Del Harris expected to sign with Bulls today

by your friendly BullsBlogger on Jul 2, 2008 9:21 AM CDT Comment 48 comments

Del Harris, who served as assistant coach to Don Nelson and Avery Johnson over a nine-year stay with the organization, is expected to sign a contract today to be an assistant in Chicago for new Bulls' coach Vinny Del Negro, a source said.

Harris has spent more than 40 years in coaching at virtually every level. He has 506 wins as an NBA head coach.

He joined the Mavericks in 2000 and was top assistant to Nelson until Nelson gave over the coaching reins to Johnson in 2005. Harris served as a consultant last season.

Harris is one of the top assistants in the league. (Or at least well-compensated...so maybe he's just good at fooling people.)

This is a strange new feeling: I believe the Bulls actually have a good coaching staff.

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typo: “the Bulls actually HAVE a good coaching staff ?”

I agree though, next year will be different.

by koolaje on Jul 2, 2008 9:38 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

yikes

thanks.

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by your friendly BullsBlogger on Jul 2, 2008 9:41 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

How dare the Bulls attempt to be respectable

This ruins at least 40 good Pete Myers/Ron Adams jokes!

by Ozzie Montana on Jul 2, 2008 10:03 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

I'm gonna miss what's his

face’s blank stare out into nowhere

by gman2849 on Jul 2, 2008 10:22 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

I'm going to miss Boylan's

crouch

by paxson43 on Jul 2, 2008 10:32 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I don't see how anyone

could be critical of the Bulls coaching staff as it now stands.

I imagine that all around the nba, teams will be spending their summers breaking down film of last season’s celtics defensive dominance, and by next season a lot of the celtics principles will be incorporated league-wide.

Dum spiro spero! (While there is life, there’s hope!)--Leon Trotsky

by alec on Jul 2, 2008 10:42 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Of coure, they'll all have to find their own Garnett's and Rondo's

plus find a way to make athletically gifted players decide to play D for the first time in their careers.

We have every right to dream heroic dreams. Those who say that we're in a time when there are no heroes, they just don't know where to look.
Ronald Reagan

by snley on Jul 2, 2008 11:11 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Agreed

This is great news…the Bulls are putting their money where their mouth is and coming through with the “development” culture that they indicated they’d create under VDN. Very exciting.

Parental Advisory - Explicit Content

by Jivas on Jul 2, 2008 12:29 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Wow. Even without Del Negro, this staff as a whole is better than before.

“some head coaching experience” to surround Del Negro? This seems like more than “some.”

Better coaching? check
Better player(s)? check
Better philosophy? check

It will take a couple of years, and the future is always unpredictable, but Paxson is firmly putting this organization in a spot to succeed.

by tyger1147 on Jul 2, 2008 10:45 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Hell if Del Negro fails

There’s two coaches right on the staff to promote!

by Ozzie Montana on Jul 2, 2008 10:49 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Never! The Process is sacred!

by KentuckyBullsFan on Jul 2, 2008 12:17 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I'm still not sold

on Bickerstaff but I like him better as an assistant than as a head coach. But for the most part, you’re right…getting Myers and Adams off the bench is a start in the right direction no matter who comes in. It definitely is an upgrade no matter how you look at it.

by NormVanBeer on Jul 2, 2008 10:56 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Well, to amend my post...

...this group of assistants is far and away better than the last. Skiles, though, is by default, far and away better than Del Negro. So, thinking about it, I’m not totally comfortable w/ my first assertion.

by tyger1147 on Jul 2, 2008 10:59 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Hey Hey

Lets pull a blazers edge and start comparing paxson to religious leaders and prophets of all kinds huh?

On Behalf of Sue, Wjb, Bullshooter, and all the other Hinrich fans...Ill keep the Hinrich Hope coming...There will be light....

by piccolomair on Jul 2, 2008 5:35 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Johnny "Red" Kerr

would like to remind everyone he’s still the ranking officer around the United Center, no matter how gray Harris’ hair is.

"The Zen philosopher Basho once wrote: 'A flute with no holes is not a flute, And a doughnut with no hole is a Danish.' He was a funny guy."

by Ugh It Live! on Jul 2, 2008 10:45 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

If anyone ever says to Del, "Surely, you must be joking…?"

He should just say, "No, I’m not joking. And don’t call me Shirley."

"It’d be ridiculous to hate someone for simply what they say in a sports blog. But I greatly dislike every syllable of your angst-filled, smarmy, nondescript, half-assed, elitist-garbage responses." –Rogerspark Kris

by bullhockey on Jul 2, 2008 11:09 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

FYI

I’d prefer if people used smaller pictures.

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by your friendly BullsBlogger on Jul 2, 2008 11:15 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

If it was smaller, we'd miss the surprise in the corner

Wise keeping it big, bullhockey. :P

"I tell you, Steve Blass, you pitch me inside, they never, never find that ball."
-Roberto Clemente

by cubbybear on Jul 2, 2008 11:27 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

LOFL!!!

by Carlitro on Jul 2, 2008 11:51 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

LMAO!

Not a fan of del..but Im now cool with him on the assistant tip. Big Up to whoever sold me that idea…

by Belize on Jul 2, 2008 2:08 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Coaching staff displays a change in Pax

A good positive sign. Bulls now seem to be beginning to believe that Chicago is a major market.

Now, let see Paxson make a gusty trade to upload the heavy salaries to marginal players for expiring and shorter contracts.

Idea..
Trade both Kirk and Gordon, sign and trade from 2 years for Baron Davis. Davis (on borrowed time- can move to the 2) can easily replace Ben’s scoring as a SG and Kirk’s PG backup skllls and we wouldn’t need to commit long term to him while Thabo moves into the starting SG position evenually. Now if we can also throw Noc into the mix, that would be great.

by exult463 on Jul 2, 2008 11:41 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Did you just suggest we acquire Baron Davis?

Um that may be a problem.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/columns/story?columnist=adande_ja&page=davisclipper_080702

by Ozzie Montana on Jul 2, 2008 11:53 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Wow

miss opportunity.. again. This would have worked great for the Bulls (one great guard on rental for two incomplete expensive guards). I’ll read the article to see what type of contract he was given.

by exult463 on Jul 2, 2008 11:56 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

No dollars yet available

and the deal is not closed.. Pax might can offer him (30 million/2 years) and steal him from the Clippers, with sign and trade giving Golden State (Kirk, and Ben). This amount is still cost savings for the Bulls with only one player who has the skills of our two (expensive duds). Plus he’d come off the books the same time as Hughes.

by exult463 on Jul 2, 2008 12:04 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Reportedly 65 million over 5 years

I don’t think Baron leaves the west coast, and it seems that Elton Brand opted out just so the Clippers could make a run at this kind of talent. Elton said he doesn’t mind taking a pay cut as long as there’s a better team in Clipperland, signing Baron makes that work.

by Ozzie Montana on Jul 2, 2008 12:10 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

no sane player would take a pay cut to play for the CLIPPERS

(especially if Miami is an option…okay, even if Miami WAS NOT an option)

Brand is not insane. If he stays as a LA Clipper, he would want more guaranteed years for more total cash overall.

by KentuckyBullsFan on Jul 2, 2008 2:19 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

RE: no sane player would take a pay cut to play for the CLIPPERS

It’s not exactly a pay cut. He’s getting a lower salary in 2008-09, but getting more years and $$$ then the Warriors, supposedly, would offer.

5 years, $65 mil > 2 years, $30 mil

by Jobu on Jul 2, 2008 2:25 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Plus he's a movie Producer

He’s got to stay in LA to stay a player.

by JockstrapNoah on Jul 2, 2008 2:33 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I was referring to Brand, not Davis

Davis is clearly NOT taking any sort of paycut over the life of his new contract considering his injury history

But let me add a caveat: NO SANE PLAYER WOULD TAKE A PAY CUT TO PLAY FOR THE BULLS next year considering they didn’t even make the playoffs last year. An aging player would voluntarily take a paycut if he thought his new team had a very good chance to win a championship next year, which is (unfortunately) not Chicago next year. Boston & LALakers probably; Miami, Phoenix, and SAS possibly.

by KentuckyBullsFan on Jul 2, 2008 2:45 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Also, if the Clippers are smart(???) the Baron deal should be fewer years with the last year

being a team option.

If it’s 5 years guaranteed, then it’s GOOD NEWS FOR HUMANITY since scientists must have progressed far enough in genetics, nanotechnology, and robotics for a then 34-YEAR-OLD BARON DAVIS with a career history of frequent injuries to be still starting 2012.

...Sam Cassell played at a high level at age 34 (20 points, 7 statistics), but at age 35 his production plummeted and he only started half the games.
http://www.basketball-reference.com/players/c/cassesa01.html

by KentuckyBullsFan on Jul 2, 2008 2:33 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

“7 statistics” should be “7 assists”

/doh

by KentuckyBullsFan on Jul 2, 2008 2:37 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

It's a stupid deal that's going to get the Clippers nowhere but into the playoffs at best

We have every right to dream heroic dreams. Those who say that we're in a time when there are no heroes, they just don't know where to look.
Ronald Reagan

by snley on Jul 2, 2008 2:40 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

And that's what the Clippers do

They make bad deals.

GS dodged a bullet with this one. Sure, he should be ok for 2 years, but, as “Kentucky” mentioned, a 34 year old Baron Davis isn’t going to be a pretty sight – especially one that costs $13 million/season. Ouch.

by Jobu on Jul 2, 2008 2:45 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

The thing is you can't dog a team for nabbing, arguably the most

productive player on the free agent market just cause what COULD happen down the road. They signed him to the deal and they’re probably just praying for three very good years out of him. Which they think (and I agree) is worth the risk. The real bad contracts are the Tim Thomas type of contracts, when you severely overpay unproductive players. Baron Davis is an extremely valuable player and if he didn’t have an injury history, 5years at 65 mil would be a steal. Sometimes you gotta take a risk.

by Juiceboxjerry on Jul 2, 2008 5:18 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I think the Clippers were stupid to not make the deal

By not signing Baron, you say goodbye to Brand. So then what, they let Eric Gordon get 20 shots a game and hope that next year’s lottery pick is the one that will be a superstar?

Instead, they now have a chance to rope 2 legit stars in the league with a lineup that isn’t that bad. They aren’t guaranteed to make the playoffs, but I will bet they sell some more tickets, and will get some more press time. If I was a Clippers fan I’d be happy that the team is going to show a pulse next year.

by Ozzie Montana on Jul 2, 2008 7:14 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

exactly

I think in general people get way too hung up in the ‘they’re just going to lose in the playoffs anyway’ criticism. That team was on life support, and now they’ll be competitive. I don’t think letting all the FAs go and ‘rebuilding’ would’ve really done much.

This way, if they start winning, who knows what they can acquire midseason.

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by your friendly BullsBlogger on Jul 2, 2008 7:48 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Obviously, they're in a much better position to win

and now require fewer moves to become legitimate contenders. At the same time, they still have a lot of moves left to make to get to that point. Beyond Brand, Davis, and Kaman, the rest of the roster is filled with weak role players. Their last two lottery picks have bust written all over them. Brand and Davis aren’t really the caliber of players who can carry a roster like this. Plus, they’re both entering the decline phases of their career. If I was a Clippers fan, though, I would like this move just to finally have something to be excited about. Losing in the first round of the playoffs sure beats watching Elgin Baylor waste more lottery picks.

We have every right to dream heroic dreams. Those who say that we're in a time when there are no heroes, they just don't know where to look.
Ronald Reagan

by snley on Jul 3, 2008 8:56 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Yeah I'd rather have the team actually compete

The Clippers are so inept at drafting that lottery picks are just worthless, they’d be better off selling the picks to save cash.

by Ozzie Montana on Jul 3, 2008 10:21 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I think you're underselling

Thornton and Gordon.

Plus Mobley and Tim Thomas are pretty capable, if overpaid. In fact those guys can be moved for more depth, as long as their willing to take on long-term salary. It’s now another team that isn’t constrained by 2010 free agency, so they may be able to get something done.

They also have not only their own first round pick next year, but Minnesota’s (top10 protected) from the Marko Jaric heist.

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by your friendly BullsBlogger on Jul 3, 2008 11:03 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

We all know how that worked out...

for Krause. We are still recovering from that sort of mentality. The sad thing was the Bulls were not on life support but coming off a championship.

"If you're not going to compete, then I'll dominate you." MJ

by Rankdog on Jul 3, 2008 5:27 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

if the Clips can keep Brand, then the Davis move makes some sense

my assumption was that Brand was trying to get the hell out and go to Miami or another team trying to contend.

Golden State just offered Brand a max deal, but Miami makes more sense if they can ditch Marion’s expiring contract.

by KentuckyBullsFan on Jul 2, 2008 8:16 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

No, Brand opted out because he basically warned the Clippers

“Either make some moves or I’m going to Miami.” I wouldn’t be surprised if Brand made some phone calls to his Hollywood buddy Baron and told him to opt out, which really caught the Warriors fan base by surprise. Clips realized they could spend a several more million and sign Davis instead of Maggette, and now Brand could come back for less money. Both of them love being in LA, they have tons of business interests in the area, and for Baron it’s his hometown.

by Ozzie Montana on Jul 2, 2008 8:19 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

no, stop.

that makes no sense.

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by your friendly BullsBlogger on Jul 2, 2008 12:50 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Well, at least...

...if Vinny Del Negro gets fired mid-season, they will have plenty of Assistants with Head Coaching experience available to step in…

by POSEYHATER on Jul 2, 2008 12:54 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Beastly???aww hell naww....they call him

Mister Glass

I know I know. Its probably nothing, but we CAN start making fun of Number Two already, can’t we?

and on a different note, thank god the Bulls could not and did not get into any bidding war for Mister overinflated egomaniacal, chronically injured, overpaid and overrated, selfish ball hog and Rodman wannabe off the court, Agent Zero

So much for his ‘pay cut’ to help the Wiz. Ah well, one less Eastern Conference rival for the next 6 years

Great hires by Pax btw. Never doubted him even when he was getting all the flak for the past 6 months. Next agenda item – find a team that needs a point guard and has a good backup for Noah and about 8-10 million in contracts which expire in 2010 to offer. We’re already going to have about 12 million in cap space that summer. Add about 8 million more to that and we have a realistic shot at luring away some franchise players from this list

by chlcag0an on Jul 2, 2008 2:50 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs