- After it appeared that Steve Francis was available for just about anything that would get a trade within that 25% plus $100,000, but he ended last week with 36 points at New York and a triple-double at home against Philadelphia.  Both promising performaces were losses...  He is still available.  

Remember a second-year, straight out of high school, former rookie of the year was playing with a point guard from the ACC?  He was dealt for an expiring contract and things have been going pretty well in Phoenix ever since.

Speaking of which, how would Steve Francis and Stephon Marbury look in the same backcourt? Those two expiring contracts are burning a hole in Isiah's pocket... The Magic could even throw in Grant Hill, though now that Qyntel Woods has become the Knicks 3rd best player, you wouldn't want to take time away from his development.

The Wolves would have done that Francis deal in the summer, before committing to Marko Jaric and even though he would have still fit, they decided to go with the Ricky Davis trade, which says a lot about the perception of Francis and his contract.

The Knicks need to do something still and I would rather do this than the Jalen Rose deal.  There is a higher risk, as Franchise has three more years remaining, compared to Rose's one, but Francis is still a very good player and like bringing A-Rod beside Jeter in Yankee Stadium, why not bring Franchise beside Starbury?

This trade would of course be the same old broken record Knicks' formula, but you're creating a backcourt with two bonafide All-Star's.  With either player being able to bring up the ball, and both players very legitimate scorers, things would open up in the frontcourt for E-City and Channing Frye.  

The biggest problem with the Knicks remains the ability to get easy shots and other than trading for Steve Nash, this is the best way to alleviate their offensive play.  A shortage of easy shots leads to a plethora of bad shots, which leads to nervous glances over to L.B.'s face of displeasure, which leads to a lack of focus on defense, which leads to double-digit losses, which leads to desperate measures, i.e. trading for Franchise.  Which side deserves the token #1 draft choice?

- David West has to receive as much of the praise for the Hornets surprise start this season as Chris Paul does.  He has scored in double-figures in every game since December 18th, only four games all year in single-digits.  For the season, he is shooting 51% from the field, averaging 17 points per game.

- Jerome James averaged 5 points and 3 rebounds per game last season in Seattle.  Robert Swift is bettering him this year with 6 points and 4 rebounds per game.  He has been getting heavier minutes recently, averaging over 22 mpg over their last 11.  

- Like last year, when the Warriors dealt for Baron Davis, another blockbuster is brewing in the mind and on the phone of Chris Mullin.  Troy Murphy is so convinced he?s not in the Warriors? long-term plans, that he has not renewed his gym membership.  Even though he wasn?t dealt to the Pacers for Ron Artest, his name will linger until the deadline.  While he would be dealt primarily for some cap relief, the Warriors will not make a trade that sacrifices their run at making the playoffs for the sake of that relief.  It has been so long since they made the playoffs, playing games in May trumps all other things.

Monta Ellis has only received two hours of floor time in his entire career, yet he is being anointed Gilbert Arenas II by Warriors fans.  He has a knack for the game that Golden State veteran guards rarely have shown this season.  

- The Diaw Of The Week
With the emergence of  Boris Diaw becoming a monster in Phoenix, this column will present other candidates around the league who would excel in the Suns? system.  This week, Josh Childress, former teammate of Diaw.  He shoots it at almost 55% and with Mike D?Antoni saying ?Shoot, shoot, shoot,? the Diaw hype would fit nicely with Childress as well.  He even has that Shawn Marion looking jumper.  What are Quentin Richardson?s numbers this season in New York?

It is as if the Suns system creates star swingmen like the Broncos offense creates star running backs.

It has been a while since my retirement, but any streaky perimeter shooter, would have his day once in a while thrown out there with them.  Like most of you, I also request the Tyronne Lue assignment on defense.

- Tyson Chandler has turned things around, averaging almost 14 rebounds per game over his past five, while scoring in double-figures in each contest.  Players that are good on defense will maintain their value throughout slumps and it looks like his post-contract slump is over.  He has begun to adjust to life without E-City and is there a coincidence that he has begun to play well again as Mike Sweetney has joined his former Knicks? teammate Tim Thomas in that DNP category.

How similar was the Bulls? free agency of 2005 (Chandler and Curry) to the Warriors? free agency of 2004 (Adonal Foyle and Erick Dampier)?  The Bulls of course had younger centers, but each of these centers are one-dimensional, either offensively or defensively.  Both clubs elected to keep the defensive center, though the Bulls situation clearly had more complexities and they legitimately were keen to keep both players.

Draft Watch
There are about 150 shopping days left until the 2006 draft, so with each edition of Shots, Slams and Charges, I will give a player that is beginning to show signs of becoming a potential steal.

Randy Foye, the 6-3 senior from Villanova, averages just over 20 per game while splitting time at both the 1 and 2.  At 205, he has an NBA body already and should step right into the middle of the road team that selects him in the middle of the draft.

Villanova is poised to make a tournament run as soon it gets away from the UConn powerhouse in a portion of the brackett, far, far away.

Christopher Reina is the executive editor of RealGM.com and can be reached at Chris@RealGM.com