In a heart beat. I don't think that's enough to make it happen, though.

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"Tubby? Oh yes, Tubby."

I'm not a big Kobe fan, but no doubt. Nocioni and Duhon are average players. Gordon is a scorer but Kobe is better. Noah is useless with Ben Wallace being here. The Bulls won't have another high #1 with this trade.

You can have PJ Brown too.

I wonder if we could also use our mid-level exception for Rashard Lewis, but that may be too much money.

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You do not talk to me like that! I work too hard to deal with this stuff! I work too hard! I'm an important member of the CSFMB! I drive a Dodge Stratus!

I guess it was wishful thinking on my part, maybe someone else.

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You do not talk to me like that! I work too hard to deal with this stuff! I work too hard! I'm an important member of the CSFMB! I drive a Dodge Stratus!

My guess is more than the MLE, but I would love to have him if the price is right. I think he could still be a player if he stays inside.

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"Tubby? Oh yes, Tubby."

Another bench to sit on is my guess.

With that trade, this would be the projected lineup.

Hinrich, Kobe, Deng, Tyrus Thomas, Ben Wallace.

That starting 5 makes us the best team in the East, but I don't know about our bench. Thabo is the only decent player on it in my opinion, but a free agent could come in for the mid-level.

That team would destroy the Cavs, and the old broken down pistons.

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You do not talk to me like that! I work too hard to deal with this stuff! I work too hard! I'm an important member of the CSFMB! I drive a Dodge Stratus!

Funny, Nas, I was just writing about that in another Bulls thread.

If Lewis gets big money, Darko may get squeezed. He’d have little choice but to accept a short-term MLE contract and hit the market again down the road.

You’re a few million light, KS. You need close to $18 mil to balance the salaries, which is why, from day 1, I have always said Wallace needs to be included. Problem is, LA won’t want him if they’re going into rebuilding mode. You’d need to find a 3rd team, that could make good use of Wallace, who can send LA something they want (likely an expiring and a pick).

But who would have use for Wallace at that price?

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"Tubby? Oh yes, Tubby."

Boston is gearing up with vets. Maybe Wallace for Ratliff’s expiring plus Telfair’s expiring and some filler (future pick[s], likely protected). The only problem with that is Al Jeff would play PF, and with his size and style, he’s better suited to play in the middle. It’s a thought, though.

Nas, Hinrich is BYC and is only worth $5.5 to the Bulls as outgoing money.

BYC takes effect when a player receives a raise of 20% or greater, which applies to Hinrich and will apply to Noce. Gordon & Deng will be PPP next season, and BYC the following year.

Nas, they would have to renounce Nocioni’s rights for this to happen.

Not likely. The projected cap (not official until later this month) is about $55 mil. With Kirk, Gordon, Luol, Tyrus, Wallace, Thabo, Noah, Duhon, Griff, and Viktor – you’ve got just under $49 million. That does not include the cap holds for your two 2nd round picks (should be about $1 mil combined) or for Nocioni (which I’ve seen conflicting #s, some list as low as $6, others have $7+). Plus, that doesn’t add up to 15 yet anyway. There are cap holds for league minimum salaries to fill out the bottom of your roster.

The cap would have to rise well above projections for this to work. Also, you know that Pax wouldn’t send 3 of his boys in a trade. What are you doing anyway?

On a side note, my fears about giving Griffin the 3rd year on that contract are coming closer to being realized. Having this guy on the books for $1.7 next year is inexcusable when you’re trying to make big moves and simulaneously stay beneath the luxury tax.

The Griffin signing was fine. He just needed to make the 3rd year a team option. I thought of this immediately when they signed him last summer, why Pax did this I have no idea. But, if the 3rd year on Griff's contract is what causes them payroll issues next year, then Pax should be taken out for a public spanking in front of the UC.

There are a shitload of factors (TV revenue being one of the many) that go into establishing the cap, and it gets pretty complicated. Truthfully, it’s not worth the headache in my opinion. I’m comfortable knowing that I’m within +/- $2 million until the actual numbers are published by the league.

Nope.

Dr. Bus (sp) can't keep Kobe happy. What makes you think Pax/Jerry would even want to try? He wants to be a pushy-pouty, let him go to the NYC market. Booyah network can keep us appraised of his and Jason Giambi's going ons/sins....

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Middle Aged Crazy, like Uncle Terry