Brad Miller to Bulls Rumblings

December 21st, 2008 by Andrew Wamboldt

Back in July, the Bulls were talking with the Kings about a potential trade that would send Andres Nocioni and Cedric Simmons. According to the Sacbee, the Bulls and Kings are again discussing a possible trade, this time centering around the Bulls’ big men.

I’d be more inclined to keep an eye on the Chicago situation in which Miller could go there and the Kings likely would have their eyes on Drew Gooden, Joakim Noah, and perhaps Tyrus Thomas. The Bulls would have to send a few players the Kings’ way, as Gooden’s expiring deal is worth $7.1 million and Miller is making just shy of $11.4 million this season and $12.2 million in the final year of his deal next season.

A few tidbits to remember …

* Gooden has been on the Kings’ radar since he was hanging with the Maloofs two summers ago. He was the player offered in the Mike Bibby talks with Cleveland, a clear sign that Kings basketball president Geoff Petrie and vice president Wayne Cooper saw him as a decent fit in Sacramento. Gooden wasn’t the hangup in those talks.

* Petrie badly wanted Joakim Noah in the 2007 draft, and the second-year player’s struggles likely have done nothing to deter the exec who isn’t quick to change his opinion of players just because things don’t look so good from the outside looking in. Noah would give the Kings another young big to develop and hope he helps with their futile frontcourt.

* While Miller isn’t as motivated this season as he was last, he still is a Petrie guy. And when you’re a Petrie guy, that means he will try to make a move that is mutually beneficial for his team and the player. Chicago qualifies. While Miller has said he would prefer to retire in his home state of Indiana with the Pacers, he spent two seasons with the Bulls and Chi-town is only a three-hour drive from his home in Kendallville, Ind.

* Lest you forget, the Kings added a player to their front-office team last week, when former Kevin Martin agent and attorney Jason Levien officially began as assistant general manager/team counsel. As a quick side note, I’m told he was given the former office of fired coach Reggie Theus.

It would seem safe to say that the potential for communication between the two clubs has never been better, since just last summer Levien was successfully negotiating Luol Deng’s six-year, $71 million deal with the Bulls in which he dealt directly with Chicago owner Jerry Reinsdorf.

There is no reason for the Bulls to trade for Brad Miller unless they are unloading one of Kirk Hinrich or Andres Nocioni. A simple Drew Gooden and Andres Nocioni for Brad Miller trade works. Kirk Hinrich and one of the young big men also works. The Bulls also could give the Kings both Drew Gooden and Kirk Hinrich as long as the Kings are willing to trade a filler such as Shelden Williams back the Bulls way.

This deal seems to have more steam than others. As long as the Bulls are able to unload one of Hinrich or Nocioni, they will become players in 2010 and also get a legit center in Miller for the next 2 years. It’s hard to pass up that type of trade.