Rumor: Chicago to offer Noah, Deng for Carmelo?

[Roy H.]

The Chicago Bulls are interested in trading for the Denver Nuggets' Carmelo Anthony and are discussing internally including Joakim Noah as part of the deal, according to a league source.

According to the source, the Nuggets are hesitant to take back Luol Deng as part of a deal with the Bulls because Denver is leery of taking on long-term contracts with the collective bargaining agreement set to expire on June 30, 2011. Deng is two years into a six-year, $71 million contract.

Noah will make $3.1 million this season in the fourth year of his rookie deal. He would become a restricted free agent next season unless the Bulls extend his contract.

Yahoo! Sports reported Wednesday that an NBA source with knowledge of Anthony's wishes told him Anthony still hopes to convince Nuggets general manager Masai Ujiri to trade him, and he prefers a move to the New York Knicks or Bulls.

The Nuggets offered Anthony a three-year, $65 million extension through 2014, but if he rejects it, the team will have to consider trading the forward who has guided them to seven straight playoff berths.

"I think I'm going to convince him to be a Nugget," Ujiri said on Aug. 31. "No, I don't know, I can't make a judgment on that. Like I said, it's a process and until he tells me that ... we want him back, the city wants him back, ownership wants him back."

Anthony has never come out and said he wanted to be traded, however.

At his basketball camp this summer, Anthony dismissed all the speculation of his impending departure from Denver: "I've been hearing that for five years. I'm a Denver Nugget. I'm here, I'm with the Nuggets. I don't become a free agent until next year, if I decide not to take that extension."

Anthony, 26, has averaged 24.7 points per game in his career, including 28.2 last season.

http://sports.espn.go.com/chicago/nba/news/story?id=5550421

Rose + Boozer + Carmelo.  That would be a pretty sick foundation.  It would be tough to see Noah go, I suppose, but Carmelo is simply a better caliber of player.

[Donoghus]

I've been banging this drum for months!!  Melo would be a perfect fit on the Bulls.

I have no problem with the Bulls moving Deng.  Although, I'd like to see them somehow keep Noah and move Gibson plus parts instead along with Deng.

[Who]

They wouldn't be a contender until they replaced Joakim Noah with a quality defensive presence in the middle.

[Donoghus]

They wouldn't be a contender until they replaced Joakim Noah with a quality defensive presence in the middle.

Who do you think would be a reasonable and realistic solution?

[Roy H.]

They wouldn't be a contender until they replaced Joakim Noah with a quality defensive presence in the middle.

Yeah, probably true.  I imagine they'd try to sign Dampier after he's bought out, but he's a stop-gap fix for them.  Maybe target Perk with their MLE next year?  (Ugh!!)

I suppose they could try to have Chris Anderson included, but to do that they'd have to package Asik, Gibson, and Johnson, I believe, to make salaries match (without including a free agent; FAs can't be traded until December 15.)

[Lucky17]

Call me crazy, but I'd rather have Rose-Boozer-Noah than Rose-Boozer-Melo.

There's only ball to go around, and you need someone to play some defense and rebound.

[KCattheStripe]

They wouldn't be a contender until they replaced Joakim Noah with a quality defensive presence in the middle.

Yeah, probably true.  I imagine they'd try to sign Dampier after he's bought out, but he's a stop-gap fix for them.  Maybe target Perk with their MLE next year?  (Ugh!!)

And hope Asik can really play.

[Who]

Some of the available centers in 2011 Free Agency

First tier -- Perk, T.Chandler, Dalembert, Przybilla
Second tier -- N.Collison, J.Foster

[Chris]

They wouldn't be a contender until they replaced Joakim Noah with a quality defensive presence in the middle.

Yeah, probably true.  I imagine they'd try to sign Dampier after he's bought out, but he's a stop-gap fix for them.  Maybe target Perk with their MLE next year?  (Ugh!!)

Yeah, that's how I see it.  Chandler will also be a FA next summer they could target.  

Basically, I think this would be a situation similar to what the C's had, and the Heat had.  If you have the chance to add an elite player to an already strong core, you have to do it, and fill in around them after.

[moiso]

Call me crazy, but I'd rather have Rose-Boozer-Noah than Rose-Boozer-Melo.

There's only ball to go around, and you need someone to play some defense and rebound.

Totally agree. 

[Kwhit10]

Ugh we don't need any more superstars in the East.

[Donoghus]

Call me crazy, but I'd rather have Rose-Boozer-Noah than Rose-Boozer-Melo.

There's only ball to go around, and you need someone to play some defense and rebound.

See I think Rose-Melo-Boozer would totally work and would be a heckuva core to build around.  From an offensive standpoint, I think they can complement each other's games probably even moreso than the Superfriends down in Miami.  Melo will definitely take pressure off Rose on the offensive end and I don't think Boozer would be a problem.

[Lucky17]

Call me crazy, but I'd rather have Rose-Boozer-Noah than Rose-Boozer-Melo.

There's only ball to go around, and you need someone to play some defense and rebound.

See I think Rose-Melo-Boozer would totally work and would be a heckuva core to build around.  From an offensive standpoint, I think they can complement each other's games probably even moreso than the Superfriends down in Miami.  Melo will definitely take pressure off Rose on the offensive end and I don't think Boozer would be a problem.

I think Melo would dominate the ball, to the detriment of Rose, and possibly Boozer.

While I recognize he's a talented player, I don't think Melo should be mentioned in the same breath as his draftmates Wade and LeBron. I also don't think he's got what it takes in his heart or in his head to lead a team to a championship.

[KCattheStripe]

Call me crazy, but I'd rather have Rose-Boozer-Noah than Rose-Boozer-Melo.

There's only ball to go around, and you need someone to play some defense and rebound.

See I think Rose-Melo-Boozer would totally work and would be a heckuva core to build around.  From an offensive standpoint, I think they can complement each other's games probably even moreso than the Superfriends down in Miami.  Melo will definitely take pressure off Rose on the offensive end and I don't think Boozer would be a problem.

I think Melo would dominate the ball, to the detriment of Rose, and possibly Boozer.

While I recognize he's a talented player, I don't think Melo should be mentioned in the same breath as his draftmates Wade and LeBron. I also don't think he's got what it takes in his heart or in his head to lead a team to a championship.

Does Derrick Rose?

[Lucky17]

Call me crazy, but I'd rather have Rose-Boozer-Noah than Rose-Boozer-Melo.

There's only ball to go around, and you need someone to play some defense and rebound.

See I think Rose-Melo-Boozer would totally work and would be a heckuva core to build around.  From an offensive standpoint, I think they can complement each other's games probably even moreso than the Superfriends down in Miami.  Melo will definitely take pressure off Rose on the offensive end and I don't think Boozer would be a problem.

I think Melo would dominate the ball, to the detriment of Rose, and possibly Boozer.

While I recognize he's a talented player, I don't think Melo should be mentioned in the same breath as his draftmates Wade and LeBron. I also don't think he's got what it takes in his heart or in his head to lead a team to a championship.

Does Derrick Rose?

Maybe not.

But I think Noah does.