'Pro Basketball Prospectus 2011-12' Now Available

by your friendly BullsBlogger on Dec 22, 2011 8:26 AM CST

For the late Christmas shopper: Pro Basketball Prospectus 2011-12 is now available for download at the low price of $9.98. (The paperback will be out soon, and available via Amazon.) The link above has excerpts on the Wizards and Timberwolves available free for download; the book has Kevin Pelton and Bradford Doolittle taking on the entire league, from team overviews to player breakdowns.

I was given a preview of the Bulls page, and it's thorough, knowledgeable, funny, and optimistic (top-5 offense!). Here's a brief snippet from the Bulls team page which was quite interesting:

Thibodeau and GarPax want players with gym-rat personalities who have a reputation for on-court selflessness. The amount of research Chicago does on prospective players is staggering. The Bulls don’t have a reputation for being at the vanguard of the tempo-free stats movement, but in fact their system of information management is as sophisticated as any in the league. And the database contains a lot more than on-court statistics.

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"And the database contains a lot more than on-court statistics."

How their grades were in college…in Chemistry? Or how many years attended at Duke?

WCG's Resident Nickelback and Boy Band fan

Also rated Worst WCG Blogger by Dr. Steven Schweickert's extensive "Total BR" (Blogger Rating)

"Oh Dilfer, give me the strength...
to be as bad a WCG Contributor as you are an announcer/authority on anything. Peace be with you. " (JoetheBoss)

by ThorCo on Dec 22, 2011 9:09 AM CST reply actions

but in fact their system of information management is as sophisticated as any in the league.

“Alright, who told this guy about the Chem-O-Meter 3000?”

Recovering...

by Juiceboxjerry on Dec 22, 2011 9:11 AM CST reply actions 7 recs

Shucks

your joke was better

WCG's Resident Nickelback and Boy Band fan

Also rated Worst WCG Blogger by Dr. Steven Schweickert's extensive "Total BR" (Blogger Rating)

"Oh Dilfer, give me the strength...
to be as bad a WCG Contributor as you are an announcer/authority on anything. Peace be with you. " (JoetheBoss)

by ThorCo on Dec 22, 2011 9:20 AM CST up reply actions

Haha, didn't see yours before I posted.

Should’ve known “chemistry” would be the go-to joke for this thread

Recovering...

by Juiceboxjerry on Dec 22, 2011 9:34 AM CST up reply actions

That dude looks like an angry turtle

We have an elite pass rushing LB who likes to conserve electrcity-Munchausen

by cencalclassics on Dec 22, 2011 9:58 AM CST up reply actions 1 recs

by redwhiteandblack on Dec 22, 2011 11:36 AM CST up reply actions 5 recs

Cracking up at this Kevin Love tidbit

the NBA’s first 30-30 game since ~~dinosaurs roamed the Earth~~
Moses Malone in 1982.

Glad they called out that great NBA mind, Kurt Rambis.

by kingj41 on Dec 22, 2011 9:25 AM CST reply actions

Joke's on them

All I wanted were tidbits on the Timberwolves and the Wizards, and they gave it to me for free!

Suckers.

by runningman on Dec 22, 2011 9:46 AM CST reply actions 17 recs

That's awesome.

by dakoose on Dec 22, 2011 2:47 PM CST up reply actions

Its hard to argue with the results

after a tad bit of luck (Rose) they have done a good job of finding guys that fit a certain style and mode. Although this seems like a relatively new trend and one that fits perhaps a narrative the Bulls have been trying to sell the last few years.

by Basketball Smurf on Dec 22, 2011 10:27 AM CST reply actions

In terms of drafting,

its difficult to be upset with any of their picks. Objectively, they seem to have gotten the best player available at each of their spots in the draft. The only glaring miss is Tyrus Thomas, and it seems that is the one pick they went away from their usual profile. Am I missing anyone else?

by dakoose on Dec 22, 2011 1:06 PM CST up reply actions

Well we got a good pick for Tyrus so maybe in a few years, when Rose hits his prime that pick will turn into something special.

by adocarbog on Dec 22, 2011 1:49 PM CST up reply actions

JJ, perhaps Sefolosha, although he fits the profile

described. I think when it comes to drafting they’ve been relatively consistent in finding their “type” of guy. I just think its kind of came together after Rose. To say they’ve always looked for selfless guys, at least in terms of GarPax, kind of ignores the Salmons, Gooden, Hughes type signings. Everyone looks like a good guy when you’re winning, and everyone is a bum when you lose. Ask Rip Hamilton.

by Basketball Smurf on Dec 22, 2011 1:51 PM CST up reply actions 2 recs

But the issue was their drafting

and as long as Pax and Gar have been in charge, they’ve drafted well. You could argue, as mentioned above, that Tyrus wasn’t the best pick, but who was so great that they passed on? The only person is Brandon Roy, but there were concerns about his knees, and that’s turned out to be true.

As far as JJ goes, drafting Taj more than makes up for it. I’m hoping Jimmy Butler is a wing version of Taj.

by kozzer on Dec 22, 2011 1:56 PM CST up reply actions

They could have had Lamarcus Aldridge instead of Tyrus Thomas.

They drafted Aldridge and traded him for Thomas and Viktor Kryhapa. Not sure if i spelled that second name correctly, but he certainly isn’t worth looking up.

Of course, that would have led to an alternate reality where the Bulls don’t land Rose, so I’m fine with how it all worked out.

by dolemitejr on Dec 22, 2011 2:20 PM CST up reply actions

Right...Rose.

This is what I tell myself everytime that I am upset about TT (had a good NCAA run, but not a Bulls player) instead of LA. I’d rather have Rose.

by Unrealcity on Dec 22, 2011 2:41 PM CST up reply actions

I said,

“in terms of drafting,” specifically for that reason. Some of their free agent and trade acquisitions have sucked.

The JJ pick didn’t workout out, but pretty much every prospect taken after him that panned out was a PG. Here are the players taken after him that are players: Jrue Holiday, Ty Lawson, Jeff Teague, Darren Collisson, Omri Casspi, Dajuan Blair, Chase Budinger, Marcus Thornton. They missed out on a couple of decent players there, but nothing crazy.

Players available after Thabo: Paul Millsap(47), Boobie Gibson(42), Shannon Brown(25), Kyle Lowrie(24), Rajon Rondo(21), Ronnie Brewer(14).
-They missed out on Millsap and Rondo, nobody else really matters.

The only guy that sticks out is Tyrus. Jay Williams doesn’t really count.

by dakoose on Dec 22, 2011 2:10 PM CST up reply actions

Having Holiday, Lawson, Teague or Colison as our backup PG would be pretty sweet

To say nothing of how nice Thornton would look in a Bulls uniform. JJ was definitely a miss. He is pretty much the only one though, along with Tyrus.

Pat Riley is the devil.

by Poloplaya14 on Dec 22, 2011 2:40 PM CST up reply actions 1 recs

Right!

I remember at the time being really excited because Ty Lawson was still available and I thought he would be a great back-up point behind Rose. Then we picked JJ. Let’s just say my wife could understand why I was so upset.

by Unrealcity on Dec 22, 2011 2:43 PM CST up reply actions

TT isn't even that bad of a miss

He’s a useful player.

I wonder if the Skiles regime didn’t fuck up his development too.

by tuluse on Dec 22, 2011 2:48 PM CST up reply actions

agree

TT actually looked like he figuired it out last year too…

plus how can anyone really hate TT after this? the pick was good only for that

by Belize on Dec 22, 2011 3:04 PM CST up reply actions

Wow

Forgot about that. Awesome

by cubbybear on Dec 22, 2011 3:50 PM CST up reply actions

my favorite TT block

was this one

by SidM on Dec 22, 2011 4:02 PM CST up reply actions

ah what could have

been

also this is my favorite tyrus thomas moment…

I dont care what the D.N.A. Says, the Guy wearing number 12 Cannot be Kirk Hinrich, he is definetly Kurt. Kirk can actually play basketball!

by piccolomair on Dec 22, 2011 5:46 PM CST up reply actions 1 recs

Ah the dream front court of tyrus and gray

Should've traded for Melo.

by sin on Dec 22, 2011 6:20 PM CST up reply actions 3 recs

This isnt bad either

by MilkThenClear on Dec 22, 2011 6:51 PM CST up reply actions

href=“http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VSNOTY6PXc0” >

by MilkThenClear on Dec 22, 2011 6:52 PM CST up reply actions

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VSNOTY6PXc0

by MilkThenClear on Dec 22, 2011 6:52 PM CST up reply actions

But we still do have this guy...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GRiHfmVDFDk&feature=related

by MilkThenClear on Dec 22, 2011 6:54 PM CST up reply actions

weren't those 2 in the same year (cant remember)

i really thought TT was gonna be that guy and that he was gonna get it..then he does shyt like this..still a good pick imo tho (that game hurt btw)

by Belize on Dec 22, 2011 9:20 PM CST up reply actions

LOL

Aaron Gray @ 37sec.

by SidM on Dec 23, 2011 3:27 PM CST up reply actions

But in the end of the day,

when it matters Rose will be playing 40 mpg. Downgrading from one of those backups to CJ for 8 mpg is hardly a big deal.

by dakoose on Dec 22, 2011 2:49 PM CST up reply actions

Fair enough

But let’s say Rose gets hurt and misses a month of the season. Who gives us a better chance of staying afloat and maintaining our good playoff seed, CJ Watson or Ty Lawson?

Pat Riley is the devil.

by Poloplaya14 on Dec 22, 2011 2:57 PM CST up reply actions

Maybe Lawson's better, but

CJ Watson is a pretty damn servicable backup. He’s come through a few times in big moments.

by Reaver on Dec 22, 2011 3:01 PM CST up reply actions

Thats a good point.

However, I don’t think the Bulls even were thinking of taking a backup PG. They already had their young star at that spot, their thinking was probably to take a chance on a wing guy and bring in a vet to help Rose a bit.

by dakoose on Dec 22, 2011 4:15 PM CST up reply actions

Okay. I guess I don't understand what your original point has to do with what I said

I’m more focused on the narrative that is being created around the players that they have rather than their success in the draft. So instead of Rip Hamilton being a petulant vet who sulked his way out of Detroit despite them paying him something like $24 million over the last 2 years, he is a hard-working gym rat, frustrated with an inept organization who just needed a fresh air. I just think its funny how the media creates these narratives and fans buy them hook, line and sinker.

The narrative is that the Bulls always look for hard-working, gym rats who are selfless players. I think that narrative is more born out of winning than a specific pattern of always going out to get good guys. And in my example I used players who I felt didn’t exactly fit that mold whom the Bulls have recently acquired. I think its nice to say the Bulls success is born out of always finding hard-working guys who do things the right way, but I don’t know if that is tremendously different than most teams. Its not like Miami is going out of its way to sign guys who can’t stand hard work and hate practice. PRACTICE?!?!? If the Bulls were 20-62, all these guys would be considered lazy bums. Look at how fans turned on Gordon. Year 1 heroic rookie saving us in the final moments. Year 4 – selfish bum who refuses to play defense. Than his personality change or the narrative around him?

That isn’t to say their aren’t some true knuckleheads out there who the Bulls have been avoiding (J.R. Smith) but I still chuckle when writers invoke the hard hat, lunch pail Bulls.

by Basketball Smurf on Dec 22, 2011 2:51 PM CST up reply actions

I agree with you mostly, but some players do change.

I think Ben Gordon is an example. He was much more willing to be a team player, but then he blew up his rookie year and I think it went to his head. He had problems it seemed at times with a young D. Rose on the court. He wanted the ball and often Rose let him just take it. Then the money thing. He just wasn’t worth it.

by Unrealcity on Dec 22, 2011 3:09 PM CST up reply actions

I'm going to be the dingus I am and say...

…this team is as good as the current one:

Rose – Hinrich – Charles Jenkins.
Gordon – Hinrich – Sefolosha
Deng – Sefolosha
Thomas – Gibson – Blair
Noah – Asik – Leuer

meh

by tyger1147 on Dec 22, 2011 7:59 PM CST up reply actions

I agree

on Rose, Deng and Noah….

by Reaver on Dec 22, 2011 8:06 PM CST up reply actions

Leuer

/vomits

"Sportsmanship is just loser talk for losing."

by boyonthedock on Dec 22, 2011 11:03 PM CST up reply actions

swap Jenkins

for Norris Cole and you’ve got a deal

by SidM on Dec 23, 2011 3:30 PM CST up reply actions

They've done well but they've also been in the lottery for many years.

I’m more impressed with Taj, Omer and the Mirotic picks. Taj didn’t really have much profile before the draft, they completely owned the Blazers with the Asik trade and Mirotic has garnered a ton of buzz.

What’s interesting is a lot of people assume the Bulls are not stats-friendly but the only reason to believe that is they don’t have a media darling like Mark Cuban or Daryl Morey who blog and Tweet about this type of stuff. Gar Forman will never host a panel at the MIT sports conference.

by Ozzie Montana on Dec 22, 2011 2:04 PM CST up reply actions

bad news for the few J.R. Smith fans out there though.

BaB on Twitter | BaB on Facebook
"Don't nag, flag!"

by your friendly BullsBlogger on Dec 22, 2011 2:15 PM CST up reply actions

He's matured!.....sources say...

by Trey23 on Dec 22, 2011 2:17 PM CST up reply actions

Yeah, just look at the reports coming out of China about the team being pissed at him.

He is really so much more mature! Can you tell I don’t want JR on this team. Wilson Chandler on the other hand I would happily bring on.

by Unrealcity on Dec 22, 2011 2:45 PM CST up reply actions

I see it is coming to Amazon soon.

I want to read it on my Kindle and I’m too lazy to do it with the .pdf version.

by Tim S. on Dec 22, 2011 10:54 AM CST reply actions

that's pretty lazy.

by obnoxious american on Dec 22, 2011 11:59 AM CST up reply actions 1 recs

Yeah, I suppose I could hook up the cord tonight.

But I also prefer to enlarge the font for my weak eyes, which I can’t do with a .pdf document.

by Tim S. on Dec 22, 2011 12:47 PM CST up reply actions

ah, ok.

by obnoxious american on Dec 22, 2011 12:55 PM CST up reply actions

Wait

They used “GarPax” in their publication? lol

They should have went the whole mile…..Garpaxdorf

by Trey23 on Dec 22, 2011 2:16 PM CST reply actions 2 recs

Very encouraging to hear that

“their system of information management is as sophisticated as any in the league.” My impression is that the Bulls have done a much better job since Gar took over for Pax, although they are still conservative when it comes to “character.” I would have liked to see them sign Delonte West, either last year or this, but they seem to stay away from him for character reasons.

by Tim S. on Dec 22, 2011 2:30 PM CST reply actions

You mean for "crazy" reasons.

Although, for the simple fact of throwing him out there when we play the Heat it would be fun.

by Unrealcity on Dec 22, 2011 2:47 PM CST up reply actions

Bring out the Gimp

by cubbybear on Dec 22, 2011 3:59 PM CST up reply actions

OMg

Vinny for coach of the year?

by Belize on Dec 22, 2011 2:48 PM CST reply actions

yeah, they'll win more games in spite of him.

inadvertently making him look competent. everyone wins!

by obnoxious american on Dec 22, 2011 2:54 PM CST up reply actions

How about Chris Paul for coach of the year?

by Tim S. on Dec 22, 2011 3:27 PM CST up reply actions 7 recs

Wow.

Not a single vote for Thibs, nor for Rose to repeat as MVP.

by tuff-gong on Dec 22, 2011 3:45 PM CST up reply actions

not surprised about rose

i wouldn’t predict he’d win either. no votes for dwight!

Look
I didn’t want to offend anyone by saying the "f" word or generalizing my statement to any particular sex by saying "gays" or lesbians" or "bi’s" so "homos" is the most "politically correct" term. I’m just trying to be more tact in a tactless blog.

by Hindut Patrol on Feb 15, 2011 2:51 PM EST

by Jaina on Dec 22, 2011 3:50 PM CST up reply actions

What if the Bulls go undefeated?

by Trey23 on Dec 22, 2011 3:51 PM CST up reply actions 2 recs

Can't build a team without the glue.

Deng for MVP!

by cubbybear on Dec 22, 2011 3:59 PM CST up reply actions 3 recs

of course there are circumstances where he'd win, lol

i’m just not surprised no one picked him to repeat.

by Hindut Patrol on Feb 15, 2011 2:51 PM EST

by Jaina on Dec 22, 2011 4:03 PM CST up reply actions

It's all about Rip!

"You play to win the playoffs, and we let 'em off the hook!" -Herm Mora Green

by jrobulls on Dec 22, 2011 4:16 PM CST up reply actions

It's Chicago.

The only team that gets national attention and love when they’re good is the Cubs. The Sox, Bulls and Bears never get hype or credit; same goes for their players. Rose is gonna tear the league apart even more than last season and Thibs is gonna be an even better coach.

by dakoose on Dec 22, 2011 4:18 PM CST up reply actions