First, let's recap the Bulls ineptitude in getting a shooting guard. Last season they gave away two SGs (Salmons and Hinrich) and then paid a lot of money for three SGs who are all worse than the two they gave away. The Bulls would love to have a Dr. Frankenstein create one good SG by combining the best traits of their three flawed ones, but instead they will have to look for a trade. Just to make things even more idiotic, one of their main trade targets, JR Smith, is another guy the Bulls once gave away for nothing.
Sigh. It's depressing to discuss these trade possibilities, but let's get to it. I'm not crazy about Smith, even though he is a good 3 point shooter, and that is our biggest need. The main reason the Bulls threw him away in the first place is because he is a bit daffy and not the greatest locker room presence. Which brings me to Stephen Jackson, another guy who gets traded a lot because no one really likes him. He's the best all-around scorer among the candidates though. OJ Mayo is another possibility. After starting for the Grizzlies for his first two years in the league, he's now firmly planted on the bench. He is a young player with the most potential in this list, but he's more of a "score off the dribble" type of guy and the Bulls need a spot-up jump shooter to knock down open looks when Rose drives the lane and takes three guys with him. Jamal Crawford, another ex-Bull who we couldn't wait to get rid of at one time, is now back on the Bulls' radar. He's coming off a Sixth Man of the Year award and can score lots of points at times, but he's pretty limited and another player with some baggage.
Another target is JJ Redick, because the Bulls seemingly can't resist Duke players (I'd bet money they'll draft Singler next year if he's available to them). Or maybe they are just fascinated with players who go by two initials instead of a first name? Redick was their first choice over the summer but he spurned them for Orlando, who overpaid to resign him. Now Orlando has pulled off a blockbuster trade that has pulled in plenty of scorers but leaving them without a backup big man, so they would love to have someone like Taj. With Noah out the Bulls desperately need Taj as well, so even though Redick is likely to be traded it remains to be seen if the Bulls finally get him.
Of course it is getting to be the time of year when everyone talks about Carmelo Anthony being traded. He's firmly a 3, and not a 2, but with a real scorer at SF, instead of Deng, the Bulls might be able to live with their SG by committee. Current rumors have him going to NJ though. And if we are looking for scoring 3's, we could add Iguodala and Gerald Wallace to the mix. While I like both of them better than Deng (actually, there are few starting 3's in the league I like less than Deng) the Bulls would have to think hard about team chemistry before swapping for either.
Despite being well out in first place in a weak division, the Bulls are not playing well and will not go far in the playoffs with this team. The good news is that Boozer is shooting better and Noah will eventually be back. If they could somehow manage to get an upgrade at the 2 or 3 then their outlook should improve.
Wednesday, December 29, 2010
Saturday, December 11, 2010
December Recap
Bulls' annual circus trip was surprisingly successful this year. They wound up 4-3, including a great OT win over Phoenix. Taj had some outstanding games and both Rose and Noah accomplished their strengths. Then the Bulls started December with Carlos Boozer finally in the lineup, surprising Deng so much that he actually ran onto the court when they tried to introduce Boozer -- "6'9" from Duke". Unfortunately Boozer looks awful and the Bulls racked up a pair of bad losses against Orlando and Boston.
Since then the Bulls have strung together a nice little four game winning streak, even though they've played horribly for stretches in each game. They did their best to play down to the level of Houston and Cleveland. And they were fortunate enough to catch OK City and the Lakers on off-nights. Despite this, they are showing some determination and Rose is proving he can hit big shots, including a dramatic buzzer beater against Houston that saved the Bulls from a bad loss. More impressively, he hit some big shots down the stretch against the Lakers. Despite some bad turnover numbers, Rose has got to be a leading candidate for NBA player of the month.
As for the rest of the team, Noah is doing his bit, although he's had some off nights lately. Deng is still Deng, but he has not been as egregiously bad as usual. The fact that Thibs has taught him that he can get a whole extra point from a basket if he just steps back nine inches has been huge. Korver is clearly a streaky shooter, but at least we have someone with some range. Brewer is clumsy, but scrappy and athletic. Bogans is still starting, but his minutes are way down. Unless he starts hitting more 3's his time on the bench will remain high. Asik and Watson have their obvious flaws but both have done a decent job with their limited roles. And Thibs seems to have given up on putting either Johnson or Scalabrine into a game.
My wife tells me that Boozer is my new Deng and there is plenty to criticize about his play. He's lazy on rotations and often seems either lost or careless on defense. Aside from one game, he's had minimal impact on the offense. He doesn't even rebound that well. Still, I'm reserving judgment until he gets a few more games under him. I know he can score and Thibs should be able to teach him a bit of defense (although it is scary if Jerry Sloan did not). The Bulls need an improved Boozer if they are going to do anything in the playoffs this year, and right now Taj is out-playing him.
Putting together a few wins and finally beating the Lakers has got to have the Bulls buoyed up. They are definitely a work in progress but it's nice to see them actually leading their weak division (although they only have the sixth best record in the East). Their record puts them just behind the Knicks (!!!) making their Christmas match-up something to look forward to.
Since then the Bulls have strung together a nice little four game winning streak, even though they've played horribly for stretches in each game. They did their best to play down to the level of Houston and Cleveland. And they were fortunate enough to catch OK City and the Lakers on off-nights. Despite this, they are showing some determination and Rose is proving he can hit big shots, including a dramatic buzzer beater against Houston that saved the Bulls from a bad loss. More impressively, he hit some big shots down the stretch against the Lakers. Despite some bad turnover numbers, Rose has got to be a leading candidate for NBA player of the month.
As for the rest of the team, Noah is doing his bit, although he's had some off nights lately. Deng is still Deng, but he has not been as egregiously bad as usual. The fact that Thibs has taught him that he can get a whole extra point from a basket if he just steps back nine inches has been huge. Korver is clearly a streaky shooter, but at least we have someone with some range. Brewer is clumsy, but scrappy and athletic. Bogans is still starting, but his minutes are way down. Unless he starts hitting more 3's his time on the bench will remain high. Asik and Watson have their obvious flaws but both have done a decent job with their limited roles. And Thibs seems to have given up on putting either Johnson or Scalabrine into a game.
My wife tells me that Boozer is my new Deng and there is plenty to criticize about his play. He's lazy on rotations and often seems either lost or careless on defense. Aside from one game, he's had minimal impact on the offense. He doesn't even rebound that well. Still, I'm reserving judgment until he gets a few more games under him. I know he can score and Thibs should be able to teach him a bit of defense (although it is scary if Jerry Sloan did not). The Bulls need an improved Boozer if they are going to do anything in the playoffs this year, and right now Taj is out-playing him.
Putting together a few wins and finally beating the Lakers has got to have the Bulls buoyed up. They are definitely a work in progress but it's nice to see them actually leading their weak division (although they only have the sixth best record in the East). Their record puts them just behind the Knicks (!!!) making their Christmas match-up something to look forward to.
Saturday, October 30, 2010
A New Beginning
A new season with a new coach and mostly a new team. However, at least for the first two games, we have pretty much the same Bulls. Rose is still our main offensive weapon. He's still great at scooting towards the rim, out-racing his defenders. And he's still not that great with his defense or jump shot. Noah is still our hustle play rebounder. Taj is still our power forward and tries very hard. Deng is still a total wuss.
None of the new guys have been at all impressive. Brewer looks crippled. Korver looks slow, but better than Brewer. Bogans looks decidedly average and he's our starter. Thomas plays far less than I was expecting. And C. J. Watson is looking way to much like Pargo -- a few streaky shots and then turnover city.
It's actually the guys I had the least amount of hope in who have done better than expected. Scalabrine is, amazingly, part of the rotation, and he's not terrible when he's in there. Asik gets minutes as well and he's shown that he can take a charge and scrap for rebounds. And Johnson may just claw his way back from the dead. He's obviously lighter and faster than last year and plays with much more intensity. He still makes dumb mistakes, but now he also makes some good plays to go along with them!
In the opener, the Bulls ran up and down with the Thunder and finally wound up playing less defense in the end. Rose went to his erratic jumper too often. In the home opener, it looked like it was going to be Ben Gordon revenge night as he was lighting up Rose early. The Bulls were getting blown out but made a typical Bull charge in the fourth quarter and came away with a win.
Very telling to me is that Thibs sat Deng on the bench for that entire fourth quarter charge. And many of those minutes were going to Asik and Johnson! That's how worthless Deng has become for this team. I've called for him to be traded over and over but now it absolutely has to happen. There are rumors now about swapping Deng for Iguodala, and even though I know Iguodala is kind of a head case himself and I'm not crazy about his game, I can't believe the 76's would be stupid enough to make that swap. Every year we hear about how Deng has improved his game over the summer and how great he looks in pre-season, and every year we find out that when he gets into a real game he rolls over on his belly and whimpers.
Of course if the Bulls ever do trade him I won't have any easy targets to vent my frustrations on when the Bulls lose. I'll practice with some Boozer bashing, before he even steps foot on the floor. How does a guy break his frickin hand tripping over a bag in his house while going to answer his doorbell? I'm sorry, but I just don't buy his story. And even if he isn't lying, he's proven to be an idiot either way. He better bring a lot of game with him when he gets back on the court because I'm already eying him as my Deng blog-bashing replacement.
None of the new guys have been at all impressive. Brewer looks crippled. Korver looks slow, but better than Brewer. Bogans looks decidedly average and he's our starter. Thomas plays far less than I was expecting. And C. J. Watson is looking way to much like Pargo -- a few streaky shots and then turnover city.
It's actually the guys I had the least amount of hope in who have done better than expected. Scalabrine is, amazingly, part of the rotation, and he's not terrible when he's in there. Asik gets minutes as well and he's shown that he can take a charge and scrap for rebounds. And Johnson may just claw his way back from the dead. He's obviously lighter and faster than last year and plays with much more intensity. He still makes dumb mistakes, but now he also makes some good plays to go along with them!
In the opener, the Bulls ran up and down with the Thunder and finally wound up playing less defense in the end. Rose went to his erratic jumper too often. In the home opener, it looked like it was going to be Ben Gordon revenge night as he was lighting up Rose early. The Bulls were getting blown out but made a typical Bull charge in the fourth quarter and came away with a win.
Very telling to me is that Thibs sat Deng on the bench for that entire fourth quarter charge. And many of those minutes were going to Asik and Johnson! That's how worthless Deng has become for this team. I've called for him to be traded over and over but now it absolutely has to happen. There are rumors now about swapping Deng for Iguodala, and even though I know Iguodala is kind of a head case himself and I'm not crazy about his game, I can't believe the 76's would be stupid enough to make that swap. Every year we hear about how Deng has improved his game over the summer and how great he looks in pre-season, and every year we find out that when he gets into a real game he rolls over on his belly and whimpers.
Of course if the Bulls ever do trade him I won't have any easy targets to vent my frustrations on when the Bulls lose. I'll practice with some Boozer bashing, before he even steps foot on the floor. How does a guy break his frickin hand tripping over a bag in his house while going to answer his doorbell? I'm sorry, but I just don't buy his story. And even if he isn't lying, he's proven to be an idiot either way. He better bring a lot of game with him when he gets back on the court because I'm already eying him as my Deng blog-bashing replacement.
Thursday, September 9, 2010
End of Summer Vacation
Hasn't been much of a vacation for several Bulls playing international ball, most notably Deng, Rose, and Omer Asik. And it is a mixed bag for the Bulls on whether this is good or not.
For Asik, it is probably all upside. Turkey may be the only country to have sent its best players to the FIBA World Championship, and they are playing at a high level. I haven't seen Omer yet, but by accounts he seems to be doing about as well as he can. He probably needs all the practice he can get. There is a fairly good chance that Rose will face off against him in the championship.
Likewise, I think it is good for Rose to play. He needs work on defense, and on just about all aspects of the game that does not include accelerating towards the basket. I'm a huge Duke hater, but Coach K knows what he's doing and Rose can learn a lot, both from him, and from playing alongside a savy guard like Chauncey Billups. I know if he winds up getting hurt our season is toast, but I think the experience is worth it.
On the other hand, I don't think it is in the Bulls' best interest to have Deng be the one man show on the UK team. The UK isn't in the FIBA tournament, so Deng played in eight other qualifying games for the UK, mostly against weak competition. We certainly don't need Deng feeling more encouraged to jack up those long twos, or to think that he's a main offensive weapon.
The biggest end of summer news remains Camelo Anthony's attempts to get Denver to trade him before the season starts. Supposedly, he is pushing for either the Bulls or the Knicks, but Denver has no obligations other than to try to get the best deal for him They certainly don't want to lose him the way Bosh and LeBron deserted their old teams. Rumor is that the Bulls offered Deng, Taj, Johnson and change and that Denver wanted no part of that. Nobody wants Deng and his bloated contract without getting a lot back in return. So now the talk is that Noah is in the mix and discussions are going on.
I have mixed feelings about this. On the one hand, I've said before that Carmelo seems like a perfect fit for the Bulls and would be worth the trade. On the other hand, we'd really be hurting in the frontcourt without Noah, and we'd be devastated by losing both Noah and Taj. Could the Bulls really win with such a thin frontcourt roster?
I really don't expect Denver to give up Anthony without getting either a major player back in return or large expiring contracts. The Bulls don't have the latter and Noah is pretty much the only guy they could sanely offer.Friday, August 6, 2010
Last Spot - Fernandez, House, or Bogans?
Bulls are finishing up their summer free agent shopping. Obviously Miami skunked everyone this year, but that aside, the Bulls did pretty well. Boozer is the low post scoring threat they've missed for years. Brewer has the world's ugliest shot (due to a childhood accident) but he is a big 2 guard, and has a fair all-around game. Korver is a badly needed 3 point specialist. C.J. Watson should hopefully be a better backup point than Pargo was. And Kurt Thomas should give us some veteran toughness in the front court. Also, Omer Asik, the Turkish center the Bulls drafted in 2008, will be joining the team. I expect he'll mostly be a space-eater and little else.
That's a lot of new players, and the Bulls are certain to add one more to fill out their roster. Rumor is that they are going after a shooting guard. Since we gave up our all time leading 3-point shooter (Hinrich, believe it or not) and Korver is the only solid 3 point threat on the team, I'm assuming the Bulls want a 3 point shooting threat. The obvious targets left are Rudy Fernandez, Eddie House, and Keith Bogans. Fernandez is probably the best choice, although he is streaky and doesn't seem to have the best attitude. New York was interested in him, but not enough to give Portland a first round draft pick. I don't think the Bulls should either. Nor do I think they should give up Taj for him, as is rumored. Now if they can get him for Johnson and a second rounder, then they should jump on that deal.
Failing Rudy, House is the next best shooter, but he's a short guard and weak defensively. He's played with Thibs though at Boston, so he knows his defensive schemes, and he isn't going to squawk about playing time like Fernandez does. Bogans is the worst shooter of the three, but the best defender. You could argue that Brewer is our defensive two guard, but Bogans is a better shooter than Brewer, and could be a good choice to spell him.
If we're going for shooting first then Fernandez is the guy, although he's the riskiest of the three. The Bulls can't over-reach and toss away another first rounder or Taj for him though. Getting any one of these guys, at the right price, should improve the team.
That's a lot of new players, and the Bulls are certain to add one more to fill out their roster. Rumor is that they are going after a shooting guard. Since we gave up our all time leading 3-point shooter (Hinrich, believe it or not) and Korver is the only solid 3 point threat on the team, I'm assuming the Bulls want a 3 point shooting threat. The obvious targets left are Rudy Fernandez, Eddie House, and Keith Bogans. Fernandez is probably the best choice, although he is streaky and doesn't seem to have the best attitude. New York was interested in him, but not enough to give Portland a first round draft pick. I don't think the Bulls should either. Nor do I think they should give up Taj for him, as is rumored. Now if they can get him for Johnson and a second rounder, then they should jump on that deal.
Failing Rudy, House is the next best shooter, but he's a short guard and weak defensively. He's played with Thibs though at Boston, so he knows his defensive schemes, and he isn't going to squawk about playing time like Fernandez does. Bogans is the worst shooter of the three, but the best defender. You could argue that Brewer is our defensive two guard, but Bogans is a better shooter than Brewer, and could be a good choice to spell him.
If we're going for shooting first then Fernandez is the guy, although he's the riskiest of the three. The Bulls can't over-reach and toss away another first rounder or Taj for him though. Getting any one of these guys, at the right price, should improve the team.
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
Boozer and Waiting on LeBron
Most of the big free agents have committed by now. Wade and Bosh to Miami. Stoudemire to the Knicks. Johnson and Gay resign with their former teams. Durant signed a long contract extension. LeBron will announce his decision tomorrow on ESPN.
Oh, and the Clippers got Vinny Del Negro.
It was looking a bit grim for the Bulls, but at least they got Carlos Boozer, someone they've been after for a year now. He's a good rebounder and has some offensive skills. He's definitely someone we can use, but certainly not one of the top tier free agents.
Of course we're not out of the LeBron sweepstakes yet, but it isn't looking great. It doesn't help that he's going to make the announcement near New York. Outside of whatever LeBron does, everyone will say that Miami won the free agent derby, but unless they get LeBron or start signing a bunch of useful role players, the Bulls don't have to fear the Heat. Bosh is a bit of an over-rated player, and not a great defender. I'd say the same, but even more so, for Stoudemire. Both of them are also now a bit over-paid, so I'm not upset at losing out at them.
Even assuming no LeBron, the Bulls can still improve by picking up a shooting guard. Ray Allen hasn't committed yet, but he's only going to be good for a year or two. I would like to see them make a run at David Lee. I may be crazy, but I think he and Boozer could play together, with one of them at the 3 spot. Of course I've said for years that the Bulls must get rid of Deng.
On the other hand, there is always next year and Carmelo Anthony to slide into the 3 spot. He actually has the perfect game to fit in with the other Bull players. You hate to say wait until next year when so much hope was put on this year, but that may be the best plan.
If LeBron goes to the Bulls I will forgive him for arranging a one hour ESPN special to make his declaration, but if not, it will be very easy to hate him for this. I think he may also have set a record for having the most followers on Twitter without making a single tweet.
Oh, and the Clippers got Vinny Del Negro.
It was looking a bit grim for the Bulls, but at least they got Carlos Boozer, someone they've been after for a year now. He's a good rebounder and has some offensive skills. He's definitely someone we can use, but certainly not one of the top tier free agents.
Of course we're not out of the LeBron sweepstakes yet, but it isn't looking great. It doesn't help that he's going to make the announcement near New York. Outside of whatever LeBron does, everyone will say that Miami won the free agent derby, but unless they get LeBron or start signing a bunch of useful role players, the Bulls don't have to fear the Heat. Bosh is a bit of an over-rated player, and not a great defender. I'd say the same, but even more so, for Stoudemire. Both of them are also now a bit over-paid, so I'm not upset at losing out at them.
Even assuming no LeBron, the Bulls can still improve by picking up a shooting guard. Ray Allen hasn't committed yet, but he's only going to be good for a year or two. I would like to see them make a run at David Lee. I may be crazy, but I think he and Boozer could play together, with one of them at the 3 spot. Of course I've said for years that the Bulls must get rid of Deng.
On the other hand, there is always next year and Carmelo Anthony to slide into the 3 spot. He actually has the perfect game to fit in with the other Bull players. You hate to say wait until next year when so much hope was put on this year, but that may be the best plan.
If LeBron goes to the Bulls I will forgive him for arranging a one hour ESPN special to make his declaration, but if not, it will be very easy to hate him for this. I think he may also have set a record for having the most followers on Twitter without making a single tweet.
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
Thibs Introduced and Draft
Pretty standard media conference introducing Thibodeau as coach, with the exception of a plethora of LeBron James questions that obviously he couldn't address. He notably recognized that Derrick Rose needs to improve his defense among all the nice things he said about Chicago and the Bulls, both the players and the organization. I'm still sold on him and a bit shocked that the Bulls seemed to have made a wise coaching choice.
Tomorrow is draft day and more importantly for the Bulls, a day of trading. It's no secret that the Bulls are trying to clear more cap room so they can sign two max free agents. Lots of teams are trying to save money though, so it will be difficult. The two contracts the Bulls most want off their books are those of Deng and Hinrich, in that order of desire. Unfortunately, Deng will be harder to move than Heinrich. The Bulls will package their number 17 pick in any reasonable deal that would get rid of one of those guys.
Of course, I really, really want to see Deng go. Now that Tyrus Thomas is gone, Deng is the Bull I'm most likely to bash. There is a rumor that has us swapping Deng for Orlando's Gortat and Pietrus. May not sound like a lot to get back but I would take that trade in a heartbeat. I know there is plenty of talk of "saving" Deng to use in a sign and trade for someone like Bosh, but the Bulls would be foolish to wait around for that possibility. If they can get Deng off the books on draft day then they should jump on it.
It will be tougher for me to see Hinrich go, but as I've said before, he's a bit overpaid, although not as much as Deng is, and he should be far easier to move than Deng. If Kurt was just a bit more consistent with his 3 point shot, then I would certainly keep him, but the Bulls need someone who can spread the floor, more than they need Hinrich's capable defense. The rub is that I could see Kurt improving his shot too, but the Bulls need to roll the dice for free agents, and that means saving money.
If we wind up keeping the 17 pick, then we have to focus on a three point shooter or a big, but take the best available player, regardless. I like Paul George, Xavier Henry and Luke Babbitt, but fear they will all be gone before 17. I know there is plenty of talk about James Anderson, and I think he will be available, and I'm not sure about him. If he really can bury the NBA three, then he could be a good pick. Larry Sanders is another name tossed about for the Bulls and I don't know enough about him to know if he's a good pick. I suspect he's more of a project than an immediate contributer. Texas guard Avery Bradley is another name you hear. I think he's a pretty decent player, and if Hinrich winds up leaving then we'll need a combo guard, although Bradley seems a bit short for that. Ditto for Kentucky's Eric Bledsoe. Bledsoe's teammate, Daniel Orton, is another possibility. Kentucky will likely have 5 players drafted first round, which shows how insanely talented they were, but all are young, and Orton is more likey to be picked for future upside rather than what he will offer next year.
Bottom line, if the Bulls can pick up someone as good as Taj this year (and avoid a pick as bad as Johnson was) then they did a great job. Likewise, if they include this pick in a trade that nets them cap room.
Tomorrow is draft day and more importantly for the Bulls, a day of trading. It's no secret that the Bulls are trying to clear more cap room so they can sign two max free agents. Lots of teams are trying to save money though, so it will be difficult. The two contracts the Bulls most want off their books are those of Deng and Hinrich, in that order of desire. Unfortunately, Deng will be harder to move than Heinrich. The Bulls will package their number 17 pick in any reasonable deal that would get rid of one of those guys.
Of course, I really, really want to see Deng go. Now that Tyrus Thomas is gone, Deng is the Bull I'm most likely to bash. There is a rumor that has us swapping Deng for Orlando's Gortat and Pietrus. May not sound like a lot to get back but I would take that trade in a heartbeat. I know there is plenty of talk of "saving" Deng to use in a sign and trade for someone like Bosh, but the Bulls would be foolish to wait around for that possibility. If they can get Deng off the books on draft day then they should jump on it.
It will be tougher for me to see Hinrich go, but as I've said before, he's a bit overpaid, although not as much as Deng is, and he should be far easier to move than Deng. If Kurt was just a bit more consistent with his 3 point shot, then I would certainly keep him, but the Bulls need someone who can spread the floor, more than they need Hinrich's capable defense. The rub is that I could see Kurt improving his shot too, but the Bulls need to roll the dice for free agents, and that means saving money.
If we wind up keeping the 17 pick, then we have to focus on a three point shooter or a big, but take the best available player, regardless. I like Paul George, Xavier Henry and Luke Babbitt, but fear they will all be gone before 17. I know there is plenty of talk about James Anderson, and I think he will be available, and I'm not sure about him. If he really can bury the NBA three, then he could be a good pick. Larry Sanders is another name tossed about for the Bulls and I don't know enough about him to know if he's a good pick. I suspect he's more of a project than an immediate contributer. Texas guard Avery Bradley is another name you hear. I think he's a pretty decent player, and if Hinrich winds up leaving then we'll need a combo guard, although Bradley seems a bit short for that. Ditto for Kentucky's Eric Bledsoe. Bledsoe's teammate, Daniel Orton, is another possibility. Kentucky will likely have 5 players drafted first round, which shows how insanely talented they were, but all are young, and Orton is more likey to be picked for future upside rather than what he will offer next year.
Bottom line, if the Bulls can pick up someone as good as Taj this year (and avoid a pick as bad as Johnson was) then they did a great job. Likewise, if they include this pick in a trade that nets them cap room.
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