Chisoxfn

QUOTE (witesoxfan @ Feb 18, 2010 -> 12:35 PM) Finally got my US Passport information in today, with intentions of going to China from May 12th-24th. So f***ing excited. If you were there a month earlier we'd bump into each other. Did you get your visa too?

Plus, its Kenny f***ing Williams people, the guy is the most active trader on the market every year, so if a big fish is there, you know damn well he'll see what he can do.

QUOTE (fathom @ Feb 18, 2010 -> 03:01 PM) It is cause the asking price is too high, or the Padres just are looking for every excuse not to trade him yet? Reports out of Boston are that he's not available. I think its a bit of both. Everyone is available for the right price, but the Sox aren't interested in offering up what the Pads want. But obviously that is just my speculation based upon the stuff I've heard and read.

QUOTE (EvilJester99 @ Feb 18, 2010 -> 03:00 PM) Don't be messin with my emotions Smokey....getting me excited about AGon.... I'm not saying it will happen. Right now it appears San Diego is pretty content on keeping him unless they get a real strong offer. But if he is available the Sox are gonna make a push and have made plenty of attempts during the off-season already.

QUOTE (fathom @ Feb 18, 2010 -> 02:51 PM) I wish people would give up on getting Adrian Gonzalez. It's obvious that when he's available, Boston will be the heavy favorite to get him. They have better prospects at nearly every position, as well as the payroll to give him the extension a team will want to give him before trading for him. If you've heard what I've heard, you'd know that it would be foolish to give up on Adrian. The Sox have tried on multiple occasions and as of now the asking price is too high in their minds. That could change though, you never know.

Damn it, you got me super excited.

QUOTE (SoxFan1 @ Feb 18, 2010 -> 11:42 AM) He's basically a cheaper Larry Hughes. Except when Hughes wanted to he was at least long and athletic and could pick the passing lanes like nobodies business (of course as a whole, Hughes sucked ass defensively, cause he's usually pretty lazy).

Wow, I didn't realize how bad of a shooter Flip Murray really is.

QUOTE (MHizzle85 @ Feb 18, 2010 -> 11:33 AM) You being out in CA, i'm sure you've got a better gauge on things than I do. But I just don't see how he overtakes Kobe. Kobe tends to be a polarizing figure out here who isn't as well liked as the national media might think. There are still tons of people that think the Lakers are a better team without him (which is f***ing ridiculous).

QUOTE (MHizzle85 @ Feb 18, 2010 -> 11:32 AM) As far as the Bulls go, I'm satisfied with them moving Tyrus & Salmons. I'm a Hinrich fan so I'm glad they're not moving him. If they could somehow move Deng this afternoon that would be brilliant. If we don't get a draft pick out of the Tyrus Thomas deal, than we made a f***ing awful trade because Al Harrington >>>> Acie Law/Flip for the remainder of this season.

QUOTE (MHizzle85 @ Feb 18, 2010 -> 11:31 AM) I just don't see Lebron going to LA, he'd be the #2 guy to Kobe there. He may get more spotlight, but not as much as he'd get in another big market. I actually think Lebron would instantly be the big guy in LA.

QUOTE (SoxAce @ Feb 18, 2010 -> 11:30 AM) Ugh.. my least favorite player on the Bulls for quite some time, and now I have to continue to watch his ass dribble out the shot clock, horrid court awareness for a PG, turnover prone, takes horrid shots on fastbreaks ass, etc.. another 3 months (possibly longer) again.. ridiculous. He's a pretty valuable player. Does so many things well. He's a huge reason the team is where it is right now (contending). He's just a bit over-paid.

QUOTE (KyYlE23 @ Feb 18, 2010 -> 11:25 AM) Why would LeBron want to go to NY with the crap they have. He is in the exact same situation, it would be a lateral move, and with Bosh it would be slightly better but they arent going to have tons of money to spend on other FAs because they are gonna be giving out two max contracts. Im not saying it wont happen, but if a player looks at both situations, the Bulls are a much better situation to step in and win tons of games and probably championships. The Knicks might eventually be there, but I think the Bulls stand a much better chance of competing for a title immediately. A friend and I have a theory that Lebron might shock the world and go to LA for the Clippers. He'd put them on a map and they'd instantly be a title contender. Plus I think he'd love the spotlight that he'd get there. LA > New York

QUOTE (WHarris1 @ Feb 18, 2010 -> 11:24 AM) How do you see us signing both of them though? The Bulls might have to move Deng, but they still might be able to find a creative way to do a sign and trade. Basically get one of them inked and than work out a sign and trade for the other. It can be done, just not quite as easy.

QUOTE (SoxFan1 @ Feb 18, 2010 -> 11:20 AM) As it currently stands, the Bulls have $31.1 million in contracts due to 6 players next season. That is before any draft pick salaries. The cap is expected to be somewhere between $51-52 millions. So if they moved Hinrich they'd be about 28M under the cap, which is pretty close to being able to offer 2 max deals.

QUOTE (WHarris1 @ Feb 18, 2010 -> 11:18 AM) Agreed. It's just truly impossible to predict how the dominoes might fall this summer. As a Bulls fan worse case scenario is Wade+FA in Miami, 2 FAs to NYK. Even if we sign Joe Johnson we don't contend for a title. Unless, the Bulls can find a way to get Joe Johnson and than an Al Jefferson or soemthing along those lines. Joe Johnson is a phenomenal upgrade for the Bulls. He's about the perfect 2 guard you can put next to Drose. Good size, great all around player. The team would just miss that low post offensive threat. Basically put, Rose/Johnson/Deng/Scoring PF/Noah would be one hell of a starting lineup!!!

QUOTE (LittleHurt05 @ Feb 18, 2010 -> 11:14 AM) I think the latter will happen. They will have to spend a lot of the money but it wont be on anybody named James, Bosh, or Wade. Maybe Joe Johnson, but that wont get em too far with the rest of the team they have. Johnson is a better fit in Chicago and he wants to win. If Johnson goes to New York, he'll be on a s***ty team where he's the star, but they go nowhere. To me the best fits for Chicago are the following: LBJ (DUH, best player in the NBA), Chris Bosh (big man that would be perfect with Rose/Deng), Joe Johnson (perfect 2 guard to put alongside Rose), and than Dwade. I really feel like this team would be an instant championship contender with Bosh/Johnson and that would be almost my ideal off-season. It would be f***ing huge to add those two guys.

QUOTE (WHarris1 @ Feb 18, 2010 -> 11:11 AM) The thing is there roster has very little to offer in the way of enticing free agents. What happens if Wade+1 Max go to Miami, LBJ stays in Cleveland, another max to the Bulls, and another max to the Clips. I completely agree. I actually think the three best teams to offer are as follows: Heat - If Wade resigns and they have enough for another max, clearly they would be huge Chicago - Might have 2 max's plus Rose/Noah/Deng; Worse case you have 1 max plus Rose/Noah/Deng/Hinrich. Pretty f***ing solid Clippers - Eric Gordon/Blake Griffin - Griffin will be a stud. Add Baron Davis (who is still solid), Kaman and the ability to offer 1 max and again, very solid Nets - Devin Harris and Lopez are pretty nice pieces, lots of money and a pending move into Brooklyn gives them a pretty big market to play in as well Knicks - Huge market, but all of the above offer that too; s*** for talent to surruond the guys with but lots of money and a top coach.

I'm doing Fuddruckers today.

QUOTE (WHarris1 @ Feb 18, 2010 -> 11:08 AM) Great/risky move by the Knicks. Could end up with a mega tandem or a complete fail and decimated roster. The Knicks really didn't give up that much. They are gonna spend money on two guys no matter what this off-season. It just might not be the 2 they want so either way it isn't as if they will be in a lottery position anyway (so those picks most likely won't be as valuable).

Hollinger is saying Hinrich won't be moved and Chicago radio is reporting that Del Negro was lobbying for the Bulls to keep Hinrich. Hinrich on the team makes them a pretty good favorite to make the playoffs, but if you move him and can get to that 2 max position, do it, otherwise keep him.

QUOTE (SoxAce @ Feb 18, 2010 -> 11:06 AM) If Hinrich is still a Bull later on today Gar/Pax should be fired. I don't care if the Lakers offered Morrison straight up for Hinrich, you have to jump on that. The problem is that deal won't work. The only other guy the Lakers can offer is Sasha and Sasha will make a good chunk of money still and the Bulls dont' want that. So if you are going to keep salary, you might as well keep Hinrich cause he's 1000 times the player that Sasha is (and I like Sasha and actually think he'd be a good fit cause he's a good shooter).

Sounds like the Bulls are done. I'd love it if they found a way to grab Bosh now, but unlikely. Hinrich probably won't go anymore since Tmac is in New York. Unless somehow a 3rd team jumps in that would have interest in Sasha.

QUOTE (ChWRoCk2 @ Feb 18, 2010 -> 10:56 AM) We mind as well play Alexander, Law and Warrick to see if any of them stick. I wouldn't mind bringing some of them back on "minimal" contracts after going after the major free agents. As of now, Law and Alexander are mega busts. Warrick is meh. And the Bulls swapping draft picks for this year probably won't be much of a reality because I still think the Bulls make the playoffs.

QUOTE (Palehosefan @ Feb 18, 2010 -> 10:33 AM) Say what? The Rockets made out like bandits. They received Kevin Martin, Jordan Hill, Jared Jefferies, the right to swap 2011 1st round picks and the Knicks 2012 1st round pick from what I understand. http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=4924836 Did you see how much money they took on? How the hell are they gonig to be any good? I guess if Yao comes back they'll be better, but they have a lot of highly paid wing players.