Luol Deng traded to Cleveland

[Teddy KGB]

Can I just say I'd feel better about this move if the Bulls HADN'T tried to extend Deng first?

My issue with GARPAX is they fall in love with their own players WAY too easily, and easily wasted Rose's healthy years on a "try hard" team that wasn't good enough to take down the Heat due to the lack of a 2nd star player. But OH NO, we can't trade Deng back then, OH NO we can't trade Noah, OH give me a break.

Down to the bitter end they were trying to keep a core that wasn't going to win it all intact, and so I have no real faith in them to make the moves necessary to put this team back in real contention.

 

[JosMin]

LOL at the Kings pick. Did the Bulls just mess up trying to tank for draft picks?

TBH, I feel like this was more salary motivated then to jump start "tanking." They'll be saving over $20 million between the rest of Deng's money and not having to pay Bynum for the rest of this year or next year. We'd all agree this roster is two steps above trash, and is certainly not worth being the fourth highest paid collection of "talent" in the NBA. So, from that standpoint, I agree with the trade. Plus, it ensures that Snell will get ample playing time. Well, that is unless Thibs wants to give Butler and Dunleavy 45 minutes. I wouldn't put it past him, would you?

To me, the Bulls may have been a bit too enticed with the idea of "adding assets," even though I don't feel like any of the stuff the Bulls acquired will really amount to anything other than cheap roster filler. I'm of the mindset that cap space is an asset, but if the Bulls really want to make what it appears they're trying to do work, they absolutely have to deal Boozer BEFORE THE DEADLINE for cap space and a future asset(s). My problem with the Deng deal is the Bulls should've absolutely insisted to get some kind of tangible future asset, whether it was Dion Waiters, Earl Clark.... something. I highly doubt the Bulls will be touching that Kings pick anytime soon, so at the end of the day, the only summation you get from the deal is huge salary and tax savings and two picks that used to belong to the Blazers. The ability to swap picks with the Cavs next year could be nice, but they can't touch that pick if it's inside the lottery. So, again -- you have to ask yourself, "How much better will the Cavs actually be with Deng aboard?"

Kind of a meh deal, at the end of the day, especially if they can't unload Boozer and get further below the cap. I'm still mulling over it. I'm sure X and I will talk about it at length tonight on our podcast.

 

[JosMin]

So, is this still legal tender in Chicago? :lol:

 

[brett05]

Can someone explain to me the Kings Pick being protected? If it's a lottery pick this year than it what, goes to 2015 First round of the Kings?

 

[ChettheJet]

I don't mind the trade. I think Deng was going to get too big of an offer from somebody and he's not worth more than $10 million a year to the Bulls. I still don't see amnesty for Boozer in light of this cost cutting move. With no other moves what this means is that they have faith in Dunleavy, Snell will play more and Augustin figures to get more minutes.

With the added cap space this year I wouldn't rule out them picking up 1 or 2 players who get released for insurance against injuries, the front court bench is very thin right now because Deng played the 4 at times and so many minutes.

2014 first round draft pick from Sacramento
Sacramento's 1st round pick to Cleveland protected for selections 1-12 in 2014, 1-10 in 2015, 1-10 in 2016 or 1-10 in 2017; if Sacramento has not conveyed a 1st round pick to Cleveland by 2017, then Sacramento will instead convey its 2017 2nd round pick to Cleveland protected for selections 56-60 (if this pick falls within its protected range and is therefore not conveyed, then Sacramento's obligation to Cleveland will be extinguished) [Cleveland-Sacramento, 6/30/2011]

As I read that if the Kings collapse until 2017 the Bulls could get screwed. Th Kings should be able to keep the picks and improve enough to get out of the bottom 10 in a couple of years which puts the benefit of the trade for the Bulls as a long term investment like the Charlotte pick. That means it doesn't pay off for the short attention span fans but gives them fodder to bitch about for several years, just like the Charlotte pick. More second round picks are always good, they can either use them to move up a few spots in the first to get someone they have targeted or foreign players who would show up years down the road.

 

[FirstTimer]

Can someone explain to me the Kings Pick being protected? If it's a lottery pick this year than it what, goes to 2015 First round of the Kings?

Yes

 

[ginny]

Well, Deng needed to go. That compensation package was booty though. I would have expected something like that in a trade for Boozer, not Deng.

In hindsight, the business side of the Bulls will always come first thanks to the Reinsdorf family. They are about their money.

As previously stated, essentially all this trade does is get the Bulls back under the luxury tax. That $20 MIL that was saved will not be invested back into the roster, so forget about it.

All these protected future picks and irrelevant 2nd rounders will have minimal impact on the roster for this organization, so nothing to get excited about.

The most we can hope for now is more trades before the deadline. If the Bulls are serious about overhauling the roster, they need to consider moving Noah and his salary before it's too late. A lottery pick or a young player with All-Star potential would be ideal. I know he's popular with Bulls fans, I love him too. But the reality is he can't be counted on for major minutes anymore, and has lost mobility with the bad feet. As much as I hate to admit it, his injuries and salary make him a liability going forward.

^^^
This +100%

Once they Waive Bynum and are under the luxury tax, they will have limited options to sign a max FA contract.

As of this moment, this trade doesn't help the Bulls...(they should have done it when Rose went down) they would have gotten a greater return.

One option is to use the amnesty provision on Boozer, and hope that his auction price reaches 10mil (possible, but doubtful), and along with that, letting Hinrich and Mohammed walk clearing another 5mil. But even then, I'm not sure it's enough.

The other option is to trade Boozer, but his value will remain low unless another team looses a PF to injury. Plus his albatross contract doesn't help.

Il. Need to look further into this, but as of now, I'm a little sceptical.

 

[Scoot26]

Can I just say I'd feel better about this move if the Bulls HADN'T tried to extend Deng first?

My issue with GARPAX is they fall in love with their own players WAY too easily, and easily wasted Rose's healthy years on a "try hard" team that wasn't good enough to take down the Heat due to the lack of a 2nd star player. But OH NO, we can't trade Deng back then, OH NO we can't trade Noah, OH give me a break.

Down to the bitter end they were trying to keep a core that wasn't going to win it all intact, and so I have no real faith in them to make the moves necessary to put this team back in real contention.

They do fall in love with their own players, but the Bulls really only had one year of healthy Rose. They went all in for the 2010 free agency hoping to come out with 2 big pickups. Of course three of them all went to the same team.. Amare settled for a ton of money in New York and spent most of his time injured... The Bulls got Boozer and if Atlanta had not offered that max contract I'm still under the belief Joe Johnson comes here. The Bulls are a much better team in 2010-11 and don't rely on Rose so much. They can probably beat the Heat that first year and survive a bit more the next season after Rose went out...

In any case..the team was the #1 seed in 10-11 and 11-12..Have you ever seen a #1 seed trade a key piece of the team away mid season?

Right now, they're setting themselves up for the draft to draft a guy they'll fall in love with if he is productive and works hard. I just hope the Bulls suck enough that they are in the top 5 in lotto contention.

 

[ginny]

I am trying to find the silver lining in this trade.

Bulls current record of 14-18 .410 with 50 gms remaining...
If they go 12-38, will finish 26-56 .317

This would currently net them the #4 pick. If they can tank a few more (though not likely, unless they ship Bopzer somewhere), they should guarantee a top 3 pick, and maybe an Andrew Wiggins?

Charlotte, currently the #7 seed will leap frog the Bulls. That Charlotte pick is top 10 protected, and starting to look more of a possible 11-15 pick this draft.

 

[Scoot26]

I am trying to find the silver lining in this trade.

Bulls current record of 14-18 .410 with 50 gms remaining...
If they go 12-38, will finish 26-56 .317

This would currently net them the #4 pick. If they can tank a few more (though not likely, unless they ship Bopzer somewhere), they should guarantee a top 3 pick, and maybe an Andrew Wiggins?

With the lottery anything can happen. I just want them in the Top 5 at the end of the season for a good chance to land the #1 pick.

 

[Camden Cutler]

welp..looks like their blowing it up

 

[JosMin]

welp..looks like their blowing it up

Not quite yet. I think if Boozer talks start to heat up, they're definitely hitting the reset button.

 

[ginny]

With the lottery anything can happen. I just want them in the Top 5 at the end of the season for a good chance to land the #1 pick.

Aren't the top 3 lottery slots guaranteed no lower than a #3 pick ? So hopefully Parker makes himself draft eligible so the Bulls (assuming they can lock up a top 3 pick) will guarantee either of Embliid, Parker or Wiggins. Couple that with the Charlotte potential 11-15 slot, and a lucky ping pong ball (fix perhaps), and the Bulls could be relevant again.

Someone mentioned bringing Mirotic over while still on his rookie contract. But I believe his rookie contract is expiring, so he will probably ask for more $$. I hope the Bulls have a plan to bring him over next season as I believe he will be a good asset.

 

[Scoot26]

Aren't the top 3 lottery slots guaranteed no lower than a #3 pick ? So hopefully Parker makes himself draft eligible so the Bulls (assuming they can lock up a top 3 pick) will guarantee either of Embliid, Parker or Wiggins. Couple that with the Charlotte potential 11-15 slot, and a lucky ping pong ball (fix perhaps), and the Bulls could be relevant again.

Someone mentioned bringing Mirotic over while still on his rookie contract. But I believe his rookie contract is expiring, so he will probably ask for more $$. I hope the Bulls have a plan to bring him over next season as I believe he will be a good asset.

No. #1 is guaranteed no worse than #4, #2.. #5.. #3.. #6.. etc.

 

[sicko]

haven't been following the Bulls at all, kinda given up on this regime this Gar Foreman, John Paxson and even Tom at Head Coach

Time for a MAJOR CHANGE!

As for this trade...We did not get Waiters or anything and the draft pick, it is Lottery Protected so WTF is the Point? Happy that Jimmy Butler gets to move back to SF where he will flurish and Tony Snell will get more Playing Time since Tom struggles with Rotating Players

We could have gotten MORE for Deng though instead of just freeing up Money and once again HOPING someone will come to Chicago which I don't see happening at least not any of the Top Guys!

 

[ChiSoxCity]

They do fall in love with their own players, but the Bulls really only had one year of healthy Rose. They went all in for the 2010 free agency hoping to come out with 2 big pickups. Of course three of them all went to the same team.. Amare settled for a ton of money in New York and spent most of his time injured... The Bulls got Boozer and if Atlanta had not offered that max contract I'm still under the belief Joe Johnson comes here. The Bulls are a much better team in 2010-11 and don't rely on Rose so much. They can probably beat the Heat that first year and survive a bit more the next season after Rose went out...

In any case..the team was the #1 seed in 10-11 and 11-12..Have you ever seen a #1 seed trade a key piece of the team away mid season?

Right now, they're setting themselves up for the draft to draft a guy they'll fall in love with if he is productive and works hard. I just hope the Bulls suck enough that they are in the top 5 in lotto contention.

Well, it wasn't mid season but OKC moved Harden and didn't skip a beat. Conventional wisdom says keep everybody together if you're winning games, but GMs aren't paid to do what the fans or the media want. They're paid to develop an organizational strategy and effectively manage the business operations of their team. Basically win and make money while doing it. That said, the minute Rose was ruled out for the second time, PAXGAR should have started unloading salary and acquiring pieces for the future. Like OKC, the Bulls need to stay ahead of these problematic issues and address them before it becomes too late.

 

[houheffna]

Its hilarious that people automatically assume that they could have gotten more for Deng...what the hell do you expect to get for a good (not great) player who is playing on the last year of his contract? He isn't a world beater....he isn't the answer to a team becoming a contender....however, he can help a team like the Cavaliers achieve playoff standing, and a modest amount of playoff success. And the Bulls got what they would want from any deal this year...cap relief and "assets".

I don't understand the issue here.

 

[Axl Rose]

pax press conference

http://betaplayer.radio.com/player/670-the-score

http://www.csnchicago.com/page/livebulls

 

[Scoot26]

Well, it wasn't mid season but OKC moved Harden and didn't skip a beat. Conventional wisdom says keep everybody together if you're winning games, but GMs aren't paid to do what the fans or the media want. They're paid to develop an organizational strategy and effectively manage the business operations of their team. Basically win and make money while doing it. That said, the minute Rose was ruled out for the second time, PAXGAR should have started unloading salary and acquiring pieces for the future. Like OKC, the Bulls need to stay ahead of these problematic issues and address them before it becomes too late.

This is a poor example because OKC got worse by trading away Harden. They made it to the Finals and traded away one of their best players, kept an aging injury plagued center and resigned a defensive PF over having the offensive fire power of Harden They also traded Harden because they needed salary cap relief. They're a small market team that can't afford to go into the luxury tax.

The front office wanted to see what this lineup could do based on spending time together. They only got one chance to ever do that because Rose has slaughtered their chances for 3 straight years. The front office has now sent the message that they are moving on and changes are going to be made. To many fans it took far too long and that's understandable. The beat writers always said going into this sseason that this was this lineup's last chance.

Also for all we know, the second Rose was ruled out this season they may have been trying to trade Deng, Boozer, etc... You don't know what they've been up to. We all rely on media rumors, which are wrong 90% of the time.

 

[ZOMBIE@CTESPN]

the only good thing out of this trade is jerry doesnt have to pay the luxury tax anymore otherwise the picks are crap. Unless they use the picks to trade for another player which I dont see happening