Hopefully this isn’t the last we’ve heard from the Bulls before tomorrow’s 3pm est deadline, but it’s good news.  A few media outlets are reporting that the Bulls have made a deal with the Bucks:

The Chicago Bulls and Milwaukee Bucks have agreed to a deal in principle that will send John Salmons to the Bucks for the expiring contracts of Kurt Thomas and Francisco Elson, sources said on Wednesday.

As early as this past summer it became clear that in order to clear enough space to make a legitimate run at one of the big 2010 free agents, the Bulls would need to move the contracts of Kirk Hinrich, Luol Deng, and/or John Salmons.  Salmons contract, while technically expiring this summer, has a player option for about $6 million.  It is presumed that Salmons will pick up that option.  Now that he is gone, that clears his salary off the books, which puts the Bulls at just around $20 million under the cap.  If they can also move Hinrich (or Deng, though that seems less likely), then they will be in very good shape.

Clearly the Bulls are not that concerned with the current season, as the pieces they got in return are pure garbage.  Elson and Thomas, both old big men that can’t play many minutes, will not contribute much to the Bulls, if they contribute at all.  What becomes crucial now is that if the Bulls do move Tyrus (which seems imminent), they must get someone like McDyess from San Antonio in return.  If not, their already thin frontcourt will get even thinner especially with Noah hobbled by Plantar Fasciitis.

In other trade news, the Bulls still seem to be in the T-Mac sweepstakes, although word is that the Rockets have continued to up the price and may not move him at all.  One rumor has the Rockets asking for Taj in the deal, which should kill any deal for the Bulls.  Stay posted for more updates as the deadline looms.

The last week’s 4-game winning streak has given Bulls fans hope for the stretch run this season, but it’s tough not to look ahead to the deadline and the summer.  Mike McGraw wrote an article this morning, speculating on all kinds of Bulls rumors that are a combination of speculation and actual news.  The biggest rumor is about Kirk Hinrich, but bit of McGraw’s speculation deserves a closer look, so we will start from the top.

A source confirmed the Bulls have had discussions with the Lakers about Hinrich, most likely for Adam Morrison and Sasha Vujacic, but nothing is imminent.

As well as Kirk is playing (and its well, the Bulls look like a better team with him on the court), we can’t lose sight if the real goal: getting as much cap flexibility as possible for the summer.  Vujacic, though a douche, can be a very helpful 3 point shooter, and Morrison’s 5 million dollar expiring contract will give us even more flexibility this summer.  If the Lakers are interested, the Bulls should go for it.

It’s possible the Bulls could resurrect the potential deal sending Salmons, Brad Miller and Jerome James to Houston for Tracy McGrady and filler before the deadline.

I discussed this earlier.  This scenario is only slightly different with Salmons instead of Hinrich.  Since Salmons is essentially signed through 2011 ($7 million player option), it would free up space and give us an interesting 3 months watching Rose and T-Mac.

By trading either guard before the deadline, the Bulls could have around $20 million to spend on free agents this summer and wouldn’t have to sweat Salmons’ decision of whether or not to opt out of his contract.

The Bulls’ dream scenario is to sign Dwyane Wade or Atlanta’s Joe Johnson this summer and also trade for an elite power forward. In theory, the team would become an instant title contender.

If they can move either Salmons, Kirk or Deng for expiring contracts, they have to do it.  Even if they are unable to sign any of the big names being thrown around, it won’t hurt them long-term to move Kirk and Salmons.  Deng’s contract is also a bad one (he’s not bad, but not worth $11 million a year for the next 100 years).

There are reports that Phoenix is again shopping all-star center Amare Stoudemire, who has the option of becoming a free agent. The Bulls’ interest is mild, though there has been talk between the teams.

The Suns are listening to offers because they’re not sold on the idea of giving Stoudemire a long-term contract near the maximum salary. Neither are the Bulls, so it makes little sense to give up assets now for a player who might not stick around beyond the end of this season.

In the same scenario last year, Phoenix was interested in a package of Tyrus Thomas and Thabo Sefolosha for Stoudemire but also wanted multiple first-round picks, according to a league source, and the Bulls passed.

Would the Bulls take a chance on Stoudemire if the Suns were willing to take Deng, a higher-salaried player in return? Still doubtful, since no one knows what kind of money it would take to keep Stoudemire around.

We’ve covered this Amare rumor ad nauseum.  I have my reservations about his defense and his attitude, but in general…wait, what?  The Suns were willing to take Tyrus Thomas, Thabo and picks for Amare?  That can’t be true.  Because no sane person would have hung onto Tyrus and some first-round picks over Amare.  If we had Amare we wouldn’t have lottery picks every year anymore anyways!  Another blown blockbuster because Paxson is afraid to pull the trigger.

For now, it appears that Toronto’s Chris Bosh and Utah’s Carlos Boozer will not be traded before the deadline. That could change, since both power forwards are likely to change teams as free agents this summer.

We’ll see, we’ll see.  This doesn’t bother me one bit.  I’m in no rush to make a big move by the deadline, as long as they end up having a big summer.  So there you have it, McGraw basically covered all the bases.  The general idea for this trading season is simple: 1) Noah and Rose are all but untouchable; 2) Anyone else is fair game, but not for any contracts that go beyond this summer; and 3) Clear space!

To address those who say its a sad situation that the Bulls are literally throwing this season away, I say to you that they are not.  The last 4 games have proven that if nothing else, this team can be very fun to watch right now.  They are out there trying to win with what they have, and in spite of Vinny’s ineptitude, they are 22-22 and tied for the 7th seed in the East.  That Derrick Rose kool-aid is unbelievable…try some.

The Rockets are trying to get Tracy McGrady out of their locker room and off to another team.  Hell, even here at NQTC we named him one of the NBA’s top douchebags for the crap he has pulled in Houston the last year or two.  T-Mac’s contract is for $23 million this season and it expires in the summer.  Thus, the Rockets are looking to get a few expiring contracts back and maybe a young piece or two in exchange for the oft-injured T-Mac.  Chicago apparently is taking a hard look at “Half Man Half a Season” as I like to call him:

Chicago, which has definite interest in McGrady, also has the combination of young talent and expiring contracts the Rockets are looking for. There is a Bulls player Houston covets, but it’s not clear who that is. Since the Rockets surely realize that Derrick Rose won’t be traded, logic suggests it’s Joakim Noah.

A package of Noah, Brad Miller and Jerome James (the latter two have expiring contracts) would work financially, but sources say the Bulls have no desire to part with Noah.

As for the Bulls, Kirk Hinrich is ahead of even Tyrus Thomas on their list of players they’d love to trade. In fact, Thomas is being offered around the league as a sweetener in any Hinrich deal. But with two years, $17 million left on his contract after this season, there’s not a great market for Hinrich.

This analysis is exactly correct.  The Bulls should not part with Noah now or Rose ever.  If they can somehow move Hinrich’s contract, some expiring contracts, and Tyrus to make the deal more appealing to the Rockets, that would make a ton of sense.  I know you all hate T-Mac (especially you dad), but think about it.  The Bulls starting lineup would be Rose, T-Mac, Deng, Gibson, and Noah this season.  Even at T-Mac’s diminished strength, he would be able to draw some attention on offense and get these triple-teams off Rose.  Worst case scenario, he’s a total bum and his contract expires this summer.  If Kirk’s contract is moved, now we are talking nearly $30 million in cap space this summer depending on the new salary cap.  That’s enough to go out and buy 2 superstars instead of just one (Wade and Bosh? Johnson and Bosh? James and Wade? The possibilities are endless).

Would Houston take back any big contract past this season for T-Mac?  Seems unlikely, but if they will this deal looks really good for the Bulls.

Yesterday I posted a rumor that the Bulls may be in talks with the Raptors for Chris Bosh. Apparently my contentions that the trade did not make sense for Toronto and the rumor was completely unsubstantiated were not enough to placate bitter Raptors fans who took it upon themselves to attack my writing as “a work of fiction” in the comments of the story.  Anyways, after a bunch of inane comments about why Bosh shouldn’t come to Chicago and will definitely stay in Toronto, one commenter finally broke through with an intelligent, reasoned, must-read analysis of Chris Bosh’s situation from Bosh’s standpoint.  Here is what reader Proud American had to say:

What you’re witnessing here folks are angry Canadians who lash out whenever besmirches the Raptors or FC Toronto (They know the Blue Jays suck and will forever battle with Baltimore for 4th place in the AL East.) They might be all nice and friendly backpacking through Europe with their maple leaf patches sewn onto their satchels, but mention a trade rumor without said rumor coming from Bryan Colangelo or Andrea Bargnani’s father, and prepare to have your integrity and intelligence questioned.

If I were in CB4′s shoes I would be looking at 2 things: how much money would I keep after taxes and my supporting cast.
Canadian Federal and Ontario Provincial income tax rate for millionaires = 40%
US Federal and IL state income taxes = 36.95%
US Federal and FL (0%) state income taxes = 35%
So yes, he’d probably rather play in Florida, not only because of the weather, the clothing or lack thereof, and the pocketing of a lot more money after taxes.

In terms of supporting casts:
In Toronto after signing Hedo to the big contract last offseason, Bosh will be looking at the tall, athletic supporting cast of Turkoglu, Bargnani, DeRozan and Calderon/Jack at the point. Unfortunately, if he resigns for the max, he may still only be stuck at .500 for the next few years while Turkoglu ages and stays further and further away from the basket.
In Miami, Bosh is only guaranteed to have Michael “I told myself to go to Rehab” Beasley, Daequan Cook, and Mario Chalmers. They’d be favorite to win the NCAA Tournament 3 years ago, but that’s a lot of uncertainty and hope pinned on Wade coming back to fill that space.
Lastly, Chicago. Next year Bosh would be surrounded by Deng, Noah, Rose, and Gibson/Johnson. (I’m purposefully ignoring John Salmons as I hope he disappears through trade or supernatural forces.

Honestly, Deng is only 24 while Turkoglu is 30. Their careers are likely on different trajectories and Deng is having a better season statistically even in this year. With a consistent scoring threat inside, his play would only improve. Rose has the ability to be an annual All-Star. Ignoring James Johnson, Taj Gibson is having a surprisingly good rookie season, outplaying DeRozan. And most importantly, Bosh would get to play the PF position, with Noah banging inside and crashing the offensive boards. This alone will extend Bosh’s career and allow him to spot up for the jump shots.
Honestly, if you’re a PF/C who would you rather have as a teammate lining up as your fellow PF/C:
A guy averaging 16.8 ppg, 6.1 rpg, 1.1 apg, 1.3 bpg Efficiency +16.31
or
A guy averaging 10.6 ppg, 12.2 rpg, 2.3 apg, 1.8 bpg, Efficiency +19.85

Yeah you know you’d take the second guy, who is surprise! Joakim Noah.

I’m not trashing the Raptors because they do have a nice blend of players, but Bosh knows it’s not working up there. And by working I mean winning a championship.  He’s going to be tempted to go elsewhere this offseason, so why wouldn’t Toronto try to get something for him?

I could not agree more with every single part of this analysis.  And my knocks on the city of Toronto in the comments yesterday were a joke.  I’ve never been but I have heard wonderful things.  Anyways, hopefully Mr. Bosh sees the light and comes to Chicago since there is a good chance it makes the most sense for him.

It looks like the Bulls are actively shopping Tyrus Thomas to the Knicks in a potential trade.  According to Yahoo Sports, the deal would look something like this:

For starters, multiple league executives believe the Chicago Bulls’ shopping of forward Tyrus Thomas(notes) could result with him moving sooner than later. As Thomas has rehabbed a broken forearm, the Bulls have had discussions with several teams, but perhaps none as serious as the ongoing dialogue general manager Gar Forman has had with New York Knicks president Donnie Walsh.

Several sources believe the Bulls are agreeable to a package of Thomas and Jerome James(notes) for Knicks forward Al Harrington(notes).

This is one of those odd deals where pretty much any reaction you had to the news was probably an overreaction.  If you are one of the people that won’t shut up about this being Thomas’s “breakout season”, then you are disappointed in this deal.  You also have a pretty short memory, since we have lived through a few of his “breakout” seasons.  Do you see my point?  He is not going to break out.  Not as a Bull at least.  So don’t worry about whether we are losing someone who could “end up being pretty good”.  I’m not really in the mood to wait around on another one of those guys any longer (Tyson Chandler, anyone?).

The other side of this whole thing is the thinking that Tyrus was garbage and the Bulls weren’t going to give him the qualifying offer at the end of the season anyways.  If you think this way you might be excited that at least we are getting some talent in exchange for him.  Well don’t go buying your Al Harrington jerseys yet, people.  Harrington’s $10 million dollar contract expires at the end of the season, and the cap room from that will probably not be used to resign him (we are using it for Wade, Bosh, James, etc…I hope).

So the point is, don’t get too excited about this trade.  It will be nice to have the frontcourt help for the remainder of the season, but Harrington is basically a rental in a year where our main goal is to sneak into the playoffs as an 8th or maybe a 7th seed.  On the bright side, at least I won’t have to read any more sentences with the words “Tyrus Thomas” and “upside” in them.  Those were getting pretty annoying.

Curtis Granderson is a top notch center fielder, Detroit fan favorite, Chicago native, and as Stormin’ Norman says, “a dreamboat.”  Is it possible that Granderson could be heading back to the Windy City to become a member of the Chicago Cubs?  Two weeks ago I wouldn’t have thought it possible, but it’s been the talk of Detroit and Chicago sports radio today and apparently the Tigers’ financial struggles (how cliche) have landed Curtis on the trade block.

People say Granderson would be a “perfect fit” for the Chicago Cubs and while I don’t really agree, he would certainly be welcomed.  Granderson is the center fielder the Cubs have dreamt of.  He roams a patch of grass in Comerica Park that has more empty space than just about any other park in the league, he steals bases, hits for power, gives full effort every night, and is about the best ambassador for the game you could imagine.

Much like Soriano however, he isn’t the ideal lead-off hitter.  He strikes out a lot, had a terrible average this year, can’t hit left handed pitching at all, and really doesn’t get on base at a good clip.  It would be fun to watch him lead off against righties and Soriano against lefties though.  You’d see a record number of lead-off homers I’d be willing to bet.

Granderson to the Cubs sounds great, but will it really happen?  Hendry would have to pay a pretty steep price for the young star.  Carlos Marmol is the name I’ve heard thrown around the most.  I wouldn’t expect Detroit to want anything to do with Milton Bradley either.  This would likely be a deal involving an established player at a position of need for the Tigers (2b, cf, rp) and at least one top prospect.

I have no doubt that Curtis would be a fan favorite on the North Side.  His batting average and merits as a lead-off hitter might not wow anyone, but he’s a damn exciting player to watch and a kid you want on your team.  I can tell you that there is a large contingent in the Detroit area expressing some outrage at the thought of this trade.  Granderson is arguably Detroit’s most popular athlete, so at least you could hold that over our head for a while.

Well here’s another Bradley trade rumor that makes no sense for either side.  This time the Tampa Bay Devil Rays apparently are expressing interest in Milton Bradley.  ESPNChicago is reporting that:

It appears that there’s more than a little interest in Chicago Cubs right fielder Milton Bradley. A source with knowledge of the situation said that the Tampa Bay Rays are very interested in bringing the beleaguered outfielder to Florida.

The Rays would be looking to swap Burrell, who they signed after pursuing Bradley this past winter.  Contractually the deal matches up and is somewhat more favorable for the Cubs.  Burrell has only 1 more year at $9 million and Bradley has 2 more years at $9 million in 2010 and $12 million in 2011.  After that, the deal just appears very strange.  Why would the Cubs want to bring back $9 million in salary for a player that has produced significantly worse than Bradley?

Bradley: AB-393  BA-.257  OBP-.378  SLG-.397

Burrell:   AB-391  BA-.228  OBP-.325  SLG-.370

I mean I can understand addition by subtraction to get Bradley’s “negative clubhouse impact” out, but how would bringing in a player that performed considerably worse and pay him the same amount make any sense?  I’m sure you’re on board if you are an anti-Milton guy (which is pretty much everyone), but it sounds like there actually are some dumbass GMs out there that want him, so why would the Cubs do this deal?

And for the Rays, are you kidding?  Which applies to pretty much any team that wants to deal with Bradley’s insanity as opposed to pretty much any other option.

As the Boozer-to-Chicago rumors were heating up a couple weeks ago, word had it that Hinrich had been telling his friends that he was sure he was being traded.  There were no reports as to what led him to this belief, beyond speculation and trade rumors in the media and blogosphere.  Today, however, Kirk has ramped it up a notch from telling his friends to actually selling his house in anticipation of his “imminent” departure:

“Chicago Bulls guard Kirk Hinrich has listed for sale his four bedroom, 3.5-bath at 816 Castlewood Lane in Deerfield for the asking price of $829,000. Hinrich paid $906,500 for the home in Aug. 2004. The 4,000-square-foot home was built in 2004 in the subdivision of Deerfield Park.”

The fact that he is selling his house is no big deal, considering he’s just re-listing it and its been on the market for a while.  What makes this news (I swear this is news) is that he is now willing to take a $77,500 loss on the house, instead of trying to wait it out and make back his full purchase price.   What’s the rush?

h/t: By The Horns

I know I said that the Bulls were pursuing some options and that for the most part I didn’t like any of them.  Although I said Boozer would be the best of the available options, I still tried to argue he probably wouldn’t be a good fit for the team.  Upon hearing the latest rumor, however, I’m changing my tune:

Sources stressed to ESPN.com that no deal was imminent Thursday and that both Portland and Utah are still evaluating multiple trade scenarios. But two sources with knowledge of the three-team proposal confirmed that there have been substantive talks regarding a trade that would land Boozer in Chicago, Hinrich in Portland and Tyrus Thomas in Utah.

I’m still a bit skeptical about Boozer fitting next to Rose in the upbeat offense the Bulls are trying to run, but if Hinrich’s contract can be moved this would be amazing.  The Bulls would then have around $40 million in cap space next summer, since Boozer’s contract expires then and Hinrich’s wouldn’t have expired until 2011.  2009 would then basically be a test year for Boozer, and if he works out they can try to re-sign him (for more than he could get anywhere else under the current collective bargaining agreement).  They would also then have more than enough leftover for another one of the big free agents from the 2010 class, which includes Bosh, Wade, James, and Stoudemire.  Or if Boozer doesn’t work out, the Bulls can say bye-bye and use all that money to pursue not just one, but possibly two of the big-name free agents.  Although seeing Tyrus leave would be regrettable, since I am one of the believers that he could still mature into a great player, it would be well worth it to replace him with Boozer and then have the flexibility this move would allow.  Hopefully Gar Paxdorf can pull it off.

With the departure of Ben Gordon, the Bulls are trying to appease frustrated fans who feel that the Bulls let Gordon walk for nothing without any backup plan in place.  Even fans who hate Gordon (and there’s a lot of you), Gordon leaving obviously hurts the team without anyone to really replace him.  In general, most people feel like the 2009-2010 season is kind of a wash and it doesn’t matter what happens in 2009.  The most important thing is not to lock the team into any huge long-term deals that would handicap their ability to pursue the big 2010 free agents.  It would be nice, however, to get some help in the backcourt for Rose in the interim, and possibly try to solve the neverending problem of getting a legitimate post scorer.

Unfortunately, the Bulls seem to be a little lost on what they are doing.  If Gar Paxdorf just did nothing and waited for 2010, that would be better than some of these rumors we are hearing.  Let’s look at the three main ones and discuss exactly why they are retarded:

Allen Iverson: Supposedly, with Gordon about to sign on to the Pistons, the Bulls are looking at possibly sign and trading for AI.  Don’t get me wrong, I love AI.  No one plays with more heart, every single game.  The problem with AI is that he needs to have the ball in his hands, and he needs to be the focal point of an offense.  Although he will probably be looking for a multi-year deal, it won’t be too expensive, but that’s not the problem.  The problem is our one most important goal this upcoming season is the development and growth of Derrick Rose.  How will bringing in essentially a ballhog help the Bulls towards that goal?  It won’t.

Jannero Pargo: Seriously?  I mean Rose needs some backcourt help, but Ben Gordon lite?  He is like the really really poor man’s Gordon.  Why not bring in a young cheap guy that has something to prove, instead of a 30 year old defensive liability?  We already had this guy and I remember calling him a garbage-time all-star.  Just because he had one mediocre season in New Orleans two years ago doesn’t mean that nickname doesn’t still apply.

Carlos Boozer: Most of you are probably saying, “I understand why you don’t want the other guys, but come on, Boozer is a legit post presence that we’ve been looking for since, well, since forever”.  While this is the best rumor that I’ve heard out there, there are a number of problems with it.  First off, the character issues are rampant with Boozer.  It’s tough to forget how badly he screwed the Cleveland organization a few summers ago, when they let him out of his deal (which they didn’t have to do) to resign him to a bigger deal and essentially give him a raise, but instead he took the “opportunity” to sign a huge deal with the Jazz.  Loyalty means nothing to a guy like this.  What about talent, you say?  No one will argue that Boozer can score and rebound, but the guy is a terrible defender.  Not only that, but more importantly, anyone we bring in must be compatible with Rose.  Can Boozer run with Rose?  I don’t think so, he is lazy getting back on transition defense and getting out in transition offense.  This is the best option obviously, but it just doesn’t seem like he would be a good pair with Rose.  The one main thing that really makes this guy attractive is that his deal expires at the end of the season, so it could be a one-and-done deal, if the Bulls weren’t inclined to offer him an extension.  Regardless, he just seems all wrong for the Bulls new up-tempo offense led by Rose.

So overall none of these moves really makes much sense, especially in light of the fact that the Bulls are legitimate contenders in the 2010 free agent sweepstakes.  Rumors also have the Bulls looking at Nate Robinson, although he would probably put them into the luxury tax this year and command a deal that extended past next summer.  Instead, go out and get a young Rashard McCants type.  Someone cheap with something to prove to play next to Rose.  Then sit on your hands and see if a good trade can get done before the deadline or just wait out next summer.

Lost in America’s obsession with LeBron James and the possibility of Shaquille O’Neal joining him in Cleveland is the fact that CLEVELAND HAS NOTHING TO OFFER in exchange!  On the other hand, the Suns have been interested in Luol Deng since they drafted him in 2004 (he was immediately traded to the Bulls).  Not only that, but there are some reports out of Phoenix that they may be interested in dealing for Deng (h/t: Rod Beck’s Mullet):

The Arizona Republic wrote late Sunday of a rumor that involved the Suns getting Deng, Tim Thomas and another player for O’Neal.

The Bulls would be able to make a little noise in the East with O’Neal in the paint, while also freeing up cap room for 2010.

With Salmons on the payroll, I can’t imagine a better scenario than this for the Bulls.  The Bulls would be able to unload Deng’s enormous contract and take another expiring deal for 2010.  Dwayne Wade?  Chris Bosh?  All are affordable in 2010 without this deal, but the Bulls could go out and get a big name and add other pieces if they got the flexibility that would come with Shaq’s contract.  Or maybe even resign Gordon.

Unless of course, Gordon leaves (which seems likely).  In fact, according to Ben Gordon, he has a standing offer of $11 million on the table from the Pistons:

I haven’t heard they are, and General Manager Gar Forman has not come off his stance that he wants to bring Gordon back. But I also heard that Gordon’s agent allegedly has been saying he has an $11 million promise from the Pistons.

If Gordon leaves and the Shaq trade miraculously materializes, the Bulls lineup would then presumably look something like this:

PG: Rose

SG: Hinrich

SF: Salmons

PF: Tyrus

C: Shaq

Bench: Noah, Miller, Gordon(?)

Not bad for 2009-2010, and then after that, the possibilities are endless.  Are any of these rumors going to come true?

A few days ago I had a conversation with NQTC reader Black Rob.  I sent him a link to a story about the Raptors trading Jason Kapono to the 76ers for Reggie Evans, a power forward.  I remarked “Does that qualify as news” after I sent the link.  He laughed because we both knew that it was a minor meaningless trade that no one gave a shit about.  Until now that is.  A Bleacher Report story is speculating that the deal may have meant a lot more than I originally thought:

This deal wasn’t anything major, which is probably why nobody either noticed or cared that it took place on the day of Game Three of the Magic-Lakers Championship series. But the domino effect that might happen could be something everyone notices.

Let me state again, for emphasis, what the Raptors did yesterday: They traded for a power forward.

This comes within a handful of days of the Raptors’ franchise player, Chris Bosh, saying he would join Tracy McGrady and Vince Carter on the list of Toronto’s former franchise players after the 2009-10 season.

There have been rumors since before the trade deadline this spring that there are nearly a dozen teams interested in the young superstar, but this specific trade brings one rumored exchange into focus.

The Chicago Bulls are looking at losing guard Ben Gordon either in free agency or, more likely, in a sign-and-trade deal this summer.

Gordon’s name was linked to rumors about Bosh before last season, and his playoff performances against the Boston Celtics certainly raised his profile as an elite scorer in the league.

So is this move a precursor to a bigger deal with Toronto?  Logically it makes sense for both teams, working under the assumption that Bosh will be fleeing Toronto the second the 2010 summer hits.  The report further speculates on who the Bulls might send in a package for Bosh:

The Bulls have a lot of options that might look good to Toronto. They have two first round draft picks in this summer’s NBA draft and have a couple of young bigs in Joakim Noah and Tyrus Thomas that might be part of a package with a signed-and-traded Gordon.

The trade that would make the most sense in my mind would be Tyrus, Gordon and the #16 pick for Bosh.  That would leave us with a starting lineup of Rose, Salmons/Kirk, Deng, Bosh and Noah with Miller and Salmons/Kirk coming off the bench.  I know some of you would rather see Noah go and keep Tyrus, but I think it would be important to keep Bosh at his natural position of PF.  If Noah were gone, he would have to start at the 5 with TT at the 4.

Wait wait wait!  Don’t pinch me yet…..okay now I’m ready to wake up.  It was a nice dream though, wasn’t it?

There are some important questions that are raised by yesterdays Bulls-Kings trade.  Though it is not the most important question on people’s minds, the issue of what John Salmons game consists of seems to be the thing most people in Chicago are confused about.  Other questions that have arisen are: Are the Bulls done making moves?  Is this a good trade?  And what are the salary cap implications?  Let’s try to address all of these.

Who is John Salmons?
We don’t get to see a lot of Kings games here in Chicago, so most people don’t know much about this guy.  Over at NBA Post Up, they prepare scouting reports based on statistics and other factors.  Here is what they have for Salmons:

John Salmons has solid ability to score;
Will look to score; Not looking to attempt threes; Just an average three point gunner; Able to get to the free throw line; Very good free throw shooter; Average shooter; Mediocre off the dribble; Adequate inside; Average running the break; John Salmons is adequate on the offensive glass; Average defensive rebounder; John Salmons is a good passer; Weak handling the ball; John Salmons is very good at picking up steals; Gets an average amount of blocks; Solid defender of outside shots; Very good perimeter defender; Post defense is adequate; Very good transition defender; John Salmons is not overly strong; Has some quickness; John Salmons is a basketball player with some ability and can provide strong minutes off the bench

Ok, there is a lot to digest there.  Based on this analysis, it appears that he is a very versatile player.  ESPN’s scouting report summarizes his abilitie as well:

In addition to his slashing ability, Salmons is a very good defender who can guard three positions. He’s quick and has good size at 6-7, and ranked in the top third of shooting guards in both blocks and steals per minute. The Kings often used him as the primary stopper against elite scorers, even when Ron Artest was on the court with him, and he held his own in those matchups.

Offensively, he likes to attack off the dribble for layups or short-range jumpers. He’s a mediocre spot-up shooter and isn’t a good shooter off the dribble, plus he tends to have high turnover rates because he’s driving into traffic so much. However, he’s a good enough dribbler to play point guard in a pinch.

It sounds like Salmons will be an excellent player to have for the Bulls.  His ability to be a stopper against elite scorers will help the Bulls defend the perimeter against bigger guards that have abused Rose and Gordon all year.  But isn’t that what Thabo is for, you ask?  Yes, the difference is Thabo is a huge liability on offense, to the point of making him detrimental to the team at times even if he is shutting down his man on defense.  Salmons can do what Thabo does, and put up points in the process (he is averaging 18.3 points/game).  The main inconsistency in the two reports are that Post Ups has him being unable to handle the ball well, while ESPN says he can even play the point.  If Hinrich is dealt, this skill will be tested when Rose needs a breather.  Which leads to the next question…

Are The Bulls Done Making Moves?

It looks like the Bulls may still move Hinrich (and possibly Thabo) to the T-Wolves for Brian Cardinal and Jason Collins, as reported here earlier.  This move makes sense for both teams.  The Wolves need a combo guard that can play both the 1 and the 2.  Foye has been unable to fill that role for them.  For the Bulls, they would be stuck with Cardinal until 2010 (more on 2010 later), but Collins $6 million would come off the cap this summer giving the Bulls about $9-11 million in cap room this summer.  They could use this money to sign Gordon to an expected 5 year $50 million deal or perhaps go get another solid free agent.  I think this would be a great deal and hopefully Paxson/Reinsdorf aren’t so in love with Kirk that they don’t do it.

***UPDATE: It looks like the Hinrich deal may have fallen apart late last night, though it’s possible it could still happen.

Was The Miller-Gooden Trade a Good Move?

There have been mixed reactions throughout the mainstream media, the blogosphere, and even from NQTC readers.  I think this trade is a great trade.  Before all the nay-sayers freak out in the comments, let me qualify my assessment with this:  It isn’t Amare or Bosh and a deal to get either of them would have been better.  That being said we have to assume those deals were impossible.  Looking at this trade in a vacuum, it was a coup for Paxson.  Brad Miller can not only duplicate what Gooden did for us, but he can do some things better.  He is a better defender and a better passer than Gooden ever was.  Also it will be interesting to see if he and Rose can run a more effective pick-and-roll.  With Miller being a good outside shooter, it may be more of a pick-and-pop at times, but it could work very well.

Also with Miller helping chew up minutes at the 4 and 5, Nocioni would be relegated to the 3, where he would be competing for minutes with a far superior Luol Deng.  Noce has had a terrible year and I don’t think I need to convince anyone that his departure is addition by subtraction.  On top of all that we get John Salmons, who I hear is quite the defender and scorer.  Also the contract situation is a lot better, which leads to the next question…

What Are The Salary Cap Implications of The Trade?

Depending on whether you are in the school of thought that believes that it is important to have cap space in 2010 to go after LeBron/Wade/Anthony/Bosh/Stoudemire, this move could be considered good or bad.  I believe having space that summer is crucial to make a run at one of the elite players in the league.

Nocioni had 5 more years (including this one) at about $8 million a year, though the deal was front-loaded so that amount decreases some as the deal goes on.  Gooden’s contract was $7 million and expires this summer.  Getting something in return for Gooden as opposed to letting him walk this summer for nothing was nice, but moving Nocioni’s long terrible contract was far nicer.  Having that much money locked up for that long to a player like Noce was unacceptable, and Pax has essentially erased that mistake from the books.

In return, the Bulls take on Miller’s rather large contract at about $11.5 million a year that expires in the summer of 2010.  Between him and Hughes, the Bulls have a combined $24 million in space just from those two players in 2010.  That is more than enough to go after one of the big free agents that will be available.  Also, pieces like that will be very valuable to teams in the 2010 FA sweepstakes, so Pax (or whoever will be running the Bulls) can possibly get some very good talent back in return for teams trying to clear space for that summer.

Salmons contract is a little trickier.  He is owed about $5.1 million through 2011, which seems like a great value for the kind of contributor Salmons can be.  Unfortunately it turns out that his contract has a trade kicker that requires the team acquiring him to pay a 15% bonus payment that counts against its cap.  This would be another $2 million dollars against the cap.  I am unclear on whether this is a one-time bonus or if it applies every year.  Assuming it is one time, it doesn’t affect the Bulls cap in any real way down the road beyond costing our old buddy Jerry another $2 million (which he can afford). (Thanks to Judd for pointing out this clause in Salmons contract)

Conclusions

All in all, this trade is a great move in terms of cap space and the talent we are getting in return.  If the Bulls are able to move Kirk that would give them some flexibility this summer, but that isn’t crucial and its not clear that Ben Gordon is even in the Bulls plans for the future.  I give this deal an A- and if Pax can move some more salary (Hinrich or maybe Hughes), this deadline period can be considered a huge success.

Here is what the lineup will probably look like after this trade:

PG: Rose, Gordon, Salmons

SG: Gordon, Salmons, Sefolosha

SF: Deng, Salmons, Sefolosha

PF: Thomas, Miller, Noah

C: Miller, Noah, Gray

Though not exactly a legitimate contender, that definitely looks like the lineup of a playoff team to me.  We’ll see.

Well it looks like the Amare rumors are dead, which would also kill any Bosh deal since that was a three-way deal involving Amare as well.  We can still hold out hope that it’s not dead, but it seems highly unlikely at this point.  But don’t hang your heads!  Paxson won’t stand pat this time, as it appears he is going after the much-coveted Brian Cardinal of the Minnesota Timberwolves:

[S]ources say the Wolves and Bulls are discussing Hinrich and Sefolosha for Collins and Brian Cardinal. The Wolves are intrigued with Hinrich’s ability to play the point and off-guard and see him as a good complement to Randy Foye. Collins and Cardinal have shorter-term contracts that bring Chicago payroll relief.

The article also talks about a three-way deal with the Suns for Amare, but as discussed above that is not likely.  I guess if we move Hinrich’s contract this is just a decent salary dump.  Who’s going to wear a bald-head hat with me to celebrate the Cardinal acquisition if it happens?