Nocioni for Scola?

Another player to consider is 6-9 Argentinean power forward Luis Scola, who averaged 17 points and 7.2 rebounds in the Spanish league for Tau Ceramica. San Antonio has held Scola’s rights since 2002, and he has a sizable buyout in his Spanish contract. But so did Nocioni.

Scola, 27, is a potential inside scorer and has been billed by some as the best player not currently in the NBA. Theoretically, the Spurs could sign Scola and send him to the Bulls in a sign-and-trade for Nocioni. Cound represents both players.

Nobody can accuse Bulls general manager John Paxson of not being direct.

Agents and players say his philosophy in negotiations is to attempt to be fair, honest and above board.

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Perhaps that's why Andres Nocioni is telling contacts in Argentina he wouldn't be surprised to be traded this summer.

Nocioni, 27, told those same contacts that Paxson informed him in his season-exit interview that the Bulls' No. 1 off-season goal is to acquire a scoring power forward.

That might even further limit minutes for the manic Nocioni, who happens to play both at power forward and the same small-forward position as a burgeoning All-Star in Luol Deng.

The Bulls respect and appreciate Nocioni's grit, determination and skill.

They would also gladly welcome the restricted free agent back—at the right price.

But if Nocioni, resting in his homeland after a serious bout with plantar fasciitis in his right foot, commands an offer sheet in the $6 million to $8 million range, expect the Bulls to explore sign-and-trade options.

The Spurs and Lakers are two teams that long have admired Nocioni's style of play.

Neither team has salary-cap room, meaning they only could offer the midlevel salary-cap exception, to be set July 11 at approximately $5.5 million.

In perhaps his strongest comments to date regarding his intense forward, Paxson on Monday said he has been in consistent communication with Nocioni's representatives and vowed action in some form.

"They know we want Noce back," Paxson said. "We're in the process of trying to work something out. I know there's interest in Noce. Everybody would love to have him on their team.

"There are a few teams with [salary-]cap space that could potentially throw an offer sheet down. I've often said, and Jerry's [Chairman Jerry Reinsdorf] with me on this, we're going to match offer sheets. We're not going to lose a player for nothing."

The Grizzlies, Bucks, Bobcats and Magic are the only teams expected to own significant room when the salary-cap figures are set on July 11. As a restricted free agent, Nocioni could have any offer sheet matched by the Bulls, who also could include Nocioni in a sign-and-trade scenario.

"I haven't talked to anybody about that," Paxson said. "Our preference is to sign him outright. Sign-and-trades are difficult because everybody has to be on board. It has to be a destination the player wants. I think they're more last resort than anything else. We'd like to get something done with him because he's so valuable for us."

Paxson insists the Bulls have the financial resources to re-sign Nocioni and add an unrestricted free agent. The Bulls own the midlevel salary-cap exception of approximately $5.5 million, as well as the bi-annual veteran's exception of roughly $1.8 million.

"Financially, we're in good shape," Paxson said. "We know we have Luol Deng and Ben Gordon coming up [for extensions], but we're still in good shape even with those guys.

"I have a tough time letting a player go when there's really nothing there you can replace him with. Noce has been so much a part of what we've been about the last few years. He and Kirk [Hinrich] have done a lot to change this franchise in a positive way."