Oh, my mistake. How does the salary matchup without Ben Wallace being involved?

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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 sure hope the Bulls are having Drs. Cole and Weber do some due diligence on Kobe's knees, back, shoulders, and elbows.

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"It's not exactly a rocket surgery." D.J.

It aggravates me so much that Paxson doesn't want to break up "his guys". Last night just proved to me again that the Bulls are not an elite team, merely a good, above average team.

I just can't see how they are ever going to win a title with this group of guys. It's painfully obvious to me and they need Kobe to take them to that next level.

I think Danny Ainge is an idiot in general, but you have to give him credit for getting Garnett. The worst thing in sports in a to be mediocre- when you have a chance to go for an elite player of course it's going to be a gamble and you have to mortgage the future somewhat, but you have to do it.

Paxson just frustrates me more and more. I'm not sure what it is about it- that Kobe is supposedly not liked? That he isn't a 'character' guy like Deng? That trading Gordon or Hinrich is admitting failure? I just don't get it.

Now not only is the trade talk becoming a distraction for the Lakers, it's becoming a distraction for the Bulls. They have to make this trade, and fast. And sure, Paxson might be playing hardball because the Lakers hands are tied, so maybe the longer he waits until the trade deadline he might be able to give up less, but at this point I don't care if they give up one extra draft pick, or have to throw in one extra player versus a deadline deal. Just get it done.

There's no way the Lakers do that deal. Can you imagine what would happen with Wallace and Artest on the same team?

I'm sure the Wallace / Artest aspect was a factor. But it's a shame that deal didn't go through. The Bulls would've only had to part with PJ and the two Bens. I would've been fine with that. You still had your point guard as well as Deng and Noci.

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Kid Cairo's Boers & Bernstein YouTube Channel

Kid Cairo: 2013 March Madness Tournament Winner!

"Cowabunga? Cowa fucking piece of dog shit! This game is diarrhea coming out of my dick!"

This is so confusing....every day there seems to be rumor after rumor and then nothing.

Just on the Kobe contract it's crazy.
1) He has a no trade clause.
2) Because of his no trade clause, in a way, he can orchestrate who gets dealt.
3) He has a 15% trade kicker
4) He wants an extension, which any team would be crazy not to give him considering they are trading for him.

The Bulls need a 3rd team in on this, it doesn't appear to be the Suns and now the Kings talk has gone away.

I'm more in the camp that he'll get dealt sooner than later, but sooner may not be untiil the trade deadline. Then again, the Bulls seem to be the team most after him, and if LA wants out of this, something could happen sooner.

Very confusing, and giving me a headache.

Plus ESPN has a report saying Cuban & Mavs are out of the bidding (not sure how involved they ever were, but I did hear their name pop up from time to time)

So who's left?

I saw a Peter Vescey column (speaking of rumor hungry asshats) yesterday where he said the Wizards offering Jamison & Caron butler was as good as anything the Bulls could offer. Please....no one in a rebuilding mode wants those 2, they're clearly on the decline of their careers

I wouldn't say Butler is on the decline, since this is like his 6th year in the league, and he had his best year last year averaging 20 and 9 and making the all star team (ahead of Deng, mind you).

So if you were the Lakers you would rather have Butler than Deng?

That's not what I said. I said that Butler's not on the decline like you did. Obviously, I would rather have Deng at 22 than Butler at 27 (he averaged 19 and 7.5 last year, not 20 and 9...my bad).

OK, I admit I might have phrased it wrong. Clearly, Jamison is on the decline. Butler, while not declining yet, has likely hit his ceiling and while still young, would not be as attractive to a rebuilding team as Deng who is younger and has greater potential.

I don't think either Butler (1st time all star last season) or Jamison are in decline - they would help a team win now, but I don't think Kobe could win if it's just him and Arenas because that's about all they have left.

I'd take Deng.

It wouldn't feel right if we didn't have another round of Kobe rumors.

Deng is very much in play in the conversations between Chicago and Los Angeles, ESPN.com has learned.

A source with knowledge of the trade talks said Deng has been included in proposals swapped between the teams, but Bryant has continually threatened to veto almost any deal in which Deng would be included. Bryant wants to be sure that the team he joins has enough talent remaining to compete for the NBA title.

The Bulls, according to ESPN.com's source, are willing to offer an alternative package of Gordon, Noah and Thomas.

And after being told of Bryant's veto power and how he was wielding it, Deng was asked if he knows Bryant personally?

"Yes."

And was Deng friendly enough with Kobe to give him a casual call or send him a text message?

"Yes," Deng said. "I guess it's time for me to pull out his phone number."

Why does it have to be just Kobe coming to the Bulls?

Send Duhon, Kirk, Ben G, Thomas and Noah to the Lakers for Bryant
and Derek Fisher.

I doubt that trade would work under the cap.

The Bulls should bring Isiah Thomas into the discussion as the 3rd team.
Any trade he's involved in is bound to end up favorable to everyone else around the table.

http://deadspin.com/sports/oh-him/isiah ... 312903.php

I like it.

Lakers send Kobe to Chicago.
Chicago sends Ben G, Thomas and Noah to LA
Knicks send Jamal Crawford to LA
Eddy Curry ends up on the Knicks roster.

Yes, clearly that means it's over

If this is true, and John Paxson is not going to entertain a deal because he likes these kids, he can go fuck himself.

Kobe Bryant is someone who can get the Bulls to the finals and win the finals.

I think John Paxson could be missing out on a huge deal that would elevate the Bulls back to the elite team from the East.

He is way to conservative for my liking.

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RFDC thinks I'm retarded.

If there is not going to be a deal in the short-term future, this does give Paxson plenty of time for him to decide whether he believes the team can take the next step, as constituted. I'm sure the Lakers will have difficulty trading Bryant given that their asking price is probably aiming for the sky, Kobe has a ridiculous contract, and won't go to a team that is trading all of it's talent way, and then the Lakers want him out East, which eliminates half of league. I think things will quiet down for a bit, and then pick up again around the trading deadline when Paxson can make a final decision whether he wants to go for a title by shaking things up.

Hopefully the alleged rapist never puts on a Bulls uniform. I enjoy watching Bulls games in the cold winter, but if that guy comes to the Bulls I will definitely find something else to do with my time. Anyone with a child, especially a daughter should want no part of that guy on your local team.

Like Nas said, let's hope the Lakers start like 2-8 or 3-7. Then Kobe will become more of a bitch and the Lakers will call back Pax and do it at his price.

Garnett, P.Gasol and now Kobe. I could accept it when star players didn't want to play for the Bulls and Jerry would send Benny the Bull to try and convince them to join the team , but I can not accept Paxon passing up on star players that are eager to play for the Bulls.
His core is good, but not great. A player of Kobe's calibur does not come along very often. Get him and you create a buzz around the city that hasn't been here since.. hmmm some guy named Jordan! This is a no brainer and I hope he is just trying to lowball the Lakers by holding out a little longer. If not then Paxon needs to find another job because these Bulls are not going to win a championship with the current core of good, not great players.

Paxson pisses me off. What is it with the GM's in this city and the inability to pull off the big trade? I respect building from the floor up and nurturing young talent but we are past that now, we know what this team is all about, grabbing Kobe is a no brainer.

Perhaps the inability to move him will lead to the Lakers taking less than they want, but I fear waking up one morning to find out he was moved for nothing special and we missed out on it because of stubbornness.

How many times have we watched talented players who's values have dropped go to teams, no matter what sport, and turn it on again, while we sit on our hands?

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"Mattress technology has come a long way"

- Dan Bernstein, 2016

Here is the point that Pax is missing. Maybe this year will be a wasted season. Maybe we can't win it this year because there won't be enough around Kobe. But then you'll have next offseason and the season after to get some pieces. Pax can do that.

I'm still giving him the benefit of the doubt. Pax has time. He's waiting for the Lakers to cave. If they don't maybe he will. We'll see.

I still don't think a bad start by the Lakers will result in him coming to the Bulls sooner. I think we're talking either trade deadline of next off-season if/when the Bulls fall short.

Two things:

1. This is frustrating, because Paxson seemed to "get it" when he talked of stockpiling talent. It seems that this would be the sort of golden opportunity for which talent-stocking was designed.

2. Though it's frustrating, some of you need to be a little more fair. You don't know what was said in those discussions, and you don't know how high the price was. It's possible you would have done the same thing.

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You can't see me because of internet.

The landowner effectively owns part shares in millions of part-time slaves called, "taxpayers." -Roy L
A Personal Relationship with Jesus?

I don't know much about the NBA but Juiced made an interesting point. Garnett, Gasol and now Kobe. I don't think Kobe is the one who is vetoing Deng leaving, I think Paxson is.

What are you guys willing to give up to get Kobe? If you give up too much you essentially become the Lakers.