The thing is, sure, we all know the dude isn't really worth maxing out--but don't you think he can be talked down a little bit? I think players are beginning to understand that it's not a GIVEN that you're going to get maxed out anymore. Can't he be talked down to something in the neighborhood of 6 years, $60 million? Rather than 6 years, $75-$80 million?
The T-Wolves are in a world of hurt right now--as soon as they re-sign Radoslav Nesterovic, they'll probably be in luxury tax land. Would they accept that mediocre package (Fizer-Crawford-Robinson) that the Bulls keep waving around in everybody's face?
In other words, would Kevin McHale accept THIS trade?
Wally World, Anthony Peeler, Marc Jackson, and Felipe Lopez to the Bulls; Marcus Fizer, Jamal Crawford, and Eddie Robinson to the Timberwolves
This is your classic quality-for-quantity trade, as Peeler and Lopez are both free agents after the season is over (the Bulls won't be re-signing either of them) and Marc Jackson is nothing special. Fizer, Crawford, and Robinson would ALL be regulars in the Minnesota rotation for the next couple of seasons. Who knows, maybe one or more of them actually turns out to be a good NBA player?
SO! Would Kevin McHale accept this trade? Is Jerry Krause still interested in Wally World? Here are the lineups for both teams after the trade goes down:
Minnesota
PG Terrell Brandon--Marcus Taylor--Khalid El-Amin (?)
SG Jamal Crawford
SG Kevin Garnett--Eddie Robinson
PF Joe Smith--Marcus Fizer
C Radoslav Nesterovic--Loren Woods (?)
I don't know, the Timberwolves haven't gotten better here, have they? Or will a couple (if not all three) of those former Bulls all really take off in a new environment? Remember, Kevin Garnett is one of those guys who "makes his teammates better" (don't listen to all the anti-KG media hype, the dude is FANTASTIC)--but STILL, who is this team's #2 guy? Especially if/when Terrell Brandon goes down again? JAMAL CRAWFORD?
Chicago
PG Jay Williams--Roger Mason--Fred Hoiberg
SG Jalen Rose--Trenton Hassell--Anthony Peeler--Felipe Lopez
SF Wally World
PF Tyson Chandler--Rodney Rogers (wouldn't he be a nice fit?)
C Eddy Curry--Marc Jackson--Dalibor Bagaric--Michael Ruffin
The Bulls still have all of their mid-cap exception left to give, right? Well, if so, why not offer it to Rodney Rogers? He'd be a nice fit in the sort of up-tempo game the Bulls will be interested in playing, and he'd certainly get plenty of minutes in that inexperienced frontcourt rotation (25 minutes/game at LEAST), AND he can be had for next-to-nothing in this offseason's owner-friendly (and player-UNfriendly!) economic climate. Why not make the dude a two year, $6 mil offer--and see if he takes it? He might just have to!
Anyway, I hate to sound like one of these 12-year-old Bulls fans around here, but ISN'T THAT TEAM A PLAYOFF CONTENDER? Won't they make a run at that #8 playoff spot? I don't think they'll get it--but won't they come sort of close? I'm not sure who this team's #1 scoring option is (Rose, I guess?)--but when yr #3 scoring option is either Jay Williams, Jalen Rose, or Wally World, WELL, aren't you bound to be pretty good, assuming that you are getting good coaching (and Bill Cartwright seems like the right guy for this job to ME!)? You know?
Here's how the minutes could be divided up:
PG Jay Williams--36 minutes/game (all at PG)
SG Jalen Rose--36 minutes/game (24 at SG, 12 at SF)
SF Wally World--36 minutes/game (all at SF)
PF Tyson Chandler--24 minutes/game (all at PF)
C Eddy Curry--24 minutes/game (all at C)
Backups
Roger Mason--6 minutes/game (all at PG)
Fred Hoiberg--6 minutes/game (all at PG)
Trenton Hassell--18 minutes/game (all at SG)
Anthony Peeler--6 minutes/game (all at SG)
Rodney Rogers--24 minutes/game (all at PF)
Marc Jackson--15 minutes/game (all at C)
Dalibor Bagaric--9 minutes/game (all at C)
Felipe Lopez and Michael Ruffin--stashed on injured reserve
What do you fellers think? HUH?
The T-Wolves are in a world of hurt right now--as soon as they re-sign Radoslav Nesterovic, they'll probably be in luxury tax land. Would they accept that mediocre package (Fizer-Crawford-Robinson) that the Bulls keep waving around in everybody's face?
In other words, would Kevin McHale accept THIS trade?
Wally World, Anthony Peeler, Marc Jackson, and Felipe Lopez to the Bulls; Marcus Fizer, Jamal Crawford, and Eddie Robinson to the Timberwolves
This is your classic quality-for-quantity trade, as Peeler and Lopez are both free agents after the season is over (the Bulls won't be re-signing either of them) and Marc Jackson is nothing special. Fizer, Crawford, and Robinson would ALL be regulars in the Minnesota rotation for the next couple of seasons. Who knows, maybe one or more of them actually turns out to be a good NBA player?
SO! Would Kevin McHale accept this trade? Is Jerry Krause still interested in Wally World? Here are the lineups for both teams after the trade goes down:
Minnesota
PG Terrell Brandon--Marcus Taylor--Khalid El-Amin (?)
SG Jamal Crawford
SG Kevin Garnett--Eddie Robinson
PF Joe Smith--Marcus Fizer
C Radoslav Nesterovic--Loren Woods (?)
I don't know, the Timberwolves haven't gotten better here, have they? Or will a couple (if not all three) of those former Bulls all really take off in a new environment? Remember, Kevin Garnett is one of those guys who "makes his teammates better" (don't listen to all the anti-KG media hype, the dude is FANTASTIC)--but STILL, who is this team's #2 guy? Especially if/when Terrell Brandon goes down again? JAMAL CRAWFORD?
Chicago
PG Jay Williams--Roger Mason--Fred Hoiberg
SG Jalen Rose--Trenton Hassell--Anthony Peeler--Felipe Lopez
SF Wally World
PF Tyson Chandler--Rodney Rogers (wouldn't he be a nice fit?)
C Eddy Curry--Marc Jackson--Dalibor Bagaric--Michael Ruffin
The Bulls still have all of their mid-cap exception left to give, right? Well, if so, why not offer it to Rodney Rogers? He'd be a nice fit in the sort of up-tempo game the Bulls will be interested in playing, and he'd certainly get plenty of minutes in that inexperienced frontcourt rotation (25 minutes/game at LEAST), AND he can be had for next-to-nothing in this offseason's owner-friendly (and player-UNfriendly!) economic climate. Why not make the dude a two year, $6 mil offer--and see if he takes it? He might just have to!
Anyway, I hate to sound like one of these 12-year-old Bulls fans around here, but ISN'T THAT TEAM A PLAYOFF CONTENDER? Won't they make a run at that #8 playoff spot? I don't think they'll get it--but won't they come sort of close? I'm not sure who this team's #1 scoring option is (Rose, I guess?)--but when yr #3 scoring option is either Jay Williams, Jalen Rose, or Wally World, WELL, aren't you bound to be pretty good, assuming that you are getting good coaching (and Bill Cartwright seems like the right guy for this job to ME!)? You know?
Here's how the minutes could be divided up:
PG Jay Williams--36 minutes/game (all at PG)
SG Jalen Rose--36 minutes/game (24 at SG, 12 at SF)
SF Wally World--36 minutes/game (all at SF)
PF Tyson Chandler--24 minutes/game (all at PF)
C Eddy Curry--24 minutes/game (all at C)
Backups
Roger Mason--6 minutes/game (all at PG)
Fred Hoiberg--6 minutes/game (all at PG)
Trenton Hassell--18 minutes/game (all at SG)
Anthony Peeler--6 minutes/game (all at SG)
Rodney Rogers--24 minutes/game (all at PF)
Marc Jackson--15 minutes/game (all at C)
Dalibor Bagaric--9 minutes/game (all at C)
Felipe Lopez and Michael Ruffin--stashed on injured reserve
What do you fellers think? HUH?