2016-2017 NBA Thread

[2nd_city_saint787]

Is Boogie a free agent next year? Just heard Mark Spears say he begged Rondo to stay this year.

[Kyyle23]

If bulls sign wade, I think the plan would be for them to grab Chris paul or Westbrook and buy out rondo and then a year later when wade comes off the books they would look to bring in another star with Paul and Butler recruiting. Either way I think people realize recruiting matters a ton and wade has a ton of street cred and a year from now I think the Bulls know they will have an easier time pitching buckets and wade to potential free agents vs buckets on his own with space for potentially two deals.

 

Just watch, we will sign Paul and then Lebron will leave Cleveland two years from now to team up with buckets and a ring chasing wade!

 

Step away from Xbox

[Chi Town Sox]

Is Boogie a free agent next year? Just heard Mark Spears say he begged Rondo to stay this year.

 

I was thinking of that earlier this week. He's still under contract but they are definitely tight. He said Rondo was a mentor.

[Quin]

Wait, players recruit other players? Since when?

 

/DRose probably

 

Oh for the love of.

 

It's been well established that Rose didn't recruit back then because he

 

1) Was the White Knight basketball fans idolize in that he wasn't "can't beat 'em, join 'em" but in that he was "Can't beat 'em, go again."

 

2) He was loyal to his teammates and didn't want to undermine the Deng, Kirk, etc.

 

There's a lot wrong with Derrick's last four years with the Bulls, but his first four years he was the Heir Apparent to Kobe in that he wanted to win on his terms, would die on the court, etc.

[Bigsoxhurt35]

Please read this:

http://hoopshype.com/2016/01/03/is-rajon-r...ping-the-kings/

I know he has his warts but I'm trying to stay positive with this f***ing front office. It's getting hard. At least rondo is recruiting. Rose is a b****.

[Jenksismyhero]

I'd like to think he'll be motivated to play really well this year to get another contract. If he has a poor year or has a run in with Hoiberg, is there another team that is going to give him a shot?

[Kyyle23]

Oh for the love of.

 

It's been well established that Rose didn't recruit back then because he

 

1) Was the White Knight basketball fans idolize in that he wasn't "can't beat 'em, join 'em" but in that he was "Can't beat 'em, go again."

 

2) He was loyal to his teammates and didn't want to undermine the Deng, Kirk, etc.

 

There's a lot wrong with Derrick's last four years with the Bulls, but his first four years he was the Heir Apparent to Kobe in that he wanted to win on his terms, would die on the court, etc.

 

None of those reasons make it right. He needed help and we all knew it, and he thumbed his nose at the process

[Chisoxfn]

By the way guys, I'm semi serious, I totally could see Chris Paul, Wade, Lebron and maybe even Melo teaming up at some point to try and be the "good" guys in a battle vs. the hated Warriors. And I actually think Chris Paul, while older, would be a good fit for the Bulls and Hoiberg (and he is the type of guy who should age well, given his tremendous vision). Either way, the big key is Butler going ham and taking another step forward this year (as well as him getting everyone to dig him at the olympics). I see Jimmy as a fantastic pitchman in FA a year from now, but you got to surround him with someone else.

 

And when it comes to Rondo, I realize he has his issues in the lockeroom, but Boogie dug him and Sac fans thought pretty favorably of him. While I don't like a guy padding his stats, I can see why, given they were a loser team with no hope at the playoffs, etc (coaching issues). Yes, the Bulls have issues, but if Hoiberg can't handle it, he can be gone at the end of the year as far as I'm concerned. Rondo is now on a team that should absolutely contend for the playoffs, so that creates less incentive for the "selfish" play, imo.

 

And no, they have zero shot at a title so lets get rid of that delusion. But you don't have to suck to become a champion, in fact, it can be pretty hard when you suck for a while to ever get good. Look at the hot mess that the Lakers are in or how long the Knicks have sucked or the Sixers (who can't even get vets interested in checking them out). I actually think the key is you need to contend and be able to pivot and the Bulls have actually home-grown two stars, one Rose, who is now fading (but could excel again in a new spot) and the other Buckets who is still rising (and who knows, maybe he can emerge as a super star).

 

He was actually third on the freaking team in usage a year ago (which is hard to believe), behind Rose & Pau. I am curious to see how he does with all the extra touches. I presume his efficiency will go down, but I don't know how much (given how proficient he is at getting to the line).

 

I realize Gar is a hard guy to like, but dude, there are a lot worse ran franchises than the Bulls. What went down a year ago with Thibbs, clearly was awful, but I'm not going to sulk and cry and act like we are the worst franchise on the planet, cause we aren't, and Paxson has a pretty strong track-record running this franchise (one that very few GM's in the league can top). He has his faults, sure, but he also brought the Bulls back to contention and a run as one of the better franchises in the game (unfortunately not everyone can win titles and Lebron and now the Warriors are top dogs). But I don't judge front office success purely by championships (and I suppose that is where I differ with some who have these ridiculous extremes of, just suck for forever until we get lucky on a star or win a title, but don't ever be anywhere other than that and it is so unrealistic it is crazy).

[Chisoxfn]

I'd like to think he'll be motivated to play really well this year to get another contract. If he has a poor year or has a run in with Hoiberg, is there another team that is going to give him a shot?

And like it or not, but in the east, this team will contend, so there is more to play for than there ever was in Sacremento. I agree with you, he has a lot of reasons to be on his best behavior. Than again, you'd have said the same thing last year too.

[Chisoxfn]

None of those reasons make it right. He needed help and we all knew it, and he thumbed his nose at the process

Even if he did, I don't know if it helped. Drose just isn't charismatic. Buckets is. I have full faith in a Buckets led recruiting process, but I have to imagine having Wade as a pitch-person would help and that is why the Bulls are looking at him (not to mention, given what people are getting, Wade @ 20M (if he's healthy) isn't the worst deal on the planet (he was actually pretty damn good last year).

[bmags]

And like it or not, but in the east, this team will contend, so there is more to play for than there ever was in Sacremento. I agree with you, he has a lot of reasons to be on his best behavior. Than again, you'd have said the same thing last year too.

Just like in dallas

[Chi Town Sox]

According to the Boston Herald, Butler is still available via trade. LOL

 

Probably trying to stir things up.

[Quin]

According to the Boston Herald, Butler is still available via trade. LOL

 

Probably trying to stir things up.

 

For Jackie Bradley Jr.?

[Chisoxfn]

Just like in dallas

Guy was there for like a month. He was in Boston for years. I realize he annoyed Pierce and KG from time to time and there were plenty of rumors of potential trades, but he stayed a long time there and was an extremely good player for them. Carlisle and Rondo didn't mesh and they never even had like an off-season to gel /adjust or anything. Sometimes bad fits happen and Carlisle is suppose to be a notoriously difficult guy to work with (excellent coach, but if you don't see eye to eye, you are in trouble).

[Chisoxfn]

Friedell is reporting Bulls have no meeting set with Wade and that front office is in Chicago (contradictory to Woj's report that the Bulls will be meeting with Wade in NY this afternoon). For all we know, the Bulls have literally zero interest in Wade (and were only interested in getting one of him or Rondo).

[Chisoxfn]

By the way, if the Bulls let Niko & Taj walk and opt out of Rondo's deal, they will have ~$68M in cap space available with the projected max contract for a Westbrook type player being $30.8M per season. Please note that the $68M does not include cap holds on new draft picks, etc, so lets presume they get the Sacremento pick and their pick (for conservative purposes) plus they have a couple roster holds, we still have essentially enough to offer two full max deals as soon as next year (presuming we don't go long-term on anyone). Even if you gave Wade $25M, that still give you enough for one max guy, plus another pretty good size contract (if you opt for that route).

 

Oh and you have Jimmy Butler on a deal on par (on a per annum basis) with guys like Luol Deng, which puts them in a much better spot than a lot of other teams. Hypothetically, Bulls could sign Wade to his big deal and keep Rondo plus find a way to offer a max deal too (if they think Rondo was the attractive piece) and than a year later, they could let Rondo and Wade walk and give big money again to younger players, too. Whether they can actually exit on any of these strategies, who knows, but they aren't in near the dire position so many allude to. Unless of course Butler goes off the reservation and demands out because of Gar / Hoiberg / Pax (which is definitely possible).

[Boogua]

Friedell is reporting Bulls have no meeting set with Wade and that front office is in Chicago (contradictory to Woj's report that the Bulls will be meeting with Wade in NY this afternoon). For all we know, the Bulls have literally zero interest in Wade (and were only interested in getting one of him or Rondo).

Although I don't think the Bulls end up getting wade, I would believe Woj over Friedell.

[Chisoxfn]

If you want to isolate what happens if we sign Wade, below is a pretty good summary of what it means for next year's cap (and who we would need to keep / who we would have to renounce):

 

If the Bulls sign Wade to a deal that costs $25 M in 2017-2018, and dump Rondo, they will have $35 M to spend on a max FA next summer and still keep Butler, Lopez, McD, Grant, Portis, Valentine, and Felicio. We lose Mirotic in this scenario. If we want to keep Mirotic's $8.2 M cap hold, then we could dump McD into someone's cap space and still have a $30 M max slot for someone.

 

You add a Blake Griffin or Westbrook or Paul to that team and you are talking about a pretty darn good team. I'm not saying you are a champion, but you are a contender (depending on how some of the young players develop).

[Jenksismyhero]

Was that on the radio? His twitter doesn't mention anything about that.

[Chisoxfn]

Was that on the radio? His twitter doesn't mention anything about that.

I read it elsewhere that Friedell said it (think they referenced the radio).

[Chisoxfn]

Some reports that Fred was the primary pitch-guy in landing Rondo. Whether we like Rondo or not, Fred is a pretty personable guy (who as much as I bash, I hope he actually succeeds because of how good of a dude he is and how generally likeable he is). I am rooting for him to take steps forward and I think the fact that the Bulls are changing things up is a good thing (and I think Butler was humbled a bit this past year as was Hoiberg and that the two of them will work well together). Hopefully we have Rondo bought in cause a bought in Rondo is a pretty big improvement over the Derrick Rose of last year (not saying he will be better than Rose this year or anything of the like, just saying last year, DRose was a really bad player and a downright roster killer).

[Dick Allen]

I was thinking of that earlier this week. He's still under contract but they are definitely tight. He said Rondo was a mentor.

Those 2 led the Kings to big things.

[Chisoxfn]

Those 2 led the Kings to big things.

Michael Jordan himself wouldn't solve the Kings. They are such a mess. I know some things about that org that I won't talk about (due to who the info comes from), but man, the stories about them are insane at how dysfunctional they are (ownership / front office / coaches).

[Chisoxfn]

I believe Wade's meetings with the Nuggets & Bucks are now over and he is suposed to meet with the Heat last (later today), so if he's meeting with the Bulls, you'd think we'd hear something relatively soon. That or we were never serious. KC Johnson now indicating we are in it with Wade until the end (doesn't mean we are aggressive on the pursuit, either).

[Dick Allen]

Michael Jordan himself wouldn't solve the Kings. They are such a mess. I know some things about that org that I won't talk about (due to who the info comes from), but man, the stories about them are insane at how dysfunctional they are (ownership / front office / coaches).

I saw a thing on 60 minutes about the owner a few years ago. He read a book and coached his daughter's team to a championship. They did something odd, I can't remember what, but he thought that would work in the NBA like it worked with 6th grade girls.