According to ChicagoSports.com (http://chicagosports.chicagotribune.com/sports/basketball/bulls/cs-040703bullscrawford,1,5626126.story?coll=cs-bulls-headlines','21'), there are 8 teams interested in obtaining Jamal Crawford via the sign-and-trade, with Minnesota, NY, Sacramento, and Miami leading the race.

Crawford wants more than the MLE because Marquis Daniels recently re-upped with the Mavs for around what the MLE would be worth.

The Timberwolves only have Wally Szczerbiak to offer, which doesn't interest the Bulls, and the Kings really don't have anything in the form of expiring contracts to give the Bulls, and it's hard to see the Heat overpaying (it would probably take Butler and Eddie Jones) to get Crawford.

This leaves just the Knicks, who could offer Kurt Thomas and expiring contracts for Jamal Crawford and the Bulls' bigger contracts, like Jerome Williams and Eddie Robinson.

When it comes down to it, I think the Knicks will wind up with Crawford. He wants to play here, the Knicks can take the most bad contracts back, and they have the expiring contracts and other role players John Paxson likes to make the deal work.

I don't know that Crawford should earn more than Daniels. Daniels showed more in his rookie year than Craw showed in his first two.

Meanwhile the Chicago Sun-Times seems to think Zeke will offer the full MLE and insiders say Chicago won't match. But, the same insiders seem to believe no one will give Craw the full MLE. I'll let you read for yourself.

And at this point, it's entirely likely Bulls fans will watch Crawford play for the New York Knicks next season. Sources say Knicks general manager Isiah Thomas is willing to make Crawford a six-year, $37 million offer, which is the max using the mid-level exception. The Bulls can match any offer, because Crawford is a restricted free agent, but insiders say they won't match the one for $37 million, although not everyone is convinced that offer will be extended.

http://www.suntimes.com/output/banks/cst-spt-banks04.html

Bulls wouldn't do that deal, it gives them no relief.

Robinson is signed through 05-06.

Crawford had a 50 point game and has had games of 10 assists or more and 10 rebounds or more. He's a very versatile player. He averaged 17 and 5 last year.

He's better than Daniels at this point, so he should get paid more.

I'd say he gets a deal aroudn 6 years, $44 million.

Posted by VDesai:

ERob is owed 14 mil over the next two seasons. IMO he's a much better player than Shandon, and he'll have an expiring deal the same year as Penny. ERob can defend, is an outstanding athlete and has a decent mid range shot. JYD is owed something like 25 mil over the next 4 seasons (though I think he has a team option at the end). But he's the perfect backup to Sweetney, as we wouldn't lose any rebounding. Plus he's the hustle player we've lacked and what some people are looking at with a Brian Cardinal or Eric Williams. IMO, though they are bad contracts, these are two players we could use and might actually complement the team.

If we can get rid of Shandon, that would be a minor miracle.

Suave.....
Isiah should try to dump off Shandon. Shandon has the rep that all coaches like. Shandon plays hard but we all know that doesn't mean squat.

If Isiah can get rid of Shandon Isiah has to be given his props. He would have gotten rid of Spoon, Ward, Eisley, Shandon all in just a few months. That is genious.

I'd rather take JYD because Othella is gone and so will KT so the Knicks are gonna need the front court support. If that trade could go down....Nazr could split time at center and pwr fwd.....hopefully Chan is the real deal and makes the roster, along with Ariza, and maybe Barrett or Zack.

[Edited by - enyspree on 07/04/2004 12:42:10]

Just as an FYI, if we do something that has us take Antonio Davis and ERob...their contracts end the same year as Penny, Tim and Nazr. That would be something close to 45 mil in expring deals.

I thought about that but would they want that?

They'd have three guards, all PGs who are under 6'4". That's not a very good way to build a team, with undersized 2's. I don't think Frank is needed. Maybe they'd like DerMarr Johnson, if he was re-signed. He's an athletic 3 who could turn it around and I'd deal him with Ariza here, but I don't think they'd want Frank.

But the Heat can't offer Butler because he only makes $1 million this season. The Bulls want to get rid of Crawford AND a bad contract, and the Heat can offer better players but really nothing the Bulls want. Eddie Jones and Butler? Then you'd have to overpay Crawford and give him a huge deal. All this while Crawford is extremely similar to Dwyane Wade, and I don't think that happens.