Paxson says he wants changes to Bulls' look sooner than later
Finding a new home for Larry Hughes is something Bulls general manager John Paxson would like to accomplish before the Feb. 19 trade deadline.
But Paxson provided more detailed insight into how he wants to reshape the Bulls following the team's practice and a Navy induction ceremony Wednesday at the Berto Center. Specifically, he'd like to find another star player to complement rookie guard Derrick Rose.
"A lot of our guys fit teams that have an established star or two," Paxson said. "We'd obviously like to get another guy with Derrick where every night you can say to yourself, 'We've got these two guys we can go to all the time,' and fill around them."
The best opportunity to add such a player might be in free agency, and the Bulls could create cap room in the summer of 2010 if they trade some long-term contracts or simply let Ben Gordon, Drew Gooden and Hughes walk away when their deals expire.
Gordon and Gooden will be free agents after this season, Hughes a year from now.
The ballyhooed free-agent class of 2010 could include LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh, Amare Stoudemire, Joe Johnson and Dirk Nowitzki, among others.
Earlier this season, Paxson stated that he didn't want to plan the future around creating cap room in 2010. On Wednesday, he altered that message slightly.
"I want to try to make our team better today, if we can," Paxson said. "Because it's no good for fans or anyone to sit there and watch us play and lose. I think we have played harder lately."
After losing three straight games by 5 points or fewer, the Bulls own an 18-25 record but are just 2 games behind New Jersey for the eighth playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.
"The goal is to improve today, but 2010's a long way off and there are always avenues you can go down to get off contracts," Paxson said. "Teams are always looking for good players.
"One thing I do know is teams like a lot of our pieces. That's not to say they want to give us a lot of players in return, but I know they like a lot of our pieces."
Paxson is clearly unhappy with the Bulls' performance this season. There have been plenty of injuries to key players, along with growing pains that come with a rookie point guard leading the team and inconsistent young players such as Tyrus Thomas and Joakim Noah playing heavy minutes.
"There are a lot of teams like us right now, kind of middle of the road, sitting here with 15 to 20 wins, trying to find out who they are and make a push for the playoffs," Paxson said. "But the only way we're going to do that is if we find an identity, where we believe in what we're trying to do out there.
"We've got a long road trip coming up. It will probably make or break us right now. We'll see where our guys stand and what they do."
The Bulls also have plenty riding on Paxson's unconventional choice for a head coach. Vinny Del Negro had no coaching experience when he was hired last spring, but he did add two former head coaches to his staff, Del Harris and Bernie Bickerstaff. Paxson declined to evaluate the coaches Wednesday.
"The only person I'll evaluate right now is myself, and I obviously haven't done the job of putting the type of team that I want to have on the floor in terms of competitiveness and effort," he said. "That falls on me."
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