League source: Bulls talking Taj trade

[ChiCitySPORTS#1]

Trade him if we're tanking. And if we are, Jimmy should have been traded. Either way, I'd feel bad for Taj, he should be traded

[musiqsoulchild]

Our interior defence is going to be complete trash.

I wouldnt be so down on it - our perimeter defense is going to get better just by virtue of having younger, faster, LONGER players. This automatically allows for less frequent interior penetration to begin with.

And when the eventual interior attack does occur, its a big deal to have Robin Lopez Versus Pau Gasol.

[SteelerSpartan]

I'd trade Taj for a good piece, not to make time for Portis/Niko/Doug.

I've been reluctant to wanting to trade taj over the years....but at this point with rose/Noah gone I'm open to it if it gets us something of value in return......but no.. not to make room to "showcase" those guys in some stupid attempt to prove gar/pax have assembled half the core of the future.

We'd be showcasing them to see whether or not they are good fits with this team moving forward. Also, if any of those guys ends up panning out, your showcasing them to other free agents. Not sure I get your logic here unless you already consider our young guys busts.

In my mind(separately) they are decent role players at best ,and should never be on the floor together....

Maybe you can get by with starting just 1 of them if you have 4 guys who are strong enough 2-way....but going large chunks of the game with 2 or more spots occupying the starting lineup with that lack of athleticism and low level defensive iq is a no no.....

There's no way they bring enough O to justify them being out there given their defensive deficiencies ....the sooner this team realizes that and brings in stronger 2-way players into the starting lineup...the better.

[Fl_Flash]

Go after Deyonta Davis from Memphis... Still look at Boston, they've got too many players even if they started picking overseas players because they couldn't move their picks on draft day. Yabusele or Zizic would be nice.

[Proven_Winner]

I'm starting to wonder if the Bulls are considering a mini tank. That is to say, keep Butler but make the team around him so crappy that the team continues to get lottery picks.

What!?!? I remember a poster just the other day saying to do this.

Sorry ft to toot my own horn.

[Mr Funk]

I wouldnt be so down on it - our perimeter defense is going to get better just by virtue of having younger, faster, LONGER players.

Like who? Our athleticism is even worse than before.

And when the eventual interior attack does occur, its a big deal to have Robin Lopez Versus Pau Gasol.

Lopez is an above average mediocre role/bench player who will never win DPOY.

[pduh01]

Taj should have been traded at least on draft night to get some draft pick hell including MDJ in a package but that didn't happen. I am hoping we at least get some decent in return, no salary dump. I still think we can get something decent in return for Taj, or hoping for.

[kingkirk]

I don't know the fascination with Rubio. He is a complete mis-fit for this team especially with Jimmy. And, you kind of have an young guy who can be do what he does in Grant.

If they are trading Taj, they should get a combo-guard who can play with Jimmy or a decent SF which Snell never became or some future pick.

Rubio and Grant aren't comparable in anyway. I don't see it.

[step]

Lopez is an above average mediocre role/bench player who will never win DPOY.

But Pau Gasol in his current state is / will be?

[drosestruts]

Taj should have been traded at least on draft night to get some draft pick hell including MDJ in a package but that didn't happen. I am hoping we at least get some decent in return, no salary dump. I still think we can get something decent in return for Taj, or hoping for.

Taj, MDJ and Calderon in a sign and trade for Conley is $20 million expiring dollars. Add in a pick or two and Memphis just got some value for a guy who may be leaving anyway.


Calderon and Gasol have the Spanish connection, there's also rumors that Pau might want to play with Marc before retiring, what better than back in his hometown with some national team members.

[kingkirk]

I wouldnt be so down on it - our perimeter defense is going to get better just by virtue of having younger, faster, LONGER players. This automatically allows for less frequent interior penetration to begin with.

And when the eventual interior attack does occur, its a big deal to have Robin Lopez Versus Pau Gasol.

I question if the Bulls have really gotten younger and faster, but even if they have, that means nothing in terms of actually building a capable defense.

Grant, Dinwiddie, McDermott, Valentine and Snell are all 'young' and 'fast(er)', but I look at that group and see no one who has an idea on how to grasp the concepts of a team defense.

The defense is going to be terrible this season, which isn't a surprise given Gar has stacked this roster with one-way players.

[musiqsoulchild]

I wouldnt be so down on it - our perimeter defense is going to get better just by virtue of having younger, faster, LONGER players. This automatically allows for less frequent interior penetration to begin with.

And when the eventual interior attack does occur, its a big deal to have Robin Lopez Versus Pau Gasol.

I question if the Bulls have really gotten younger and faster, but even if they have, that means nothing in terms of actually building a capable defense.

Grant, Dinwiddie, McDermott, Valentine and Snell are all 'young' and 'fast(er)', but I look at that group and see no one who has an idea on how to grasp the concepts of a team defense.

The defense is going to be terrible this season, which isn't a surprise given Gar has stacked this roster with one-way players.

To rephrase what I was trying to say - our defense is going to be less sucky this season just by virtue of shoring up PG and C defense.

Or, more specifically, I am rebutting what Funk is saying when he says " our interior defense is going to be complete trash".

[BR0D1E86]

I wouldnt be so down on it - our perimeter defense is going to get better just by virtue of having younger, faster, LONGER players.

Like who? Our athleticism is even worse than before.

The only athletic player off the roster is Rose, and he could only be bothered to play defense when it was 2011.

And when the eventual interior attack does occur, its a big deal to have Robin Lopez Versus Pau Gasol.

Lopez is an above average mediocre role/bench player who will never win DPOY.

He's a legitimate starting NBA center, and DPOY has nothing to do with him a significantly better defensive player than Pau Gasol.

[aramada]

Not many teams would have a use for Gibson. Toronto could be one team, but I guess it would revolve around Ross (not really good)
Probably Thibs, too, but I doubt they part with Rubio. Could have worked if we had attached #14
I think they ll trade him for another expiring or pick and space if they do trade him. They'll want to preserve 2017 space
I'd prefer keep him and trade Portis TBH

[tedwilliams1999]

I wouldnt be so down on it - our perimeter defense is going to get better just by virtue of having younger, faster, LONGER players. This automatically allows for less frequent interior penetration to begin with.

And when the eventual interior attack does occur, its a big deal to have Robin Lopez Versus Pau Gasol.

I question if the Bulls have really gotten younger and faster, but even if they have, that means nothing in terms of actually building a capable defense.

Grant, Dinwiddie, McDermott, Valentine and Snell are all 'young' and 'fast(er)', but I look at that group and see no one who has an idea on how to grasp the concepts of a team defense.

The defense is going to be terrible this season, which isn't a surprise given Gar has stacked this roster with one-way players.

Do you think the addition of Barnes would drastically change our defensive outlook for next season? A line-up consisting of Grant/Butler/Barnes/Niko/RoLo doesn't sound so bad on paper. Our bench would obviously still be pretty weak defensively, with McDermott/Valentine/Portis/Calderon though...

[Chi town]

We all love Taj because he plays hard and gives a damn. Plays hurt all the time. Truth is he's not Hat good and his next contract will be decline city. He has value for what he has done not what he will do.

1. Lopez is 2xs the defender Taj is and he's a rim protector. Taj is not. Portia and Niko are better defensive rebounded then Taj anyway.

2. Rubio shot 37% from 3 2nd half of the season. His set **** is coming along. Fierce competitor. Makes his teammates better. Top 5 defensive PG in the league. Thibs loves Taj. I see something there especially considering they need shooting and MDJ can do that too.

3. Our defense will be fine. We will get Barnes or Turner. Lopez is better than anything we had last year. Barnes at the PF defensively is better than Taj too. If we add Rubio and Barnes we will be a top defensive team. Lopez will hbe logout poor defenders like Diugie a ton. Niko isn't as bad defensively as some think. He's average.

[musiqsoulchild]

I wouldnt be so down on it - our perimeter defense is going to get better just by virtue of having younger, faster, LONGER players. This automatically allows for less frequent interior penetration to begin with.

And when the eventual interior attack does occur, its a big deal to have Robin Lopez Versus Pau Gasol.

I question if the Bulls have really gotten younger and faster, but even if they have, that means nothing in terms of actually building a capable defense.

Grant, Dinwiddie, McDermott, Valentine and Snell are all 'young' and 'fast(er)', but I look at that group and see no one who has an idea on how to grasp the concepts of a team defense.

The defense is going to be terrible this season, which isn't a surprise given Gar has stacked this roster with one-way players.

Do you think the addition of Barnes would drastically change our defensive outlook for next season? A line-up consisting of Grant/Butler/Barnes/Niko/RoLo doesn't sound so bad on paper. Our bench would obviously still be pretty weak defensively, with McDermott/Valentine/Portis/Calderon though...

A few 5 man units that work on both sides of the floor are:

Jose - Snell - Jimmy - Niko - Lopez
Moore - Jimmy - Doug - Niko - Lopez
Grant - Dinwiddie - Valentine - Doug - Felicio

[Axl Rose]

Taj should have been traded years ago

you may be able to wrangle a highly protected 1st for him but not much else

[Ferulci]

Not many teams would have a use for Gibson. Toronto could be one team, but I guess it would revolve around Ross (not really good)

Toronto, Atlanta, Boston, Miami, Rockets, basically all playoff teams could use him. If we can get a Ross+ Pick or Norman Powell, it could be interesting. I'd like to keep Taj, but he deserves better than this situation.

[musiqsoulchild]

Taj is from Brooklyn. And he's most definitely a Phil Jackson type player.

So either the Nets or the Knicks seem like possible destinations for him.