Chisoxfn

The $175 is numbers happening - that is taking the $25M and multiplying it by 5 years (plus a HIGH growth factor). But it is a per year basis of $25M (plus growth factor). That isn't that big when you talk about a concession (relative to total annual revenues). My guess is it comes in around 50 but with a growth factor.

Pre-arb pool difference is $25M (between $65 (Players) and $40M (Owners). Plus some growth factor.

Jack - how many billions in total spend and we are down to like <$50M in total...probably closer to $30-$35M difference. That is small potatoes at this point. Not saying it gets done - but the whole burn it to the ground or x or y - it really is the key that both sides don't go back to their corners and start over. As long as they keep grinding forward - they will get there (but always a wildcard a group gets emotional and they take 1-2 steps back).

Wasn't easy - but that was a strong 4th quarter (nice change from the 4th quarters they had during the losing streak). In particular they played aggressive and got to the line and winning this game despite the other team hitting significantly more 3's isn't easy.

This is actually a great sign that even after all this - they are still continuing to work aggressively (or seemingly aggressively). I also think we are closer now than they were a week and a half ago (players have made real progress but owners also have something they can rally around on there side as a win too...which lets be honest, needs to happen in these types of negotiations). Fact that they continue to hack away at this makes me think there is still a possibility we get good news in next 24/48 hours.

Are they still going?

Please...please....please....

Even if they brought in scabs, and the scabs than went on strike...you still wouldn't have a chance at being the scabs, scab

That is the trigger - they really want to push it so that they get 14 teams and players get what they want via that. Obviously players want to hold that 14 out there and keep it in there back pocket for the next labor deal (if they could).

I just don't like the small market vs. large market difference in draft picks. Feels like they do enough around revenue sharing and you have to call it a day at some point. This is getting interesting though around rewarding teams with picks for calling up people earlier. Can we proactively rata that to last year when we didn't play service time semantics with Kopech/Vaughn.

Counting against the cap is pretty small in grand scheme of things - but the flat is probably a negotiating point that has to get adjusted.

THANK GOODNESS!!! Fantastic news. Hopefully this means somewhere around March 16th might be options for a return. My presumption is this is more about him just getting cardio and seeing how his body reacts and we aren't talking about 3 weeks of contact practice before he can play where as someone like Williams might need more time given how long they were out? For perspective - I think there are 14 regular season games left if he can be there on the 16th (also gives context for how quickly that # starts to drop each week they are out (given you have 3-4 games per week).

Yeah - not good news on this front; Combined with Ridley item and it really means the market is thin. Kirk, Cooper, Robinson - all have a much better shot at getting paid just due to the supply pinch.

We are aligned - so much so that I'm quoting you twice

I don't blame the Broncos. They have enough weapons that they can deal without those 2 1st rounders and 2 nd rounders.

Wow - big day for QB's; 1st Rodgers staying in GB; Now Russell to Broncos.

Did he have an injury that I don’t remember or did he just do minimal throwing during offseason?

Please let tomorrow be a stellar day!!!

The below teams have a .600 or better record and below is Bulls record with a bit of a side-story of the game. Bulls would be 2-13 against those teams (Basically 12 losses between Sixers (0-4), Warriors 0-2), Bucks (0-2 - but all games close despite short-handed, Grizzlies (0-2 but shorthanded in all games). If you exclude those teams - against the next set of better teams in NBA, they are 10-9 collectively against Mavs, Suns, Celtics, Nets, Cavs, Nuggets, Heat (0-3), and Raptors. And that 10-9 is despite plenty of short-handed games against these same squads. 1. Bucks (0-2) - Close games despite them all being played short-handed. In fact - Bulls probably win both with Caruso (1st game was the Caruso injury which turned the tide of that game and 2nd one they blew what should have been a win with a bad 4th quarter that probably doesn't happen with Caruso/Ball to help the D). Either way - Bucks are a really good team and I believe a healthy Bulls team can play with them (which is all I can ask for at this point given where the Bulls were a year ago). 2. Warriors/Suns (0-3) - Bulls were completely depleted in their match-ups with Golden State, that said, they were either extremely short handed or short handed. I can't even count it - other than kudos for Warriors for crushing them. Suns game was a 3 point game, despite missing Caruso / Ball and its a game the Bulls choked with poor defense down the stretch / bad turnovers. 3. Sixers (0-4) - Bulls lost on road by 5 points and at home by 9 points when fully healthy (early in season; 9 point home loss the shooting by Bulls was atrocious). Bulls lost 2 more short-handed (one without Lavine, Caruso and Ball) and the other without Caruso/Ball). But I admit - this is a bad match-up anyway. 4. Jazz (1-0) - Bulls beat them early in the season (pretty sounding win and all teams had their main parts). 5. Dallas = 1-1 (loss was when short-handed...but in this case short-handed = no Caruso only - so relatively healthy; but Lavine was already playing injured and would go out shortly after this game;). 6. Grizzlies (0-2) - Bulls were either short handed or extremely short-handed (losing by 13 (extremely short handed) and 6 (short handed - i.e., no Caruso/Ball) Other Notable Items: Nuggets (2-0) - Bulls beat them in both games (6 & 8 point wins) Cleveland = 1-1 Nets = 2-1 (including a blowout by Bulls and a blowout by Nets (vs. very short-handed Bulls team - but it was first time Nets had old Big 3 and was going against nont trash Bulls lineup) Miami = 0-3 (including a 3 point loss where Bulls blow late lead, when both teams were fully healthy Boston = 1-1 (loss was by 2 points on the road; Vuc missed wide-open 3 that could have given them the win and this game was played without Lavine, Caruso, and Ball) Toronto = 2-1 (the one loss was in overtime with no Caruso/Ball).

This too.

Well no - they have smoked the Nets and Jazz (both when healthy). I Know Nets are not a good team now - but they had 2 (maybe it was 3) good wins against the Nets (including at least one blow out win; obviously they also had the blowout loss). They have never played the Sixers anything but shorthanded (and no matter what are a bad match-up there). Bucks have been in a number of close games (despite being short-handed). Haven't really played Heat with a good supporting cast; Warriors/Suns games were when the roster was non-existent. Celtics they have beaten (including I believe short-handed - but I will caveat this is a different Celtics team right now). Raptors they have beaten, Cavs was largely a split (and included one game Bulls were decimated). All of the games against top 3 west foes were when Bulls were decimated and/or materially short-handed (and latest Memphis games were closer despite remaining short-handed). So yeah - record not so great - but I think it is a bit of a flawed stat when you evaluate facts & circumstances.

And they beat more than bums when they had a full roster. I get it - they can't beat the top 4 or 5 teams right now without their main parts. And the match up with Philly is just bad. They have no one that can control Embid so it will look bad, but against other top teams they have been in the games when they have had most of their parts and are still playing without multiple parts to the core (something none of the top teams not named the Nets can say in the East). Now the problem is - they just may not be able to integrate the players back properly to get to where they are effective come playoff time. The team defense though has just been atrocious for the past couple months and at this point I don't see it changing. Lavine's defense has clearly been impacted by his knee injury. With that said - they are missing 2 guys who play above average to elite defense and a 3rd who is a 2nd year player who has pretty high defensive upside (albeit - he's missed a massive amount of time and still green). None of that helps against Embid - but it helps against almost all of the other top teams in the East.

I am in the opposite camp. I am shocked it doesn’t happen more often.

I can’t wait until they get Caruso and Ball back. They win this game with them. Plus Ayo is hitting that wall and needs a break. I think the minutes are adding up for him.

The defense is so bad - like awful. Giving up 40 points in 4th quarter. Lavine very impacted by knee injury too.