I like Knight as well. If Duhon gets shipped w/ Nocioni for a post player, I’d offer Brevin a good portion of the MLE. Would take some pressure off Thabo also.

Yeah, I like him as a sub, but not as a starter.

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I'm assuming that's what he meant, Midge. That's what I meant, anyway.

Anyone hear Paxson this morning on Waddle/Silverman ? Basically, he's saying that the Bulls are set financially to match outside offers to Nocioni and they don't want to part with him.

If this is true, we're probably just about done then this summer because I'm not sure Memphis would take Ben Gordon for Pau Gasol with Conley now there....

Larry Bird did like Ben Gordon a lot coming out of college, but I think he would be extremely relunctant to move Jermaine O'Neal within the division, not to mention that O'Neal can't stay on the court for 2 straight games.

Doesn't Knight have some knee injury history?

Would the Bucks trade Yi within the division?

He hasn't demonstrated the ability to play 70+ games, GD, I'll grant you that. But, the Bulls wouldn't be asking him to play 30 minutes a night like Charlotte did. If the roster were thinned out due to a trade, I would have no problem with Pax making a modest offer. His assist to turnover ratio is very impressive.



I'm sure they'd rather not, but I suppose it depends on how ugly things get and how much the Yi camp forces their hand. If he's serious about the threat to go back to China, then they could lose him for nothing (see Orlando and the Fran Vazquez pick in '05). I suspect Golden State is still in the mix. They acquired the rights to Brandan Wright on draft night, and maybe Milwaukee would make the swap if GS threw in a future pick or two. I have a hard time believing Milwaukee would accept our scraps + future late rd firsts, which is probably all Pax is willing to give.

Everyone is still focusing on the possibilities of Kobe, Garnett, Gasol, etc. But... the situation I'm keeping a close eye on is actually Utah and the Kirilenko saga. Like Noah, he doesn't solve our specific dilemna, but he could be the lowest priced PF that's on the market. If he could be had for 50 cents on the dollar (ie: S&T Nocioni and Brown, plus Duhon, future firsts and cash), you'd have to consider it.

PG - Hinrich
SG - Gordon
SF - Deng
PF - Kirilenko
C - Wallace

G - Thabo
F - Tyrus
FC - Joakim

That's a pretty nasty rotation. Again, you still have the low post scoring concerns, but your primary 8 is as strong as any team in the league. And outside of Wallace, they're all mid-twenties or younger.

The Darko situation in Orlando merits some attention as well. If the Magic sign Lewis, they may be forced to renounce Darko's rights in the process. Translation, Darko might be had for the MLE. Again, he doesn't solve our low post issue, and he'd probably go somewhere with more minutes available anyway, but he'd be a steal at that price.

I actually think Darko would be a viable low post threat. He can be effective if he stays around the basket. I thought he was looking for more than the MLE, though? I've heard reports of $50M...

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"Tubby? Oh yes, Tubby."

Who’s going to give it to him, Bulldog? There are only a few teams with cap space. VC coming off the market helps his situation, as would Billups resigning in Detroit, but Darko is still only left with a few possibilites: Charlotte, Atlanta, Memphis, and Milwaukee.

The Bucks won’t be an option if they resign Mo Williams, and Memphis probably wouldn’t sign him with Gasol already there. Atlanta, maybe, but he’d be fighting for minutes with Horford, Shelden, and Zaza. Would MJ bring in an underachieving Euro?

Not so sure Nas.
If he can play for Sloan, he can play for Skiles.
Anyway he always plays tough on D, which is what kills the young bigs we have right now.

I would go be happy to take the floor with:
Kirilenko
Deng
Gordon
Kirk
Wallace

Bench:
Noah
Tyrus
Thabo
Duhon

That team would run everyone including the Suns out of the gym.
Anyway it won't happen cause of the contract you brought up.

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“Mmmm. Move over, eggs. Bacon just got a new best friend - fudge.”

Good point. What do you think of his game?

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"Tubby? Oh yes, Tubby."

Nas, that’s the exact reason I brought it up. AK is the type of player (due to his large contract and the arrival of Boozer & Okur forcing him to play out of position) that Pax could land for pennies on the dollar. This is more of a Reinsdorf issue than a GM issue, but I would be absolutely fine with taking advantage of Utah if the situation presented itself.

I have similar concerns myself, but this issue comes up in any trade involving Noce. If he’s packaged w/ PJ in a S&T, your bench is going to be Thabo, Tyrus, & Joakim, any way you slice it.

Yes, and I've wondered why he hasn't been able to make the leap because he seems to have talent.

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"Tubby? Oh yes, Tubby."

JamesOn Curry for 3!!!!

Dunks by Tyrus on a fast break started by a Noah block
That bench couldn't run a half court set if they were playing at the Y.

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“Mmmm. Move over, eggs. Bacon just got a new best friend - fudge.”

Lots of buzz on the Spurs message board (spurstalk.com) about a potential trade involving Noce & Luis Scola (Spurs hold his rights, currently playing in Spain, low post PF).

Scola, from what I know about him, would be an excellent addition.

But, what is the hold up with him signing? Ginobili is in SA. They played together on the Olympic team. Is it $$$?

He must be getting into his late 20s by now. Still, I'd like the offensive threat that he would bring.

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You know me like that.

[quote="Spinnin' Bucket"]Lots of buzz on the Spurs message board (spurstalk.com) about a potential trade involving Noce & Luis Scola (Spurs hold his rights, currently playing in Spain, low post PF).[/quote

I would not like that trade...from what I've read about Scola, he's a talent, but he's only been lukewarm about coming to the NBA. I think he's 27 years old, and even though he's got NBA talent, I question his desire right off the top.

I've read this as well at the Bulls forum at RealGM. I think the Spurs would have to sweeten the pot a bit, considering that Scola isn't NBA tested.

Also, if you are looking for an available post player with a sizable contract, wouldn't Marcus Camby be a better fit over Kirilenko? He is older, but put up big-time numbers last season.

I'm not so sure he's even available this season. KC or McGraw, I forget who, but somebody mentioned this recently. I thought I read he has a buyout after next season, but that could be wrong.



Not the point I was going after, gimp. I was talking about players that could potentially be had at a fraction of their worth. I don't know for a fact that this is the situation in Utah, but it has all the familiar features of such a breeding ground. Disgruntled player, frustrated ownership/management/coaching, financial issues (not only AK's deal, but the affect on the payroll once Deron Williams gets a juicy extension), the fact that he's playing out of position, etc, etc. Just trying to throw out some alternative ideas, since it appears pretty clear that Pax isn't going to trade 2-3 of his young guns for a vet.

espn.com

Updated: July 3, 2007, 1:30 AM ET

The NBA's most sought-after free agent is going to the Magic Kingdom.

Rashard Lewis has given the Orlando Magic a verbal commitment to leave the Seattle SuperSonics and sign a max contract on July 11, according to NBA front-office sources.

That's the first day free agents are allowed to officially sign new contracts.

Unless a sign-and-trade arrangement is worked out with Lewis' old team or unless it can otherwise shed payroll between now and July 11, Orlando will have to renounce the rights to restricted free agent Darko Milicic to create the salary-cap space needed to sign Lewis to a deal believed to be in the $15 million-a-year range.

Doesn't Milicic want like 10 million/yr? Will anyone give him that money? The Bulls can't and won't, correct?

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Not from the Bulls he won't. Only a few teams with cap space, so he'd have to get a juicy FA offer (not very likely) or a S&T offer from somebody.

I just read that Memphis is after Noc. They have cap room, but I can't see Pax not matching unless it's a really good S&T.

They would have to offer well above MLE for Pax not to match. As for a S&T, there’s really nobody on that team that we’d want besides Gasol (or Conley/Rudy), none of which could be had for Nocioni.

Based on today's Tribune article by K.C. Johnson, it sounds like the Bulls can comfortably match any offer up to 7.3 million/yr (5.5 mil. MLE + 1.8 mil available). An offer above that level would likely result in an S+T, I guess?

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What about a Hakim Warrick? I'd consider him since he's a more natural 4.

I like Joe Smith for the MLE.

Hakim is a poor man's Tyrus, I'd rather just keep Nocioni.



I hope it’s that easy, Nas, but it only takes one dumbass to overpay him based on a half a season of decent play. Plus, we’re not out of the woods yet, as far as a sign & trade goes. Orlando won’t want to lose him for nothing, but at the same time, nobody is obligated to do them any favors either. He’ll either a) get paid by somebody with cap space, b) sign for the MLE with the team of his choosing, or c) his agent will squeeze more money out of somebody, and they’ll execute a sign & trade w/ the Magic.

I’m looking for option B, but it’s far from a slam dunk at this point.



I would be fine with that, provided that he’s signed for 3 years or less.