Who should have their bags packed just in case?
Updated: February 3, 2006, 6:59 AM ET
By Chris Sheridan | ESPN Insider
February is here, and the trade deadline is only three weeks away.
The Ron Artest trade allowed the flood gates to open a bit, and we've seen the seven-player Boston-Minnesota megadeal, the Nikoloz Tskitishvili mini-deal and the Hornets' showering of second-round picks to bring Aaron Williams and Steven Hunter to Oklahoma City.
There is no shortage of teams trying to balance their immediate needs with their long-term goals, but two franchises -- Chicago and Denver -- stand out for their foot-dragging.
We're past the midpoint of the season, and the Bulls haven't acquired any type of size that would allow them to compete in the postseason, nor have the Nuggets addressed their gaping hole at shooting guard.
Larry Brown hasn't shamed Isiah Thomas into making any of the moves he's been trying to broker over the phone, and Steve Francis has turned up his play in Orlando to such a degree that the Magic are rethinking plans to move him.
With one super-elite team in the East, Detroit, and two powerhouses in the West, San Antonio and Dallas, perhaps there's a subconscious sentiment running through the other 27 front offices that this season is a lost cause no matter what they do, so maybe it's better to put off any risky personnel moves until the summer. But that won't stop GMs and personnel directors from burning their cell phone minutes, and there are several role players and veterans with expiring contracts who stand a good chance of being dealt before the Feb. 23 deadline.
A team-by-team look:
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