Chisoxfn

Mediocre is what they will be. Carter isn’t horrible as an isolated move though.

Van Gundy, Jalen Rose, Max Kellerman, Keyshawn are all out at ESPN. Van Gundy is one of the best - I wonder if he'll end up at TNT.

Not knocking you, but any of those names are unacceptable. That is basically the equivalent of running it back and it was already a mediocre at best team before. Staying status quo when you have limited guys on the upward trajectory of their career is just pathetic (in terms of what the Bulls front office would be enabling). Don't get me wrong - I expect exactly what you said above and that will be a clear failure. If they somehow get crazy creative and take a swing at a top 12 point guard (no idea who that is) plus add a few wings and pay the tax - by all means, than I tip my cap and say, okay, this may blow up, but at least you took a shot at what I'll call the upward treading of water approach (where you try to always be competitive and fall forward - maybe its the Miami Heat approach, I don't know).

Deal not awful on paper / not good. But the direction is awful unless they get a legit point guard and one or two good shooters.

He is a good player - but middle market payroll clubs can’t hand out contracts like this. They need to develop good players and be market efficient. I didn’t have an issue with signing cause he filled a need and they had nothing else - but that is because of Rick and he didn’t do nearly enough and has been pure s%*# for a few years and has drafted s%*# and developed s%*# for a lot longer than that.

Mediocrity and making excuses.

Not a good start in golf cup. I want to see them in championship in person at sofi and losing to Jamaica in 2nd half.

Not that spring training is anything - but his swing is beautiful. I think he will be a bonafide star.

Bulls must be all in on Van Fleet if they aren’t blowing this up, right? Is the direct lonzo comments precursor to what bulls will file for relief and than they get Van Fleet and find some shooting and pay luxury tax? If that doesn’t work then I guess you are just blowing it up from there?

2nd rounder they got will probably be nothing - but I like fact he is athletic and long. Can’t shoot - but form isn’t bad so maybe he can somehow stun us and develop an improved shot and turn into something. Probably will be nothing but I at least like the profile they drafted.

100 percent spot on.

Definitely seems to be worse than Pax. I consider Pax the era where he was GM. He had a really good run before he got complacent and turned things over to Gar. But my impression of the Bulls front office thus far is total train wreck. Running back will be the worse possible idea. I'm okay if they decide they are going to be a tax payer and add a PG and 2 good shooters for spacing and bring the crew back, fine by me - at least its doing something and maybe that makes them more competitive and they get a star who wants to come join them and they build themselves up that way. I'm also perfectly accept a full blown blow it up too and am fine giving the front office the chance to do that (I would have more faith if they made that decision). But if they literally do nothing but bring in some bottom 10 starting PG - than that tells me all I need to know about this front office.

Fastest way to getting back to contention is Ohtanhi. He solves so many problems. You move Gio, Timmy, and other expiring's, build up depth - sign Ohtani and hope the other parts of your core are alright and go through it. With that said - they aren't about to spend $600M over 10 years. I also don't know what the Sox strategy should be - but they might have two of the better pitchers on the market in Gio / Cease. You also know if Ohtani goes onto market - people may go nuts for him. Is it better to deal Gio (for example) before Shohei or are you better to find the team that missed out. My gut would be deal him now - while he's healthy and pitching good, than you have Cease left to deal closer to deadline (knowing you at least have another year of him - which is valuable for a team looking to acquire - get him for the stretch run + next year). Would think Dodgers would be a theoretical good fit - say Timmy and Cease.

My only bright side is I do think they have players that actually have value. Gio they should move now - don’t risk and injury or a slump, move on him early and get max value (say Dbacks or Reds) and like to do same with Kelly cause he’s a walking injury but I feel like relievers are more valuable as you get closer to deadline - same with Graverman but I still say with a lot of teams still in it - be an early seller. Cease has been much more like last year in past 5 starts (stroking out tons of guys - needs to pitch deeper though - but stuff has been elite). I’d love to keep him but it ain’t reality - his value is still really high and yeah, maybe you get more next year if he’s pitching like last year - but I think with him, you know he’s walking next year and current version would still be one of very best arms on market - so capitalize on that and make your move (vs risk an injury and you get nothing). The above should get you 5 good chips - maybe one elite prospect and two other very good prospects (I think Cease is worth an elite prospect and a very good one plus some lower level guys or maybe some raw relief type arms or like a bat with no position type). Gio gets you maybe one very good and another borderline top 100 type? Graverman gets you one or two decent prospects - maybe more raw? TA - Not sure what you get for him now? Is this his last year or do we have one more? If one more I honestly think I keep him and hope you get a bounce back cause man we would be trading him at such a low. Clearly hurt or just miserable. I probably hold Hendricks and hope he recovers and is himself 2nd half of this year or at very least has good first half next year and he is top closer at next deadline. Or…just move guys in contract years and offer 10yrs 600M to ohtani. Haha.

He should spend some time in minors and bring him up later in the year and try and turn him into our closer starting next year. Ideally you have a few years of him dealing and / or turn him into something you can churn at next deadline for talent.

Has he pitched since that Dodger game where his velo was down?

100 percent. And none of this would have been an issue if they did anything and got any real value from their own draft picks since they made all the trades. But they have gotten s%*# from internal draft picks and the farm. Literally s%*# - Burger and Vaughn are it and I wouldn’t say that is much. No pitching - no nothing. It’s pathetic.

I agree with you on Robert and Kopech. If Cease is hot and he has been much better I think I sell him at deadline and get a haul. Gio and Timmy have to go - move Grandal (not that they will get a ton) and well I’d clear Moncada and find a change of scenery person just cause I am done with him (and I know if he gets to a good org he will do just fine). Hold Eloy - but if he was mashing I could opt to move him but if not - keep him around and hold off selling him. Trade the pen - Kelly / Gravermam / Hendricks. The team will absolutely suck - cause they have zero pitching depth. Lineup just let Vaughn, Robert, Eloy and Burger get tons of at bats (plus Benitendi cause I presume they will keep him but I’d be fine trading him id he preferred it (not getting anything really for him). Let Sosa and whomever else try to show they can do anything and maybe try to take a stab at some other teams Aaa / Aaaa guys and see if any of them can actually turn into something decent.

I don't think they will get a ton for Vuc - but it seems like S&T happen and the market for Vuc will be interesting. His contract should be relatively reasonable - but than you see random quotes like 3 yr 20+M/yr which seems crazy to me). With that said - I think he gets more than MLE and if Bulls are willing to facilitate for whomever that parnter is, there is at least some value there - even if it is a heavily protected pick or maybe taking a flyer on a change of scenery candidate. But I don't get how they can stay status quo at this point. Got to move Lavine and start over - kind of like when they traded Butler...this time the Bulls better hope it works better.

I legitimately think they think the roster is above average. They live in delusionville.

Please make some big moves between now and EOD Thursday. Status quo can not work. If you can get a good package with Blazers or Heat for Lavine - do it. If you want to keep Derozan around until the deadline - to provide great veteran, leadership, fine by me. Than S&T Vuc, trade Caruso (again preferably this week) and see if there are any other people you can take flyers on as you hit reset. And than as much as I don't think White / Williams are anything - give them minutes. Development is not always linear in the NBA and Williams is young. Without anything better - might as well give plenty of opportunity.

Robert?

This is spot on. And the problem starts at the top - Rick, Kenny, and JR.

If bulls can get a haul for Zach please do it. Than move Derozan or keep him half the season as a good lockeroom guy and deal him at deadline to highest bidder. Sign and trade Vuc and resign White to a 1+1 deal and let the young guys play and just accumulate some assets before next offseason where maybe you try again but with better assets than they had last time.

Setting up the ole triple play