I think the Bulls are hoping the Grizzlies are stupid enough to make Gasol available.
With all the expiring contracts at the end of the year, the Spurs shouldn't really be too close to the luxury tax threshold. And now with Bonner, Oberto and Vaughn signed to multi-year deals on the cheap and the forthcoming rookie contracts of Mahinmi and Splitter, after this year they probably won't be near the luxury tax threshold for a good two years.
They can hope all they want, it's still not going to happen.
That's my hope as well. A sign and trade between Memphis and Chicago seems very unlikely. So unless the Bulls want to lose Nocioni for nothing, they'll deal him somewhere.Memphis balks at sending Gasol out. Nocioni balks at joining a Memphis team without Gasol. Spurs waiting nearby with Scola and expiring contracts...
Add in the fact that Paxson loves Scola and the Spurs have a set of expiring contracts, not to mention a couple decent young prospects, the Spurs can get in the mix in a hurry.
It'll come down to how much the Bulls like Scola and how much the Spurs are willing to pay Nocioni. Because of Memphis, I think the chances of the Spurs landing Nocioni got better instead of worse. The Bulls now actually see the possibility of losing Nocioni for nothing.
Plus, Memphis can turn around and make a big offer for Varejao, so it's not like they'll get in a Nocioni bidding war.
but i thought i read somewhere that scola decided to stay in spain or wherever and that he isn't likely to come over this year? doesn't chicago's interest rest on his coming over for 08?
How rumors are started...
Scola has until July 15th to present Tau with a buyout proposal. Until that date passes, Scola is a possibility to come to the NBA this season.
No, that was a stupid DraftExpress piece made of nothing but speculation, and bad one at that. He said he wants to play in the NBA. If there's a real chance to play for Chicago, he'll jump on it, no questions asked.
Hmmm......I like what I hear but normally when timvp is adamantly for something it wont happen, cuz it makes too much sense. The only exception to this rule is the Jackie Butler summer of 2006.
If, and its a massive If, Nocioni is traded to the Spurs for Scola + filler, where does he fit into the Spurs rotation? We go small and have him as a Power Forward in the starting lineup with Tp, MF/MG, Bruce, Nocioni, TD? Or does he backup Bruce? Or does he supplant Bruce in the starting lineup?
Would he even want to come here if he wasnt starting? Or is he made from the same cloth as Fab/Manu in that regard?
If the minutes are there, he won't care. He's come from the bench in the past for the Bulls, , he even suggested Skiles once that he benched him for PJ because he thought he Ben was suffering for it.The guy is all about winning. Of course, he's not going to let go of $46 million as a result, but still he's always stressed the importance of competing for something.
http://chicagosports.chicagotribune....home-headlines
Bulls offering Nocioni $38M
By K.C. Johnson
Tribune staff reporter
July 4, 2007, 11:07 PM CDT
Several twists and turns still could develop before the free-agent signing moratorium ends July 11.
But for one relatively quiet holiday, some momentum swung the Bulls' way in the wooing of Andres Nocioni.
As one of only three teams with significant cap room now that the Orlando Magic has reached an oral agreement with Rashard Lewis, the Memphis Grizzlies are weighing their options with interest in Nocioni as well as Cavaliers restricted free agent Anderson Varejao.
The longer the Grizzlies wait, however, the more attractive a Bulls offer that already is on the table could become.
A source said the Bulls' five-year offer starts near $6.3 million to $6.4 million for the first season. Factoring in a 10.5 percent increase of the first season's salary annually, the total package sits at approximately $38.1 million to $38.7 million.
The Bulls could increase that offer and also would have seven days to match any offer sheet Nocioni signed with Memphis. General manager John Paxson has vowed to match any offers for his hyperactive forward.
Per the collective bargaining agreement, the Bulls are allowed to offer Nocioni a six-year contract. Sources said the Grizzlies have yet to tender Nocioni an official offer.
It's unclear whether any oral offers or promises of an offer have been made. Nocioni is believed to be the Grizzlies' No. 1 target. The Grizzlies, however, can offer only an 8 percent increase in their package. Thus, a five-year offer starting at $7 million is worth $40.6 million, a figure the Bulls almost surely would match.
Should the Grizzlies start a five-year package at $8 million, that deal would be worth $46.4 million. That number might give Paxson pause, although nothing on the Grizzlies' roster beyond Pau Gasol interests the Bulls in sign-and-trade scenarios.
And Paxson has vowed not to lose Nocioni for nothing.
There are no indications the Grizzlies will make Gasol available. In fact, contradicting that notion, the Memphis Commercial Appeal reported that Gasol personally recruited Nocioni with a phone call while new Grizzlies general manager Chris Wallace visited Nocioni in Buenos Aires.
Nocioni has told contacts in Argentina that he liked Wallace and believes he could fit in well with new coach Marc Iavaroni's envisioned up-tempo system.
The Grizzlies used their lottery pick on Ohio State point guard Mike Conley Jr. to be the push guard in that attack. But Nocioni also has a strong comfort level with Paxson and coach Scott Skiles and maintained throughout last season that his first priority would be to re-sign with the Bulls.
Even if the Bulls add a scoring big man, as Paxson has stressed is their main off-season priority, and Luol Deng stays healthy at the small forward spot, Nocioni is considered a vital cog in the Bulls' attack.
His ability to stretch defenses with his three-point shooting, rebound bigger than his 6-foot-7-inch size and play multiple forward positions is valuable.
Nocioni, 27, is recovering from plantar fasciitis in his right foot. His manic playing style may be cause for worry at times, but it's only the second significant injury of his career.
yeah the spurs have no shot at him now
http://www.dailyherald.com/sports/bulls.asp?id=328856
Wanted: Big man who plays offense
Bulls still chasing several possibilities
By Mike McGraw
Posted Thursday, July 05, 2007
John Paxson’s summer job is to try to find the missing piece that could send the Bulls into next year’s NBA Finals.
He’s working on several possibilities.
Memphis 7-footer Pau Gasol remains a target and could be involved in a sign-and-trade deal for Andres Nocioni.
If Minnesota decides to trade Kevin Garnett this summer, the Bulls are expected to make an offer. Paxson also is pursuing veteran big men Chris Mihm and Joe Smith in free agency and is interested in acquiring the rights to Spanish league power forward Luis Scola from San Antonio.
The action heated up in recent days when Memphis general manager Chris Wallace traveled to Argentina to meet with Nocioni.
It’s possible the Grizzlies could try to sign Nocioni to an offer sheet. But the 6-foot-7 forward is a restricted free agent, and Paxson has insisted the Bulls will match any offer.
“I’m not prepared to lose a player for nothing,” Paxson said earlier this week.
There is reason to believe Paxson will back up that claim. The Bulls have $49 million in salary commitments for next season, including their three draft picks. The team’s payroll is well below the luxury tax threshold, which was $65.4 million a year ago.
Nocioni may not even agree to sign an offer sheet because that would limit his options this summer. Once the Bulls match an offer, Nocioni still could be traded after Dec. 15 with his permission, but he could not go to the team that tendered the offer sheet.
Nocioni enjoys playing for the Bulls, but he also realizes he could have a greater role on a different team, since the Bulls already have Luol Deng at small forward.
Memphis also is rumored to be pursuing Cleveland power forward Anderson Varejao. He’s a restricted free agent, but the Cavs aren’t as likely to match an offer sheet because their payroll already is at $64.7 million without counting Varejao or free-agent swingman Sasha Pavlovic.
The Grizzlies are about $10 million below last year’s salary cap. The cap number should rise, but Memphis does not figure to have enough room to sign both Nocioni and Varejao to compe ive offer sheets.
League sources believe the Grizzlies may be prepared to revamp their front line by signing Varejao and trading Gasol to the Bulls for a package including Nocioni and draft pick Joakim Noah.
Scola, a native of Argentina, averaged 17 points and 7.2 rebounds for Tau Ceramica in the Spanish ACB league last season.
He wants to play in the NBA badly and his representatives are hoping the Spurs, who have held Scola’s rights since drafting him in 2002, will be sympathetic to his dream. The Bulls are thought to have the most interest in acquiring Scola, 27, an accomplished inside scorer in Europe.
The Bulls are expected to have only mild interest in Orlando center Darko Milicic, who averaged 8 points and 5.5 rebounds last season. The Magic made Milicic, 22, an unrestricted free agent after agreeing to terms with Seattle’s Rashard Lewis.
You're on a Nocioni rollercoaster. I've seen you say this in about 6 threads and then get some hope with another article. Just sit tight and everything will take care of itself pretty soon if Scola has a dead date of July 15th to propose a buyout.yeah the spurs have no shot at him now
one thing is for sure, Scola's name is being bandied about in a lot more newspaper articles outside the Express News than ever before.
nah the spurs havent been mentioned as even showing interest in Nocioni.
Giving away Scola though is a mistake.
It will be interesting to have the salary cap number. It's far from sure that Memphis will be able to offer a $46M contract to Nocioni.
As objective said, Scola is mentioned in a lot of articles, Bulls must be really interested in him. Spurs are too interested in Nocioni.
3 main questions will decide if Nocioni will go in SA :
1) Does Chicago like Scola enough to trade Nocioni for a package around him?
2) How much money Spurs are ready to give to Nocioni? $38M? $40M?
3) What will be Nocioni choice ? What is his priority? Playing time? Money? Being on a good team? A le?
http://www.suntimes.com/sports/baske...bull05.article
Faux Pau: Pax says it ain't so
Calls story about recent talks with Grizz a fabrication
July 5, 2007
BY BRIAN HANLEY
Bulls general manager John Paxson said he has had no recent talks with the Grizzlies concerning a trade for Pau Gasol.
A newspaper report Wednesday suggested such talk was at ''the preliminary stages,'' which Paxson flatly denied.
''I have not had one conversation concerning Gasol,'' said Paxson, who called the story -- which floated a deal of Andres Nocioni, Joakim Noah, Chris Duhon and other considerations for the 7-foot Grizzlies forward -- ''a complete fabrication.''
The Grizzlies, who offered Gasol to the Bulls before the trade deadline last season, are very interested in Nocioni.
General manager Chris Wallace flew to Argentina to make a personal pitch to the restricted free agent.
Paxson has said his desire is to re-sign Nocioni and has vowed to match any offer sheet he signs. Teams cannot sign free agents until next Wednesday, when the NBA sets the salary cap for next season, expected to be about $56million.
Teams have seven days to match offer sheets tendered to their restricted free agents. If the bidding for Nocioni proves to be too costly for the Bulls, Paxson could try to include him in a sign-and-trade deal.
The Grizzlies, Bobcats and Bucks have the most cap room with which to pursue free agents.
As for the Bulls' free-agent pursuits, 76ers forward Joe Smith is scheduled to meet with Paxson and coach Scott Skiles today at the Berto Center, and Lakers center Chris Mihm is scheduled to visit Saturday.
Mihm, who missed all of last season after ankle surgery, reportedly also will work out for the Suns at the team's summer league in Las Vegas.
Paxson still is awaiting word from Bulls forward/center P.J. Brown on whether the unrestricted free agent wants to play another season.
Brown's agent, Mark Bartelstein, told Paxson on Wednesday that Brown still had not returned from a vacation.
If Brown, 37, decides not to retire, Mavericks owner Mark Cuban has been quoted by DallasBasketball.com as saying his team will pursue Brown.
Cuban also told the Web site that the Mavericks are trying to trade for Timberwolves superstar Kevin Garnett ''because this is about trying to be opportunistic.''
Well I guess we will hear a lot of stories linked to that topic. I think the Scola discussion will come to an end at July 15th. He might be the only way to get Nocioni.
With Hill, Wallace, Pietrus out of the picture the Spurs might try a little more to get him. I still don't think there is a good chance to get him.
Such a drama queen...yeah the spurs have no shot at him now
I haven't read this whole thread but I remember some trade proposals, but has anyone discussed Base Year Compensation?
If some team wanted to start him at say $7M, wouldn't he only count $3.5 toward the sign and trade? So, in some senses this helps the Spurs because the Bulls want to get value back but they can not get much back salary-wise, but the rights to Scola have value and cost nothing in the trade salary-wise. Right??
That's correct....
So the deal could be Scola rights, Barry, and Udrih for Nocioni and Duhon....or something to that effect.
This is why I figured the Spurs think they will not get Nocioni because they used up $3M on Bonner. If they have to take back an extra about $3M in salary to get Nocioni, I fugured they would have reserved that and not given it to Bonner.
You could just do Butler + Beno + Scola's rights for a resigned Nocioni. Who wants Duhon?
can the spurs Trade Bonner right now if they want,or have to wait 30 days?
that could be another option to bring Nocioni.
Bonner+Udrih+Scola for Noc.
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