glass.

With teams collapsing on Carter in the kind of numbers usually reserved for Mick Jagger autograph sessions, Toronto needs a player on the floor that can force defenses into a double team -- Jamison can be that guy.

In addition, Carter and Jamison are still close friends. With V.C. having bought into the O'Neil defensive system in the best possible way what are the odds he can convince his former Tar Heel teammate to also roll up his sleeves? Jamison will never be a stopper defensively, but there is no reason he cannot be an effective defender.

Tony Delk will give the Raps another option at the point. The eight-year veteran is a solid point guard with a deadly shooting eye from beyond the arc (39.5% the last two seasons). Delk should be capable of running the point for Toronto, allowing them to cut Milt Palacio's minutes back to a more reasonable level.

Delk played his college ball in Kentucky so he knows how to defend. While he doesn't have the size of Alvin Williams, nor is he an exceptional passer, he also has a deal that will expire at the end of the 2005/2006 season.

The big question is whether cap-entangled Toronto would be willing to add a player like Jamison, who even if he committed to defense, is not worth max money?

The Raps just might be.

Hakeem Olajuwon and his $6.3 mil come off the books next year, and even with the escalation in Jamison's contract the difference in salaries next season between the five players in the deal is only $1 million.

This will leave Toronto with a bit of financial wiggle room.

Jamison could start at the four for the Raptors, and also play quality minutes at small forward. This allows the Raps to still bring along Chris Bosh slowly, something not as likely in the Rose situation, and best for a 19 year old kid.

Toronto management would have to be intrigued about the idea of a team lead by a nucleus of a motivated Carolina duo, and impressive rookie Chris Bosh.

It doesn't get Toronto the big body they need, but really very few of those guys are available out there.

If the Raps can keep O'Neil's commitment to defense, this trade might give them just enough scoring punch to become a very problematic dark horse in the Eastern Conference.

Either way it's a deal that comes with some risks for both teams. It also has the potential to make both teams more dangerous when it really counts, which is the perfect sort of deal to make, rather than the proposed "try to jam the pieces in" deal being talked about in Chicago.