2016-2017 NBA Thread

[Jenksismyhero]

Which star player will leave their current team to come play with Jimmy Butler? Maybe Gordon Hayward. That move the needle for you?

 

I would take a a 21pt, 6rb, 3 asst guy, yeah.

 

Blake Griffin and Chris Paul are two guys I could see leaving. The Clippers keep trotting out the same line-up and it's not working.

[Chisoxfn]

I would take a a 21pt, 6rb, 3 asst guy, yeah.

 

Blake Griffin and Chris Paul are two guys I could see leaving. The Clippers keep trotting out the same line-up and it's not working.

Which is why they are making a huge effort to land Melo. If they don't, I absolutely could see some, if not all of those guys leaving.

[Jenksismyhero]

Doing your plan and ending up with 3 lottery picks in this draft would definitely be exciting.

 

IF Boston were willing to give up those 2 Nets picks plus a player or two for Butler I would have to seriously consider it.

 

 

But, you keep asking everyone what the path to winning a championship is if you keep Butler, which is impossible to answer because we have no idea who will come available or who might develop or if there are injuries to any key players.

 

You would be unable to answer that same championship path question with your plan because we have no idea who they would draft and how they would develop.

 

Firing Gar would certainly be a good start though.

 

Realistically the odds are that the picks just become good role players, not superstars. So you're giving up a proven superstar in the prime of his career on a cheap, team friendly deal, for a couple of unknowns.

 

And I agree with ss2k5, if they're going this route, I don't want Gar involved. I want a new regime in place.

 

 

[whitesoxfan99]

If I was the GM, the first things I'd do is tell Wade to GTFO, sign Gordon Hayward, and then have Butler recruit CP3. I'd also bring in some quality bench players and let Valentine/Zipser/McDermott have bigger roles on the team to see what they can do.

 

CP3/Butler/Hayward wouldn't be the Warriors or Cavs, but those 3 plus a decent bench would make the Bulls a contender IMO.

 

So you are going to tell Wade to GTFO and then tell Butler to recruit one of the guys Wade is really close to to come play for a team that has less talent than the one he is currently playing for? Brilliant.

[Chisoxfn]

So you are going to tell Wade to GTFO and then tell Butler to recruit one of the guys Wade is really close to to come play for a team that has less talent than the one he is currently playing for? Brilliant.

I agree with this. If Wade goes, you aren't getting CP3. However, Kyle Lowry is a free agent as well. Goran Dragic is on the block. There are point guards available. I don't presume we will get either of those guys, but we don't know. Clearly we'd have to do some moving and shaking if you are going to get those players though, but Lowry would be a very good addition who makes the team better (both guards are on the older side, so maybe teams will be less interested in giving huge money...although I see no reason Toronto wouldn't give Lowry max money).

 

You might work a deal with the Lakers for Russell (part of this depends on whether you think Russell can develop) and then spend FA money on other parts. To get Russell, I presume we'd have acquired picks in trades of other vets though (or a 3 team deal where a contender gets Taj and something, we get Russell and Lakers get picks). Probably not realistic, but if you listened to people talk out here, they are so fed up with Russell (and maybe I don't watch enough Laker basketball but it seems too premature). He's on my list of guys who shouldn't be on the block but are and I'd be all over getting him if we could (again probably not realistic, but there are all kinds of trades that get made where you go, huh, never saw that coming).

 

Jrue Holliday wouldn't be a bad sign either (to address PG), albeit, I'd think with all the guard play out there, PG would not be a hard spot to get right in the draft (although it does take time for a player to develop).

[Chisoxfn]

I agree with this. If Wade goes, you aren't getting CP3. However, Kyle Lowry is a free agent as well. Goran Dragic is on the block. There are point guards available. I don't presume we will get either of those guys, but we don't know. Clearly we'd have to do some moving and shaking if you are going to get those players though, but Lowry would be a very good addition who makes the team better (both guards are on the older side, so maybe teams will be less interested in giving huge money...although I see no reason Toronto wouldn't give Lowry max money).

 

You might work a deal with the Lakers for Russell (part of this depends on whether you think Russell can develop) and then spend FA money on other parts. To get Russell, I presume we'd have acquired picks in trades of other vets though (or a 3 team deal where a contender gets Taj and something, we get Russell and Lakers get picks). Probably not realistic, but if you listened to people talk out here, they are so fed up with Russell (and maybe I don't watch enough Laker basketball but it seems too premature). He's on my list of guys who shouldn't be on the block but are and I'd be all over getting him if we could (again probably not realistic, but there are all kinds of trades that get made where you go, huh, never saw that coming).

 

Jrue Holliday wouldn't be a bad sign either (to address PG), albeit, I'd think with all the guard play out there, PG would not be a hard spot to get right in the draft (although it does take time for a player to develop).

Jeff Teague too. There are a lot of PG's that will be UFA's who would be major upgrades for the Bulls (if they went that route) and I wouldn't be shocked if there aren't a couple of those PG's who don't get near as much as they expect (because the league is chop full of quality point guards, unless you play for the Bulls). Doesn't mean Wade walks either and maybe you can figure out other ways to be creative. It doesn't get you your title yet, but to me, it does bring you another step closer, so that you get to the point where you could be the opportune move away. If we had a legit 18-22 PER point guard, who could help spread the floor / space, we'd be a much different team, imo. I could say the same thing if our bench players played with consistency (and some of them have the talent)...but benches can be enhanced by good GM's without breaking the bank.

[Chisoxfn]

Let me ask what is probably a worthless question, but what does this team look like if you replaced Jerian Grant with Steph Curry? Does this team compete with Boston / Cleveland for being the best team in the East? Clearly the bench is flawed / inconsistent and I'm throwing out an unrealistic scenario since we can't get Curry now..but just asking.

[Balta1701]

Let me ask what is probably a worthless question, but what does this team look like if you replaced Jerian Grant with Steph Curry? Does this team compete with Boston / Cleveland for being the best team in the East? Clearly the bench is flawed / inconsistent and I'm throwing out an unrealistic scenario since we can't get Curry now..but just asking.

Honestly, sat back, thought about how those Warriors teams worked, the scoring punch that would bring countered by the defense on the other side, couple legit big men...

 

They'd need one more consistent 3 point shooter at the deadline somewhere, and I have no confidence in the coaching staff so that would also need changed, but yes I think that team is a contender for the top seed in the east and could hang with either of those teams in a 7 game series.

[Chisoxfn]

Honestly, sat back, thought about how those Warriors teams worked, the scoring punch that would bring countered by the defense on the other side, couple legit big men...

 

They'd need one more consistent 3 point shooter at the deadline somewhere, and I have no confidence in the coaching staff so that would also need changed, but yes I think that team is a contender for the top seed in the east and could hang with either of those teams in a 7 game series.

I agree with you (ignoring coaching staff). I think we are the right superstar away from being in the picture of the best teams in the league (Curry would fit that bill) and a really good point guard away from being a top 3 seed in the East. I also agree that it doesn't mean we don't have other flaws that would have to get addressed though (and by no means is that like a "lock").

 

By the way, I'm not saying we could Steph in FA (even though he is a free agent) because I can't see him leaving let alone to come to the Bulls, but I guess my main point was, if we had a good to really good PG (and I really can't fathom a scenario where we couldn't get one this off-season), would we all be talking about "blowing up the Bulls" or would be be talking about how do we add one more big piece to help (again not saying this next step is easy)? I tend to think we would be talking about adding vs. selling at that point.

[Y2Jimmy0]

I agree with you (ignoring coaching staff). I think we are the right superstar away from being in the picture of the best teams in the league (Curry would fit that bill) and a really good point guard away from being a top 3 seed in the East. I also agree that it doesn't mean we don't have other flaws that would have to get addressed though (and by no means is that like a "lock").

 

 

Well that settles it. The Bulls should keep Jimmy Butler and get Steph Curry. Problem solved.

[Chisoxfn]

Well that settles it. The Bulls should keep Jimmy Butler and get Steph Curry. Problem solved.

Read my edited post...I think it shows where I was going with my initial question.

[Rowand44]

Gage in your hypothetical you're talking about adding the reigning 2 time MVP, that's not just adding a good pg. If we had Steph or Russ or Harden or Durant or LeBron then nobody is having this disccusion but that's not happening. And if we had a good to very good pg then yes, we're still having this conversation.

[shipps]

I think Gage was saying another star player plus a good point guard.

[Chisoxfn]

Gage in your hypothetical you're talking about adding the reigning 2 time MVP, that's not just adding a good pg. If we had Steph or Russ or Harden or Durant or LeBron then nobody is having this disccusion but that's not happening. And if we had a good to very good pg then yes, we're still having this conversation.

No No no...I was saying what would we look like if we just added the reigning MVP. More from the perspective of, with Steph are we a contender. It would appear the answer is yes. So my follow-up was, if we didn't get Steph, but instead got a good to very good point guard (which I absolutely view as obtainable given the FA class and the depth of the position in this league), then what sort of team are we? My answer is we are a top 4 team in the East with a good PG (I'll call that an 18-22 PER player). If we had that PG already on our roster, would we all be talking about tanking or would be looking at this team and saying, how do we go from the 3/4 seed to the 1 seed?

 

Basically just stating, are we all wanting to blow this team up because we are an 8 seed with the worst starting PG in the NBA and a bench that has largely sucked (or at least underperformed vs. its talent) vs. having a more realistic view of being basically an off-season away from being a top 4 seed again (this assumes you buy into my argument that we can get a PG and with a PG, even in the class of a Jrue Holiday / Jeff Teague, that we would be a top 4 seed in the East).

 

I'm not saying in the off-season we can get Teague plus another player (who knows...probably not), but it does mean we are that much closer to truly being a piece away in a star driven league (clearly somewhere in this equation we'd need to get better results out of guys staying around, better coaching, and draft well and actually get benefits of those players..so there are assumptions) but s***, that sounds a lot better then throwing this in the tube when we've never given Butler, a top 10 player in this league (right now) a legit PG to play with (Rose hasn't been legit in some time and even a year ago, Butler wasn't the same player he is today...he was great last year, but he's that much better this year).

[Y2Jimmy0]

Read my edited post...I think it shows where I was going with my initial question.

 

 

I'm kidding man. Just frustrated with the entire org.

[Chisoxfn]

I'm kidding man. Just frustrated with the entire org.

No worries. I enjoy this type of debate, just figured you might not have caught my edit, as I didn't want anyone to imply that I was saying, our plan should be to get Steph Curry.

[Steve9347]

A third tier free agent who emerged into a superstar point guard (4 yr 27M deal...a total an utter bargain). A guy who even after playing great in Phoenix, traded for almost nothing to Boston. Going back to my point, I can't specify who we will get, but I certainly think we could lure / land players to make us better. Hell, we have had hot garbage at point guard and are a .500 team. I can't imagine how much better this team looks like with a real, quality point guard and there are a heck of a lot of them in this league, so I don't find it unrealistic that we could find one.

No we can't. We don't have Danny Ainge leading the charge.

[Steve9347]

Bulls have apparently shown interest in Jahlil Okafor.

 

This is the type of target they should be going after, but they'll likely either not get the deal done or acquire him and play him 15 mpg.

[Brian]

Bulls have apparently shown interest in Jahlil Okafor.

 

This is the type of target they should be going after, but they'll likely either not get the deal done or acquire him and play him 15 mpg.

 

I'd rather take Noel.

[SoxAce]

Good segment with Inside the NBA last night. Barkley and Kenny were fantastic. Shaq looked like an idiot with his rebuttals. He's almost as sensitive as today's athletes.

[Steve9347]

I'd rather take Noel.

No s***. I'd also rather have Embiid. I like to live in reality, though.

 

Check that, I liked living in reality. Then Donald Trump began Making America Great Again.

[Steve9347]

Good segment with Inside the NBA last night. Barkley and Kenny were fantastic. Shaq looked like an idiot with his rebuttals. He's almost as sensitive as today's athletes.

I think it's good to have dissenting opinion. Shaq likes to be seen as the player's commentator, so he had to take the other side.

 

I think Chuck handled it REALLY well.

[Rowand44]

I like how today's athletes are the sensitive ones yet the old dudes get in such an uproar because the game is played differently.

[Steve9347]

I like how today's athletes are the sensitive ones yet the old dudes get in such an uproar because the game is played differently.

Every generation walked up hills both ways in snow eventually.

[southsider2k5]

Bulls have apparently shown interest in Jahlil Okafor.

 

This is the type of target they should be going after, but they'll likely either not get the deal done or acquire him and play him 15 mpg.

 

I don't see how a deal gets done, but I would love to have him. The Bulls front line is just awful.