[Indianplaya17]

Disappointing end to the season. Injuries were a big part of it. That said, where do the Bulls go now? What do we do over the off-season?

[The Stache]

Im tempted to say blow it up, becasue the Bulls were going to have a tough time with everyone healthy getting past the Heat. Though, I wish we could of seen it and made the decision after that.

[l2uff]

1) Amnesty Boozer
2) accept Watson's team option for 3.7 or try to turn it into a 2-3 year deal (for Rose insurance)
3) lock up Gibson to be starting PF w/some of Boozer's cash
4) Then you go on the hunt for a SG

first you try to get Eric Gordon, but the Hornets are going to match any offer sheet he signs... you can try to sell them on taking a deal centered around Noah or Asik plus picks & expiring contracts (Brewer, Hamilton, & Korver all expire after next season) but I just don't see that getting done. I think they'll want a franchise type guy back for their best player.

second option, how about Joe Johnson? I think Atlanta is going to blow it up this off-season... and it's worth taking on his massive contract if that's the final piece to your championship puzzle. Johnson is paid like a franchise guy but he should be a second option, I think teaming him with Rose would give you that second creator you desperately need. You'd probably have to give up Deng, picks, & expiring contracts, and probably still need a 3rd team who'd want Asik and give something one more piece to Atlanta they'd want...

Possibly Kevin Martin... he was going to be traded in that 3-team CP3 deal, so he's available but the Rockets are super deep looking to upgrade by trading some pieces similar to the Bulls situation... so you'll need to find a 3rd team to give them what they want.

Last option I can think of is flipping Brewer's expiring for J-Rich... I


If you can't find a trade the only SG that's an unrestricted FA that can create his own offense is Jason Terry... but I wouldn't get too excited about that

[kizzfastfists]

Draft Doron Lamb

Re-sign Asik
Sigh Steve Nash to a one-year deal so he can try to go out with a ring. Nash has said he'd consider playing with the Heat next year so I figure he'd consider the Bulls.

End off-season.

[The Stache]

Still don't have a 2nd scorer in that scenario Kizz. Unless you think Lamb is that guy. I prefer John Jenkins out of Vandy if we are drafting a SG.

[The Stache]

1) Amnesty Boozer
2) accept Watson's team option for 3.7 or try to turn it into a 2-3 year deal (for Rose insurance)
3) lock up Gibson to be starting PF w/some of Boozer's cash
4) Then you go on the hunt for a SG

first you try to get Eric Gordon, but the Hornets are going to match any offer sheet he signs... you can try to sell them on taking a deal centered around Noah or Asik plus picks & expiring contracts (Brewer, Hamilton, & Korver all expire after next season) but I just don't see that getting done. I think they'll want a franchise type guy back for their best player.

second option, how about Joe Johnson? I think Atlanta is going to blow it up this off-season... and it's worth taking on his massive contract if that's the final piece to your championship puzzle. Johnson is paid like a franchise guy but he should be a second option, I think teaming him with Rose would give you that second creator you desperately need. You'd probably have to give up Deng, picks, & expiring contracts, and probably still need a 3rd team who'd want Asik and give something one more piece to Atlanta they'd want...

Possibly Kevin Martin... he was going to be traded in that 3-team CP3 deal, so he's available but the Rockets are super deep looking to upgrade by trading some pieces similar to the Bulls situation... so you'll need to find a 3rd team to give them what they want.

Last option I can think of is flipping Brewer's expiring for J-Rich... I


If you can't find a trade the only SG that's an unrestricted FA that can create his own offense is Jason Terry... but I wouldn't get too excited about that

I love Taj, but I don't think hes a starting PF on a championship caliber team. Unfortunately, Boozer isnt that guy either.

I like your other ideas though.

[kizzfastfists]

Still don't have a 2nd scorer in that scenario Kizz. Unless you think Lamb is that guy. I prefer John Jenkins out of Vandy if we are drafting a SG.

While Rose is out Nash will get the other guys, Boozer, etc good enough looks to make up for it. When Rose gets back you can play Nash and Rose together for stretches giving the team enough scoring. The only question is how much the defense will suffer with Nash.

[The Stache]

Still don't have a 2nd scorer in that scenario Kizz. Unless you think Lamb is that guy. I prefer John Jenkins out of Vandy if we are drafting a SG.

While Rose is out Nash will get the other guys, Boozer, etc good enough looks to make up for it. When Rose gets back you can play Nash and Rose together for stretches giving the team enough scoring. The only question is how much the defense will suffer with Nash.

True, Boozer could benefit quite a bit playing with a great P&R point guard. And Nash is the best. He essentially made Amare and Gortat household names. And Boozer thrived playing with DWill.

I basically look to Miami when projecting future lineups because they are standing in our of winning a title. If Miami takes Rose away, does Nash put us over the top with just his passing? Other guys would still have to make shots.

[kizzfastfists]

The Bulls can NOT acquire equal talent to the Heat. It's just not possible unless they totally tear the team down, including Rose, and somehow get lucky enough to get three picks in the top 5 that pan out to match LeBron, Wade and Bosh. The good news for the Bulls is they don't need the same star power because they have much better coaching. The Heat and Thunder are the two most talented teams in the NBA going forward, the Spurs are in the discussion this year but their age has them declining, and the Thunder will probably re-main ahead of Bulls for quite a while unless they can't keep their core together, which based on cap space might cost them one of Ibaka or Harden or they go into the luxury tax for a year or two until Perkins' deal falls off their books.

The Bulls with Rose can play with the Heat right now. So if they focus on patching PG with a guy like Nash next year then get Rose back late in the season they should be in the conference finals next year and could beat the Heat. The Bulls win with defense. The Bulls allowed the least points this season. To go after offensive minded players and to abandon what the coaching staff has built could end up hurting the team both short and long term.

The Bulls have everyone returning, with Asik being the only FA and he won't be expensive to keep. If they can add a scorer off the bench in the draft then they can see how next year plays out and how rose returns before making any major decisions. To make major changes without knowing what you are really going to get from Rose in the future doesn't make sense. Rose might have to totally re-create himself after the injury. Rose might have to turn into a facilitator more then a scorer. They can finish out the window with this team and have the money to add a max player in two years, the time Love can hit the market who would go great with Rose. If the Bulls try to win the next two years and realize they have a core that can't then they can let the contracts fall off and add two max players after the 2014-2015 season where there are some big FAs hitting the market including Kevin Love and LaMarcus Aldridge.

If the Bulls end up not being able to win with this core then they still have time in Rose's career to reload around him. I don't think expect the Bulls to win a championship with this core with the Thunder and Heat being as strong as they are, but unless someone offers to take Deng and Boozer off the Bulls' hands for players or picks that would help them there is no reason to blow it up at this point. If Rose doesn't go down in game one and the Bulls lose to the Heat in a hard fought series would people really be calling for them to blow up the team? There were four teams in the discussion for a championship all year with the Bulls, Thunder, Spurs and Heat being the four teams. Do you really blow up a top 4 team just because a fluke injury killed your playoff run this year?

[kizzfastfists]

The one thing I didn't take into consideration is to throw next season for a top 10 draft pick. Trade Deng and Boozer for whatever expiring contracts and draft picks you can get and do not do anything in FA. They might even be able to get a conditional late first from Korver at the deadline from a playoff team needing a 3-pt shooter. Then you hold Rose out the whole season even if he is ready to play in the final month or so and try to finish with a bottom 5 record. This gives you tons of cap room and a top 10 pick, maybe even getting the luck of the Spurs and end up with another #1 pick to go with Rose. The Bulls could, in throwing the season, end up with two top 15 picks since they own a first rounder from the Bobcats for Tyrus Thomas, the pick is top 12 protected next year, but if they get Anthony Davis in the draft they might win just enough games to be picking around 15 next year.

The only players left under contract after next year would be Rose, Noah and Jimmy Butler giving plenty of cap room to go after players who would complement Rose and the draft pick(s). Then you have $40Mish in cap room next off-season and a UFA list that includes Andrew Bynum, Chris Paul, Dwight Howard, Al Jefferson, Paul Millsap, Anthony Morrow and Kevin Martin.

[cubbiefan009]

Team Options:
Watson (Decline)

Restricted free agent:
Omer Asik

Match any offers that are reasonable. If teams are willing to overpay you just let him walk. I would hate to lose Omer, but he only makes an impact on one side of the court and Gibson is more important to keep.

Unrestricted free agents:
Lucas
James
Scalabrine

You let them all go unless Lucas and/or Scalabrine come back as the final roster players.


As for the rest of the team, there is not much we can do guys. Reinsdorf doesn't like going into the lux tax (although we prolly will next season) so it limits just about any impactful signing. All we have left is the mini-MLE which is around like $2.5 mill. I think the only thing that can be addressed is a new back-up PG (Watson isn't the answer, not just because of last night)

Possible PGs:

Steve Nash
Andre Miller
Jerryd Bayless
Kirk Hinrich

I know some of you are saying Nash, but that's highly unlikely. We don't have the money to spend.

Hamilton will be the starting SG, and we will still have Korver/Brewer/Butler that can back that position up. I know we could really use another guy who can actually create a shot, but I just don't see anything money wise besides the draft.

[anotheridiot]

just forget all about andrew bynum an ddwight howard. Bynum is killing the lakers chances this year. He wont even stand up for the time out huddles.

Bottom line the guy that stepped up in maybe 15% of games this year is our max player boozer. Use the amnesty, its the real definition of needing relief for a stupid decision. Elimination game on a max player and you get 3 points and he cant find the court the last 16 minutes. Theres 16 million or space. The question is will you be able to sign Taj for 8 million a year to still get more help or will he get a tyrus thomas kind of offer closer to 10 by another team. I get the rah rah on boozer, but at least with Deng you get a defender with his mid teen points. Its gonna be tough to trade deng, because he is playing in the olympics with this bum wrist, then getting surgery and who knows how it heals after what 6 months of scar tissue built up on the problem? He is gonna be tough to trade, does kobe still want him enough?

Bulls biggest weaknesses are secondary ball handling. Yeah, I will go back to we messed up when the ditched hinrich. Justs watching lucas and cj pounding the ball til 10 seconds were left on the shot clock is what killed this team. Your opponent only needs to defend for 10 seconds a possession. Hinrich was a 2 his whole college career, moved to 1 for the bulls, still was able to penetrate from opposite side as rose or hit an open j.

The only good thing about dealing kirk was getting a max player, and that player is now our big problem.

[cubbiefan009]

Saying all of that, the Bulls will probably stand pat and just say the injuries killed us.

[kizzfastfists]

The problem with using the amnesty on Boozer is they will still owe the money. That is worse, from a financial standpoint, then being $2-3 over the luxury tax. So if they cut Boozer don't expect them to spend much of that money and they couldn't afford a max contract player even if they did unless they cut Korver, Brewer and Watson also who all have non-guaranteed contracts. They are better off finding a trade partner and giving Boozer and Deng away for a first round pick, even a future one, then cutting one of them to stay under the luxury tax.

The reason Nash's name came up is that he said he would take a minimum contract to play for a contender. The Bulls seem to be a good fit with Rose out and IF they aren't going to blow the team up and are willing to go over the luxury tax by $4-5M then Nash would be the perfect guy to bring in for a year and it would be his best shot. I don't see him in Miami, because LeBron wants to be the PG on that team and I don't see him and Nash being able to work together. Nash won't go to OKC to come off the bench. The Lakers are trying to cut salary to avoid the luxury tax since the new CBA will hit them hard since they have been over it for several years. The Spurs have Tony Parker and Dallas will get Deron Williams. That pretty much leaves the Bulls, Pacers, Hawks and Jazz as potential teams that Nash could consider contenders with him at PG and the Bulls showed this year that they are good enough to cruise through the regular season without Rose so adding Nash could push them over the top with a healthy Rose and if Rose isn't back for the playoffs Nash would give them a chance to win it all with the current supporting cast. The only teams I could make that case for are Indy, Atlanta and Utah, but Utah would have a harder road having to go through both LA teams, OKC and the Spurs while Indy and Atlanta would have to go though the Bulls and Heat and without Nash neither would be a serious contender against the Heat or Bulls, with a healthy Rose. That makes the Bulls the most probable destination unless Nash is willing to come off the bench for the Thunder, Spurs or Clippers.

[l2uff]

I love Taj, but I don't think hes a starting PF on a championship caliber team. Unfortunately, Boozer isnt that guy either.

I think it depends on the team... Gibson is a career 8/6 guy in only 23 minutes and plays great D. If that goes up to starter minutes (~35) I think he averages a double double. Your problem here might be that Noah lacks an offensive game as well... so both your bigs have the same strengths and weaknesses - that won't work.

The problem with using the amnesty on Boozer is they will still owe the money. That is worse, from a financial standpoint, then being $2-3 over the luxury tax

I just looked it up and you're in worse shape than I thought with basically every contract you have increasing... here's your salaries next year:

Rose 16.3
Boozer 15
Deng 13.3
Noah 11
Hamilton 5 (expiring)
Korver 5 (expiring)
Brewer 4.37 (expiring)
Gibson 2.1
Butler 1 (expiring)

total 73.07 --- 2012 cap is 58.. 2013 isn't set yet but it won't change drastically let's say 60M..... that means you'll probably be over the 15M threshold in the luxury tax after you fill out your roster.

Under the new CBA, being 15M over means you're paying $2.5 dollars for every $1 you are over the cap. You're estimated luxury tax next year is going to be $37.5M.... I don't think you're standing pat... that's just too much tax for Reinsdorf... that's without Asik or Watson, or any PG for that matter for the first half of the season.


After doing the math, I think you should trade Noah plus your expiring contracts as well as amnesty Boozer. It'll get you under the cap and give you the ability to sign or trade for a max contract SG and still be under the cap to offer a full mid-level to a FA center (Kaman? Camby?). You accept Watson's option and match Asik's offer as long as it's realistic (probably will top out at like 40 million over 5, 8/yr).

You'll still be in the tax but you'll only be in the over 5M tax bracket instead of the over 15M bracket. That's $1.50:$1 ratio. So I think that puts you around 9M over... having a 13.5 million luxury tax instead of 37.5M.


I think there's a deal out there to be made that sends Noah + picks to the Hornets for Gordon (maybe some team is dumb enough to take Boozer, try the Magic)... and you ship out expiring contracts to get the Hornets one more major piece to the deal in a 3 team trade. Rose-Gordon-Kaman-Gibson-Deng with Watson, Asik, & foreign guy that I cant remember his name off the bench as your 8. Not as deep as you were but you get a legit second scorer to team with Rose & I think that's in better shape than $37.5 in the luxury tax for the same team minus Asik.

[Old Style]

Draft Doron Lamb

As a Bulls and Kentucky fan, I'd love this, but I don't think he'll drop to us, and I don't know that he offers what we'd need for next season.

[Old Style]

Carlos Boozer: "We had the best record again in basketball, won our division again, had top seed again, that's all that matters yo."

GET RID OF HIM.

[anotheridiot]

I love Taj, but I don't think hes a starting PF on a championship caliber team. Unfortunately, Boozer isnt that guy either.

I think it depends on the team... Gibson is a career 8/6 guy in only 23 minutes and plays great D. If that goes up to starter minutes (~35) I think he averages a double double. Your problem here might be that Noah lacks an offensive game as well... so both your bigs have the same strengths and weaknesses - that won't work.

The problem with using the amnesty on Boozer is they will still owe the money. That is worse, from a financial standpoint, then being $2-3 over the luxury tax

I just looked it up and you're in worse shape than I thought with basically every contract you have increasing... here's your salaries next year:

Rose 16.3
Boozer 15
Deng 13.3
Noah 11
Hamilton 5 (expiring)
Korver 5 (expiring)
Brewer 4.37 (expiring)
Gibson 2.1
Butler 1 (expiring)

total 73.07 --- 2012 cap is 58.. 2013 isn't set yet but it won't change drastically let's say 60M..... that means you'll probably be over the 15M threshold in the luxury tax after you fill out your roster.

Under the new CBA, being 15M over means you're paying $2.5 dollars for every $1 you are over the cap. You're estimated luxury tax next year is going to be $37.5M.... I don't think you're standing pat... that's just too much tax for Reinsdorf... that's without Asik or Watson, or any PG for that matter for the first half of the season.


After doing the math, I think you should trade Noah plus your expiring contracts as well as amnesty Boozer. It'll get you under the cap and give you the ability to sign or trade for a max contract SG and still be under the cap to offer a full mid-level to a FA center (Kaman? Camby?). You accept Watson's option and match Asik's offer as long as it's realistic (probably will top out at like 40 million over 5, 8/yr).

You'll still be in the tax but you'll only be in the over 5M tax bracket instead of the over 15M bracket. That's $1.50:$1 ratio. So I think that puts you around 9M over... having a 13.5 million luxury tax instead of 37.5M.


I think there's a deal out there to be made that sends Noah + picks to the Hornets for Gordon (maybe some team is dumb enough to take Boozer, try the Magic)... and you ship out expiring contracts to get the Hornets one more major piece to the deal in a 3 team trade. Rose-Gordon-Kaman-Gibson-Deng with Watson, Asik, & foreign guy that I cant remember his name off the bench as your 8. Not as deep as you were but you get a legit second scorer to team with Rose & I think that's in better shape than $37.5 in the luxury tax for the same team minus Asik.

The foreign guy has a 5 year europeon contract, with the bulls only able to pay 500k of that amount, I dont think we see him til we get that Charlotte pick lol. That Charlotte pick is the most valuable thing we have. We expected the bobcats to take a step up this year, they stayed back. You really need to consider what they will be doing there or if they will even still be there when that pick is no longer protected. If its protected to 12 and there is a player there, you take the player, when its unprotected, they could be in the playoffs and it ends up being even lower. Thats why its a valuable trade piece.

If Nash comes here it could be a really good thing, it would also put rose at the 2 for the playoffs possibly so you gotta wonder how he chases 2's on defense. What it would also change is Derrick having the mindset of having to attack all the time and put his body in harms way. His flame will be extinguished like Francis if he keeps taking this abuse.

I kinda agree on Miami with leroy wanting to be the point guard, but if the heat had rose, paul or westbrook, he wouldnt need to be the pg anymore. right now there is no other player for that role.

If you can make a draft day deal with boozer then garpax for president, but odds are teams are gonna wait til he is released to get a bargain.

[l2uff]

Nash with Rose makes zero sense to me. They both need the ball in their hands to be effective... neither has the type of game that compliments the other and defensively, wow would your back court be horrible. Rose is a below average defender and Nash is horrible. Then you have to take into account you'd have Rose playing the 2 on defense.

[anotheridiot]

Nash with Rose makes zero sense to me. They both need the ball in their hands to be effective... neither has the type of game that compliments the other and defensively, wow would your back court be horrible. Rose is a below average defender and Nash is horrible. Then you have to take into account you'd have Rose playing the 2 on defense.

We are considering they will be together for maybe 40 games including playoffs. We are also thinking what it would be like to swing the ball to the other side and have a ball handler actually be able to do something with it.