KG to the Bulls? Looks like they aren't done yet.

[fluid.forty.one]

Sources: Wallace to join Bulls - and Garnett might be next

Tuesday, July 4, 2006




By Paul Ladewski
Staff writer


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Bulls general manager John Paxson promised to think big in the free-agent market, which opened for business Saturday.
But if the master plan comes to fruition, this offseason has the potential to be bigger than big for a Bulls team that hasn't advanced to the second round of the playoffs in eight long years.

According to league sources, forward-center Ben Wallace, who previously played for the Detroit Pistons, and the Bulls agreed to a four-year, $60 million contract. The deal cannot be consummated until July 12, when the salary cap will be in place for next season.

"I appreciate everything that Detroit did for me," Wallace told the Detroit News. "They gave me an opportunity to make a name for myself, and we had an opportunity to win a championship together."

Paxson and Bulls head coach Scott Skiles met with Wallace on Saturday, the first day teams could contact free agents.

Paxson did not return a phone call Monday night.

According to published reports, the Pistons had a four-year, $51 million deal on the table. Wallace was said to be disappointed the offer was less than the five-year, $57 million contract that Pistons forward Rasheed Wallace signed last year.

Pistons operations chief Joe Dumars was reluctant to make Wallace a more generous offer because of his age (31) and the fact his rebound and blocked shot averages had declined in each of the last three seasons.

"It was all about the money," a source close to the negotiations said. "It had nothing to do with relationships with teammates or coaches or front office personnel."

As part of the deal, the Bulls are believed to have promised to continue their pursuit of Minnesota Timberwolves star forward Kevin Garnett, who could be the final piece to the championship puzzle.

Wallace had said he would leave the Pistons only if another contender exceeded their contract offer. The four-time Defensive Player of the Year can't be expected to turn the Bulls into a serious championship threat by himself. He averaged 11.3 rebounds, 7.3 points and 2.2 blocked shots in 82 games last season.

The Daily Southtown reported last week that the Bulls were among several teams that inquired about Garnett prior to the NBA draft. Timberwolves operations chief Kevin McHale made it known that Garnett was not available.

The Bulls believe they can revive the talks if they sweeten their offer of center Tyson Chandler and forward Luol Deng with recent first-round draft pick Tyrus Thomas, whom the Timberwolves are known to covet.

A nucleus of Garnett, Wallace and Andres Nocioni on the front line coupled with Ben Gordon and Kirk Hinrich in the backcourt would immediately turn the Bulls into a legitimate championship contender.

In the meantime, the Timberwolves would be able to build around a young front line of Chandler, Deng and Thomas, who was the second overall pick in the draft a week ago.

Otherwise, the Bulls would be left with a pair of non-scorers in Chandler and Wallace in the middle.

Another possibility is a trade with the Denver Nuggets, who re-signed center-forward Nene to a six-year, $60 million deal recently. The contract was similar to the extension that Chandler received last summer.

[nashtymavsfan13]

WOW! That's actually a pretty good offer by the Bulls, and I can see Minny doing that. Wow, if KG goes to the Bulls, they've got to be the favorites in the East at least!

[fluid.forty.one]

Wow do people think Ben Wallace is more important than KG, or do you guys just not believe this. It seemed pretty interesting to me.

[nashtymavsfan13]

Yeah, I find it interesting, I don't see why people aren't posting. Probably cuz it's a rumor, and the Wallace signing is fact.

[Dtownsfinest]

Well without checking the numbers I can say right now that Chandler, Thomas and Deng don't add up to KG's 20 million dollar contract. I believe he gets more than that now. That's without knowing the Bulls cap situation. With the Wallace signing I'd like to think they don't have anywhere from 10-15 mill left on their cap. But if Bulls can get it done then wow. They would've had one of the best offseasons for a team in a very long time. They will still have Gordon and Hinrich. That's a scary Bulls team even without KG.

[sike]

dang fine post Dtown.

[mkat]

didn't they say in the Wallace article that Garnett wasn't leaving Minny?

[sike]

I wish nothing but a career of L's for "da kid". His arrogence deserves Minny.

[fluid.forty.one]

Well IMO last year hurt more for me as a Dallas fan than any other... so maybe he goes to Chicago and we beat them in the finals?

Sounds good to me!

[Five-ofan]

Kevin mchale cant make that trade guys. He would be fired aside from the fact that it doesnt work anyway. If the bulls want KG it would take Chandler, Hinrich, Thomas and the first founder they have next year plus whatever it takes to even out the salaries, probably othella harrington. Then you have the problem of the Twolves being over the roster limit. I dont see any way a kg trade happens with them just because they dont have enough guys who make enough money to match kgs salary without putting the wolves way over the roster limit.

[big_pth]

Dead in the water. Chandler is going to NO/OKC Hornets.

[dalmations202]

KG is going nowhere. Minn is dead in the water if they trade him in his prime.

Do they need some pieces, yes. Are Superstars easy to get, NO.

Minn will not trade him till he is old, very old.

Too much marketing value.

[Knickfan]

Minn is dead anyway with Garnett. I think Garnett is a good player but they've tried to build around him SEVERAL times and they've gotten as far as the Western Conference finals. He's not getting younger, he's as good as he's going to get so if I'm Minnesota, I start to go in another direction, they've rode Garnett as far as he can take them. Trade him now while you can get some REALLY, REALLY good young talent.

[mavsman55]

If that trade falls through, then Minnesota will have made one of the worst decisions in their franchise's history. Also, the Bulls will scare the crap out of me. They had a lot of great pieces last year and were missing a dominant center. Nocioni is a forward on the rise. But can you imagine a lineup of Hinrich, Gordon, Nocioni, Garnett and Wallace? Wow.

[fluid.forty.one]

Chandler is going to the hornets so this trade did fall through mavsman.