http://basketball.realgm.com/wiretap/233180/Bulls-Will-Try-Hard-To-Trade-Carlos-Boozer-Before-Considering-Amnesty
This seems like a great opportunity for some teams to add talent and a vet.
The Magic and Bucks both seem like great fits for a 1 year rental
I wouldn't consider Carlos Boozer 'talented,' anymore. Hes a professional day in and day out, and a great locker room teammate to always have. But... Talented? Ever since Deron and Carlos left Utah Jazz, their talent or skill with them must have either escaped to green pastures, or.... Jazz kept their skills and hopefully trying to instill them into Burke and Favors.
Huh? Boozer not talented? He may have lost a step but he averaged 14 and 8 this year in limited minutes and shooting 46% from the floor for a fourth seed. He may not be the focal point for a team anymore, but he can still be an outstanding third or fourth offensive option.
As far as the Magic and Bucks as a one year rental...I would think Boozer would end up going to a contender. I don't see the Magic or Bucks interested in freezing some of their developing young men to put Boozer in the rotation.
Okay I take it back.
Boozer is talented offensively, but defensively hes one of the worst players to have on the floor. There is a good reason why he saw less time on the floor. He just doesn't understand the word defense, and I remember seeing a stat on ESPN Bulls blogger that they were 8-9 points worse defensively with him on the floor.
Boozer is talented. If he wasn't paid so much. Hes at best in the new CBA 5-8 mil type of player.
Ok I can agree with that then. Boozer on the defensive end has been pretty terrible and only declining. The one good thing is that he can body up bigger and slower centers if needed but that still doesn't make any excuses for how poor he is defensively. I agree that he is an above MLE type player but max around 8 a year.
Like someone said the Clippers would be a decent destination for him alongside Jordan and coming off the bench for Blake. They probably would only go for him if he was waived after a trade or amnestied by the Bulls.
Boozer isn't worth 17 million dollars. I don't see anyone trading for him without sending a bad contract back. The Bulls would probably have to give up a draft pick or even 2 if they are hoping someone will absorb his salary for them.
If a team is interested in him, and has cap space, they might as well just bid something like 5 million for him after he is amnestied. He could be a valuable backup 4 at that price.
And he certainly isn't worth 17 million but he's an expiring contract so it's going to be hard for the Bulls to justify taking back a bad contract when they are cap strapped as it is. If they trade Boozer it will be for the best way to get a young prospect or pick while saving money in the process... If they don't get a trade they like they'll just amnesty him off the books.
I mean look at the Deng trade. They traded Deng (an expiring) for a player who they could save millions of dollars with and net a few future draft picks. I would expect the Bulls to be looking to do something similar in order to save money, not add to it long term.