<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">The Atlanta Hawks likely will not offer Eddy Curry a contract, league insiders say, partly because of lingering suspicions about his irregular heartbeat. That all but ensures Curry will return to the Bulls. None of the Bulls' free agents is expected to sign today, the first day contracts can be consummated. ''There are still issues out there with the insurance,'' Bulls operations chief John Paxson said, regarding Curry. ''First, we must have all the data and understand all the issues involved, then we can proceed on how to go about re-signing Eddy. ''But until that information is in, we can't do it. I know it does not fit into what Eddy would like, but this is the way it has to be if we are going to make a commitment to him.'' The Hawks, the only team to have brought in Curry for a visit, now are pursuing Milwaukee Bucks reserve center Zaza Pachulia. Paxson remains confident he'll be able to re-sign his other restricted free agents: Tyson Chandler, Chris Duhon and Jannero Pargo. Duhon visited Orlando, but the Magic offered a contract to Miami Heat free agent Keyon Dooling. ''I'm not saying we haven't made any [multiyear] offers to [the Bulls' free agents], but no agreement has been reached,'' Paxson said. ''[Negotiations and signings] will start to pick up now.</div> <div align="center">Source</div>
This great news! Now Bulls are the only ones inth e running for Curry. I hope they can reach a deal soon.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting I-Miss-MJ:</div><div class="quote_post">Why havent we negotiated with the other Free Agents we are looking to keep?</div> Chris Duhon?s situation has not been negotiate with at a very high level, because his contract will likely take a portion of our mid level exception so they want to make sure that we explore all our options before hand. Chandler has already negotiated a six year sixty million dollar contract as well. So we have really negotiated with our main people.
God i'm getting nervous from waiting all this time waiting for the bulls to sign chandler and curry. I keep thinking someone will steal them from us :s But they're restricted right? So maybe i shouldn't worry.
I like the patience Paxson is showing by signing any of their free agents yet. The Bulls have all the control because their free agents are restricted, and teams have not been making any offers. By being patient, the Bulls can wait for other teams to spend their cap space, and then get Chandler, Curry, and Duhon at a more reasonable rate. The Clippers used this same strategy a few seasons ago with Elton Brand and Corey Maggette. The Clippers threatened any team who made either player an offer, would have the offer matched. This scared teams from offering Brand and CMaggs, because they figured it would just be a waste of time. When there were no offers available to negotiate with, both Brand and CMaggs, settled for offers less than the max deals they were originally looking for. The Hawks deal for Joe Johnson is falling apart, and if they lose him, you might see them pursue Curry again. Other than the Hawks, the only team with a lot of money to spend are the New Orleans Hornets. I doubt they go after any of the Bulls' free agents.
<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">In what has to be one of the low points of an already frustrating summer for Eddy Curry, the Atlanta Hawks signed Milwaukee Bucks backup center Zaza Pachulia to a contract without even making an offer to Curry. Pachulia, who averaged 6.2 points and 5.1 rebounds last season, signed a four-year, $14 million deal that the Bucks aren't expected to match. And Curry's heart problems, which include trouble getting his heart insured, might not be the only reason the Hawks balked. Curry went to Atlanta on July 14 for what was supposed to be a two-day visit. A league source said the Hawks were more than a little disturbed because Curry, who was accompanied by his fiancee, Patrice Coye, cut the visit in half to return to Chicago so Coye could attend a friend's baby shower. ''So much for where Eddy's placing his priorities,'' the source said.</div> <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">''While Curry is disappointed that more teams have not expressed interest in him and given him more negotiating leverage, he's not too upset because he always said he wanted to stay home and keep playing for the Bulls anyway,'' a friend said.</div> <div align="center">Update August 5, 2005 </div>
