What's the first thing you notice when you see ESPN's Fred Carter on NBA 2Night or SportsCenter? Of course, he points at you. It's his way of saying hello. So we've asked NBA expert Fred to greet us and make some points for ESPN.com each week. Enjoy.

	Van Exel

1. The trading deadline is next week, and the rumors have Nick Van Exel and Marc Jackson among the big names switching places. Who do you think should be traded where, and do you expect deadline action?
There are a lot of players who could use both Van Exel and Jackson. The Knicks are in dire need of a point guard -- the Garden would be a great place for Van Exel, because he's tough enough to handle New York, plus, he's an outstanding player and a big shot-maker. Jackson is a totally different kind of player -- a power forward with good feet in the lane, Jackson can make layups left- or right-handed, and is a pretty good outside shooter. He probably would have been Rookie of the Year last year had he not gotten hurt. He could help teams like the Suns, Rockets, Heat or the Wizards if they could afford him. Jackson's talent is significant, but the best thing about him is that he is a youngster -- he could grow within someone's program for years to come.

2. The second half of the season is upon us. Which teams do you figure will take a step up from here on out, and which teams might struggle?
The Milwaukee Bucks have been -- and may continue to -- struggle, which has really surprised me. They played great in the conference finals last year against Philadelphia, before they shot themselves in the foot. The Bucks just lost to Cleveland at home -- the Cavs only average 93 points per game, but they hung 115 on the Bucks. If Milwaukee doesn't find their stride soon, they'll still get into the playoffs, but they'll be out in the first round. The team that is really making a significant step forward is the Miami Heat. Pat Riley has a team of veteran players who have refused to quit. The Heat have won 11 of their last 14, and most of their remaining schedule is against the easier East. I like the Heat to make a run and capture the eighth playoff spot.

	Bryant

3. Kobe Bryant had a good Sunday and a bad Sunday. He won the All-Star game MVP award, but was given cruel treatment from the Philadelphia crowd. You're from Philly; were you shocked at what the crowd did to one of its own? And you weren't booing, were you?
Of course I wasn't booing -- I was cheering for the young guy! I wasn't shocked, but I was extremely disappointed. Kobe Bryant is a native son, and when he came back to Philly for the All Star game, he didn't come back as an opponent -- he came back as an All Star, and he should have been treated like one. I was working the game for ESPNRadio, and was seated next to the Western Conference bench. The West players were disappointed when Kobe was booed every time he touched the ball -- they tried to get him the ball and help him break Wilt Chamberlain's record. It was evident that Kobe was distracted and upset by the booing, but he's a consummate pro, and he handled the situation admirably.

4. Speaking of All-Star weekend, what were you favorite moments from the Saturday and Sunday festivities?
Two moments were particularly special. One was the first round of the 3-Point Contest. I picked Peja Stojakovic to win it, but I had no idea the exciting shootout I'd see between Peja and Wesley Person from the Cavaliers. Then Steve Nash put on a show -- it's always fun to see a point guard shooting the lights out. The other great moment of the weekend was during the All-Star Game when the Eastern Conference made a huge run -- Ray Allen knocked down a three-pointer, then Dirk Nowitzki knocked down one, then Nash. It was a lot of fun to watch.

	Jordan

5. Michael Jordan's Wizards have not had a challenging schedule so far, with very few games against West teams. And against the Lakers, the Wizards took a 20-point lead before being blown out of the building. Do you see bad things ahead for the Wizards when the schedule gets tougher?
I don't think the Wizards have enough talent to stand up against the tougher teams. They've played a lot of Eastern Conference games which has given them a bit of a cushion. But going out West will be a very different story -- especially in the playoff stretch. Washington will take some lumps on this Western swing -- it will be interesting to see if they can come out of it.