“Um…what?”
That’s what Bulls fans must be thinking after a head-scratching press conference from vice president John Paxson on Thursday evening following the NBA trade deadline. Paxson addressed the trade that sent Doug McDermott and Taj Gibson to Oklahoma City. He answered several tough questions about the cohesiveness of the team’s front office and the direction (or lack thereof) of the organization. Pax came across as very defensive -even offended – as he denied such “false narratives” exist regarding how he, general manager Gar Forman and president Michael Reinsdorf work together.
It was very bizarre, and most of it came across as complete nonsense.
He Said It
In case you missed the press conference, here are the highlights:
The Trade
Explain the trade that brought in Cameron Payne, Anthony Morrow and Joffrey Lauvergne:
Pax: "The reason we did this…we feel this is consistent w/ what we talked about last yr. The chance to get younger is important" #Bulls
— Matt Peck (@Bulls_Peck) February 24, 2017
Pax: "We liked Cam (Payne) when he came out in the draft." Pax reiterating the importance of PG position. #Bulls
— Matt Peck (@Bulls_Peck) February 24, 2017
Obviously OKC’s backup point guard Payne (22) is the most valuable piece the Bulls got in return for Taj and Doug, and represents the youth Paxson is referring to. Lauvergne is 25 and Morrow is 31. Both are on expiring contracts and could very likely be gone after this season. So Payne means getting younger, and he’s a guy they loved when they were scouting for the 2015 draft. You know, just like they loved Marquis Teague, Tony Snell, Nikola Mirotic, and that kid McDermott they traded up to get before trading away.
Paxson also reiterated the importance of finding the right player to lead the team from the point guard position. So how many point guards do they have now? 26? Where will Payne fit in Fred Hoiberg’s rotation? Do Paxson and his colleagues really see him as the floor general of the future, despite his recurring foot injuries and atrocious shooting?
Let’s continue…
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