As draft nears, Bulls' trade talks should increase

[gary_moore]

As draft nears, Bulls' trade talks should increase
Daily Herald Reports
Posted 6/14/2004

By Mike McGraw

With NBA draft preparation heating up at the Berto Center, let's review the predicament general manager John Paxson faces in his quest to improve the Bulls.

The franchise owns five assets, and most of them aren't moving this summer.

Paxson clearly believes it's too early to give up on Eddy Curry and Tyson Chandler - especially now that they've been convinced to work harder this summer.

The Bulls' hands are tied with Jamal Crawford, since he is a restricted free agent. Any trade would have to be to a team of Crawford's choosing, and there's not a great demand for him anyway.

Kirk Hinrich is going nowhere, so that leaves the No. 3 draft pick as the most tradable commodity.

Here's a rundown of what the Bulls might be able to get for it:

?The Bulls' interest in Indiana forward Al Harrington was forecast here weeks ago and still makes sense.

There is a good chance that Curry, Chandler and Crawford will all be back next season, so Paxson will attempt to change the culture on the team. Adding a hard-working, defensive-minded player such as Harrington - the third-leading scorer on a 61-21 team - would be a good step in that direction.

Paxson is hoping to get more than Harrington for the No. 3 pick. That could mean convincing Indiana to accept Eddie Robinson or Jerome Williams to even out the salaries (as opposed to Scottie Pippen's expiring contract). The Pacers aren't likely to include a second player such as guard Fred Jones, but the Bulls can always dream.

There has been talk that Indiana will also discuss using Harrington in a sign-and-trade deal to get free-agent center Erick Dampier (a Pacers draft pick in 1996) back from Golden State.

?Trading down is a possibility for the Bulls, especially when considering that players such as Nevada's Kirk Snyder and Connecticut's Ben Gordon are being brought in for a workout Tuesday.

The problem is, most of the teams below the Bulls in the draft line are looking for big men, and barring a major upset, power forwards Emeka Okafor and Dwight Howard will be gone by the third pick.

Atlanta's motivation for moving up is acquiring hometown attraction Howard, and the Hawks are trying to pry the No. 2 selection from the Clippers.

Golden State (No. 11 pick) and Seattle (No. 12) also need inside help more than anything. The Sonics might have considered moving Rashard Lewis for one of the big guys, but not for No. 3.

?Memphis has an interest in the No. 3 pick and some repetition in talent at the wing positions. But what combination would work?

Here's one idea: James Posey (13.7 ppg) and a backup guard such as Earl Watson or Dahntay Jones for the No. 3 and cap filler. Posey and Shane Battier is probably too much to ask. Mike Miller is a base-year compensation player, the result of getting a big raise for next season, and would be difficult to trade.

?Miami is looking to tweak its lineup and could offer this package: Caron Butler and the No. 19 pick for No. 3, Chris Jefferies and Paul Shirley. The Heat could conceivably draft Shaun Livingston or Devin Harris to play point guard and then pursue Boston free agent Mark Blount at center.

Butler, a third-year small forward, started slowly last season because of a knee injury. In the playoffs, he averaged 12.8 points and 8.5 rebounds.

The 19th pick might sound low, but Jamaal Magloire, Zach Randolph and Tayshaun Prince were picked 19 or below in recent years.

?Dallas reportedly left Antoine Walker exposed to the expansion draft. Assuming he's not chosen by Charlotte, the Bulls might have an interest in Walker, whose 3-point shooting could take pressure off Curry.

The Mavericks are trying hard to trade for a draft pick, but the Bulls are not going to give up No. 3 for a high-salaried player who could leave as a free agent next year. More likely, the Bulls will wait, and if the Mavs still want to unload Walker later this summer, Dallas might be willing to swap straight up for Antonio Davis.

?There could be a way for the Bulls to end up with two picks to trade. According to the East Valley (Ariz.) Tribune, the Suns might consider giving up their No. 7 pick for a first-rounder next year. Such a transaction would help Phoenix clear more cap room to pursue Dallas point guard Steve Nash or possibly the Lakers' Kobe Bryant.

?Portland's Shareef Abdur-Rahim is available for trade. But a player with 618 career games and no playoff appearances is not part of the Bulls' plan.

?Trading down with Utah for the No. 14 or 16 pick is very unlikely. The Bulls don't want to take a chance on often-injured Matt Harpring, and the Jazz probably wouldn't give him up anyway.

?The backup plan, of course, is to continue the task of talent accumulation. If Paxson doesn't like the trade offerings, the Bulls would probably choose between Duke's Luol Deng and Stanford's Josh Childress with the No. 3 pick.

Bulls in the mix: A Spanish newspaper, El Correo, reported that Lithuanian shooting guard Arvydas Macijauskas is leaning toward signing with the Bulls over San Antonio and Memphis.

Macijauskas, 24, was the top scorer for Tau Ceramica, the regular-season champion of the Spanish league. He is free to sign with any NBA team this summer.

오늘도 번역은 귀찮아서 안 합니다.-_-;;

스퍼스 팬으로서, 개중에 끌리는 건, 시에틀이 루이스를 가지고 빅맨을 얻는 데 쓸 용의가 있답니다.

라쇼를 내주고, 루이스를 얻은 다음, 댐피어를 잡는 데 힘 써 보는 건 어떨련지.

[gary_moore]

스퍼스, 보웬의 FA 선언으로 스몰 포워드 쪽에 구멍이 난 상태입니다. 그리고, 엄청난 작년과 맞먹는 셀러리 여유분이 남아 있죠.루이스를 잡을 수 있다면 히도는 더 이상 잡고 있어야 될 필요가 없으며, 댐피어를 잡거나 아니면 마틴이라도 잡아서 던컨 보고 센터 보라고 해야죠.-_-;;;

[농약들고 원샷]

스퍼스 샐러리 여유분이 어느정도 되는가요 ??// (너무 뒷북치는 건 아닐지 몰라도 궁금하네요..???)

[ROY™]

소닉스~ 라샤드 루이스로 챈들러 잡자!!

[캠프만세]

스퍼스 넘쳐 납니다. 그러나...라쇼를 내주기엔 만약에 뎀피어도 못잡고 마틴도 못잡으면 말짱꽝...;;; 망하는 것임..

[gary_moore]

던컨-로즈로도 충분히 경쟁력 있다고 봅니다. 로즈 정도면 웬만한 센터 수비도 가능하고요. 실제로도 작년 까진 로빈슨 부상 때 로즈가 센터 봤습니다. 그리고 스포엔 보웬 보다 수비에선 한참 뒤지지만, 공격에선 한참 앞서는 루이스가 있습니다. 그렇게 망할 것도 없을 것 같다는... 게다가 그들은 여전히 엄청난 셀러리

[gary_moore]

여유분을 가지게 되죠. 다음 시즌을 다시 한 번 노릴 수 있다란 거죠.