Chicago Bulls Thread

[Valor]

I think we're better off without Gordon.

.......
you think losing our best offensive player is good for the team?
he was like, the only one who can create shots for himself all day long on the Bulls, we just lost 20+ppg (not just that either, we lost our only clutch player) and i dont see how Pargo or Deng can cover that.

[got philk?]

I do. Look at Houston when T-Mac went down.

See again, and please, I mean no disrespect as this is just my opinion, I have way different ideas than other Bulls fans. I think he could create his own shot every once in a while...but at times, he spent way to much time looking for his own shot, and then shot horrible shots. Good players know that if your shot isn't there, it is better to pass and try to get the ball in a different place. Also, his height didn't help him much in that regard.

I think for as much as he shot, 20 points is not that great. I think Deng can score 16 ppg, and others pick up the other 4ppg somewhere.

The biggest thing to me though is defense. I think we'll be better off here as well. Again, his height was a problem, but there were times where he would just lose his man and give up leaving him wide open for shots. I guess to me, I'd rather have a player who plays D than one who has to make up for his defense with his offense.

Look, I liked Gordon and he is amazing offensive talent. I just don't think he is what this team needs to get to the next level.

[shadowgrin]

I think most Bulls fans were angry not at losing Gordon but at losing Gordon without getting anything in exchange for a player his caliber.

[George7]

that's right. And yet there is no replacement(u don't call Pargo the replacement for ΒG. He's not that good). Only rumors till now. Personally i don't mind getting a player in other position(F,C) who can score those ppg Gordon scored. A good '4' player that is a superstar or scores fluently is good.

[got philk?]

I think most Bulls fans were angry not at losing Gordon but at losing Gordon without getting anything in exchange for a player his caliber.

That I will agree with.

And I did not mean to say Pargo is a replacement for BG. Pargo is a 8th or 9th man who may hit a few three's here and there.

[Andrew]

Gordon's shot selection wasn't the best, but in the Bulls' offense they didn't always get a lot of good looks since there's no inside threat for the defense to collapse on. I like that he had the confidence to put those shots up, if you're a scorer that's what you need to do; preferably there'll be good attempts but some of them will be forced, that's just the nature of the game especially when you're a perimeter guy playing without a legit inside presence at the offensive end.

Deng could step up and help shoulder the scoring load with Gordon gone but he has to first prove that a) he can get back to where he was a couple of years ago and b) he can actually play a whole season, because right now the Bulls are paying Deng more than they wanted to pay Gordon when he's far less reliable. He's also far too tentative at times, passing up shots that he can make and hesitating after he makes his move, leading to shot clock violation, bad pass to a teammate that's not expecting it or a travel. That's a bit of a generalisation, sure, it's not like he does that every time down the floor but Deng is getting go-to guy money and he really doesn't seem to have a go-to guy mentality. To me, it just seems like they bet on the wrong horse.

However, putting all that aside since losing Gordon is not the end of the world (much as I like him, I have no delusions that he is the next Jordan or anything like that), letting him walk for nothing is inexcusable. If they had made the decision not to commit to him longterm as Reinsdorf recently indicated, then he should've been traded a long time ago. It's the latest in a long line of bad decisions and really should be the end of the Paxson regime. Too many blunders, too many bewildering decisions.

[got philk?]

Agreed.

I'm always optimistic with things and I can't help but think that Rose and Deng will figure out how to play together. The Deng at PF is interesting.


Looking to the future, we will have some cap space after this year with Miller, Jerome James, and Tim Thomas'(?) contracts expiring, Correct? Paxson must go before then.

[Andrew]

I want to be optimistic and I do like Deng, but not for the amount of money he's currently earning. His regression and durability concern me, but hopefully I'm proven wrong.

They should have some cap space but I've read that there are expectations that the salary cap could plummet next year, which will obviously be a blow to anyone looking to be players in the 2010 free agent market.

[got philk?]

I should have said I am often too optimistic.

I agree his contract is waaay too big and Deng really needs to play well this season.

[Dan's Brain]

Ahhhh when the lines between video game and reality become blurred.

I was honestly about to come in here and retort that the acquisition of Danny Granger would more than make up for the loss of Ben Gordon, before I remembered that I'd only just traded for him in my 2k9 Association. (The deal that was made was actually Ben Gordon+Matt Barnes+1st round draft pick for Danny Granger and Rasho Nesterovic).

Anyway, it looks like David Lee is likely to accept a one-year deal from the Knicks before launching himself into the 2010 sweepstakes. The Bulls could grab him then, but would probably be setting their sights a little higher (Wade, Bosh, Stoudemire, Ben Wallace)

It really seems so long ago now that we were debating whether Luol Deng would become an All-Star in 2008 or 2009. I would absolutely love it if he could return to being a 18-point scorer, but I just can't picture it any more. So much of the scoring load now depends on Derrick Rose and John Salmons. If those 2 can't become a 35-40 ppg combo, the Bulls are toast. There is just nothing else there.

Bring on Draft 2010 and Donatas Motiejunas.

[benji]

Go back to my posts from March 2007 or whatever it was. The Bulls problem continues to be players (Deng, Gordon, Hinrich, Thomas, etc.) who have never developed. Yet they're paying like stars. So they're endlessly stuck in the 35-45 win range.

I actually haven't looked back to what I said then, but I"m assuming I was right. There's nobody on this team outside of Noah and Rose that I'd ever resign (and that includes last seasons players meaning Gordon.)

[Andrew]

I would've re-signed Gordon though all the other contracts would've made it difficult (at least while avoiding the luxury tax), I'd be more comfortable with the idea of Gordon signing for around $55 million than the $80 million (or whatever it was, I'm sure it was round the $75-80 million mark) that Deng re-signed for last year. But what's done is done.

It certainly seems that Lee is not going to be an option and there doesn't seem to be anything happening on the Boozer front. With Gordon let go for nothing and the only noteworthy move thus far (aside from their two first rounders) being the Pargo signing, I hate to think what's coming next...or perhaps more accurately what won't come next, as more opportunities to improve the team slip by and the expiring contracts prove meaningless as the salary cap (quite possibly) plummets next season, owing to the awful contracts of Deng and Hinrich.

I, uh...think I'm going to go watch my Bulls Dynasty Series DVDs.

[Valor]

I, uh...think I'm going to go watch my Bulls Dynasty Series DVDs.

me too Andrew, me too

[Andrew]

On the bright side, Michael Jordan's finally going into the Hall of Fame. As good an excuse as any to pull out Ultimate Jordan again.

[Valor]

this isn't anything big, just our beloved Derrick Rose making our cases stronger

Derrick Rose commented on Chicago's loss of Ben Gordon during an interview on Thursday.

"We're gonna miss him a lot," Rose said. "He took a lot of pressure off me last year, but we'll have to see this year."

"Ben is a great player, one of the best players I've ever played with

http://www.realgm.com/src_wiretap_archives/61009/20090806/rose_gordon_took_a_lot_of_pressure_off_me/

i wonder who can keep the other team from triple teaming Rose now that Gordon's gone....

[Andrew]

Salmons, I guess. Hinrich can shoot but he's not really a potent scorer, Deng could fit the bill if he were more aggressive (but he isn't), Thomas showed promise last year but hasn't established himself as a reliable scorer and Noah certainly isn't one either. I guess Pargo could draw some attention while his shot is falling but the way he can shoot at team right out of a game again after bringing them all the way back, I think teams will once again live with Pargo knocking down a couple of threes against them.

[benji]

Who the hell is going to triple team Rose?

[Andrew]

That is admittedly a bit of a stretch. If he can become more of a scoring threat, a few double teams aren't out of the question.

[shadowgrin]

Who the hell is going to triple team Rose?

Rival gangs?

[got philk?]

The latest on Beasley got me thinking. Of all the poor decisions Paxton made, drafting Rose instead of Beasley wasn't one of them (so far...).

My optimism is falling after starting a new dynasty with the Bulls' current roster. Lots of question marks on this team...lots.

[Lamrock]

You had optimism about starting a new dynasty with this Bulls roster?

[Andrew]

The latest on Beasley got me thinking. Of all the poor decisions Paxton made, drafting Rose instead of Beasley wasn't one of them (so far...).

Agreed, but it's not as though Paxson has only made terrible decisions during his tenure in the front office. The decisions that have been terrible have just proven to be somewhat destructive.

[Lamrock]

Anthony Randolph's going to be better than both of them though.

[Andrew]

Looks like the Bulls are closing in on signing Carlos Arroyo. Seems to me they've got more point guards than they need. It's also funny that considering one of the knocks on Gordon was his height, they'd bring in two players who are shorter than him after letting him go. All that combined with the inactivity on the trade front has made this a very disappointing offseason.

[Bodz]

According to RealGM, Bulls Aren't Chasing Carlos Arroyo