http://chicagosports.chicagotribune.com/sports/basketball/bulls/cs-040727bullsbits,1,7104649.story?coll=cs-home-headlines

By K.C. Johnson
Tribune staff reporter

July 27, 2004, 11:13 PM CDT


Knicks President Isiah Thomas flew to Chicago late Tuesday morning and met with Bulls general manager John Paxson near O'Hare Airport for more than four hours.

The face-to-face meeting was viewed as a possible breakthrough on the stalemated sign-and-trade discussions for restricted free agent Jamal Crawford. But Thomas flew back to New York at night with the sides still stuck on a philosophical difference.




The Bulls will sign Crawford to a six-year, $55 million contract and trade him as long as the cumbersome contracts of Eddie Robinson, Jerome Williams or both are included and the Knicks return contracts that are friendly to the salary cap.

But the Knicks view taking Crawford as saving the Bulls $55 million. The Bulls, who wouldn't pay Crawford that much and own his rights next season by virtue of a $3.5 million qualifying offer, don't see matters that way.

Thomas, mindful that a Crawford/Robinson/Williams package nears $100 million over the life of the deals, also is still including unwieldy contracts like Moochie Norris' and Penny Hardaway's in the talks.

Scottie Pippen, whose contract expires, has been offered as an incentive for the Knicks. And Dikembe Mutombo is now in most scenarios. The Bulls value Mutombo as a mentor for Eddy Curry, whose off-season work continues to lag.

Layups

The Bulls announced the signings of first-round picks Ben Gordon and Luol Deng. Gordon will make $3.36 million next season. Deng will earn $2.27 million. ... Argentine forward Andres Nocioni is close to completing his buyout from Tau Ceramica in the Spanish League. The Bulls could announce his signing this

Ahah, I'm so sick of reading these reports.

I want to see the final deal, though it looks like it'll obviously include the 3 Bulls and then some package of expiring contracts, Norris and Hardaway.

By the way, 6 years at $55 million is a great deal for us, compared to originally the 7 year, $77 million absurd stuff that was floating around.

I belive a similar deal was tendered to Quentin Richardson.

Regardless, I think it's fair given the FA market this offseason.

Another thing, though it was reported in NY papers, the Knicks site and no basketball sites have reported he Knicks signing Vin Baker. For them to do so, would it require parts of the MLE or LLE, becuase I know Insider said the Knicks still had the full MLE.

Could Isiah be waiting to sign a backup C before he trades Mutumbo (I like Keon Clark and Joel Przybilla). Maybe once he gets one of them inked, he'll deal Mutumbo because he won't have to worry about getting screwed and going into the season without a backup C.

[Edited by - bigsm00th on 07/28/2004 03:04:37]

I think it's clear that Jamal is just gonna have to sign with the MLE. The Bulls don't want him for so much crap, and the Knicks don't wanna give up their trade assets AND take on bad contracts.

I'm not too crazy about Wagner but we can probably get him cheap since his value is so low right now. I would definitely give him a shot for the right price. Who knows, NY may be the right place for him since him and Allan are friends.