Wallace likes idea of dealing for Gasol

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INDIANAPOLIS -- The Bulls would want Memphis' Pau Gasol for the right price, but many twists and turns could occur between now and the Feb. 22 trade deadline.

There's no guarantee Gasol will be a Bull, but this is certain: Ben Wallace isn't going anywhere. And Wallace likes Gasol, not to mention management's philosophy to consider all ways to improve the Bulls in an eminently winnable Eastern Conference.

Tribune

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No, no, no, the Memphis Grizzlies kept protesting a few months ago when it was suggested here that the Bulls had a package of players to trade for Pau Gasol, that Gasol wasn't exactly hurrying back from his broken foot to be with the weak team and that a trade could benefit both teams.

Gasol is untouchable, Grizzlies management insisted.

Tribune

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Skiles denied a published report the Bulls already had offered Ben Gordon to the Grizzlies as part of the Pau Gasol talks. Gordon is handling the situation professionally.

Tribune

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Operations chief John Paxson has confirmed his interest in 7-foot forward/center Pau Gasol of the Memphis Grizzlies, but he said a deal is far from imminent.
''If Memphis, in fact, does make a move, they're going to get the best deal they can get; that's what they should do,'' Paxson said Tuesday. ''For us, it's very difficult to give up too much because if it's going to be a lateral move, I'd tend to keep the assets we have and find some other way to get better.''

Sun Times

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Leaguewide, the Grizzlies continue to ask a high price for Pau Gasol. In the Bulls' case, that means two players from their young core, as well as salary-cap relief in the form of P.J. Brown's expiring $8 million contract and possibly a draft pick.

General manager John Paxson has stated publicly he won't mortgage the organization's future for Gasol. Translated, that means he refuses to deal two young assets. But for now, the Bulls' philosophy goes beyond that—to refusing to include Hinrich, Luol Deng or Ben Gordon in any of the various parameters already discussed.

Whether that stance changes will hinge greatly on the Bulls' performance between now and the Feb. 22 deadline, which Paxson will monitor closely. Whether the Grizzlies' price will drop is unknown.

Tribune

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Coach Scott Skiles denied a report Wednesday that the Bulls have offered Ben Gordon to the Memphis Grizzlies as part of a trade package for Pau Gasol.
''That's not true,'' Skiles said. ''I know everybody has a job to do, but that's unfair to everybody. I don't want anybody to rat out their sources or whatever, but is it really a source or just made up? It could be my grandmother told me that because she read it on draftexpress[.com].''

Gordon gave Gasol about as strong an endorsement as possible when the Bulls' leading scorer said the team would be a legitimate contender for the NBA Finals if it landed Gasol.

Sun Times

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Heck they'd be a legitimate contender WITHOUT Gasol. Anyone actually think a deal's going to go through?


I'm personally thinking Gasol isn't going ANYWHERE.

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So you want to be Bulls general manager John Paxson, eh? Sure, you'd have the great memories of those shots, a great job, and even a crewcut at 46 that seems to work.

And then you'd have a heck of a decision to make.

Do you make a bold move to trade for the Grizzlies' Pau Gasol, which would cost you some very good players, maybe Luol Deng, Ben Gordon or Kirk Hinrich, or do you take a pass?

Tribune