NBA Offseason Thread

[Guest]

As I said at the beginning, the ball is in KG's court. It's not going to be about who makes the best offer, it's going to be about where he wants to go and thinks he can compete. There's a hell of a lot better chance of winning on a team with another star player than a team where KG would be the main focus, again.

We can debate what is and isn't a good offer all day long, but that does not matter. If KG says he wants to go to Toronto, he will go to Toronto provided they made an offer. Iverson's in the same boat unless King wants to piss everyone off.

 

/I said Toronto because it's the most neutral place I could think of.

[naiwf 0]

That's why I still feel that the Lakers don't have the players to make a deal work. The T'Wolves would be taking back almost $20 million in players, and only one of them would contribute in any sort of meaningul way (Odom) and he's not even an All-Star caliber player.

 

At least with the Chicago deal, they'd only have to take on about half the amount of salary, get a future all-star (be it Gordon or Hinrich), and two high draft picks around which they could start re-building their team. At least that's something to be optimistic about.

 

Odom's got $12.5 coming his way next year but is off of the books in 2009. Mihm is due $4.2 but is in his walk year, and Bynum is making $2 million next year, with 2 team options following at chump change (sub $3 million) That's $18.7 million total.

 

The money will end up being about the same because Chandler's making at least $10-11 million, Deng is getting $2.5, and a top two draft pick would make at least $4.5 which totals $17 million on the low end. The problem is Chandler's signed through 2011. That's an albatross of a contract.

 

I think it comes down to do you want a guy with more upside and a shorter deal or do you want a higher draft pick. Considering Mihm is basically dead money, take him clear the cap space in a year and develop Bynum and Odom to be your two main bigs.

[Guest NYankees]

I cant believe the NBA doesn't have any games scheduled today.

[Darthtiki 0]

Fox News ran a report that Juwan Howard has been accused of shoplifting a pair of $1700 Cartier sunglasses from a Miami optical shop.

[Dangerous A 0]

I cant believe the NBA doesn't have any games scheduled today.

 

They probrably dont' want to go up against first run shows and season finales that occur around this time. They start up tommorrow and continue through next tuesday depending on how a series is going.

[alfdogg 0]

Greg Buckner didn't get any votes, either. I had him on my second team. He's a free agent this summer, and one I'd like to see Bird make a play for. He provides good outside shooting and perimeter defense, the two things we lacked most dearly in the NJ series, and while he may not be the creator on offense that Peja is (and that's kind of sad, really), could be had much cheaper should Peja not stick around.

 

Oh, and I didn't have Bruce Bowen on my ballot, either. I personally don't consider throwing elbows to the throat and head and kicking people in the back to be great defense. Sorry.

[Just John 0]

I cant believe the NBA doesn't have any games scheduled today.

 

What's really stupid about it is that they don't even pick up with the DET/CLE and SA/DAL games tomorrow. They go right back to the matchups that occurred yesterday, giving the other four teams some extremely long rest.

[Cuban Linx 0]

Fox News ran a report that Juwan Howard has been accused of shoplifting a pair of $1700 Cartier sunglasses from a Miami optical shop.

 

I'm sure Portland is looking to trade for him as we speak, i don't think they've had a shoplifter yet in their band of merry idiots/assholes/criminals.

[alfdogg 0]

The Kings haven't officially announced any candidates, but Terry Porter and Eddie Jordan are being rumored. Porter is still trying to buy the Trail Blazers, and they haven't yet asked permission from the Wizards to talk to Jordan.

[alfdogg 0]

In The Sixth Man, Chris Palmer's book about a year spent in the NBA world, Palmer recounts a trash-talking session between Paul Pierce and Damon Jones during the 2005 All-Star weekend in Denver.

 

Jones' only chip was that he played for the Miami Heat, who had the best record in the Eastern Conference at the time.

 

Pierce's blast: "Look at my resume. It speaks for itself. All-Star four times, 25 a game every damn year. I don't give a [bleep] about championships as long as I'm getting mine and bustin' yo [BUTT]."

 

That says it all. If I were a Celtic fan, I'd be sad. And if I were an NBA general manager, I'd never trade for or sign Pierce.

Credit: LA Times

[Cheech Tremendous 0]

In The Sixth Man, Chris Palmer's book about a year spent in the NBA world, Palmer recounts a trash-talking session between Paul Pierce and Damon Jones during the 2005 All-Star weekend in Denver.

 

Jones' only chip was that he played for the Miami Heat, who had the best record in the Eastern Conference at the time.

 

Pierce's blast: "Look at my resume. It speaks for itself. All-Star four times, 25 a game every damn year. I don't give a [bleep] about championships as long as I'm getting mine and bustin' yo [BUTT]."

 

That says it all. If I were a Celtic fan, I'd be sad. And if I were an NBA general manager, I'd never trade for or sign Pierce.

Credit: LA Times

 

Yeah, but on the other hand, who'd Damon f'n Jones to talk? If you're Paul Pierce and Jones is trash talking, you are going to respond with something. It's not Pierce's fault he's played for crap teams his whole career.

[dh86 0]

Bynum's rookie numbers were much worse than Chandler's, and he didn't have the same pedigree that Chandler had coming out of high school. The fact is, we don't have any evidence at this point that Bynum is going to be great, or good, or even passable. We literally know nothing about him. His lack of PT ultimately shows that Phil is just not comfortable playing him yet. Why would Minnesota take that over a known commodity (Chandler), or a high first round pick that is assuredly better than Bynum?

 

And it seems unfair that you would complain about Chandler's contract in one breath, while pumping Odom as a key part of the deal. Odom has a horrible contract, and barely makes much less than Garnett does with half the ability. The idea behind trading Garnett is re-tooling for the future. You don't want to screw your salary cap right off the bat.

 

 

A: Anyone with eyes can see that Bynum is going to be a better offensive threat than Chandler. Not that its hard, but the kid has a damn good offensive game. He is fairly athletic with his size and has shown good timing on block shots and rebound positioning. Even if he only played in spurts, those spurts looked better than Chandler's great spurts(not to discount what Chandler can do defensively, but it is pretty much known he is a one trick pony while if you give up Garnett, you are giving up 25 points a game. you KNOW Chandler can't give you 5.)

 

B: Lamar Odem has shown to be a incredible player when not on the floor with Kobe. He is a guy that NEEDS the ball to be effective. You can build a team around Odem as a marquee big man. He is a great passer, and ball handler for his size and can rebound the hell out of the ball, and has proven to be able to make the guys around him better.

 

incredible without? can build a team around him?..anyone forgetting 2 years ago when that Miami Heat team was Odom's team?...he got 17 pts almost 10 reb and they were around 41-41...thats his absolute peak....far from incredible...and bynum is the worst top 10 big man ive seen come out of HS in years...hes worse than curry,howard,stoudemire,chandler,brown in their rookie years...like I said earlier and like QBs in the NFL....needing years of development is a myth...either you have it or u dont..especially big men

[dh86 0]

Bynum's rookie numbers were much worse than Chandler's, and he didn't have the same pedigree that Chandler had coming out of high school. The fact is, we don't have any evidence at this point that Bynum is going to be great, or good, or even passable. We literally know nothing about him. His lack of PT ultimately shows that Phil is just not comfortable playing him yet. Why would Minnesota take that over a known commodity (Chandler), or a high first round pick that is assuredly better than Bynum?

 

And it seems unfair that you would complain about Chandler's contract in one breath, while pumping Odom as a key part of the deal. Odom has a horrible contract, and barely makes much less than Garnett does with half the ability. The idea behind trading Garnett is re-tooling for the future. You don't want to screw your salary cap right off the bat.

 

Chandler does have a pretty big contract...but if Bynum put up those type numbers in his contract year,...best believe hed command similar....add in Deng and the NY 1st rounder..thats decent building blocks...Odom is a pretty good player but Mihm isnt any better than what Minnesota has today at center and Bynum is looking like DeSagana Diop

[Cheech Tremendous 0]

Bynum's rookie numbers were much worse than Chandler's, and he didn't have the same pedigree that Chandler had coming out of high school. The fact is, we don't have any evidence at this point that Bynum is going to be great, or good, or even passable. We literally know nothing about him. His lack of PT ultimately shows that Phil is just not comfortable playing him yet. Why would Minnesota take that over a known commodity (Chandler), or a high first round pick that is assuredly better than Bynum?

 

And it seems unfair that you would complain about Chandler's contract in one breath, while pumping Odom as a key part of the deal. Odom has a horrible contract, and barely makes much less than Garnett does with half the ability. The idea behind trading Garnett is re-tooling for the future. You don't want to screw your salary cap right off the bat.

 

Chandler does have a pretty big contract...but if Bynum put up those type numbers in his contract year,...best believe hed command similar....add in Deng and the NY 1st rounder..thats decent building blocks...Odom is a pretty good player but Mihm isnt any better than what Minnesota has today at center and Bynum is looking like DeSagana Diop

 

I'm glad that someone comes in and backs me up, even if it's a day late. I'm all for keeping young guys and building for the future, but it's not like Bynum is Kareen Abdul-Jabbar. His absolute upside is basically Eddy Curry, and we saw how much interest he got last year as a free agent. If I'm Mitch Kupchak and McHale is willing make THAT deal, I'm running to the phone as fast as possible before he sobers up.

[Ripper 0]

You can't say his absolute upside is Eddie Curry. Honestly, he showed more offensive knowledge with is back to the basket than Eddy in his few minutes. Quick moves instead of setting up for 15 seconds like Eddy did(does).

[Spicy McHaggis 0]

Thank you.

 

I think Andrew Bynum's future is very bright... he has a great coach, a great mentor, he shows all the potential of a very good center, and he made his free throws when he took them.

 

The more I think about the KG situation, the more I think the Lakers should stay as far away from that deal as possible. They're really only a few pieces away... if they get Rush back and a quick point guard, maybe Bobby Jackson or Tyronn Lue or Leandro Barbosa (in my dreams), and another rebounder, they will be set to make a run without mortgaging the future.

[Ripper 0]

Barbosa might not be your dreams. Diaw and Barbosa are due some raises pretty soon. REAL soon. I am sure they are going to have to try and offer them extensions, and I don't know if the team has the money for both. And a 6'9 guy in the pivot playing point is rarer than a fast 6-4 shooting guard

[dh86 0]

Thank you.

 

I think Andrew Bynum's future is very bright... he has a great coach, a great mentor, he shows all the potential of a very good center, and he made his free throws when he took them.

 

The more I think about the KG situation, the more I think the Lakers should stay as far away from that deal as possible. They're really only a few pieces away... if they get Rush back and a quick point guard, maybe Bobby Jackson or Tyronn Lue or Leandro Barbosa (in my dreams), and another rebounder, they will be set to make a run without mortgaging the future.

 

I should expect Bynum to be playing next year right? and lakers are a few pieces away from what?...most teams in the NBA are 1 or 2 players away...depends on WHAT players..I remember Rush being a non factor bench who was a 1 game wonder and jackson and lue arent much better than chucky atkins who was already run out of LA...lakers were the 7 seed in the west..they gotta make a splash to even compete...but what do I care about the Lakers...PISTONS!!!!

[Ripper 0]

Kareem Rush is what the Lakers want Deven George to be. Consistant shooter, pretty good defender.

 

Atlanta ain't giving them Tyronne Lue back. I have grown to appreciate him...ALOT.

 

Speaking of Atlanta. Billy Knight, the GM, said he hasn't ruled out drafting another 6'8" wing player with their lottery pick this year because that is the ideal size and there are alot of guys that size with alot of talent in the draft.

 

I know I said I was going to kick him in the balls last year at draft time if he didn't take Chris Paul instead of Marvin Williams....but dammit. If this fucking guy takes ANOTHER 6'8" SF I am SERIOUSLY going to go and find him and kick him right SQUWAH in the balls.

[Dangerous A 0]

If the Lakers are patient, they may be able to land Chris Bosh with about the same package they will offer Garnett, maybe less if they wait a year or unless Bosh starts making a huge stink about wanting out of Toronto. Bosh will probrably want out of Toronto anyways and his game may compliment Kobe's even better than KG's, plus you get him in his best years.

 

Of course I do not want that to happen, but that's also out there as a possibility.

[Dangerous A 0]

Dreaded DP

[Guest]

I'd like that better, but very doubtful. If they don't get Garnett, they won't get a different huge impact player through a trade. That's just the way I look at it.

 

I like Mark Madsen, and it's a somewhat interesting read, so here. From his blog. Don't ask why I was there.

 

I watched the Lakers vs. Suns first round playoff series faithfully and thought it was one of the best first round matchups in recent history. I was extra interested given that I used to play for the Lakers and since two of my high school teammates played college basketball with Steve Nash at Santa Clara University. Kevin Dunne and Randy Winn were seniors when I was a sophomore at San Ramon Valley High School. The next year I watched them a lot at Santa Clara where along with Steve Nash they all helped Santa Clara's team to several years of greatness and some amazing upsets. I would have never thought at that time that I was watching one of the greatest point guards who would ever play in the NBA. It is amazing what hard work and perserverance can do and how Steve Nash's passing and shooting ability has changed the fortunes of an entire NBA franchise.

 

It was also great to see a couple of old friends play for the Lakers. Notably, it was a lot of fun to watch Kobe Bryant, Devean George, and Luke Walton make big plays for the Lakers and almost pull off a huge first round upset. Kobe Bryant never ceases to amaze me. Amost everywhere I go, people ask me what it was like to play with Kobe Bryant. Random people I have never met ask me the question. I thought that now would be a good time to talk about my interactions with Kobe on and off the court. When I first got to LA, I remember meeting Kobe in the training room. Kobe was there with his personal trainer and the first thing I thought in my mind is "Wow, Kobe must really be 6'7"!" You never really know how tall people are until you're next to them. Shaq is definitely 7'1" and Kevin Garnett is definitely taller than 6'11". Kobe is easily 6'7" and it's crazy because I play center in the NBA sometimes and I'm about 6'8" and Kobe can play point guard and he's basically the same height. The first year I was there, I can't tell you how many times I came into the game and Kobe tried to get me a dunk or a wide open layup to help me build some confidence. One time after a tough game at Memphis he invited me to meet up with him and his high school buddy for a steak dinner. Another time he stayed around after a game to meet up with the ten year old daughter of a buddy of mine for an autograph and a photo. Still another time when I was upset about a certain on-court team issue, Kobe took the time to listen to everything I was going through and tried to help the situation. Kobe Bryant went out of his way a lot when I was just figuring out what it was like to play in the NBA.

 

I felt badly after the game 7 loss that some members of the media tried to criticize Kobe for not shooting enough in the loss to the Suns. It's extra interesting to me, because I watched that game very closely and analyzed the Suns' defensive schemes against Kobe. In the first half it seemed like Suns threw a "soft double team" at Kobe whereas in the second half they trapped Kobe aggresively with two men and forced him to throw the ball out of the double team. I actually thought that Kobe was doing a good job of trying to hit his open teammates but their shots weren't falling. I guess if you are Kobe Bryant and you get 81 points you get criticized for shooting too much and if you only score 20-25 points then people say you are not shooting enough. I thoroughly enjoyed the series and watching my old teammate Kobe play so well. I think that the Lakers are back on the map. I hope I get to see Deaven George this summer in Minnesota and maybe I'll see Luke Walton at some Pac-10 reunion. (We never really had the Answer for Arizona basketball when I was at Stanford). At any rate, I still hope we go 4-0 against the Lakers next season and 4-0 against the Suns.

There's certain parts of that which are more important than others. Don't read it if you don't want to, after all, it's just Madsen.

[Guest NYankees]

NY Daily News is reporting that Charles Dolan is maybe going to buy out Larry Brown from his contract. Someone explain to me how this asshole is looking to fire Larry Brown yet Isiah Thomas is still the GM?

[Ripper 0]

NY Daily News is reporting that Charles Dolan is maybe going to buy out Larry Brown from his contract. Someone explain to me how this asshole is looking to fire Larry Brown yet Isiah Thomas is still the GM?

Because Larry Brown fucked that team beyond recognition last year and did one of the worse coaching jobs in recent NBA history.

 

Isaiah has the Jerome James trade that you can point at him, but he drafted Lee, Ariza(who brown wanted traded for some reason) Robinson, and Butler, and got Stephon Marbury for basically nothing.

 

People should also remember that Isaiah wanted to trade penny hardaway's contract to portland for Miles and Ratliff, but Larry said he wanted Steve Francis. You know, before people try to put that up as a negative on Thomas.

 

Seriously, New Yorkers are such spoiled asses. Take Billy Knight and you will see a bad GM.

[naiwf 0]

NY Daily News is reporting that Charles Dolan is maybe going to buy out Larry Brown from his contract. Someone explain to me how this asshole is looking to fire Larry Brown yet Isiah Thomas is still the GM?

 

Isiah is said to be Brown's replacement as coach to boot. God strike me down if that happens, if only to spare me from the misery

[alfdogg 0]

So I'm at my doctor's office the other day and not feeling well. Achy, scratchy and just sort of logy all over. I was sure it had to be neuritis or neuralgia.

 

No, Dr. Richard said. The symptoms were clear: I hadn't proposed a Bulls trade in more than a month. Sure, with all that playoff excitement there just wasn't time. But as the Chambers Brothers once said, "Time Has Come Today." What, for 50 cents you want references to great literature? A week from Tuesday is the First Day of the Rest of the Bulls' Life. Coffee mugs for everyone! It's the day of the NBA draft lottery, which is when the Bulls will find out--because they have the Knicks' first-round pick from the Eddy Curry trade--what pick they'll have in the June draft.

 

 

An aside here. The inevitable rumors are coming out of New York: Larry Brown leaving, perhaps through a buyout, and Isiah Thomas taking over as coach. Before the Bulls hired Scott Skiles, Thomas contacted John Paxson about coaching the Bulls. Thomas envisioned a top team built around Curry and Jamal Crawford. So he traded for them. It hasn't exactly worked out yet, but few would be surprised if Thomas took over as coach as was speculated before Brown was hired. Plus, Thomas has made it clear his goal is to return to coaching eventually. And a job has opened for Brown. Sacramento is a classic fit for him. The owners want a high-profile name and they like the attention. As owners of a Las Vegas casino, the Maloofs have plenty to spend and are among the few owners prepared to pay big money for a coach. Under those circumstances, Brown could take a buyout and not lose out on his big contract from the Knicks. Plus, Brown would get the defensive players he likes such as Ron Artest. Brown also would get a smaller media market with just one traveling beat writer instead of the New York press that turned his season into a near breakdown.

 

As for our problems here, let's not get too carried away with our cuddly Bulls. Getting knocked out in the first round of the playoffs in consecutive seasons doesn't leave you that close to being a serious team. Getting the No. 1 pick would help a lot. The speculation remains the Bulls would take a big man such as LSU's Tyrus Thomas or Texas' LaMarcus Aldridge. Both look like they'll be good players at some point in the future, but with the core of talent the Bulls have, why not make the future now? Stuff happens. You never can assume everyone will remain healthy or happy. If you have a chance, you take it.

 

Yes, here we go again: Kevin Garnett.

 

I believe the Timberwolves will not trade him. I believe they'll trade for someone like Stephon Marbury to dress up the roster for the season ticket-holders and make it appear there's a chance when, more likely, they'll struggle to make the playoffs or miss them again. Meanwhile, they'll be wasting what's left of Garnett. I've long talked about getting Garnett, but even I admit he's a risk now. He has played more than 30,000 minutes, a career for most in the Hall of Fame, and been mostly healthy. He probably only has a few good seasons left. He's a much bigger risk now. But if the Bulls don't have to break up their team to get him, Garnett would be worth the risk. He is the hard-working, unselfish type of player they covet and could help them make a major move next season.

 

Here's the situation. It's nice to have all these talented kids from the draft, but it never works because you can't pay them all. Tyson Chandler's contract averages $10 million per year, Kirk Hinrich comes up for an extension this summer and Ben Gordon, Luol Deng and Andres Nocioni due next summer. With Chandler making $10 million, who will ask for less? You add to that draft picks and free agents from this summer and it's a payroll the Bulls could not afford as they'd owe a luxury tax that could cost them tens of millions of dollars. Only the Knicks operate that way.

 

So you try to make the Timberwolves an offer that is very appealing and perhaps get someone to get in Garnett's ear and ask him if he wants a chance to end his career playing for a championship in the next few years, which the Bulls could do in the East. It's not about to happen for Garnett in the West. So here's the deal: Chandler, Gordon, the Bulls' two draft picks--hoping they have No. 1 or No. 2--and the right to have the Knicks' 2007 pick unless it's No. 1 overall. (No. 1 likely would mean the chance to pick Greg Oden.) That would give Minnesota three No. 1s this year with two high lottery picks and two young players, one a potential star in Gordon. Face it: What's the chance of Gordon happily accepting a backup role if the Bulls pursue a shooting guard, which they seem to have indicated they would with Gordon's contract coming up? As a sweetener, maybe you take one of Minnesota's bad contracts, like that of Troy Hudson or Marko Jaric. The Timberwolves have to be losing money with their payroll and a losing team in that market. They've made plenty of mistakes, so you figure they'll just ride it out and continue to be a non-playoff team with Garnett. But at least make a run at them.

 

Plan B

 

There's also Shawn Marion. The talk around the NBA is the Suns will be willing to listen very carefully for offers for Marion this summer with Amare Stoudemire and Kurt Thomas due back, Boris Diaw fitting into Marion's role and the possibility of re-signing Tim Thomas. They probably can't re-sign Tim Thomas, which owner Robert Sarver says is essential, without some changes to avoid paying a luxury tax. Marion will average about $16 million for the next three seasons and isn't the perfect player, especially in a half-court game. But the Bulls' movement offense should give him a chance to flourish and he's a hard worker and relentless defender. The Bulls are said to like LSU's Thomas, who is most likened to Marion. So if the real thing is available, why not take a shot? Marion probably would cost the better of the first-rounders and a player, probably Chandler, who might fit in the Suns' open-style game as Tim Thomas has. But the Bulls still could have money in free agency to get a center like Nazr Mohammed or Joel Przybilla. It's probably worth a look. Why wait when the Bulls can make a serious move into contention next season and not dramatically change their core?

 

Plan C?

 

The other big name that comes up often is the Pacers' Jermaine O'Neal. There's no chance they'd trade him in the division, and probably little chance they'd trade him at all. He'll be 28 next season, and there are few stars available anyway. Much around him will change because the Pacers seem to have bottomed out from three years of Artest-related mayhem.

 

"There was just so much negativity going around, it got contagious," said Stephen Jackson, who probably was the biggest offender. "People were talking about one another. The team wasn't always together. It was an up-and-down rocky year."

 

Even general manager Larry Bird admitted the players tuned out coach Rick Carlisle, and clearly one another. Figure Jackson to be gone for just about anything as well as point guard Jamaal Tinsley. Anthony Johnson and Sarunas Jasikevicius would take their places. O'Neal gives them a chance to get back into contention, and the Pacers don't need to rebuild in the East because they'll probably bring back Peja Stojakovic and aren't that far away with some attitude adjustment.

 

Motown musings

 

With so many easy wins, the Pistons only have themselves to blame for being shown on TV early or on NBA TV--or in Saturday's case being bumped to ESPN from ABC. Maybe that's why they lost to Cleveland in Game 3. Said coach Flip Saunders: "We've changed the rules the last couple of years to get a game that's more team-oriented, a game where you pass the ball and share the ball, where people aren't standing around watching one guy. We are a team that does that and we always seem to be on the jayvee schedule." . . . After Chauncey Billups was named all-defense second team, Rasheed Wallace announced in the locker room that if the statue for defensive player of the year was a man in the defensive stance, Billups' trophy would have a guy reaching around a ball handler who had dribbled past him.

Chicago Tribune

 

The Knicks and Bulls recently held trade discussions focusing on UConn star Ben Gordon, The Post has learned.

 

According to sources in Chicago and a source close to Gordon, the Knicks were interested in acquiring the Mount Vernon native in exchange for, "one of the Knicks elite guards" and a No. 1 pick in next year's draft.

 

The Post reported exclusively yesterday that the Knicks are looking into buying out coach Larry Brown and replacing him with GM Isiah Thomas, so any talks are in limbo.

 

The source close to Gordon told The Post the 6-3 shooting guard, who won the NBA's 2005 Sixth Man of the Year Award, was happy in Chicago. But the source in Chicago pointed out that Gordon is better suited to playing the point, and Kirk Hinrich seems entrenched as the starting point guard.

 

Gordon was unavailable to comment yesterday but he's expected to appear at Michael Jordon's restaurant, One Sixtyblue in Chicago on Wednesday to announce his new energy drink, BG7, as reported exclusively last week in The Post. Gordon averaged 16.9 points, three assists and 2.7 rebounds this season.

 

Gordon has had some unbelievable games in the Garden as a collegian and would give the Knicks a young talent that is not bogged down by a long-term deal. According to published reports the Bulls have out feelers to gauge interest in Gordon

NY Post

[USC Wuz Robbed! 0]

I'd rather keep Gordon but if we get someone good out of the deal, I suppose I'd be down with that.

[CanadianChris 0]

The 2007 draft is going to be loaded. If the Bulls can grab an unprotected pick from what figures to be one of the worst teams in the league next year, they have to seriously consider it.

[Human Fly 0]

I think the Bulls would be fools to trade Ben Gordon. I think he has Arenas like potential and trading that for a grumpy shoot first point guard like Francis or Marbury and a draft pick (no matter how high it ends up being it is still an unkown commodity) seems foolish.

[Cheech Tremendous 0]

Don't the Bulls already have the rights to the Knicks first round pick in 2007? They have the option to switch picks with NY if they want.