2016-2017 NBA Thread

[caulfield12]

Who did the Thunder get for Ibaka again?

 

Why would OKC be the favorites over the Warriors? If Golden State can improve on the interior, they'll be as strong as ever. Paired with adding an outsider shooter in Nowitzki motivated by one last run at a 2nd ring.

[Jordan4life_2007]

Who did the Thunder get for Ibaka again?

 

Why would OKC be the favorites over the Warriors? If Golden State can improve on the interior, they'll be as strong as ever. Paired with adding an outsider shooter in Nowitzki motivated by one last run at a 2nd ring.

 

If/when that happens, we'll talk.

 

Adams

Durant

Roberson

Oladipo

Westbrook

 

That's GOAT level length and athleticism.

[pettie4sox]

If/when that happens, we'll talk.

 

Adams

Durant

Roberson

Oladipo

Westbrook

 

That's GOAT level length and athleticism.

 

Yeah I like the Thunder as well but that's if Durant resigns.

[ZoomSlowik]

It's a very good trade, but we'll see how it goes against GS. Ibaka was key because they could stay big. Draymond really struggled and now they have to guard him with a wing player. Oladipo is athletic, but not nearly as long as Ibaka. Their offense should be more diverse, but they still have 3 non-shooters in that lineup.

[Steve9347]

You know, if the Bulls could sign a guy like Mike Conley I could get behind watching this team for next year just to see Jimmy f*** skulls.

[Bananarchy]

Yeah I like the Thunder as well but that's if Durant resigns.

He will re-sign. He won't want a big deal until after the cap expands. Signing a long term deal with anyone right now is leaving a lot of cash on the table.

[shipps]

You know, if the Bulls could sign a guy like Mike Conley I could get behind watching this team for next year just to see Jimmy f*** skulls.

 

Hmmmmm I am really torn right now. They are already a more likable team with Rose gone but at the end of the day they are nothing to the big boys of the league. Unless we have some crazy ass development from guys like Mirotic, McDermott and someone we didnt even consider as a big piece before, they will be average at best.

[Y2Jimmy0]

I think the Bulls will sign 2-3 role player types and not one big expenditure.

[Kyyle23]

I think the Bulls will sign 2-3 role player types and not one big expenditure.

 

You know, you have absolutely nothing to make you think this will happen except for the entire history of this front office.

[Rowand44]

You know, you have absolutely nothing to make you think this will happen except for the entire history of this front office.

You just be quiet and enjoy your first and second round playoff appearances for the next however many years.

[Y2Jimmy0]

You know, you have absolutely nothing to make you think this will happen except for the entire history of this front office.

 

 

They actually have a ton coming off the books next year. On CSN last night they suggested these guys as possible targets: Eric Gordon, Arron Afflalo, Brandon Jennings, Marvin Williams, Courtney Lee, and Kent Bazemore. I think they need another big and a starting PG. It depends what they want to do. Ideally, they can sign Brandon Jennings to a 1 year deal. Then you are looking at trading Taj Gibson, Mike Dunleavy, and Jennings in season. The Bulls will have roughly $25 million in space once Gasol opts out.

 

Here is their current roster:

 

G/F Jimmy Butler

C Robin Lopez

F Taj Gibson

PG Jose Calderon

PF Nikola Mirotic

SF Mike Dunleavy

SF Doug McDermott

SF Tony Snell

PG Jerian Grant

PF Bobby Portis

SG Spencer Dinwiddie

C Cristiano Felicio

SG/SF Denzel Valentine

 

Taj Gibson, Jose Calderon, Nikola Mirotic, and Tony Snell are all free agents after the season. The only money on the books for 2017 is Butler at like $18 million and Robin Lopez at $13.5 million. They have some money going forward. Absolutely no idea how they plan on using it though.

[whitesoxfan99]

They actually have a ton coming off the books next year. On CSN last night they suggested these guys as possible targets: Eric Gordon, Arron Afflalo, Brandon Jennings, Marvin Williams, Courtney Lee, and Kent Bazemore. I think they need another big and a starting PG. It depends what they want to do. Ideally, they can sign Brandon Jennings to a 1 year deal. Then you are looking at trading Taj Gibson, Mike Dunleavy, and Jennings in season. The Bulls will have roughly $25 million in space once Gasol opts out.

 

What would a Bulls season be without having a guard who can never stay healthy on the roster.

[Y2Jimmy0]

I'd be fine with dumping Taj and Dunleavy for 2nd round picks and just going super young behind Jimmy. The problem is, they'll have like the 12th pick or something again next year because they'll probably win like 36-41 games or so.

 

I feel like Dunleavy and Taj shouldn't be taking minutes away from Portis, Mirotic, McDermott, and Valentine. Those dudes need to play to see if the Bulls have anything worth keeping.

[bmags]

Glad that Jimmy trade didn't go down. Trading him for a #5 pick in a not strong draft would have been horrendously dumb. Could probably get a much better haul at deadline if they decide to.

 

Not a fan of valentine. Thought bulls would take advantage of teams like Hawks/Celts that needed to unload picks. But, Bulls.

[Y2Jimmy0]

Glad that Jimmy trade didn't go down. Trading him for a #5 pick in a not strong draft would have been horrendously dumb. Could probably get a much better haul at deadline if they decide to.

 

Not a fan of valentine. Thought bulls would take advantage of teams like Hawks/Celts that needed to unload picks. But, Bulls.

 

 

I don't love the Valentine pick but he's solid. It was a really bad draft. I think the Bulls were smart to not deal Butler. I would have been on board with dealing him but not for the reported offers. KC Johnson said Minnesota offered #5 and Ricky Rubio. Why would the Bulls do that? I don't really think Minnesota has enough without Wiggins. Boston did but decided to not pony up.

[Chisoxfn]

No issue with what the Bulls did. Valentine should be a quality role player and that is all you can ask when you are picking 14. None of the offers I've seen were even close to what I would have pulled the trigger on for Jimmy. I think the Bulls are going to focus on adding a PG.

 

By the way, George Hill got the 12th pick in the draft and some of you are proposing that we move Taj for a 2nd rounder...are you kidding me. 2nd rounders are worthless, so I'd rather keep Taj and move him at the deadline for a 1st for a contender looking to add at the minimum. If the Bulls wanted to, I am certain they could have gotten a 1st for Taj in this year's draft, but I presume they didn't want to make a deal now as they are still seeing where things will go this year (plus they probably weren't all that enamored with adding picks in this years draft, unless it was to get someone like Dunn...and clearly Taj wasn't going to get Dunn).

[Jenksismyhero]

Marco Bellinelli got a 22nd 1st round pick. Taj should have gotten at least that.

[Jordan4life_2007]

Marco Bellinelli got a 22nd 1st round pick. Taj should have gotten at least that.

 

This is a very good point. God the Bulls are so sorry.

[Chisoxfn]

Marco Bellinelli got a 22nd 1st round pick. Taj should have gotten at least that.

Agreed...which goes back to my point, posters here complain about what the Bulls do, but than suggest moving Taj for a 2nd rounder, which would be awful. I haven't seen one rumor of anything that looked halfway decent for Buckets. What good would Rubio and Dunn do, unless you could spin Rubio for something else that was pretty valuable? You don't trade the best player in the deal (especially one signed long term) where all you are getting is one guy back...such limited upside...best case you get a guy who turns into a player as good as Buckets...worse case (which is most plausible scenarios) you get a player far worse and thus got destroyed in your trade. Only time a deal like that makes sense is if a player is forcing his way out and has all the leverage (which literally couldn't be even further from the truth).

 

Top 15-20 player, signed to a great contract. You want him...give us a really strong offer. If not, no dice. Case closed. The proposals that would have happened would have put this team in the spot where it would now need to find multiple good players, when they already have one. If you can find a second, than you are in a legit spot again (and they will have cap space, etc).

[shipps]

Marco Bellinelli got a 22nd 1st round pick. Taj should have gotten at least that.

 

This is what makes it even more frustrating knowing that the Bulls probably got offers to move a guy like Taj but, as they usually do, they fall in love with a guy and wont move him no matter what.

[Jenksismyhero]

Even then though, unless they're trading him for a guy they think is a 1st day starter, what's the point? Taj is a very good piece with proven skills on a very team-friendly deal. That's a huge asset. Trading him for potential doesn't make much sense UNLESS you're moving him and the 14th to get a 3rd or 5th or whatever. Up to get Dunn, the guy you really coveted.

 

Same with Butler. Unless you're getting a proven player (Wiggins) plus that pick you want, why give up on an all-star player that's locked up for several years?

[Chisoxfn]

Even then though, unless they're trading him for a guy they think is a 1st day starter, what's the point? Taj is a very good piece with proven skills on a very team-friendly deal. That's a huge asset. Trading him for potential doesn't make much sense UNLESS you're moving him and the 14th to get a 3rd or 5th or whatever. Up to get Dunn, the guy you really coveted.

 

Same with Butler. Unless you're getting a proven player (Wiggins) plus that pick you want, why give up on an all-star player that's locked up for several years?

Exactly. And remember people, it is a lot easier to attract FA pieces to teams with some talent than teams with literally no talent or all rookies. Plus, you know what, I like watching winning basketball. If the Bulls got blown away to where they were going to have so much young talent that it was worth the lumps that they'd take to get to the next step, i'd be all for it, but none of the offers I saw put the franchise in that position, in fact, I think all of them put the team in both a worse position short-term and long-term.

[whitesoxfan99]

Even then though, unless they're trading him for a guy they think is a 1st day starter, what's the point? Taj is a very good piece with proven skills on a very team-friendly deal. That's a huge asset. Trading him for potential doesn't make much sense UNLESS you're moving him and the 14th to get a 3rd or 5th or whatever. Up to get Dunn, the guy you really coveted.

 

He will be a 32 year old free agent next summer and the Bulls aren't competing for anything this year. That is why you trade him if you get decent value.

[shipps]

He will be a 32 year old free agent next summer and the Bulls aren't competing for anything this year. That is why you trade him if you get decent value.

 

Yeah. If you could have traded Taj for a guy like Brice Johnson who went 26 I think, that would have been considered as a win in my book.

 

Bulls need to get younger and bank on potential. Not hold onto older players that have shown what they already are..... and that being not good enough.

[Y2Jimmy0]

There is absolutely no reason why Taj Gibson should be on the Bulls to start the season. Portis and Mirotic need those minutes, he's in his early thirties, and is a free agent after the season. By all means though, keep him and try to get the 7th seed in the East.