<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">There are 17 days remaining before the NBA?s trade deadline. That?s how much time Bulls general manager John Paxson has to decide whether to make a move now or let things ride into the summer, when the Bulls will have two first-round draft picks and roughly $15 million in cap room to play with. The Bulls talked about a multi-team deal involving Denver, different than the one mentioned in the New York Post on Sunday involving Orlando?s Steve Francis going to the Nuggets. It?s also possible the Bulls were offered Denver power forward Kenyon Martin, a tough take with $70.8 million and five years left on his contract. Another objective for Paxson is to try and solve the mystery of Drew Gooden. The Bulls and Cleveland Cavaliers have had discussions about the 6-foot-10 power forward, according to a league source. Gooden will be a restricted free agent this summer, so it?s likely the Bulls would have to give up something in return whether they trade for him now or try to sign him during the off-season. The most logical fit in a trade would be Chris Duhon, since the Cavaliers are hurting for a true point guard. There are times when Gooden appears to be a very good player. He?s averaging 11.1 points and 8.8 rebounds this season, which is actually down from 14.4 and 9.2 last year. His minutes have dropped slightly with the addition of Donyell Marshall. The issue with Gooden is he?s been traded twice in four NBA seasons and many observers don?t expect him to stay in Cleveland. Such a history always raises a red flag, since it?s natural to assume something must be wrong with the guy if three teams don?t want him. But Gooden has an advocate on the Bulls in Kirk Hinrich, a former teammate at Kansas. Any negatives in Gooden?s game have gone unnoticed by the Bulls? point guard. ?I know Drew real well,? Hinrich said. ?He?s a good friend of mine. He doesn?t play his full game with the Cavs. He?s kind of just a garbage man, like a third or fourth option. I think he has the ability to do a lot more and produce more.? Questions have been raised about Gooden?s basketball IQ. But someone who has watched him closely suggested the issue is not intelligence, but maybe a lack of focus. After being chosen fourth in the 2002 draft by Memphis, Gooden was traded in February of his rookie season to Orlando, then traded again in the summer of 2004 to Cleveland. ?I think a lot of times when guys come in the league and were traded a couple times, they get a bad reputation,? Hinrich said. ?How many teams has Jimmy Jackson played on? (Answer: 12) I think a lot of times it?s not anything negative. It?s positive because somebody else wants you and thinks you can help. ?When I played with Drew, he?s real competitive and wants to win. He?s a good kid.? ?Forward James Thomas practiced with the Bulls on Sunday in Salt Lake City and the team offered no word on whether he?ll be let go or signed to a second 10-day contract. His first 10-day deal expired Sunday.</div> Source
Do we really need a guy like this? I think the chemistry between him and Kinrich may be good for both of them. And if they both improve due to him being on the team than I am assuming the team as a whole would also. But I really do like Duhon on the roster and it would be sad to see him go. Especially since I think that his presence on the Cavs could really help their team.
may as well wait it out until free agency. Keep who we want and go after the rest. K-Mart was interesting though.
Well, Gooden is a guy who can score the ball, but the question is all about who we should give up to get him. I would not mess with the score, or any of our draft selections to get Gooden. Guys I would make available for a trade would be Tim Thomas, Michael Sweetney, and maybe some other guys such as Jannero Pargo. If we have to include Duhon, Gordon, Hinrich, or Deng thanks, but no thanks. I would rather just wait until draft and take Lamarcus Aldridge.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Best Kept Secret:</div><div class="quote_post">Well, Gooden is a guy who can score the ball, but the question is all about who we should give up to get him. I would not mess with the score, or any of our draft selections to get Gooden. Guys I would make available for a trade would be Tim Thomas, Michael Sweetney, and maybe some other guys such as Jannero Pargo. If we have to include Duhon, Gordon, Hinrich, or Deng thanks, but no thanks. I would rather just wait until draft and take Lamarcus Aldridge.</div> LOL you seem convinced we'll be able to draft Aldridge. There's no question i would love that too, but let's not get carried away. There's only a small chance we'll actually be able to land him, and at this point, it's more realistic to look at free agents for frontcourt help...
well we have two first round picks we could trade both to move up to get Alridge or one and a player.
If we have to trade one of our core guys, forget it. Gooden would be a solid contributor, yes, but with the core we have in place a few draft picks and FA pickups and we'll be back to our winning ways. We'll probably land a good pick with the Knicks, and even though its painful to watch, so far our pick isn't looking to bad either. I keep hearing rumors of Al Harrington possibly coming here, that'd be my prime objective if we can't pick someone better up *cough* ALDRIDGE *cough* in the draft. That (Aldridge) seems sorta unlikely at the moment, but it's a possibility.
I would like to see Drew Gooden in a Bulls uniform. I would love Harrington in one too. I think Gooden would be a better fit than Harrington just because he's a bigger guy. Giving up Duhon straight up for Gooden is a bit tough, I agree with everyone else, giving up other players like our expiring contracts or something. Now if we get some other players/draft picks back with Gooden for Duhon and add more players to balance it that would be sweet. DO NOT TRADE: Hinrich, Gordon, Deng, Chandler (Nocioni if the right deal..). Find a good big guy to compliment Chandler inside is what we have to deal w/ before the trading deadline or the offseason. Getting Nene for Duhon and some other pieces would be pretty cool..but Denver does not need another Point Guard.
I wonder what we'd have to give up to get Martin. Oh, I know it's never going to happen but I wouldn't mind seeing Kenyon here. He'd be a huge boost to this team and if we could send someone like Sweetney and Duhon or something I'd do it.
I think in the end he'll move to a Eastern Conference team, no way he moves to a West team that will just make other team stronger and knock out Denver's chances at the playoffs.
I've always liked Gooden's game, and I definitely think he could give Chicago more rebounding help...plus he's aggressive and seems pretty smart on the floor...I think he'd be a good fit for them, especially being reunited with Hinrich...
