The NBA’s free-agent negotiating period will drag on until July 22.
But the Bulls might have a good feel for Eddy Curry’s future with the team by Friday, when the pursuit of free agents officially begins.
If other NBA teams demonstrate a strong interest in Curry this weekend, the Bulls will take the opportunity to try to trade the 22-year-old center. A team insider confirmed this strategy.
Would trading Curry be a good idea? Well, obviously Curry’s heart condition brings a significant risk. But health issues aside, look at recent NBA history: Six of the last seven championships were won by Shaquille O’Neal or Tim Duncan. The odd title went to Detroit, which had Ben Wallace, Rasheed Wallace and Mehmet Okur.
The point is, you win with size in the NBA. With Curry and Tyson Chandler, the Bulls are big enough to cause opponents problems inside, even if those players are not in Shaq or Duncan’s stratosphere.
Keep in mind, general manager John Paxson won’t agree to a trade that makes no sense for the Bulls. But if they can get a decent big man in return, a deal could happen.
Lorenzen Wright? Al Harrington? Jeff Foster? Rasho Nesterovic? Channing Frye? It’s difficult to predict the possibilities.
If there is little to no interest in Curry as a restricted free agent, the Bulls are prepared to make a contract offer, but the dollar amount may be less than Curry’s camp originally hoped for. The Bulls also may try nudging him toward getting a DNA test that might rule out the presence of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.
Curry’s visit to Los Angeles cardiologist Dr. David Cannom today will have little effect on the Bulls’ plans. The team expected him to cautiously return to basketball activity this summer because no doctor he has seen was ready to suggest that Curry never play again.
If he gets the go-ahead from Cannom, Curry likely will begin working out with personal trainer Tim Grover. The key question is whether other NBA teams accept a positive diagnosis from Cannom as a sign that Curry’s health is OK.
There is one other path the Bulls could take, though this one is less likely. Since the salary cap will increase this summer, the Bulls could conceivably renounce Curry, re-sign Chandler and Chris Duhon as planned and still have at least $7 million to $8 million to spend on free agents.
The problem is there aren’t any sure-fire upgrades on the market. The best available centers or power forwards are Cleveland’s Zydrunas Ilgauskas, Seattle’s Jerome James, Portland’s Shareef Abdur-Rahim, Memphis’ Stromile Swift and Toronto’s Donyell Marshall.
With the possible exception of Ilgauskas, a two-time all-star, it’s tough to see any of those players as a better fit for the Bulls than Curry.
Summer-league search: The Bulls spent the first 24 hours following Tuesday’s NBA draft recruiting undrafted free agents. They should have some success getting the players they want, since spots on their summer-league squad are wide open.
Center Jared Reiner is the only player from last year’s roster expected to play in the Las Vegas summer league and the Bulls added no draft picks Tuesday.
The Bulls were hoping to get Charlotte’s Eddie Basden, Michigan State’s Alan Anderson, Iowa State’s Jared Homan, along with Will Bynum and Luke Schenscher from Georgia Tech to attend their rookie-free agent camp that begins Saturday.
According to an overseas report, Chinese center Mengke Bateer is planning to be on the Bulls’ summer squad. A.D. becomes president: Bulls forward Antonio Davis was elected president of the National Basketball Players Association on Tuesday during a meeting in Las Vegas. Davis, who had been vice president of the players union, replaced Michael Curry.
But the Bulls might have a good feel for Eddy Curry’s future with the team by Friday, when the pursuit of free agents officially begins.
If other NBA teams demonstrate a strong interest in Curry this weekend, the Bulls will take the opportunity to try to trade the 22-year-old center. A team insider confirmed this strategy.
Would trading Curry be a good idea? Well, obviously Curry’s heart condition brings a significant risk. But health issues aside, look at recent NBA history: Six of the last seven championships were won by Shaquille O’Neal or Tim Duncan. The odd title went to Detroit, which had Ben Wallace, Rasheed Wallace and Mehmet Okur.
The point is, you win with size in the NBA. With Curry and Tyson Chandler, the Bulls are big enough to cause opponents problems inside, even if those players are not in Shaq or Duncan’s stratosphere.
Keep in mind, general manager John Paxson won’t agree to a trade that makes no sense for the Bulls. But if they can get a decent big man in return, a deal could happen.
Lorenzen Wright? Al Harrington? Jeff Foster? Rasho Nesterovic? Channing Frye? It’s difficult to predict the possibilities.
If there is little to no interest in Curry as a restricted free agent, the Bulls are prepared to make a contract offer, but the dollar amount may be less than Curry’s camp originally hoped for. The Bulls also may try nudging him toward getting a DNA test that might rule out the presence of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.
Curry’s visit to Los Angeles cardiologist Dr. David Cannom today will have little effect on the Bulls’ plans. The team expected him to cautiously return to basketball activity this summer because no doctor he has seen was ready to suggest that Curry never play again.
If he gets the go-ahead from Cannom, Curry likely will begin working out with personal trainer Tim Grover. The key question is whether other NBA teams accept a positive diagnosis from Cannom as a sign that Curry’s health is OK.
There is one other path the Bulls could take, though this one is less likely. Since the salary cap will increase this summer, the Bulls could conceivably renounce Curry, re-sign Chandler and Chris Duhon as planned and still have at least $7 million to $8 million to spend on free agents.
The problem is there aren’t any sure-fire upgrades on the market. The best available centers or power forwards are Cleveland’s Zydrunas Ilgauskas, Seattle’s Jerome James, Portland’s Shareef Abdur-Rahim, Memphis’ Stromile Swift and Toronto’s Donyell Marshall.
With the possible exception of Ilgauskas, a two-time all-star, it’s tough to see any of those players as a better fit for the Bulls than Curry.
Summer-league search: The Bulls spent the first 24 hours following Tuesday’s NBA draft recruiting undrafted free agents. They should have some success getting the players they want, since spots on their summer-league squad are wide open.
Center Jared Reiner is the only player from last year’s roster expected to play in the Las Vegas summer league and the Bulls added no draft picks Tuesday.
The Bulls were hoping to get Charlotte’s Eddie Basden, Michigan State’s Alan Anderson, Iowa State’s Jared Homan, along with Will Bynum and Luke Schenscher from Georgia Tech to attend their rookie-free agent camp that begins Saturday.
According to an overseas report, Chinese center Mengke Bateer is planning to be on the Bulls’ summer squad. A.D. becomes president: Bulls forward Antonio Davis was elected president of the National Basketball Players Association on Tuesday during a meeting in Las Vegas. Davis, who had been vice president of the players union, replaced Michael Curry.
