ESPN NBA

Posted by Kelly Dwyer



CourtsideTimes.net with a trio of breakdowns regarding a purported Pau Gasol deal. I want Pau on the Bulls. I need Pau on the Bulls. When all of this is over, Pau on the Bulls and I should get an apartment together. But the Grizzlies have no use for Luol Deng (even if his upside is far higher than Ben Gordon’s, he’s nearly as good as him now, and two years younger), and the Bulls aren’t nearly as dynamic without Gordon playing off a big guy inside.



Pau on the Bulls without Gordon doesn’t bring a championship, and Pau on the Bulls doesn’t happen by trading Deng to a team with Rudy Gay (though he did only play seven of 53 possible minutes last night), Mike Miller, Hack’em Warrick, Dahntay Jones, etc. If I’m a Bulls fan, and I am a Bulls fan, I like the idea of taking on Brian Cardinal as a “favor” because of his big contract. He’s starting to play damn well (21 PER), though I’m scared Scott Skiles would find reasons to play him 47 minutes a game.



The deal probably gets done before the deadline, Chicago won’t let that expiring PJ Brown contract go to waste, but I’m not expecting a knockout of a trade for Chicago. More than likely, they’ll have to part with Ben and find shooting/guard help this summer on the cheap. And though Thabo Sefolosha looks like he was born to play basketball (watch him when you get a chance; maybe tonight, on TNT, against Dallas), he still has a lot to figure out.



BREATHLESS UPDATE: I really should have linked to Matt's take on the situation from a few days ago.  Here 'tis.