The Los Angeles Lakers gave - uh, traded - Anthony Peeler and George Lynch to the Vancouver Grizzlies.
In return, the Lakers get to swap second-round picks with the Grizzlies in 1998 and 1999.The deal Tuesday was more of a salary dump than a fair exchange for the Lakers, who still have their sights on Shaquille O'Neal, Dennis Rodman or whatever free agents haven't been snapped up for contracts in the tens of millions of dollars.
Last week, the Lakers dealt starting center Vlade Divac and his $8.5 million salary to Charlotte for high school star Kobe Bryant. Peeler and Lynch combined made approximately $3 million last season.
Also, the Lakers signed free agent Sean Rooks to a multiyear contract. Rooks, 26, is a 6-foot-10, 250-pound center who has played in the NBA four years, at Dallas, Minnesota and Atlanta. He has averaged 10.6 points and 5.8 rebounds.
Indiana, Philadelphia and Dallas were also active in the free agent marketplace.
The Pacers re-signed forwards Dale Davis and Antonio Davis to multiyear deals, the 76ers signed forward Don MacLean from Denver to a five-year contract and the Mavericks signed forward Chris Gatling from Miami to a five-year deal.
"Dale, along with Antonio, form a real formidable duo on our team," Pacers president Donnie Walsh said.
Dale Davis, Indiana's first-round draft pick out of Clemson in 1991, is third on the team's career rebounding list with 3,256. The 6-11 forward averaged 10.3 points and 9.1 rebounds last season.
He considered an offer from the Lakers, but decided to re-sign with Indiana because the Lakers would have withdrawn their offer if they were able to sign O'Neal.
"I had a great deal here on the table," Dale Davis said. "There was no need to wait around."
Antonio Davis, who played in Europe for three years after the Pacers picked him in the second round of the 1990 draft, averaged 8.7 points, mainly as a reserve.
The most visible Pacers' free agent - Reggie Miller - is still unsigned.
"I said before all this started: Our priority is to sign our own players," Walsh said. "That's what we're looking to do."
The Philadelphia 76ers, the second worst team in the NBA last season, continued revamping their team with the signing of MacLean. The 6-10 MacLean played for Denver last season after spending his first three seasons with the Washington Bullets.
He averaged 11.2 points and 3.7 rebounds a game last season and provides depth in the frontcourt behind Clarence Weatherspoon and Derrick Coleman.
"I'd like to be a part of a team that's building into a winner," MacLean said. "I'd like to say that I had a lot to do with making the team into a winner."
The Dallas Mavericks are expected to announce the signing of Gatling, who averaged 11.1 points and 5.9 rebounds with Golden State and Miami last season, today.
With Miami reportedly spending more than $200 million on Juwan Howard and Alonzo Mourning, there was little salary room left for the Heat to retain Gatling.
The Portland Trail Blazers reportedly filled their point guard hole by agreeing to a contract with Kenny Anderson, but team president Bob Whitsitt said no deal has been signed.
"I love Kenny Anderson," Whitsitt said. "He's a player I'd love to have on my team, but we haven't signed Kenny Anderson. But I am looking for a point guard."
The Blazers need a point guard after dealing Rod Strickland to Washington on Monday.
Also, the Seattle SuperSonics traded guard Vincent Askew to the New Jersey Nets for guard Greg Graham.