Chicago Bulls Thread

[I Hate Mondays]

Steal of the draft, listen to me.
I really hope no. 4 ( I won't try to spell his name lol) does very well this season and the seasons after because of the boo's situation when he got drafted and the tough media in NYC (he is also a great guy it seems, head on his shoulders) but I won't be surprised if Portis will show better sparks than him. He just needs a little push from the coach, just some playing time when the time is right.

[mp3]

I was also very impressed with what I saw from Bobby in that game vs KAT I think he got the better of the number 1 pick.

I have always thought that around 50% of lottery picks seem to just take there foot off the gas once drafted but the guys taken later feel like they still got stuff to prove and just work harder

[Moz]

And just like that he went 1/10.. To be fair everyone played like shit and The Mayor is trying some new sets for them... I reckon it's not a bad idea if they play him at the 3 spot occasionally (especially when Taj comes back) since he's a good on-ball defender and quick enough to guard some SF... Got to get more rebounds also if he'll stick in the 4... Bairstow seems adjusted his range a bit further perhaps to avoid the Erik Murphy route... Though not that disappointed, I was expecting McBuckets to have some new tricks in his arsenal but it seems like he's the same player we saw last year..

[air gordon]

Yep go figure Portis flops the following game. Keep the call to hall of fame on hold lol

I don't know if his feisty, non athletic, soft moves to the basket will work in real nba games. Dougie even had those types of shots blocked in garbage time last year

Dougie seems to have his confidence back despite thibs emasculating him last year. Make us believers again!

[air gordon]

Dougie did some work today. Shake and bake, dirk one foot fade, iso scoring. A few came against a future defensive juggernaut in rhj.

Bairstow and Portis are shooting better than him from 3 lol

Props to bairstow for getting some range but he looks so slow and can't elevate.

Nice to see a felacio signing being reported here even if it's non guaranteed. Thanks man

[air gordon]

Thoughts on McDermott?

Looks like he has his confidence back. While his 3pt shot hasn't been falling, it looks like the rest of his game is picking up. He looks comfortable operating 18-20ft away from the basket...a la Paul Pierce/antawn Jamison- working the angles, taking floaters, using his jumper to keep defenses off balance.

I do hold some reservations on if he can continue to operate around the basket in regular season games against actual nba players. If he is relatively successful in the preseason, I could start believing

I think there is some pressure on him and management for him to succeed. The Bulls did after all used 2 first round picks and several 2nd round picks to move up to draft him

There are minutes to be had and the Bulls need perimeter shooting to compliment butler and rose. You can do it, mcbuckets!

[mp3]

I like Doug I think he's a great fit for Fred's system and I think we will see a lot more of him this year in an up tempo style of offence.

[NovU]

Question is whose minutes is he going to replace? Mirotic will see an increased role as he looks to build on a very successful rookie season. Taj Gibson is established player. So he's not going to be a 4 much but mostly a wing man off the bench. It sounds like a competition between Snell and him and doesn't sound much like a big role.

I think he can be a fine player but not under the current Bulls' roster.

[Andrew]

There's always talk of Gibson moving on, which would open up some minutes if it comes to pass.

[air gordon]

MDJ. I think it would be a success for dougie if he's earned an even split for sf minutes

There should be minutes available at the other wing since butler won't be playing 46mins per anymore

Hoiberg has his work cut out for him trying to find minutes for his frontcourt players

Ideally a trade makes sense but the guys they want to move are hurt lol.

Even Portis looks like he should get some minutes

[Andrew]

Trying to find minutes for a minor logjam of talented/promising players is obviously a far better problem than being stuck with subpar players to fill those roles.

Yesterday I spent a few hours attempting to re-create my NBA Live 2004 Dynasty for an upcoming article that will be part of our 20th Anniversary of NBA Live content, which meant I got a fresh reminder of the Bulls' 2003/2004 roster. To that end, I'd definitely take the challenge Fred Hoiberg is facing, rather than the one Bill Cartwright did!

Incidentally, in that game, I traded Jalen Rose, Marcus Fizer, and Roger Mason Jr. for Kevin Garnett. Trying to re-create that trade all these years later, the CPU was not buying it. I have no idea how I got it to happen way back then, but it made the virtual Bulls a little more fun than the real deal that year.

[air gordon]

You said Marcus Fizer. Ouch to those memories

It is interesting to hear non bulls fans compliment the Bulls big depth. I think there is talent there but each of those guys are a liability in a key facet for a big man. Noah can defend but became incompetent in making a layup. Gasol can score but is slow as molasses and soft on defense. Niko has stretch 4 skills but can't be counted on for defense. Gibson seems to be the most well rounded but couldn't stay healthy last year

We'll see what a full offseason will do for Noah. He is playing for a contract so I expect him to come back strong. I probably sound like a broken record in saying Pau and him should not be on the court together lol. Maybe Taj will finally be over his nagging injuries too

[Andrew]

I know, bad memories indeed. At least that 2000 Draft stands as a really weak one. A lot of busts, some solid role players who've had respectable careers, and only three players who made All-Star appearances. Fizer still wasn't the best pick they could've made in retrospect, but there were a lot of low cards in that hand. I think pretty much everyone lost in the Draft that year, except the Nets (a few good years out of Kenyon Martin) and the Bucks (Redd, whose career was eventually derailed by injuries anyway).

Anyway, getting back to the present day...good observations about the bigs. Between them, they certainly run the gamut of skills, strengths, and weaknesses. Hopefully, health and a contract year will see a revitalised Noah. If nothing else, it might increase his trade value...though considering what they got for Deng, I'm not optimistic about GarPax's ability to pull off a shrewd deal even if he does.

[mp3]

I was always a fan of Fizer but just not sure why the Bulls drafted him when they already had Elton Brand though.

[Andrew]

I recall hoping for the best, but yeah, it seemed an odd fit when they already had Brand. Of course, they then traded Brand for Chandler, who didn't truly blossom until he was traded to New Orleans (or arguably until he arrived in Dallas for that first stint).

[air gordon]

Deng's deal was salary dump, right?

I think Fizer was a gift to pink Floyd as he was his college coach. Ugh what a bad draft and terrible flashbacks I'm having

Good news is McDermott made 1st team summer league

[Andrew]

That's true, it was.

Good news indeed about McDermott. Hope he gets a chance and is able to make the most of it, come the real season.

[NovU]

You guys kinda reminded me of Deng discussion back then when he was the Bulls just about to let go. Was it 'Valor' that argued the Bulls should have retained him? Can't remember exactly but it looks like Deng not even taking on that Bulls' lowball offer was a mistake for himself. He literally is making less money for the Heat atm.

[Andrew]

I think someone was in favour of keeping him around, yeah. Given the price and slip in production, I'm glad they moved on. He had some fine years for the Bulls, great character, talented player. But it was time to move on.

[mp3]

Deng is a class act, always has being in this league but yeah it was definitely time for him and the Bulls to part ways when they did.

[air gordon]

Deng is a class act, always has being in this league but yeah it was definitely time for him and the Bulls to part ways when they did.

It was a low bro move to make him a salary dump. iirc the trade was executed shortly after Rose was declared out for the year. Bulls didn't want to pay the tax so poof! He gone! And the Bulls still made the playoffs anyway despite that get the tank rolling type of move lol

Best of luck to him. As mentioned in another post, I am surprised $10mil 1year contract was the best he could get

[Moz]

I'm kinda glad about Dougie being more aggressive and active in the paint in this summer league only problem is that he's probably the leader in blocked shots this year... He seems like more effective as a 4 than a 3 or probably Hoiberg just played him a lot in the 4 since his jumpshots aren't falling... Does anyone here got that Horace Grant lite vibe on Portis' game?

Deng is one of the best Bull ever and all that but if he stayed, we will not see (or probably just on another team) the emergence of Jimmy Butler... I reckon the front office is already considering not re-signing him when they drafted Snell but luckily for him (and the Bulls) Deng was traded and Rose' injured... It may look like a salary dump at the moment but if all went well with the Kings, the Bulls will have their 1st rounder next year...

[air gordon]

The question marks will continue until McDermott is producing in real nba games. Supposedly Hoiberg ball suits him. I could see his herky jerky style work with the starters...more likely against reserves

I see some Horace grant in Portis. Portis seems more fluid on offense but they are similar on defense.

In hindsight the deng deal worked out. To play devils advocate, imagine what kind of player the Bulls could have gotten for him if they sold high on him a few years earlier

[Andrew]

Greedily, I just wish that they'd landed some picks that they'd actually receive (go Kings!).

[air gordon]

So much for the Goudelock signing. Report is he's signing for a Chinese league on a 1yr contract

Oh well.