[StingRay07Participant]

 Everyone knows the Warriors have been looking for a good defensive SF, and the Bulls have been rumored to be shopping Luol Deng for a lottery pick to get some cap relief.

http://www.csnchicago.com/basketball-chicago-bulls/bulls-talk/Report-Warriors-have-Deng-on-their-radar?blockID=729562&feedID=7139

As a Bulls enthusiast, I have mixed feelings about trading Deng.  He’s easily my second favorite player on the team.  I remember back in 04 I desperately wanted the Bulls to grab him with the 3rd pick.  We took Ben Gordon there, but luckily we were able to buy the Suns pick and take Deng 7th.  That was the first draft that I followed really closely, so I have a connection in that way.

The only way I’d be slightly OK with trading Deng is if we got Barnes or MKG (for the Bulls I’d rather have Barnes, but I’m a big MKG supporter in general).  I don’t think either of those guys will drop to 7, but it’s possible.  I definitely don’t think the Bulls will make any trade until draft night when they know exactly who is available with any trade partner’s pick.  I could also see them standing pat and not making any deal.

[rhamnlacsonParticipant]

 deng would be an allstar in the gsw roster and maybe thier franchise player

[Lebron’s HairlineParticipant]

They should trade deng he’s owed 28 mil over the next 2 years so they can resign Gibson and asik, they can get a lotto pick for debt and draft a small forward to take his place

[ItsVictorOladipoParticipant]

If they want cap relief why don’t they just amnesty boozer? Deng seems a more valuable piece of the team on both ends of the floor…

[220Participant]

If Barnes or MKG fall to 7 the Warriors won’t be trading the pick.

[kobyzParticipant]

i can’t understand how a team can think on trading player like Luol Deng for draft picks, until you produce such a complete, smart quality player you turn to give up on him, you should feel lucky to have on your club player like Deng, they hard to find and don’t come in bunch. 

[sksa4y5abw4tParticipant]

Yeah I agree Boozer should be amnestied from everything I’ve heard they like Gibson better at PF anyway.

[mosdefParticipant]

its part to do with Asik and Gibsons contracts and I think it probably has to do with Rose being hurt and probably will take 2 years to get back to the level the Bulls were before the Rose injury. If they are thinking of this 2 year window to reinvinet the team so when/if Rose gets back to full health they would have flipped their SF for a younger version instead of a SF entering his 30s…that just my opinion

[ASAP HenryParticipant]

as a bulls fan i appreciate everything that Luol Deng has done for the franchise, but if the bulls have an opportunity to move into the top 8 draft picks in this years loaded draft then they have to do it.  Rose needs a young running mate to grow with, a pippen to his MJ.  Barnes, Beal, MKG, Austin Rivers would all be excellent additions and they would give Rose some much need help

[StingRay07Participant]

Deng responds to rumors:

http://espn.go.com/chicago/nba/story/_/id/8090830/chicago-bulls-luol-deng-says-surprised-trade

As always, a class act. 

[cuseflynn10Participant]

Let’s say the Bulls did give up Deng for the 7th pick as rumored. Who do you guys think the Bulls would target at #7? My guess would be a shooting guard, maybe Jeremy Lamb, Austin Rivers, or Dion Waiters. I think Lillard is a good choice to fill in the spot left behind by Rose, but he’s not worth trading Deng for if he’d be a backup by the time Rose returns.

[Lebron’s HairlineParticipant]

Boozer won’t get amnestied because they want Taj Gibson to come off the bench if he starts no ones there to back him up, deng will go due to the depth on their wings(deng,brewer,korver,butler).

[LawDeeZeeParticipant]

let’s not forget that for the bulls there are also decisions for this year looming on korver, brewer, and watson. the bulls are said to be trying to avoid the luxary tax and cut salary in a year when they’re probably not true contenders. also, there is the conflict between the bulls front office and deng about the timing of his looming wrist surgery.

 

deng is a VERY solid player though who does anything you ask of him and really, who else can thibs play 53 mins a game and expect to perform at a reasonably high level? the bulls need another shot creator to pair with rose when he returns, but if deng is moved and brewer is not retained, it seems like the bulls are putting A LOT of faith in jimmy butler. i know the coaching staff in chicago is very high on him, and brewer is likely gone as a result … but he’s not ready now and probably not ever to replace deng.

[doubledribblerParticipant]

If Bulls trade Deng, they understand they will not get a player that is as good. It all boils down to money. Anyone that knows about the Bulls knows that they have no interest in paying the luxury tax and I could pretty much guarantee that they won’t do it if they don’t have much of a chance to win it all. If Bulls trade Deng, it gives them more flexibility for the future. It’s going to take Rose some time to get back at full strength/make adjustments to his game, so they are gearing up for a future championship run. They have the franchise player locked up, a promising player in Mrotic, Charlottes future 1st. Still have Gibson and a good duo at center with one of the better coaches in the league.

As for everyone that keeps saying just amnesty Boozer. It’s not that easy. The numbers would still put Chicago over the cap or extremely close to it and I don’t see Chicago being too excited about paying him not to play for them and then signing another guy. That starts to make things really expensive. From the business side of it, Chicago always makes money. Their owner is going to keep it that way. This move would be all about managing money and rebuilding for the next championship run. If all goes to plan they will likely still remain a playoff team while rebuilding and improving from within.

[kngojcParticipant]

 I think they should target Austin Rivers because he’s a combo guard that can score and occasionally play the point. He could fill the void that Rose leaves with the injury for awhile and when he comes back, I could see him playing like Klay Thompson at the end of the year last year. 

[PlatypusParticipant]

 If they trade Deng who covers Lebron?

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