A chance like 1986!

[pio@edu15.coe.ufl.edu (mark piotrowski)]

A half formed idea, tell me what you think....(it is of course wishful
thinking that would potentially benefit us more than the Bulls).

According to the article STRAUSS posted (entitled "It is *SO* nice to
have...") the Bulls have been fond of Dino Radja for a while.

What about trading Dino for the Bulls #1 next year and the option (ours) to
switch #1s  in 1999, 2000 or 2001(and if they need to dump some players on
us for cap reasons).  The assumption is by they we will be on the way up
(mid 1st round pick) and the Bulls will be down or on their way there
(better 1st round pick). It would be a revisiting of the trade that got us
the Len Bias Pick (Red traded Gerald Henderson in 1983 or 4? for Seattle's
#1 in 1986, banking on the fact the pick would be a high one).

We should Work the deal so that it works like Milwaukee's pick that belongs
to Pheonix.  the Bucks can give the Suns a #1 in 97,98 or 99. If the Bucks
want, They can hold the pick if it's in the lottery, but If they wait till
99 it's not loterry protected.  So the Bulls could refuse to swap picks in
1999 and 2000 but if they wait till 2001 its not lotery protected.

Why make this trade? I GUARANTEE that the Bulls will sink to the level that
the Celtics are at now (or slightly above) or the Pistons (c. 1994). Why?
Jordan won't play without Pippen.  That means that they are going to hold
together the Pippen, Jordan nucleus till Jordan retires (1998 or 1999).  I
don't think the Bulls can win with an older, less athletic Pippen and
Kukoc.  Assuming we trade them Radja he'll be gone by then, they aren't
getting anyone in the draft between then and now (same problem the celtics
had during their run in the 80s).

Best case scenario for Celtics:  The whole thing falls apart after next
year's championship.  Jordan retires after next year (1998) Pippen is a
free agent and leaves, leaving the Bulls with some cap space but NO players
(their best player becomes Kucoc, who for my money is about the same as
Radja). Even if they grab a top flight free agent with Pippen's & Jordan's
slots (It's rumored that they want to go hard after Kevin Garnett b/c he's
from Chicago) their pick will probably be the last in the 1st round
(another championship).  So their top 5 players will be: Garnett (or
another top flight FA), Kukoc, Longley, Caffey and Randy Brown.

That means that their pick in 1999 will be a lottery one.  Even if they get
a top flight FA in 1998 and a high #1 in 1999, you have to assume they will
have early to mid first rounders in 2000 and 2001.

Worst Case scenario:  Jordan doesn't retire till 1999 (I don't think he'll
stay past then b/c there is the chance of losing the title and like Bird I
don't think he want's to stay around and see his skills deteriorate, he
want's to go out on top) and they then trade (a resigned in 1998) Pippen
for some talent.  They reload quickly.  Even if they do that, I think the
Lakers were the team that rebuilt the quickest (1991 Finals to now) and
even they are a few years from serious finals contention.  Say the Bulls
get something for Pippen in 2000 or even keep him and still have Kukoc, the
best they will be is the middle of the pack (Say like Cleveland this year).
The Lakers, TWolves, Blazers, Pistons, Spurs, Hawks will be on top.  So the
worst we will do is have a mid 1st round pick in 2000 or 2001.

He seems to be a perfect fit, that would allow them to (a) get rid of
Rodman, (b) use Radja at the Center if Longley goes down (hell they could
use Steve Kerr at the center now and still win the title) (c) win 2 more
titles (well they really don't need Radja to do that!)

>   The Bulls will entertain thoughts on
>   Pippen (they like the picks and they've always been fond of Radja),
>   but unless the Celts could make a complementary move to add another
>   veteran talent, it might be foolish to take on a guy who will be a
>   free agent looking for huge money next summer.