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Some quick tidbits from Portland

In consecutive reports, Oregonian beat reporter Jason Quick mentions "I don't think there is any question the Trail Blazers will look to add some veteran experience at point guard this offseason." and then follows with a more meaty statement:

Chicago has notified Portland that point guard Kirk Hinrich is "untouchable" in trade talks, so you can scratch off the list any of those Zach Randolph for Kirk Hinrich scenarios.

And speaking of Randolph, the Oregonlive BlazersBlog disputes KC Johnson's claim that the Bulls are skeptical on acquiring Randolph due to his poor practice habits:

I've never heard a single person, on or off the record, mention that Zach doesn't go hard in practice. In fact even those who might not like Z-Bo's behavior, on or off the court, consider him a hard worker in the gym.

Not that I treat either as the truth, I just hope that the team is more concerned about how Randolph practices than his 'extracurricular activites'.

0 recs  |  Comment 34 comments

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Im really not a big ZBO fan.
I think cause he's ugly.
Tim Duncan is a robot!

by joejoeEnglish94bulls4ever on Jun 9, 2007 11:12 AM CDT reply actions   0 recs

LOL!
You're a funny guy joejoe.
Who will come and who will go? Stay tuned!

by sue369 on Jun 9, 2007 12:10 PM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

Check this picture
and tell me he's not cute.

by Kantut on Jun 9, 2007 1:03 PM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

The guy looks like a black version of the
Staypuff Marshmellow Man, especially when he scowls.

by 1958ChiTown on Jun 9, 2007 1:46 PM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

mj and scottie were untouchables
The bulls dont have any untouchable players as they are currently constructed.  This guy doesnt know what he's talkin about.

by DannyRange on Jun 9, 2007 1:01 PM CDT reply actions   0 recs

Quick
I thought we had it bad with Sam Smith and his trade of the week.  This guy is a joke.  

My offseason play is to get Noah & Zack with only giving up a combination of Duhon, Krap, Noce (s&t), or Brown (s&t).  Giving up more than this doesn't make sense for the Bull's team.  

I keep hearing out of Portland that they hold all the cards.  They can talk all they want, but the truth of the matter is they do not want Randolph's contract or the playing time he would steal from Aldridge.  

Don't forget this team also is paying:
 Raef LaFrenz 11.5 mil for 3 years
 Joel Pryzbilla 5 mil for 5 years
 Darius Miles 7.75 mil for 4 years
 on top of 12 mil for 5 more years for ZBO.

Plus, NBA salaries usually grow towards the end of the contract.  These players are not even in the plans for next year, not to mention the future.  They want to build around Roy, Oden, & Aldrige.  Duhon & Noce would actually make sense for them.  If the Blazers want more, let them keep those inflated contracts.  

by Jesse07 on Jun 9, 2007 1:29 PM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

Kirk Hinrich is not an untouchable.
I'm sure he is untouchable when trading for this clown. Just think of the trouble he can find in Chicago, he would make Tank Johnson look like a choir boy.

by boerwinkle on Jun 10, 2007 9:39 AM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

what's he going to do?
tag the security sheds in North Shore gated communities?

by Paxson Jackson on Jun 10, 2007 9:49 AM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

What would the Bulls have to give up to
get Randolph?

#9 and Du or Noce?

That seems like a pretty good deal, even if Randolph is undersized.

by 1958ChiTown on Jun 9, 2007 1:58 PM CDT reply actions   0 recs

no it doesn't
not for that money.  I'd rather have the draft pick.
And with the 9th pick the Bulls select...

by bullshooter on Jun 9, 2007 2:14 PM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

the pick
I agree.  I would be very suprised if Paxson move the pick for ZBO.  Zack will bring the inside scoring, but we still would a short team.

by Jesse07 on Jun 9, 2007 2:20 PM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

Depends on the "extracurricular activites
What worries me is that they know the guy a lot better than we do.  He just had the best year of his career, averaging 24 and 10.  With that in mind, why are they seemingly so desperate to get rid of him?

by Big D on Jun 9, 2007 2:12 PM CDT reply actions   0 recs

salary obligations
Portland has to move either ZBO or D Miles because they just have too many big contracts.  Include Oden and what he will be due in 3 years, they have to do something soon.

by DannyRange on Jun 9, 2007 2:33 PM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

Dont forget
Roy & Aldridge are both going to get paid too.  One year before Oden.

by Jesse07 on Jun 9, 2007 2:39 PM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

The Bulls have the exact same issues,
Only worse, since their young players are up for extensions sooner than Portland's.  Hinrich's extension kicks in next season, and Deng and Gordon are up for extensions this summer.  Not to mention Wallace's big contract.

by Big D on Jun 9, 2007 2:57 PM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

except
that the Bulls aren't looking to move any of their players to free up time for others.  (Some will argue Du and Noc, but not like Zach or Miles.)
And with the 9th pick the Bulls select...

by bullshooter on Jun 9, 2007 3:09 PM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

Not as bad
The bulls don't have nearly the amount of money tied up in long-term contracts that Portland does. For example, in the 08/09 season, Lafrentz, Miles, and Przybilla salaries are almost $26 million combined. Those players are not going to play much. The bulls 08/09 obligations are also about $26 million, but to ben wallace, kirk, tyrus, and thabo. So Portland really does need to unload a big contract.

by smegmatic on Jun 10, 2007 9:10 AM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

edit
also lu, little ben, and viktor, and adrian make up some of that 26 million for the bulls.

by smegmatic on Jun 10, 2007 9:11 AM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

Hello from the Land of Ports
Why we want to get rid of Zach:
  1. We think he's going to stunt LaMarcus's progress, who our fans are convinced is another 20/10 stud and is a natural PF.  If we get Oden, it's a no brainer to start LaMarcus next to Oden and have a twin towers thing going.
  2. Portland fanbase is still reeling from the Jail Blazer years.  Zach's definitely not one of the worse offenders as far as stuff like brushes with the law goes, but our fans are hypersensitive, kind of how the Pacer fans are going to be for the next few years.  Frankly, I think our fanbase is being kind of ridiculous with this stuff -- "OMG Zach goes to strip clubs a lot?  The horrors!"
That's pretty much it.  We'll grouse about how he sometimes complains to officials instead of getting back on d, but hell, every low post player does that, even Saint Timmy Duncan.  He's not a great defender (although that's kind of exaggerated by our fanbase -- he's a below average defender, not atrociously awful -- he's decent pushing guys around on the low post but he's slow laterally and isn't great at defending the pick and roll).  He's a black hole, although I'm honestly not sure if that's not intentional -- Zach throwing one at the bucket against a double team has usually been a better option than passing it out to our bricklayers on the perimeter, who can airball everything no matter how open.

by howlingfantods on Jun 10, 2007 9:54 PM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

Oh and another thing
Frankly, unless yall have some way of getting KG or Gasol without giving up either Hinrich or Deng, I think yall would be crazy to pass on Zach for the #9 and Nocioni.  Gasol's no better than Zach, he's just a slightly better citizen, and Jerry West was asking for Deng, Sefolosha, TT, and the 9 right?

by howlingfantods on Jun 10, 2007 10:09 PM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

Gasol is twice as good as Zach for roughly the
same money.  Gasol is an efficent scorer that doesn't need to dominate the ball to score.  He's an excellent passer.  And can at least block shots on defense.  The problem with Gasol is the cost in talent in a trade is too high.  The problem with Randolph is the cost in his contract is way too high for what he produces.

by Scotter on Jun 12, 2007 12:59 PM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

agreed
Gasol is a far better option than Zach,  and it's the relative lack of talent needed to acquire Randolph that even makes him a part of the discussion.

I'm still holding out hope that the Grizzle will be so insanely cheap that they'll deal Pau.

by your friendly BullsBlogger on Jun 12, 2007 2:54 PM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

Well
I believe that Kirk would be untouchable in any Portland deal. But who are we kidding. Zach is the worst fit for the Bulls when it comes to big guys. Troubles aside, has anyone ever really seen the guy play? Once the ball goes to him, it seems to never go anywhere else. With a team built on passing and moving, this guy would be a nightmare for the Bulls.
The only Yi Jianlian fan here

by Option27 on Jun 9, 2007 2:50 PM CDT reply actions   0 recs

that is a fear of mine
but Im hoping the passing out of the double team will offset his "blackholeness"

by Jesse07 on Jun 9, 2007 3:30 PM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

Nothing escapes a black hole.
From what I've observed black hole players don't change when they get on good teams because their idea of what's a good shot has already been formed.

by Scotter on Jun 12, 2007 1:04 PM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

Comment that doesn't fit anywhere...
...but since this diary mentions changes, might as well.

This page has a consensus mock draft area.

The "meaningful" part, though, is that it has video of all the lottery draft probables except Nick Young. Granted, it's about 15-20 seconds of each, but I implore anyone with interest to watch Spencer Hawes. You can still say he's unathletic or whatever, but if anyone still thinks he's a "tall white stiff" after watching it...

Anyway, it was just kind of neat (the whole page). I don't really see the Bobcats taking Noah over Julian Wright with Wallace's impending free agency. They have Julian Wright to the Bulls, which doesn't make sense. But then, after watching his video, having he and Thomas at the 3 and four would be all kinds of athletic. Could he exist on the court with Deng and Thomas? That's not rhetorical if anyone has a guess--I don't know. I'd be gung ho for the similar experiment with Kevin Durant (even though the SG/SF defense would be awkward at best), but Wright doesn't seem to have an outside game.

Yeah, so... just wanted to share the link, and I ask anyone to watch the quick videos on the players. Hawes might not be fast, quick or jump that high, but I certainly wouldn't consider him a "stiff".

Yes, of course.

by tyger1147 on Jun 10, 2007 2:36 AM CDT reply actions   0 recs

Things don't look too good at #9
With a draft this deep with big men, the Bulls should try to move up as high as they can. Package Duhon, Noce, Viktor, Brown, plus our draft pick, and all of them are and/or. Send a third of the team for a higher pick, hopefully not touching the core and our wonderful rookies last year. The big men in this draft make me more excited that the World Naked Bike Ride Chicago which I saw last night and it was awesome!

by Kantut on Jun 10, 2007 4:01 AM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

Sort of off-topic...
but Hibachi is opting out of his contract after this season.  He says he's not necessarily looking to leave Washington, just that it's a smart business decision.

Seeing that I love Arenas, if the Bulls signed him I'd be so giddy that I might try to make it out to more than a game or two in 2008-09.

by CWSKeith on Jun 10, 2007 9:05 AM CDT reply actions   0 recs

the bulls couldn't sign him
assuming that he even tests the open market. The Bulls would still be responsible for extending Gordon and Deng, whether it's this summer or next. Paxson and the Wiz would have to sign and trade all 3 players. Garnett opting out and taking a pay cut to play for a contender seems more likely by comparison.

by Paxson Jackson on Jun 10, 2007 9:28 AM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

What if...
...they don't come to terms with Gordon this summer? Would Arenas be a good choice next summer, then? Would he be signable?
Yes, of course.

by tyger1147 on Jun 12, 2007 3:02 PM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

even then
(and a capologist could explain this better) the Bulls would be on the hook for too much money to offer a max contract outright. I believe the Wiz can also offer more years because of a CBA rule I can't explain. It might be possible if the Bulls just don't extend Gordon and Deng. Gil could back out, or the Bulls would become the Wizards. Wallace might turn in to Etan Thomas by then too.

by Paxson Jackson on Jun 12, 2007 3:44 PM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

True.
And I still don't understand how the Knicks can have such an outrageous salary if there's some sort of cap. I guess I don't really want to "get it". Way too complicated for my pea-sized brain.
Yes, of course.

by tyger1147 on Jun 12, 2007 4:22 PM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

quick answer
it's a 'soft' cap. you can sign your own players to exhorbinant contracts and be over the cap. you can use the exemptions every year. The knicks seem to do both and get way over.

One thing you can't do is sign another team's player . There's always sign-and-trades though...Arenas would have to go into operation shutdown to coax the Wiz into something like that though.

by your friendly BullsBlogger on Jun 12, 2007 4:59 PM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

New Generation
Outside of Duhon, Nocioni and the minute-men (Sweetney, Allen etc.), I don't think we should think about trading off anyone else. Paxson worked hard to bring in this young core. I think we should draft the best man at the point (if it is also a big then it's a bonus), blood the whole squad and have one of the best young cores in the NBA in a couple of years.

The draft this year is huge, we have ppl who are to be taken in the second round who can be expected to contribute. Picking 9th, I'd expect him to help out in the rotation at the very minimum.

ALthough I wouldn't mind some wheeling and dealing to bring in Demitrius Nichols. He seems to be a perfectly legit scoring option.

PS: is anyone as scared shitless as i am regarding how young and dominant Portland might be?

by blackmage71 on Jun 10, 2007 4:12 PM CDT reply actions   0 recs

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