Mutombo, Piatkowski focus of expected Bulls-Rockets trade

[MavsFanFinley]

Mutombo, Piatkowski focus of expected Bulls-Rockets trade

September 4, 2004
BY LACY J. BANKS Staff Reporter Advertisement

Dikembe Mutombo will get his wish of playing for the Houston Rockets next season, and the Bulls will get their wish of a tall shooting guard when an anticipated trade between the teams becomes official early next week, according to league sources.

The Bulls will receive 6-6 Eric Piatkowski, who has shot 40 percent from three-point range throughout his 10-year career, as well as defense-minded swingman Adrian Griffin and guard Mike Wilks.

Wilks is a free agent who first has to sign with the Rockets. That couldn't be made official Friday because league offices closed early for the holiday weekend.

Bulls operations chief John Paxson was unavailable for comment.

The Bulls will look to Piatkowski, 33, to fill some of the scoring void created by the trade of Jamal Crawford. He played his first nine seasons with the Los Angeles Clippers and was lost in the shuffle in Houston after missing time with a sprained left ankle to start the season. He played in just 49 games and averaged 4.1 points. His three-point percentage ranks 22nd in NBA history.

Mutombo was acquired from the New York Knicks in the Crawford deal, but he didn't want to play for the Bulls, preferring to become Yao Ming's backup on a playoff-ready team.

[EricaLubarsky]

This really is one of the most insignificant trades to date, but with so little news I ate this article up.

[bernardos70]

Mutombo is still playing? And he was with the Bulls? Huh?

[EricaLubarsky]

Originally posted by: bernardos70
Mutombo is still playing? And he was with the Bulls? Huh?

traded from New York.

He's 38 and he can apparently average 20+ minutes per game on the worst team in the NBA.

[twelli]

Originally posted by: EricaLubarsky

traded from New York.

He's 38 and he can apparently average 20+ minutes per game on the worst team in the NBA.

38 is an estimate, no one knows for sure...

[fin4life]

this isnt a bad situation for mutumbo. He has very little left in the tank, but yoa should play about 38minutes per game. If yoa gets in foul trouble, Houston is screwed

[dalmations202]

Looks like a good trade from both sides to me. Houston gets a backup center that doesn't take them entirely out of the way the do things, and Chicago gets some shooting.

Seems like a really minor trade to me, that could work out for both teams.

[MavKikiNYC]

Said it a month ago when the trade proposal was first floated, but this is a good trade by Houston.

Houston definitely needed somone as a backup for Yao (with Cato gone in the trade for McGrady).

Mutombo will be an excellent 10-12 mpg backup, and extends JVG's defensive mentality to the second team.

Most importantly, though, is that he and Patrick Ewing will continue Yao's Hoya-centric tutelage on the ins-and-outs of being a superstar NBA center, and that has never been a bad combination.

This is sort of like the Mavericks getting Booth, but bigger---a small deal, but a significant one.

[GoMavsGo]

though i know mutombo is old as fu*k, the thought of yao at C and mutombo at PF sounds like one hardass barrier to get through.

[fin4life]

no way that both of them wil play at the same time... mutumbo cant logg that many minutes

[Poindexter Einstein]

Yep it checks out perfectly......perfectly fair trade for both teams.........

Chicago trades: C Plodding Has Been (5.6 ppg, 6.7 rpg, 0.4 apg in 23.0 minutes)
Chicago receives: SF Unathletic Skinny Never Was (4.1 ppg, 1.5 rpg, 0.5 apg in 49 games)
SG Worthless CapFiller (0.6 ppg, 1.0 rpg, 0.5 apg in 19 games)

Change in team outlook: -0.9 ppg, -4.2 rpg, and +0.6 apg.

Houston trades: SF Unathletic Skinny Never Was (4.1 ppg, 1.5 rpg, 0.5 apg in 14.3 minutes)
SG Worthless CapFiller (0.6 ppg, 1.0 rpg, 0.5 apg in 19 games)
Houston receives: C Plodding Has Been (5.6 ppg, 6.7 rpg, 0.4 apg in 23.0 minutes)

Change in team outlook: +0.9 ppg, +4.2 rpg, and -0.6 apg.

TRADE ACCEPTED

Due to Houston and Chicago being over the cap, the 15% trade rule is invoked. Houston and Chicago had to be no more than 115% plus $100,000 of the salary given out unless trade exceptions were used for the trade to be accepted, which did happen here. This trade satisfies the provisions of the Collective Bargaining Agreement.

[dalmations202]

Originally posted by: Poindexter Einstein
Yep it checks out perfectly......perfectly fair trade for both teams.........

Chicago trades: C Plodding Has Been (5.6 ppg, 6.7 rpg, 0.4 apg in 23.0 minutes)
Chicago receives: SF Unathletic Skinny Never Was (4.1 ppg, 1.5 rpg, 0.5 apg in 49 games)
SG Worthless CapFiller (0.6 ppg, 1.0 rpg, 0.5 apg in 19 games)

Change in team outlook: -0.9 ppg, -4.2 rpg, and +0.6 apg.

Houston trades: SF Unathletic Skinny Never Was (4.1 ppg, 1.5 rpg, 0.5 apg in 14.3 minutes)
SG Worthless CapFiller (0.6 ppg, 1.0 rpg, 0.5 apg in 19 games)
Houston receives: C Plodding Has Been (5.6 ppg, 6.7 rpg, 0.4 apg in 23.0 minutes)

Change in team outlook: +0.9 ppg, +4.2 rpg, and -0.6 apg.

TRADE ACCEPTED

Due to Houston and Chicago being over the cap, the 15% trade rule is invoked. Houston and Chicago had to be no more than 115% plus $100,000 of the salary given out unless trade exceptions were used for the trade to be accepted, which did happen here. This trade satisfies the provisions of the Collective Bargaining Agreement.

Wasn't this trade made multiple times in the last few months.....LOL