Sat Feb 07, 2004 10:54 am
Sat Feb 07, 2004 11:30 am
Sat Feb 07, 2004 11:43 am
Redbulls wrote:Hey Andrew, do you have any info on trade rumors surrounding Curry?
Sun Feb 08, 2004 10:51 pm
Mon Feb 09, 2004 7:27 pm
Tue Feb 10, 2004 10:49 am
After considering trade offers for Eddy Curry and Tyson Chandler, Bulls operations chief John Paxson has come to a conclusion.
''Eddy and Tyson aren't going anywhere,'' Paxson said after practice Sunday.
And what about Jamal Crawford?
''I don't see us doing anything with Jamal,'' Paxson said. ''The reality is we still have the chance to match anything he gets in the summer [as a restricted free agent].
''And who knows? If he wants to be here, he has a new agent [Leon Rose], so maybe there's a way we can work something out with him anyway.''
Paxson might have lost one of his trade assets Sunday. Kendall Gill, who has been part of discussions with Detroit, said he wouldn't report to the Pistons or any other team who might trade for him, except for the Lakers. The Chicago native plans to retire as a member of the Bulls.
''I'm not going anywhere, unless I get traded to the Lakers,'' Gill said. ''The other team would be trading for salary because Kendall Gill won't be playing for them.
''I won't be going to Detroit. I would retire.''
Tue Feb 10, 2004 3:32 pm
Tue Feb 10, 2004 8:22 pm
Wed Feb 11, 2004 4:11 am
For us to even think about trading Jamal, we would have to get a very good starter in return and I'm not seeing those type of offers," Paxson said.
Crawford is in no immediate danger of being traded because he's essentially the only shooting guard on the roster, and his potential is greater than anything the Bulls could get in return.
Paxson acknowledged that something could happen during the summer or next season. There are no examples in modern NBA history of a group of young draft picks maturing into a championship contender.
If the Bulls can draft Connecticut power forward Emeka Okafor in June, they may try to package Crawford with one of their young big men to land a veteran shooting guard. Seattle's Ray Allen or Boston's Paul Pierce are conceivable targets.
"It has to be the right guy," Paxson said. "It has to be a guy that has a competitive nature and can thrive in this type of environment."
Paxson also repeated his message of two weeks ago, that he has no inclination to trade Eddy Curry or Tyson Chandler, though he says every team in the league has asked about their availability.
"I'm not giving up on Eddy and Tyson at all," Paxson said. "We've invested two years in them and we have them for as long as we want them. So it makes no sense. It would have to be an unbelievable deal for us to even think about it."
Wed Feb 11, 2004 8:54 am
Wed Feb 11, 2004 8:57 am
Suddenly coachable, maturing Crawford now a grown-up
BY K.C. JOHNSON
Chicago Tribune
CHICAGO - (KRT) - Last summer Jamal Crawford made more off-season workout appearances at the Berto Center than any Bull but Trenton Hassell.
Last month Crawford didn't say a word when coach Scott Skiles benched him for entire fourth quarters of back-to-back games.
Last week Crawford pulled an angry Tyson Chandler away from official Jess Kersey in Seattle so Chandler would avoid anything worse than an ejection.
Could it be that, nearing 24 and in his fourth NBA season, Crawford is showing signs of maturity and leadership?
"That's where Jamal has made his biggest growth," Bulls general manager John Paxson said. "He's been very coachable this year."
Paxson and Crawford couldn't be more dissimilar in the way they play and view the game. Paxson was the classic overachiever, someone who rarely forced shots and achieved more by textbook than talent. Crawford oozes talent and potential but sometimes is more playground than proper.
Paxson didn't hire an agent until late in his career and negotiated some of his own deals. Crawford is in the process of hiring his third agent and may know the salary of every player in the league, such is his interest in his value.
Still, twice in the last two days, Paxson has spoken favorably of Crawford, which could have ramifications beyond the Bulls not trading him by the Feb. 19 deadline.
"I think we've shown him from some of the things we've done earlier - trading other scorers - that we do value him as a certain type of player," Paxson said. "We think he can score in the league.
"I'd like to think that a guy who has been here for four years has to feel like we're trying to help him as a player and put him in a position to succeed. I know he didn't feel that way at the draft last year. But what he sees now, he should be feeling that way."
Last summer's draft is when the Bulls dealt a blow to Crawford's occasionally fragile pride by taking Kirk Hinrich. The true test of where Paxson stands will come this summer, when Crawford is a restricted free agent.
If a team with salary-cap room offers anything even remotely resembling Gilbert Arenas money - the Wizards' guard signed a six-year, $64 million deal last summer - the Bulls will balk.
But Paxson's recent praise suggests the Bulls could match a reasonable offer for Crawford, who is, after all, the team's leading scorer. The slender guard still shies away from contact too often, but Paxson said Crawford has shown signs of improvement on the defensive end.
"I've said all along we have the right to match offers this summer," Paxson said. "The only thing we risk is him potentially going out and getting a huge deal."
Crawford will hire either Aaron Goodwin, his former agent, or Leon Rose to negotiate that deal.
Crawford's numbers compare favorably to those of Arenas, who has been hurt this season. If no long-term deal suits his fancy, Crawford could sign a one-year qualifying offer from the Bulls and then become an unrestricted free agent in the summer of 2005.
"It feels good for them to say that they want me here, because I want to be here," Crawford said. "I just hope everything works out. I definitely think I've matured on and off the court."
Wed Feb 11, 2004 10:59 am
Wed Feb 11, 2004 11:23 am
Wed Feb 11, 2004 11:33 am
Fri Feb 13, 2004 12:29 pm
Sat Feb 14, 2004 4:29 am
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Sat Feb 14, 2004 10:43 am
Sat Feb 14, 2004 11:04 am
Sat Feb 14, 2004 11:33 am
Psycho Jackal wrote:East's best? Lol...Detroit/New Jersey & Indiana are the only decent teams, the rest are mediocre teams...
Sun Feb 15, 2004 8:23 am
Sun Feb 15, 2004 10:19 am
Sun Feb 15, 2004 2:34 pm
Tue Feb 17, 2004 9:01 am
DipSetVC wrote:Whatever man, what's the point of arguing when we know New Jersey will make like 7 trips to the Finals in a row.
Tue Feb 17, 2004 9:07 am
crawford4MIP4real wrote:DipSetVC wrote:Whatever man, what's the point of arguing when we know New Jersey will make like 7 trips to the Finals in a row.
c'mon now...
dipSetVC, i enjoy these bulls vs raptors discussions we have. but you gotta come a little bit stronger then this