Sam Smith talks Wallace trade: one we discussed here before.

[MissileMike]

Clock's ticking on Big Ben
Noah's rise means Wallace may fit better with Lakers
Sam Smith | On Pro Basketball
January 21, 2008

Though no one among the Bulls is going to admit it, the beginning of the end for Ben Wallace probably came Saturday night. It was against the Pistons with Joakim Noah taking all the minutes down the stretch as the ball-deflecting, shot-blocking, offensive-rebounding, bad-free-throw-shooting, bad-hair guy.

It was an inevitable progression, one likely scheduled to have begun next season after a winning 2007-08. The events of the last month probably sped up the pace, so now the question is what to do with Wallace.

Ride him until there's nothing left?



Related Links
Knee hurting, so team tells Duhon to skip trip
Oklahoma retires ex-Bull King's number
Who has been the best Bull? Poll Wish for a spark and a turnaround, as interim coach Jim Boylan has been hoping for?

Or help out Phil Jackson?

First, Wallace isn't done.

The notion is Wallace's contract, with two seasons after this totaling $28.5 million, is unmovable. (We always say things like that and then guys like Juwan Howard and Shawn Kemp are traded.) Wallace makes sense for the Lakers with Andrew Bynum's injury, and they can give the Bulls enough to make sense of a deal.

You take Kwame Brown's expiring contact of $9 million and add Vladimir Radmanovic at $5.6 million and it's a deal. The Bulls wouldn't want to take on Radmanovic's deal, which goes through 2010-11, but it's much cheaper than Wallace and may be the best way to get out from under his deal.

Wallace was supposed to be coming to a competing team; the Bulls were that last season. Wallace helped, no matter what revisionist history says. The Bulls are hardly dead, but they are in transition and Noah can play that defensive center position. And he's 7 feet tall. Wallace once played like he was. No more at 33.

But Wallace can be effective in the right circumstances.

Bynum is expected to return in two months, but the Lakers could fall badly in that time. Bynum was a legitimate second scoring option, giving relief to Kobe Bryant. Wallace doesn't replace that, but he's the kind of player Jackson likes.

With Dennis Rodman and Horace Grant

[Tommy Udo 6]

He should give credit to Doug for that idea.

Bad news: when Sam mentions a trade, it doesnt happen.......

[Ben]

We all know that Sam reads this forum. This is just more proof of it.

[MissileMike]

Was Kwame Doug's idea? I had forgotten who mentioned it, but it makes a lot of sense. Noah is better and a whole lot cheaper.

[Tommy Udo 6]

Was Kwame Doug's idea? I had forgotten who mentioned it, but it makes a lot of sense. Noah is better and a whole lot cheaper.

Doug is the first one that i remember mentioning that trade offer
I've been behind it 100% - but cant take credit for the idea.

It remains the only plausible Ben trade at this time.

Ariza's injury may make LAL make some deal soon

[Susan]

I like Duhon-Wallace for Lafrenz-Miles a little more.us

[MissileMike]

Then the bulls can trade for Gasol, and have had the first four players taken in the 01 draft at some point.

[nomorezorro]

yeah i don't think smith suggesting it bodes well for the trades' liklihood, but it's interesting to see an article talking about how wallace has a bad contract/is being outplayed/isn't a good fit

also xcrnkyle are you posting from a nintendo wii? just a hunch

[Susan]

yeah i don't think smith suggesting it bodes well for the trades' liklihood, but it's interesting to see an article talking about how wallace has a bad contract/is being outplayed/isn't a good fit

also xcrnkyle are you posting from a nintendo wii? just a hunch

Yeah. Stupid laptop chargers and the stupid autofinish thingy annoyingly adds .us to every sentence if I'm not careful. Soooo annoying.

[Jordan45822]

Huh? Is this true that Lakers wanted Wallace when the Kobe talks were happening or is Sam Smith making that up?

[fudgie]

Hey Sam. I know you're reading this

[Jordan45822]

Smith talking about Gasol and Memphis:

Memphis blues
The Bulls are in Memphis on Monday for the big Martin Luther KingJr. Day game. I have been there on that holiday and it's one of the best days in the NBA after a trip through the National Civil Rights Museum.

But will Pau Gasol see another?



Related Links
Knee hurting, so team tells Duhon to skip trip
Monday's matchup: Bulls at Grizzlies
Who has been the best Bull? Poll
Oklahoma retires ex-Bull King's number The Grizzlies are now telling teams they are reassessing whether to deal Gasol. The Bulls were in preliminary talks a few weeks ago involving players like Andres Nocioni, Noah, Sefolosha and Chris Duhon, but the Grizzlies have backed off.

The feeling is maybe Gasol isn't the problem. He is slightly above his career averages at 19.3 points and 8.8 rebounds. But Gasol remains unpopular locally after his frequent questions about staying in Memphis over the years.

A colleague reminded me the other day of the famous story of Ralph Kiner with the Pittsburgh Pirates being traded to the Cubs after being a home run leader. Pirate general manager Branch Rickey reportedly told Kiner, "We finished [last] with you, we can finish [last] without you." And so it could be with the Grizzlies, 11-29 and in the West ahead of only Minnesota and Seattle, whose managements are trying to lose. The Grizzlies are losing millions annually and have been up for sale for two years. Gasol could net some young (also cheap) talent and save the club a fortune. It still seems he'll be traded eventually.

[Jordan45822]

-= original quote snipped =-



Doug is the first one that i remember mentioning that trade offer
I've been behind it 100% - but cant take credit for the idea.

It remains the only plausible Ben trade at this time.

Ariza's injury may make LAL make some deal soon

They are also going to need a SF now since Ariza went down today with that broken foot. Either through trade or free agency

[BULLDURF]

How about combining Sam's ideas?

Trade ID #4425483

http://www.realgm.com/src_checktrade.ph ... id=4425483

[Jordan45822]

That link doesn't work Durf

[DanTown8587]

LA flat out rejects that trade.

[Jordan45822]

LA flat out rejects that trade.

I don't know about that. Especially since Bynum and now Ariza are out.

[Jordan45822]

Wallace/Nicolaus

for

Kwame/Vlad/Karl

[DanTown8587]

-= original quote snipped =-



I don't know about that. Especially since Bynum and now Ariza are out.

Bynum and Ariza are out most two months, this trade hurts three years down the road. Are you kidding me? They trade the best contract (expiring Brown) and young SF prospect who is finally flourishing (Ariza) and get...two terrible offensive options, undersized for their respective positions, go over the luxury tax and do not replace the scoring he provided.

[Jordan45822]

Not Ariza the other asset is Vladimir Radmanovic. Nobody said anything abot Ariza being involved in the trade talks besides he just got injured.