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The six-player trade is official

The Toronto Raptors have acquired forward/guard Jalen Rose and forwards Donyell Marshall and Lonny Baxter from the Chicago Bulls in exchange for forward/center Antonio Davis and forwards Jerome Williams and Chris Jefferies.

“We are excited with the new additions to our team and look forward to their contributions both on the court and in the community,” said Glen Grunwald, Raptors senior vice-president and general manager. “Jalen Rose has proven to be an excellent player in this league and will provide us with some valuable offensive tools. Donyell Marshall gives us another forward who can contribute points and rebounds. Lonny Baxter is a young player who we believe can develop into a consistent inside presence.

“We thank Antonio, Jerome and Chris for their time and dedication to the Raptors and wish them well as they continue their careers.”

Rose, 6-foot-8, 220 pounds, is in his 10th season in the NBA. He is averaging 13.3 points, 4.0 rebounds, 3.5 assists and a team-high 33.1 minutes in 16 games this season. He has led the Bulls in points and assists in five games. He ranks 14th in the NBA in three-point field goal percentage at .426. Rose has appeared in 253 consecutive NBA games, the fourth-longest active streak in the NBA.

Rose owns a career average of 14.4 points, 3.6 rebounds and 4.1 assists in 691 games. He has averaged 20-plus points a game for the past three seasons, including a career-best 22.1 last season (14th in the NBA). He has played in 58 postseason contests where he has contributed 14.8 points, 3.2 rebounds and 2.9 assists per game. Rose has played for Denver, Indiana and Chicago. The Nuggets selected the former University of Michigan “Fab Five” standout with the 13th overall pick in the 1994 NBA Draft.

Marshall, 6-foot-9, 230 pounds, is also in his 10th NBA season. He is averaging 8.7 points, 6.2 rebounds and 25.5 minutes in 16 games. He has paced the Bulls on the boards in four contests, has scored in double figures six times, and pulled down double digit rebound totals on four occasions.

Marshall has appeared in 613 career contests, averaging 12.1 points and 7.0 rebounds. He has averaged double figures in scoring in each of the past six seasons. His career bests came in 1997-98 when he averaged a high of 15.4 points and in 1999-2000 with 9.9 rebounds a game. Marshall has averaged 12.1 points and 7.7 rebounds in nine playoff games. He has played for Minnesota, Golden State, Utah and Chicago after being the fourth overall selection in the 1994 NBA Draft by the Timberwolves.

Baxter, 6-foot-8, 260 pounds, is in his second season in the NBA. He is averaging 4.3 points, 2.5 rebounds and 10.5 minutes in 14 games this season, netting a career-high 19 points on nine-of-12 shooting from the field November 26 at San Antonio. Baxter has a career average of 4.7 points and 2.9 rebounds in 69 games. He was selected in the second round (44th overall) by Chicago in the 2002 Draft. He helped Maryland win the 2002 NCAA national title and had career averages of 13.5 points, 7.2 rebounds and 1.64 blocks in 138 games for the Terrapins.

“This trade helps us address a couple of different areas, areas that we needed to get stronger in. It not only provides us with size, but also with energy,” said Bulls Executive Vice President of Basketball Operations John Paxson. “Those two factors alone will allow Scott more flexibility with our roster. In order to get quality players, you have to be willing to part with quality players, but overall, this trade enhances the framework of our team.”

Davis, a 6-9, 245-pound forward/center, is averaging 8.6 ppg, 9.5 rpg (15th in the NBA) and 35.9 mpg in 15 starts this year. In seven of those 15 starts, Davis has posted double figures in points and rebounds, including three double-doubles. He is currently in his 11th season in the NBA (played in Greece and Italy from 1990-1993), after being selected by the Indiana Pacers in the second round (45th overall) of the 1990 NBA Draft out of Texas-El Paso. Over his career, Davis has averaged 10.7 ppg, 7.7 rpg, 1.1 apg and 1.08 bpg, while shooting .451 from the field. He leaves Toronto as the franchise’s all-time leading rebounder, with 2,366 boards in 302 games.

Williams, a 6-9, 230-pound forward, has appeared in 15 games this season, including 12 starts, and is averaging 5.1 ppg, 8.5 rpg and 1.27 spg, while shooting .491 from the field. Nicknamed “Junkyard Dog,” Williams’ average of 11.0 defensive rebounds per 48 minutes ranks him seventh in the NBA for that category. For his career, Williams has averaged 6.9 ppg, 6.8 rpg and 1.08 spg, while making .506 of his shots from the field. In his eighth year, Williams was originally drafted by Detroit in the first round (26th overall) of the 1996 NBA Draft out of Georgetown.

Davis is averaging 8.6 points and 9.5 rebounds in 15 games this season. In four-plus seasons with the Raptors, he averaged 13.1 points, 9.3 rebounds and 35.2 minutes in 302 games. He is the franchise leader in rebounds (2,803), offensive rebounds (942), defensive rebounds (1,861) and blocks (404). He was acquired August 1, 1999 from Indiana for the draft rights to Jonathan Bender.

Williams is averaging 5.1 points and 8.5 rebounds in 15 games this season. In three-plus seasons with the Raptors, he averaged 7.9 points, 7.0 rebounds and 26.5 minutes in 180 games. He was acquired February 22, 2001 from Detroit with Eric Montross for Corliss Williamson, Tyrone Corbin, Kornel David and a first-round draft pick.

Jefferies has totaled eight points, one rebound, one assist and eight minutes in two games this season. He averaged 3.9 points, 1.2 rebounds and 13.1 minutes in 51 games last season. Jefferies had his draft rights traded by Los Angeles with Lindsey Hunter and a second-round draft pick to Toronto on June 26.