THE BULLS ARE THE MOST DISAPPOINTING TEAM IN THE LEAGUE

[RedTorro]

Hey Andrew, do you have any info on trade rumors surrounding Curry?

[Andrew]

I haven't read anything regarding Curry. Something might have been mentioned in ESPN Insider, but I don't subscribe to that.

[DipSetVC]

Hey Andrew, do you have any info on trade rumors surrounding Curry?

The only thing I heard on Insider was that Paxson is now listening to offers for the three C's but he's only seriously contemplating trading Crawford.

[Devon]

He's trading Crawford!!!!

I don't think the bulls are going anywhere that way, they just keep getting rid of their good players.

[- Ace -]

http://www.hoopsworld.com/article_7097.shtml

Interesting article stating that the Bulls should be patient and wait out on all those top picks because they will eventually become franchise players.

[fgrep15]

Curry and CHandler are a no go..craford maybe too

http://www.suntimes.com/output/bulls/cs ... ll092.html

After considering trade offers for Eddy Curry and Tyson Chandler, Bulls operations chief John Paxson has come to a conclusion.

''Eddy and Tyson aren't going anywhere,'' Paxson said after practice Sunday.

And what about Jamal Crawford?

''I don't see us doing anything with Jamal,'' Paxson said. ''The reality is we still have the chance to match anything he gets in the summer [as a restricted free agent].

''And who knows? If he wants to be here, he has a new agent [Leon Rose], so maybe there's a way we can work something out with him anyway.''

And

Paxson might have lost one of his trade assets Sunday. Kendall Gill, who has been part of discussions with Detroit, said he wouldn't report to the Pistons or any other team who might trade for him, except for the Lakers. The Chicago native plans to retire as a member of the Bulls.

''I'm not going anywhere, unless I get traded to the Lakers,'' Gill said. ''The other team would be trading for salary because Kendall Gill won't be playing for them.

''I won't be going to Detroit. I would retire.''

[Andrew]

Good idea. Now that Chandler's back, let's see how the Bulls can finish the season. Then perhaps look at making moves this offseason.

[Matthew]

The only circumstance i would be happy in seeing either chandler or curry traded is if the bulls can pick up that emeka okafur guy from Uconn. apart from that, maybe chicago should look to get some veterans in like pippen and hope they wont get injured... becuase chicago cant be expected to be a playoff team their young guys starting 4 out of the 5 positions... it takes some time for these kids to learn

[fgrep15]

http://www.dailyherald.com/sports/bulls.asp

For us to even think about trading Jamal, we would have to get a very good starter in return and I'm not seeing those type of offers," Paxson said.

Crawford is in no immediate danger of being traded because he's essentially the only shooting guard on the roster, and his potential is greater than anything the Bulls could get in return.

Paxson acknowledged that something could happen during the summer or next season. There are no examples in modern NBA history of a group of young draft picks maturing into a championship contender.

If the Bulls can draft Connecticut power forward Emeka Okafor in June, they may try to package Crawford with one of their young big men to land a veteran shooting guard. Seattle's Ray Allen or Boston's Paul Pierce are conceivable targets.

"It has to be the right guy," Paxson said. "It has to be a guy that has a competitive nature and can thrive in this type of environment."

Paxson also repeated his message of two weeks ago, that he has no inclination to trade Eddy Curry or Tyson Chandler, though he says every team in the league has asked about their availability.

"I'm not giving up on Eddy and Tyson at all," Paxson said. "We've invested two years in them and we have them for as long as we want them. So it makes no sense. It would have to be an unbelievable deal for us to even think about it."

[air gordon]

http://www.bulls4ever.com/article.php?sid=151&mode=&order=0
very nice article on curry, a follow up to the mariotti article mentioning that the bulls should trade him

[air gordon]

and what's a post made by me without mentioning crawford. LOL. after all, he is mip 4 real

Suddenly coachable, maturing Crawford now a grown-up

BY K.C. JOHNSON
Chicago Tribune

CHICAGO - (KRT) - Last summer Jamal Crawford made more off-season workout appearances at the Berto Center than any Bull but Trenton Hassell.

Last month Crawford didn't say a word when coach Scott Skiles benched him for entire fourth quarters of back-to-back games.

Last week Crawford pulled an angry Tyson Chandler away from official Jess Kersey in Seattle so Chandler would avoid anything worse than an ejection.

Could it be that, nearing 24 and in his fourth NBA season, Crawford is showing signs of maturity and leadership?

"That's where Jamal has made his biggest growth," Bulls general manager John Paxson said. "He's been very coachable this year."

Paxson and Crawford couldn't be more dissimilar in the way they play and view the game. Paxson was the classic overachiever, someone who rarely forced shots and achieved more by textbook than talent. Crawford oozes talent and potential but sometimes is more playground than proper.

Paxson didn't hire an agent until late in his career and negotiated some of his own deals. Crawford is in the process of hiring his third agent and may know the salary of every player in the league, such is his interest in his value.

Still, twice in the last two days, Paxson has spoken favorably of Crawford, which could have ramifications beyond the Bulls not trading him by the Feb. 19 deadline.

"I think we've shown him from some of the things we've done earlier - trading other scorers - that we do value him as a certain type of player," Paxson said. "We think he can score in the league.

"I'd like to think that a guy who has been here for four years has to feel like we're trying to help him as a player and put him in a position to succeed. I know he didn't feel that way at the draft last year. But what he sees now, he should be feeling that way."

Last summer's draft is when the Bulls dealt a blow to Crawford's occasionally fragile pride by taking Kirk Hinrich. The true test of where Paxson stands will come this summer, when Crawford is a restricted free agent.

If a team with salary-cap room offers anything even remotely resembling Gilbert Arenas money - the Wizards' guard signed a six-year, $64 million deal last summer - the Bulls will balk.

But Paxson's recent praise suggests the Bulls could match a reasonable offer for Crawford, who is, after all, the team's leading scorer. The slender guard still shies away from contact too often, but Paxson said Crawford has shown signs of improvement on the defensive end.

"I've said all along we have the right to match offers this summer," Paxson said. "The only thing we risk is him potentially going out and getting a huge deal."

Crawford will hire either Aaron Goodwin, his former agent, or Leon Rose to negotiate that deal.

Crawford's numbers compare favorably to those of Arenas, who has been hurt this season. If no long-term deal suits his fancy, Crawford could sign a one-year qualifying offer from the Bulls and then become an unrestricted free agent in the summer of 2005.

"It feels good for them to say that they want me here, because I want to be here," Crawford said. "I just hope everything works out. I definitely think I've matured on and off the court."

[RedTorro]

You just can't let go anothet talented chicago big man! They are acting as if players with the skills that these two guys (Chandler and Curry) are a dime a dozen! If Curry had been in shape this season, there is no doubt in my mind that he would have been an allstar this season. Other than that over pumped up troll doll Ben Wallace, who can you say is worthy of being called a center in the East? Z is too soft to be considered a great big man. I don't care who the Bulls trade but Curry,Chandler,and Crawford have to be off limits. There are only a few guys that I would like to see in a Bull uniform.

Michael Finley: I don't think the bulls would hae to give up much to get him, don't think he's a franchise player but atleast you know he would show up to play.

Paul Pierce: He pretty much single handedly turned around the Celtics

Vince Carter: Air Canada meets Air Jordan... this would simply be electric to see

Kobe Bryant: just kidding.... I think Atlanta is a better fit for him

KG: Too late... we might have had a chance last summer

Ray Allen: Nope, not a franchise guy

Rasheed Wallace: New team... same attitude but he could bring some much needed toughness

Ron Artest: Oh wait thats right... we traded him away for nothing

Shareef: I'm sure you can work a deal with Portland for involving Chandler

Pau: Chandler + Kirk Heinrich and he's ours

[reapershole]

you want trade talk? do you?

i read an online rumor that insisted that the dallas mavericks were in discussions with the bulls. they want... davis. they lack a certain level of toughness at center and feel he could defensively help to anchor them. the bulls have remarked that they want jamison (and according to the rumor dallas is willing to part with jamison). the problem thus far seems to be the two teams working out the right personal combinations in order to hit the fire button and send the players away.

from a personal standpoint i would now like to say, i would be thrilled to have jamison on our line-up. he's a proven scorer and he doesn't slack off on defense and he can play the three spot... which aside from poor old scottie, no current bull seems to get it...

so, the future may bring...

curry
chandler
jamison
crawford
hinrich

and personally, i could deal with that line-up.

[RedTorro]

What personell? Just throw in that bench warming, under achieveing, piece of shit Eddie Robinson or one of our 100 forwards like JYD or Fizer.

[DipSetVC]

Well Bulls fans, the Bulls are up by 15 at halftime. Will they hold onto the lead tonight? Hinrich has 18 pts and 11 assists at the half.

[RedTorro]

You know what they say... on any given night any team can beat another team. I don't care about that win it's all about consistency. It's funny how they can manage to pull out wins against the East's best and can't manage to make the playoffs.

[DipSetVC]

Boston? Their struggling to hold on to a playoff spot. Their nowhere near the best in the East.

[RedTorro]

Last two-three seasons they have been one of the East's best. When you have guy like Paul Pierce your definately up there.

[Jackal]

East's best? Lol...Detroit/New Jersey & Indiana are the only decent teams, the rest are mediocre teams...

[DipSetVC]

East's best? Lol...Detroit/New Jersey & Indiana are the only decent teams, the rest are mediocre teams...

Exactly! Any other team mentioned in the East bests should be laughed at including other pretenders such as Philly, New Orleans and Boston.

[air gordon]

bring on the laughter then.

i think New Orleans is one the Easts' best. they are a nightmare matchup for any team in the east with magloire, mash, and davis. and they have defensive studs in brown, augmon, armstrong, and wesley.

they've been one of the top teams in the conference despite all these injuries. alexander is out for the year... mash for most of the 1st half, wesley for a 3rd of the season so far, and now davis has missed a handful of games.

when mash gets back in the swing of things, wesley and davis come back refreshed and healthy, the hornets can take any of the top teams in the east in a 7 game series

i laugh at you guys and whoever else that's overlooking the hornets

[fgrep15]

Yea I think that was a slip of the tongue there, because the Hornets have on of the better starting front lines in the East with Magloire and PJ.

Then Mash, Wesley and Baron have all been injured at some point, when they get every one together, and Baron stops taking so many three's they'll be a force to reckon with. Their bench is also solid with Armstrong, Lynch and The Plastic Man, even Traylor and West have been good.

[DipSetVC]

Whatever man, what's the point of arguing when we know New Jersey will make like 7 trips to the Finals in a row.

[air gordon]

Whatever man, what's the point of arguing when we know New Jersey will make like 7 trips to the Finals in a row.

c'mon now...

dipSetVC, i enjoy these bulls vs raptors discussions we have. but you gotta come a little bit stronger then this

[DipSetVC]

Whatever man, what's the point of arguing when we know New Jersey will make like 7 trips to the Finals in a row.

c'mon now...

dipSetVC, i enjoy these bulls vs raptors discussions we have. but you gotta come a little bit stronger then this

I know you love them and so do I but we can argue all we want about who will come out of the East but you know teams like Indiana and Detroit won't be able to keep themselves in check against the Nets.