ESPN Insider 4-20 - Break up the Baby Bulls

[MikeB]

The curse of Krause
By Chad Ford
NBA Insider
Send an Email to Chad Ford Tuesday, April 20

Jerry Krause is sitting in the bleachers of a high school baseball
stadium about three rows above the dugout in Omaha, Neb. After a few
dozen hot dogs, he picks up the phone, calls his new boss, George
Steinbrenner, and gives him the low down on the latest prospects.
One 17-year-old pitcher has the biggest hands he's ever seen, Krause
gushes. Another may be only 5-foot-3, but he has a "short neck,"
Krause opines.
A few minutes later he calls back hyperventilating about a 7-foot
skinny junior high school catcher who can hit the hell out of a
wiffle ball. "Trade Jeter for him!" Krause screams. "Trade Jeter for
him!"

Four hundred and sixty eight miles away, John Paxson sits in the
Berto Center, banging his head lightly against his mahogany desk,
still trying to clean up Jerry's last mess.

The undersized power forward with the biggest hands Krause had ever
seen now plays for the Clippers and averages a double-double. The
guy with the short neck, Marcus Fizer, is packing his bags after
four miserable years in Chicago. The skinny 7-footer? Tyson Chandler
looked great against scared, 6-3 suburban kids in junior high.
Against NBA talent? Not so much.

The hit list of Jerry's handiwork doesn't stop there. There's Eddie
Robinson, whom Krause gave millions to sit on the bench. There's
Eddy Curry, whose offseason workout regime consists of Twinkies and
Kool-Aid IVs. And don't forget Jamal Crawford, the 6-5 point guard
who isn't allowed to play the point.
Jerry's kids were supposed to lead the Bulls to another dynasty in
the post-MJ era. Paxson's step-kids need to be sent back down to the
minors.

At the start of the season, every pundit out there -- as well as
Krause and Paxson -- believed that after years of turmoil, the Bulls
were finally ready to win. Insider predicted a seventh seed in the
East for the Bulls. Others were even more generous. Then the Bulls
started playing games and it quickly became apparent that they still
had a lot of growing up to do.

Major trades, a coaching change and a new organizational philosophy
did nothing to improve the Bulls' bottom line -- their won-loss
record. The Bulls finished in a familiar place two weeks ago -- with
the second-worst record in the league.

Paxson, with just one year of experience under his belt, is
now in the hot seat. Something has to be done this summer. Everyone
knows that it's time to move at least one of his three young
players. The problem is that no one can agree on who and when.
Visions of Jermaine O'Neal still dance in everyone's head. After
four lackluster seasons in Portland, the Blazers traded O'Neal to
Indiana for veteran Dale Davis. Within months O'Neal began
dominating in a new system and within two years, became a legit MVP
candidate. Davis? We don't know either.

That's the curse of building around high school kids who aren't
ready for the NBA. There's an old saying in the league that a player
is what he is after three seasons. That doesn't hold true with the
young kids. Chandler and Curry are both 21. We might not now what
kind of players they're going to be for another 2 or 3 years. In an
ideal world, they'd be finishing their junior years of college and
considering the NBA. Instead, they're already labeled busts.
The Bulls have spent 3 years trying to build around them. If they
give up now, they're admitting that the last three years were a
waste. If they wait another year or two to give them more time to
develop, they could be making the problem worse. If Chandler and
Curry don't develop? Paxson just delayed the inevitable by 2 more
years.

Thank Krause for that. His decision to build totally around youth,
without veteran leadership to teach the kids how to win, created a
generation of losers who brush off a defeat with ease. Krause's
monumental error in Chicago fundamentally changed the way other GMs
around the league view high school players.

You no longer build around them (unless the prep's name is LeBron).
You add them to a core of veterans who can teach them the game.
Paxson tried to correct the mistake this year, adding good veteran
role models such as Scottie Pippen, Antonio Davis and Jerome
Williams. But it was too late.

Can the Bulls ever get this thing right? Here's a look at what to
expect, as Insider continues its summer blueprint series.

Bulls' Summer Blueprint

DRAFT: Once again the Bulls possess one of the top picks. Everyone
in Chicago is crossing their fingers that the Bulls end up with the
No. 1 pick and a chance to draft Emeka Okafor. Paxson has tired of
the high school experiment and wants a blue-collar, college educated
player (much like Kirk Hinrich last year) to show the Baby Bulls how
to win.

There is no better fit than Okafor. He's the anti-Eddy Curry/Tyson
Chandler in almost every imaginable way. All three players emerged
from the same high school class. Curry and Chandler were considered
blue-chip prospects. Okafor was barely on the radar screen. While
Okafor was getting an education and leading his college team to a
national championship, Curry and Chandler were playing matador with
opposing centers. If Paxson hits the jackpot with Okafor, he can
afford, to do almost anything with Curry and Chandler.

The problem? The Bulls only have a 20-percent shot at winning the
No. 1 pick. The No. 2 prospect is a high school phenom, Dwight
Howard. Though Howard reportedly doesn't have many of the issues
that Curry and Chandler had coming out of high school, the Bulls
just don't want to drink that Kool-Aid.

In fact, the only other high lottery prospect who the Bulls would
likely consider is Duke's Luol Deng. The Bulls need a real small
forward. Deng has played only one year of college, but he' mature
beyond his years. If Okafor or Deng aren't available (it's not even
clear if Deng will be in the draft) the Bulls' best shot is to trade
the pick and hope that a combo of the pick and one of their young
players brings them back the veteran they so desperately need.

FREE AGENCY: Free agency will hit the Bulls fairly hard. Jamal
Crawford and Marcus Fizer are restricted free agents. Kendall Gill
is an unrestricted free agent. Scottie Pippen is mulling retirement.

The Bulls have no interest in re-signing Fizer. They will not offer
him a tender offer, meaning he'll become an unrestricted free agent
before the summer. Crawford is a different story. Despite Crawford's
very rocky relationship with his coach, teammates and management,
Paxson is telling everyone that he intends to match any reasonable
offer.

It's probably a bluff. Skiles wants a gritty 2-guard who can lock
his opponent down on defense. That's not Crawford. Crawford's value
is really at the point. He's not going to play the position in
Chicago with Hinrich running the show. Someone will offer Crawford a
contract for more than the mid-level exception. The Bulls would be
nuts to match it. Paxson is probably bluffing in hopes of working
out a sign-and-trade.

The Bulls are over the salary cap, meaning that the most they can
offer a free agent is the mid-level exception. They'll probably hold
off on signing anyone until they get the trade issues worked out. A
lot of it depends on what their young players can get them in
return.

TRADES: The Bulls should be very busy this summer. Paxson knows that
it's time to break up the Bulls. Who should he trade? Apparently, he
feels Curry has the most upside and will concentrate on moving
Chandler. They'd love to get a more experienced small forward or
2-guard in return, but would probably settle to move Chandler and
one bad contract (either Robinson or Williams) for a veteran who can
contribute now and a future pick.

Curry could get them more on the market, but the feeling among the
Bulls is that he's still salvageable and his stock is too low to
make him worth trading now. Crawford will be used as trade bait in
sign-and-trade scenarios.

Davis also is an asset. He has two years and $27 million left on his
contract, but a team desperate for a big man (read: Dallas) may be
willing to swallow it. Some combination of Chandler, Crawford and
Davis could get the Bulls an all-star-caliber player. The Mavericks
have shown interest in all three players in the past and would
likely think about sending hometown hero Michael Finley the Bulls'
way.

Would the Sonics be interested in that combo for Ray Allen? If the
Bulls were to swap Curry for Chandler in the above scenario it might
make some sense for both teams. The Sonics would add size and a guy
who can play multiple positions in the backcourt. The Bulls would
get a veteran all-star caliber 2-guard to play in the backcourt with
Hinrich. Paul Pierce of the Celtics could theoretically be available
in the same scenario.

The Bulls could probably make a play for Tracy McGrady if they
substituted Curry and Williams for Davis and Chandler in the above
scenario. Curry, Crawford, Williams and their first round pick might
be enough to make the Magic seriously consider a trade.

COACHING: The Bulls were awful with Bill Cartwright and they fared
no better with Skiles. Skiles' tough, no nonsense approach was
supposed to make a huge difference, but the results never showed on
the court. The only difference? Now Bulls players were being
insulted in the papers every night. Paxson will give Skiles a full
year to see if he can implement a system that makes sense. However,
if year one was any indication, Skiles will be out of a job soon.

FRONT OFFICE: Paxson has taken some lumps for his performance. I
think it's pretty unfair. He's trapped in a no-win situation. It's
quicksand that Jerry Krause was all too happy to escape. He can't
use the excuse this summer. He's got to make some tough decisions --
but I believe that he understands them. It's impossible to know for
sure whether to give up on Chandler, Curry and Crawford -- but the
Bulls would be irreparably damaged if they wait another season or
two with no tangible results. Something has to change. Paxson knows
it. His decisions will shape the Bulls for years to come.

Meanwhile, Krause just reports to Steinbrenner that a 14-year-old
center fielder just passed his specialized IQ test and personality
profile with flying colors. Brace yourself Yankee fans.

[jayC]

I'd do the finley deal in a heart beat.

[dalmations202]

Good article, but Chad Ford has had Finley in Chicago ever since he came to Dallas. If Chad Ford says it, then I don't believe it is even being considered.

[Dirkenstien]

I'd only do the Finley deal if we could somehow work Curry into it. Finley simply carries to much value with this team to give him up for a player with a terrible contract and a player with health issues.

[Stressboy]

I do it for Davis, Chandler and Their #1 unprotected. If we can resign Danials we don't need Crawford.

[MavsFanFinley]

The deal as Ford has it (Chandler/Crawford/Davis for Finley) does not come close to working. Dallas is not sending enough out.

What's hilarious is that anyone would expect Chicago to throw in the #1 pick for Finley. They'll be giving away Chandler as it is. And before you use the injury excuse with Chandler, no one is mentioning the injury issues (and age) with Finley.

And if you need any evidence of what Dallas fans think of Finley, check the thread out in the General section titled, "How Will Finley Respond?"

Would you do this deal? It's the only scenerio that I can think of that is reasonable for both sides.

Dallas sends: Finley/Howard/Najera/2nd round pick (or future 1st round pick)

Dallas receives: Chandler/Crawford/Davis/1st round pick

[jayC]

I'd do that too. To me the only three untouchables are nash, daniels and dirk. This team needs an athletic post defender so bad.

[grndmstr_c]

So that would give us something like this:
Nash/Crawford
Daniels/Crawford
AJ
Dirk/Chandler
Chandler/Davis/Bradley

with Walker still around as trade bait, and most likely the fourth pick in the draft. I'd probably do that. A lot of talented young guys in that mix, without the problematic position overlap that's plagued the team this year, and the two members of the Big 3 who really thrive off of one another still around. Downside is that we'd be trading two good known quantities in Fin and Howard (I don't consider Fin's performance thus far in the playoffs to be indicative of what he's still capable of contributing) for two potential filled question marks in Crawford and Chandler, but the upside is that we'd have young talent at every position, and considerable trade/draft flexibility. The primary need would seem to be getting an athletic/defensive swingman to replace JHo. I'd be surprised if that team contended for a championship next year, but give it a couple years and it _could_ be extremely good if the kids panned out.

[madape]

I love Crawford. I'd be willing to send them Daniels or Howard if it meant getting JC. Crawford is a similar player to Daniels, only better. If the Bulls want to dump him, I'd be the first in line.

[dalmations202]

Originally posted by: MavsFanFinley
The deal as Ford has it (Chandler/Crawford/Davis for Finley) does not come close to working. Dallas is not sending enough out.

What's hilarious is that anyone would expect Chicago to throw in the #1 pick for Finley. They'll be giving away Chandler as it is. And before you use the injury excuse with Chandler, no one is mentioning the injury issues (and age) with Finley.

And if you need any evidence of what Dallas fans think of Finley, check the thread out in the General section titled, "How Will Finley Respond?"

Would you do this deal? It's the only scenerio that I can think of that is reasonable for both sides.

Dallas sends: Finley/Howard/Najera/2nd round pick (or future 1st round pick)

Dallas receives: Chandler/Crawford/Davis/1st round pick

Change Walker for Fin, and done deal for me. I know that Ford keeps saying Fin, but I don't see Fin going anywhere.

Lineup then:
Nash\Crawford
Finley\Daniels
AJ\Daniels
Nowitzki\Davis
Chandler\Bradley\Davis\Fortson

[mcsluggo]

walker Howard and change for a top 5 pick, chandler,crawford and Davis.



Hmmm, why don't the Mavs trade Tony Delk for Lebron, and Tariq for KG as well, while they're at it?

[dalmations202]

Originally posted by: mcsluggo
walker Howard and change for a top 5 pick, chandler,crawford and Davis.



Hmmm, why don't the Mavs trade Tony Delk for Lebron, and Tariq for KG as well, while they're at it?

Wow...how little you value the Mavs

Walker - (former all-star) contract up if you don't like him... hometown guy for Davis - Way overpaid and OLD * win Chicago
Najera - hustle guy - exact mold of Skiles and Paxson.......for Crawford......young guy that they may have given up on. * Could go either way
Howard - top 6 rookie pick this year... for Chandler...bad back, etc. * probable win Chicago, but could be win Dallas (maybe)
2nd rounder for top 5 pick...........just a decision, if you are getting a project either way, and not the guy you need now. * win Dallas

I think this slightly favors the Mavs, but not as dramatic as a Tony Delk for Lebron or TAW for KGarnett.....Either that, or you see something in the young guys from Chicago who have done nothing, and place massively more value in a draft pick than I do.