Fading Stars: A cautionary tale

I definitely get the sentimental attachment to players the Bulls the Bulls draft and develop within their system (let’s pretend the Bulls develop players for now). I also agree that, in an ideal world, building a team the right way and winning that way would be more satisfying that a Celtics-esque “get rich quick” scheme. Being a fan of young, awful teams, makes the payoff (actually winning) even better. And watching young players grow, and dealing with their rookie mistakes, makes it that much harder when they go blow up somewhere else (I’m going to miss you, Tyrus).

That said, I don’t think I quite share your conviction to building the right way. There are 30 teams in the NBA, and all things considered equal, you’re doing okay if you win a championship once every 30 years (ie, not very often). If you have the chance to win a championship, you take it. While Boston fans might not have as much to cheer for, that’s just because Boston fans suck. I lived in Boston during their pre KG and Ray Allen days, and seriously, their fans suck. Regardless, if you have the chance to put a championship team together, you give away your young talent. Boston fans don’t miss Big Al so much that they can’t soak up their tears with $19.99 cheesy championship t-shirts.

When the Bears made their Superbowl run, were you any more invested in Cedric Benson (draft pick) than Thomas Jones (ummm…. no). Point being, while the go-for-it mentality doesn’t excuse signings like Ben Wallace (F***), it does make trading away a young talent like Al Jefferson for KG, or moving two first round picks for Rasheed Wallace, every bit worth it when you win a championship.

Diz, I understand what you mean in the sense that going ‘all-in’ for a short-term championship isn’t as romantic a fan experience as seeing a team grow organically over years. The rest of your post is so very wrong. We can’t be so choosy, especially after the decade-plus we’ve seen here.

You’re getting more out of this ‘growth’ than I am, there’s only growth if it’s growing towards something. Right now the team isn’t growing at all, it’s just Rose (and Noah) growing. Which IS outstanding, but doesn’t make me feel attached to the rest of the roster, who rightfully should be shipped out if better players can come in. I don’t get how that’s a boring shortcut, your suggested ‘right way’ of building (which is…drafting players? who doesn’t do this?) is great when it gets results, but this quest to 2010 flexibility is the correct admission that it was a failure: If the Bulls drafted better before they wouldn’t have even had the chance to get Rose. And the Bulls likely can’t do things in this ideal way because they don’t develop players.

And if you want to make the leap that there is great enjoyment in seeing whatever steps this Bulls team is to take this year, I don’t think it’s more far fetched to see the romantic aspect of seeing an older contending team like the Celtics try and hang on for final years of glory. Your comparison of Garnett to Wallace is a joke, they’re still an elite team and THAT’S fun to cheer for.

Allen expiring this year, Pierce next year, and Garnett and Sheed the year after that. They have one young star and another player who would start on almost any team. Most importantly they have a championship and are in the playoff race.

but you make it seem like they are the Yankees giving up a bunch of great prospects for a one year run. Al Jefferson is good but he may never have the kind of impact KG had. Not to mention they are still, last I checked, 2nd in the East and a contender even with the injuries. I’ll take rooting for a contender any day over whatever this is we have here. The only players I’m vested in are Rose and Noah…that’s it. The Celtics drafted Pierce, Perkins, Rondo, and Tony Allen so it’s not like they didn’t have players on the championship team that started with them from the beginning. What team doesn’t do this that wins championships? I don’t really understand what you mean by “doing it the right way” unless you mean only through the draft which is damn near impossible.

Everyone who is on this blog all have one thing in common and that is that we all care a great deal about the bulls.

The problem is that winning the six championships in the last decade, we hold the bulls to such a higher standard. My question is what about the bulls before that. I mean to say the bulls championships were built around mj, pip and alot of plus minus players who were all key in the wins. Those guys all played together lost and won together and did what we so proudly talk shit to our friends about over beers

who is the nba talkiing about today, oklahoma, blazers, memphis etc alot of teams that built via drafts

Skiles set these bulls on the right path, and though we did take some steps backwards in some of the seasons we have been a pretty good team.

I just want to say that all the free agents that we are hoping to get are not gauranteeing anything.
what has
a) Lebron James done that makes so big a difference. He has a good team and still him and his team did not get a championship
b) Bosh is a good stats guy and that toronto team is loaded with talent what has he done
c) D wade i will give exception to because he single handedly led the miami team to a championship. I would be happy to have him on the bulls team but the torture that guy takes every game on a bad miami team has in my opinion taken a toll and we if signing him are going to pay for it
d) amare is a the worst and i really hope he is the last option..

I say take jj if he is available and that would be the final piece we need and he is a low key good guy who would play like a team.

Key changes needed for the bulls
a) Luol deng has got to stop taking the jumpshots and for once stop being scared of physical contact and drive to the hoop.
b) let pargo, hunter, jerome james, salmons,brown all go
c) accept that hinrich is key to this team and i believe that besides rose stepping up with noah the key to the bulls winning four and maybe five in a row
d) resign tyrus for a low contract and if he is not willing let him go we al know we should have drafted aldridge
e) accept that lettting gordon go was the best thing that the bulls did. the worst was resigning deng. the nba is full of threes who could have done better and for less.
f) i miss noc

just start the whole “lets trade hinrich again” discussion and go in circles

But I think this talk of watching a team build together would’ve made more sense if they did try and build the team that was gifted Rose. Since then we’ve seen Gordon go, and Thomas is soon to follow. That sort of takes away the luster, and the get-rich-quick scheme is essential if not as satisfying.

Thats what made that Dynasty teams so fun. The first three titles were a young and uncorrupted.. the second was built off the Jordan&Pippen core. They rebuilt with great role players.

Rose needs someone along side him that can score at will. Who ever the Bulls bring in here I hope he’s able to stick around longer than Ben Wallace. Basically I’d love to see a younger player with Rose so that when the time comes to ‘retool’ they are both young enough to with stand a down year or two. I have no idea who that is… well yes I do.

But thats most likely a dream.

I totally agree with basically everything you said. For me, watching these young guys come into their own and get big wins and build chemistry is just as fun as watching a championship team dominate the regular season.

And by that I mean, sooner rather than later.

Bulls even drafted “lovable”, but far from elite, guys like Hinrich, Taj Gibson, and Nocioni

Far from elite is true for Noc, however: http://www.basketball-reference.com/players/n/nocioan01.html

Just remember to keep that hope train rolling if we happen to strike out this offseason. You know, we’d be just three or four years away from making a real run at the title, and if we get lucky with some draft picks……

if the bulls have the same team next season lol