Insider Trading
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NBA |   | NHL |
The offensively challenged Hornets signed an elite shooter in PejaStojakovic (right), added bench strength with guard Bobby Jackson and tradedfor a young center in Tyson Chandler. In New Orleans or Oklahoma City, theHornets will be contenders. | MOST IMPROVED TEAM | By trading with Florida for perennial Vezina Trophy candidate RobertoLuongo (above)--and signing him to a long-term deal--the Canucks are set ingoal for the foreseeable future. A bonus: They rid themselves of winger ToddBertuzzi, a perennial headache, in the deal. |
The NBA's stingiest shooting defense got stingier when the Bulls landed BenWallace (left), the market's prize--and a four-time Defensive Player of theYear. | BIGGEST FREE-AGENT CATCH | Literally--at 6'9" Zdeno Chara (right) is the NHL's tallest player. Hewas also the most coveted free-agent defenseman and a huge upgrade on theBruins' blue line. |
How did the Pistons replace Wallace? With Nazr Mohammed, a center who hasbeen a backup most of his career and was benched for five of the Spurs' playoffgames last season | WORST FREE-AGENT SIGNING | The Coyotes lavished $2.4 million on goon Georges Laraque--not a wise movein an era in which fighting is on the decline. Get used to him, Phoenix He gota no-trade clause. |
Make that nonmove: After weeks of trade rumors--he has been shopped hard byG.M. Billy King--Allen Iverson (above) is still a 76er | MOST SURPRISING MOVE | Never mind that Chris Pronger helped the Oilers get within a game of theStanley Cup; his wife wanted out of Edmonton, so the team traded the defenseman(left) to the Ducks. |
Veteran guard Sam Cassell (below), who has played with seven teams, putdown roots in Los Angeles by re-signing for two years with the Clippers. | WEARIEST TRAVELERS | After a career year (he scored 32 goals) itinerant winger Mike Sillingersigned a three-year deal with the Islanders--his 12th team, most among activeplayers. |
SEVEN PHOTOS
JOHN W. MCDONOUGH (CASSELL); DARREN CARROLL (PRONGER); AL TIELEMANS (IVERSON); CLAY PATRICK MCBRIDE (WALLACE); JOHN SOKOLOWSKI/US PRESSWIRE (CHARA); RAY STUBBLEBINE/REUTERS (STOJAKOVIC); ANDY CLARK/REUTERS (LUONGO)