Melanie's Bulls dynasty... start a new Bulls dynasty?

[Keo]

No! The Dream team goes down in the Finals! But you have a great future with LeBron, Amare, Wade and even Dirk. Will you play next season as well or switch to 06?

[Sac-1]

NOOOOO!!!! You were so close , tough loss actuallly it was a huge loss. You had a great team with Wade and Amare but they still couldn't handle the Spurs. Are you going to continue this dynasty? It is one of the best 05 dynastys, its like top 8 or 7.

[air]

Well, I suppose Colicky Boy's career will continue then... And even though you've got a great starting five this must be proof that you'll need a sixth and seventh man as well.

[Keo]

I agree with air, I'd suggest adding some depth to the bench.

[colickyboy]

Will you play next season as well or switch to 06?

I won't be getting 06 until it gets cheap, like after Christmas. So I'll definitely play one more season with this dynasty.

It is one of the best 05 dynastys, its like top 8 or 7

Thanks...appreciate it. Yeah, since I'm a cheapo, I won't be getting 06 for a little while, so I'll keep this going....even though 05 dynasties w/b dying with the 06 dynasties breeding like rabbits.

Well, I suppose Colicky Boy's career will continue then...

Yeah, I guess so...

I agree with air, I'd suggest adding some depth to the bench.

Definitely. This upcoming off-season will be VERY important...

[Fresh8]

Nice dynasty man

First time, I vistied and it looks great!

[colickyboy]

Nice dynasty man

First time, I vistied and it looks great!

Thanks, Sit...appreciate it from a forum vet like you. Hope to see you check in more often even though the 06 dynasties are starting up...

[colickyboy]

So here's the Finals summary...



NBA Finals MVP:


Stats for the 2004-05 NBA Champs:



Now the offseason work begins. Melanie has her hands full...

[colickyboy]

I'm replicating the real-life 2005 NBA Draft in this dynasty in order to get realistic matchups (e.g., Bogut in Milwaukee, Marvin Williams in Atlanta, etc) for the 2005-06 season. So the draft lottery results in Live 2005 won't matter.

Milwaukee GM Larry Harris has reason to smile after getting the #1 overall draft pick in the upcoming 2005 NBA Draft. The Bucks will likely take Andrew Bogut with the pick.

Next up: draftee scouting.

[colickyboy]

All the draftees that we'll be scouting will be players who weren't drafted in real-life during the 2005 NBA Draft since the Bulls in real-life did not have any draft picks. These will in essence be players we'll sign as free agents after the draft.

Also, all Bulls players will be wearing their real home jerseys as an additional intimidation factor for the rooks.

==============================

The Bulls' first draftee to be scouted is Angelo Gigli, a 6' 10", 210 lb PF/SF from Italy.

Initial scouting report: Athletic with long arms. Quick. Can hit the mid-range jumper. Good shot-blocker. Decent defender. Hard-worker. Too weak to play PF at the NBA level. Still doesn't have a great feel for the game. Average low post game. Relies too much on trying to block shots and often has fouls problems. Not a good rebounder for his height.

We brought him in to play LeBron James. Here's what we noticed:


Gigli got easily blocked by James early on, despite Gigli having a couple inch height advantage. He'll need to work on creating spacing for himself.


Gigli did display this nice move to the hoop but generally had a difficult time getting past James.


Once inside, Gigli had a nice touch around the rim. Here is one of his few scores.


Gigli had trouble in the post against James. Of course, it is James we're talking about so we'll cut him some slack here.


Too bad there wasn't a slaughter rule in effect. James exposed a lot of weaknesses in Gigli's game.

Next: Tiago Splitter from Brazil

[colickyboy]

The Bulls' second rookie to be scouted is Tiago Splitter, a 6' 11", 236 lb SF/PF from Brazil.

Initial scouting report: Can shoot from everywhere on the court. Has nice moves around the basket. Excellent mobility. As a 17-year-old, he may still be growing. Not strong enough for PF. He has problems defending stronger guys and playing post up on offense.

We brought him in to play Malik Allen. Here's what we saw:


Splitter likes to finish strong, rather than with wimpy layups and finger-rolls.


Nevertheless, Splitter also has nice touch around the rim if need be.


We read scouting reports that he doesn't like contact, but he drew contact here against Allen and still concentrated enough to sink the shot.


Allen did stuff Splitter here, showing that Allen's experience can overcome Splitter's athleticism.


Splitter has a nice crossover move for a big man.


In the end, Splitter did well for himself. He probably would've beaten Allen even worse had he made some of his outside shots. GM Melanie is very intrigued by this prospect and we'll keep him in mind.

Next: Kennedy Winston of Alabama.

[Kobe101]

This reports are good! Keep it up!

[colickyboy]

This reports are good! Keep it up!

Thanks, Kobe101...more to come...

[colickyboy]

The Bulls' third rookie to be scouted is Kennedy Winston, a 6' 6", 230 lb junior SG/SF from the University of Alabama.

Initial scouting report: A natural scorer who can get by his man or shoot with good range. Quick and speedy. Solid from the line. Nice ballhandler and solid passer. Decent moves in the post and decent rebounder, even on the offensive glass. Is turnover prone. Needs to improve defense against penetrators. Lacks defensive intensity.

We brought him in to play Lucious Harris. Here's what we saw:


After driving inside, Winston takes it strong to the hole.


Winston shows off a nice wraparound dribble to get past Harris.


Winston shot well from inside the arc. We would've liked to see him shoot from beyond the arc.


Indeed, Winston is a go-getter on the glass, which is a nice bonus for a two guard.


This was no contest. The score doesn't tell how well Winston played, showing a nice all-around game. His defensive intensity, contrary to reports, seemed good to us. GM Melanie will consider this prospect as well.

Next: Stefano Mancinelli of Italy.

[colickyboy]

The Bulls' fourth rookie to be scouted is Stefano Mancinelli, a 6' 8", 216 lb forward from Italy.

Initial scouting report: Athleticism is completely jaw dropping. Good speed. Can play very solid defense when he decides to. Slasher and finisher. Decent ball-handler. Good passer. Rebounds, blocks shots and dunks like nobody's business. Very poor outside shooter. Bad FT shooter. Has the tendency to commit too many personal fouls.

We put him up against Adrian Griffin. The recap:


Mancinelli is indeed a slasher and strong finisher, but penetrating wasn't as easy as we thought, based on the reports.


Being a lefty, Mancinelli's moves came best when exploding to his left.


Posting up seemed to come naturally to Mancinelli.


The shocker came at the end. Mancinelli was torched in initial scouting reports for having horrible shooting touch and zero range. But he easily buried two consecutive three-pointers. GM Melanie's eyes lit up when she saw that.


Mancinelli dusted Griffin in surprising fashion b/c he couldn't drive as well as advertised but he was a much better outside shooter than advertised. This mixed bag will keep GM Melanie pondering about whether to sign this prospect.

Next up: Maryland junior guard John Gilchrist.

[air]

It looks a little quiet right now on the 2005 front but you've got some detailed stuff right here. Maybe people will come back here more when the hype is settled.

[colickyboy]

The Bulls' fifth rookie to be scouted is John Gilchrist, a 6' 2", 201 lb junior point guard from Maryland.

Initial scouting report: Gilchrist has an NBA body. Gets to the hole and finishes as well as any point guard in the country. Has the potential to be a Gary Payton-like stopper. Can hit the open shot. Displayed amazing will power in the ACC tournament, leading Maryland to upset victories over Wake Forest and Duke, and in the process earned Tournament MVP. Many NBA scouts love his potential for being a starter in the league but they all question his leadership and ability to become a positive influence on his teammates. If he can overcome his this mental aspect of the game the sky is the limit for this ball handling wizard. Not overly explosive, but that isn't a necessity at the point.

Adrian Griffin was again used as a benchmark. The recap:


A nifty behind-the-backboard reverse layup by Gilchrist.


Generally speaking, Gilchrist had a decent all-around game but nothing exceptional as he lost to Griffin. We've heard a lot about his talent and didn't see that much. The clear negative from the scouting reports regarding his attitude toward his teammates couldn't be tested since this was a 1-on-1 workout. With the stars on this team, though, it's hard to imagine Gilchrist getting mad at them. GM Melanie is considering a second workout for Gilchrist to get a second look at his skills.

Next up: Guard Rudy Fernandez of the Spanish national team.

[colickyboy]

The Bulls' sixth rookie to be scouted is John Gilchrist, a 6' 6", 172 lb guard from Spain.

Initial scouting report: Good offensive awareness. Scored in double figures in the toughest league in Europe. At 19, he could still be growing and has long arms, which add to his length. Good quickness and speed. First step is insane. Dangerous with the dribble. Loves to take the big shot. Passes extremely well, great vision. Very good free throw shooter. Defends well. Steal wizard. Skinny frame gets pushed around on defense. Not that athletic. Not great leaper.

With all his hype, we matched him up against Dwyane Wade. The recap:


Fernandez showed good shooting range, knocking down long-range jumpers.


Defense was solid. Although Wade lit him up at times, Fernandez did well often enough to raise some eyebrows.


Wade won by a comfortable margin but Fernandez impressed and was able to keep it from being a blowout. The biggest problem with Fernandez is actually off-the-court: he is currently playing with the Spanish National Team and last year, he signed a long term deal with Badalona which could make his buyout a little difficult. GM Melanie will consider the financial options.

Next up: Memphis sophomore forward Sean Banks.

[colickyboy]

The Bulls' seventh and final rookie to be scouted is Sean Banks, a 6' 8", 206 lb sophomore small forward from Memphis.

Initial scouting report: Nice shooting and scoring ability. Can drive to the hoop and finish. Good leaper. Gets to the free throw line well. Seems to settle for the outside shot rather than drive to the hoop at times. Streaky shooter. Needs work defensively. Not great ball-handler. Considered by many a headcase. Had numerous off-court problems including a few run-ins with the law.

Old standby Adrian Griffin took the call against Banks. The recap:


Perhaps stung by criticism that he's afraid to go inside, Banks took it strong to the hoop.


Banks seemed to have limited range, as his best shot seemed to be mid-range.


This matchup was not very inspiring as Banks lost to Griffin. We were looking for more offensive ability and didn't see much. The reported defensive problems were noticed. Add on his off-the-court problems and GM Melanie has decided to take a pass on Banks.

Next up in the 2005 Bulls offseason: signing our own free agents.

[colickyboy]

Now, an ESPN SportsCenter recap with hosts Chris McKendry and Trey Wingo:



McKendry: Since the Bulls 4-1 series loss in the NBA Finals left a bad taste in his mouth, Colicky Boy has decided to continue his NBA career. Earlier this season, the All-Star guard said that he would retire if the Bulls won the NBA championship. Colicky Boy has re-signed with the Bulls to a 5-year contract.

Wingo: This is the Bulls' only re-signing of their seven free agents. The other six team free agents were released, freeing up the Bulls with over $20 million to play with in the free agent market. Smart personnel moves by Bulls GM Melanie to get as much cap space this offseason as possible.



McKendry: The terms of the Colicky Boy deal were not disclosed but it is believed to be worth about $4.7 million a season. The deal retains the Bulls' starting five for at least two more seasons and allows GM Melanie to focus on improving her horrific bench.

[Kobe101]

Yay Colicky Boys back!

[DWY]

Really liked the rookie scouting. Good luck for the next season.

[colickyboy]

It looks a little quiet right now on the 2005 front but you've got some detailed stuff right here. Maybe people will come back here more when the hype is settled.

thanks, air...

Yay Colicky Boys back!

yeah, it's interesting to have him in the game...we'll see how he does with these tougher sliders.

Really liked the rookie scouting. Good luck for the next season.

Thanks, DWY...hope to see you around more often here.

[colickyboy]

Now for the 2005 NBA Draft. Since I'm trying to simulate the real-life NBA, the draft in my dynasty is the same as the NBA...


Andrew Bogut and Marvin Williams tell the world where they were drafted



FIRST ROUND:
1. MIL - Andrew Bogut (Utah)
2. ATL - Marvin Williams (North Carolina)
3. UTA - Deron Williams (Illinois)
4. NO - Chris Paul (Wake Forest)
5. CHA - Raymond Felton (North Carolina)
6. POR - Martell Webster (Seattle Prep HS)
7. TOR - Charlie Villanueva (Connecticut)
8. NY - Channing Frye (Arizona)
9. GS - Ike Diogu (Arizona State)
10. LAL - Andrew Bynum (St. Joseph (NJ) HS)
11. ORL - Fran Vazquez (Spain)
12. LAC - Yaroslav Korolev (CSKA Moscow)
13. CHA - Sean May (North Carolina)
14. MIN - Rashad McCants (North Carolina)
15. NJ - Antoine Wright (Texas A&M)
16. TOR - Joey Graham (Oklahoma State)
17. IND - Danny Granger (New Mexico)
18. BOS - Gerald Green (Gulf Shores Acad (TX))
19. MEM - Hakim Warrick (Syracuse)
20. DEN - Julius Hodge (North Carolina State)
21. NY (from PHO) - Nate Robinson (Washington)
22. POR (from DEN) - Jarrett Jack (Georgia Tech)
23. SAC - Francisco Garcia (Louisville)
24. HOU - Luther Head (Illinois)
25. SEA - Johan Petro (France)
26. DET - Jason Maxiell (Cincinnati)
27. DEN (from POR) - Linas Kleiza (Missouri)
28. SA - Ian Mahinmi (STB Le Havre (France))
29. MIA - Wayne Simien (Kansas)
30. NY - David Lee (Florida)

ROUND 2
31. ATL - Salim Stoudamire (Arizona)
32. LAC - Daniel Ewing (Duke)
33. NO - Brandon Bass (LSU)
34. UTA - C.J. Miles (Skyline H.S. (Tex))
35. DEN (from POR) - Ricky Sanchez (IMG Academy)
36. MIL - Ersan Ilyasova (Ulker Istanbul)
37. LAL - Ronny Turiaf (Gonzaga)
38. ORL - Travis Diener (Marquette)
39. LAL - Von Wafer (Florida State)
40. GS - Monta Ellis (Lanier H.S. (Miss.))
41. TOR - Roko Ujic (KK Split (Croatia))
42. GS - Chris Taft (Pittsburgh)
43. NJ - Mile Ilic (BC Reflex (Serbia & Montenegro))
44. CLE (from ORL) - Martynas Andriuskevicius (Zalgiris (Lithuania))
45. PHI - Louis Williams (South Gwinnett HS (Ga.))
46. IND - Erazem Lorbek (Climamio Bologna (Italy))
47. MIN - Bracey Wright (Indiana)
48. SEA - Mickael Gelabale (Real Madrid (Spain))
49. WAS - Andray Blatche (South Kent Prep (Conn.))
50. BOS - Ryan Gomes (Providence)
51. UTA - Robert Whaley (Walsh University)
52. DEN - Axel Hervelle (Real Madrid (Spain))
53. BOS - Orien Green (La.-Lafayette)
54. PHO (from NY) - Dijon Thompson (UCLA)
55. MEM (from SEA) - Lawrence Roberts (Mississippi State)
56. DET - Amir Johnson (Westchester H.S. (Calif.))
57. ORL (from PHO) - Marcin Gortat (RheinEnergie Koln (Germany))
58. TOR - Uros Slokar (Snaidero Udine (Italy))
59. ATL - Cenk Akyol (Efes Pilsen (Turkey))
60. DET - Alex Acker (Eisenhower HS (Calif.))

The Bulls have no picks so they'll get the leftovers...

Next up in the Bulls' 2005 offseason: free agent open season...

[Buckley]

nice draft.........who won the playoff prediction thing?

do u already have basden, allen, and songalia on ur team? or r u signing them?