Here's my deal that can't happen until after December 15th:

Gordon, Nocioni, and Thomas or Noah (not both) and whatever necessary draft picks are needed to make the deal go.

Bulls are left with this rotation:
Hinrich
Kobe
Deng
Thomas/Noah
Wallace

Thabo
Duhon
Smith

And rounding out the bench: Gray, Kryapa, Curry, Griffin

That team is good enough to win the East.

Well, again, I ask how you're privy to the specific deals offered. Assuming certain circumstances, his position was too conservative, but assuming others, it's reasonable. For example: Deng for Gasol? IMO, that's questionable, and not nearly the slam-dunk McNeil made it out to be. I think it very well may be the case that the Lakers were asking for the farm. Like the rest of the world, they understand that at the end of the day, Kobe will strive to be the best basketball player on the planet. I think that Paxson should have been willing to move Deng to get Kobe; but, for all I know, he may well have been.

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A Personal Relationship with Jesus?

If I was the owner of the Bulls I would give up whatever it took to get the marketing superstar. If I was the GM I would do whatever it would take to get the superstar to build the team around.

What owner would pass on one of the key faces of the NBA. Kobe is a marketing dream. The A.Rod,T.Brady of the NBA. The Bulls would get increased T.V. revenue and Kobe jerseys would be seen all around the world, let alone Chicago. How many Deng jerseys do you see around Chicago?

Jerry is running a business, and getting Kobe would be the smart business move. Letting him go would be a mistake. see: Jordan/Pippen.

Of course, money is involved, but I believe Paxson in that things never were close to happening because there are so many moving parts here with Kobe's salary/trade kicker/extension, who do you trade, does a third team get involved, etc.

There are still reports out there that the Lakers were asking for Gordon, Deng, Noah and Thomas, and I don't think Paxson could honestly go back to Reinsdorf and ask for a Kobe extension or guarantee that a team without all those guys would be anything but the Chicago Lakers.

I'm sure there will be some talk starting after Nocioni can be traded (Dec 15), and again before the deadline. I still believe that Paxson would only be willing to move Gordon, one his bigs (Noah or Thomas) and then draft picks (maybe Nocioni), which is obviously a joke, but then again, the Lakers aren't in a good position.

Hopefully, Paxson will be able to better gauge this year's team come December/January and make a determination if this team can indeed win as constructed.

Kobe "updates"

According to someone with a need to know such privileged information, there was a "grain of truth" regarding the attempted roundup of a third team in order to satisfy the Lakers' demand to fill the giant cavity Kobe Bryant's exodus would create. But the report of the Kings joining the equation was a nonsensical notion proposed by Bryant and agent Rob Pelinka; Phil Jackson never would agree to coach Ron Artest unless Bryant remained. The story that claimed the trade was "on the verge was wrong," my source stressed.
NY POST

Bulls GM John Paxson admitted that he's interested in Kobe Bryant and has been talking to the Lakers, but also said he couldn't find the parameters for a deal -- today. Paxson didn't say he couldn't or wouldn't trade for Kobe Bryant tonight, tomorrow or next week. He merely said he couldn't do it at the moment. It was a superb tactical move by Paxson, who knows Bryant will do anything to get out of L.A., but some of Bryant's demands will have to ease up to make it work. Same goes for the Lakers, who'll have to back down on some of their requests or they'll wind up with what the Sixers got for Allen Iverson and the Timberwolves for Kevin Garnett: nearly nothing.
Daily Herald