# 10 day contract to Stephen Graham



## TripleDouble (Jul 26, 2002)

Per the other board which was per ESPN 1000, the Bulls have signed 6'6" guard Stephen Graham who is the twin brother of Joey Graham. He's reported to be a rugged, athletic slasher with a sketchy shot.


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## mizenkay (Dec 29, 2003)

this was also reported by mcgraw in the DH today:

*The Bulls are expected to sign 6-foot-6 swingman Stephen Graham to a 10-day contract soon. Graham, a rookie from Oklahoma State, was averaging 23.0 points and 6.0 rebounds for the Sioux Falls Skyforce of the Continental Basketball Association. He is the twin brother of Toronto’s Joey Graham*


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## yodurk (Sep 4, 2002)

Sounds like a groovy signing. I recall several posters here who thought he could make it in the NBA with his excellent athletic ability. Eddie Basden isn't getting much burn, so maybe he'll fill some "big guard" needs for us.


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## truebluefan (May 27, 2002)

A slasher eh? A big guard eh? Looks like Basden will take a back seat for a while. 

We could use a slasher that gets us to the foul line. Trouble is, will he he get any burn?


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## kukoc4ever (Nov 20, 2002)

YES! Do you think Vegas knows about this yet? Is it too late to put money down?

I'm glad we're not "lukewarm" on Stephen Graham.


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## TripleDouble (Jul 26, 2002)

Is this the end of the Eddie Basden era?


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## step (Sep 19, 2005)

It can't hurt, hopefully we get lucky


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## DaBullz (Jul 15, 2002)

Anyone but me think there's a reason Basden wasn't drafted?

Or Graham?


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## TripleDouble (Jul 26, 2002)

Or Marquis Daniels?

Sure there's a reason. Doesn't mean that there's not a slight chance of getting a player.


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## fl_flash (Aug 19, 2002)

Makes me wonder about Basden. He was supposed to be that big guard defender that this team really needed. Conference USA defensive player of the Year. On offense, he is about the only guy who goes hard to the rim... He must not be showing it in practice... As an aside, does this mean the Holcomb era is over? We've got 15 guys and if Graham is inked, who goes? Is Tim Thomas finally released? (I hope not - at least try to get value from the expiring contract!) Basden gonna get cut?


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## step (Sep 19, 2005)

> As an aside, does this mean the Holcomb era is over? We've got 15 guys and if Graham is inked, who goes?


Pretty sure Holcomb's time is up and that he's gone.


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## kukoc4ever (Nov 20, 2002)

The way it can hurt is if the organization is spending their time and resources trying to hit the lottery on an extremely improbable event instead of focusing on making moves that would actually make the team better.

The chances of this guy saying "yessir" a lot are high.


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## mizenkay (Dec 29, 2003)

yeah, flash, they didn't sign holcomb to a second ten day. he's back in gary with the steelheads.


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## kukoc4ever (Nov 20, 2002)

mizenkay said:


> yeah, flash, they didn't sign holcomb to a second ten day. he's back in gary with the steelheads.



Did he offer to run back to Gary?


The Bulls should start a reality show called "15th man." 8 minor-league professional basketball players all get a call from Paxson and the first to make it to the Berto Center without using any fuel propelled transportation gets to be the 15th man.

They could replace the Water Truck race with clips of this show during the games.


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## mizenkay (Dec 29, 2003)

kukoc4ever said:


> Did he offer to run back to Gary?



he ran back screaming. sources say it was expletive filled.


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## onetwo88 (Jul 16, 2002)

The Chicago Bulls signed rookie Stephen Graham to a 10-day contract today. He joins the Bulls from the Sioux Falls Sky Force of the Continental Basketball Association. Graham will wear jersey No. 1 and will be with the Bulls when they host the New York Knicks tomorrow, Wednesday, Jan. 18, at 7:30 P.M. at the United Center.

After being selected by Sioux Falls in the first round (seventh overall) of the 2005 CBA Draft, the 6-6, 215-pound Graham has appeared in 13 games (all starts) with the Sky Force. He has averaged 23.0 ppg, 6.0 rpg, 4.3 apg, 1.08 spg and 36.2 mpg, and shot .597 (108-181) from the field, including .722 (13-18) from three-point range, and .864 (70-81) from the free throw line.

from http://www.insidehoops.com


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## mizenkay (Dec 29, 2003)

http://www.nba.com/bulls/news/graham_060117.html


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## lgtwins (May 18, 2004)

kukoc4ever said:


> The way it can hurt is if the organization is spending their time and resources trying to hit the lottery on an extremely improbable event instead of focusing on making moves that would actually make the team better.
> 
> The chances of this guy saying "yessir" a lot are high.


Paxon did something and you complain about his doing somethng.

Paxon did nothing and you compalin about his doing nothing.

He can't win, can he? :biggrin: :biggrin:


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## TomBoerwinkle#1 (Jul 31, 2002)

lgtwins said:


> He can't win, can he? :biggrin: :biggrin:


Man, don't feed K4E a straight line like that...


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## Showtyme (Jun 24, 2002)

I don't see how this guy's going to get minutes if Basden didn't.

10-day contracts are basically practice auditions, right? They just want to see him spill it out during practice, right?

Because I think the main reason Basden isn't getting time is that all of our games are too critical. We don't have garbage time to distribute, and a guy like Basden needs those garbage minutes before any sane coach could start giving him real PT.

Last time I checked, we have four guards that all earned PT (Hinrich, Gordon, Duhon, Pargo), one vet with a reliable skill (Pike), and two SF's that deserve more than 48 minutes between the two of them (Deng and Noch). The simple truth is that Skiles would rather have Pargo at the PG and Hinrich being their big guard defender than have Hinrich defending the PG and Eddie Basden defending the SG.

We just need a blowout game where we're up huge in the 4th, and then we'll see Basden make the most of his minutes. Remember that Linton Johnson and Co. didn't get many minutes until later in the year too.

Unfortunately, I don't know when we'll see a blowout game when we're up huge in the 4th. It appears that the Bulls have trouble closing out games in general. I'd say we'd have to be up by 15+ with maybe 4 minutes left to go in order to see Basden get some minutes.

That's why I'm not really sure where Stephen Graham would get minutes.


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## kukoc4ever (Nov 20, 2002)

lgtwins said:


> He can't win, can he?


Not by dumping legit NBA players and scouring the CBA.


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## spongyfungy (Oct 22, 2003)

I thought he was pretty good with the Rockets for a bit. I wondered why he wasn't drafted by a team. Is there that much of a difference between his twin brother's game and his?

Anyways, he gets to line which I like. I also read a few years ago that he's a pilot so if the charter plane pilot passes out, he can go Ted Striker on them


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## kukoc4ever (Nov 20, 2002)

Based on most of the comments I've heard from Skiles... he's just pretty much unimpressed with Basden in general. He just does not seem to like him.


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## chifaninca (May 28, 2002)

spongyfungy said:


> Anyways, he gets to line which I like. I also read a few years ago that he's a pilot so if the charter plane pilot passes out, he can go Ted Striker on them



That was hillarious Spongy!!!!!!!!!

Striker references are rare but HUGE!


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## Showtyme (Jun 24, 2002)

kukoc4ever said:


> Based on most of the comments I've heard from Skiles... he's just pretty much unimpressed with Basden in general. He just does not seem to like him.


Interesting. Any links?


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## kukoc4ever (Nov 20, 2002)

Showtyme said:


> Interesting. Any links?


Nope... just my memory.


Here's a link about Skiles being unhappy with Basden... but not the quote I remember.
http://www.charlotte.com/mld/charlotte/sports/basketball/nba/charlotte_bobcats/13505356.htm


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## TomBoerwinkle#1 (Jul 31, 2002)

spongyfungy said:


> I thought he was pretty good with the Rockets for a bit. I wondered why he wasn't drafted by a team. Is there that much of a difference between his twin brother's game and his?
> 
> Anyways, he gets to line which I like. I also read a few years ago that he's a pilot so if the charter plane pilot passes out, he can go Ted Striker on them


What we really need is a young Roger Murdoch...


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## yodurk (Sep 4, 2002)

kukoc4ever said:


> YES! Do you think Vegas knows about this yet? Is it too late to put money down?
> 
> I'm glad we're not "lukewarm" on Stephen Graham.


When you have an extra roster spot with no worthwhile vets waiting to be signed, it's only logical to use that 15th spot on a young player with upside. As opposed to trading away half your team for a 29-year old wing player with 1 1/2 years left on his contract.


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## MikeDC (Jul 16, 2002)

Showtyme said:


> Interesting. Any links?


I don't have the link onhand, but there was the quote about him being willing play Basden except that Eddie missed the team bus.

I don't think any links are necessary though, to be honest. I think it's pretty obvious Skiles doesn't think Basden is any good or else he would play him and not play Pargo and Duhon quite as much.

And if they liked him, why would they sign Stephen Graham.

Beats me as to why, Basden's looked decent in the time I've seen him.


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## ScottMay (Jun 15, 2002)

Mikedc said:


> I don't have the link onhand, but there was the quote about him being willing play Basden except that Eddie missed the team bus.
> 
> I don't think any links are necessary though, to be honest. I think it's pretty obvious Skiles doesn't think Basden is any good or else he would play him and not play Pargo and Duhon quite as much.
> 
> ...


Wasn't there even some report about how an excitable Skiles charged across the gym floor at the Chicago camp and was pointing at Basden saying, "That's my guy right there. That's my guy," or somesuch?

I wonder what happened.


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## TripleDouble (Jul 26, 2002)

Maybe this move doesn't indicate anything about Basden. Couldn't it just be that in scouting the CBA Graham stood out more than any other player.


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## ScottMay (Jun 15, 2002)

yodurk said:


> When you have an extra roster spot with no worthwhile vets waiting to be signed, it's only logical to use that 15th spot on a young player with upside. As opposed to trading away half your team for a 29-year old wing player with 1 1/2 years left on his contract.


I think kukoc4ever's point is that given some very ominous signs the team is unraveling -- the GM actually physically attacking officials, a dispirited Kirk saying he knows he won't get calls, a huge free-throw disparity each game, opponents basically toying with us like they did in the Dark Years -- signing Stephen Graham isn't significant enough to even warrant being called "stopgap".


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## TripleDouble (Jul 26, 2002)

Info on Graham from DraftExpress

scouting report


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## kukoc4ever (Nov 20, 2002)

yodurk said:


> When you have an extra roster spot with no worthwhile vets waiting to be signed, it's only logical to use that 15th spot on a young player with upside. As opposed to trading away half your team for a 29-year old wing player with 1 1/2 years left on his contract.


Let me get this straight.

Signing some CBA player is a better move than trading for Paul Pierce?

This team is floundering. We need help. Everyone knows it. This odds of this guy helping us in any significant way is remote. It does not matter. 

Its a meaningless transaction for a probably meaningless player. Just like Eddie Basden.

He’ll jump through a wall for that minimum NBA contract though. That’s what’s important.


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## fl_flash (Aug 19, 2002)

kukoc4ever said:


> Let me get this straight.
> 
> Signing some CBA player is a better move than trading for Paul Pierce?
> 
> ...


Let me get this straight.

Signing some CBA player means that Pax won't make a move for Paul Pierce? Are these two events mutually exclusive or do you know something the rest of us don't?


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## kukoc4ever (Nov 20, 2002)

fl_flash said:


> Let me get this straight.
> 
> Signing some CBA player means that Pax won't make a move for Paul Pierce? Are these two events mutually exclusive or do you know something the rest of us don't?



Other than he's "lukewarm" about PP, according to McGraw, no. Maybe Paxson is going to make a move for a player he's "lukewarm" on.

Graham could be just the shot in the arm this team needs. Nice move by Pax. I heard this feller played a little PG in high school!

PROACTIVLY combing the CBA. I like it.


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## Ron Cey (Dec 27, 2004)

I don't see how this move can be cause for either praise or ridicule. It is what it is: the signing of Joey Graham's twin brother.


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## TomBoerwinkle#1 (Jul 31, 2002)

Ron Cey said:


> I don't see how this move can be cause for either praise or ridicule. It is what it is: the signing of Joey Graham's twin brother.


Amen.


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## truebluefan (May 27, 2002)

I gotta say this...Pax is being blasted for signing graham. If he turns out to be a nice player and had some else signed him? I could see someone saying, "Nice going Pax. You signed Holcomb when you could have signed this guy."

I dont know. 

As for this signing being an admission that a trade will not be coming...We have about 5-6 weeks left until deadline. I think John can chew gum and talk at the same time. 

Actually I see a the signing another way. Its for 10 days and not the rest of the season so at any time that spot can become free. The fact that John has not filled that spot with a full time player tells me he is leaving open the option to make a trade. 2-3, 1-2. type of trade. 

This sigining wont hurt the team at all.


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## ViciousFlogging (Sep 3, 2003)

truebluefan said:


> I gotta say this...Pax is being blasted for signing graham. If he turns out to be a nice player and had some else signed him? I could see someone saying, "Nice going Pax. You signed Holcomb when you could have signed this guy."
> 
> I dont know.
> 
> ...


This is way too reasonable. It's much more fun to just pile on! :biggrin: 

Maybe Boston said they'd only deal Pierce if they got real value (Graham!) back in return? Tee hee.


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## MikeDC (Jul 16, 2002)

I'm not blasting Paxson so much for it... just saying I don't understand the need to sign Shane Graham when we've already made an investment in Eddie Basden.

NBA teams (and I've heard this from the Bulls too) devote time and energy to teaching a young player. You've only got so much time to go around to develop a guy. Thus, having two rookie players who fill pretty much identical roles (and who don't seem likely to play much) doesn't make a lot of sense to me.

The only sensible conclusion I can draw from it is that they've concluded Basden is a wash.

If that's the case, I guess it's to be commended that Pax made the call and is going out and trying to fill that role, but it's also to be criticized that they spent so much time talking up Eddie Basden. 

And as I said before, I'm also unsure why they'd write him off... he's looked decent in the few chances he's had. Obviously they see him in practice, but its hard for me to see why they think he can't play.


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## thebizkit69u (Feb 12, 2003)

Sooo how does this fix our front court mess?


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## ViciousFlogging (Sep 3, 2003)

thebizkit69u said:


> Sooo how does this fix our front court mess?


Graham will try to kick opposing centers in the knees.


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## thebizkit69u (Feb 12, 2003)

Just wondering about the NBDL why is it such a terrible program, its not like the minors from baseball each NBDL minor league team has 3-4 major teams! It makes no sense at all.


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## rlucas4257 (Jun 1, 2002)

I like Stephen Graham. I like what his brother is doing as well. Not going to help out and ScottMay and K4E are, as usual, 100% correct in their opinions but it doesnt hurt to have the guy.


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## Babble-On (Sep 28, 2005)

Has anyone seen him play? How does he compare to Joey?


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## yodurk (Sep 4, 2002)

kukoc4ever said:


> Let me get this straight.
> 
> Signing some CBA player is a better move than trading for Paul Pierce?


Depends on what it takes to get Pierce. I'm not prepared to give up half of our assets to get Pierce. I think that would be a lateral move. The end product wouldn't be much better than what the Celtics currently have, and they're no better than us as it stands.

And one thing that hasn't been talked about much is that Pierce's contract only has 1 1/2 years left. So there's a good chance that he jets if things don't work out. It's a big risk. I'd rather risk it with a skilled big guy.


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## thebizkit69u (Feb 12, 2003)

Its so tough to get Superstars outside of Drafting them and Free Agency that in 90% of most trades the team trading away the superstar regresses and you really dont get much in return. Boston will not trade Pierce for anything less then Gordon, a first round pick and Deng which would break the trend of probably regressing because i do see Boston getting the better deal out of this, the Bulls would struggle with having absolutley no scoring of the bench and losing what little depth we had. I dont see how the Bulls would be any better record wise with the loss of Gordon and Deng even with the addition of Pierce. 

Hate me for saying this but the Bulls best chance of getting back on top is just signing some good players with the Cap space and pray that the Bulls get a chance to draft both Aldrige and Morrison. Morrison is the real deal iam sold on him now, hes just so damn consistent and hes not another Keith Van Horne. Keith was a great college player and his first 3 seasons in the NBA where great but Keith dint have that drive or heart that Morrison brings in game after game, Keith had the talent to be the best player in the NBA he just dint have the drive, Morrison is much better then Van Horne in all aspects of the Game.


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## ScottMay (Jun 15, 2002)

yodurk said:


> I'd rather risk it with a skilled big guy.


Such as?

As many of us have been saying ad nauseum, those dudes don't grow on trees. And the "assets" we've accumulated -- the cap space, the picks, the max expiring contract -- have a shelf life. If we don't get something done by the deadline, our options narrow considerably.

Yes, Pierce's bolting is a risk, even if the revised CBA gives added leverage to the team that holds a player's Bird Rights. 

I'd say it's at least an equal risk if the rest of this season continues to spiral down the ****ter and the players tune out Paxson and Skiles and we need to start from scratch all over again.


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## Showtyme (Jun 24, 2002)

I'm not sure but he had a few good games on his last stop.

http://www.nba.com/playerfile/stephen_graham/game_by_game_stats.html

He had a 9 point, 3 rebound, 2 steal night against Denver in garbage time. And he's made 100% of his free throws, which is a start.

I have to say, though, that Joey Graham hasn't come on very strong on a terrible Raptors team this season. He's not terrible but I somehow envisioned him being a lot more explosive.

As for Stephen, there's a slight possibility that he's just one of the hungriest guys that they could find and Skiles/Pax wants to put some more competition for playing time in the mix. The real answer is that they need a star, a leader, someone who will respond to the comments that they put out in the media by playing and practicing harder.

To me, though, I feel like the team needs more teaching and less berating. We don't seem to be executing all that well (I mean, we're not terrible, but there's definitely been some big miscommunicatoins). And I think that execution can be a result of competitive edge; when everyone is heated up to win games, they focus harder.

We could use some more plays than perimeter passing and high screens to free guards and a wing sitting in the corner. Gosh. We could use some new skills for Gordon's ability to create. We could use some inside-outside plays with Mike Sweetney supposed passing ability. Heck, do you want more out of Tyson Chandler? Draw up one play for him. They did it in Detroit for the previously-ineffective Ben Wallace to up his offense; now the guy's a legitimate offensive threat. Run plays for the guy, diligently, and you never know what might happen.

I understand that they take a "you-earn-it" policy on playing time, ball distribution, etc. But rather than making the team nothing but a competition market to maximize effort, shouldn't they be considered pieces that complete a picture?

I do feel like Graham's only function (and possibly Holcomb's) is to push the practices with a hunger to make the squad.


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## Showtyme (Jun 24, 2002)

ScottMay said:


> Such as?
> 
> As many of us have been saying ad nauseum, those dudes don't grow on trees. And the "assets" we've accumulated -- the cap space, the picks, the max expiring contract -- have a shelf life. If we don't get something done by the deadline, our options narrow considerably.
> 
> ...


Did Elden Campbell retire? How about Tom Gugliotta? How about Christian Laettner? Any Shawn Kemp updates? Clarence Weatherspoon started 18 games for Houston last year... did he retire? Keon Clark? Jahidi White?

For younger guys, how about Brandon Hunter (they loved his energy, sort of like a really broad version of Michael Ruffin, in Boston)? He's known as a hard worker, too. Curtis Borchardt might be healthy by now. Even guys like Jelani McCoy and Mamadou N'Diaye have gotten looks from other teams. I'm a big Robert Archibald fan, a stiff rebounder from Illinois that was in the league for a few years. Boumtje-Boumtje had a few years in Seattle, was it? 

For undrafted rookies, could Luke Schenscher be worse than Jared Reiner?

These guys aren't stars but I'll bet they'd be happy for a chance in the league. They all offer something (either veteran leadership, potential or just a big body) and wouldn't be terrible to look at with a 15th spot on our roster with exactly TWO guys 6-10 and over (Allen and Chandler). I'd be willing to bet that we have the shortest roster in the entire league.

I'm positive that Jahidi White would get a lot more minutes than Malik Allen. Isn't that reason enough?


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## ScottMay (Jun 15, 2002)

Showtyme said:


> Did Elden Campbell retire? How about Tom Gugliotta? How about Christian Laettner? Any Shawn Kemp updates? Clarence Weatherspoon started 18 games for Houston last year... did he retire? Keon Clark? Jahidi White?
> 
> For younger guys, how about Brandon Hunter (they loved his energy, sort of like a really broad version of Michael Ruffin, in Boston)? He's known as a hard worker, too. Curtis Borchardt might be healthy by now. Even guys like Jelani McCoy and Mamadou N'Diaye have gotten looks from other teams. I'm a big Robert Archibald fan, a stiff rebounder from Illinois that was in the league for a few years. Boumtje-Boumtje had a few years in Seattle, was it?
> 
> ...


You almost made me cry with this post. How can things have possibly gotten this dismal?


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## mizenkay (Dec 29, 2003)

Showtyme said:


> The real answer is that they need a star, a leader, someone who will respond to the comments that they put out in the media by playing and practicing harder.
> 
> *To me, though, I feel like the team needs more teaching and less berating. We don't seem to be executing all that well (I mean, we're not terrible, but there's definitely been some big miscommunicatoins). And I think that execution can be a result of competitive edge; when everyone is heated up to win games, they focus harder.*
> 
> ...



:yes: :worship: especially the bold part.

great post as usual, but i didn't get as moist as scott just now. :biggrin: :smilewink


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## Showtyme (Jun 24, 2002)

ScottMay said:


> You almost made me cry with this post. How can things have possibly gotten this dismal?


It's not THAT dismal, although in my opinion, we're basically playing without a single effective big man on most nights. So in that department, it IS that dismal.

But this dialogue was taking place in the context of "what big men would we give a shot over Stephen Graham". You said skilled big men don't grow on trees. I agree that the FA ranks are not a cabbage patch of skilled bigs but I listed a bunch that are skilled enough to at least be worth a 15th spot on a team with NO BIGS AT ALL.

Things ARE that desperate, though, Scott. When you have that bad of a deficiency, there's a compounding return effect. Anyone who can just help a little department will do SO much for the entire team, I think.


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