Bulls Offseason Thread

[chuckywang]

this season is going to be EPIC.

 

I still can't believe this happened. I can't wait to see how this all plays out. Basically, if they dont win multiple championships, this was a huge disaster.

 

The Heat better be careful cause EVERY SINGLE FREAKING PLAYER will be bringing it against them. And away from home, they will be mercilessly heckled by the soldout crowd. That's what you get when a team with a small fanbase all of a sudden achieves more notoriety than the Yankees.

[17 Seconds]

yeah, it's going to be wild to see how this plays out.

[17 Seconds]

i turned it off after he said miami, so i didn't know he was this much of a dick afterward. "i was going to do what's best for lebron james".

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0jqF7Qa8h9w

 

did he even offer a real apology to cavs fans? how can you do NOTHING? it's surreal.

[C.C.]

this season is going to be EPIC.

 

I still can't believe this happened. I can't wait to see how this all plays out. Basically, if they dont win multiple championships, this was a huge disaster.

 

Baring injury it's impossible for them not to win multiple championships.

[C.C.]

Wow, the Cavs official front page is brutal right now.

 

Dan Gilbert has a jillion dollars and can't find a font that isn't reminiscent of a Geocites page?

 

Guy in the ESPN chat said it looks like an invite to a picnic.

 

http://bancomicsans.com/

 

I am unapologetic for my love of Comic Sans.

 

He'll ya!

 

http://www.mcsweeneys.net/links/monologues/15comicsans.html

[inari]

 

http://www.mcsweeneys.net/links/monologues/15comicsans.html

 

Thief.

[Guest]

You're the "he" in "he'll ya!". Or something.

[Soul]

Basically, if they dont win multiple championships, this was a huge disaster.

 

I can't see that happening. It's too good a big 3. I don't think even Kobe & crew can stop this, especially since my understanding is that they will take less money to help the Heat fill out the roster.

 

Pat Riley -- just an unbelievable victory for him. He's pulled off the incredible with this offseason.

[CubColtPacer]

I'm very conflicted. I'm not a fan of how LeBron handled it with the TV special. But I do respect him for one thing. He said all along that he was going to choose his team by who had the best chance to win. For most athletes it's lip service but LeBron seems to have taken it to heart. He took less money and hurt his potential for an amazing legacy for a better chance to win titles. Isn't that what we want our sports stars to do?

[hawkeyecub]

this season is going to be EPIC.

 

I still can't believe this happened. I can't wait to see how this all plays out. Basically, if they dont win multiple championships, this was a huge disaster.

 

Baring injury it's impossible for them not to win multiple championships.

 

It's possible. Next year it's very likely that they aren't ready to deal with the Lakers and it's possible that the Magic or Celtics knock them out because of limited depth and learning to adjust. It's also very likely there's a lockout in '11-'12. Then by the time they come back in '12-'13 Wade will be 31. He's not going to age well and will probably begin his decline around that season. WARP projects James worth 14.1 wins this year, Wade worth 14.5 and Bosh worth 10.2. But then in '12-'13 James is worth 15.5 while Wade is worth 9.3 and Bosh only 6.8. I'm not completely sold on those numbers but Wade will decline fairly hard at the end of the deal.

Maybe by that point the Magic are able to put more talent around Howard or the Thunder are able to rise up to that level.

 

The problem is they'll probably have the Wolves lottery pick next year and then will be able to use the MLE on average-above average free agents every year.

[Guest]

I'm very conflicted. I'm not a fan of how LeBron handled it with the TV special. But I do respect him for one thing. He said all along that he was going to choose his team by who had the best chance to win. For most athletes it's lip service but LeBron seems to have taken it to heart. He took less money and hurt his potential for an amazing legacy for a better chance to win titles. Isn't that what we want our sports stars to do?

 

Yeah, I'm in the same boat. Everyone would've laughed at LeBron for going to a terrible team like the Knicks or the Clippers(although they would've been pretty good with LeBron), but when he goes to the best possible team he's a coward for not trying to do it on his own. Apparently he needs to go to a good team, but not too good a team.

 

Anyways, my big problems are with the Heat gaming the system to do this, LeBron's handling of the process, and the fact that I like the Heat the least out of LeBron's suitors.

[Flames24Rulz]

I'm very conflicted. I'm not a fan of how LeBron handled it with the TV special. But I do respect him for one thing. He said all along that he was going to choose his team by who had the best chance to win. For most athletes it's lip service but LeBron seems to have taken it to heart. He took less money and hurt his potential for an amazing legacy for a better chance to win titles. Isn't that what we want our sports stars to do?

 

Yeah, I'm in the same boat. Everyone would've laughed at LeBron for going to a terrible team like the Knicks or the Clippers(although they would've been pretty good with LeBron), but when he goes to the best possible team he's a coward for not trying to do it on his own. Apparently he needs to go to a good team, but not too good a team.

 

Anyways, my big problems are with the Heat gaming the system to do this, LeBron's handling of the process, and the fact that I like the Heat the least out of LeBron's suitors.

 

If he truly is what he says he is, Miami is the worst situation for him. He's basically admitting that at age 25, he couldn't win a title by being the guy. For some crazy reason, I was criticized for saying it was Wade's team yesterday. I give credit to LeBron for one thing and that is the fact that he's taking less money in order to try to win multiple titles. But with the way he thinks of himself and the way he played to fans makes me believe that he has absolutely no idea how this whole ordeal is going to unfold in front of him.

 

I hope this fails miserably. They're going to get ridiculed by everybody if they don't win the title next year. The pressure on them the following years would reach an extraordinary level. Go Lakers.

[Tyrant]

yeah, it's going to be wild to see how this plays out.

 

As much as we'd all like to hope the Heat fail, I don't see it happening. This is how I see the East shaking out:

 

1. Heat - 64 wins

2. Magic - 58 wins

3. Bulls - 55 wins

4. Hawks - 52 wins

5. Bucks - 48 wins

6. Bobcats - 44 wins

7. Nets - 40 wins

8. Cavs - 38 wins

[Guest]

If he truly is what he says he is, Miami is the worst situation for him. He's basically admitting that at age 25, he couldn't win a title by being the guy.

 

So again, he needs to get good teammates, but they can't be too good. It's an absurd argument.

[Tracer Bullet]

what the hell minnesota?

 

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=5365794

[Hairyducked Idiot]

If he truly is what he says he is, Miami is the worst situation for him. He's basically admitting that at age 25, he couldn't win a title by being the guy.

 

So again, he needs to get good teammates, but they can't be too good. It's an absurd argument.

 

The even more absurd part is that he's not allowed to team up with a guy like Wade, because that would tarnish his attempt to get on the same level as Jordan or Magic Johnson, neither of whom ever won a title without another HOFer in their major contributing years.

[Flames24Rulz]

If he truly is what he says he is, Miami is the worst situation for him. He's basically admitting that at age 25, he couldn't win a title by being the guy.

 

So again, he needs to get good teammates, but they can't be too good. It's an absurd argument.

 

The even more absurd part is that he's not allowed to team up with a guy like Wade, because that would tarnish his attempt to get on the same level as Jordan or Magic Johnson, neither of whom ever won a title without another HOFer in their major contributing years.

 

It definitely tarnishes his ability to get on the same level as MJ. I don't see how it doesn't.

 

MJ or Magic never admitted defeat seven years in the league to bolt ship in their prime to join another top three player in the league.

[rawaction]

Pat Riley -- just an unbelievable victory for him. He's pulled off the incredible with this offseason.

 

Riley didn't have anything to do with it. It was former Olympic teammates making a pact to play together 2 years ago.

[Old Style]

If he truly is what he says he is, Miami is the worst situation for him. He's basically admitting that at age 25, he couldn't win a title by being the guy.

 

So again, he needs to get good teammates, but they can't be too good. It's an absurd argument.

 

The even more absurd part is that he's not allowed to team up with a guy like Wade, because that would tarnish his attempt to get on the same level as Jordan or Magic Johnson, neither of whom ever won a title without another HOFer in their major contributing years.

You guys are missing the point. Jordan was The Man even though Pippen played beside him. Magic was The Man no matter who played with him. LeBron will not be The Man in Miami. That is Wade's team. He could have been The Man on a great TEAM (not a collection of 3 great players) in Chicago but he didn't want to do that. When MJ & Co. kept getting kicked in the teeth by the Bad Boys, what did they do? They didn't tuck their tails and run away. They got better, they got tougher, and they plowed right through Detroit. LeBron gave up and admitted defeat.

[jersey cubs fan]

Pat Riley -- just an unbelievable victory for him. He's pulled off the incredible with this offseason.

 

Riley didn't have anything to do with it. It was former Olympic teammates making a pact to play together 2 years ago.

 

He had to make it possible for it to happen, and keep Wade in Miami.

[Hairyducked Idiot]

It definitely tarnishes his ability to get on the same level as MJ. I don't see how it doesn't.

 

James could have joined a team of Horace Grant, Paxson, Wennington and B.J. Armstrong coming out of retirement at their ages, with no bench, then led them to 7 consecutive titles while averaging 50 points a game, and people would still find an excuse to say he doesn't belong on Jordan's level.

[Flames24Rulz]

Pat Riley -- just an unbelievable victory for him. He's pulled off the incredible with this offseason.

 

Riley didn't have anything to do with it. It was former Olympic teammates making a pact to play together 2 years ago.

 

He had to make it possible for it to happen, and keep Wade in Miami.

 

Wade was staying all along. If you read everything between the lines, I think it's obvious that they decided on this a couple of years ago.

[Hairyducked Idiot]

You guys are missing the point. Jordan was The Man even though Pippen played beside him. Magic was The Man no matter who played with him. LeBron will not be The Man in Miami. That is Wade's team. He could have been The Man on a great TEAM (not a collection of 3 great players) in Chicago but he didn't want to do that. When MJ & Co. kept getting kicked in the teeth by the Bad Boys, what did they do? They didn't tuck their tails and run away. They got better, they got tougher, and they plowed right through Detroit. LeBron gave up and admitted defeat.

 

LeBron James will be the best basketball player on the Miami Heat. "The Man" is just a stupid designation given by fans.

 

Jordan could never win a title without another sure-fire HOFer. James wasn't getting one of those in Cleveland.

[C.C.]

If he truly is what he says he is, Miami is the worst situation for him. He's basically admitting that at age 25, he couldn't win a title by being the guy.

 

So again, he needs to get good teammates, but they can't be too good. It's an absurd argument.

 

The even more absurd part is that he's not allowed to team up with a guy like Wade, because that would tarnish his attempt to get on the same level as Jordan or Magic Johnson, neither of whom ever won a title without another HOFer in their major contributing years.

 

That's not the same. If Jordan joined the lakers in his prime that would be more like this situation. I think what we can take out of all this is Lebron isn't comfortable being "the man". I think he has no problem playing second fiddle to Wade.

[Flames24Rulz]

It definitely tarnishes his ability to get on the same level as MJ. I don't see how it doesn't.

 

James could have joined a team of Horace Grant, Paxson, Wennington and B.J. Armstrong coming out of retirement at their ages, with no bench, then led them to 7 consecutive titles while averaging 50 points a game, and people would still find an excuse to say he doesn't belong on Jordan's level.

 

Yeah, because that's exactly what I'm saying.