Newly acquired Bulls Jameer Nelson and Tony Allen shouldn’t get too comfortable in Chicago, writes Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times. Both players served as salary fillers in the deal that sent Nikola Mirotic to New Orleans, and neither may remain with the Bulls after Thursday’s trade deadline.
‘‘We now have a situation where we’re invested in these young guys,’’ said VP of basketball operations John Paxson. ‘‘Our focus remains on growth and development of them. This is consistent with what we set out to do on draft night.’’
The term “young guys” doesn’t describe Nelson, who turns 36 next week, or Allen, who reached that age last month. They may be able to provide short-term help for a contender, but they don’t have a place on a rebuilding team like the Bulls. They also carry affordable, expiring deals, with salaries of about $1.43MM for Nelson and $1.47MM for Allen.
There’s more news today out of Chicago:
- Cowley suggests in the same piece that Paxson would be willing to move anyone on the roster except Lauri Markkanen, Zach LaVine and Kris Dunn in exchange for a young player or draft pick, even if it means taking on a large salary in return. That’s what the Bulls did in the deal with the Pelicans, absorbing Omer Asik‘s contract to obtain a top-five protected first-rounder from New Orleans. “To acquire a [protected] first-round pick in the trade for Niko I think fits the direction this team is heading,” Paxson added. “Obviously, we’re going to have our pick, which will be a very high pick, and then we’ll see what happens with that New Orleans pick.’’
- The Thunder have talked to the Bulls about acquiring Allen, according to K.C. Johnson of The Chicago Tribune. Oklahoma City needs defensive help in the backcourt after a ruptured patellar tendon knocked out Andre Roberson for the rest of the season. Chicago has been offering up point guard Jerian Grant around the league for several weeks, Johnson adds.
- An illness has complicated Dunn’s return from a concussion he suffered January 17, Cowley writes in a separate story. Dunn was progressing through the early stages of concussion protocol before getting sick. He has been ruled out for Monday’s game at Sacramento and may not play again before the All-Star break. Dunn still needs to finish the protocol and get some practice time before he will be cleared to return.
Who’s Josh Paxson?
Josh Paxson?
The third Paxson brother!
He works closely with Dar Seeman.
Well duh…the Bulls should put everyone on the trade market except for Dunn, Lauri and LaVine.
I would really like to keep Lopez because I think he’s a quality true 7 foot center that can spread the floor, which is rare in the NBA, and Markkanen and Dunn are not going to develop more if they just have garbage surrounding them BUT since they have already used most of their cap space for this offseason with the Asik deal ($27 mil currently but LaVine and Nwaba have to be paid), they may as well package Lopez with Nelson and/or Allen to take on another bad contract to get a 1st or something if they can. Asik assures 2018-19 is going to be bad. Might as well truly punt on it for 2019-20.
Trade Nwaba then. There’s a few teams who could use a defensive specialist, and he would come cheaper than Bradley.
Robin Lopez cannot spread the floor you fool
You clearly haven’t watched Bulls games. Hee can consistently knock down 15-18 foot jumpers.
Doug Collins and John Paxson have the team going in the right direction.
Thank good it seems as though Gar Forman has been neutered, and is now “GM in name only.”
Keep selling high on as many pieces as possible (except for Lauri, Lavine, and Dunn), and keep stockpiling draft picks.
Once NBA stars see that the organization is being managed to win (which they finally are), and that they have a great core (which they do), they’ll be able to sign a few great veterans…..finally.
Another year or two, and this team will be the “Golden State of the East.”
You had me all the way untill “The Golden State of the East”
Not sure why. They’re extremely young, fast, play with heart, loyal, built around the “3 ball,” are buying into the system, work well together, and there’s no reason they can’t be just as great — eventually.
To say they will be the Golden State the east in a year or two shows you know nothing about the NBA. in another year or two they might squeak into the playoffs and get killed in the first round.