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Wow.
Souces: Bulls VP Paxson shoved Del Negro
By Adrian Wojnarowski
Chicago Bulls executive vice president John Paxson shoved coach Vinny Del Negro twice in the chest and had to be restrained in a postgame confrontation late last month, multiple sources told Yahoo! Sports.
After a loss to the Phoenix Suns on March 30, an irate Paxson walked into the coach’s office at the United Center and confronted Del Negro over a narrow breach of a management-imposed minutes limit on injured forward Joakim Noah. Sources said Paxson first grabbed a hold of Del Negro’s tie and seemingly tried to provoke him with two successive jabs into his chest. Paxson was even heard to angrily challenge Del Negro to a fight.
There were several staff members present, sources said, and assistant coach Bernie Bickerstaff stepped between Paxson and Del Negro and pulled Paxson away.
Sources said Del Negro did not retaliate, mostly out of fear the incident could be used to void his contract without pay or hurt future career opportunities elsewhere. The Bulls have dispatched lawyers to interview witnesses about the incident, sources said.
When reached late Tuesday afternoon, Del Negro declined comment. Paxson didn’t return a message left on his on phone.
Because of Noah’s injured left foot, management and team doctors had set progressive limits on the forward’s minutes throughout the season. Paxson and general manager Gar Forman had become angry after a Feb. 26 game against Portland when Noah’s minutes also exceeded the limit. Noah played 27 minutes in the 111-105 loss to the Suns on March 30.
The issue of Noah’s minutes arose again in the Bulls double-overtime loss to the New Jersey Nets on Saturday night. Del Negro and the front office had go-betweens exchange information during the game about the possibility of the coach playing Noah past the limit to try and win a game that would help secure a playoff spot.
The Bulls play the Boston Celtics on Tuesday night at the United Center. Chicago needs a victory over Boston and a win over the Charlotte Bobcats on Wednesday or one win and a Toronto Raptors’ loss to the New York Knicks to secure the Eastern Conference’s eighth seed and a first-round meeting with the Cleveland Cavaliers.
After advancing to the playoffs with a 41-41 record a season ago, Chicago lost a seven-game series to the Celtics in the first round. Del Negro’s job security has been questioned often this season, and much of that has been fueled by tepid public backing from his bosses. He has one year left on his original three-year contract.
Wow.
Paxson is a little pussy. Always blames coaching for the Bulls' issues and never realizes it's the lack of talent he provides the coach with. When Scott Skiles is hoisting is COY trophy maybe Paxson will get a dose of reality.
Seems like the bulls management is doing everything they can to keep the bulls out the playoffs and get a lottery pick
Del Negro: No comment on reported altercation
Chicago Bulls coach Vinny Del Negro would not comment on a reported altercation with executive vice president of basketball operations John Paxson.
Del Negro simply said “no comment on that” after the Bulls’ victory over the Boston Celtics on Tuesday.
Yahoo! Sports, citing sources, reported Paxson shoved Del Negro twice in the chest and had to be restrained in a confrontation over Joakim Noah’s minutes after the March 30 home game against Phoenix.
Paxson did not return a call from The AP seeking comment.
“This is an organizational issue, which we will handle internally,” Bulls spokesman Tim Hallam said.
He also overvalued players such as Gordon,Deng, etc etc and it cost them a shot at landing a star. Maybe they will get lucky this summer.
John Paxon is single-handedly the worst FO guy in all of sports. He had so much to work with in Chicago and did nothing. Wasted 1st rounds picks, overvalued certain players and stuck with being too strong in certain positions and very weak in others. What a piece of crap this guy is. What a . Guy has no business being in the front office.
Exactly... Who's the GM who signed Wallace to a ridiculous contract and outbid themselves for a washed up player's services? Who traded Tyson Chandler for next to nothing? Who's the GM who skipped on Roy and traded Aldridge for Thomas? Who's the GM who selected Thabo Sefolosha over Ronnie Brewer and Rajon Rondo. Who's the GM who one, kept acquiring CAP filler in trades that quality low post FAs couldn't be signed, or who then traded quality talent like Salmons?
He's made some smarter deals lately, like clearing CAP and drafting Noah and Rose. However, he could have cleared even more salary by sending Hinrich to LA for half the cost and didn't, which really hurts as they would have had a core of Rose, Deng, Noah and Gibson to lure two MAX contracts with (like Wade and Amare), and now they can only add one.
Yeah exactly. Every year it's a different coaches fault the team started slow, ever consider that maybe the team is just full of a bunch of lazy wastes of talent who are never ready to play when the season starts?
Chicago is a better team with Hinrich in the lineup. No one really wants Kirk because of his contract. The Lakers though willing are also trying to trade them undesirables (Vujacic or Walton package). Paxson did the right move. Chicago is not going to sign 2 MAX players anyway even if they unload Hinrich's contract, not with the new cap, and people who knows the Bulls owner will tell you the mother er hates paying luxury tax (Good MLB owner though)
Paxson had some fumbles throughout his GM career, but to be honest with who does'nt? Each and every GM has taken their shares of hits and misses. I dont like Paxson but I think he would beat the crap out of Vinny. But in terms of one on one, my money is on Del Negro.
Vinny isn't the problem, he is a decent coach and has handled this season like a true pro. The problem with the Bulls is they have overvalued talent and have made some bad decisions in regards to talent over the past 11 years since MJ hit the NBA finals game winner in 1998 to secure a 6th NBA le for the Chicago Bulls. Right now where they stand the talent is there to compete (Rose, Deng, Noah, Taj). Signing Bosh in the offseason would be huge and adding some talented 3 point shooters (Brad Miller is taking 3's for the Bulls) and get bigger would help. Bosh would make the Bulls good and a top 4 Eastern Conference team. Rose is damn good but like most great players needs to be surrounded by talent to win it all, Bosh and some talent would be a step in that direction. Also what the F*ck do they want with Vinny? He was an inexperienced coach to begin with and has shown these past 2 NBA seasons that he is a highly capable coach in the NBA. If they fire him they would be making a huge mistake, stick with talent and your coach and your building a winner. That's exactly what the Bulls haven't done all these years except keeping Kirk Hinrich there.
Bosh, some size and 3 point shooters is the answer, and keep Vinny he knows those group of guys and is a decent NBA coach.
The package wasn't Walton and Vujacic. It was Morrison, an expiring contract, and Vujacic. As for the absurdity of not signing two MAX contracts, it's hardly any difference as keeping Hinrich and his near MAX contract and looking to sign a MAX contract, which is their plans for the offseason. You have to be absolutely foolish to turn down a chance to acquire Wade and Bosh/Amare/Boozer/Lee for Hinrich, a redundant talent off the bench for a high price, and now just Boozer or such...
You can also add that he failed in acquiring KG, Kobe Bryant or even Gasol all because he didn't want to give up Luol Deng. I mean if all Memphis wanted for Gasol was Kwame Brown, how in the couldn't Paxson pull that deal off....
There were no concrete deal for Luol deng for Gasol. as for Kobe Bryant, Kobe himself has a NTC and it was reported heavily that Kobe would not want to go to Chicago if Deng is being shipped to the Lakers.
The package Chicago wanted was Hinrich for Morrison/Fisher OR Morrison/Brown.
LA was only willing to deal Morrison/Vujacic, which Chi had no incentive to take. Apparently Mitch thinks EVERY team in the league consults with Jerry West.
The principle deal was for Hinrich to LA, Morrison and 1st round picks to Chicago and Tyrus Thomas and fillers to Minnesota. The deal fell through when Kahn refused to send his 1st rd picks to Chicago.
Shannon Brown was also rumored to to be packaged along with Josh Powell and Morrison, but this one also fell under the cracks since the Lakers, A.) Dont want to trade Brown in the package and B.) Buss is already having second thoughts acquiring Hinrich and his $9 million salary to the already league high salary cap.
Eitherway, the Bulls did'nt have to make any of those trade for the sake of making one. Earlier this season, they were very optimistic about their playoff hopes so it did'nt made any sense for them to trade a serviceable guard who in that time (Jan-Feb) was playing very well in Chicago. The Bulls were not having a fire sale, they have ayoung team with a healthy mix of veterands and young players, so trading Hinrich just for the sake of trading him was not imminent nor a high priority for Paxson.
Understand the fact that the Bulls can still sign a MAX player and another solid rotation player this off season. That's why they got rid of John Salmons for 2 expiring contracts. They have under $20 million in cap space this off season.
That deal cuts the total amount paid in half, frees up an additional 5/6 million CAP space and enables them to compete with NY for two MAX free agents, and do so with a better core/brighter future as they still have their 1sts.
They should have made the move, as I've heard Amare, if he leaves Phoenix, wants to play with Wade. They could have landed Wade, then Amare. Rose, Wade, Deng, Amare, Noah is a fantastic starting lineup.
Rose/Wade/Deng/Amare/Noah could easily contend,not doing that trade.
Thats all speculation though. Wade for one though a Chi town native is probably not going to play in Chicago with Derrick Rose handling th ball as much. Nothing is set in stone with FA. celaring cap space and compromising talent that you have is not always the right move.
And the Knicks are about to find that out this summer.
Wrong...
And LMAO at "compromising talent" being used with Hinrich and his bloated contract. He's a good player, but not someone so talented you don't take the chance for Wade/Amare to keep. He's replaced easily and they aren't really touching their best players.
Wrong? You have any concrete if not the most slightest proof that Wade and Amare will sign with Chicago? At least give me some undisputable statement from both stating they will play in Chicago. Throw me a bone or something besides "Wrong"
And its not laughable. Keep in mind the player in exchange was for Adam Morrison. This has been debated heavily a few months ago and the sentiment from most of the Chicago Bulls fanbase was "No Thanks". the team had plans this season, and that plan was to make the playoffs.
They can still trade Hinrich this offseason. Trading him to the Lakers for Morrison or Vujacic is NOT the only option. This aint NBA Live son.
Kirk Hinrich is one of the many players in the last decade who was overhyped and glorified by the Chicago media since the day he was drafted. Other than 1 season he's never been more than a rich man's Luke Ridnour.
Overhyped? probably. But he's still far more valuable than what the Lakers are offering which was Uber Bust Adam Morrison. After this season, the Bulls will have better offers for Hinrich once teams assess their plans in the off season.
What's wrong is the foolish notion that keeping an expensive maybe top-75 player in the NBA is better than clearing space and making a run at FAs. That's incredibly stupid, especially when you have such a strong in with a top FA in Wade and he gives you a strong in with another top FA and area of need in Amare.
Whether I have proof or not, Amare has overtly hinted at wanting to play with Wade if he goes elsewhere, and Wade has said he'd like to play for the Bulls, although each could just be posturing. Fact is, they now get to keep a 10+ million per year bench player to backup their best talent instead of cutting significant costs and making a run at being a le-contending team as early as next year.
Is it likely? Who knows, but they aren't advancing to the Finals with Hinrich on their roster. You can count on that.
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