Bulls FA news: Tribune,Herald,Suntimes Options

[JOHN]

Chicago Tribune
Marlen Garcia

"We're looking for size in free agency," Paxson said Thursday. "It's pretty simple."

He has a short list that he's keeping private, but his first calls probably will go to agents for Ben Wallace of Detroit and Al Harrington of Atlanta.

"You go out to try to get the best players," Paxson said.

Nevertheless, Joel Przybilla of Portland, Nazr Mohammed of San Antonio and restricted free agent Drew Gooden of Cleveland stand better chances of becoming Bulls than Wallace, whom most observers believe will stay with the Pistons.

also talk about a big guard to ease Sefolosha's transition

Paxson isn't ruling out the possibility of also landing a tall, veteran guard who can help Kirk Hinrich on defense while rookie Thabo Sefolosha becomes acclimated.

"In this game you need depth and some options," Paxson said. "You let the players sort it out among themselves. They're going to earn their spots."

A return for Harrington and Darius Songaila, who has exercised his option to become a free agent, doesn't look promising.

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Daily Herald
Mike McGraw

Asked if bringing back Songaila was one of the team’s priorities this summer, Paxson didn’t give a definitive answer.

“We’re going to see how this whole thing plays out,” he said. “We like Darius a lot. He was really good for us last year. But he’s going to be desirable in free agency, that’s a given.”

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Chicago Suntimes
John Jackson

''We'll have a plan in place on how we'll want to approach it right away, and that's where the patience comes in because a lot of things can happen,'' Paxson said Thursday.

''I have some guys ranked in terms of how we're going to go about it. It's a lengthy list in terms of just going down the order of how we want to approach it. We're going to go out on Day 1 and do what we want to do first. If that falls through, then we'll go in another direction.''

But, as crazy as it may sound, would they have too many quality players? I mean, besides the three players they added Wednesday night -- draftees Tyrus Thomas and Thabo Sefolosha along with Viktor Khryapa -- and the free-agent signings, the Bulls already have Chandler, Malik Allen, Luol Deng, Chris Duhon, Ben Gordon, Kirk Hinrich, Andres Nocioni and Michael Sweetney under contract for next season and also want to re-sign free agent Darius Songaila.

Would they be forced to trade someone?

''Not at all,'' Paxson said. ''In this game you need depth and some options. You let the players sort it out when [training] camp rolls around. They're going to earn their spots. The competitiveness we're going to have is going to be very good for us.

''Honestly, I'm excited about the depth that we have. You never know. The competition will be great, and [coach] Scott [Skiles] likes to play a lot of players.''

he also suggests which players the Bulls should target.

[madisonsmadhouse]

I think the Bulls will target and sign one of the bigger FAs (Harrington and Wallace) with Harrington probalby being their signing, and then also hook up with one of the next level FAs with Przybilla probably being their man.

[Bullies4Ever]

I read their going to go hard after Joel Pryzbilla

[Guest_B-4-Bulls_*]

I read their going to go hard after Joel Pryzbilla

[Chicago Bulls Fr...]

This biggest concern most posters have about paying Wallace is they don't want to commit even more salary to a player who is almost as offensively inept as the "current" Tyson Chandler.

We'd have around 90+ million dollars committed to two guys who can barely throw the ball in the ocean.

However, you compare the other Free Agents on the market and no one really strikes you as taking our interior to another level offensively.

Wilcox is a hustle/banger guy.

Nene is oft injured who is unproven.

Gooden is unproven and a natural 4.

You really have no options with money right now. Either you use it this year or it is gone forever. Too many Bulls to resign.

In my mind you sign Ben Wallace and solidify your team as the most intimidating defensive team in the entire NBA. Ben Wallace signing would also give us more credibility with the Referees. If I had to choose between defensive superiority and continued offensive mediocrity, then I am going to choose defensive superiority.

Good post by this guy down at RealGM, makes me want Wallace much more than I ever have.

[SoxFan1]

He makes an excellent point.

Hey, tell those guys over at RealGM to come on over here for some real Bulls talk...

[Chicago Bulls Fr...]

He makes an excellent point.

Hey, tell those guys over at RealGM to come on over here for some real Bulls talk...

Our team would be very intimidating no doubt, just think.. Almost nobody would score on us down low with Tyrus,Tyson and Big Ben . There would be about 10 blocked shots a night and about half of them would end up in the 12th row

[SoxFan1]

Our team would be very intimidating no doubt, just think.. Almost nobody would score on us down low with Tyrus,Tyson and Big Ben . There would be about 10 blocked shots a night and about half of them would end up in the 12th row

Ben and any PF that can score down low = dream combo.

[Chicago Bulls Fr...]

I dont know why im posting this here but look at this... ESPN Boards

Look at that board Major Troll problems

[SoxFan1]

I dont know why im posting this here but look at this... ESPN Boards

Look at that board Major Troll problems

They are obviously not fans of Michael Strahan.

Do some recruiting.

[madisonsmadhouse]

Our team would be very intimidating no doubt, just think.. Almost nobody would score on us down low with Tyrus,Tyson and Big Ben . There would be about 10 blocked shots a night and about half of them would end up in the 12th row

That would be the best defensive team in the NBA especially with Sefolosha and Hinrich in the backcourt.

[Chicago Bulls Fr...]

That would be the best defensive team in the NBA especially with Sefolosha and Hinrich in the backcourt.

It easily would.. It would win us a championship down the road.

[madisonsmadhouse]

It easily would.. It would win us a championship down the road.

Well it would if we could find a way to actually score 75 or 80 points with those guys on the floor for starters minutes.

[ZoomSlowik]

Well it would if we could find a way to actually score 75 or 80 points with those guys on the floor for starters minutes.

Agreed. We're a go-to scorer away from seriously competing, even if we add Wallace. Our scoring would definitely drop a bit because we couldn't play Deng or Noc at PF as often. Chandler, Thomas, and Wallace are all seriously offensively challenged, and only Thomas really has any hope of improving.

[madisonsmadhouse]

Agreed. We're a go-to scorer away from seriously competing, even if we add Wallace. Our scoring would definitely drop a bit because we couldn't play Deng or Noc at PF as often. Chandler, Thomas, and Wallace are all seriously offensively challenged, and only Thomas really has any hope of improving.

I agree. If the Bulls can find a guy who puts up 15 and 8 out of the C or PF spots, this team is a top of the Eastern confrence squad. Hell IMO no team gave the NBA champs a better run for their money than our Bulls. Now if we had some size in the middle that could score and nuetralize Shaqs scoring a little bit we would have won that series.