Sources: Bulls talking Boozer

Another major multi-team trade might be looming in the NBA with the Portland Trail Blazers, Utah Jazz and Chicago Bulls having discussed a deal that would be headlined by Carlos Boozer and Kirk Hinrich, according to NBA front-office sources.
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But two sources with knowledge of the three-team proposal confirmed that there have been substantive talks aimed at landing Boozer in Chicago, Hinrich in Portland and Tyrus Thomas in Utah.

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Posted by Sam Smith | asksam@bulls.com | 07.09.09 | 4:45 p.m. CT

This is the up to date one I have heard from 1280/the Zone (Utah radio). The rumor is…

Chicago - Outlaw/Boozer
Portland - Hinrich
Utah – Tyrus Thomas and Future Portland 1st

That may be the reason we got Pargo to be Hinrich's replacement. Maybe we will give Boozer a 3 year extension as well.

Larry

Sam: I got a half a dozen emails Thursday afternoon on this one. I guess there are reasons all around. The Trail Blazers need a point and seem to be down some on Outlaw. The Jazz would like to get something for Boozer and the Bulls would get two forwards, one an All Star. I’ve heard the Bulls made some inquiries about Boozer, though, as with other teams, the thinking is he’s going to be a free agent after this season and asking well into eight figures. If you are interested, why not wait and see if he can get through a season healthy before you give up anything. Portland’s a tough team to deal with and I doubt they’d do Outlaw and a first for Hinrich.

One source close to the process on Friday identified two main obstacles to the aforementioned three-way deal. Concerned about the quality of its backcourt rotation if it has to surrender Hinrich with Thomas after losing Ben Gordon in free agency, Chicago would insist that the Blazers surrender young guard Jerryd Bayless, which Portland is reluctant to do.

If it can't get Bayless, Chicago might still be willing to substitute Tim Thomas for Tyrus Thomas in the deal, but sources say Utah would likely balk if Tyrus Thomas is not included.

bullsger wrote:I don't know why, but I have a good feeling that this trade will really happen.

ESPN The Magazine's Chris Broussard updated the NBA's story of the day on the noon edition of Sportscenter by stating the proposed three-way trade between the Utah Jazz, Portland Trail Blazers and Chicago Bulls centered around Carlos Boozer is dead. At least in its current incarnation.

Broussard quoted Blazers GM Kevin Pritchard as saying bluntly that it's "not going to happen," despite his team's strong desire to bring in G Kirk Hinrich from Chicago.

While Bulls management headed to Las Vegas on Sunday for the NBA summer league, trade talks involving Utah power forward Carlos Boozer took a vacation.

Everything is on hold until the Jazz decides whether or not to match Portland's offer sheet for Paul Millsap. There have been many suggestions that Utah would prefer to keep Millsap and trade Boozer. But unless the Jazz can find a way to trim its payroll, matching Millsap will result in an $11 million luxury-tax bill next year.

The Bulls remain interested in acquiring Boozer, who is one of the league's best low-post scorers when healthy, but there is no telling how this might play out.