2020 NBA Offseason Thread

[Quin]

Lots of guards that would be good pickups coming up - Jones, Mannion, Ramsey

 

[Chi Town Sox]

This draft is filled with guys that could help right away (I still think he can), but likely aren’t going to get significantly better.  There’s nothing wrong with taking a raw player that has the room to end up being the best player in the draft in that situation. The Bulls don’t really have much to lose in a weak class. 
 

Trust the AK process. 

[bmags]

9 hours ago, Chi Town Sox said:

This draft is filled with guys that could help right away (I still think he can), but likely aren’t going to get significantly better.  There’s nothing wrong with taking a raw player that has the room to end up being the best player in the draft in that situation. The Bulls don’t really have much to lose in a weak class. 
 

Trust the AK process. 

Yeah, not blind adulation for AK, just feel like reading these comments people aren't acknowledging how crappy this draft was.

It was compared to 2013 a lot. Just a reminder of the top of that draft class:

Here was the last minute ESPN mock draft from 2013:

1. Nerlens Noel

2. Trey Burke

3. Otto Porter

4. Ben Mclemore

5. Victor Oladipo

6. Alex Len

7. Michael Carter-Williams

8. Anthony Bennett

9. CJ McCollum

10. KCP

Here was the Next 10 (mocked)

11. Zeller

12. Adams

13. Saric

14. Shabazz Muhammed

15. Allen Crabbe

16. D Schroeder

17. Mason Plumlee

18. Jamal Franklin

19. Gobert

20. Gorgui Deng

(Not in here: Giannis)

So, yeah, really long post, but you get the idea. The game changers in this draft were not obvious. The top of the draft was a disaster - yet still featured Porter and Oladipo who are good pros, yet took years to develop.

Our new coaching staff took in Oladipo and he became more efficient and a better shooter in his fourth year. He took Steven Adams and made him a great big until he wore down.

Patrick Williams may not help the team next year...in fact I wouldn't hate it if he didn't.  Next years draft is transcendent, and the east is no longer a conference you'd want the bulls to sneak in and see if they could parlay that into convincing a star to join.

But he has the body, the signs of being able to shoot (excellent FT percentage), is team first, has a good work ethic, can still grow, and is going to a hopefully great PD team.

When you believe in your player development, you can make this pick. When you need them to hopefully figure it out on their own - you can't.

I'm hopeful. 

[Chi Town Sox]

3 minutes ago, bmags said:

1. Nerlens Noel

2. Trey Burke

3. Otto Porter

4. Ben Mclemore

5. Victor Oladipo

6. Alex Len

7. Michael Carter-Williams

8. Anthony Bennett

9. CJ McCollum

10. KCP

 

Will never not be incredible that the Cavs took easily the worst player out of the 10 at #1.  

[southsider2k5]

 

 

[bmags]

24 minutes ago, Chi Town Sox said:

Will never not be incredible that the Cavs took easily the worst player out of the 10 at #1.  

To not even get a second contract is astounding. Even guys like Len got a 6 year career out of it. Shabazz Muhammed the only other lottery pick that truly bombed and he had some major warning signs.

[Quin]

1 hour ago, southsider2k5 said:

 

 

This is a good pickup since they took a draft-and-stash in the second. He's probably a good candidate for a 2-way contract.

[southsider2k5]

58 minutes ago, Quin said:

This is a good pickup since they took a draft-and-stash in the second. He's probably a good candidate for a 2-way contract.

Sure, especially if he can get better from behind the stripe.

[Chisoxfn]

1 hour ago, Quin said:

This is a good pickup since they took a draft-and-stash in the second. He's probably a good candidate for a 2-way contract.

Yeah - this was a real nice move and sounds like Bulls kind of navigated behind scenes with his agent at some point later in the draft when it became evident he wasn't going to go as high as he expected. Seems like he could develop into a solid bench player over time. He needs to improve his shot, but he has speed and is a solid passer. Could be a nice change of pace back-up PG and maybe he ends up having some VanFleet in him. 

Interesting since Dotson was originally who UNC was targeting but eventually they went and took the lesser recruit Kobe White.  Now they will be on the same team. At one point White/Dotson had some beef (I think more Dotson - who was the higher recruited player), but they eventually played on one of Chris Paul's AAU teams I think.  

[Big Hurtin]

https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/30349208/source-golden-state-warriors-klay-thompson-suffers-season-ending-achilles-tear

Damn, that's awful.

[Chisoxfn]

49 minutes ago, Big Hurtin said:

https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/30349208/source-golden-state-warriors-klay-thompson-suffers-season-ending-achilles-tear

Damn, that's awful.

It really is cause he's such a likeable dude (imo).  Warriors can still be pretty interesting and they have cap space, but somehow they went from a team I didn't root for to a team I'l absolutely be cheering for casually (just because of everything their best players had to go through).  

[SoxAce]

Best of luck to Kris.

[ron883]

4 years, 120m for Hayward. Good lord. 

[SleepyWhiteSox]

On 11/19/2020 at 3:14 PM, Chisoxfn said:

It really is cause he's such a likeable dude (imo).  Warriors can still be pretty interesting and they have cap space, but somehow they went from a team I didn't root for to a team I'l absolutely be cheering for casually (just because of everything their best players had to go through).  

Yup all this but the exact opposite

[bmags]

Absolute disaster for the Bucks

 

[Jack Parkman]

Guys, I've been out of the loop in the NBA for a while. I only casually pay attention to the Bulls these days. 

Besides players like LeBron, Curry, Giannis, AD, and older stars like Westbrook and Paul, I don't know who is really good around the league right now. 

I think Lillard, Butler and Jokic are good, and I know Doncic looks studly, but can you guys tell me who the other top players are these days? 

Also thought Porzingis was pretty good but idk what tier he's in. 

 

Edited November 22, 2020 by Jack Parkman

[Quin]

8 hours ago, bmags said:

Absolute disaster for the Bucks

 

The fact that this got nixed because of Woj is utter and complete bullshit.

[bmags]

12 hours ago, Quin said:

The fact that this got nixed because of Woj is utter and complete bullshit.

I don't think it was nixed to avoid tampering. It was nixed because kings/bucks just assumed bogdan would sign. Bad idea.

[Kyyle23]

 

this honestly sucks, end of an era in halftime entertainment 

wear your mask

[southsider2k5]

 

[bmags]

Like he asked nicely?

[Chisoxfn]

1 hour ago, bmags said:

Like he asked nicely?

It is an interesting dilemma. If you think Lauri is a good player with upside to be an above average player, signing him to a 5yr 80M deal (which I think is his max) probably isn't the end of the world given the various contracts being handed out. That is still probably a moveable deal and if he improves its a nice deal / solid piece to have. It is kind of like Lavine - that Lavine contract is a steal at the moment, nowhere near an overpay and you can clearly move him if you needed to for other assets (depending on the Bulls plans).  

Now Lauri could totally suck or get hurt and than you don't have a moveable deal, but I don't see his stretch ability dissipating.  And I'm not saying he should get 5/80 either, more stating what I thought I read somewhere was the upper limits to his deal.  

[Balta1701]

23 minutes ago, Chisoxfn said:

It is an interesting dilemma. If you think Lauri is a good player with upside to be an above average player, signing him to a 5yr 80M deal (which I think is his max) probably isn't the end of the world given the various contracts being handed out. That is still probably a moveable deal and if he improves its a nice deal / solid piece to have. It is kind of like Lavine - that Lavine contract is a steal at the moment, nowhere near an overpay and you can clearly move him if you needed to for other assets (depending on the Bulls plans).  

Now Lauri could totally suck or get hurt and than you don't have a moveable deal, but I don't see his stretch ability dissipating.  And I'm not saying he should get 5/80 either, more stating what I thought I read somewhere was the upper limits to his deal.  

That level seems like a very unreasonable gamble by the Bulls on a player who hasn't impressed. And if the Cap has to drop by 10% a year for the next couple years to make up for this year?

If you're thinking about him getting anything close to that money, let him play out the year, he becomes an RFA next year when maybe you know better what your revenue numbers/long term cap numbers will look like, and you've got the option to match anything he's offered or let him walk to play the FA market. 

[Chisoxfn]

2 minutes ago, Balta1701 said:

That level seems like a very unreasonable gamble by the Bulls on a player who hasn't impressed. And if the Cap has to drop by 10% a year for the next couple years to make up for this year?

If you're thinking about him getting anything close to that money, let him play out the year, he becomes an RFA next year when maybe you know better what your revenue numbers/long term cap numbers will look like, and you've got the option to match anything he's offered or let him walk to play the FA market. 

I tend to go down this line of thought, but if the Bulls like their internal scouting on Lauri, that is another story. I also presume if he's pressuring he's agent to get a deal done we are talking about something obviously less than max...so I was more putting that book end out there. I'm risk adverse and Lauri seems like a family guy, so maybe he looks at it as, I want a 3-5 year deal with some solid guarantee money - the type of contract that will set me for life (regardless of whether I get injured or not).  I could see him as the type who prefers security over risking it another year.  I think if I were in his shoes  and I could get a reasonable LT contract that positioned me well for life while giving me an opportunity for a potential massive payday if I hit (or worse case another good long-term deal if I'm good)...than that can be hard to pass up on.  

[Balta1701]

28 minutes ago, Chisoxfn said:

I tend to go down this line of thought, but if the Bulls like their internal scouting on Lauri, that is another story. I also presume if he's pressuring he's agent to get a deal done we are talking about something obviously less than max...so I was more putting that book end out there. I'm risk adverse and Lauri seems like a family guy, so maybe he looks at it as, I want a 3-5 year deal with some solid guarantee money - the type of contract that will set me for life (regardless of whether I get injured or not).  I could see him as the type who prefers security over risking it another year.  I think if I were in his shoes  and I could get a reasonable LT contract that positioned me well for life while giving me an opportunity for a potential massive payday if I hit (or worse case another good long-term deal if I'm good)...than that can be hard to pass up on.  

I mean, I’m not calibrated enough on NBA contracts and this cap to put numbers on things, but even if you do still think he has something left, I would want to see him stay reasonably healthy for most of a season first unless the contract was impressively low. If the cap has to drop substantially, I think I can confidently say that range is far higher than I’d pay with what he has shown me so far.