Bulls had a package centering around Andres Nocioni to go out for Gasol, due to McGraw. The Bulls had to take on a bad contract for the Grizzlies to accept, but if Bulls took on the bad contract, all things were a go. The player obviously would have been Brian Cardinal. The trade; salary wise, likely would have been: Andres Nocioni, Viktor Khryapa and PJ Brown for Pau Gasol, Brian Cardinal. By having to give up PJ Brown (to make salaries balance), the Bulls would gain about 12 million in salary for next season. The Bulls would have been at around 77 million in salaries for next season, and then around 78 million when they round out the roster, and would have to let Duhon walk. The luxury tax will likely be at 71 million. So we would have had to pay 7 million in tax dollars, or 85 million in total on our players. We are +59 million on money available just based on money coming from revenue. So instead of making that much next year, the owners would only profit around 35 million on the year.... So while the luxury tax argument is valid somewhat, when you look at the massive profit the owners would stand to make, there is no reason we shouldn't have made this trade. PG-Kirk Hinrich/Chris Duhon SG-Thabo Sefolosha/Ben Gordon SF-Luol Deng/Thabo Sefolosha PF-Pau Gasol/Joe Smith/Tyrus Thomas C- Ben Wallace/Joakim Noah/Aaron Gray Why the hell wouldn't you make this trade? That team is stacked, and poised to rip through the East for the most part. We don't lose any of the big three, we don't lose Thabo, we don't lose any of the young bigs.... Also, LA Times said Lakers rejected Wallace for Kwame and Vlad. One might think the only reason they rejected it was because they were gonna go get Pau, and if we got Pau, maybe they take Wallace for that....and if the Lakers took that because Pau wasn't available, we would slide under the luxury tax next year.... ineptitude on Paxson's part here.
Reading McGraw's article, Lakers will be at around 76 million in salaries for next year (before rounding out the roster). Similar to my projections. We were pretty much in the same boat as them, only one teams owner is willing to pay for a winner, while the others is not.
Well, in fairness, Gasol gives the Lakers a heck of a chance to be a winner. Does that trade make the Bulls true contenders? If you look at this team as the team that almost came back and beat the Pistons last year, + Noah, Smith and Gasol, and with a more experienced Tyrus and Thabo, then yeah, it's irritating. If you look at this team and think they're 18-27, then the Bulls wouldn't exactly be paying for a winner. That being said, I don't think that's the only way to look at it. The Bulls could probably have moved Smith and/or a guy like Griffin for expiring contracts if they were really motivated to do so. So yeah, it's pretty irritating.
First off, I'm still not convinced Stern would have allowed PJ Brown to be signed and traded, considering that he probably wouldn't have played. But we had things to give the Grizzlies that the Lakers did not, namely at least one good player. Tyrus Thomas also would have been a moderately enticing prospect if only for the fact that he's good friends with Rudy Gay. Also, if Ivaroni could actually convince him to run, he could be deadly with an ultra quick point guard like Conley. Smith, Nocioni, Thomas, and a first round draft pick or two works for Gasol. But alas, no. You know, the nice guy stays at home while the winner **** the prom queen. We're on the sidelines again, watching yet another good player change hands, and this time for very little in return. I'm so disgusted right now. Who else is even out there in the league that might have a chance to improve our roster?
Elton Brand? I cannot believe Paxson turned this deal down especially if he had the option to deal Big Ben to LA if they weren't able to acquire Gasol.
Apparently you need to blame Jerry Reinsdorf However, to put Brown's salary in the deal, the Bulls would have had to pay luxury tax on it this season, which owner Jerry Reinsdorf refused to do. Source: LA Times
I hate the Bulls for not doing this deal. I hate Paxson, Reinsorf, Stern, PJ Brown, and Brian Cardinal (for sucking so much).
