Well, at least Paxson did something

Perhaps the current Bulls GM doesn't want a plaque in his office to someday read, "John Paxson slept here.''

Or maybe the players voted Ben Wallace off the club.

Either way, Paxson succumbed to mounting pressure from the fans and media to do something -- anything -- and so Thursday he dumped bad Ben Wallace and his bad contract on Cleveland.

The problem is, in return for all that bad, Paxson had to take on bad players and contracts, so nothing much occurred outside of a couple of deck chairs being shifted from one side of this listing vessel to the other.

Still, it proved that Paxson does own a phone and sipped enough coffee Thursday to make a move, unlike the times he napped and missed out on the likes of Kevin Garnett, Pau Gasol, Kobe Bryant, Shawn Marion and take your pick of about a half-dozen other NBA stars.

What he didn't do was panic and deal any of the Bulls' bizarre core of young players, who are only more bizarre today and not as young as they were yesterday.

If this season has accomplished anything at all, it might be that Paxson has fallen out of love with some of the players he has refused to part with in the past, which cost him opportunities to trade for the likes of Garnett, Gasol and Bryant.

And dealing the right parts in the off-season might finally allow Paxson to find that elusive low-post, offensive presence.

Wallace wasn't that, though certainly no one in Chicago expected him to be. His job was to come here, play ferocious defense, and lead the young Bulls into the NBA Finals, but all he did was a lead a revolt.

The odd part about that is Scott Skiles was as instrumental as Paxson in courting and signing Wallace, who basically shut it down once he left Detroit and arrived in Chicago.

I'll admit I thought it was a heck of an idea at the time, and I couldn't have been more wrong. Instead of advancing the cause, Wallace slowed the movement when he took the Bulls' money and called it a career.

In hindsight, it's not hard to wonder why his former Pistons teammates and coaches encouraged him to jump at Chicago's offer.

So Thursday's move was nothing more than the Bulls wanting to be done with an ugly chapter in their history, though as bad as Wallace played here, it doesn't mean he and Joe Smith can't help the Cavs.

Cleveland already has a big man who can score and a guy named LeBron James, and all Wallace has to do is face the basket and grab some rebounds, while Smith played well enough for the Bulls this year to think he might help the Cavs win a game or two.

The East being what it is, who knows?

But that's Cleveland's problem.

The Bulls have plenty of their own, though at least today Ben Wallace isn't one of them.

Best gesture

The White Sox will wear NIU hats for their spring opener Wednesday, autograph the caps after the game, and then send them to NIU to be auctioned off and benefit the February 14 Student Scholarship Fund, which will award five scholarships in memory of the victims.

The team also will autograph an NIU jersey and hat and a Sox bat to be auctioned on whitesox.com.

"It is our way of showing a little bit of support and understanding," Sox GM Kenny Williams said. "While it's a simple gesture on our part, we just want to let the NIU community know that it continues to be in our thoughts and prayers."

Pitching glitch

While the focus of Cubs camp is on Brian Roberts, you have to wonder how long before GM Jim Hendry can move Jason Marquis, who's got two years and a very hefty $16 million left on his contract due to some serious back-loading.

With Carlos Zambrano, Ted Lilly and Rich Hill, and promises made to Ryan Dempster and Jon Lieber, not to mention the presence of Sean Marshall, the Cubs might be anxious to move Marquis.

The question is, who's going to want him if the Cubs don't eat at least half the remaining cash?

Just asking

Is there any doubt in your mind that Nick Swisher will be the most popular White Sox player since Aaron Rowand?

The line

Over-under on games at home before Swisher runs facefirst into the wall: 19.

Never too early

Best Aramis Ramirez line thus far has to be, "If I'm healthy, everything will take care of itself. The numbers will be there.''

The numbers will be there.

Now from which former Cub do you suppose he learned that concept?

(If you need a hint, you don't get to play.)

Ivan Boldirev-ing

Hard to believe it has been a decade already, but the Wolves will host their 10th annual "Baby Derby'' Sunday during the first intermission at the Allstate Arena, when the club faces Iowa at 4 p.m.

Five babies (ages 10 to 12 months), chosen in a random drawing, will crawl on a five-lane mat, and first place wins a family trip for four to Cancun.

For tickets and more info, check out chicagowolves.com. Viewers also can see the contest live on Comcast Cable.

Coming clean

CBS' David Letterman: "I want to get this off my chest: For the past 20 years, I've been using performance-enhancing vodka.''

And finally …

Comedian Alex Kaseberg: "The military shot down a crippled satellite, blowing it up before it crashed to Earth. They got the idea from watching the New York Knicks.''

brozner@dailyherald.com