WrigleyField 22

So Jamal Crawford isn't even in your top 8 options?

Another thing to think about is that Monta Ellis is about as a bad a fit you can find for Derrick's style. Dominates the ball, takes too many shots, high usage rate etc. He does that now, but I think the expectation is that his role will change when he is next to the MVP of the league. Sure he may dominate the ball a bit from Curry, but Curry is not Derrick Rose. And those skills of his that allow him to do that will be a great asset for when Derrick is out of the game or teams double Derrick hard. Maybe Ellis is a cancer who will try and take away from Rose, but I don't think its totally unprecented for a player to change their role to accomodate the better player. It's a chance some would take.

Smart thinking. Never mind on the Crawford stuff -- I want the Bulls to go after Ellis. Ellis will cost more assets and money than Crawford, which is something to think about. Ford threw out Deng for Ellis, which I would not do.

I agree mostly, but we don't want a Ronnie Brewer level shooter either. I don't think 34% is that much to ask for a 2G to hit from 3 (along with being a good playmaker obviously).

We really need both. Obviously a guy who excels at both is not going to be attainable, but they need to meet a minimum expectation in both. Throwing a number on it, 34% from 3 while equally adept from midrange is the minimum you'd want to see from a shooting perspective. Shot creator isn't something you can put a number on, but you'd hope he's at least Watson level shot creator.

Well yea, its a pretty huge caveat though. Keep in mind though, using the 10/11 MLE figure with Max raises come out to the following per year averages for 5, 4, and 3 year deals respectively: $6,687,400.00 --- $6,456,800.00 --- $6,226,200.00 If we assumed similar rules, we'd need S&T's to get any of those guys more than the MLE. I personally think most of those guys aren't worth the Full MLE, but they will get it if the market dictates it. Of course with new rules, salaries could be cut up to 20% and the new average salary may be something like $5M.

Ha. I agree, but was just being all inclusive. I'd rank the options as follows Crawford Afflalo (will get matched) Mayo (if Memphis will trade with us) SJax (if available) Thorton (will get matched) Richardson Smith Chandler (will prob get matched) Lee (not giving up Asik or Taj) West Williams (maybe matched) Hamilton (only for the min salary) Give up Draft guys I don't even consider as filling the hole. Not that I wouldn't draft them if they were BPA, but not counting on them to upgrade the SG spot. Is your ranking based on realistically who we might get? Or who you want the most? I'd really like to end up with Richardson. I don't know how that would happen, unfortunately. Just who I'd want most based on fit and skill. Pretty much all the RFA guys you can strike off the realistic list because they'll be matched. Trade target guys are pretty much speculative and it would of course depend on asset cost to acquire (as well as salary cost for FA) My realistic-based list: Jamal Crawford (3-4 years at 6-7/year) OJ Mayo (Salary filler-Bogans,Pargo,Lucas, & picks, incl Charlotte pick- would maybe consider Asik instead of Char pick) SJax (if available, something like Brewer & Watson- provide Charlotte salary relief in 12/13) Jason Richardson (3 years, 5-6 per) JR Smith (3 Years, 4-5 per) Chandler (Probably matched, but 4-5 years, 6-7 per) West (2 Years 2-3 per) Williams (maybe matched, but 3-4 year, 4 per) Hamilton (only for the min salary)

Ha. I agree, but was just being all inclusive. I'd rank the options as follows Crawford Afflalo (will get matched) Mayo (if Memphis will trade with us) SJax (if available) Thorton (will get matched) Richardson Smith Chandler (will prob get matched) Lee (not giving up Asik or Taj) West Williams (maybe matched) Hamilton (only for the min salary) Give up Draft guys I don't even consider as filling the hole. Not that I wouldn't draft them if they were BPA, but not counting on them to upgrade the SG spot.

SG targets: RFA: Arron Afflalo Marcus Thorton Reggie Williams Wilson Chandler Nick Young Marco Belinelli UFA: Jamal Crawford Jason Richardson Vince Carter (if waived, likely) JR Smith Delonte West Marquis Daniels Rip Hamilton (if bought out) Draft: Klay Thomspon (trade up) Alec Burks (trade up) Marshon Brooks Josh Selby Charles Jenkins Malcolm Lee Bojan Bogdanovic David Lighty Nolan Smith Trades(speculative): OJ Mayo Courtney Lee Stephen Jackson Ben Gordon

Also, if Ricketts is smart he knows this team wasn't really in a position to win this year. Nothing is wrong in the sense that we had too much salary committed to not good enough players to really put a good roster together. In that sense, we were hoping to be around a .500 team and all those injuries have us below that mark. When you consider the expectations going into the season based on what we had to work with, injuries are the biggest problem.

Last time Rose missed a clutch FT like that he immediately improved like 15%. I'm not saying its for sure, but don't be surprised if Rose hits 105% on FT next season.

Sure its possible he doesn't match this season, but it isn't likely.

Gonna be a tough hurdle to get over though. The Heat are scary and should get better when they can add mid level guys. The Heat are certainly scary going forward. Are they as scary as an improved, more poised Rose with a better supporting cast? I don't know. Unlike you guys I'm not as sold on Rose improving a lot going forward. I just don't see a lot of room to get better. He has room for improvement. You won't see another dramatic increase like he had this past year, but he will mature and refine his skills. He'll get more consistent with his shot too and can get a lot more efficient. Basically he has plenty of room and ability to improve the little things, but yes this is basically his game. Those little things can really add up though.

Its hard to even be too made about that. Yea Rose had the dumb foul and missed FT's but if Wade and James are gonna make shots like that, they deserve to go to the finals. Luckily Dirk is my favorite non-Bull in the NBA and before the playoffs I said Dallas was my #2 if the Bulls didn't make the finals. So it will be easy to continue my disdain for the Heat and their ugly faces, big foreheads and receding hairlines.

Other? You mean besides. The Lakers are it.

Didn't say it was, just showing it could be "possible" to meet the demand to take on Hedo. But looking at the actual hypothetical it is, when I look at it. Rose- Hedo-Pargo Deng- Boozer-Gibson Howard- Hedo would be a stretch to play SG, but if you trade him all alone, you could try and trade for a SG with no wait (just can't combine him with other players). ie- Hedo for SJax. Plus 28th pick, 30th pick, 2nd rounder, MLE, and BAE. Its not happening plus there will be a lockout and no trades and new rules that negate any of this hypothetical (oh and Orlando holding out for better offers), but keeping 3 of your top 4 players for Howard and Hedo is a great deal from a talent standpoint.

Assuming all the same CBA rules, if done after July 1st, Bulls could do: Joakim Noah Kyle Korver Ronnie Brewer C.J. Watson Omer Asik Keith Bogans Jonh Lucas III For Howard and Hedo (strictly from cap standpoint) The part that makes it most difficult is Noah's BYC status next year (or Poison Pill this year if you were trying to trade before July 1st). If it wasn't for the BYC, you could sub in Arenas for Hedo and do the deal by adding Pargo also. So you could manage taking on Hedo, but its still not happening.

Kurt is the better option anyways right now.

I'm not sure one is above either. I mean Jamal Crawford shot a rather pedestrian (for "shooter" standards) 3pt% of 34% (35% career) from 3, but with his playmaking ability and mid range ability, he is my top choice of Free Agents available. Then looking at a guy like Arron Afflalo, who is a tremendous shooter, particularly from 3, but is pretty much strictly a spot up guy. Hoopdata says 100% of his threes were assisted. 74% from 16-23. Compare that to 80% and 33% for Crawford. Now Afflalo also provides much better d, so they're pretty equal. If they were both UFA I'd actually stuggle who to choose, but with Afflalo being RFA, he isn't realistic to obtain. But either way that 8% difference in 3pt% and better defense is somewhat negated by Jamal's ability to create. So while I do feel there are some basic shooting standards we need from our SG (so eliminate a Andre Iguodala type), the ability to create is just as important. Defense would be nice too considering we will be facing the top 2 wing players in the game for the next 5 years, but overall scheme including frontcourt defense, will be just as important in that regards.

Really? Really. Can you remember another MVP year where the winner has had a worse playoff series loss? Didn't Dirk lose in the first round to an 8 seed? Cant remember. Did he look THIS bad? http://www.basketball-reference.com/players/n/nowitdi01/gamelog/2007/

Really? Really. Can you remember another MVP year where the winner has had a worse playoff series loss? Didn't Dirk lose in the first round to an 8 seed?

Nobody is talking about [expletive] Bogans when they say the Bulls need a shooter. Well I hate to break it to you, but Kieth ended the season at 38% from 3 and is shooting 45% from 3 from the playoffs. One would think that would be effective if thats all you needed from your SG. The problem is that Kieth can't do anything else. Hence why everyone's been saying the Bulls' most glaring need is a quality #2 guard. Well you said they needed a quality shooter. I'll assume you misspoke and meant SG.

But part of the reason he doesn't get more shots a game is because he isn't a threat to do anything else. If all you can do it shoot, its easier to shut down.

They need a shooting guard who can do both to take the pressure of Rose. Korver is a pure "shooter" and we all see how that is working out. Agreed. They obviously need a good balance. Brewer in theory could create with the ball, but you say a Hail Mary every time he takes a shot past 10 feet. While you can't put an exact number on it, I'd say that assuming the SG is able to create and at least play a team defensive scheme, he merely needs to be a Derrick Rose level 3pt shooter, essentially around 1/3 of his threes. We don't need another Korver.

Nobody is talking about [expletive] Bogans when they say the Bulls need a shooter. Well I hate to break it to you, but Kieth ended the season at 38% from 3 and is shooting 45% from 3 from the playoffs. One would think that would be effective if thats all you needed from your SG. The problem is that Kieth can't do anything else.