I think Gordon should get the most minutes, followed by Hinrich (until we trade him), then Rose, then Sefolosha, then Hughes.
As McGraw says, I can't see the Bulls trading Kirk with Gordon on the QO. Honestly, since I think Gordon wouldn't be caught dead in Chicago next year, I'd probably hope for the best with Hughes and not really try to trade him either. Maybe he plays fairly well and we're all surprised. If not, Kirk is there as the fallback. Gordon, well, at this point I'd try to cut my losses and trade him for whatever can be gotten. Cause, like I said, he's outta here at the end of the year. Thabo.... backup 2/3. Nice to have with Noc hopefully traded.
I've gone through a number of scenarios with our rotation, and I'm about as clueless now as when I started. I don't think there's a way to make it all work. At least someone's going to have to eat it, and at least one or two more are going to have to get jettisoned off. I have no idea how this team is going to handle a situation like that. We didn't seem to handle it too well last year. If Paxson judges that the team can't handle the minutes crunch, I'm inclined to think it'd be in his best interest to make a 'bad trade', where we clear some stuff out and don't get as much talent in return. It's better than imploding and being stuck with a bunch of players that we don't know very well and can't sign to deals. Something like Ben Gordon and Noc to a crappy team with cap space for a good draft pick and an expiring.
Gordon has a no trade clause, and he loses his Larry Bird rights if he's traded, so I can't see him agreeing to too many trade scenarios.
I could see trying to work a deal with Miami or OKC since those are the obvious places for him to go. Of course, why should they give anything up if they're gonna get him as a ufa? I could see them giving Hughes the Tim Thomas treatment pretty quickly, but the thing is, why do that if Gordon is likely gone? Barring a trade, I don't know either. I suppose we could simply wait for Hughes to get hurt. 1- Rose 26, Hinrich 22 2- Gordon 30, Hinrich 8, Thabo 10 3- Deng 34, Thabo 4, Noc 10 4- Thomas 24, Noah 10, Nocioni 14 5- Gooden 30, Noah 18, Gray ? So the solution is to break one of Hughes' bones.
Gordon for Haslem and a draft pick is the only realistic trade I could see them working out with us. I don't like the idea of trading Gordon to Miami just on principle. I'd rather risk losing Gordon for nothing to a team like OKC, then hand deliver him to Miami. I just don't see how the Bulls will ever be able to compete with a team featuring Gordon/Beasley/Wade, and whatever other superstar they bring in in 2010. If you think Gordon was good with the Bulls, wait until you see him as the 3rd option (maybe 4th option after 2010 offseason). He will be absolutely deadly.
I dont see how the Bulls will ever be able to compete and I dont even have to look at other teams to figure that out.
