Plus they get another guy to take minutes away from Tyrus.

I doubt Tim Thomas plays much if Tyrus can keep up with the improved play. Tyrus does get into foul trouble so its good to have another bigger guy around. With Rose, Gordon and Hinrich around and Thabo and Salmons playing a little 2 on the side, there is very little room for guards, so the roster is more balanced at the very least. Maybe a little better, but I hope they don't make the playoffs. I don't think it would serve a purpose.

I doubt Tim Thomas plays much if Tyrus can keep up with the improved play. Tyrus does get into foul trouble so its good to have another bigger guy around. With Rose, Gordon and Hinrich around and Thabo and Salmons playing a little 2 on the side, there is very little room for guards, so the roster is more balanced at the very least. Maybe a little better, but I hope they don't make the playoffs. I don't think it would serve a purpose.

 

No doubt. Anytime one or two of the bigs got into trouble, VDN had to run out a 4 guard line up. I'll be happy to never see Thabo, Ben, Rose, and Hughes out on the floor at the same time again. Now the Bulls have a legitimate big man rotation. How long has it been?

It's addition by subtraction.

 

Hughes was obviously a clubhouse cancer, and he should get a chance to play for the Knicks now at the SG spot. Being a 30.5% career 3 point shooter won't endear him to Mike D'Antoni though I would have thought.

 

Thomas will replace Nocioni at the backup SF spot, with Salmons backing up Gordon. I'd actually think Gordon should go to the bench now with Salmons starting, and Ben being that Jason Terry instant offense type of player again.

 

James will obviously never play, and Robertson is a scrub.

 

Talent wise the Knicks win obviously, but it'll be interesting to see how Hughes will mesh with that team.

 

They also acquired Chris Wilcox for Malik Rose, in a deal I really like for the Knicks.

 

Lee and Wilcox could give you both double - double's.

 

Really like how Donnie Walsh has that team saving cap room for 2010 and has upgraded the roster since he's been in charge. Very underrated job he's doing here in New York.

No doubt. Anytime one or two of the bigs got into trouble, VDN had to run out a 4 guard line up. I'll be happy to never see Thabo, Ben, Rose, and Hughes out on the floor at the same time again. Now the Bulls have a legitimate big man rotation. How long has it been?

Vinny will still run out the small lineup. Just watch. It's his thing.

Shaq in Cleveland?

 

ESPN.com's Marc Stein reports that a trade of Shaquille O'Neal to the Cavs is unlikely to happen.

 

The rumored deal had the Cavs sending Sasha Pavlovic and Ben Wallace to Phoenix in exchange for Shaq, but it appears that offer wasn't enough for the Suns, who want Wally Szczerbiak's expiring contract instead of Wallace. We'll continue to watch this situation closely up until the deadline, but at this point we're not expecting to see Shaq in a Cavs uniform at the end of the day.

It's addition by subtraction.

 

Hughes was obviously a clubhouse cancer, and he should get a chance to play for the Knicks now at the SG spot. Being a 30.5% career 3 point shooter won't endear him to Mike D'Antoni though I would have thought.

 

Thomas will replace Nocioni at the backup SF spot, with Salmons backing up Gordon. I'd actually think Gordon should go to the bench now with Salmons starting, and Ben being that Jason Terry instant offense type of player again.

 

James will obviously never play, and Robertson is a scrub.

 

Talent wise the Knicks win obviously, but it'll be interesting to see how Hughes will mesh with that team.

 

They also acquired Chris Wilcox for Malik Rose, in a deal I really like for the Knicks.

 

Lee and Wilcox could give you both double - double's.

 

Really like how Donnie Walsh has that team saving cap room for 2010 and has upgraded the roster since he's been in charge. Very underrated job he's doing here in New York.

 

Ben should not go to the bench for Salmons. If you think Ben is a blackhole on offense, you really have seen nothing yet compared to Salmons.

 

i'll tell you one thing, Larry Hughes is gonna love it in NY under D'Antoni...just shoot the ball quickly and dont worry about playing defense...sounds like his type of game plan...

Ben should not go to the bench for Salmons. If you think Ben is a blackhole on offense, you really have seen nothing yet compared to Salmons.

Never said that.

 

My point is, Salmons could stick with the Bulls until 2011 while Gordon will probably leave after this season.

 

I'd know who I'd rather keep happy out of the 2.

 

Salmons offers better D, and has an underrated offensive game (47FG% and 41.9 3PTFG% this season) and has better defense than Gordon for mine.

 

Of course Gordon has the better offensive ability out of the 2, but I still think his role for the Bulls would be best served as an instant offense guy off the bench playing 30mins a night.

Marc Stein: Looks like we have a fairly significant three-way deal that has been submitted to the league just before the trade deadline.

 

NBA front-office sources tell ESPN.com that Orlando is acquiring Rafer Alston from Houston to fill the void created at point guard by Jameer Nelson's shoulder injury.

 

The Rockets will receive Memphis guard Kyle Lowry, Orlando forward Brian Cook and perhaps two other minimum-salaried players to make the finances work.

 

The Grizzlies will receive a first-round pick from Orlando.

 

Yep, I thought after last night something was going to go down.

 

Anyone know of Alston's contract situation?

 

At least he'll provide an upgrade at PG over Johnson and Lue.

 

And it's not like we'll miss a late 1st rounder in a weak draft with a guaranteed 3 year contract anwyays.

If there is one thing I have learned from this trading deadline, it is that a lot of NBA players make way, way too much money for being bad.

 

Jerome James makes 6.8 million?

Raef LaFrentz - $12 million???

Wally Szczerbiak - $13 million????

 

I am sure the list goes on and on but who in the world signed these players to these contracts??????

If there is one thing I have learned from this trading deadline, it is that a lot of NBA players make way, way too much money for being bad.

 

Jerome James makes 6.8 million?

Raef LaFrentz - $12 million???

Wally Szczerbiak - $13 million????

 

I am sure the list goes on and on but who in the world signed these players to these contracts??????

James = Isiah Thomas. Enough said. He got that deal based on 1 playoff series for the SuperSonics.

LaFrentz - I think it was either Denver or Boston's GM at the time about 7 years ago who signed that deal. And to think LaFrentz was the 3rd pick in the draft back in the day.

Szcerbiak - Kevin McHale I believe. That's why he's a head coach now and not the GM.

That was the big thing in the NBA a few years ago, long and gigantic contracts to big centers. Ah the good days of stable economy and millionaire 7 feet white centers.

Per the Score

 

Thabo dealt to OKC for a 2009 first round pick.

 

WHAT A DEAL!

 

They have Phoenix and Denver and their own, but I’ll take that!

 

Interesting trade from the Thunder, but they have a lot of draft picks to burn.

 

I think it'll be the Spurs 1st rounder probably (so don't get your hopes up of it being an early one).

John Hollinger just said this;

 

John Hollinger: (4:08 PM ET ) SI.com's Ian Thomsen just reported that the Bulls deal Thabo Sefolosha to OKC for a 2009 first-round pick. That's a great deal for the Thunder, who really needed a quality 2 and defensive stopper to round out their rotation.

Getting anything for Thabo is an accomplishment. He can't play.

Getting anything for Thabo is an accomplishment. He can't play.

He's certainly not a good offensive player.

 

All the Thunder will ask of him is to guard to opposition's best PG/SG/SF and let Westbrook and Durant concentrate on their offense.

 

And he's an upgrade on Kyle Weaver, so for a late 1st rounder, I don't mind the deal at all for the Thunder.

 

If they draft Griffin and can sign a good center to rotate with Kristic next season, they're a serious contender for the playoffs next season.

(so don't get your hopes up of it being an early one).

I never would.

 

Considering he has no value to the Bulls, getting any pick in the top 30 is a great deal.

Cap implications: This clears a good amount of space under the Luxury Tax for the Bulls this year, might have been an important thing after the James deal.

 

OKC is holding 3 first round draft picks this year, their own, Denver's, and San Antonio's. Those 2 are both likely to be late first round. Both are lottery protected, but neither of those teams will be in the lottery. I don't know yet which pick it is.

 

Next year, Thabo would have earned $2.7 million, and in 2010 the Bulls would have had to make him a $3.8 million Qualifying offer as he'd be a RFA that offseason. Moving Thabo for a pick cuts $3.8 million off our salary in 2010.

 

The 2 draft picks for the Bulls, 1 around 15 and 1 around 20, will likely earn about $2.5 million together next year, $2.7 million in 2010, assuming they aren't otherwise packaged. This deal therefore clears about $1 million, give or take the exact pick the Bulls are getting and the exact draft order, off of the Bulls 2010 salary, and maybe a couple hundred thousand off of the Bulls 2009 salary.

He's certainly not a good offensive player.

 

All the Thunder will ask of him is to guard to opposition's best PG/SG/SF and let Westbrook and Durant concentrate on their offense.

 

And he's an upgrade on Kyle Weaver, so for a late 1st rounder, I don't mind the deal at all for the Thunder.

 

If they draft Griffin and can sign a good center to rotate with Kristic next season, they're a serious contender for the playoffs next season.

If the Bulls use the draft pick to actually select a player, it will be nothing for nothing, but financial savings. I think they will either trade it on draft night when someone who a team has its eye on slips or throw it in as a trade kicker, whatever it is, its better than paying Thabo $2 million a year to do what he does especially since there really aren't any minutes for him anymore.

I'll miss Thabo.

If the Bulls use the draft pick to actually select a player, it will be nothing for nothing, but financial savings. I think they will either trade it on draft night when someone who a team has its eye on slips or throw it in as a trade kicker, whatever it is, its better than paying Thabo $2 million a year to do what he does especially since there really aren't any minutes for him anymore.

If they wind up with a pick around say, 22 or 23, and a pick around 15 or so, I wonder if they'd be able to package them together and move up in to somewhere in the late lottery.

Cap implications: This clears a good amount of space under the Luxury Tax for the Bulls this year, might have been an important thing after the James deal.

 

OKC is holding 3 first round draft picks this year, their own, Denver's, and San Antonio's. Those 2 are both likely to be late first round. Both are lottery protected, but neither of those teams will be in the lottery. I don't know yet which pick it is.

 

Next year, Thabo would have earned $2.7 million, and in 2010 the Bulls would have had to make him a $3.8 million Qualifying offer as he'd be a RFA that offseason. Moving Thabo for a pick cuts $3.8 million off our salary in 2010.

 

The 2 draft picks for the Bulls, 1 around 15 and 1 around 20, will likely earn about $2.5 million together next year, $2.7 million in 2010, assuming they aren't otherwise packaged. This deal therefore clears about $1 million, give or take the exact pick the Bulls are getting and the exact draft order, off of the Bulls 2010 salary, and maybe a couple hundred thousand off of the Bulls 2009 salary.

The Magic may want to buy a late 1st rounder after dealing theirs for Alston (who's played his best ball under SVG also), but a lot of that depends on the Hedo Turkloglu contract negotiations.

 

I think it's a good deal for both teams. Thabo wasn't going to get any playing time with the acquisition of Salmons, and he'll go to a team where'll he get some decent playing time.

I'll miss Thabo.

He had his uses but he was just never effective. He needed to develop some semblance of an offensive game and he never did. We started with 2 guards, Gordon and Sef, one defense first, one offense first, and the offense one got better at defense than the other one ever got at offense.