Chicago Bulls Thread

[Andrew]

With the win, the Bulls sit atop the Central Division, placing them fourth in the East. Of course, at 3-2 their record is currently the fifth best in the East anyway so it's not too bad.

[Lamrock]

Bodz_999, Off-topic but your avatar and username are absolutely bizarre. I've always kind of liked the Bulls. Not the biggest Rose fan but I really like Joakim Noah. I hope they make the playoffs this year, though their team looks pretty thin. Why aren't they pursuing Boozer?

[Andrew]

Why aren't they pursuing Boozer?

The cynical answer would be that Paxson and Forman are sitting around smugly, celebrating what they perceive to be the shrewd additions they made this past offseason. In reality...well, I suppose we couldn't rule that out, but the Jazz might have cooled on moving him or whatever package the Bulls might have been discussing with them in which case that ship has probably sailed.

[The X]

If the package is Tyrus Thomas & change then can you really blame anybody for not wanting to trade with Bulls? Nobody wants Tyrus as Taj Gibson is making him look bad & Gibson isn't even that good.

I think Bulls are set at PG (Rose), SF (Deng), Noah is solid energy big man, 6th man (Hinrich). They definitely need an All-Star calibre PF first & foremost. Boozer would help, that's for sure.

[Andrew]

Thomas is also out with a broken arm so his stock sinks even lower. Even if he were healthy though, I couldn't blame the Jazz for passing on him and change for Boozer and that probably is the type of package that is/was on the table.

[The X]

Bulls will have to open up Deng &/or Noah in any deals to get All-Star quality players. I can't see them dealing either so hopefully they can do something near trade deadline.

[Andrew]

In the offseason I would've said deal Deng in an instant, at the moment I'm feeling a bit more patient as far as the Bulls giving him the opportunity to get back to the level he was at a couple of seasons ago. Similar situation with Noah, I still think they probably should've given him up in his rookie year as part of a package for Gasol (if that rumour was true, of course) but as it stands he's another player I'd like them to keep.

[The X]

I think energy guys like Noah are valuable, especially in the playoffs where he seems to lift his game (he did the same in college for Florida).

If Bulls could get a star SG (say Dwayne Wade ) & a workhorse PF (say David Lee), imagine that, Rose, Wade, Deng, Lee & Noah. Actually if they had Lee they probably wouldn't need Noah as much. Pipe dreams I guess. Doable in NBA Live or 2k though. Need to see you do that in a dynasty sometime soon

[Andrew]

I'd love to see it, but the real Bulls won't have the money or the incentive to make it happen.

[The X]

No incentive? Wade is from Chicago isn't he? Played at Marquette (in Wisconsin), which is nearby. I think Wade is a lot bigger draw than Rose is or ever will be. Bulls would be top 4 in East again with Wade. If he can make Heat top 5 in East with their average roster then he can help Bulls even more. But it is Paxson & that other guy we are talking about though

[NovU]

No no no... I really don't like the sound of your idea, X. Wade in Chi sounds not right. He's the franchise face of Miami.

[The X]

I'm sure it sounds right to Bulls' fans. Just like Knicks' fans think that Lebron in NYC makes sense.

[Andrew]

No incentive? Wade is from Chicago isn't he? Played at Marquette (in Wisconsin), which is nearby. I think Wade is a lot bigger draw than Rose is or ever will be. Bulls would be top 4 in East again with Wade. If he can make Heat top 5 in East with their average roster then he can help Bulls even more. But it is Paxson & that other guy we are talking about though

True, but I say no incentive because at the end of the day, I don't think that will be strong enough an incentive to pry Wade away from the Heat. Especially as he's mentioned that he wants to compete for championships and the Bulls aren't exactly any closer to being legitimate contenders than the Heat are at the moment. Don't get me wrong, I'd be delighted to see it happen but I'm just not sure that being a Chicago native would be enough to make up Wade's mind on leaving the Heat for the Bulls.

[air gordon]

wade & rose backcourt would be a waste. you'd be asking one of them to work off the ball. the bulls already have spacing issues since no one in the starting lineup is much of a 3pt threat

if we're going to dream, may as well say Bosh or LBJ is coming to town.

X- are you Gibson's agent or something? you grip this guy so hard. Joe Smith? c'mon lol. i think i almost disagree with everything in your last few post lol

Pargo is a good pickup by virtue of being able to a 3pt shot
on a contending team, Deng is not the #2 option. maybe not even #3
Bogut was schooling Miller in the Bucks game. He went to his left in what seemed 10 times in a row. finally when Noah was guarding him in the 4th, he was able to stop him
the bulls are an average team. only Rose should be untouchable. Noah seems like a nice building piece but i'd trade him in a heartbeat to get a post scorer
i'll give Deng his due. been solid so far. still not sure what this guy's role on the ballclub is. he's playing around the post more but let's see him do it more consistently

i don't think the bulls are going for Boozer at this point because they don't want to blow their 2010 FA load on Boozer.

the boys in vegas say bulls -7. considering charlott'es halfcourt style and the bulls unpredictability... i'm taking the bulls on the moneyline

[Andrew]

only Rose should be untouchable. Noah seems like a nice building piece but i'd trade him in a heartbeat to get a post scorer

I'd agree with that, can't pass up a post scorer.

[The X]

Poor man's Joe Smith, with the emphasis on the poor man part. I don't rate Gibson that much, I just don't rate Tyrus Thomas at all.

Obviously the Wade thing was pie in the sky talk which I never expect to happen. Case closed.

[Andrew]

Of course, that raises the question as to whom the Bulls could and should spend the money on next offseason.

Meanwhile, they've scraped by Charlotte to remain leaders in the Central Division, which I'm sure is something we won't be able to say for too long. With the circus trip looming, it's good to see them stockpiling a few wins now as November usually puts them in a hole leaving them around tenth in the East. Huge game by Noah, nice to see Salmons with a strong performance as well.

[Bodz]

Bodz_999, Off-topic but your avatar and username are absolutely bizarre.

Err... it's a long story; if you've got the patience I can try to explain it.

[Lamrock]

They need to do something like this. Wasn't something like that in the realm of possibility just a couple of months ago?

[air gordon]

Close win over the Bobs. the bulls gave them plenty of chances to take that game from them. big confidence builder for Salmons.. same for Noah who surprisingly had some nice scores from the post in the 4th.

The X- i almost dread players like Gibson: low mistaken prone & "get the game" but pretty limited on talent types. coaches love these players and as a result sometimes give them more PT then they should get (kind of sounds like Skiles-Duhon). Diaw was killing Gibson last nite. they need someone like Tyrus for those athletic "4's". thank goodness in the bobcat game VDN went with the small lineup in crunchtime. i do agree with you that Hinrich does look like the best player for the bulls at times. he does have a nice "floor" game and now that he's the 6th man he's been playing more relaxed.

now that Tyrus T is out- i hope VDN plays James Johnson. i've read the coaching staff's not happy with his defense but it's irrelevant if you're thin at the frontcourt.

andrew- so who do you think the bulls should/end up spending their $$ on????

[Andrew]

If we're ruling out the cream of the crop, I guess that leaves players like Boozer and David Lee as the best of the feasible options. I'm not sure about giving them that kind of money but with such limited options it might be the best move they can make. I'd probably go for Lee out of those two.

[air gordon]

i'm not ruling out anyone. i don't see it likely happening. just my opinion

IMO as long as these FA's to be remain happy with/their teams continue to do well, even someone like Boozer, the bulls will have to play the waiting the game like everyone else. i can see most of those guys sticking with their teams and then teams like nYK offering max contracts to 2nd tier players like Joe Johnson/Boozer/Lee

i'm hoping at that point Paxson won't lose his head and do the same. maybe at that point, the bulls will be the more attractive team to go to and these 2nd tier FA's will sign for less to play here

[Andrew]

That's what worries me, the possibility (likelihood?) that the Bulls are going to overspend on the best player available out of desperation.

[air gordon]

after experiencing the Ben Wallace fiasco, i don't see Paxson and more importantly the guy who signs the checks, Reinsdorf, letting that happen again

i'll be content with a Boozer or even Joe Johnson at no more then $15mil. even Rudy Gay but much more less. i don't remember the rest of the fa list or 2011 but if the bulls can't land someone in that tier, they should do 1yr rentals

on a side note- imagine if Gordon just took a 1yr contract. with the way he's been playing, it's likely he would be demanding a near max contract (or at least get offered it once the big dogs are off the market)

[Lamrock]

The Jazz are struggling so far, so Boozer looks like the biggest possibility. If only the three-team trade that would have sent Kirk to Portland and Boozer to Chicago would have happened