Nocioni trade tough one for GM Paxson
MILWAUKEE - Andres Nocioni was midway through his fifth season with the Bulls when traded to Sacramento on Wednesday and will leave plenty of lasting memories.
After joining the Bulls in 2004, the Argentina native quickly became a fan favorite for his passionate play and hard-nosed attitude.
"He has been one of my favorites to ever wear a Bulls uniform and personally it was difficult for me to move him," general manager John Paxson said in a statement released by the team. "He's been a warrior and a professional, since the day that he arrived."
Not surprisingly, former Bulls coach Scott Skiles, now with Milwaukee, echoed Paxson's feelings.
"I'm sure whenever I'm done coaching, he'll be one of my favorites," Skiles said before Wednesday's game. "I enjoyed coaching him. You always knew what you were going to get; he was going to bring it all the time and was a great competitor."
Nocioni became infamous around the league for an ability to get under opponents' skin and take hard fouls when necessary.
His greatest moment with the Bulls might have come in his first NBA playoff game, piling up 25 points and 18 rebounds in a victory over Washington while fans at the United Center chanted his name.
"It's definitely going to be weird not having Noc here," guard Ben Gordon said. "It's just going to be different. I wish him the best. We're definitely going to miss him."
New to the business: Rookie Derrick Rose on losing four teammates in Wednesday's trade: "It's kind of crazy, knowing that I'm not in college anymore, knowing someone's not transferring to another school or anything like that.
"You've got people going to other teams, people going to your team, so it's kind of hard to get used to. Hopefully with the players we get we can go to the playoffs."
Bull horns: Another possible destination for Larry Hughes might be New York for Malik Rose and Jerome James. - Bulls center Aaron Gray played 19 minutes in Milwaukee after not playing at all in the two games before the break. - The Bucks mascot, Bango, was on crutches at Wednesday's game after suffering a knee injury (that will require surgery) while performing during all-star weekend in Phoenix.