The Chicago Bulls will not pick up C.J. Watson's option for next year, according to sources. Watson will become an unrestricted free agent. https://twitter.com/AlexKennedyNBA/status/222042192343080960
Me too Denny, much rather they had picked up his option! https://twitter.com/AlexKennedyNBA/status/222044880350875649 The tweet above came much later than the first one, so it seems we are trying to trade him.
The Bulls are making a last-minute attempt to trade him: https://twitter.com/AlexKennedyNBA If there's a team out there that is unlikely to be able to get Watson through waivers, they may be willing to give up some sort of asset to lock him in at his fairly-reasonable $3.2mil salary.
Speculation that GS, who are in the market for a backup PG, could send Dorell Wright or a traded player exception (acquired when they moved Udoh to Milwaukee) for Watson.
Well, the Bulls didn't know they had Hinrich locked up at that point! Yay! I can honestly say that I haven't been this dark about off season transactions since the Bulls let Chandler walk after they signed Wallace.
Yeah, a $3.2mil trade exception could come in handy. Could you explain the "bottom line" thing as it relates to this?
I would guess the expectation is that a trade exception that is not used is money saved, and that's what matters. All the darkness demons are nipping at our thoughts these days. I just hope Derrick doesn't turn into a coke addict bumming cigarettes off passers by from the mounting despair.
As I recall, the trade exception can be no more than $100,000 over the player salary of the player traded, but getting it doesn't affect the Bulls' bottom line any more than simply waiving Watson. It just gives the Bulls one year to trade for a player who makes up to $3.3mil without having to trade any salary away. So I guess I still don't get it.
Think bottom line. The trade exception can be used as a sweetener to get someone to take Boozer or Noah or Deng off our hands.