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One source close to the process on Friday identified two main obstacles to the aforementioned three-way deal. Concerned about the quality of its backcourt rotation if it has to surrender Hinrich with Thomas after losing Ben Gordon in free agency, Chicago would insist that the Blazers surrender young guard Jerrod Bayless, which Portland is reluctant to do.

If it can't get Bayless, Chicago might still be willing to substitute Tim Thomas for Tyrus Thomas in the deal, but sources say Utah would likely balk if Tyrus Thomas is not included."

You are joking right? The Bulls think they can get Bayless for Kirk and Boozer for Tim Thomas. No wonder they can’t ever get a deal done. They are worse than trying to deal with you in fantasy basketball.

Kirk and Tyrus is fair trade for Boozer and something not named Bayless from Portland. (Blake, Outlaw, Rudy, ect.) How can the Bulls think they are going to replace Tim Thomas for Tyrus. If they get Boozer for Tim Thomas and Bayless for Kirk I’ll give JR/Gar credit for being the best negotiators ever.

I would love a Rose/Bayless backcourt option this year. We’d start Salmons but go small from time to time. Bayless can score. He’d make and excellent 6th man.

Give up Kirk & Tyrus & a future 1st and get Boozer/Bayless & Outlaw.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=4319607

Another major multi-team trade might be looming in the NBA with the Portland Trail Blazers, Utah Jazz and Chicago Bulls having discussed a deal that would be headlined by Carlos Boozer and Kirk Hinrich, according to NBA front-office sources.

Sources stressed to ESPN.com on Thursday that no deal was imminent, but two sources with knowledge of the three-team proposal confirmed that there have been detailed talks aimed at landing Boozer in Chicago, Hinrich in Portland and Tyrus Thomas in Utah.

These trade discussions, sources said, are the byproduct of a hard push by the Jazz to move Boozer in an attempt to create the financial flexibility needed to comfortably re-sign restricted free agent Paul Millsap, along with Portland's ongoing attempts to cash in on its nearly $8 million in available salary-cap space after Hedo Turkoglu made an 11th-hour switch to sign with the Toronto Raptors.

Sources say that, as a result, Utah and Portland continue to explore trade scenarios with other teams.

One source close to the process on Friday identified two main obstacles to the aforementioned three-way deal. Concerned about the quality of its backcourt rotation if it has to surrender Hinrich with Thomas after losing Ben Gordon in free agency, Chicago would insist that the Blazers surrender young guard Jerryd Bayless, which Portland is reluctant to do.

If it can't get Bayless, Chicago might still be willing to substitute Tim Thomas for Tyrus Thomas in the deal, but sources say Utah would likely balk if Tyrus Thomas is not included.

For a time Wednesday, sources say Chicago was committed to participate in the four-team deal that ultimately sent Shawn Marion to Dallas, with Tim Thomas also headed for the Mavericks. One source with knowledge of the discussions said that the Bulls pulled Thomas out of that deal Wednesday night to plug him into another trade.

The Detroit Pistons, meanwhile, continue to be widely mentioned as a trade suitor for Boozer, but sources with knowledge of Detroit's thinking insisted again Friday that the Pistons will not join the trade bidding for the Team USA power forward because they think Tayshaun Prince and newly signed Charlie Villanueva will complement each other better than Boozer and Villanueva would.

When asked about the trade talks with the Blazers and Bulls, Jazz general manager Kevin O'Connor declined comment in Friday's editions of the Salt Lake Tribune.

Bulls general manager Gar Forman did not offer specifics but told the Chicago Sun-Times: ''There are always conversations going on, and we'll continue to talk to teams to see if we can make ourselves better."

A deal headlined by Boozer and Hinrich would deliver the elite low-post scorer that the Bulls have been chasing for years while also positioning them to have significant salary-cap space for the summer of 2010 to court Chicago native Dwyane Wade or Chris Bosh in free agency, thanks to Boozer's $12.7 million expiring contract.

Hinrich, meanwhile, is a lead guard that Blazers general manager Kevin Pritchard has been known to covet for some time as a potential backcourt mate for Brandon Roy.

Other Blazers mentioned for possible inclusion in a Boozer deal include Travis Outlaw, Steve Blake and Martell Webster.

Even if a Boozer-to-Chicago concept goes no further, it is becoming increasingly evident that Utah is prepared to move Boozer immediately to ensure that it can re-sign Millsap.

Pritchard acknowledged Friday afternoon in a session with local reporters that he is also weighing whether to extend an offer sheet to Millsap, but he offered no timetable when asked how soon the Blazers will make their first splash of the offseason with that cap space.

"We're looking at all our options," Pritchard said. "We're excited about all the possibilities and maybe they happen tomorrow, maybe they happen in two months, maybe they happen at the trade deadline."

As for Millsap specifically, Pritchard said: "I wouldn't just say that we're just looking at him. We are talking with him. That I can verify. But he's not the only person we're talking to."

Pritchard also addressed a report in Thursday's Oregonian newspaper that talks negotiations on contract extensions for franchise cornerstones Roy and forward LaMarcus Aldridge have stalled.

"It's amicable," he said. "We plan to make it amicable. More importantly, Brandon and LaMarcus will be here for a long time."

After injuries restricted him to just 37 games last season, Boozer declined the option in his contract to become an unrestricted free agent July 1. It's believed that the Jazz are determined to keep Millsap but are concerned about the luxury-tax consequences of signing him to a long-term deal.

Marc Stein and Chad Ford are senior NBA writers for ESPN.com.

I would love Outlaw included as a trading chip in the deal. He'd be a good replacement for Tyrus' leaping ability. What's his contract look like?

$4 million for 2009-2010, Free Agent next summer if you don't extend him.

If it is indeed the Bulls dragging their heels and asking for Bayless instead of say Blake or Webster....

The thought of that makes me want to jump off a frickin' building.

All I know is if it is Hinrich/Tyrus I'd support the deal regardless as long as we got Boozer. I would think we'd get a guard as well.

So two things. As per Rotoworld...

ESPN's Chris Broussard is reporting that the semi-controversial three-team deal sending Carlos Boozer and Jerryd Bayless to the Bulls, Kirk Hinrich to the Blazers, and Tyrus Thomas to the Jazz is dead in its current form.
Broussard quoted Blazers GM Kevin Pritchard as saying that it's "not going to happen," despite his team's strong desire to acquire Kirk Hinrich. Much was made of whether or not the trade discussions were real, but the easy takeaway from this is that the Blazers will likely shift their focus to free agents Paul Millsap, Lamar Odom, and Andre Miller. Jul. 10 - 6:28 pm et

The Portland Trailblazers offered Paul Millsap the much-publicized "toxic" deal that was reported on heavily over the past week, including $32-36 million over four years.
The Jazz will have seven days to match the offer beginning on Saturday, with the "toxic" portion being a hefty signing bonus that will be difficult for the Jazz to match without trading Carlos Boozer's contract. This is the first move in what will likely set off a chain reaction of events, and if Utah is planning to use Boozer in trade negotiations, they can thank the Blazers for starting the clock. Jul. 10 - 6:42 pm et

Do you think Portland may want Kirk bad enough to force Utah to make the trade?

If it's the Bulls fault that this deal is dead, I'm boycotting the team.

KC Johnson on Tribune Live echoed Sam Smith and said this deal was never discussed. Apparently the NBA is bracing for a huge drop in salary cap next year the the disparity in what guys can sign for staying with their teams and what guys can sign for with a new team is going to be very big. Johnson said the Bulls really want Bosh, but now believe they probably have no shot. The guy they think they may have a shot at is Wade.

He also said Boozer made a lot of sense for the Bulls, so why they aren't discussing him if that's the case, is puzzling.

I suppose its possible the Bulls did discuss this deal but don't want their fanbase to know they might have said no. The majority I'm quite sure would get rid of Tyrus and Hinrich for Boozer. I don't know if you want Pargo playing as your 3rd guard, and maybe the Bulls don't either. If the Bulls did turn it down and got shut out of free agency next offseason, the PR would be brutal.

If any organization can waste Derek Rose's talents...it could be this one. The Paxson regime just is incapable of pulling the trigger. You have to give a lot sometimes to get a lot. Isiah Thomas isn't on the other end of the phone every time you make a deal.

If this deal is dead because of the Bulls insisting on Bayless...I'm extremely disappointed in the Bulls and their inability to get it done.

I honest to god have no clue as to how KC Johnson nor Sam Smith think the Bulls haven't been in discussions about Boozer. It's the dumbest thing I've ever heard. How can multiple sources confirm that talks have been ongoing and then a couple say there hasn't even been a discussion? It makes too much sense for us not to be involved so I choose not to believe them. Where there is smoke there is fire, and it's been going around ESPN alot so it has to have atleast been talked about.

Well you and I both know it's the Bulls fault so start the boycott. They do a lot of fishing with no bait. They expect something great to just fall in their laps without giving up Kirk or without giving up any talent. It's just not going to happen. The Bulls and their love obsession of Kirk must end. If we have to go into next season with Pargo playing 25-30 minutes so be it. At least we will have rid ourselves of $13M in cap space (possibly more) if we get Outlaw or Blake back in a deal. We then set ourselves up in a great position to sign Boozer and Wade or let Boozer walk and try to sign another big time free agent. What's not to like about the possibility? Meanwhile, the Bulls would be a very solid/dangerous team with a Noah/Boozer/Deng/Salmons/Rose lineup. Sign another free agent or 2 to 1 year contracts and lets see what happens.

The Bulls should be the last team playing the cap card. If they come up with some lame excuse about how they decided to not pull the trigger because of cap uncertainty I'll flip. There is nothing more certain than knowing that having a backup PG make $9M kills your chances of winning a title. We need to build our starting lineup. To lure a prime time FA you need the max amount of cap space. Not $1M or $2M off from it. Anyway, players also have to pay the crazy Illinois taxes. If I was a free agent I'd go to Texas. No income tax. Low property tax. Warm weather. What's not to love.

KC made a point of saying its not sources, but source. He claims the talks never happened, now the source, ESPN, said its dead. I don't know, it could be Sam and KC were right, or it could be the Bulls don't want their fans to know about it, because they know the majority would do it, and they may be in the minority. The NBA is loaded with so many rumors, its not too far fetched to think Sam and KC are correct, or at least if there were "talks" it was some team making an inquiry that was quickly rejected.

That's what I'm thinking. I'm thinking the Jazz floated out those two offers to both teams, and someone shot them down pretty fast.

I really, really, really hope thats not true, but you never know. Maybe they talks will pick up again once there is some certainty with Milsap's situation