Report: Bulls in talks for Fernandez
Paper says they have interest in Blazers' swingman

10:50 PM CDT, July 27, 2010

The Oregonian reported Tuesday night that the Bulls are among three teams engaged in trade talks with the Trail Blazers for swingman Rudy Fernandez.

Fernandez, long rumored to be available, also is being linked to talks with the Celtics and Knicks, the paper reported, citing Fernandez's agent, Andy Miller.

The Bulls still are seeking to add outside shooting for their 12th contracted player after witnessing an underwhelming workout from Tracy McGrady on Monday. The Bulls also have had conversations with representatives for shooting guards like Keith Bogans, Roger Mason Jr. and Eddie House, sources previously told the Tribune.

The Bulls have been offering 2009 first-round pick James Johnson all offseason, although the Trail Blazers have shown little interest in Johnson in the past and other parts would be needed to make those salaries match.

Fernandez, 25, has shot 38.7 percent from 3-point range in his two NBA seasons since leaving his native Spain.

Meanwhile, veteran coach Bernie Bickerstaff, who spent the last two seasons with the Bulls, has been named an assistant on Trail Blazers coach Nate McMillan's staff.

K.C. Johnson

So how could the Bulls actually make the contracts work out? Steve? Suggestions?

Batum/Fernandez/Przybilla & either Cunningham or Pendergraph for Deng/Gibson & a future 1st.

Bulls should be all over this one. I know we'd be giving up Deng & Taj who are both high quality players but this deal clears up future cap space while also giving us 2 young studs & another very nice defensive big man. The Bulls reportedly tried to trade Deng for Przybilla and someone last year so the deal makes sense. I know that the Blazers value Batum pretty high and righfully so but maybe Deng/Gibson & a 1st makes them willing to part with him.

I think Batum fits our system much better than Deng. Batum is a defensive player that is very unselfish. Him and Brewer on our team would be very nice. Plus Batum hits the 3 at a very nice %. He's not a chucker but he is an unselfish reliable shooter who would fit nicely in our system. I think he's capable of guarding 3's and 2's which is also a nice thing to have. He might even be able to play some 4 when we want to go small.

Noah/Przybilla/Asik/
Boozer/Asik
Batum/Korver
Rudy/Brewer/Korver/
Rose/Watson

If we make this deal I think we then go out and sign a backup 4 and we end our great offseason makeover.

This deal might not happen before the season but if Rudy stays on Portland during the 1st half (which doesn't seem likely at this point) I think a deal b/w the Bulls and Blazers becomes a lot easier b/c then they can add players like Kurt Thomas, Watson, Brewer, Korver into the mix and I'm sure they can find a package that works for the Blazers that includes Deng.

As for Rudy not deserving 24mpg on the Bulls people need to stop with that talk. Rudy is much better than any SG currently on our team. He's a great shooter and passer. Sure he can improve defensively but I think under Tom T. he'd work on that and we'd be a much better all around team with him in the lineup b/c of the problems he causes on offense.

just read that the bulls are offering james johnson and a 1st round pick and thats basically their only offer because theyre not trading taj

I don't see the Bulls throwing a 1st Rounder in due to Rudy wanting to go back and play in Spain anyway.

Portland Trail Blazers guard Rudy Fernandez(notes) wants to return to Europe and no longer has interest in being traded to another NBA team, his agent said Wednesday.

Fernandez has been unhappy with his limited role with the Blazers and had his agent Andy Miller request a trade from the franchise three months ago. Miller said about 15 teams have expressed interest in the Spanish guard, most notably the Boston Celtics and Chicago Bulls, but talks have slowed because the Blazers have asked for too much in return.

Now, Miller said Fernandez is “homesick” and no longer has any interest in playing in the NBA.

“He has indicated he would like to return to Europe to continue his basketball career,” Miller told Yahoo! Sports on Wednesday. “He is more comfortable in Europe. He’d rather be in Europe than the NBA. He understands the circumstances in which he wouldn’t be coming back. I don’t see any scenario in which he’d want to be back.”

Fernandez can’t play in Europe until his contract ends or the Blazers free him from it. He is scheduled to make $1.2 million this season and the Blazers have a $2.2 million option for the 2011-12 season.

Miller said Fernandez is seeking an “amicable divorce” from the Blazers, but he also told The Oregonian – which first reported the story – that Fernandez is prepared to sit out the season and face a possible suspension.

Blazers general manager Rich Cho told Yahoo! Sports that at this time he has no plans of releasing Fernandez from his contract.

“I’ve spoken to Rudy’s agent and I’m aware of his feelings,” Cho said. “At the end of the day we’ll make the best decision for the organization.”

When asked if there’s any trade scenario Fernandez would consider, Miller said: “I honestly don’t believe so – no, I certainly don’t think so.”

A league source told ESPN.com that in late June, several teams with draft picks in the teens offered to send their pick to Portland for Fernandez, but the Blazers -- who were being run by then-general manager Kevin Pritchard -- declined.

The Celtics and Bulls have since offered their No. 1 picks in 2011, the source said, and the Knicks have offered shooting guard Wilson Chandler. But with more than a month remaining until the start of NBA training camps, Cho is waiting to see what else becomes available.

The NBA is now investigating whether Rudy has violated league rules by threatening a holdout and publicly issuing a trade demand.

Why did the Blazers resist Chicago's determination to trade for swingman Rudy Fernandez before the season started?

Sources with knowledge of the negotiations told ESPN.com that Portland was prepared to part with the Spaniard in September if the Bulls would have relinquished the first-round pick they acquired from Charlotte for Tyrus Thomas. That pick is lottery-protected in the 2012 draft, but is only protected 1-to-12 in 2013, 1-to-10 in 2014 and 1-7 in 2015.

The Bulls, though, have other first-round picks to peddle and were only prepared to surrender one of their lesser first-rounders in exchange for Fernandez, who wound up shooting the ball fantastically well in the preseason and is widely presumed to be harder to pry away from Portland now despite his well-chronicled determination to relocate.

The New York Post's Peter Vecsey reported earlier this month that Fernandez wants to play in an NBA city that has direct flights to his native Spain more than he wants to return to European ball. I've heard the same, which is apparently why New York, Boston and Chicago have topped Rudy's wish list all along.

Yet as Professor Hollinger explained over the weekend when the Blazers dealt Jerryd Bayless to New Orleans, Fernandez is one of the many trade assets Portland has hoarded in hopes of making a big, Melo-sized score. Not hard to imagine them keeping Fernandez until a blockbuster materializes.

One thing Stein doesn't note here...if the Bulls were to make a deal for a big name like Melo...that pick they didn't want to trade here would probably be a key asset in that type of deal also. I.e. if the Bulls moved that pick for Fernandez, that could kill the Bulls' chances at dealing for Melo.