Chicago Bulls offseason

[Cubswin11]

The Bulls should be the 6 to 8 seed this year, which with this young core is a nice building block season to get that experience.

[Regular Show]

The Bulls should be the 6 to 8 seed this year, which with this young core is a nice building block season to get that experience.

 

Making the playoffs will be nice (even as a 6 to 8 seed), but I don't like it if it gives GarPax more job security and validation for their rebuild efforts.

 

I don't see how they break into the elite group atop the Eastern Conference in the next few years. The only way is if Markkanen and LaVine both take the leap to legit superstar All-NBA status (which is doubtful).

[WrigleyField 22]

The Bulls should be the 6 to 8 seed this year, which with this young core is a nice building block season to get that experience.

 

Making the playoffs will be nice (even as a 6 to 8 seed), but I don't like it if it gives GarPax more job security and validation for their rebuild efforts.

 

I don't see how they break into the elite group atop the Eastern Conference in the next few years. The only way is if Markkanen and LaVine both take the leap to legit superstar All-NBA status (which is doubtful).

2021 Giannis is probably the most likely, which still isn't great odds (and you'd still need LaVine and Markkanen to enter All Star level territory).

[UMFan83]

The Bulls should be the 6 to 8 seed this year, which with this young core is a nice building block season to get that experience.

 

Making the playoffs will be nice (even as a 6 to 8 seed), but I don't like it if it gives GarPax more job security and validation for their rebuild efforts.

 

I don't see how they break into the elite group atop the Eastern Conference in the next few years. The only way is if Markkanen and LaVine both take the leap to legit superstar All-NBA status (which is doubtful).

 

I think you would have to follow the Nets model right? Fun young group of scrappy players but no superstars, good enough to make the playoffs, financially flexible enough to quickly open up enough cap space for 2 max guys. Basically you just have to make your team appealing enough to be a viable team up spot. I don't think Chicago is in the top tier of NBA towns (and the FO's reputation around the league doesn't help), but I think its a strong enough market to be a spot where superstars would consider teaming up to play in.

 

Tier 1: Miami, LAL, LAC, GS, Brooklyn, NY (based on market alone)

Tier 2: Houston, Dallas, Chicago, Boston, Philly, Phoenix

Tier 3: Orlando, Charlotte, New Orleans, San Antonio (Any other warm weather city)

Tier 4: Most of the rest of the league

Tier 5: Cleveland

[WrigleyField 22]

The Bulls should be the 6 to 8 seed this year, which with this young core is a nice building block season to get that experience.

 

Making the playoffs will be nice (even as a 6 to 8 seed), but I don't like it if it gives GarPax more job security and validation for their rebuild efforts.

 

I don't see how they break into the elite group atop the Eastern Conference in the next few years. The only way is if Markkanen and LaVine both take the leap to legit superstar All-NBA status (which is doubtful).

 

I think you would have to follow the Nets model right? Fun young group of scrappy players but no superstars, good enough to make the playoffs, financially flexible enough to quickly open up enough cap space for 2 max guys. Basically you just have to make your team appealing enough to be a viable team up spot. I don't think Chicago is in the top tier of NBA towns (and the FO's reputation around the league doesn't help), but I think its a strong enough market to be a spot where superstars would consider teaming up to play in.

 

Tier 1: Miami, LAL, LAC, GS, Brooklyn, NY (based on market alone)

Tier 2: Houston, Dallas, Chicago, Boston, Philly, Phoenix

Tier 3: Orlando, Charlotte, New Orleans, San Antonio (Any other warm weather city)

Tier 4: Most of the rest of the league

Tier 5: Cleveland

I think under the current trajectory they won't be able to get two maxn spots to team up. But if Lavine or Markannen can become your "DeRozan for Leonard" trade, that guy recruits the next max slot guy as the team up.

 

Coincidentally a DeRozan like career arc feels an awful lot like Lavine's best case comp if he can take another leap forward.

[bcl412]

NBA team building is obnoxious

[Regular Show]

The Bulls should be the 6 to 8 seed this year, which with this young core is a nice building block season to get that experience.

 

Making the playoffs will be nice (even as a 6 to 8 seed), but I don't like it if it gives GarPax more job security and validation for their rebuild efforts.

 

I don't see how they break into the elite group atop the Eastern Conference in the next few years. The only way is if Markkanen and LaVine both take the leap to legit superstar All-NBA status (which is doubtful).

 

I think you would have to follow the Nets model right? Fun young group of scrappy players but no superstars, good enough to make the playoffs, financially flexible enough to quickly open up enough cap space for 2 max guys. Basically you just have to make your team appealing enough to be a viable team up spot. I don't think Chicago is in the top tier of NBA towns (and the FO's reputation around the league doesn't help), but I think its a strong enough market to be a spot where superstars would consider teaming up to play in.

 

Tier 1: Miami, LAL, LAC, GS, Brooklyn, NY (based on market alone)

Tier 2: Houston, Dallas, Chicago, Boston, Philly, Phoenix

Tier 3: Orlando, Charlotte, New Orleans, San Antonio (Any other warm weather city)

Tier 4: Most of the rest of the league

Tier 5: Cleveland

 

I don't understand why Chicago isn't in that top tier. I mean I agree with you based on how FAs choose cities in the NBA. Players always list Chicago as one of their favorite cities to visit, but I guess they just don't wanna live here?

 

On the radio yesterday I was listening and the host (I think Matt Spiegal) mentioned how the Bulls need to get more creative to lure top FAs. He mentioned maybe selling a small ownership stake to Obama or trying to get Chance involved with the franchise. The Nets are popular now, in part, because Jay Z had an ownership stake and was involved with the team. They also hired a new GM who has done an outstanding job with the rebuild there.

 

I totally agree with his point about creativity. Our ownership group doesn't matter and GarPax and the rest of our FO is not well regarded by players. Obviously, firing GarPax and revamping the FO would be the first priority but getting more creative as a franchise should also help tremendously.

[WrigleyField 22]

 

Making the playoffs will be nice (even as a 6 to 8 seed), but I don't like it if it gives GarPax more job security and validation for their rebuild efforts.

 

I don't see how they break into the elite group atop the Eastern Conference in the next few years. The only way is if Markkanen and LaVine both take the leap to legit superstar All-NBA status (which is doubtful).

 

I think you would have to follow the Nets model right? Fun young group of scrappy players but no superstars, good enough to make the playoffs, financially flexible enough to quickly open up enough cap space for 2 max guys. Basically you just have to make your team appealing enough to be a viable team up spot. I don't think Chicago is in the top tier of NBA towns (and the FO's reputation around the league doesn't help), but I think its a strong enough market to be a spot where superstars would consider teaming up to play in.

 

Tier 1: Miami, LAL, LAC, GS, Brooklyn, NY (based on market alone)

Tier 2: Houston, Dallas, Chicago, Boston, Philly, Phoenix

Tier 3: Orlando, Charlotte, New Orleans, San Antonio (Any other warm weather city)

Tier 4: Most of the rest of the league

Tier 5: Cleveland

 

I don't understand why Chicago isn't in that top tier. I mean I agree with you based on how FAs choose cities in the NBA. Players always list Chicago as one of their favorite cities to visit, but I guess they just don't wanna live here?

 

On the radio yesterday I was listening and the host (I think Matt Spiegal) mentioned how the Bulls need to get more creative to lure top FAs. He mentioned maybe selling a small ownership stake to Obama or trying to get Chance involved with the franchise. The Nets are popular now, in part, because Jay Z had an ownership stake and was involved with the team. They also hired a new GM who has done an outstanding job with the rebuild there.

 

I totally agree with his point about creativity. Our ownership group doesn't matter and GarPax and the rest of our FO is not well regarded by players. Obviously, firing GarPax and revamping the FO would be the first priority but getting more creative as a franchise should also help tremendously.

NY is big enough to overcome the weather and Chicago is not, is the logic. Hasn't held true for the Knicks, and just now worked for the Nets.

 

The Bulls brand is really strong globally though. I don't know if that just doesn't resonate with players or its just harder to capitalize because its the team/Jordan that's strong and not the players. Or it just hasn't worked out yet, cuz timing and stuff just hasn't worked out. But including Global presence the Bulls should have a bigger built in market than the Nets. But if you're a KD maybe you don't need that global boost because you're already a top 5 global player.

 

Plus the stuff about the organization. There was some lip service that JR actually has resonated with players from a business accument standpoint, but it's probably just lip service. Then plenty of rumors that many hate the Garpax regime.

 

Outside of changes to management the new practice center was supposed to be good for attracting players since they'd be a true downtown team and not spending half your time in the north shore burbs.

[Sammy Sofa]

Terrible front office that tends to put together middling teams and hire horsefeathers and/or hateable coaches. It's a pretty potent recipe for why big players wouldn't want to come to the Bulls.

[WrigleyField 22]

Terrible front office that tends to put together middling teams and hire horsefeathers and/or hateable coaches. It's a pretty potent recipe for why big players wouldn't want to come to the Bulls.

Terrible is probably unfair, but just a total non-player focused FO. And it even goes back to Krause "organizations win Championship" stuff.

 

They scream conservatism basically. Which totally doesn't resonate in this league and it's players.

 

There should be a monetary/market argument to be made that they haven't capitalized on though.

[Flames24Rulz]

The Bulls should be the 6 to 8 seed this year, which with this young core is a nice building block season to get that experience.

 

i'll bite on this. if you told me the end goal of the tank years was to get right back to the 6-8 spot in the East (which is where they were before they blew the whole thing up), that would've been pretty unacceptable. i like Lauri and i think White should be good (not overly huge on WCJ, but he's a decent piece too), but to me, it seems like 99% of GM's would've been fired for whatever the hell this rebuild ended up being. but, you know, Jerry.

[WrigleyField 22]

The Bulls should be the 6 to 8 seed this year, which with this young core is a nice building block season to get that experience.

 

i'll bite on this. if you told me the end goal of the tank years was to get right back to the 6-8 spot in the East (which is where they were before they blew the whole thing up), that would've been pretty unacceptable. i like Lauri and i think White should be good (not overly huge on WCJ, but he's a decent piece too), but to me, it seems like 99% of GM's would've been fired for whatever the hell this rebuild ended up being. but, you know, Jerry.

6 to 8 seed with what should still be one of the youngest teams in the league is a little different than 6 to 8 seed with one of the oldest.

 

Also, hopefully that's not the end goal. Whether by consolidation trade or opening up a max slot after OPJs contract is up, they need to still ascend past 6 to 8 for it to be a success, but 3 offseasons to build a core and another 3 or so to ascend (or finalize) would be reasonable timeframe if they could pull it off.

[UMFan83]

Terrible front office that tends to put together middling teams and hire horsefeathers and/or hateable coaches. It's a pretty potent recipe for why big players wouldn't want to come to the Bulls.

 

And ridiculously high income tax rates doesn’t help

[jersey cubs fan]

Terrible front office that tends to put together middling teams and hire horsefeathers and/or hateable coaches. It's a pretty potent recipe for why big players wouldn't want to come to the Bulls.

 

And ridiculously high income tax rates doesn’t help

Rrrrrrright, because no player wants to play in LA or NY either.

[WrigleyField 22]

Terrible front office that tends to put together middling teams and hire horsefeathers and/or hateable coaches. It's a pretty potent recipe for why big players wouldn't want to come to the Bulls.

 

And ridiculously high income tax rates doesn’t help

Rrrrrrright, because no player wants to play in LA or NY either.

Yea no kidding.

 

After the zero state income tax teams (DAL, HOU, SA, MIA, ORL, MEM), Illinois is one of the better states to be a millionaire with its flat tax at 3.75. Only PHI and IND edge it out. So it's still like the 9th best income tax state in the NBA.

Edited July 2, 2019 by WrigleyField 22

[UMFan83]

Terrible front office that tends to put together middling teams and hire horsefeathers and/or hateable coaches. It's a pretty potent recipe for why big players wouldn't want to come to the Bulls.

 

And ridiculously high income tax rates doesn’t help

Rrrrrrright, because no player wants to play in LA or NY either.

 

I said it doesn't help, not that its something that shuts down any possibility of signing FAs.

[WrigleyField 22]

 

And ridiculously high income tax rates doesn’t help

Rrrrrrright, because no player wants to play in LA or NY either.

 

I said it doesn't help, not that its something that shuts down any possibility of signing FAs.

You still mixed up the definition of low and high though.

[Flames24Rulz]

The Bulls should be the 6 to 8 seed this year, which with this young core is a nice building block season to get that experience.

 

i'll bite on this. if you told me the end goal of the tank years was to get right back to the 6-8 spot in the East (which is where they were before they blew the whole thing up), that would've been pretty unacceptable. i like Lauri and i think White should be good (not overly huge on WCJ, but he's a decent piece too), but to me, it seems like 99% of GM's would've been fired for whatever the hell this rebuild ended up being. but, you know, Jerry.

6 to 8 seed with what should still be one of the youngest teams in the league is a little different than 6 to 8 seed with one of the oldest.

 

Also, hopefully that's not the end goal. Whether by consolidation trade or opening up a max slot after OPJs contract is up, they need to still ascend past 6 to 8 for it to be a success, but 3 offseasons to build a core and another 3 or so to ascend (or finalize) would be reasonable timeframe if they could pull it off.

 

i'm still annoyed about the OPJ deal though -- i would've preferred to just let Portis and Jabari walk in free agency and take your chances to try to nab a max guy. obviously it's doubtful that would've happened, but if they could've put themselves in position for someone like Kemba or Russell, i'd much rather have had that chance than just rolling with OPJ for the next couple of years.

 

but yeah, ideally Lauri continues to ascend (and stays healthy) and the same with LaVine, WCJ, and White. i just look at the East right now though and don't really see a path for them to be a legit contender anytime soon, even if those guys do continue to improve, or at least look the part in White's case.

[ConstableRabbit]

 

And ridiculously high income tax rates doesn’t help

Rrrrrrright, because no player wants to play in LA or NY either.

Yea no kidding.

 

After the zero state income tax teams (DAL, HOU, SA, MIA, ORL, MEM), Illinois is one of the better states to be a millionaire with its flat tax at 3.75. Only PHI and IND edge it out. So it's still like the 9th best income tax state in the NBA.

The current governor wants those making over $1m to be taxes at 7.95% on their total income, which would make it one of the worst.

[Cubswin11]

The Bulls should be the 6 to 8 seed this year, which with this young core is a nice building block season to get that experience.

 

i'll bite on this. if you told me the end goal of the tank years was to get right back to the 6-8 spot in the East (which is where they were before they blew the whole thing up), that would've been pretty unacceptable. i like Lauri and i think White should be good (not overly huge on WCJ, but he's a decent piece too), but to me, it seems like 99% of GM's would've been fired for whatever the hell this rebuild ended up being. but, you know, Jerry.

It’s obviously not the goal or desired end result, they’re still building and young and there’s gonna be incremental steps short of lucking in to a #1 pick who’s a true franchise guy or some FAs wanting to come. Accomplishing a 6-8 seed this year would be a step in the right direction with the young guys, it’s not like chasing one with the Taj Gibson’s of the world. Hopefully guys grow or even break out and you can figure out who’s worth keeping around long term and looking at a big FA add soon.

[WrigleyField 22]

Rrrrrrright, because no player wants to play in LA or NY either.

Yea no kidding.

 

After the zero state income tax teams (DAL, HOU, SA, MIA, ORL, MEM), Illinois is one of the better states to be a millionaire with its flat tax at 3.75. Only PHI and IND edge it out. So it's still like the 9th best income tax state in the NBA.

The current governor wants those making over $1m to be taxes at 7.95% on their total income, which would make it one of the worst.

Wants to verse what's actually reality. That's at soonest in 2020 with a Constitutional ammendment.

[Derwood]

espn.com has put out their Top 100 Players for 2019-20, and Laurie barely makes that Top 50 (at #50).

 

A fringe top-50 player as the centerpiece of your rebuild bodes poorly for any short term success

[WrigleyField 22]

espn.com has put out their Top 100 Players for 2019-20, and Laurie barely makes that Top 50 (at #50).

 

A fringe top-50 player as the centerpiece of your rebuild bodes poorly for any short term success

Pray LaVine also becomes a top 50 player and then trade one of them plus whatever other assets for the next player who demands out.

[Derwood]

espn.com has put out their Top 100 Players for 2019-20, and Laurie barely makes that Top 50 (at #50).

 

A fringe top-50 player as the centerpiece of your rebuild bodes poorly for any short term success

Pray LaVine also becomes a top 50 player and then trade one of them plus whatever other assets for the next player who demands out.

 

Complete list:

 

Laurie Markkanen: #50

Zach LaVine: #55

Otto Porter Jr.: #90

[WrigleyField 22]

espn.com has put out their Top 100 Players for 2019-20, and Laurie barely makes that Top 50 (at #50).

 

A fringe top-50 player as the centerpiece of your rebuild bodes poorly for any short term success

Pray LaVine also becomes a top 50 player and then trade one of them plus whatever other assets for the next player who demands out.

 

Complete list:

 

Laurie Markkanen: #50

Zach LaVine: #55

Otto Porter Jr.: #90

Even closer!