Rumor: Deng gives deadline Options

[Balta1701-B]

Well, seems like it's getting to be gut check time. How high are we willing to go for him? He probably wants more than he was offered last year, and there's no way the team is going to give him a bigger offer than last year after a down season. Time to start thinking sign and trade?

Unless the Chicago Bulls can reach an agreement for a contract extension with restricted free agent Luol Deng before he departs to join the Great Britain national team in two weeks, he will end talks and tell management that he plans to leave the organization as a free agent next summer, a source close to Deng told Yahoo! Sports.

Deng is determined to come to terms on a long-term contract, but he has set an Aug. 4 deadline to reach an agreement. Once Deng, 23, leaves the country for the European Championship qualifying tournament, he will a sign a one-year qualifying offer for $4.5 million and become an unrestricted free agent in 2009.

The message to the Bulls promises to be implicit: Unless the two sides come to terms soon, Deng will never again negotiate with them. He will not let the uncertainty over his future hang over another basketball season, and unless a sign-and-trade is worked out, Deng will play out his final season in 2008-09 and sign elsewhere next summer.

When reached on Sunday, Deng’s agent, Jason Levien, would only say, “We continue to talk to the Bulls and remain hopeful that something can be accomplished.”

Recently, negotiations with the Bulls’ restricted free agents, Deng and guard Ben Gordon, took a dramatic turn when owner Jerry Reinsdorf decided to take over the talks himself. The Bulls made offers of $57.5 million and $50 million to Deng and Gordon last summer, but both players turned down those deals. Deng changed representation and hired Levien, who scored a five-year, $55 million extension for Sacramento’s Kevin Martin last year.

So far, the Bulls haven’t returned to that $57.5 million figure and the sides have remained significantly apart. If the Bulls believe Deng is serious about leaving next year, they may have no choice but to broker a sign-and-trade with one of the numerous suitors around the league. The Utah Jazz and Miami Heat are expected to be two of the most aggressive pursuers.

[SoxFan1]

fish our front office.

[Balta1701-B]

fish our front office.

If Deng said he wouldn't sign for less than 5/$65 right now, would you give it to him?

[SoxFan1]

If Deng said he wouldn't sign for less than 5/$65 right now, would you give it to him?

First off, where are you getting this number? Second...we have more money than any other NBA franchise. Stop being cheap.

[Chisoxfn]

I'd sign him. It wouldn't take that much but I'd sign him. The Bulls should at least offer what they did last year. Sure, Deng didn't have as good of a season but the Bulls were offering what would have been a discounted rate (he was 2 years from FA than, now only one, therefor, despite him not being as productive, he has more leverage, thus the offer from last year would be a fair starting point and I'd imagine something close to that would get a deal done).

Deng must be brought back unless the Bulls are going to get serious value for him in a sign and trade (and plan to also move Gordon elsewhere). However, given the base year status it is hard to get good value in a sign and trade. Bottom line, if they don't sign Deng, they better make a serious run at J Smooth from Atlanta.

[Chisoxfn]

There figures to be an avid trade market for Deng if it comes to that. Portland would probably be willing to give back Channing Frye and Travis Outlaw, which isn't a great option. It's conceivable Dallas would offer Josh Howard for Deng or Detroit might swap Tayshaun Prince.

I would throw-up if the Bulls got back Frye and Outlaw. I wouldn't deal with Detroit, especially not for Prince. However, you could get me to bite on Josh Howard. Howard had a down season but is a very good defensive guard and would fill a major void for the Bulls (even though he started at the 3, I consider him a legit 2 guard). The Bulls could plug Noc back into the starting lineup at the 3 (yes, its a downgrade from Deng but I think you could make the case that the upgrade at the 2 is even greater). The Bulls could than do whatever it took to work out a sign and trade involving Ben Gordon (or you sign Gordon as a 6th man who'd get minutes at the 2 when Noc was on the bench with Howard sliding to the 3) and whomever the hell else necessary to land Okafor.

Howard is older than Deng at 28 though and I still believe Deng is the best player on the Bulls roster (including Rose).

[Chisoxfn]

Note: I believe that this is the Deng camp putting the onus on the Bulls to get serious on a deal and that we'll see both sides get closer and work out an extension.

[TeaLeafReaderII]

Interesting. I could see Gordon gambling with the one year tender. He is about as healthy as they come and he is old enough that he can't quite count on getting the a second mega deal after the first one.

But Deng? Why would he risk the tender? He has history of nagging injuries. If he gets another one next year and plays half the season he loses a bunch of money. Plus he can count on at least one more chance to get a huge deal. Why not take the safe, but still huge, money the first time around and throw the dice with the second big contract?

I really hope Jerry can keep his ego in check during the negotiations.

[DutheDoduhon21]

i just hope they get it done as soon as possible so we can move on in our offseson and make some moves. both BG and Luols asking prices are too high especially after the seasons they had last year. not only do the bulls not want to offer them that much but i dont think any team will. i think reinsdorf just needs to step back and let pax handle it.

[Balta1701-B]

First off, where are you getting this number? Second...we have more money than any other NBA franchise. Stop being cheap.

That's me making up a number I would think is in the region of what they probably want...considering I'm pretty sure the max contract is right around that # also, I think that's a reasonable expectation.

[eddog2]

I would throw-up if the Bulls got back Frye and Outlaw. I wouldn't deal with Detroit, especially not for Prince. However, you could get me to bite on Josh Howard. Howard had a down season but is a very good defensive guard and would fill a major void for the Bulls (even though he started at the 3, I consider him a legit 2 guard). The Bulls could plug Noc back into the starting lineup at the 3 (yes, its a downgrade from Deng but I think you could make the case that the upgrade at the 2 is even greater). The Bulls could than do whatever it took to work out a sign and trade involving Ben Gordon (or you sign Gordon as a 6th man who'd get minutes at the 2 when Noc was on the bench with Howard sliding to the 3) and whomever the hell else necessary to land Okafor.

Howard is older than Deng at 28 though and I still believe Deng is the best player on the Bulls roster (including Rose).

I'd much rather have Frye & Outlaw than Josh Howard. I'd rather have Josh Smith but Josh Howard never. The guy is a good 3rd option but he's too inconsistent. And he's getting up there in age. Frye and Outlaw are both young (outlaw being only about 7 months older than Deng). Frye would make a good backup center/power forward for years to come.

I really like Outlaw and the way his game has been improving each year. He averaged 13.3 & 4.6 rpg in only 26 mpg and he significantly improved his 3 point shooting and he made several late game clutch 4th quarter shots last year. Obviously, I don't want to lose Deng but if that's what we got in return it would be a hell of a lot better than nothing.

[dasox24]

I'd much rather have Frye & Outlaw than Josh Howard. I'd rather have Josh Smith but Josh Howard never. The guy is a good 3rd option but he's too inconsistent. And he's getting up there in age. Frye and Outlaw are both young (outlaw being only about 7 months older than Deng). Frye would make a good backup center/power forward for years to come.

I really like Outlaw and the way his game has been improving each year. He averaged 13.3 & 4.6 rpg in only 26 mpg and he significantly improved his 3 point shooting and he made several late game clutch 4th quarter shots last year. Obviously, I don't want to lose Deng but if that's what we got in return it would be a hell of a lot better than nothing.

I don't really know much about Outlaw's game, but looking at those stats, he's looks like a legit starter at SF. If he got 33 mpg like Deng, his averages would be like 16 and 6. Now, the scoring would be down from Deng's, but the rest of his stats would be about the same or better. Don't get me wrong, I'd much rather keep Deng on our team, but if worst came to worst, I wouldn't mind a package of Frye and Outlaw coming back to the Bulls. Actually, if the other alternative was losing him as a FA, then I'd be very happy with that deal.

If Frye could get back to playing ~25 mpg like his 1st 2 seasons with the Knicks, then I think you could see his #'s go to around 12 and 5 per game, which would be pretty solid as a PF/C off the bench. It could allow us to move Noah, TT, or Gooden along with Gordon and whoever else in a deal for a bigger player, which would be nice.