LOL @ People thinking Kobe is going to tank a season if he's not traded. That's the stupidest shit I've heard all morning; lucky for you, I just woke up. Kobe would keep playing hard and putting up big numbers, just be very unhappy...
The Lakers, if they are going to move him, have to do it before his contract is up in 2 years; otherwise, he can opt out of it and sign elsewhere, and they'd get NOTHING for him. As Lakers GM, I'd rather trade him now and begin rebuilding than to go through two more .500 seasons, lose him, and then rebuild.
The Bulls aren't giving up Deng. Period. Most likely, it'd involve Ben Gordon, Thabo Sefalosha, Tyrus Thomas, and the #9 pick. You could also swap out Ben Wallace for Tyrus Thomas, but the Bulls obviously are relunctant to do that.
There were rumors of the Blazers wanting Mike Connely Jr., and working a trade with the Bulls. The Bulls would draft Connely, and package him and one other player (possibly Nocioni), and recieve Zach Randolph in return. (This coincides with the Blazers possibly moving up to the #5 spot and getting Yi, to have a frontline of Aldridge, Oden, and Yi...ouch).
Either way, I say if you can be smart about it (CHICAGO!), make the trade.
Love the picture, by the way, MAVA...Kobe in a Bulls uniform. Great!
