Former Chicago Bull head coach Bill Cartwright was hired Friday to become an assistant for the New Jersey Nets.  

"Bill brings a wealth of NBA experience to our coaching staff," said Nets CEO Rod Thorn.

Cartwright, a University of San Francisco product, had a very solid NBA career, playing for the New York Knicks and the Chicago Bulls, where he wone three championships.

Bulls GM John Paxson has been seriously discussing trade scenarios with the Memphis Grizzlies, surrounding a deal involving Eddy Curry.  Lorenzen Wright and Bo Outlaw are the likely return pieces, and Paxson may choose to expand the deal by including Eddie Robinson.

There are also trade negotiations involving Tyson Chandler and Dikembe Mutumbo being sent to the Houston Rockets.  Scottie Pippin's name has also come up under a variety of trade scenarios.

The Spurs signed free-agent forward Linton Johnson.  Johnson, 6-feet-8, played for the Chicago Bulls last season, averaging 4.2 points and 4.5 rebounds in 41 games. He started 20 games and shot .355 from the floor.

Upon his release by the Bulls in January, Johnson played 21 games for the CBA's Rockford Lightning, averaging 15.6 points and 8.5 rebounds.

Chicago re-signed Johnson in February, and he spent the remainder of the 2003-2004 season with the Bulls.

Chicago Bulls Executive Vice President of Basketball Operations Jim Paxson placed third year forward Paul Shirley on waivers today. The 6'11" Shirley was signed for the remainder of the season last year after completing two ten-day contracts with the club.

Shirley averaged 3 points per game over 7 games with Chicago. He spent two games of the 2002-03 season with the Atlanta Hawks, failing to score.

The Memphis Commercial Appeal confirms that the Memphis Grizzlies have asked the Chicago Bulls about trading center Eddy Curry, but the part about Stromile Swift and Bonzi Wells being the two that the Grizzlies are offering in return is not.

According to a league source, three other teams have presented the Bulls with offers for Curry, and Bulls general manager John Paxson remains somewhat hesitant to move the Bulls' big man.

Memphis is still trying to land Golden State free agent Erick Dampier via a sign and trade, with Curry being their fall back plan.  With Atlanta appearing to be the favorites to land Dampier's services after offering a six year - $50 million deal the Grizzlies may come up dry on both of their targets.

Bulls GM John Paxson is still hopeful that he can meet Dikembe Mutombo's request to play for a playoff contender.

Dikembe was acquired in a six-player trade with New York last week.  Mutombo and his agent David Falk let it be known that he wishes to play elsewhere, but he did not threaten to retire.

"I have been in contact with a few teams, but nothing is definite at all," Paxson said. "There's no pressure for us to move Dikembe, and if he stays, he can be a valuable player here. Like I've said before, I won't make a trade just to make a trade. It has to be beneficial to us."

Paxson is having discussions with the Rockets and Nuggets, respectively, about shooting guards Eric Piatkowski and Jon Barry.

The Chicago Bulls signed swingman Andres Nocioni to a three-year contract today, Executive Vice President of Basketball Operations Jim Paxson announced. Terms of the contract were not disclosed.

?We?re very happy to add a player of Andres? ability to our team. He was a top talent in Europe and his work ethic and dedication will complement our team very well,? said Bulls Executive Vice President, Basketball Operations John Paxson. ?He plays with a passion that we believe all players should play with and we look forward to him joining the Bulls. With the addition of Andres, Ben and Luol, we feel that we have improved the core of our team.?

Nocioni comes battle-tested to the Bulls, spending more than two seasons with Taugres Tau Ceramica Baskonia Vitoria of the Euroleague. Last season, in 10 regular season Euroleague appearances with Tau Ceramica, he averaged 13.9 ppg, 6.6 rpg, 1.4 apg and 1.0 bpg in 26.4 mpg, while shooting .506 from the floor, including .400 from 3-point range, and .707 from the free throw line.

Former Knick Dikembe Mutombo had plenty of good things to say about owner James Dolan and MSG president Steve Mills, who supported his attempts to build more hospitals in Africa.

The same cannot be said when the conversation turned to Isiah Thomas.

"I have nothing to say about Isiah," Mutombo said. "I don't want to discuss him. What am I going to say? We haven't even had a conversation."

"It's very sad. I'm very sad to leave the city of New York," Mutombo said. "I built a personal relationship with Steve Mills and James Dolan, not just on the basketball court but off it."

Mutombo is not sure he will play with the Chicago Bulls but he won't retire.  He and his agent David Falk may try to force a trade to Houston.

The Chicago Bulls might start thinking about the "Curse of MJ" ever since Jerry Krause began the re-building process by breaking up the 6-time champion Chicago Bulls of the Jordan and Pippen Era.  

They have been re-building ever since, getting high picks, shuffling rosters, and trying to find the right combination to put them back into the playoffs.  

Actually, they'll settle for respectability at this point.
 
Having just traded their top scorer, Jamal Crawford, the Bulls are very short on players with experience achieving success in the NBA.

Tyson Chandler and Eddy Curry haven't come near the lofty expectations held for them when they entered the league.

And now matching last year's 23-win total is starting to look like it could be a stretch.

"This is a process. We're trying to change things over time, not overnight," general manager John Paxson said.

Jamal Crawford was shipped to New York in a deal that was largely about saving for the future since it will net the Bulls about $18 million over the next four years.

"The fans have been unbelievably patient and gracious to our organization," Paxson said. "What I'm trying to do is assemble a group of guys that they'll enjoy watching. That they know they're going to get their money's worth when they come to the United Center. That they know are going to be working hard and competing day in and day out. That's the only way I know to go about it."

Sacramento Kings' All-Star Peja Stojakovic told the Chicago Sun-Times that he would love to play for the Chicago Bulls.  

Bulls' GM John Paxson has admitted to calling the Kings to inquire about Stojakovic.

But Kings ownership says it has no plans to trade the deadly outside threat.

Even if this changes, the Bulls may not have the assets to pull of the trade.

Meanwhile, the Pacers are said to be offering former Bull Ron Artest, who is the NBA's Defensive Player of the Year.

''I love Chicago, and I have a lot of friends there,'' Stojakovic said. ''I also feel the Bulls are a great organization, and I especially like the fact that Scott Skiles is the coach there. He was my coach in Greece when I played for PAOK in 1998. We almost won the championship under him. He's a great man and a great coach.''

''Yes, I called and expressed an interest, but I have not talked with Geoff Petrie yet about it,'' Paxson said. ''So it was a one-sided phone call. Certainly, if a player of his caliber were available and he would be interested in Chicago, we'd obviously owe it to ourselves to take a hard look at it.''

The Kings need a big man after losing Vlade Divac to the Lakers, something that may have prompted Stojakovic's desire to leave Sacramento.