When Michael Jordan announced his comeback, I suggested it would be worth all the ridiculous hoopla only if he was coming back with the Trail Blazers, seeing them then as one disciplined, mentally tough, clutch scorer away from affecting the NBA balance of power.

Well, the ol' bald guy isn't going to trade himself west, but he could be united with Portland's one-man torch. A league source tells me the rumors are reality: The Trail Blazers and Wizards have had trade talks involving Rasheed Wallace and Kwame Brown. Other pieces obviously would be needed to make the deal work under salary-cap restrictions, which would suggest it's a long way from happening.

The teams aren't talking about it, but we have more than enough reason for juicy speculation that both franchises are ready to make significant changes in direction.

In the case of the Blazers, it's a move toward that forbidden R-word (rebuilding). For the Wizards, it's scratch that building-for-the-future idea and let's make a run at the playoffs now.

It's a deal that makes sense for both sides. Portland doesn't look like a playoff team right now, anyway, and as long as 'Sheed doesn't believe his status as the Blazers' best player automatically requires him to be a team leader, they're not likely to get back there.

Kwame may be in the D.C. doghouse, but he's got the raw skills to be as good as 'Sheed in a couple of years without being a tech magnet. Portland GM Bob Whitsitt, in turn, is fascinated with acquiring lottery picks without actually drafting them -- Kwame would be his 15th in nine years.

The Blazers also have enough talent already that any renovation would be a short-term project.

The Wizards, meanwhile, despite their amazing start, are still a dice roll to make the postseason and MJ's comeback remains a nice historical footnote if they don't get there. I'm guessing he sees a chance to make sure it's more than that, what with an Eastern Conference leveled by injured stars (Zo, half the 76ers, Jamal Mashburn, Grant Hill, Sam Cassell and Glenn Robinson).

'Sheed is a fellow Tar Heel and Jordan has to believe if he kept Dennis Rodman in check for three years, he can do the same with Wallace.

In any case, it's worth the risk. There's no reason to believe the Wizards are going to somehow preserve their success playing with Jordan and be better for it once he's gone. Did that happen with any Bulls? They played above their capabilities with MJ, maybe, but you could argue each was worse off once he left. Why not give Jordan another taste of the postseason, even if the franchise pays for it mightily after he’s gone?

Granted, I've got ulterior motives. What I'd really like to see is the undercard -- 'Sheed and coach Doug Collins.

Now that would be entertainment.

AND ONES: Put an asterisk on that Chris Webber triple-double against the Bucks. Assist No. 10 to complete it was a handoff to Hedo Turkoglu at the three-point line in the final two minutes. Turkoglu dribbled left, head-faked, dribbled left again and then fired his shot ... The Staples Center will be busy for the next month, but not with much NBA action. The Lakers are the visitors for 11 of their next 14 (one is with the Clippers) and the Clips play 14 of their next 18 on the road. The schedules were arranged so the arena could accommodate the NHL All-Star Game, the Grammys and the U.S. Figure Skating Championships.

Ric Bucher covers the NBA for ESPN The Magazine. E-mail him at ric.bucher@espnmag.com.