Larry Hughes could end up haunting the Sixers in a few years.

Here's our breakdown on why each of these three teams wanted to make the big trade Wednesday and what it means for each.

Why Chicago made the deal
Because Kukoc means nothing to a team that will be lucky to win 20 games. Kukoc never adapted really well to being a star on a bad team; instead, he was much more happy helping out a superstar. And in Philly, he'll do that. Kukoc is a very solid all-around talent, but the Bulls didn't need an older guy at the end of his career -- at least his NBA career.

There remains talk that the Croatian sensation will head back to Europe to play ball when his contract ends, and the Bulls certainly didn't want any part of that. With Elton Brand, Ron Artest and plenty of cap room, the Bulls have a future, and Kukoc wasn't going to be a part of it. Apparently, the Bulls would rather have the high first-round draft pick than Hughes, or else Golden State wouldn't have needed to be involved in the deal.

By the way, Starks is not likely to be a Bull for long. Talks with the Heat or Timberwolves are probably already be under way.

Why Philly made the deal
Two reasons: First, because the Sixers realize the Eastern Conference is wide open, and they can make a run through the playoffs with the proper scoring addition at the three spot. Second, it didn't seem like they really wanted Hughes, a natural shooting guard who didn't fit in with Allen Iverson.

The 76ers had a major need for another scorer to take big shots. No other team in the NBA has such a disparity between their leading scorer and their No. 2 scorer as the Sixers do. The incumbent small forward, George Lynch, is a fine hustler and rebounder, but he offers little on the offensive end except offensive rebounding and put-backs. He will now come off the bench, and Kukoc will enter the frontcourt as a legitimate scorer and slasher with range, while Tyrone Hill, Theo Ratliff and Matt Geiger do the rebounding. In Philly's loss to Charlotte on Tuesday, Iverson passed off to an open teammate for the final shot, but Aaron McKie airballed a 3-pointer. Now Kukoc adds another threat to the lineup.

It must be noted that defense is not Kukoc's strong point, or more than that it's not normally a thought. But Philly has top defensive players in Eric Snow, Ratliff and Lynch, among others, and Philly will pick Toni's spots. Maybe returning to the playoff chase -- and Philly, the current No. 6 seed in the East, is only five games out of first place in the Atlantic -- will stoke Kukoc to play a little better and not let the nagging injuries that forced him to miss so much time this season bother him.

It's very possible that dealing Hughes will cost the Sixers dearly in a few years. A lottery pick two years ago and still only 21, Hughes is a raw scorer with questionable range and poor defensive habits. Coach Larry Brown clearly was not going to use him very much, though Hughes did hit a game-winning shot against the Nets right before the All-Star break and did occasionally get important minutes.

Why Golden State made the deal
Because the Warriors see the potential in Hughes, who only a few days earlier competed in the Slam Dunk contest on their home floor in Oakland. Hughes will start at shooting guard right away and make an immediate impact, though he remains very young and has a lot to learn.

The price to get him wasn't steep; Starks was going someplace before the deadline (as Chris Mills is likely to as well), and the draft pick can't be one of the top three picks in the draft anyway since Washington will get the pick under those circumstances due to the Chris Webber deal six years ago. Call that deal the gift that keeps on giving. And back to the pick: The draft is a crapshoot, plenty of high draft picks don't make it big or need a change of scenery. So the Warriors going after a guy in his second year who they know can play isn't a bad gamble. They could easily have messed the pick up based on their recent history.

Hughes and Antawn Jamison now give the Warriors, like the Raptors, two Slam Dunk participants. Other than that, it will still be a long year in Oakland, but the future does look brighter. Maybe Mookie Blaylock is on the move as well and a Hughes-Vonteego Cummings backcourt becomes all the rage.