In ex-Chicago Bulls player news, Omer Asik of the Houston Rockets has formally requested to be traded. As some of you may recall Asik signed with the Rockets after the Chicago front office opted against matching Houston’s poison-pill contract offer during the 2012 offseason.

Asik’s request to be moved to another team has seemingly been inevitable since Dwight Howard decided to sign with the Houston Rockets this past offseason. Shortly after Howard made his decision, some reports began surfacing that Asik had requested a trade as he did not want to be relegated back into a backup role. Much to Asik’s chagrin the Rockets denied his request and he ultimately became the backup center.

According to the Houston Chronicle, Asik would not answer questions regarding his request. His agent, Andy Miller, did speak on the matter:

“I would say the situation is very frustrating right now, and we’re trying to work through it,” Miller said. “For Omer, the objective has always been to continue to develop and grow as a player. That’s why we came to Houston in the first place. If that objective can’t be met, if we can’t get the right platform to grow and contribute as a player, it’s certainly frustrating.”

Omer Asik doing his best G.O.B Bluth impression

During the 2012 NBA season, Asik started all 82 games for Houston averaging 10.1 points and 11.7 rebounds in 30 minutes of action per night. Relative to last season he is having a “down” year only averaging 5.6 points and 8.1 rebounds in 22.1 minutes per game. Asik’s contract is structured to pay him roughly $8.3 million for this season.

As of now a trade doesn’t seem to be imminent as “a deal is more likely in months than in days.” No players have recently been linked to an Asik trade, though whispers of a Ryan Anderson for Omer Asik swap have been mentioned in the past.

New Orleans has shown strong interest in acquiring Rockets center Omer Asik, w/ an offer likely centered on Ryan Anderson, sources tell Y!

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@WojYahooNBA) July 6, 2013

It’s likely that a similar rumor will pop up within a matter of days.

Unfortunately Chicago likely does not have the pieces needed to reacquire Asik, nor would Asik likely want to come back to Chicago to play a backup role. Regardless the situation will be an interesting one to monitor. Asik was a once (and still is) a player loved by many Bulls fans and many simply want to see him in a position to succeed in a starting role if he can’t be in a Bulls jersey once again.

The post Omer Asik Asks For A Trade appeared first on Bulls By The Horns.

Here is a brief look at some of the news since the draft through this first day of free agency:

• LaMarcus Aldridge wants out of Portland
  It was reported shortly before the draft that Aldridge wants out of Portland and would like to be traded to the Chicago Bulls. The Trailblazers have listened to offers but nothing is imminent. Portland and Chicago have had brief discussions but would like Joakim Noah and are not interested in Carlos Boozer or Luol Deng. Unless one side is willing to budge talks will seemingly remain at a standstill.
• Andrea Bargnani traded to the New York Knicks
  This doesn’t have anything to do with Chicago except for the fact that it takes out the possibility of Chicago trading for Bargnani as they had tried to do earlier this year. The Knicks will be sending Marcus Camby, Steve Novak, a future first round pick, and two future second round picks in exchange for the former number one pick.
• Kyle Korver is “in the bag” for the Brooklyn Nets
  ESPN’s Marc Stein tweeted out that one rival GM believes the Nets have Kyle Korver “in the bag.” Nothing has been finalized or announced from either party but, if true, this is a huge blow to the Bulls and huge win for the Nets. Korver is one of the more coveted shooters this offseason and previously expressed interest in returning to Chicago. Last season he posted the second best three point shooting percentage, fourth best true shooting percentage, and had a top 10 offensive rating. His skill set could once again improve Chicago’s miserable three point shooting and help spread the floor. Given Brooklyn’s financial situation, if Korver were to sign with them it means he was willing to accept the mini-Mid Level Exception, something the Bulls could easily have offered him.
• The Bulls’s Summer League roster is taking shape
  Chicago’s Summer League roster is quickly taking shape. Tony Snell, Erik Murphy, Marquis Teague, and Malcolm Thomas will all be on the roster. Aggrey Sam reported Luke Harangody, Andy Rautins, Ryan Allen (Tony Allen’s brother), and Charles Boozer (yes, the brother of Carlos Boozer) are all expected to be on the team. Mike McGraw indicated Andrew Goudelock may be on the team as well (which could explain a tweet he sent out early in the morning).
• The contract of head assistant coach Ron Adams was not renewed
  As reported by the Chicago Tribune the Bulls will not be renewing Ron Adams’s contract for the 2013-2014 season. Adams is a close friend and has been the head assistant coach to Tom Thibodeau and has been working on one year deals since coming to Chicago. As of now Chicago has no replacement for him. There is speculation that this move has caused some rift between general manager Gar Foreman and Thibodeau. According to a tweet from Adrian Wojnarowski, the “relationship between [the] Bulls’ GM and coach is easily the worst in the NBA.” Just perfect.
• Bulls linked to Mo Williams, Will Bynum, John Lucas III, and Monta Ellis
  According to a report from Shams Charania the Bulls have had exploratory talks with Mo Williams and Will Bynum. As of now there is no news as to how serious the talks are but they do fit in with the rumors that Nate Robinson’s days in Chicago are done. Mo Williams may be out of Chicago’s price range as he made over $8 million last year and has expressed he wants to play in a starter role (aka- significant minutes). The Bulls have also been linked to John Lucas III. JL3 was recently released by the Toronto Raptors and can likely be had for a minimum deal to replace Robinson. Lastly, Ken Berger reported the Bulls have had talks with Monta Ellis. Ellis is looking for a deal around $10 million or more and is more than likely out of Chicago’s price range.
• The Bulls are pursuing Mike Dunleavy Jr. with the mini-Mid Level Exception
  Adrian Wojnarowski recently tweeted out that the “Bulls [are] pursuing Mike Dunleavy Jr. with the mini-mid level [exception].” By adding Dunleavy Jr. the Bulls would be adding some much needed shooting to the roster. Last season Dunleavy shot a strong 42.8% from beyond the arc while posting up a 57.7% true shooting percentage and 54.5% effective field goal percentage. Should he pick up Thibodeau’s system, Dunleavy could prove to be a defensive upgrade over the options Chicago had last year (ex- Marco Belinelli). The current situation is fluid and nothing is imminent.
  
  UPDATE 7/1 by Avi Saini, 4:35 PST- According to a Twitter update from Wojnarowski, the Bulls are the frontrunners to land Dunleavy’s services. The sides are discussing a 2 year, $6 million deal. K.C. Johnson also tweeted out that both sides are confident a deal can be reached.

  UPDATE 7/1 by Avi Saini, 5:25 PST- According to a tweet by ESPN’s Marc Stein, the Bulls and Dunleavy have verbally agreed a 2 year $6 million deal. No other details about the deal are known at this time.

We will keep you updated as more news becomes available.

The post 2013 Free Agency Roundup- Day 1 appeared first on Bulls By The Horns.

With the 20th pick in the Draft, the Chicago Bulls select…

Thomas Robinson- Houston Rockets:
Ok. Thomas Robinson is already in the NBA already. I know. But the new rumor coming from ESPN’s Marc Stein and Chad Ford indicate that the Houston Rockets are shopping Thomas Robinson to clear up cap space to sign Dwight Howard and the Chicago Bulls are an interested party. The supposed deal would send the 20th pick to the Rockets and the Bulls would absorb Robinson’s contract into Kyle Korver’s traded player exception. However, according to Ford and Stein, the Bulls would be looking to further trade Thomas Robinson immediately. Whether this deal happens or not is anyone’s guess at the moment, but we’ll know for sure within 24 hours.

Gorgui Dieng- Louisville
A fair number of mock drafts across the internet have Dieng falling to the Bulls and, should Chicago be so lucky, he is the man to take. Dieng’s ability to protect the rim, his perimeter defense (especially in pick and roll situations), and rebounding are all very strong. Offensively he’s not the most prolific scorer, but he has solid fundamental play and footwork with his back to the hoop and is able to hit midrange jumpers with some consistency. What’s more is that Dieng acts as the perfect complement to Taj Gibson. A lineup of Dieng and Gibson can flourish on both sides of the ball. Offensively, Gibson can go to work in the paint  (where he converts 60% of opportunities) while Dieng can take on a Carlos Boozer-like role by taking mid-range jumpers. Defensively, Dieng can protect the paint thus allowing Gibson to defend midrange jumpers.

There are some concerns that at the age of 23 Dieng may have reached his ceiling, but in the right system and around the right players Dieng could grow into a solid role player. In Chicago, Tom Thibodeau’s system more than favors Dieng’s strengths while Dieng can grow as a defender under the guidance of Joakim Noah and as a shooter under the guidance of Carlos Boozer.

Mason Plumlee- Duke
Mason Plumlee is one of the players rumored to be on Chicago’s shortlist of draft prospects. Plumlee isn’t the greatest of all the big men in the draft and definitely has areas he can improve in, but with time he could prove to be a solid pick at 20. Defensively Plumlee is an above-average defender who could step into the backup role and make things difficult in the paint for opponents. He’s not a prolific shot blocker and his lateral quickness isn’t great but his size, footwork, and strong help defense make up for those weaknesses. Offensively Plumlee’s strengths lie in the fact that he is strong passing out of the post, is good at setting perimeter screens in pick-and-roll situations, and grabbing offensive rebounds. However, he does have a good deal of room to improve in terms of shooting and playing with his back to the basket, though he has improved a bit over the past year.

Mike Muscala- Bucknell
Muscala hasn’t been listed as a player the Bulls may take with the 20th pick, but should the Bulls trade for Thomas Robinson then deal him for a lower first round pick and some assets, the Bulls could feasibly go with Muscala as a first round choice. In his years of college basketball, Muscala has shown he is a smart player who rarely makes bad decisions. In his years at Bucknell, he knows what passes to make, rarely dribbles into traffic or double teams, and anticipates when to rotate to help on defense. Offensively he’s a solid rebounder, has improved in his post game and can finish with both hands, and has developed a fairly consistent jump shot from up to 18 feet out, a nice little compliment to Taj Gibson. Defensively he’s a solid pick-and-roll defender, has consistently shown he has the ability to make opponents alter their shot in the paint, and is a strong rebounder. His lack of athleticism and affinity to play a slower pace shouldn’t be too much of a factor as Muscala would fit in nicely with Chicago’s slower paced half-court offense. Muscala’s abilities and numbers from his college days may be slightly exaggerated as he played in a weaker conference in college, however should Chicago trade down in the draft, he could prove to be a decent value pick.

The post Chicago Bulls Draft Prospects Part 1: The Big Men appeared first on Bulls By The Horns.

Under the proposed deal the Bulls would further enter the luxury tax this coming season as Okafor’s contract is larger than Deng’s and the third round draft pick would at least secure a $3 million per year deal having been drafted so highly. Ultimately this would not affect the rumored 2014 plan as Okafur’s $14.5 million contract would come off the books at the close of the season.

Since the departure of Omer Asik last year the Bulls have been looking for a new big man to play behind Joakim Noah. Most mock drafts have the Bulls filling this role by drafting a big man with their currently owned 20th pick. With this trade the Bulls would be able to fill the need for another center while also being able to draft a rookie replacement for Deng. Who they would draft at this spot is anyone’s guess, but it’s safe to say that a small forward or shooting guard who can create his own shot and/or shoot the three point shot respectably would be drafted.

Ultimately the likelihood of this trade going through is pretty slim. The trade wouldn’t give the Wizards any more cap relief than they’re already set to have nor would their be any guarantee that Deng would stick around after the 2013-2014 NBA season. According to K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune via Twitter, “Cant see Wizards giving up No. 3 and Okafor for Deng… unless Deng says he’ll resign. Which I also don’t see.”

Stranger trades have happened in the past so while unlikely, this trade is not completely out of the realm of possibility. As the story continues to develop, we at BBTH will keep you updated.

UPDATE: According to Michael Lee of the Washington Post, the Wizards have stated they have no interest in trading the third pick in this year’s draft for Luol Deng.

The post Trade Rumor: Luol Deng to the Washington Wizards for the Number 3 Pick and Emeka Okafor appeared first on Bulls By The Horns.

“Source says Hawks had interest in Bulls F Kyle Korver but he’s likely headed to Minnesota in trade.”

K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune added the following tweet:

“If Bulls trade Korver, which is likely, they aren’t on hook for $500,000 partial guarantee of his $5 million option.”

Not sure who the Bulls would be trading for from Minnesota’s roster. Guess we’ll have to wait and see.

The post Kyle Korver free agency update appeared first on Bulls By The Horns.

The Chicago Bulls are exploring avenues to acquire Los Angeles Lakers forward Pau Gasol before Thursday’s trade deadline, according to sources close to the situation.

The Bulls have long hoped to wedge themselves into the trade running for Orlando Magic star Dwight Howard, but sources told ESPN.com that Howard’s well-chronicled lack of interest in a trade to Chicago has prompted the Bulls to switch their focus to Gasol in advance of Thursday’s 3 p.m. ET deadline.

 Sources say that the Lakers, however, have limited interest in the players Chicago would be offering, starting with Bulls forward Carlos Boozer.

So the Bulls would have to recruit at least one more team to the discussions to have any shot at Gasol, sources said, with the Lakers known to be insistent on getting back at least one certifiable star if they consent to trade the Spaniard.

To me, this is a lot of hubub about nothing. In other words, it’s almost certainly not going to happen.

K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune writes:

The talks, first reported by ESPN.com’s Marc Stein, were driven at least in part by Arn Tellem, the shared agent of Gasol and Derrick Rose. Tellem has had a longstanding strong relationship with Bulls Chairman Jerry Reinsdorf.

Sending Carlos Boozer and C.J. Watson to the Lakers would satisfy trade provisions under the collective bargaining agreement.

However, the Lakers, who are seeking an upgrade at point guard, have zero interest in adding the remaining three years and $47.1 million remaining on Boozer’s contract. A habitual luxury tax team, they are wary of the more prohibitive penalties under the new collective bargaining agreement, which toughen in 2013-14.

Thus, a third team would need to be engaged and sources said the Bulls have not found one.

Gasol has two years and $38.3 million left on his deal. However, his contract carries a 15 percent trade kicker. That means he would make close to $22 million next season if he’s traded. And the Bulls have luxury tax concerns of their own when Rose’s five-year, $95 million extension kicks in next season.

The Bulls own expiring contracts in Watson, Ronnie Brewer, Kyle Korver and Omer Asik, as well as future assets such as the Bobcats’ first-round pick obtained in the Tyrus Thomas trade and the draft rights to international phenom Nikola Mirotic.

However, the Lakers are seeking at least one bona fide star on top of draft picks to move Gasol, so cap relief alone likely wouldn’t finalize the deal.

The Los Angeles Times reported the Lakers asked the Bulls for Joakim Noah, an unknown player and two first-round picks in return for Gasol.

So to sum up:

The Bulls are willing to trade the Lakers Boozer and Watson, but the Lakers don’t want that deal. Watson isn’t L.A.’s idea of an answer at point guard, and Boozer’s contract – worth between $15 and $17 million per year over the next three seasons — is like explosive toxic waste covered in mutant grizzly bears. Nobody wants to touch it.

Sure, the deal could work if a third team jumped in and was willing to take Boozer and Watson while providing the Lakers a significant upgrade at the point guard position. That’s unlikely to happen.

It’s just as unlikely that the Bulls would be willing to part with Noah, the unknown player (Omer or Taj?) and the two draft picks. Mostly because (in my opinion) the Bulls aren’t going to give up Joakim. In that scenario, they would probably expect Gasol to play center. Unfortunately, Gasol is at his best when playing power forward and everybody knows that. And, anyway, Jo is too important to this team’s chemistry and defense.

Interestingly enough, I was checking stats. Gasol (31 years, 252 days, 773 games played) is averaging 16.0 PPG and 10.0 RPG while shooting 50.4 percent from the field and has a Player Efficiency Rating of 20.5. Boozer (30 years, 115 days, 613 games played) is giving the Bulls 15.6 PPG and 8.1 RPG while shooting 53.0 percent with a PER of 19.5. Pau’s Win Shares Per 48 Minutes is .179 while Boozer’s is .180.

There are obviously skill sets and intangibles to consider…but I’m not sure Gasol is such an amazing upgrade over Boozer (and the other assets being offered) that the Bulls should be willing to break the bank for him.

The post The Bulls and Pau Gasol appeared first on Bulls By The Horns.

Apparently, J-Rich decided to go for money over winning. After all, Dwight Howard has demanded a trade. So unless Orlando pulls off an amazing trade for several quality players, the Magic aren’t going to be very good this season. And maybe not for a long while to come.

As ESPNChicago’s Nick Friedell points out, finances will likely prevent the Bulls from acquiring other high profile targets such as Arron Afflalo, Jamal Crawford and Nick Young. Which makes Rip Hamilton the team’s most likely target. And all signs point to Hamilton inking a deal with the Bulls.

Additional reports indicate the Bulls may go after Howard.

That’s not going to happen.

As Friedell writes:

Again, according to capologist Larry Coon, in order to make the numbers work in a deal which would include Hedo Turkoglu (there’s little doubt the Magic would include Turkoglu’s contract in any proposed deal for Howard) the Bulls would give up Joakim Noah, Luol Deng, Omer Asik and Taj Gibson, plus probably a draft pick or two. Does Smith really want to build his post-Howard Magic squad around Deng and Noah? Both have had injury problems in the past; but what is surely more alarming to Smith is the fact that Deng and Noah have guaranteed contracts worth more than $100 million over eight years.

Not to mention the fact that Asik and Gibson are due for big raises over the next year. Does Smith really believe that the best deal to make revolves around that kind of guaranteed money within his own conference?

There are major questions whether Howard would even want to play in Chicago, and the deal outlined above simply wouldn’t be that attractive to the Magic…not if they’re going to rebuild. So let’s assume Dwight won’t be walking through that door any time soon. As in ever.

Neither is Kurt Thomas, who plans to sign a two-year deal with the Portland Trail Blazers. I’ll miss Big Sexy. He was professional and tough, and he really came through when Noah was injured last season. Still, Thomas is the league’s oldest player, and with the emergence of Asik, Kurt was a luxury more than anything else.

One major non-luxury is the future of Derrick Rose. But the Bulls are on the verge of taking care of that. According to K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune:

Rose will win on the bottom line soon. General manager Gar Forman said the formality of Rose’s five-year, $94 million extension is being finalized with Rose’s agents, Arn Tellem and B.J. Armstrong.

Said Forman: “Derrick is the centerpiece of what we’re putting together here. We want Derrick to be a Bull for a long, long time. It’s very important that we put the right pieces around Derrick.”

My take: We will soon see a Bulls team that look very much like last year’s squad…except that Hamilton will replace Bogans as the starting two guard. Which means, as long as everybody stays healthy, the Bulls can be as good as anybody.

The post No moves so far…but plenty of reports and rumors appeared first on Bulls By The Horns.

What’s more, the Chicago Bulls are still a sleeper for Howard, several league executives believe. “Chicago may tell Orlando to take any two players – or three – besides [Derrick] Rose,” one GM said. Howard isn’t keen on the cold weather, but the Bulls would have the best point guard-center combination since Magic and Kareem.

The Bulls have Omar Asik developing fast as a potential replacement for Joakim Noah should the Bulls include Noah in a package. Noah would have to be a part of it, but would a combination of Noah and Luol Deng or Carlos Boozer – bringing back Howard and one of those bad Orlando contracts – be enough? The Magic need a force to replace Howard, an anchor.

The thought of a Rose-Howard combo has me jumping out of my seat. As much as I love Noah, landing Howard would be a massive upgrade, even if Deng or Boozer went along in the deal.

Still, I’m not getting too excited at this point. Howard would have to agree to an extension for a deal like this to get done, and there have been no indications whatsoever that Dwight is the least bit interested in Chicago.

The post Dwight Howard? Really? appeared first on Bulls By The Horns.

Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports tweets: “Teams calling Houston on Courtney Lee keep getting same message: No big in deal, no trade. Will Bulls cave and give Omer Asik? So far, no.”

K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune tweets: “It’s unclear which team tried to expand Lee talks, but one variation became Asik/Keith Bogans for Brad Miller/Lee. Bulls want to keep Asik.”

The post Trade for Courtney Lee looking less likely appeared first on Bulls By The Horns.

According to Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports:

“Anthony has long been enthusiastic about a possible trade to the Bulls, but Denver and Chicago officials had been previously unable to come to terms on a deal. Bulls executives John Paxson and Gar Forman have investigated the possibility of acquiring Anthony, but thus far haven’t been willing to include the one player the Nuggets most covet: center Joakim Noah. Anthony’s agents are under pressure to make a deal happen for the All-Star forward, who sources said has become an increasingly unhappy client.

“Nevertheless, William Wesley – Worldwide Wes – is expected to travel to Chicago for Bulls games on Thursday and Saturday against the Dallas Mavericks and Cleveland Cavaliers, a source said. Wesley unsuccessfully pushed LeBron James to sign with the Bulls as a free agent, and now has an interest in Anthony ending up there. Wesley represents Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau for CAA.”

Note the “Wesley unsuccessfully pushed LeBron James to sign with the Bulls” part.

Anyway, Woj goes on to say:

“Chicago has wanted the Nuggets to take forward Luol Deng as a cornerstone to the deal, but Denver hasn’t been interested in absorbing the three years and $40 million left on his contract after this season. The Nuggets want an array of young players and picks the Bulls will have a difficult time providing. Still, Chicago badly needs another scoring option and Anthony is one of the NBA’s elite offensive players.”

While there’s no questioning whether ‘Melo is an elite offensive force, the debate about his relative efficiency rages on. The Bulls could certainly use some extra scoring punch — although I’d prefer an upgrade at the shooting guard position — and Anthony could provide that.

But is ‘Melo an ugrade over Luol?

As of today, Anthony is averaging 23.5 PPG while shooting 43.5 percent from the field, 26.1 percent from downtown and 80.4 percent from the line. He has an eFG% of 44.9 percent, a PER of 20.3 and 2.6 Win Shares. His Offensive Rating is 105 and his Defensive Rating is 107.

Deng is scoring 17.8 PPG while shooting 45.3 percent from the field, 34.7 percent on threes and 72 percent on free throws. He has an eFG% of 50.2, a PER of 14.8 and 4.4 Win Shares. His Offensive Rating is 108 and his Defensive Rating is 103.

Note that Luol’s Usage Rate is 21.5 while Anthony’s is 32.0. ‘Melo has a more varied offensive skill set than Deng, and that has an awful lot of value. But in terms of pure production, Deng is on par with ‘Melo despite a lower rate of use. Plus, he’s shooting more efficiently and contributing more to Chicago’s wins than Anthony is to Denver’s (if you buy into the concept of Win Shares). Plus, Deng is a much better defender.

‘Melo may be an upgrade over Deng. He may be. But how much?

And, assuming the Nuggets would take Deng in a trade — and there’s no evidence to suggest they would — what else would the Bulls have to give up?

If Denver won’t take Deng, what would they want in return? Draft picks no doubt. They also want young players. That would probably mean Taj Gibson. But can the Bulls afford to lose Taj? Think about how critical he’s been with Boozer and/or Noah out. We all know about Boozer’s injury history, and Noah has now missed significant time due to injuries in back-to-back seasons. That makes frontcourt depth critical.

I’m not sure I feel comfortable relying on Kurt Thomas.

If the Bulls could do a ‘Melo-for-Deng-and-draft-picks swap, that might work. Although, again, I’m not totally sold on the idea that Anthony is a better fit than Deng. After all, would there be enough shots to go around for Rose, Boozer and Anthony? Would a guy who has averaged nearly 20 shot attempts per game and is used to being The Man fit into Chicago’s offense?

Who knows?

Ah well. It’s all speculation right now.

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