Sam Smith of the Chicago Tribune is up to his old tricks again.  As the Bulls slowly begin to show some respectability, Smith states the time is right for GM Jerry Krause to add some proven talent to the roster.  

The player he pin points is Jalen Rose of the Indiana Pacers, and the bait is Ron Artest, one of the league's strongest defenders in only his third year, and Brad Miller who is having a breakout year.

Artest told the media only days ago that he will have surgery on his finger which will end his season after the Bulls complete their Western road swing, but has played in the Bulls last two games since making the comment including a starring role in the team's win over the Supersonics.  He had 8 steals in the game and currently leads the NBA in steals per game.  But as Smith says,  'who doesn't believe a cure would come quickly with a trade to a better team?'

The Portland Trailblazers have offered forward Scottie Pippen for Rose, and the Pacers have been asking around about Pippen.  'Eventually Portland will get around to offering Dale Davis, and the center-starved Pacers may just go for that if they don't accept Seattle's offer of Vin Baker' added Smith, who believes the Bulls should put the offer for Artest and Miller onto the table. Perhaps they should even think about taking aboard the contract of Austin Croshire, whom they pursued in 2000 unsuccessfully, as a sweetener in the deal.

With enough youth already this is the only way the Bulls are going to get older and better at the same time.