http://www.dailyherald.com/sports/bulls.asp Bulls go after Grant By Mike McGraw Daily Herald Sports Writer Posted Friday, August 12, 2005 The Bulls are making a serious recruiting pitch to former Los Angeles Lakers power forward Brian Grant. Both general manager John Paxson and coach Scott Skiles spoke to Grant by phone Wednesday evening, just hours after the 33-year-old was waived by the Lakers under the NBA’s new amnesty rule. While Grant’s agent, Mark Bartelstein, refused to speculate on where his client will land, he feels the Bulls are in contention. “He was impressed with some of the things they had to say,” Bartelstein said. “I think it’s probably something we’d take a look at. We have a lot of respect for John Paxson and Scott Skiles. “This is a big decision for us. The Bulls have a good thing going. He wants to be in a good situation and have a chance to win.” The 6-foot-9 Grant is coming off his worst NBA season. He averaged 3.8 points and 3.7 rebounds while bothered by chronic tendinitis in his knees. He also had a neck injury in training camp. An Ohio native, Grant played for Sacramento, Portland and Miami before going to Los Angeles last summer in the Shaquille O’Neal trade. There still figures to be plenty of interest in the 11-year veteran. Grant has been a strong rebounder throughout his career and built a reputation as a solid citizen, winning the NBA’s Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award for the 1998-99 season. Bartelstein said 12 teams have called to inquire about Grant’ s availability. The amnesty rule was included in the league’s new collective-bargaining agreement as a one-chance opportunity for teams to release a player and avoid paying the luxury tax on his salary. The Lakers will save $29.8 million in tax payments over the next two years by waiving Grant, even though they must continue to pay his salary. The Bulls could use some depth inside. Center Eddy Curry may be a question mark because of his heart condition, and Antonio Davis will turn 37 in October . The Bulls expect to re-sign Tyson Chandler and Othella Harrington at the post positions. Some players affected by the amnesty rule reportedly have provisions in their contract that call for deferred salary payments if they are released. But Bartelstein said Grant does not have such a clause and will be paid his full $14.3 million salary by the Lakers this year. Therefore, Grant’s decision on where to play shouldn’t come down to money. That could bode well for the Bulls because they’ll have just $2.2 million remaining from their midlevel exception if they match Toronto’s offer sheet to point guard Chris Duhon. League sources confirmed the Raptors’ offer sheet as a three-year deal worth a total of $9.07 million, with a first-year salary of $2.8 million. While there is every indication the Bulls will match Duhon’s offer by Monday, the team did try to add a point guard this summer. According to multiple league sources, the Bulls made a concerted effort to acquire 6-3 Charlotte guard Jason Hart last month. The problem was the Bobcats refused to take any players in return. Hart ended up going to Sacramento, which had a trade exception to use, in exchange for a second-round draft pick. In other news, guard Jannero Pargo, another of the Bulls’ restricted free agents, is scheduled to visit Cleveland today. Agent Frank Catapano said there are three other teams with an interest in unrestricted free agent Adrian Griffin but promised to inform the Bulls of any significant offer. -------------------------- 簡單來說.. 就是我們也將加入角逐B.Grant的行列 然後暴龍offer 給Duhon 的合約據說是三年9.07m 第一年為2.8 所以如此一來.. 如果我們match的話中產將只剩下2.2m可以運用了.. 然後.. Pargo將在今天拜訪騎士隊... 而A.Griffin可能有其他三隊對他有興趣... ----以下是感想文--------- 我自己覺得.. B.Grant當然也是不錯的球員.. 不過感覺跟A.Davis滿相似的球員.. 如果爭取到B.Grant加入的話.. 不知道是否有可能會把A.Davis交易出去.. 當然..我也很喜歡A.Davis 他帶來的化學效益可能很難估計.. 所以最好跟去年Boston和Piston一樣玩暗黑兵法.. 被別人waive掉後再回來.. 不過是我自己亂想的..^^" 至於Pargo如果不是用最低薪恐怕很難留下.. A.Griffin也是.. 簽下Basden後感覺留下Griffin的機率也越來越低了.. -- ps A.Davis沒有要被交易... 是我自己亂想的.. 謝謝..XD ※ 編輯: ruokku 來自: 219.91.1.241 (08/12 20:59)