Rumor: Okur for Deng?

[Avery]

In reading around the internet, there's steam picking up on a rumored Okur for Luol Deng swap.

While the salaries are largely the same, dumping Deng gives the Bulls greater flexibility in bringing in a max free agent due to the length of Deng's contract. The Bulls are supposively in search of a 'servicable center'.

Stay tuned as this information is from Woj from Yahoo!

 

[The Ghost of Blue Edwards]

Trading an unproductive player for a productive one sure would be nice. We need to move either CJ or AK if this happens though. Or move AK to mostly minutes at the 4.

 

[Marty McFly]

 

[Archie Moses]

Am I the only one that thinks Okur career is over?

 

[Ferguson_Mellochill]

Am I the only one that thinks Okur career is over?

I think he can come off the bench in a Sam Perkins kinda role, or maybe still start. He didn't really rely on his mobility and athleticism anyway.

The question is whether the Jazz want to help the Bulls build a dynasty. It looks like the Bulls could pick up 2 big-time FAs. Okur is more than "serviceable" if he's playing off of 3 All Stars.

I don't think Okur is a critical piece for the Jazz. The Jazz have had their money wrapped up in Boozer, AK and Okur for a few years now. They need to decide what direction to go, since that triumvirate isn't good enough.

 

[David Stern]

No way in hell. Our wings are already way too loaded as is. I'd gladly do a Okur+CJ/Korver for Deng/Noah though.

 

[anonymous832]

Can you provide us with a link or something? I haven't seen anything on this rumor; it's not on Wojnarowski's free-agent buzz page and I haven't seen him Tweet about it, either. Maybe I missed it.

 

[theNBAnerd]

i think in that scenario, AK moves to the 4, but you're right... deng and AK have a lot of the same qualities and weaknesses, so i'm not sure how that works. it also makes the hole at the top of the depth chart a GLARING one. do you really want fes and koufos as your opening night centers? we'd pretty much have to use millsap, AK, CJ the MLE or the TPEs to get a decent big man, and that's MUCH easier said than done.

not sure why chicago would do this either, unless they're positive they're going to get bron or wade and they're trying to create room on the wings. the move saves them about 855K this season, so not enough to give them extra room for the free agent frenzie.

 

[theonlyone]

Can you provide us with a link or something? I haven't seen anything on this rumor; it's not on Wojnarowski's free-agent buzz page and I haven't seen him Tweet about it, either. Maybe I missed it.

I agree, I tried finding this rumor too, couldn't find it anywhere.

 

[UGLI baby]

I would do this trade ONLY if we are unable to land a guy like Elton Brand or Rip Hamilton first.

 

[The Ghost of Blue Edwards]

Okur should be a solid 8th man for a few more years.

I like Deng. He can be a really good defender on the right team.

Williams/scrub
Matthews/scrub
Deng/CJ/AK
Millsap/AK
Amundson/Fesenko

 

[The Ghost of Blue Edwards]

I agree, I tried finding this rumor too, couldn't find it anywhere.

In all seriousness this rumor has been propagated by some guy named John on the Bulls board who claims he has connects. The twitter about Bulls looking for a serviceable center for Deng stands as supporting evidence for the original rumr.