1.   Among them were the New York Knicks, where he perhaps could have been the final piece of a championship puzzle.

2.   But what they got in return could be the missing pieces to the championship puzzle in Rice, a sharp-shooter, and rugged power forward J.R. Reid.

3.   But, whoops, San Francisco snared Deion Sanders, the missing piece of their championship puzzle.

4.   He was brought in four seasons ago as perhaps the final piece of a championship puzzle.

5.   The Sonics had just lost in the NBA finals to the Chicago Bulls and saw McIlvaine as the final piece to their championship puzzle.

6.   That could make him dangerous at the end of the year, once the heavyweight championship puzzle is clearer.