K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune writes:
Pending a passed physical, the Chicago Bulls have traded Kyle Korver to the Atlanta Hawks via the Minnesota Timberwolves in a move that saves them $500,000 and nets what is expected to be either a second-round pick and traded player exception or a player with a small contract from the Timberwolves.
The Bulls had until Sunday to either guarantee Korver’s $5 million option for 2012-13 or waive him and pay Korver $500,000. The Bulls had talked to the Hawks about trading Korver into Atlanta’s traded player exception acquired in the Joe Johnson trade to the Nets.
They ultimately used Minnesota to facilitate the deal.
Not sure what the actual end result of this trade will be. This could be a sign-and-trade for Kirk Hinrich so the Bulls can save their mini mid-level exception, which is worth around $3 million, or maybe team will come away with a draft pick or another player.
Regardless, it’s a bittersweet goodbye to Korver, who was Chicago’s only premier three-point shooter. In fact, the Bulls’ top three long-distance snipers were Korver (43.5 percent), C.J. Watson (39.3) and John Lucas III (39.3).
All three of those guys are gone now.
It makes me wonder how the Bulls are going to spread the floor next season. Hinrich can hit the three, but he hit only 34.6 percent of his treys last season and his career three-point shooting percentage (37.8) isn’t exactly sizzling.
Anybody with working eyeballs could tell Chicago’s offense ran more smoothly last season when Korver was on the floor, and in fact he led the team (with Joakim Noah) in Offensive Rating at 120 points per 100 possessions. According to NBA.com, Kyle was second on the team (to Luol Deng) in simple plus-minus (+325). BasketballValue also highlights the value of having Korver on the floor.
The Bulls saved some money on this deal. Sure. But — unless management has another move up its sleeve — they became a worse offensive team.
So pissed right now. It appears that management doesn’t want to compete next year. One of the biggest issues is their lack of offense & now that problem gets exacerbated without a legit 3 point threat.
I would really like for management to simply come out and say what their plans are for next year.
Is management tanking the next few years!!! WTF kind of move was this. I would curse but kids may be reading this.
Bulls are pulling a Spurs and tanking to give Rose and Deng all the time to fully heal up. The Bulls aren’t beating the Heat, especially after the latest roster moves so don’t complain about a possible #1 pick playing with Rose in 2013.
Everybody needs to calm down. The bulls are not going to compete for a title next year–at least not if Rose doesn’t make a FULL recovery by January. I don’t mean if he’s healthy by January; I mean if he is in MVP form (which is highly, and sadly, unlikely). Korver had a great season and his defense improved under thibs, but he averaged 8 points so lets not overreact. And don’t forget that the Bulls have the kid over in Spain who is a lot like Korver and will be coming over the year after next.
The bulls will be slightly more athletic and better defensively without Korver, and they are going to have to rely on that defense and their inside scoring. Boozer has to have a big year and continue to improve defensively (he was much better this year, although that isn’t saying much). And Noah has to have the year he had two years ago before he got injured. Hopefully this move signals that the Bulls think Asik is worth investing in (even though I’m not so sure).
And maybe they are not done adding…Any word on Martell Webster (who was realeased by the Twolves to make room for Batum). He could help out if Deng misses time for surgery.
If the bulls hang around in the East until Derrick gets back (and they probably will because the East is as thin as Robin Ventura’s coaching resume), management can always make a trade then to make the team more offensively viable in the playoffs. I think given Gar’s success at putting together a team the last few years people should have a little more faith.
I will reserve judgement. But We did just get worse offensively, that’s a fact.
What happened to Watson and Lucas?
We did not just get worse on offense for korver gave up more points than he scored so that is a false fact and also he was a good shooter when his shot was on but when it was off we needed a search party to find it . I;m not happy to see him go but yet its time for some new blood in a new direction we will never know unless we try and korver had his turn as did brewer and lucas may still come back he is not gone just yet . When MVP comes back this team will take a new form and new shape and we will be even better than before just wait and see I’m telling you all now
Darn,
It’s me or these just plain dumb in front office.
Man,I couldn’t believe they got rid of Lucas…
like that..he’s 3 point specialist in the game.
Bulls will be cursed for that, wrongly trade.
Like old saying, “What goes around,Come back around” on you. Bulls will be paid back in full.