Bulls focused in on Rockets in efforts deal Mutumbo

I thought the same thing - then we can give Pike to the Bulls for a draft pick or something (just to get him off the books)

 

http://www.dailysouthtown.com/southtown/dssports/pro/134sd2.htm

Bulls Notebook

Paxson still considering his options for Mutombo

Friday, August 13, 2004

By Paul Ladewski
Staff writer

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Bulls general manager John Paxson remained hopeful Thursday that he could accommodate center Dikembe Mutombo's wish to play for a playoff contender next season, but Paxson was not close to a deal at this time.

Acquired in a six-player trade with the New York Knicks last week, Mutombo informed Paxson through agent David Falk of his desire to play elsewhere, but he did not threaten to retire if a deal was not completed.

The 38-year-old Mutombo re-assessed his career options with Falk upon his return from a vacation in Europe earlier this week.

"I have been in contact with a few teams, but nothing is definite at all," Paxson said. "There's no pressure for us to move Dikembe, and if he stays, he can be a valuable player here. Like I've said before, I won't make a trade just to make a trade. It has to be beneficial to us."

This week, Paxson had discussions about off guards Eric Piatkowski (Houston Rockets) and Jon Barry (Denver Nuggets) among others. The Rockets and Nuggets are two of the teams Mutombo would agree to go to in a trade.

Wherever he's headed, Mutombo is happy to have New York in his rear-view mirror.

Mutombo and Knicks operations chief Isiah Thomas had a distant relationship in Mutombo's brief stay there.

"I have nothing to say about Isiah," Mutombo told the New York media recently. "I don't want to discuss him. What am I going to say? We haven't even had a conversation."

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This newest article doesn't sound as encouraging as previous ones. It sounds like the Bulls are even consideing keeping Dekembe.

 

Put these huffy Paxson comments together with the previous report of Falk trying to get Mutombo to the Rockets, and you have a bench-player version of the McGrady charade.

I'm not going to make the mistake of getting worked up about the daily ups and downs this time. My hunch is we'll have Mutombo a week or so from now. Till then, I'm going to think about other things.

 

Will, I think the Rockets will have to wait 60 days now since one week has already passed after a blockbuster trade.

 

Getting worked up about a potential McGrady to Houston trade
vs
Getting worked up about getting the 10th man bench player in Mutombo....hmmm.

Will, I think we would have to check you out if you felt as anxious about the potential Mutombo deal versus our recent McGrady trade.

 

If the Deke to Houston is so real, what is the delay? Other players swelling the deal? 60 day wait players? Or Falk demanding two more guaranteed years?

 

The delay would be Paxson looking around for the best deal for Mutombo, which is what he should be doing. He doesnt have to rush into anything. He doesnt even have to make a trade. There isnt any negotiating here really. They cant negotiate salary because Mutombo is already under contract for one more year. And if Mutombo is traded by himself coming out of Chicago he doesnt fall under the 60 wait period.

Paxson is just shopping. Pike and a S&T Jon Barry (Denver) seem to be the leading options at the moment from what the papers are listing.

 

Piakowski or Barry... Hmmmm... Barry. Not that he's THAT much better though, might come down to salaries, the Rockets have to try and sweeten the deal though just to keep him off of Denver.

 

Yea but the Bulls get Griffin also if they trade with the Rockets. I know Griffin is not some great player, but he is a defensive 2/3 that they could really use. The only thing that I could see Denver throwing in that would trump us, is Tskitishvili.

 

I heard that the ROX can't do anything but deal PIKE & DEKE straight up because DEKE just got traded. I might heared some misguided info. but if this is true then we have to use the TE. But if I heared the wrong info then I would trade PIKE/AG for DEKE/Duhon.

 

Barry is a free agent, denver has to do a sign and trade with chicago, and I doubt barry would wanna go there. Plus he's asking for a lot of money, and he threatened to retire last week.

 

I wouldn't be suprised if Paxson looks to package Eddie Robinson with the Mutombo trade. If Houston would be would willing to do that, then trading with them would be alot more attractive for Chicago. Griffin and Piakowski would have more use in Chicago with Robinson gone, and Skiles and Paxson don't get along with him.

Also, I could see EROB working alot better with TMAC, since he certainly couldn't complain about coming off the bench behind him on a playoff team.