Friday, September 15 Bulls do not confirm Rice report CHICAGO -- Glen Rice, the normally high-scoring small forward who apparently wore out his welcome with the world champion Los Angeles Lakers, reportedly has agreed to a one-year deal with the Chicago Bulls. Fox Sports Net reported Friday night that Rice agreed to a one-year, $8 million contract with the Bulls, who had been left behind in the battle to add big-name free agents. An initial report in Friday's Chicago Sun-Times said the Bulls had offered Rice a one-year deal for $7.5 million. Bulls spokesman Tim Hallam said he was unaware of any agreement between the Bulls and Rice, but said Friday night the team has been talking to Rice. Rice, who averaged only 15.9 points a game during the regular season, his lowest total in 10 seasons, has been one of the league's preeminent shooters with the Heat, Hornets and Lakers. Acquired by Los Angeles in the deal that sent Elden Campbell and Eddie Jones to Charlotte, Rice never fit in with the Lakers' triangle offense under Phil Jackson last season. Only four years ago Rice averaged 26.8 points a game. If the reports are true, they appear to make sense for both player and team. First, Rice, who was seeking a long-term deal for in excess of $10 million a season, needs a team. The Lakers have been trying to sign and trade him all offseason, and Rice's name was prominent in the failed Patrick Ewing trade talks. This might be the best offer Rice will get. Second, the Bulls have one of the league's worst offenses and have the money to spend this season. Rice would likely start at small forward. The Bulls have already acquired swingman Ron Mercer and center Brad Miller this offseason, to go with draft picks Marcus Fizer and Jamal Crawford and incumbent building blocks Elton Brand and Ron Artest. ------------------ In order to be a success in life, you need 2 things: 1. Don't tell everything you know.
Well if it goes down as a free agent signing strait up, at least the Lakers don't get anything in return for him. We'll see how well they do without a clear third scoring option... ------------------ "There are three kinds of lies: Lies, Damned Lies, and STATISTICS..." - Mark Twain -
This has to make the least sense of any free-agent signing in a long time. On one hand you have the Bulls, trying to rebuild, using up a starting spot on a past-his-prime small forward, for ONLY ONE YEAR! They could be developing one of their young players, but instead they're giving Rice 8 million just to play there a year? Yeah, let's cut down on Marcus Fizer, Ron Mercer, and Ron Artest's time, so we can play Glen Rice. This also is going to get them a better record, thereby lowering their chances of a good pick the next year. Let me know when this starts to make sense. Then you have Glen Rice, who supposedly hates the triangle, and is crippled offensively by playing in it (or so we were told last year -- "I need to be able to run off screens"), coming to a team that runs, you guessed it, THE TRIANGLE! Am I the only one that is totally baffled by this? ------------------ "The only problem is I always think of the guitar player from Dokken when I hear his name." -Traj, on the possibility of George Lynch joining the Rockets.
maybe the Bulls are going to change their offense? They now have a reasonable inside/outside combination between their forwards and more scoring punch in Mercer. Usually the triangle demands good defensive intensity - and that's something I don't think the Bulls have now (Mercer/Rice/rookie PG) - could they be looking to change offensive style?? ------------------
8 Million dollars, that will nearly be as many shots as Rice will have for the season if he plays for the bulls. ------------------ Discombobulation Imminent
