Bulls Offseason Thread

[jersey cubs fan]

The easy way out? Should he have taken the minimum and played for the Wizards? He went to the best team he could, how is that at all a decision worthy of criticism?

 

I don't see how anybody can pretend there isn't some criticism warrented here.

 

I don't see how anybody can pretend this isn't sour grapes from fans who wanted him to come to *their* cherry-picked title situation.

 

There's sour grapes from some (watching the local NY news last night was absolutely hysterical). But there's also criticism from people who have no skin in the game.

[Hairyducked Idiot]

There's sour grapes from some (watching the local NY news last night was absolutely hysterical). But there's also criticism from people who have no skin in the game.

 

Haters gonna hate. Who doesn't love a getting worked up and outraged? Especially at rich celebrities.

[Formerly Snayke]

We all know it'll be Dorell Wright's team.

[bukie]

The important thing for the Bulls right now is that they don't do something really stupid, like trade for Redd or Arenas. They've actually done a good job of building a good team. A superstar would have pushed them over the top from contender to favorite, but it didn't work out (again). So, they need to somehow find a quality SG (that can actually shoot, and preferably play some D) and bank on Rose and Noah continuing to develop.

[Old Style]

The important thing for the Bulls right now is that they don't do something really stupid, like trade for Redd or Arenas. They've actually done a good job of building a good team. A superstar would have pushed them over the top from contender to favorite, but it didn't work out (again). So, they need to somehow find a quality SG (that can actually shoot, and preferably play some D) and bank on Rose and Noah continuing to develop.

Agreed. DRose needs to step up this season and make it HIS team. Hopefully he's in the gym right now working on that outside shot. And for the record, I loved Noah's response. I have to admit that I absolute HATED that draft pick. He has made me a believer. I may go buy a Joakim Noah jersey.

[erik316wttn]

Wow. Stay classy Dan Gilbert. LeBron brought recognition and respectability to your franchise, which had done exactly nothing before he came along, and this is the way you treat him on the way out the door. Way to show exactly how classy of a human being you are to other potential Free Agents who might have been considering playing for your team.

 

And also, I don't understand the criticism toward LeBron not being "THE guy" in Miami. He wants to win. This gives him the best chance to do so, and he's willing to share some of the spotlight with Bosh and Wade. He obviously doesn't care about having a Jordan-esque legacy, he just wants to win titles. I can respect that.

[Formerly Snayke]

Wow. Stay classy Dan Gilbert. LeBron brought recognition and respectability to your franchise, which had done exactly nothing before he came along, and this is the way you treat him on the way out the door. Way to show exactly how classy of a human being you are to other potential Free Agents who might have been considering playing for your team

 

While Gilbert did act out of line, do you honestly think he should be thanking LeBron after he failed to ever contact the Cavaliers, make a spectacle out of himself and not let the Cavs know his plans until five minutes before? It's not like the Cavs didn't bend over backwards for LeBron.

[jersey cubs fan]

Wow. Stay classy Dan Gilbert. LeBron brought recognition and respectability to your franchise, which had done exactly nothing before he came along, and this is the way you treat him on the way out the door. Way to show exactly how classy of a human being you are to other potential Free Agents who might have been considering playing for your team.

 

You are worried about how the owner treated Lebron? Lebron made a freaking show out of leaving Cleveland.

[Soul]

The important thing for the Bulls right now is that they don't do something really stupid, like trade for Redd or Arenas. They've actually done a good job of building a good team. A superstar would have pushed them over the top from contender to favorite, but it didn't work out (again). So, they need to somehow find a quality SG (that can actually shoot, and preferably play some D) and bank on Rose and Noah continuing to develop.

 

They got the big man down low who can score though, right? That's been the biggest thing cited with this team over the past several years.

 

Certainly, it's not enough. But the Bulls didn't come away empty. My expectations for the franchise since Jordan left have never been all that high, frankly.

 

I totally agree they shouldn't do anything rash.

[rawaction]

The easy way out? Should he have taken the minimum and played for the Wizards? He went to the best team he could, how is that at all a decision worthy of criticism?

 

Same way Teixeria and Sabathia get criticized for going to the Yankees. Same way Favre got critized for playing the Packers and going to the Vikings.

 

Don't act like this is a new concept.

[Derwood]

any chance the Cavs can swoop in and nab Carmelo now?

[Flames24Rulz]

Wow. Stay classy Dan Gilbert. LeBron brought recognition and respectability to your franchise, which had done exactly nothing before he came along, and this is the way you treat him on the way out the door. Way to show exactly how classy of a human being you are to other potential Free Agents who might have been considering playing for your team.

 

And also, I don't understand the criticism toward LeBron not being "THE guy" in Miami. He wants to win. This gives him the best chance to do so, and he's willing to share some of the spotlight with Bosh and Wade. He obviously doesn't care about having a Jordan-esque legacy, he just wants to win titles. I can respect that.

 

They still did nothing when he was there. They didn't win a championship and didn't win a single Finals game. He did quit during Game 6 of the Magic series last year and I don't think there was any question that he quit during the end of the Celtics series this season.

 

I'm glad somebody didn't hold back, although that wasn't a very good way of going about doing it. His personal guarantee is a joke because what happens when LeBron finally does win a title? Is he going to sell the team? If you're going to guarantee something, you better be sure that you can back that up.

 

And it's Cleveland without LeBron. You were never going to get high-profile FA's to come there anyway.

[SouthSideRyan]

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

 

Blatant attempt to get me to respond?

 

On my standings before I was assuming Beasley to Bobcats. I'd put Bulls 5, Bobcats 6 now.

[erik316wttn]

Wow. Stay classy Dan Gilbert. LeBron brought recognition and respectability to your franchise, which had done exactly nothing before he came along, and this is the way you treat him on the way out the door. Way to show exactly how classy of a human being you are to other potential Free Agents who might have been considering playing for your team

 

While Gilbert did act out of line, do you honestly think he should be thanking LeBron after he failed to ever contact the Cavaliers, make a spectacle out of himself and not let the Cavs know his plans until five minutes before? It's not like the Cavs didn't bend over backwards for LeBron.

 

I'm not saying LeBron isn't wrong either. I'm just saying that for all that he did for the franchise he should have had a little bit more class about it. He could have put out a generic "We are disappointed that LeBron has chosen to pursue other opportunities, and think that he could have brought a championship to Cleveland" statement, but didn't have to rip him like he did.

[Tyrant]

Wow. Stay classy Dan Gilbert. LeBron brought recognition and respectability to your franchise, which had done exactly nothing before he came along, and this is the way you treat him on the way out the door. Way to show exactly how classy of a human being you are to other potential Free Agents who might have been considering playing for your team.

 

You are worried about how the owner treated Lebron? Lebron made a freaking show out of leaving Cleveland.

 

I can't speak for Gilbert, but I'd hope that is the primary motivation behind the letter. If LeBron had simply announced his decision in a more traditional fashion, without all the hysteria and buildup, we probably wouldn't have seen a letter like that.

[Flames24Rulz]

any chance the Cavs can swoop in and nab Carmelo now?

 

0%

[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

 

Blatant attempt to get me to respond?

 

I'm not sure what you mean.

[rawaction]

The easy way out? Should he have taken the minimum and played for the Wizards? He went to the best team he could, how is that at all a decision worthy of criticism?

 

I don't see how anybody can pretend there isn't some criticism warrented here.

 

I don't see how anybody can pretend this isn't sour grapes from fans who wanted him to come to *their* cherry-picked title situation.

 

I can tell you that's not the case for me. I wouldn't have cared if he had gone to any other team in the league (that could reasonably afford him).

[jersey cubs fan]

Wow. Stay classy Dan Gilbert. LeBron brought recognition and respectability to your franchise, which had done exactly nothing before he came along, and this is the way you treat him on the way out the door. Way to show exactly how classy of a human being you are to other potential Free Agents who might have been considering playing for your team

 

While Gilbert did act out of line, do you honestly think he should be thanking LeBron after he failed to ever contact the Cavaliers, make a spectacle out of himself and not let the Cavs know his plans until five minutes before? It's not like the Cavs didn't bend over backwards for LeBron.

 

I'm not saying LeBron isn't wrong either. I'm just saying that for all that he did for the franchise he should have had a little bit more class about it. He could have put out a generic "We are disappointed that LeBron has chosen to pursue other opportunities, and think that he could have brought a championship to Cleveland" statement, but didn't have to rip him like he did.

 

What did he do for them? The franchise isn't any better off now than before he showed up.

[Guest]

any chance the Cavs can swoop in and nab Carmelo now?

 

Chris Paul is a lot more likely.

[Billy_Buck]

Jordan did have to worry about it. Pippen didn't come in as a sure fire top 50 all-time player. It took him years to develop into that. And many believe that Jordan made Pippen into that (I'm not going to argue that though).

Right. Anyone who thinks Pippen showed up in '87 and had the league talking about multiple titles, dynasties, etc. is fooling themselves. Probably someone who wasn't around for The Migraine Game, unlocking the Jordan Rules, etc. Now we can say that the '90s Bulls had two of the greatest ever, but that was by no means foreordained. There were a lot of battles that built up to that.

 

And I think what's rubbing some people wrong about this Miami scenario. It feels like some fantasy video game concoction: more a collection of stars than a team. It's the Yankee way. Some people love it; some people don't.

[bukie]

The important thing for the Bulls right now is that they don't do something really stupid, like trade for Redd or Arenas. They've actually done a good job of building a good team. A superstar would have pushed them over the top from contender to favorite, but it didn't work out (again). So, they need to somehow find a quality SG (that can actually shoot, and preferably play some D) and bank on Rose and Noah continuing to develop.

 

They got the big man down low who can score though, right? That's been the biggest thing cited with this team over the past several years.

 

Certainly, it's not enough. But the Bulls didn't come away empty. My expectations for the franchise since Jordan left have never been all that high, frankly.

 

I totally agree they shouldn't do anything rash.

Yeah, even the roster as built is a couple good outside shooters away from being a serious contender. They have a great play maker, a scorer down low, and a great post defender. Even Deng has his uses if he can find the shot that eluded him last year (albeit the least rewarding shot in the NBA).

[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

 

Blatant attempt to get me to respond?

 

I'm not sure what you mean.

 

Oops, sorry. I get it now. Leaving the Celtics off was a total oversight on my part.

 

Put them in where the Nets are.

[rawaction]

 

And also, I don't understand the criticism toward LeBron not being "THE guy" in Miami. He wants to win. This gives him the best chance to do so, and he's willing to share some of the spotlight with Bosh and Wade. He obviously doesn't care about having a Jordan-esque legacy, he just wants to win titles. I can respect that.

 

His situation in Cleveland wasn't that bad. Got to the Finals. Got to the East Finals twice. Best record in the league 2 years in a row....all in the last 4 years.

 

Sure he wants to win a title, but he is 25. His moved reeks of desperation and it wasn't necessary. If he wanted to win a title so bad, he could have convinced his team to bring in Amare, or Boozer, or Lee or Bosh to the best regular season team in the NBA for the last 2 years.

 

That being said, I can't fault him for making the move. I have never said it was a bad or stupid move. I think it was the easy way out. Bottom line.

[erik316wttn]

Wow. Stay classy Dan Gilbert. LeBron brought recognition and respectability to your franchise, which had done exactly nothing before he came along, and this is the way you treat him on the way out the door. Way to show exactly how classy of a human being you are to other potential Free Agents who might have been considering playing for your team

 

While Gilbert did act out of line, do you honestly think he should be thanking LeBron after he failed to ever contact the Cavaliers, make a spectacle out of himself and not let the Cavs know his plans until five minutes before? It's not like the Cavs didn't bend over backwards for LeBron.

 

I'm not saying LeBron isn't wrong either. I'm just saying that for all that he did for the franchise he should have had a little bit more class about it. He could have put out a generic "We are disappointed that LeBron has chosen to pursue other opportunities, and think that he could have brought a championship to Cleveland" statement, but didn't have to rip him like he did.

 

What did he do for them? The franchise isn't any better off now than before he showed up.

 

Tons in merchandise sales, a full arena more often than not, appearances on national TV, perennial playoff contender, an NBA Finals appearance, national media outlets talking about your team..... yeah, LeBron did nothing.