2008 Woodie Awards
Bulls basketball: Where idiocy happens
Gaurav Garg
Issue date: 2/25/08 Section: Sports
LeMarcus Aldridge. Tyson Chandler. J.R. Smith. Ben Wallace. Kevin Garnett. Pau Gasol. Shawn Marion. What do these 8 players have in common? They are either players Bulls GM John Paxson either traded away for nobodies, overpaid for in free agency, or wouldn't make a trade for. Players who would have helped this team contend for a title, players who wouldn't be holding back the team with their massive contracts and poor performance. It's time to get rid of John Paxson.
A lot of people give Paxson a free pass because he cleaned up the mess left by Jerry Reinsdorf's partner in destruction, Jerry Krause. But once he cleaned up the mess, Paxson has been on the clock.
Since cleaning up Krause's mess, Paxson has done nothing to improve this team to contend for a title. In the 2006 draft, after drafting Aldridge, he traded him for Tyrus Thomas and Victor Khryapa. Khryapa has since been bought out and left the team, and Thomas has been inconsistent, while Aldridge has been a dominant inside force that the Bulls could use.
Following the draft, Paxson traded Chandler to the New Orleans Hornets for P.J. Brown and J.R. Smith. Smith is now an integral part on the Nuggets, and Chandler has blossomed with the Hornets, helping lead them to the best record in the Western Conference, while Brown is gone.
Paxson's stupidity did not stop there. He had chances to get Gasol and Garnett during the 2006-07 season and he balked, saying he didn't want to give up Luol Deng. Garnett and Gasol were later traded to the Celtics and the Lakers, respectively.
However, Paxson's worst move was the four year, $60 million contract he gave Ben Wallace. Wallace was supposed to help lift the team over the top. Instead, he was a miserable failure, not playing with any desire, breaking team rules (i.e. "headband-gate") and lacking the passion he had with the Pistons.
Even though there are legitimate questions about whether or not cheapskate owner Reinsdorf would approve of such deals that would dent his wallet another 30-40 million in salary and luxury taxes, that does not absolve Paxson of failing to improve the team.
A lot of people give Paxson a free pass because he cleaned up the mess left by Jerry Reinsdorf's partner in destruction, Jerry Krause. But once he cleaned up the mess, Paxson has been on the clock.
Since cleaning up Krause's mess, Paxson has done nothing to improve this team to contend for a title. In the 2006 draft, after drafting Aldridge, he traded him for Tyrus Thomas and Victor Khryapa. Khryapa has since been bought out and left the team, and Thomas has been inconsistent, while Aldridge has been a dominant inside force that the Bulls could use.
Following the draft, Paxson traded Chandler to the New Orleans Hornets for P.J. Brown and J.R. Smith. Smith is now an integral part on the Nuggets, and Chandler has blossomed with the Hornets, helping lead them to the best record in the Western Conference, while Brown is gone.
Paxson's stupidity did not stop there. He had chances to get Gasol and Garnett during the 2006-07 season and he balked, saying he didn't want to give up Luol Deng. Garnett and Gasol were later traded to the Celtics and the Lakers, respectively.
However, Paxson's worst move was the four year, $60 million contract he gave Ben Wallace. Wallace was supposed to help lift the team over the top. Instead, he was a miserable failure, not playing with any desire, breaking team rules (i.e. "headband-gate") and lacking the passion he had with the Pistons.
Even though there are legitimate questions about whether or not cheapskate owner Reinsdorf would approve of such deals that would dent his wallet another 30-40 million in salary and luxury taxes, that does not absolve Paxson of failing to improve the team.
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