CHI/CLE/NYK - Crappy contract parade

[Cliff Levingston]

Trade ID #4400944.

Bulls trade:
- Ben Wallace
- Thabo Sefolosha
Bulls receive:
- Larry Hughes
- Ira Newble

Cavs trade:
- Larry Hughes
- Ira Newble
- Damon Jones
Cavs receive:
- Zach Randolph
- Thabo Sefolosha
- Fred Jones

Knicks trade:
- Zach Randolph
- Fred Jones
Knicks receive:
- Ben Wallace
- Damon Jones

The Bulls do this to clear some PT in the front court for their young guys and pick up a slightly less worse contract than Wallace's, but they give up Sefolosha to do so.

The Cavs do this to get some more offensive help in the form of Randolph, but bring him off the bench to help carry the offense when LeBron is on the bench. As incentive to take on Randolph, they get to unload Damon Jones (via Fred Jones' expiring contract) and get a young SG/SF in Thabo.

The Knicks get a defensive guy to play next to Curry in the front court who's deal is one less year than Randolph's at the price of absorbing the last year of Damon Jones' deal.

Bulls
1. Hinrich, Duhon, Curry
2. Hughes, Gordon, Griffin
3. Deng, Nocioni, Newble, Nichols
4. Smith, Thomas, Khryapa
5. Noah, Gray

Cavs
1. Gibson, D. Brown, Snow
2. Pavlovic, F. Jones, S. Brown
3. James, Sefolosha
4. Gooden, Randolph, Marshall, Simmons
5. Ilguaskas, Varejao, D. Jones

Knicks
1. Marbury, Robinson, Collins
2. Crawford, Jones
3. Richardson, Jeffries, Balkman, Chandler
4. Wallace, Lee, Rose
5. Curry, Morris, James

[DanTown8587]

Cavs pass. as much as people think he can score (which is true) they would be terrible all the sudden on defense and thats what they want to do better.

[dflaschberger]

no way the bulls throw Thabo in-no way.

[Mr. Kite]

I don't understand why Bulls fans want to trade Wallace for Hughes. Hughes is terrible. He is a career 41% shooter from the floor, 30% from 3, and does not get to the free throw-line very often.

His defense is overrated (lots of steals, but takes chances to get them).

Wallace and Hughes have about the same contract. Hughes makes a little less this year, but his salary is increasing while Wallace's contract is decreasing.

I don't think Hughes makes any sense for the Bulls.

[treis]

Many Bulls fans think the Bulls will be better if they get Wallace out of the way of Noah, Gray, and Tyrus.

[may191988]

thabo is not a throw in. honestly cleveland makes like a bandit in this deal. take thabo out and maybe but i have to agree cant see hughes fitting in chicago

[Cliff Levingston]

thabo is not a throw in. honestly cleveland makes like a bandit in this deal. take thabo out and maybe but i have to agree cant see hughes fitting in chicago

Where does Thabo play after this deal? Hughes may not be all that good but Thabo hasn't been thus far either. He'd be behind both Gordon and Hinrich at PG, Hinrich, Hughes and Gordon at SG and behind Deng and Nocioni at SF.

If he's enough incentive to get some immediate salary relief in the form of Newble's contract and to clear Wallace out of the front court then it's more than worth it.

[youngcrev]

Cavs pass. as much as people think he can score (which is true) they would be terrible all the sudden on defense and thats what they want to do better.

Is Zach really that much worse of a defender than Gooden that their defense would be terrible all of a sudden?

[moocow007]

I don't understand why Bulls fans want to trade Wallace for Hughes. Hughes is terrible. He is a career 41% shooter from the floor, 30% from 3, and does not get to the free throw-line very often.

Probably because Wallace has been terrible as well?

His defense is overrated (lots of steals, but takes chances to get them).

Wallace and Hughes have about the same contract. Hughes makes a little less this year, but his salary is increasing while Wallace's contract is decreasing.

I don't think Hughes makes any sense for the Bulls.

Yeah I don't disagree.

The logic that seems to be prevalent is that it'll kinda force-feed Thomas and Noah, won't hurt their chances for getting a good lottery pick and may allow them to deal Gordon for front court help down the road.

IMHO Wallace would do better on a team with a more potent low post offense where he can have more freedom to roam and do what he does best (which pairing him would Curry would qualify). Likewise, Curry has shown for those that have watched closely a greater propensity for defending when he is put next to someone that is energetic about it (which pairing with Wallace would qualify). It's not ideal though. Ideal for Wallace would be a team that has a low post offense presence that draws defenders but that also has better ball movement as Wallace is very reactive (which the Knicks do not have).

As far as Randolph goes? Randolph is what he is. He'll score, he'll rebound and (contrary to popular myth) he actually will play hard. Problem is not the scoring or the rebounding or the effort, it's the ball hogging that, if you are not geared for that or have no way of corraling him can bog the offense down and make other players (that likes to score) unhappy.

I think you need to get him on team with a bonafide superstar that he can follow (and he seems to be a follower by most accounts) and a coach that has experience with guys like this. The Lakers IMHO would be one team. And honestly, Cleveland, assuming there is a need, may be the another (see Lebron).

[HotSpurs21]

Cleveland should be happy with the deal. They upgrade on offense, and it's not like they downgrade a bit on defense. Gooden is equally bad on defense as Zach.

[Friend_Of_Haley]

I really like this deal from a Bulls standpoint. It doesn't look bad for the other two teams either, especially New York. The biggest question I think is for Cleveland. I think Randolph is seen as a big risk and a team killer. They could serve to get something else small. Overall though, this is well thought out and good.

[tclg]

I think this is a good trade

[Cliff Levingston]

I really like this deal from a Bulls standpoint. It doesn't look bad for the other two teams either, especially New York. The biggest question I think is for Cleveland. I think Randolph is seen as a big risk and a team killer. They could serve to get something else small. Overall though, this is well thought out and good.

They get enough incentive. They're dumping a worthless player in the deal as well, they're just taking on the guy with the longest deal so they get Thabo and get to dump Jones as well.

Good point by moocow that Cliff Levingston just forgot to make. Perhaps putting Randolph on a team with a true dominant superstar like LeBron will make Randolph become a little less black hole-ish on offense.

[SportsBoy]

Send Hughes to Knicks, Z-Bo to Bulls, Wallace to Cavs

[Cliff Levingston]

Send Hughes to Knicks, Z-Bo to Bulls, Wallace to Cavs

Nah. The Bulls want absolutely nothing to do with Randolph.

[B Mac]

-= original quote snipped =-


Nah. The Bulls want absolutely nothing to do with Randolph.

And neither do the Cavs. I'd rather have Wallace than Zach.

[Cliff Levingston]

And neither do the Cavs. I'd rather have Wallace than Zach.

Well how bout cutting out New York and doing Hughes + Newble for Wallace + Sefolosha.