FROM THE GREAT WHITE NORTH: UNTOUCHABLE? REALLY?

by E. Spencer Kyte, Bugs and Cranks

Someone needs to shake Chicago Bulls GM John Paxson.

D'you know what you do when the Los Angeles Lakers call you and tell you they want to trade you the best player in the Association? You put them on hold, do a little happy dance, pick up the phone and say "Yes" to whatever they suggest, unless it involves your wife, children or something about a donkey.

D'you know what you don't do? You don't lose out on the best player in the entire Association because of Luol Deng...

In fact, you don't ever miss out on an opportunity to improve your team because of Luol Deng. You hear that John Boy? What are you thinking?

I like Luol Deng. He's a nice player. Slasher, can shoot the pull up jimmy, plays defense and is a good kid. A nice player and a good kid with exactly ZERO All-Star appearances, not to mention zilch in the "D'you see that?" moments column. Yet somehow, in the last calendar year, Luol Deng has held up two bona fide All-Stars riding into the Windy City.

Last season it was Pau Gasol. Memphis had mailed it in and was ready to move in a new direction, so they called Chicago. Everyone in The Chi wanted this deal done, except John Paxson, obviously. Nope, he'd rather have a nice player like Luol Deng than a sure fire 20/10 guy who would probably be a 25/12 guy in the East... with 4 assists, a block and a steal too. Apparently John Paxson got sick of winning after His Airness won him a couple rings.

Then this season when Mitch Kupchak rang him up, Paxson uttered the word "Untouchable" again in reference to Deng.

Here is a list of players in the NBA who are untouchable with accompanying reasons:

• Tim Duncan - He's The Mayor of San Antonio... and RC Buford isn't stupid.
• LeBron James - I think this one is obvious

That's it! Everyone else is fair game. That goes for Dwyane Wade (injuries), Steve Nash (aging), Disco Dirk (Pre-Last Season Peyton Manning Syndrome) and everybody else. The league has proven over the last handful of years that no one is really untouchable. Shaq, Allen Iverson and Kevin Garnett - three former MVPs - have all been shipped out of town for 75 cents on the dollar (at best) because it would make their former squad better (in time) but Luol Deng is Untouchable?

Ultimately though, this shouldn't be a surprise. I mean, after all, this is the same guy who let a younger, better, cheaper version of Ben Wallace (**COUGH**Tyson Chandler**COUGH**) leave town so he could sign the aging, offensively challenged real deal...