The Bulls should try to make a trade for T-Mac. I've said it before and I'll say it again. T-Mac gives us the scorer/playmaker that we have been missing.

I think we should try to keep either Deng or Gordon if we trade for him b/c we need an athletic 2nd go to guy to team up with T-Mac. It's a shame that T-Mac really has never had that. He's been 1 and done several times but you can't blame it on him. He's usually been playing a better team with more talent on it. I guess things like that don't stop Lebron but they do most players.

What would it take to get T-Mac? Would the Rockets be interested in Tyrus? I think the Rockets would like any players from the list below

Deng
Gordon
Nocioni
Hinrich
Noah
Gooden (for the expiring contract)
Thabo

Would the Rockets be willing to trade T-Mac & Scola. It seems like both fit our system well and from watching the games it seems like T-Mac really liked Scola.

How about one of the packages below for T-Mac/Scola & other fillers

1. Kirk/Thabo/Gooden/Tyrus & our pick for Tmac/Scola/Alston
(I really like this trade. We keep Deng and Gordon. T-mac makes both better and they are the best 2-3 punch T-mac has ever had. Our gaurd rotation becomes Tmac, Gordon, Alston, Hughes. We could resign Duhon if we want some security at PG or we could sign a free agent. We have to keep Hughes but as a backup he might fit as another scoring option off the bench. We still have Nocioni off the bench to give us a spark. I think we become favorites in the east with this deal if it is made before the start of the season, We improve our outside shooting by adding T-mac who gives open looks for Gordon/Nocioni/Alston)

2. Gooden/Hughes/Deng & our pick for Tmac/Scola
(We have to give up on Deng but we keep Thabo & Kirk. We have a big backcourt with Kirk/Tmac/Tyrus or Kirk/Tmac/Nocioni)

3. Gordon/Gooden/Nocioni & our pick for Tmac & Scola
(We lose a scorer but get one in return. I really want to keep Gordon if we get Tmac but if we have to trade him so be it. Just don't trade him and Deng together)

Anyway, what other trades would work?????

Well, I'm in a bit of a pickle when it comes to T-mac. Certainly if we got him he would be our primary offensive player; the superstar if you will. The question is "How much do you have to give up for him?" With D'Antoni looking like he could be the front runner for our head coaching vacancy I want to see what he can do with our young guys first. I wouldn't mind giving up a Ben Gordon or a Gooden for him; so its a wait and see sorta thing for me. How many people are going to be interested in Gordon? Is it worth giving him up to move up in the draft?

I'm not sure I'd want to give up Gordon in the draft and I'm not sure many teams would want to trade out of the top 2. If a team is willing to trade a top 2 then I'd consider trading Gordon but I'd prefer to make a multi player deal that involved Hughes coming off our hands. The only team I could see that would be willing to make a deal would be the Clippers.

Would the Clippers do Kirk/Nocioni/Tyrus/Gooden & our pick and a future 1st if we have to for Brand/Mobley/#2 pick if they got the # 2? They have needed a PG for a while and they will likely need a SG if Maggette leaves. The trade would give the Clippers something for Brand before they lose him for nothing, they'd get rid of Mobley's $18.9 million 2 year contract (Mobley's will be 33). The Clippers get young and add quality players at almost every position to surround Kaman.

The Bulls will be close but I don't think they'll be over the cap if Brand gets around $16 million. The Bulls then have 2 huge contracts in Hughes & Mobley that come off the books at the end of the 2009/2010 season and they can make a run at one of the big 3 (Lebron, Wade, Melo).

Now I know I'm probably dreaming but it sure would be nice.

I wonder how Shaun Livingston is doing these days.. I'd take him for Nocioni.

Me too. I've always been a big fan of Livingston's size and passing abilities.

I was also just thinking to myself that the Bulls should try and sign Patrick O'Bryant to be an extra center off our bench. The kid is only 22 and has an excellent frame. Don't look at his stats b/c I think they are misleading. He gets no PT in Golden State b/c he doesn't fit their offensive scheme. He's not the type of 7' that is going to get up and down the court in 4 seconds. However, I think he could be a very solid defensive backup center or 3rd center. I think he could develop into a pretty decent player if he isn't already a decent backup (It's hard to tell b/c you can't gauge how effective players in Nelson's system will be in a half court system). I'd offer him a small contract and see if he bites. But I'm assuming there will be a few other teams looking to do the same thing. Golden State has to sign Ellis, Biedrins, and possibly Davis so I don't think they'll be offering much if anything to Patrick.

I'm personally not a huge T-Mac fan and think acquiring him could very easily be a mistake. This team already lives and dies by the jumper, and T-Mac just makes that even worse, especially since he has one of the highest usage rates (posessions used per game, 1st last season and tied for 3rd with Kobe this year) in the NBA. He takes 20 shots a game and converts in the low 40's, and you can add 5-7 free throws to that too at a declining rate. He's a very good mid-range shooter, but he takes too many 3's and hits at a bad percentage (acutally under 30% this year) and doesn't go to the basket as much as he should. When you look at it, it's depressing that he only put up 21.6 points this year with that many attempts, Ben Gordon put up 18.6 on 5 fewer shots and fewer FT attempts. That's with another major offensive threat in Yao for other teams to worry about as well (for 50-60 games obviously), they don't have that on the Bulls. If you have a legit post-player that can counter-act his gunning with a high-efficiency 20 points then it's another story, but the Bulls' second option would be a similar gunner and Deng probably scores around 16 with those two jump-shooters out there.

Add in his big contract with another sizeable deal on the horizon after 09/10 (might even demand more years now if traded), the injury history, and the cost of at least two high salary players to match his contract (and odds are EXTREMELY low Hughes is one of them in a deal for him) and likely another young player with ability, and I just don't see how it really helps that much. It's like a poor man's version of the Wizard's big three even if you can keep Gordon and Deng. Someone like Elton Brand would make a much bigger impact on this roster because he brings a lot of skills that currently aren't on the roster, T-Mac is basically a rich man's Gordon at this point and will likely get you a 5-seed and a 1st round win AT BEST without a legit post threat on the team, and I'd take the under. I know you're a Rockets fan and T-Mac is your guy, but I really just don't see how that drastically changes things, it's more of the same style we've griped about for the last couple of years, only with more assists and a lot more money.

While the stats you gave do favor your side, T-Mac with a Deng and Gordon as his 2/3rd options would be dangerous. We'd also still have a good scoring off the bench with Nocioni/Hughes. He's always going to be capable of dominating a game by himself but he's been with teams that simply do not hit their open shots. There is no way T-mac shouldn't be averaging 9-10 assists per game in the playoffs with all the open shots he set up for his teammates. Instead he only averaged 6.8. He also averaged 27 ppg but didn't shoot that well. Something like 42.5% but how can he when he's getting doubled all day long. T-Mac is unselfish. They didn't have a chance going into that series but he still took them to game 6. He did all he could in game 6 but it wasn't enough. Tmac would make the rest of the players on our team better and he'd set them up for open shots. That's something Kirk isn't doing on our team.

I can understand that people want Brand especially with all the emphasis that has been put on having a low post scorer. But are the Bulls with Brand any better than the Clippers of a couple years ago? Depends on what they have to trade for him. If we can get T-mac without giving up Gordon or Deng we won't be a poor man's Wizards b/c the Wizards don't have T-mac. He's better than any player on that team (and that not just b/c I like him).

Who would you rather have handling the ball or making decisions, T-mac, Hinrich, or Gordon?

The major issue I have with picking up McGrady is the concerns over his back. He has never shown that he can stay heatlhy for a full season (at least over the past couple years) and I think any team that relies on a injury riddled star is really taking a big chance year in year out.

Plus McGrady continues to get older and while he is still an elite player, the injuries will only worsen and he will only continue to miss more and more time. I'd rather the Bulls moved Gordon/Hinrich for an elite point guard (if that were possible).

McGrady just had a couple surgeries on his knees and shoulder. Expected to take about 3 months to recover from these.

That's got to lower the trade value right? Maybe we can get him for less

Carmelo may be on the block as well. Would you rather have him or TMac?

Where'd you hear this? I'd jump all over the opportunity to acquire him, DUI and all.

I think it's clear that with the Nuggets cap status and Melo coming up on FA in 2 years they absolutely need to do something to clear that roster out. They can't sit that far over the cap with big salaries for Melo, Camby, K-Mart, Iverson, Nene, and so on and only barely make the playoffs every year.

Yeah, that might be true, however, where does it say they are looking to deal Melo. They could move Camby, Iverson, or Nene and not have to move their best, young asset. I really doubt they'd move him, and if they did, I'd really hope it would be to the Bulls.

I'd rather have them trade us AI than Carmelo.

While the Nuggets have given no indication they will actively shop Anthony, the constant drama in the life of their 23-year-old forward has become the source of enough frustration within team headquarters that Denver would be willing to listen if somebody made a trade offer too good to refuse for Melo. The problem? In a league where stars such as Kobe Bryant and LeBron James dominate, it's difficult to come out ahead when trading a singular immense talent for any combination of players and draft picks.

Excerpt from a May 9th Denver Post article

Bolded area is all I needed to read.

Me too. He'd be a lot cheaper in terms of what we'd have to give up. I also rather have T-Mac and that's not b/c I love T-Mac it's b/c I think T-Mac is more of a star and is more unselfish. When has Melo led that team in anything but FG attempts. He doesn't hit big shots that often and he isn't that great with the ball in his hands. Not to mention he hasn't had hit head on right since he came into the league. Technical fouls, a fight, and a DUI. What's next. I wouldn't pass up the opportunity to trade for him b/c he's so young and still can get his head right but I wouldn't be willing to give up 3 of our best players to get him. He's not that good. To be honest he's not that much better than Deng. Yeah he's a better scorer but Deng is better defensively and is less selfish.

I know Steve loves Melo but I think Melo is several years (if he ever gets there) from being the type of unselfish player who can lead his team to a title. He couldn't win with AI, Martin, & Camby and I doubt he'd win with just Kirk, Noah, & possibly Gordon (assuming we trade Deng, Tyrus, & the pick)

Then you would be uninformed. I said "he might be available" and if they are willing to listen to offers than he might be available. Do you think they would ever say they are actively shopping him and piss him off? This is how stars are traded...they are usually quietly available for a great offer. We could potentially provide a significant offer with our current assets.