Steve Kyler @stevekylerNBA 1m "@antreas_X: any truth to deng and 20 for 3 and okafor swap?" ---> have not heard that, but had two people say today Luol could be had
Cleveland is the best situation of the bunch for us. We won't have to absorb some awful contract in return. The pick gets us a shot at a SG who can contribute right away if all he can do is shoot and make shots. Kirk is insurance. The bulls could, in theory, then use the MLE, TPE, and even Rip's contract to strengthen the team. How about Rip to Dallas for Vince and #13? That's a rookie #1 SG pick, Vince and Kirk as insurance, and #13 gets us a backup C perhaps. I think all that is under the LT,too. TPE and MLE likely go into LT. I'd love to see us go to the apron again and sign a decent backup at SF. Some of the commentary I've seen suggest trading Luol is a step backward. Yet we aren't losing a superstar, we have a quality replacement, and the flexibility gained is huge..
Come on, Denny. I'm all for being an optimist but why the hell would Cleveland give away a NUMBER ONE pick for a middling star on an expiring contract? Nothing -- nothing -- we have ever seen would ever suggest that this deal is a remote possibility.
If it weren't a so called weak draft, I'd agree with you. This draft reminds me of the one where Bargnani went #1 and we would have taken Tyrus #2, and Adam Morrison went #3. The Cavs want to improve heir record, not add Marcus Fizer to their Crawford, Chandler, Curry core. That is what I've seen to suggest the deal is possible. Bullsger's link suggests the Cavs would trade two 1st round picks for LMA. Is that something to suggest a Deng for #1 is a possibility? LMA is maybe 5th best PF in the league. Deng is maybe 5th best SF. Both all-stars. Both 27. Similar contract.
http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/basketball/bulls/ct-spt-0625-bulls-nba-draft-chicago-20130625,0,2096756,print.story
You know Denny, I completely disagree with this, which probably explains why we're so far apart on this issue. I think LMA is the best power forward in the NBA and has been for some time. I don't even think it's close. Love, Griffen, Randolph, they only play on the offensive side of the ball, and they all have significant limitations in their scoring games. I like how Ibaka has developed his offensive game but comon', he's still a long way away from being a player who can take over a game. LMA does everything: shooting, post play, glass work, defense, intimidation, outside-in, inside-out, upside-down, right-side, sideways . . . you get the point. Yup, I'd trade the first pick in the draft for LMA. Deng is fine. You can win with Deng but he's not going to carry you to a championship. He's not going to drive your marketing program. You hope a number one pick in the draft turns into LMA. It's okay when a number one pick turns into Deng.
LMA carried his team to a 33-49 record. Has Deng ever had a losing season? Skiles' last season. In any case, they're talking 2 first tound picks for Aldridge.
Sounds like you may be right and I'm overvaluing the pick, Denny: http://basketball.realgm.com/wireta...-Of-No-1-Pick-Waiters-Thompson-For-Kevin-Love I think that's an awful lot for Love, although I'm not a huge fan of his game.
SST, It may be the Bulls reject #1 for Deng. Thibs would pretty much play him 48 minutes of all 82 games if he could. I think Cleveland has gobs of cap space and no real quality vet. They're trying hard to bring one in. They don't seem to want the #1. It's what my sense of things are.
McGraw: Shooting guard crop full of options, questions Here's a closer look at some candidates who could be chosen with the 20th pick, in no particular order: Tim Hardaway Jr., 6-7, Michigan: Watching Hardaway, it's easy to imagine him becoming another Danny Green, the near-hero of the NBA Finals for the Spurs. He's got good shooting form, had success at a big program and should understand an NBA work ethic from his father Tim, a Chicago native and longtime star for the Warriors and Heat. Hardaway shot just 36 percent from 3-point range last season. In comparison, Green shot .373 as a junior at North Carolina, then stayed for his senior year and improved to .418. Hardaway does not have a wide wingspan (6-7), but he is pretty good at driving to the hoop. Tony Snell, 6-7, New Mexico: He's billed as a good defender and shot .390 from 3-point range as a junior. He looks a little like another Spurs star, Kawhi Leonard, but Snell has shown no signs of being a strong rebounder. Snell finished last season by hitting 22 of 39 shots from 3-point range over five games and averaged 19.8 points, then disappeared in the NCAA Tournament loss to Harvard. Glen Rice Jr., 6-6, Rio Grande Valley Vipers: After getting kicked off the team at Georgia Tech, Rice led the Vipers to the D-League title, averaging 29 points, 11.5 rebounds and 3.5 blocks in the D-League finals. During the regular season, he averaged 13 points and shot .385 from 3-point range. Rice is the only player in this group to produce a 40-inch vertical leap at the draft combine. Of course, his dad was one of the NBA's best 3-point shooters. Jamaal Franklin, 6-5, San Diego State: Franklin's stats tell an improbable story. He averaged 9.5 rebounds last season, an astounding total for a 6-5 guard, but shot just .280 from 3-point range. He's billed as a fiery competitor, but was also turnover prone. Allen Crabbe, 6-6, California: Crabbe made news last season by getting shoved during a game by his coach, Mike Montgomery. He's another guy with good size and a nice shooting stroke. He averaged 18.4 points as a sophomore and rebounded well, but needs work on handling the ball and creating his own shot. Reggie Bullock, 6-7, North Carolina: This guy has the best track record as an outside shooter among this group, hitting 43.6 percent from 3-point land last season. Defense and ballhandling are listed as liabilities. Ricky Ledo, 6-6, Providence: Any scouts who wanted to watch Ledo play last season had to attend a Providence practice. He was ruled a partial qualifier by the NCAA after bouncing between prep schools. So he was eligible to practice with the Friars, then opted to turn pro without ever playing a college game. He was billed as a talented scorer in high school, but isn't as athletic as Hardaway, Snell or Rice. Sergey Karasev, 6-7, BC Triumph (Russia): This 19-year-old left-hander is smooth and skilled. He played for Russia in last year's Olympics and has a nice all-around game. But he's scrawny with defense and athleticism the biggest questions. Giannis Adetokunbo, 6-9, Filathlitikos (Greece): This guy looks like the second coming of Thabo Sefolosha, with incredibly long arms and all-around skills. But he's still 18, and his highlight tapes look like he was competing against high school JV-caliber competition in Greece. Shabazz Muhammad, 6-6, UCLA: Most mock drafts have him going higher, but there are red flags that might cause him to drop. In 32 games during his freshman season, Muhammad collected 0 or 1 assist in 26 of them. More at the link: http://www.dailyherald.com/article/20130625/sports/706259713/
This seems to be an incredibly weak draft at the top. Nerlens Noel is the consensus #1 overall and from what I've read, he's the riskiest #1 since Kwame Brown. I can easily see why the Bulls and other teams are hesitant to trade an established player for draft picks this year.
2006 draft had Bargnani, Tyrus, and Adam Morrison going 1,2,3. OK, we drafted LMA for Portland, but we'd have taken Tyrus #2 come hell or high water. BUT... in that weak draft, Brandon Roy and LMA and several other quality players were drafted. From what I hear, McLemore and Oladipo aren't so risky and are likely to help us at our weakest position. Plus, the Bulls are "cost conscious" (that's a new way to phrase it!) these days, and the rookie scale contracts are good bang for the buck if the player makes the rotation
If you're talking all star level, there isn't a "can't miss" player in this draft. I'd be very disappointed if the Bulls traded Deng for a draft pick. It would weaken the 2013-14 team. Every team is cost conscious these days. Only about 5 teams figure to pay the luxury tax in 2013-14.
Marc SteinVerified account @ESPNSteinLine Thomas Robinson to Cavs for No. 19 pick. Thomas Robinson to Bulls for No. 20. Word is both of those scenarios are on table for Rockets
Follow-up trade rumble: Bulls intend to flip Thomas Robinson in subsequent (or connected) deal if they take him from Rockets for No. 20 pick https://twitter.com/ESPNSteinLine/status/349958732928663552
