First Dikembe Mutombo re-signed with the Houston Rockets. The Alonzo Mourning retired. This afternoon ESPN reported the Oklahoma City Thunder traded Joe Smith to the New Orleans Hornets as part of a deal for Tyson Chandler. And like that, three potential big men acquisitions for the Boston Celtics were off the market.

There had been much speculation that the Thunder would buy out Smith, allowing him to sign with another team. However they shot down those talks weeks ago and held on to Smith for trade bait. Smith offers a P.J. Brown-like mid-range game, versatility that proved critical for the Celtics in last season’s playoffs. The Cs traded Sam Cassell today to the Sacramento Kings, making room if they decided to add another player for the postseason. The NBA trade deadline is Thursday.