On Pro Basketball Isiah's purge could help Bulls Isiah Thomas hit the ground in New York style last week, leaving victims wherever you looked. And that could be good for the Bulls. Within hours of becoming Knicks president, Thomas moved to buy out the contract of Clarence Weatherspoon and cut second-rounder Slavko Vranes, the 7-foot-5-inch project from Serbia and Montenegro. Thomas ripped second-round 7-footer Maciej Lampe for poor work habits, berated the team for allowing Latrell Sprewell to curse out owner James Dolan during a home loss to Minnesota without a response and had rookie Michael Sweetney activated because Thomas didn't know if he was worth keeping. He also made it clear Antonio McDyess, who was benched, isn't crucial to the team's future. "I wouldn't say we live and die with his health," Thomas said. Thomas hit New York like another guy who went to school in Indiana, George Steinbrenner (Culver Academy). So perhaps the Knicks, whom the Bulls visit Friday, will have their own Boss. But Thomas' presence provides an opportunity for the Bulls because Dolan said he expects to make the playoffs this season and New York doesn't have the appetite for rebuilding. Plus, Thomas said: "Everyone I've spoken to on this situation has given me the advice to start all over, blow it up, get under the salary cap and [stink] for five years. Before I go that route, I will give guys enough firepower to go out and win games." The Bulls should stop kidding themselves. The season is over. Does anyone think wins over Cleveland and Washington mean anything? If anyone takes a realistic look at the team, it's hard to make a case, even when Eddy Curry and Tyson Chandler return, that this team has the elements of greatness. Look, I believe Curry and Chandler will be very good players. But it's their third season now and they haven't given one reason to believe either could ever lead or carry a team. There's no shame in that. It just means you still have to find that. Jamal Crawford? Nice player, but are we talking Kobe Bryant? This is what the Bulls need to do: Get McDyess and Charlie Ward, the latter having fallen to third point guard with Illinois' Frank Williams starting for the Knicks. Combined, McDyess and Ward make almost $20 million and are in the last season of contracts. The Knicks are looking to compete now. Would the Knicks take Antonio Davis and Jerome Williams? Probably not Williams. The Bulls might have to sweeten the pot with Crawford. Or Kirk Hinrich. The point is getting $20 million off the books (to chase Kobe Bryant). ____ Perhaps we can get in on one of these firesales. Personally, I would love to get Kirk Hinrich from Chicago and/or Lampe or Sweetney from New York. (Forget Kurt Thomas, please. He's aging, expensive and too small for the West. Also, Ward is only a stopgap as a backup PG. His career is in the past.) Also, I wonder about picking up Vranes -- a real project -- but at 7-5, if he has any kind of game, can you imagine him paired with Yao? Woof. Hinrich could take over the PG duties immediately, and Lampe has the tools to be Troy Murphy times two. Chaney has done nothing to teach or motivate Lampe because Chaney is very much like Rudy T. -- great with older, more disciplined players but not a teacher like JVG. In short, it's not the big game we should be after but the ones with the "potential" we sought with Eddie Griffin.
In that article they don't talk very favorably of Tyson Chandler either. I wonder if there is any deal that could bring him to Houston? Tyson has been hurt most of the season but the guy has super star written all over him. Imagine him and Yao Ming teamed together. Starting at center, 7'5" Yao Ming and at power forward 7'1" Tyson Chandler. Wholy cow that would have to be the tallest line up of all time! Personally I don't think the Bulls view him as untouchable but who knows. Does anyone think that the Bulls would consider a trade that would include: Steve Francis for Tyson Chandler Jamal Crawford Scottie Pippen (Pippen will never play again so this would be aquiring his contract just to make the deal work...nothing else and he would never even need to come to Houston) That would give us a line-up of Jamal Crawford Cat JJ Tyson Chandler Yao Ming Bench of Pike Cato MoT Moochie
Steve Francis for Jamal Crawford? that's like trading for another Steve francis in a 6'5 body without the explosive leaping ability.
Getting Chandler is too much to even dream about. Even though I am a fan of Steve Francis, I would do that deal if you substitute Hinrich (a true PG) for Crawford.
They would if they really thought they could acquire Bare Bryant. Can you imagine Steve and Kobe playing in the same backcourt with a more savvy Curry at center in the E.C.? The East would finally have a respectable team (compared to the West) again.
I didn't want to start a new thread, but here is another fire sale player -- one a lot of board members wanted to draft in the second round this past summer. AUBURN HILLS, MICH. -- James Lang, the Hornets' second-round pick who bypassed college to enter last June's draft, was waived by the team Monday. Bob Bass, the Hornets executive vice president of basketball operations/general manager, said the team had hopes of possibly moving Lang off the injured list to the active roster, but he hadn't shown enough potential in the past three months to warrant the move. "The coaches had a good look at him and we all had a good look," Bass said. "But the decision was made that he wasn't going to be able to do that (play on the active roster this season)." Bass said they had a greater need to keep a vacant roster spot available in case an injury occurs. Lang, 6 feet 10, 305 pounds, had been on the injured list since the season opener. He had participated in some practices and was on a conditioning program set by the team. After he was selected by the Hornets with their 48th pick, Coach Tim Floyd put him through several workouts before he was offered a contract. "He's a good young man and he really did everything we asked of him," Floyd said. "We feel James is a ways away from helping our basketball team and the organization was looking for some flexibility roster-wise." At Central Park (Ala.) Christian School last season, Lang averaged 21 points, 14 rebounds and four blocks. Lang, who could not be reached for comment, can now sign with any NBA team or foreign-league team.
I'm a Bulls fan, and I think Paxson might consider that deal. Paxson also might be inclined to trade Curry instead of Chandler. We Bulls fans generally go back and forth on who we like more. Chandler certainly has a more competitive attitude and is a superior defender and rebounder, but Curry is simply an absolute freak of nature. The guy is 6'11 285, a former gymnast, can still do back flips, and has hands like catcher mitts. Paxson is in love with Hinrich, and for good reason. The guy is all about the team, he's a very good defender and has shown recently that he can shoot the ball well. And he's an underrated athlete. I think Paxson would seriously consider pairing Francis at SG with Hinrich at PG. How is Francis's defense? I also think Paxson would prefer to keep Pippen and send ERob. Unless Paxson doesn't think Chandler can play Center, my preferred deal would be: ROCKETS TRADE Steve Francis BULLS TRADE Jamal Crawford Eddie Robinson Eddy Curry But your original proposal is pretty intriguing as well.
Everybody talks about Crawford, but Hinrich is the real deal. I'd do the deal for Curry or Chandler but only if Hinrch were included. Then the Bulls could chase Bare Bryant to their hearts' content.
