Bulls Forgetting Bryant, Focusing On Gasol?

[MapleLeaf]

From realgm.com

Kobe Bryant will play against the team who he wants to join tonight, when the Bulls meet the Lakers at the Staples Center.

However, according to Mark Heisler of the Los Angeles Times, General Manager John Paxson is now reportedly focusing on lower-key players like Memphis' Pau Gasol in deals that won't make headlines for a week.

Paxson did talk to the Lakers about Bryant, but, according o Heisler, those talks were just exploratory and quickly spiraled out of control.

Happy with his uncomplicated, up-and-coming young team, Paxson just wanted to know if the Lakers were holding a fire sale like Minnesota's for Kevin Garnett

 

[DJT]

Thats better. Bulls need an inside big man...not Kobe.

 

[bestkeptsecret13]

I don't know why Kobe would want to come to Chicago right now... His Lakers are blowing out the Bulls by 20 right now.

 

[Mexi]

I don't know why Kobe would want to come to Chicago right now... His Lakers are blowing out the Bulls by 20 right now.

yeah, we won by 28!

I was looking at the teams, and Kobe's better off in LA
This Bulls team, which would be depleated if Kobe went there, wouldnt be as good as this Lakers team is

I guess the only positive is that he would be in the East

 

[bestkeptsecret13]

If we traded for Kobe, we'd probably trade Gordon, Nocioni, Thomas and/or Noah and draft picks, that leaves us with Ben Wallace, Joe Smith, Luol Deng, Kobe Bryant and Kirk Hinrich in the starting lineup. I'd definetly take that over Andrew Bynum, Kwame Brown, Lamar Odom, Kobe Bryant and Jordan Farmar or whoever starts for the Lakers, so I'm not sure I'd say that he's better off with the Lakers supporting class. Anybody who thinks John Paxson is going to trade Luol Deng AND Ben Gordon is out of their mind. Even if Paxson wanted to trade them both, which he wouldn't, Kobe would veto the trade, because he wants Lu to be his Scottie Pippen.

As for this Pau Gasol talk, I'm not sure how interested I am... I can understand it, because we do need a low post scorer, but it would just change how this team plays so much, that I'm not sure it's something that could work mid-season. Trading for Kobe, we are able to replace BG at SG with Bryant, trading BG for Gasol leaves us with a hole at the 2 guard spot. I'm not sure Sefolosha is ready to step in there either, so I'm not real sure how this would work out.

 

[Whisper]

There is no Kobe to Chicago unless Deng is involved in the trade... so poops to that.
Besides the Lakers are playing some great ball right now, hustle n' flow. Farmar is vastly outplaying Fisher right now, Bynum was having fun with Big Ben, and the bench mob as a whole is just stepping it up, and Kobe aint no VC thats for sure, thats one thing I knew for certain coming into the season, KB aint gonna tank it, he's one of the hardest working players in the league regardless of the situation.

 

[bestkeptsecret13]

There is no Kobe to Chicago unless Deng is involved in the trade...

Then there is no Kobe to Chicago at all... Kobe won't accept the trade, simple as that.

 

[Pugz]

Then there is no Kobe to Chicago at all... Kobe won't accept the trade, simple as that.

Give Kobe time he may accept a trade to the Bulls or any team just wait untill the Trade deadline comes around he WILL be traded.

 

[gocelts34]

I think the Bulls best bet is to go after Pau, rather then gutting there whole team for Kobe. Even if they got Kobe, there still missing the one thing that has held them back, an inside scoring threat. If the Bulls could pull of a trade for Gasol giving up one of the big three, Ty, Nocionni, and some picks, then were talkin contender.

However, I still don't see why Memphis would trade him. He said he doesn't mind staying in Memphis, and he is a great piece to build around.

 

[bestkeptsecret13]

If I remember right, Memphis was extremeley interested in Nocioni during the off-season, so packaging him with a couple players and maybe a trade pick might be enough to get it done.

 

[gocelts34]

Your not getting Gasol without throwin Deng/Hinrich/Gordon in the mix.

 

[Pugz]

Your not getting Gasol without throwin Deng/Hinrich/Gordon in the mix.

It'd prolly be like
Gordon and Noci a drfat pick and maybe 2 fillers.

 

[gocelts34]

PG-Chris Duhon SG-Kirk Hinrich SF-Loul Deng PF-Pau Gasol C-Ben Wallace

Maybe throw Wallace into the mix rather then Nocionni (if there willing to take on his contract)

PG-Kirk Hinrich SG-Loul Deng SF-Andres Nocionni PF-Joe Smith C-Pau Gasol

 

[Pugz]

PG-Chris Duhon SG-Kirk Hinrich SF-Loul Deng PF-Pau Gasol C-Ben Wallace

Maybe throw Wallace into the mix rather then Nocionni (if there willing to take on his contract)

PG-Kirk Hinrich SG-Loul Deng SF-Andres Nocionni PF-Joe Smith C-Pau Gasol

I think if Ben did get thrown in then Ty or Noci would play PF.
And if they did make Duhon there PG Kirk wouldn't play SG.
He would still run the team at the Point but play D on Sg's.

 

[game385]

Who care's about Gasol! He hasn't been able to get his team one playoff win in all the years that Memphis went to the post season.
How about this scenario;
Trade Gordon, Nocioni, Noah, and draft picks to L.A. for Kobe. Then go after Chris Webber he's better than Smith, and will provide a formidable inside scoring presence. Plus he's still hungry to win a ring and I'm sure if a deal was made for Kobe that would open up a spot on the Bulls for him theres no way he couldn ignore that opportunity. You then have a starting line-up of Hinrich, Kobe, Deng, Webber, & Wallace. With Duhon, Thomas, Sefolosha, & Smith as your primary bench players.
or maybe even start Thomas and have Webber come off the bench as your sixth man.
This would also give Aaron Gray a bit more playing time and opportunity to grow.

 

[DJT]

The Bulls also may want to try and go after JO. He will probably be easier to get then Pau.

 

[bestkeptsecret13]

LOL - game385's post is exactly what I've been dreaming about for awhile now. I know there's no way in hell in happens, but it's just funny to see somebody who's thinking the same thing I've been talking about.

 

[Sabbath]

Pau Gasol is garbage. He is the exact opposite of a good player. Every year he gets worse and worse.

 

[Pugz]

Pau Gasol is garbage. He is the exact opposite of a good player. Every year he gets worse and worse.

What I would love if he canme to the Pistons.

 

[Mexi]

Give Kobe time he may accept a trade to the Bulls or any team just wait untill the Trade deadline comes around he WILL be traded.

with the way the Lakers are playing, he's fine