2014-2015 NBA thread

[chw42]

Everything so far has made it sound like it will go up a lot more than a few million.

 

TV deal doesn't kick in till next year. I wouldn't expect it to go up too much.

[Y2Jimmy0]

The Bulls don't really have a choice but to go for it again the next 2 seasons. They have Rose's contract on the books, 1 more season of Gasol, and an impending max deal for Butler. Many in this thread have touched on the team's needs. I think they need to explore dumping Joakim Noah and Taj Gibson. Hopefully, they can use the savings to get more athletic at other spots. The salaries are a problem though. I can find someone to do Noah's job for less than the $12.5 million owed to him and Taj Gibson is just not an $8 million per year player. That leaves the team weaker defensively but they'd need to find cheaper replacements somehow. I feel like LaMarcus Aldridge is a pipe dream but if that is at all possible, they need to explore it. He shares an agent with Rose and rumors were that Chicago was a place he'd like to play. Regardless, should be an interesting offseason on the horizon yet again......

[chw42]

I can't believe Hinrich has a player option for $3 million next year. Biggest waste of cap space ever.

[Y2Jimmy0]

I can't believe Hinrich has a player option for $3 million next year. Biggest waste of cap space ever.

 

 

They could dump it easily but would probably need to include a 2nd round pick.

[Kyyle23]

The Bulls don't really have a choice but to go for it again the next 2 seasons. They have Rose's contract on the books, 1 more season of Gasol, and an impending max deal for Butler. Many in this thread have touched on the team's needs. I think they need to explore dumping Joakim Noah and Taj Gibson. Hopefully, they can use the savings to get more athletic at other spots. The salaries are a problem though. I can find someone to do Noah's job for less than the $12.5 million owed to him and Taj Gibson is just not an $8 million per year player. That leaves the team weaker defensively but they'd need to find cheaper replacements somehow. I feel like LaMarcus Aldridge is a pipe dream but if that is at all possible, they need to explore it. He shares an agent with Rose and rumors were that Chicago was a place he'd like to play. Regardless, should be an interesting offseason on the horizon yet again......

 

The thing is, Noah is an expiring contract. So while his skills are vastly declined and the player may not be in demand, he does have value to other teams.

[Y2Jimmy0]

The thing is, Noah is an expiring contract. So while his skills are vastly declined and the player may not be in demand, he does have value to other teams.

 

 

Okay good. Then they should be able to dump him. They can't give him another contract so it'd be pointless to not try and get something if they can.

[RockRaines]

I wish we could trade up for Russell

[Balta1701]

Okay good. Then they should be able to dump him. They can't give him another contract so it'd be pointless to not try and get something if they can.

Do you actually think the Bulls would genuinely "dump" him? I sure don't.

[Buehrle>Wood]

I love how Garpax have managed to shift all of the blame and focus on to thibs. Their jobs should be in jeopardy.

[Y2Jimmy0]

Do you actually think the Bulls would genuinely "dump" him? I sure don't.

 

 

Absolutely not. I fear that he'll be here forever and get another deal. I just don't think that's the proper course of action.

[bmags]

I don't fear noah being here forever as long as his next deal is closer to 3 for 24

[Quin]

I don't fear noah being here forever as long as his next deal is closer to 3 for 24

 

I feel like Jo will be a Bulls lifer, but he's gonna be dirt cheap on his next deal and has to be a backup center.

[Jenksismyhero]

Good write up by Lowe on the Bulls and the s***ty, s***ty spot they're in:

 

http://grantland.com/the-triangle/a-eulogy...-probably-done/

 

[Rowand44]

This was a championship caliber team if healthy. It didn't play like one though late and obviously we missed Pau during the season. The problem is "if healthy" becomes a pretty big caveat given some of the long-term health issues some of these guys have sustained. To me the biggest thing this team was missing was a true point guard. Aaron Brooks is hot garbage (as anything other then a guy you bring in when you need someone to jack up shots and see if he is hot...when he isn't on fire, he is absolutely worthless) and clearly Hinrich is past his prime.

 

Rose you are stuck with and you have to hope that this postseason gave him confidence (even though he finished week) in his knee and he'll finally have an off-season where he can think about basketball and making improvements, which should be huge. Niko will get better and the team will have MLE money to add a quality player which should make us better.

Completely disagree that they were a championship roster if healthy. That said, I know we're most likely stuck with this core group for a few more years but we're not going to win a championship or beat LeBron with it.

Edited May 15, 2015 by Rowand44

[Jenksismyhero]

Completely disagree that they were a championship roster if healthy. That said, I know we're most likely stuck with this core group for a few more years but we're not going to win a championship or beat LeBron with it.

 

Not with Rose still being a dumb player and 70% of his former athletic self. Mirotic and McDermott would have to make huge leaps next season. And I don't see that happening.

 

Also, who wants to bet the Bulls f*** up the Butler situation? You know they'll low ball him to try and save some pennies. And it'll blow up in their face.

[bmags]

basketball, man.

[bmags]

So, alvin Gentry thoughts?

[Balta1701]

Not with Rose still being a dumb player and 70% of his former athletic self. Mirotic and McDermott would have to make huge leaps next season. And I don't see that happening.

 

Also, who wants to bet the Bulls f*** up the Butler situation? You know they'll low ball him to try and save some pennies. And it'll blow up in their face.

That's the question - is Rose a Max contract player next year or not? If he's not then they're a playoff team that can't win a title because they're paying $20 mil a year for a $12 mil a year player. If he takes a step forwards somehow, then this team is a title contender. IMO it really is that simple, they have a solid roster around him that is likely to keep improving unless their next coach is another VDN.

 

If Rose can take another step forwards next year towards a top level player, they're a title contender no matter what moves they make (unless they let Jimmy walk). If Rose is at this level the rest of his career, then they're not a title contender until his contract is over.

 

Oh, and if they don't offer Jimmy a max deal right away, they should actually still be ok because they should be able to just match whatever any other team offers him as an RFA. Since there's a max-level, even if some team tried to front-load/poison-pill a contract there's really not much they can do.

[bmags]

2018 doesn't seem quite so far away anymore re: Rose contract and the skyrocketing cap.

 

But - Bulls really need more guards, cannot stress that enough. It's awesome we have a true player in Jimmy, but our guard depth was terrible.

[Balta1701]

2018 doesn't seem quite so far away anymore re: Rose contract and the skyrocketing cap.

 

But - Bulls really need more guards, cannot stress that enough. It's awesome we have a true player in Jimmy, but our guard depth was terrible.

How much of that was Thibs's refusal to use the guards that they have? Snell could have gotten more PT, Hinrich shouldn't have been out there as much as he was, they had other options that weren't used, and McDermott could see some time there next year as he enters the rotation. They have a cheap option on E'Twaun Moore next year that they can pick up, they could use some additional depth behind that, particularly at the PG slot but I wouldn't call it "terrible". They could use a big man and an additonal PG for the rotation this offseason and they should have at least the MLE + their first round pick to play with.

 

Next year they could then make use of Noah's expiring contract and, if the Kings are having a decent season with Karl as their coach, they could even have a solid trade asset to pair with him if they wanted to make a move mid-season too.

[chw42]

As someone who doesn't watch a lot of college ball, especially Iowa State basketball, I didn't know a whole lot about Hoiberg as a coach.

 

But this is about the most positive article I've seen on him: http://www.denverstiffs.com/2015/3/6/81602...at-fred-hoiberg

 

I like the fact he's a new-school analytics type of coach. He also seems like a really good player's coach.

 

But I'm not sure how well that'll fly in the NBA. And while Iowa State doesn't have a ton of great blue-chip recruits, he did have NBA-level talent players on his teams during his tenure. Although it sounds like he took talented, but troubled prospects and straightened them out one way or another.

[Kyyle23]

That's the question - is Rose a Max contract player next year or not? If he's not then they're a playoff team that can't win a title because they're paying $20 mil a year for a $12 mil a year player. If he takes a step forwards somehow, then this team is a title contender. IMO it really is that simple, they have a solid roster around him that is likely to keep improving unless their next coach is another VDN.

 

If Rose can take another step forwards next year towards a top level player, they're a title contender no matter what moves they make (unless they let Jimmy walk). If Rose is at this level the rest of his career, then they're not a title contender until his contract is over.

 

Oh, and if they don't offer Jimmy a max deal right away, they should actually still be ok because they should be able to just match whatever any other team offers him as an RFA. Since there's a max-level, even if some team tried to front-load/poison-pill a contract there's really not much they can do.

 

i thought the new CBA prohibits this

[whitesoxfan99]

As someone who doesn't watch a lot of college ball, especially Iowa State basketball, I didn't know a whole lot about Hoiberg as a coach.

 

But this is about the most positive article I've seen on him: http://www.denverstiffs.com/2015/3/6/81602...at-fred-hoiberg

 

I like the fact he's a new-school analytics type of coach. He also seems like a really good player's coach.

 

But I'm not sure how well that'll fly in the NBA. And while Iowa State doesn't have a ton of great blue-chip recruits, he did have NBA-level talent players on his teams during his tenure. Although it sounds like he took talented, but troubled prospects and straightened them out one way or another.

 

My biggest concern is that his teams have been consistently bad at the defensive end. I have no idea how that plays out in the NBA though.

[Jenksismyhero]

My biggest concern is that his teams have been consistently bad at the defensive end. I have no idea how that plays out in the NBA though.

 

Noah/Butler/Rose and Taj basically have to teach him Thibs' system, which is now widely used in the NBA. Get an offensive minded guy but keep the defensive principles and they should be ok.

 

Here's the other problem: Noah. I mean, he's like Jaylan Tate on Illinois. It becomes a 4 on 5 game on the offensive side. He's a non-threat, and that kills their offense. You gotta hope that's all based on injuries and not his body falling apart.

 

My hope is that they can trade Thibs and maybe Taj for Orlando's 1st round pick. Maybe you get lucky and that pick is in the 3-5 range and you can grab a small forward.

Edited May 15, 2015 by Jenksismybitch

[chw42]

Noah/Butler/Rose and Taj basically have to teach him Thibs' system, which is now widely used in the NBA. Get an offensive minded guy but keep the defensive principles and they should be ok.

 

Here's the other problem: Noah. I mean, he's like Jaylan Tate on Illinois. It becomes a 4 on 5 game on the offensive side. He's a non-threat, and that kills their offense. You gotta hope that's all based on injuries and not his body falling apart.

 

My hope is that they can trade Thibs and maybe Taj for Orlando's 1st round pick. Maybe you get lucky and that pick is in the 3-5 range and you can grab a small forward.

 

Thibs and Taj for Tobias Harris.