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Bulls trade Luol Deng to Cavs for Andrew Bynum and draft picks

The Cleveland Cavaliers have acquired All-Star forward Luol Deng from the Chicago Bulls in exchange for center Andrew Bynum, three future draft picks and the right to swap 2015 first round picks with the Cavs (1-14 protected), Cavaliers General Manager Chris Grant announced tonight from Cleveland Clinic Courts.

“We are very excited for Luol to join the Cavaliers organization, ” said Grant. “We have worked to acquire and maintain flexibility in order to capitalize on opportunities such as this. Luol reflects all that we are striving for in building our team. He’s a tremendous defensive player that can impact the game on both ends of the court with a team first mentality and is a high character leader.”

In exchange for Deng, the Cavs send Chicago Bynum, Cleveland’s right to the Sacramento King’s first round draft pick conveyed in a June 30, 2011 deal, the right for Chicago to swap its own 2015 first round draft pick with the Cavs own 2015 first round draft pick (only in the case that the Cleveland 2015 first round draft pick is between 15 and 30) and the Portland Trail Blazer’s 2015 and 2016 second round draft picks acquired from the Trail Blazers via 2013 draft night trade.

“We have great respect for Luol Deng, as a player and a person. He has been an incredible contributor to our team on the court, and he has also done great things in the community,” said Chicago Bulls General Manager Gar Forman. “On behalf of the entire Bulls organization, I want to thank Luol for his years in Chicago.”

It is extremely likely that the Bulls will waive Bynum. According to ESPN.com, “the deal will save the Bulls more than $15 million in salary and luxury taxes, taking them below the salary-cap threshold.”

Deng has been an NBA All-Star in each of the past two seasons (2012 and 2013) and was named to the NBA All-Defensive Second Team in 2012. He also received the NBA Sportsmanship Award in 2007 and All-Rookie First Team honors in 2005.

This season, Deng appeared in 23 games (all starts) for Chicago, averaging a career-best 19.0 points on .452 shooting, 6.9 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 1.0 steal in 37.4 minutes per game. The 6-9, 220-pound forward has scored at least 20 points 10 times this season, including a stretch of six straight 20-point games from Nov. 24 to Dec. 5.

Deng was originally drafted by Phoenix in the 2004 NBA Draft as the No. 7 overall selection. He has spent his entire nine-year career with the Bulls and owns career averages of 16.1 points on .460 shooting, 6.4 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 1.0 steal in 35.9 minutes over 637 games (591 starts). He has also played in 48 playoff games (42 starts) with averages of 16.7 points on .452 shooting, 7.0 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 1.1 steals in 40.3 minutes per game.

Read fan reaction and share your opinion in this basketball forum topic.

Chicago Bulls assign Marquis Teague to D-League

The Chicago Bulls announced today the team has assigned guard Marquis Teague to the Iowa Energy of the NBA Development League (D-League).

Teague (6-2, 190) has appeared in 19 games (two starts) for the Bulls this season and averaged 2.4 ppg, 1.5 apg and 1.0 rpg in 12.7 mpg.

Teague was selected by Chicago in the first round (29th overall) of the 2012 NBA Draft, after helping lead the University of Kentucky to the 2012 NCAA Championship.

Should the Chicago Bulls trade Luol Deng?

Here’s ESPN Chicago pondering a very important question for the Chicago Bulls:

It’s the question that Bulls fans continue to wonder about as another lost campaign rolls along. The question for the organization remains the same as it was the instant Derrick Rose went down Nov. 22 with a torn meniscus. How much is Deng, who will become a free agent at the end of this season, worth on the trade market — and the open market?

Let’s tackle the trade-market aspect of this first. I might be in a minority, but I’m still convinced that if the Bulls get the right package in return for Deng, they will deal him before the Feb. 20 trade deadline. The problem for them is that no team appears to be willing to give up a future first-round pick plus the expiring contracts it would take to get it done. The biggest hurdle for the Bulls in any potential Deng trade, aside from his impending free agency, is that he is making more than $14 million this season. That will take a lot of excess money to get something accomplished in order to make the numbers work. The Bulls love Deng, but they have a pretty clear indication that there is a wide gap between how they value him and how Deng and his agents value him in the future.

Joakim Noah visit to Thunder locker room angers Kendrick Perkins

Now this would have been fun to see video footage of. Here’s the Oklahoman reporting on a postgame locker room visit gone wrong:

Following the Thunder’s win over Chicago on Thursday night, the starting centers for both teams got into a brief but heated exchange inside the Thunder’s locker room.

Bulls center Joakim Noah accompanied friend and Thunder starter Thabo Sefolosha into Oklahoma City’s dressing room. Perkins immediately took exception.

“They let anybody into the locker room, huh?” Perkins shouted after spotting Noah at the entrance of the dressing room while seated at his locker.

Russell Westbrook, from across the room, soon chimed in.

Noah then addressed Perkins directly, asking if he wanted him to leave and saying if Perkins wanted him out he would leave. Perkins, still seated, responded with an obscenity-laced retort, which he capped by saying “Get yo’ (expletive) up out of here.”

Chicago Bulls waive guard Mike James

The Chicago Bulls announced today that the team has waived guard Mike James.

James (6-2, 188) appeared in seven games with Chicago, and averaged 0.3 ppg, 0.9 apg in 5.4 mpg. He signed with Chicago on Sept. 27.

Chicago’s roster now stands at 13.

This could be the sign of a trade coming, or more likely, that the Bulls have targeted another guard to sign. The team will be without injured point guard Derrick Rose all season.

Rumor: Chicago Bulls may want D.J. Augustin

This season, the Chicago Bulls have been good defense and getting injured. With Derrick Rose out for the season, some help in the backcourt would be useful. Here’s the Chicago Tribune with more:

The Bulls have expressed interest in signing D.J. Augustin if the point guard clears waivers Wednesday, a league source confirmed. Yahoo Sports first reported the Bulls’ interest.

Augustin would be signed for a prorated portion of the veteran’s minimum. The Bulls are carrying 13 players and could add one without making a move. However, it’s unlikely they will keep four point guards in Kirk Hinrich, Marquis Teague, James and the possible addition of Augustin.

Deep into luxury tax territory, they certainly will pare one such guard by season’s end, when tax penalties are assessed.

Derrick Rose to speak about injury Thursday

We’ve all accepted that Chicago Bulls point guard Derrick Rose is gone again. We’ll see him next season — presumably. But it’ll still be fascinating to hear what D-Rose himself has to say about his injuries, state of mind and more. Here’s the Chicago Tribune reporting:

After Thursday’s morning shootaround, Derrick Rose will address reporters for the first time since knee surgery ended a second straight season for him.

Expect resolve.

That’s the message coach Tom Thibodeau said the youngest most valuable player in NBA history has projected since returning to be around his teammates on Tuesday’s offday.

“Frankly, we have to take on Derrick’s approach,” Thibodeau said. “Derrick already has moved past it. He’s thinking about what he has to do the rest of the way, this summer, being ready for next year, talking to me about the team, what we have to do.

“And that’s what I see from our team. I don’t see anyone hanging their head. He’s not going to be here. We know that. We have more than enough here. Just concentrate on what we have to concentrate on; we know what we have to do.”

Bulls recall Marquis Teague from D-League

The Chicago Bulls announced today the team has recalled guard Marquis Teague from the Iowa Energy of the NBA Development League (D-League).

Teague (6-2, 190) has played in nine games for the Bulls this season and averaged 1.2 ppg and 0.8 apg in 8.9 mpg.

Chicago Bulls assign Marquis Teague to D-League

The Chicago Bulls announced today the team has assigned guard Marquis Teague to the Iowa Energy of the NBA Development League (D-League).

Teague (6-2, 190) has played in nine games for the Bulls this season and averaged 1.2 ppg and 0.8 apg in 8.9 mpg.

Teague was selected by Chicago in the first round (29th overall) of the 2012 NBA Draft, after helping lead the University of Kentucky to the 2012 NCAA Championship.

Chicago Bulls need big things from Kirk Hinrich this season

With Derrick Rose out for the season and Jimmy Butler still banged up, the Chicago Bulls need very solid production from Kirk Hinrich. Here’s the Chicago Tribune reporting:

Hinrich sat out 22 times last season with injuries to his right hip, left knee, right elbow and right foot. Entering Saturday, his fifth start, he was averaging 29.1 minutes per game.

“It’s just being ready from the jump,” Hinrich said. “But other than that, I approach my job the same.”

Asked if Hinrich can handle an increased role, coach Tom Thibodeau was non-committal.

“We’ll see what he can handle,” Thibodeau said. “He looks good right now. He has to continue to work.”

Thibodeau left no doubt on how he feels Hinrich has played thus far this season.