So, now taking Marcus Fizer in 2000 makes a little sense. Now, Fizer has a spot in the starting lineup and we'll find out if this strong, tough looking guy is good enough.

Was Brand good enough? Seemed. He could score 20 and rebound on a bad team and not get in the way, but he is 6-8 and people who know a thing or two wonder if he's too small to be a big-time player, especially now in the West where the power forwards are monster talents.

	E. Robinson

So these now are the Bulls of Ron Mercer, Ron Artest, Jamal Crawford, Dalibor Bagaric, Corey Benjamin, A.J. Guyton, Brad Miller, Fizer, Robinson, Oakley, Chandler, Curry and Fred Hoiberg, the latter known as the Mayor of Ames, Iowa.

With an assist from Oakley, who technically cannot start his second run with the Bulls until Wednesday, the team is also making a run at point guard Alvin Williams, who probably will stay in Toronto.

Krause apparently beat Michael Jordan to the Raptors' door to bring back Oak. Jordan wanted his old teammate to tutor Kwame Brown. So, now Oakley can help the Bulls develop kids like Chandler and Curry. He likes the idea. "They have a lot of young guys over there who maybe I can help," he said after the deal was made.

Certainly Krause expects Oakley's one-year run at $7.45 million will be more productive off the court than on it where his mobility is sharply diminished. "These kids can see Charles' work ethic and see right away what it takes to be a professional," Krause said. "We expect him to be an influence on these kids. If a guy doesn't play hard, he'd better be not near Charles or he'll never hear the end of it."

	Mercer

Is this a good team? Doubtful. Is it a better team than the one that closed the season with a record of 15-67? Yes, but it's going to take some time for it to come together -- like several more seasons. Meanwhile, Krause shows admirable patience as he waits on the big free agent class of 2003 that will include Vince Carter, Tim Duncan, Antawn Jamison, Mike Bibby, Paul Pierce, Bonzi Wells and Dirk Nowitzki.

But the Bulls are taking steps.

	Davis

After being used and then ridiculed in the free agent signing period last summer, Krause showed mettle when he refused to be used by Antonio Davis and his agent Bill Duffy. They wanted Chicago to exceed Toronto's offer to Davis in hopes that an absurd bid would convince the Raptors to work a sign-and-trade with Orlando where Davis makes his off-season home. Let Toronto overpay Davis at $60 million, the Bulls weren't going to drive the price up and they weren't going to lose cap flexibility for the next three years to get him. Instead, they made a more reasonable bid and got Eddie Robinson from Charlotte for about $30 mill.

No, Robinson is not a star, but he is marvelously athletic and Hornets coach Paul Silas was outspoken in wanting to keep him. E-Rob's numbers with the Hornets weren't spectacular -- 7.4 ppg. in 17.9 minutes, but he is not without skills and his .530 shooting tells you he dunks a lot. The Bulls haven't had a guy who dunks a lot since 1998.

The keys to success for this team: the development of the teenagers Chandler and Curry and of Crawford, who openly battled Tim Floyd last season and looked lost when they asked him to play the point. Crawford apparently understood the position as one in which the designated player attempts a lot of three-pointers.

Around The League