The Rumor Mill

[The Truth]

It's trade deadline day, and the rumors are swirling...

The big one (other than Gasol) is that the Bulls could be in a 3 way trade with Cleveland and Sacramento, where the Bulls might pick up Gooden, give up PJ to the Kings, and with Bibby going to Cleveland. I'm sure other players would also be involved.

There are also rumors that the Bulls may be interested in a 2-way deal with the Kings involving PJ and Abdur-Rahim.

Also, a rumor that ESPN reported that allegedly has legs is Michael Sweetney for Bonzi Wells. I think this trade only makes since in conjunction with another move.

Bulls have eyes for Abdur-Rahim, Wells on ChicagoSports.com

[The Truth]

Supposedly the Bulls have shown some interest in Brian Skinner.

Forgive me if I don't find that exciting.

The Woelfel World of Sports » Bucks have trade opportunities

[The Truth]

Bulls have eyes for Abdur-Rahim, Wells

Chicago Tribune (registration required): "The NBA's deadline, which arrives at 2 p.m. Thursday in Chicago, will force Bulls general manager John Paxson to increase his offer for Pau Gasol, which is unlikely, or try to engineer any number of deals that might slightly upgrade talent—as well as payroll. Kings forward Shareef Abdur-Rahim is the most prominently mentioned possibility in the latter scenario, though a late rumor Wednesday had the Bulls trying to pry Bonzi Wells from the Rockets."

Bulls try to keep core yet get Gasol

Chicago Tribune columnist Sam Smith (registration required): "Is it worth one last effort for the Bulls to land Pau Gasol before Thursday's NBA trading deadline? Is it worth a final offer of, say, Luol Deng, Thabo Sefolosha, the expiring contracts of P.J. Brown and Michael Sweetney and a top-three protected first-round draft pick? ...Moreover, it seems less and less likely that the Timberwolves would consider trading Kevin Garnett, even this summer, because they are looking for deals to provide support for him."

Deal or no deal: Bulls content to run out clock

Chicago Sun-Times: "Actually, it's all but certain that neither Deng nor any of the other members of the Bulls' young core -- Kirk Hinrich, Ben Gordon and Andres Nocioni -- will be headed to Memphis in exchange for 7-foot forward Pau Gasol... One name that has surfaced lately in connection with the Bulls' trade talks is Shareef Abdur-Rahim, a 6-9, 245-pound forward for the Sacramento Kings."

All quiet on trade front

Daily Herald: "Bulls general manager John Paxson and Memphis counterpart Jerry West continue to speak nearly every day, but they have yet to make progress on a deal that would send 7-foot forward Pau Gasol to the Bulls... The Bulls remain interested in players such as Sacramento’s Shareef Abdur-Rahim, Washington’s Etan Thomas and Houston’s Bonzi Wells, a shooting guard with some post skills.Bulls general manager John Paxson and Memphis counterpart Jerry West continue to speak nearly every day, but they have yet to make progress on a deal that would send 7-foot forward Pau Gasol to the Bulls."

Price of Gasol maybe a bit too hefty

Daily Herald: "Conventional wisdom also suggests that Memphis Grizzlies center Pau Gasol, a 7-footer with significant scoring and rebounding talents, is available and would help immensely. But at what price? That’s the question Bulls general manager John Paxson keeps asking himself. "

Wallace sees room for improvement

Daily Southtown: "Only days after Luol Deng and especially Ben Gordon said they would welcome a legitimate post-up threat, Ben Wallace went one step further after practice Wednesday, when he expressed doubts about the team as presently constituted... Yet any chance that an impact player -- such as Memphis Grizzlies 7-footer Pau Gasol -- would be acquired was less likely with each passing minute... One possible scenario would send Brown and a first-round draft pick to the Sacramento Kings in return for forward Shareef Abdur-Rahim and either guard Jason Hart or center Vitaly Potapenko."

Gasol likely to stay put

Memphis Commercial Appeal: "Team president Jerry West insisted that 7-footer wouldn't be dealt because the Grizzlies had received only lowball offers. So Gasol will finish the season in a Grizzly uniform unless suitors such as Dallas, Golden State, Boston and Chicago dramatically increase its bids. West didn't sound optimistic about a deal getting done. "

Possible trades at the NBA deadline

San Antonio Express-News: " Express-News NBA writer Mike Monroe examines some of the prominent players who may be involved in deadline trades, and their possible destinations."

Mavs talking minor deals

Fort Worth Star-Telegram (scroll down) (registration required): "Adding another frontcourt veteran does have value, though the chances of adding someone such as Eduardo Najera or P.J. Brown are slim. There is interest around the league at the bottom end of the Mavs' roster."

[The Truth]

Nothing went down...what a bummer.

[TheAJx]

I for one am happy nothing went down. I was on the Pau Gasol bandwagon since he got drafted, but upon closer inspection, seems he's overrated, quite possibly not better than Luol Deng, and definetely not better then any two players in the core.

[JoseA]

Kind of diasppointed nothing was done to improve our team....but also glad no stupid mistakes were made by trading our young players....the whole trade deadline was a bummer

[The Truth]

I'm glad Paxson didn't do the deal with Memphis. Reports indicate that West was asking for way too much.

West did what he should. The only incentive for them to trade Gasol before the deadline would have been to trade for an expiring contract; however, if they wait until the offseason, they have far more trading options during the draft (after the lottery is known) and through the possibility of sign and trades. So West did the right thing for the team; he knew he would have limited trading options before the deadline, so he set the price unreasonably high. If someone bit, then great for the Grizzlies. If not, they try to move him in the offseason when they have more options and leverage.

I was disappointed that we didn't get something done with another team, though. I've seen some rumors that we had a deal in place for Shareef, but the deal was contingent upon Sacramento pulling off the Bibby deal with Cleveland.