It appears as though the Lakers - at least Magic Johnson - aren't that impressed.
Chicago Sun Times
Deng is a deal-breaker
Magic says Kobe trade won't happen because Bulls won't include forward
October 31, 2007
BY BRIAN HANLEY
bhanley@suntimes.com
Bulls general manager John Paxson didn't travel with the team Tuesday to New Jersey, where the Bulls open the season tonight against the Nets.
Paxson had plenty of work to do at home, including trade negotiations with the Los Angeles Lakers for Kobe Bryant. But those talks seemed to have lost some momentum.
Lakers vice president Magic Johnson said the deal isn't going to happen.
''A deal can't get done because they won't include [Luol] Deng,'' Johnson said Tuesday on TNT. ''And without Deng, a deal can't get done.''
Johnson also hinted that talks of bringing Indiana Pacers All-Star Jermaine O'Neal to the Lakers to join Bryant have resurfaced.
Paxson also had to deal with a contract extension for Deng.
Today is the league deadline for Deng and Ben Gordon to sign such extensions. Gordon's asking price is believed to be well more than the team's offer of five years and $50 million.
Johnson said the Bulls and Lakers could not put together a trade that would satisfy the league's money requirement for such a deal. The total salaries of the players sent to Los Angeles for Bryant must be within 15 percent of the $19 million Bryant will make this season.
A source close to the Phoenix Suns shot down a rumored three-team deal that would've had the Bulls landing Bryant, Gordon and the Suns' Shawn Marion going to the Lakers and a package of Tyrus Thomas and other considerations heading to Phoenix.
The Suns source said the team would be interested in discussing such a deal but that Phoenix last talked trade with the Lakers for Bryant some 10 days ago, and the conversation went nowhere.
Mark Bartelstein, the Chicago-based agent for P.J. Brown, said he had not been contacted by the Bulls or any other team to facilitate a sign-and-trade deal for the former Bulls forward to help match money for a Bryant trade.
Deng said he wouldn't agree to the Bulls' current contract-extension offer of five years and $50 million. ''The deadline is just closer; [the offer] is the same thing,'' Deng said. ''I'm pretty sure we'll talk again. I'd rather see it happen.''
Deng, who met with Paxson on Monday, and Gordon would have to wait until next summer, when the pair would be restricted free agents, to negotiate an extension if they fail to come to terms today.
Paxson said he'd withhold comment on the extensions until today.
''Things are fine; they're the same way they've been,'' Deng said of his relationship with Paxson, who likely will not raise his offer substantially. ''It was a good meeting just to know where we both stand and what we both wanted to talk about. I understand it's business.''
Gordon, who indicated Monday he also would not agree to a five-year, $50 million extension, said he didn't worry about what Deng might be offered. Deng said the same of Gordon.
''That's not in the back of my mind at all,'' Deng said. ''I'm not really worried about what's going on with Ben. I just hope the best for him. I hope he gets what he wants. That's the same thing I'm trying to do.
''If he gets more, he gets more. It is what it is.''
Deng said if he doesn't sign an extension today, he wouldn't let it bother him.
''I'm still going to do what I'm supposed to do; I'm trying to be better than I was last year,'' he said. ''It just happens to be my contract year, and you have to negotiate these things. But, as a mind-set, I'm going to go out and try to do what I did last year and just play basketball.''
