Bulls Eyeing Miller
The Bulls are reportedly in talks with the Sacramento Kings to acquire center Brad Miller. Rumors have pointed to Andres Nocioni as the primary piece Sacramento would receive in return. Were the Bulls to make this trade, it would signal that the team is eyeing the playoffs this season and are confident that, with Miller, they’d have the pieces in place to make a postseason run. The Kings are in apparent salary-dump mode now that they’ve traded Ron Artest and are probably looking to build around their young talent.
This would be a questionable deal in my mind. Miller would provide the Bulls with some scoring inside, but not much. Despite the fact that he’s a center, Miller likes to take jumpers more than bang around in the paint. He’s not the player he once was and I don’t see him making much of an impact for the Bulls. He would be an upgrade over what the club has now, and Nocioni plays the same position as Luol Deng and is therefore expendable, so it wouldn’t be a bad move. As long as the Kings weren’t looking for additional compensation in the form of draft picks, it would probably be worth the risk. A better option to explore may be to feel out the Lakers on if they would consider some kind of Lamar Odom for Kirk Hinrich swap.
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Deng Deal Imminent
The Bulls have reportedly reached a verbal agreement on a deal with restricted free agent Luol Deng to the tune of $71 million over six years. Deng, entering his fifth year in the NBA, gave the Bulls a small timeframe in which to complete a deal last week and apparently it worked. The Duke product has been the Bulls best player the last two seasons. Though he did take a bit of a step back last season, he still managed to post averages of 17 points and six rebounds per game. Deng admitted that he was distracted by the incessant rumors concerning a potential Kobe Bryant trade in which his name was being thrown around.
This was a move that the Bulls had to make. Deng may not be a superstar in every sense of the term, but he’s an impact player that is capable of receiving a few All-Star nods before his career is over. He’s the prototypical small forward for the era and should be a great running mate for Derrick Rose. With Deng and Rose, the Bulls have two cornerstones of their franchise in place and will likely look to build around them for the foreseeable future. Look for a bounce-back year from Deng, who should be in a better mental state this season now that his future with the team is secure.
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Sign-and-Trade Coming?
With negotiations between the Bulls and restricted free agent Ben Gordon apparently stalled, the best option at this point may be to find a partner for a sign-and-trade. Gordon has reportedly said that there have been talks with other teams concerning that option. Gordon averaged 18.6 points per game last season, leading the Bulls in scoring.
Gordon and the Bulls do not appear to be on the same page as far as how much he’s worth financially. Gordon is probably seeking a deal in the $50 million range and it looks like the team is not ready to give him that kind of money. The club could sign him to a one-year qualifying offer, but that would make him an unrestricted free agent next summer and the Bulls would likely lose him without getting anything in return. The Bulls now have a crowded backcourt after drafting Derrick Rose, so trading Gordon makes a lot of sense. Gordon is a one-dimensional player, yes, but he can score. There are always teams that need guys to put the ball in the basket, bottom line. Were the Bulls to find a team willing to pay Gordon in the range he is seeking, Chicago could get something in return for Gordon instead of just letting him walk next summer.
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Ellis Deal Could Affect Gordon Situation
The likelihood of the Bulls striking a long-term deal with guard and restricted free agent Ben Gordon may have just decreased. Warriors combo guard Monta Ellis received a six-year deal from Golden State worth approximately $66 million. Ellis’ payday could affect Gordon’s compensation expectations. The Bulls and Gordon were reportedly far apart as far as terms of a deal were concerned before the Ellis signing and things should only get worse because of it.
At a glance, Gordon and Ellis seem like similar players. They’re both undersized for their natural position at shooting guard and both can score the ball. But Ellis can also spend some time at point guard while Gordon is strictly a two. Ellis uses his lightning-quick first step to get to the rim and Gordon relies heavily on outside shooting. Ellis consistently puts up solid scoring numbers while Gordon will drop 30 one night and 12 the next. Ellis is also just 22 years old and Gordon is 25, not old by any means but one would think he’d have developed more of an offensive repertoire by now. Ellis looks like he has the potential to develop into one of the top scorers in the league while Gordon seems destined to be a streak shooter and not much else. While Gordon led the Bulls in scoring last season, it seems that his signing a one-year qualifying offer and becoming unrestricted next summer becomes more imminent by the day.
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Rose Learning From the Best
Bulls guard Derrick Rose has been getting a crash course in NBA stardom this week, serving as an opposing player in scrimmages against the U.S. Olympic team. Rose and slew of other NBA youngsters, such as Kevin Durant, have been squaring off against the top players in the NBA all week in Las Vegas. Rose says he’s comfortable being around the NBA’s greatest and he’s earning a lot from the veterans. The Memphis product pointed out that he’s not only learning on the court, but the seasoned pros are schooling the young guns on how to be a professional and the responsibility and commitment that comes with it.
This is a great learning experience for the number one overall pick in the 2008 NBA Draft. Just think about the competition Rose is up against on a daily basis. He’s guarding the likes of Jason Kidd, Chris Paul and Deron Williams and hopefully studying their every move. Rose has the ability to propel himself to the upper echelon of floor generals in the NBA and time spent with these All-Stars should only help him reach that level. As far as learning things about behavior off the court, Rose is one of the last guys who needs help in that area, but it’s beneficial for him to hear it from the best nonetheless.
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How The Bulls Have Changed
The Chicago Bulls are no longer the Baby Bulls. Just a few years ago, the club was considered to be an up-and-coming team that had a ton of cap space and was on the cusp of becoming a powerhouse. But hesitation and some bad signings derailed the Bulls train that once appeared headed towards a title. Ben Gordon has revealed himself as a one-dimensional, streaky scorer instead of the superstar that many thought he was on track to be. The team’s signing of Ben Wallace looked like a fantastic move at the time, but Big Ben turned out to be on the down slope of his career. To make matters worse, the Bulls traded Wallace after paying the first couple of years of his frontloaded contract for duds Larry Hughes and Drew Gooden. Gooden is inconsistent and Hughes doesn’t know how to play team basketball.
But all is not lost for Bulls fans. The team was blessed with the number one pick in the draft and landed hometown savior Derrick Rose. They’ve still got some promising young guys like Thabo Sefolosha and Tyrus Thomas, but they need to make sure they re-sign Luol Deng. Deng is, at the worst, a great number two option for a team offensively. He’s long, athletic, skilled, a hard worker, a great character guy and only 23, yet the Bulls are hesitant to give him a big contract. The Bulls need to lock Deng up or they’ll regret it down the road.
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Bulls and Gordon Far Apart
It appears that the Bulls and restricted free agent Ben Gordon are not on the same page. All indications are that the team and the shooting guard are far apart when it comes to the terms of a potential deal. Gordon turned down an extension from the Bulls last offseason that was worth around $50 million and he’s probably seeking something in that range now, though the Bulls are unlikely to give it to him. Gordon hasn’t lived up to the team’s expectations that the team had set for him when they selected the UConn product third overall in the 2004 draft. Gordon did average 18.6 points last season and shot 41 percent from three-point range, but he’s a fairly one-dimensional player. He can score, but he’s streaky and undersized.
It looks like this relationship could be coming to an end. Gordon, in all likelihood, will not receive an offer sheet from any other teams. There is a good chance that he signs a one-year qualifying offer and hits the market as an unrestricted free agent next summer. Gordon could be seen as expendable with the addition of Derrick Rose if the team decides to keep combo guard Kirk Hinrich, a management favorite, and shift him to the two. While Gordon can light it up from the outside, he’s also prone for having those 4 for 17 shooting nights as well. The Bulls can afford to let him walk next summer.
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Deng’s Decision to Come Sooner Rather Than Later
A source close to Bulls forward and restricted free agent Luol Deng has said that the 23-year-old plans to make a decision in the next few days regarding his future with the team. With all the cap space in the free agent market pretty much swallowed up, it appears that Deng will receive no offer sheet from an NBA club. Deng is seeking a long-term deal with the Bulls, but may opt for the one-year $4.5 million qualifying offer that would make him an unrestricted free agent next summer.
One has to wonder what the Bulls are waiting for. Deng had a down year last season, yes, but so did everyone else on the team. He and other young Chicago players admitted they were distracted by persistent trade rumors going into last season regarding Lakers star Kobe Bryant. That uncertainty combined with the firing of head coach Scott Skiles would hinder the performance of any 22-year-old. Deng is already a very productive player, averaging 17 points and 6 rebounds in his “down” year, and still has a lot of upside as far as his potential is concerned. Pairing him with Derrick Rose could make for a solid foundation for the franchise to build upon. Pay the man.
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Rose Named to Olympic Practice Squad
Bulls point guard Derrick Rose has been selected to the practice squad that will scrimmage against the U.S.A. Olympic team next week in Las Vegas. Other players selected to the squad include Oklahoma City phenom Kevin Durant and Blazer’s forward LaMarcus Aldridge, among others. The scrimmage team serves as a formidable opponent for the Olympic squad and is full of young, skilled players with plenty of energy.
This should be a great experience for Rose. He’ll be playing alongside some of the best up-and-coming players in the league against the best players in the NBA. Rose will match up against the likes of Chris Paul and Deron Williams on a daily basis and he’s bound to learn a ton from those guys. Rose didn’t get much action in summer league, pulling out after two games with a sore knee, but this opportunity should prove much more useful. Rose should really enjoy playing with his scrimmage team. With all the talent around him, Rose can do what he likes to do most, distribute the ball. It may spoil him a bit, because he’ll be depending on guys like Tyrus Thomas and Joakim Noah in the regular season to finish.
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Gordon, Deng Running Out of Options
The Bulls have been quiet during free agency thus far, despite the fact that they have two restricted free agents on their roster in Ben Gordon and Luol Deng. There hasn’t been much reported about the team being close to agreeing to a long-term deal with either player. Gordon led the team in scoring last season, averaging 18.6 point per game. Deng, still only 23, averaged 17 points and six rebounds in what was considered a down year for the young forward. Both players definitely took a step back last season, Deng more than Gordon. Deng is probably the best player on the team, besides Derrick Rose, and could be the cornerstone of a franchise.
Both players have been waiting to see if they’d receive offer sheets from other teams this offseason. With everybody’s cap room now swallowed up, save the Memphis Grizzlies who have no intention of spending any money this offseason, it looks like the players have two options. Gordon and Deng can sign long-term deals with the Bulls that are probably worth a little bit lower than they’d like, or they can sign one-year tender offers and become unrestricted free agents next summer. The latter is a risky move for both sides. The Bulls could end up losing one, or both, of the players next year and receiving nothing in return, but Deng and Gordon could have sub-par seasons yet again and do further damage to their market value.
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