Blog a Bull: FanPosts

A Draft Thread

2013-05-21T16:16:40Z

So, a few things about the draft this year:

* The lottery is tonight. Are there any teams that would trade their lottery pick for Deng or the Charlotte pick? I think teams like the Cavs, Suns, Pelicans, Kings, Pistons, TWolves, and Wizards would at least consider it.

* Are there players you'd like fro the top of the draft? I'd love Oladipo, who is apparently a Dwyane Wadeesque freak of nature as an athlete, by the way. I'd at least think long and hard about Otto Porter, but haven't come to a real conclusion about him. I think Trey Burke will be good, but obviously he's not a guy the Bulls should trade up for.

* Who will be a bust? I'd be scared of taking Noel (a 206lb C with an ACL injury) or McLemore (with coach badmouthing him and plenty of issue). Anthony Bennett strikes me as a guy who will be a very borderline starter/6th man type for a long time. Which is better than a bust, but not really a guy I'd want to spend a top 5 pick on. Alex Len's ankle problems make him look pretty scary to me.

* Who will be there when the Bulls pick? Somewhat shockingly, I looked at the Draft Express mock for the day, and they still had Gorgui Dieng available and the Bulls picking him at 20. Sweet.

* Measurement curiosities.

Rudy Gobert has an absurd wingspan and reach. I'd use a lottery pick on him, but he still looks like a high risk pick because he's slow and doesn't know how to play.

Kelly Olynyk. When was the last time anyone from Gonzaga was good? No way.

Withey was very slow and stiff compared to the other bigs.

Mason Plumlee and especially Cody Zellar have ridiculous athleticism for big guys. Zeller posted the highest No Step Vertical in the entire combine, and the guy is seven feet tall and runs the floor like a guard.

Seth Curry and Shabazz Muhamad need to go on diets.

So, a few things about the draft this year:

* Who will be there when the Bulls pick? Somewhat shockingly, I looked at the Draft Express mock for the day, and they still had Gorgui Dieng available and the Bulls picking him at 20. Sweet.

* Measurement curiosities.

Rudy Gobert has an absurd wingspan and reach. I'd use a lottery pick on him, but he still looks like a high risk pick because he's slow and doesn't know how to play.

Kelly Olynyk. When was the last time anyone from Gonzaga was good? No way.

Withey was very slow and stiff compared to the other bigs.

Mason Plumlee and especially Cody Zellar have ridiculous athleticism for big guys. Zeller posted the highest No Step Vertical in the entire combine, and the guy is seven feet tall and runs the floor like a guard.

Seth Curry and Shabazz Muhamad need to go on diets.

Legendary Bulls Coach Phil Jackson At Printers Row, May 23

2013-05-20T15:53:27Z

Legendary Chicago Bulls coach Phil Jackson, who guided the team to six NBA championships and went on to coach the Los Angeles Lakers to five, discusses his new book, "Eleven Rings: The Soul of Success" with Tribune sports reporter K.C. Johnson on May 23. Hear how the "Zen master" inspired his players and grew to be one of the most innovative coaches in sports. 7 p.m. Palmer House Hilton, 17 E. Monroe St., Chicago. Groups of 10+ qualify for $10 discounted ticket pricing. Get tickets and more information here.

Bracket Contest Update and Playoff Discussion Thread.

2013-05-19T08:40:17Z

Hey gang. I have posted the standings for the bracket contest below but, as always, I will use this platform to initiate discussion on the NBA playoffs. You are encouraged to post your own thoughts/observations on the subject.

The 2nd round of the playoffs are over and very little about this round ran contrary to my (everyone's?) expectations.

Eastern Conference: I will limit this to as few words as possible as the East is a bit of a disaster right now.

Much has been said on the site about the Bulls/Heat series so I will not repeat too much. Let me just say that I am proud of the Bulls playoff performance and I think that a playoff series victory is a very big deal for them going forward. I am back in 2011-mode where I will be glad to see anyone but the Heat win.

The Knicks/Indiana series is now over with the Knicks playing much worse than advertised. Maybe it it the age/injuries. My initial thought was that Indiana would beat the hell out of them and make them lose there cool. This may or may not have happened but I will have to consult one of the seven people who actually watched some of these games to make sure.

As far as the ECF is concerned, I see Indiana roughing up the Heat quite a bit. I do not think that the Pacers have the scoring to actually pull off the series victory but I think that they will seriously expose Miami's smallball lineups.

Heat in 6

Western Conference:

The Spurs/Warriors series went just as expected. When the Warriors requited 37 minutes to inbound the ball at the end of the Nuggets series, it was clear to me that they lacked the ability to execute required to make a deep playoff run. Contrast that with the Spurs where it is totally unconscious for every player, from Tim Duncan down, to make the extra pass and find the wide open shot. Their attack was relentless, especially compared to the Warriors. Now, I too am human. I loved watching Steph Curry nail 30 footers. That said, if the W's are going to take the next step, they must emulate the Spurs and learn to execute. They need more of a defensive identity and need more and better ball movement on offense (things that the Spurs excel at). Hopefully they can pull this off as they will then be very interesting going forward.

I did not watch much of the Griz/OKC series due to OKC's weakened state.

As far as the WCF goes, this could go either way in my eyes. On the one hand the Spurs look like a well-oiled machine. That said, the Griz are hot right now and are really delivering with their bruising front-court. I see this series going to 6 or 7 with the Griz being the eventual winners.

Griz in 6 (only because if it goes to 7 I will have to change to the Spurs due to home-court advantage).

Finals:

I said this last time but I have the Griz winning it all (if I could redo my bracket). I will revise this by saying that I think that whoever comes out of the West will win it all. My reasoning is that the Heat's game-plan is to force their opponent into awkward match-ups/positioning. That is all well and good if the only sacrifice that you must make is a mildly hot night from Carlos Boozer. If you have Shane Battier and Chris Bosh guarding ZBo and Gasol, you will pay. The same is true for the Spurs. Throw in that the Spurs have a large number of wing defenders to throw at LeBron James and I think that the Heat winning the championship is not the forgone conclusion that seems to be the conventional wisdom.

Alright gang. That's it. The Bulls are out but they went down valiantly and are poised to be real contenders next year. I loved this team and am very proud of them. Go Bulls! Please discuss the playoffs at length. Post-away.

Patty Mills, Juicy Dengler	180	Spurs	View
xkellenx's bracket, xkellenx	160	Heat	View
THEKILLERWHALE's Bracket, THEKILLERWHALE	145	Heat	View
drock8686, drock8686	145	Spurs	View
Otherface NBA Bracket, otherface	145	Heat	View
simplebracket, prevenge	140	Heat	View
JGB bracket, JimmehGBuckets	135	Heat	View
This Bracket Stinks, windycitywarrior	135	Spurs	View
It's gonna happen!!!!, masputo	135	Bulls	View
chicity773, chicity773	125	Heat	View
The worst bracket, metalkiwis	125	Thunder	View
Boom, xshwanger	125	Bulls	View
I-hope-not bracket, odwallajuicish	125	Heat	View
Spyder007's Bracket, Spyder007	115	Bulls	View
Doshi 1, Doshi	115	Heat	View
2013, jnegron414	115	Heat	View
The Butler did It's Bracket, The Butler Did It	115	Heat	View
cubbybear, cubbybear	110	Heat	View
tuff-gong's baracket, tuff-gong	110	Bulls	View
Dmes' Bracket, Dmes	110	Heat	View
Shortkid99's Bracket, Eric Feigin	110	Heat	View
livesinnoahsbasement, livesinnoahsbasement	105	Bulls	View
mrdope, mrdope	105	Heat	View
bleigh82, bleigh82	100	Heat	View
Fake Bracket for Test Purposes., JDW	100	Heat	View
Plywooded, Plywooded	90	Nuggets	View
Mitch Stevens Bracket, Mitch Stevens	85	Clippers	View
B Smurf, Basketball Smurf	85	Heat	View
Slaughterhouse, DreSlaughter45	80	Thunder	View
theRETURN, cowraiser	55	Bulls	View

The 2nd round of the playoffs are over and very little about this round ran contrary to my (everyone's?) expectations.

Eastern Conference: I will limit this to as few words as possible as the East is a bit of a disaster right now.

Heat in 6

Western Conference:

I did not watch much of the Griz/OKC series due to OKC's weakened state.

Griz in 6 (only because if it goes to 7 I will have to change to the Spurs due to home-court advantage).

Finals:

Patty Mills, Juicy Dengler	180	Spurs	View
xkellenx's bracket, xkellenx	160	Heat	View
THEKILLERWHALE's Bracket, THEKILLERWHALE	145	Heat	View
drock8686, drock8686	145	Spurs	View
Otherface NBA Bracket, otherface	145	Heat	View
simplebracket, prevenge	140	Heat	View
JGB bracket, JimmehGBuckets	135	Heat	View
This Bracket Stinks, windycitywarrior	135	Spurs	View
It's gonna happen!!!!, masputo	135	Bulls	View
chicity773, chicity773	125	Heat	View
The worst bracket, metalkiwis	125	Thunder	View
Boom, xshwanger	125	Bulls	View
I-hope-not bracket, odwallajuicish	125	Heat	View
Spyder007's Bracket, Spyder007	115	Bulls	View
Doshi 1, Doshi	115	Heat	View
2013, jnegron414	115	Heat	View
The Butler did It's Bracket, The Butler Did It	115	Heat	View
cubbybear, cubbybear	110	Heat	View
tuff-gong's baracket, tuff-gong	110	Bulls	View
Dmes' Bracket, Dmes	110	Heat	View
Shortkid99's Bracket, Eric Feigin	110	Heat	View
livesinnoahsbasement, livesinnoahsbasement	105	Bulls	View
mrdope, mrdope	105	Heat	View
bleigh82, bleigh82	100	Heat	View
Fake Bracket for Test Purposes., JDW	100	Heat	View
Plywooded, Plywooded	90	Nuggets	View
Mitch Stevens Bracket, Mitch Stevens	85	Clippers	View
B Smurf, Basketball Smurf	85	Heat	View
Slaughterhouse, DreSlaughter45	80	Thunder	View
theRETURN, cowraiser	55	Bulls	View

Poll

Who will win it all?

Views From the Beach: Bring on the Night

2013-05-16T14:42:18Z

Well, they certainly put up a hell of a fight, and for that I will always remember this Bulls team. I may have been down on them most of the year and knew this result was inevitable, but as many here have said, once tip-off occurs it is hard not to root for a win and cheer on the Bulls. So it goes...

Yes, the Heat will go on and probably win another championship, but I for one will be watching as I feel their two likely opponents the remainder of the way are teams in the same mold as the Bulls. If indiana finishes off the Knicks, the Bulls would then serve as a good warm-up for the Heat in prep for the Pacers. Only thing is Indy is actually healthy (Granger almost hurts them at this point). Hibbert may not be as active as Noah but he is a legit big threat in the paint and could possibly make life difficult for any Heat venturing into the lane. Also, I will be interested in the evolution of Paul George and see if he can take that next step in his climb up to the NBA's elite as he matches up against the best himself, one Mr. Lebron James. But don't get it twisted... #FuckPsychoT

Then, if they happen to get past the WCF is Memphis. This team is playing incredible defense right now. I know they played an OKC team without it's second star but regardless OKC still has one of the best scorers in the league in Kevin Durant and the Grizzlies just completely dismantled them. The best defensive team in the league this year with the DPOY, the Grizz are also very much in the mold of the Bulls; two skilled bigmen (Gasol & Z-Bo) with better offensive skills than the Bulls' pair of Noah and Boozer. They also have a premier perimeter defender in Tony Allen who can be used to make Lebron work. Jimmy Butler, a second-year player who is still very much inexperienced, just pestered Lebron into 44% shooting for the series against the Bulls. That is 12% less than what he shot on the season. That is a huge drop off. His per game number might've not taken that big a hit, but the one thing that has made Lebron's season truly remarkable was his efficiency. By shooting a noticeably worse percentage, he had to get up more shots to reach his averages, including a lot of long jumpers. Those are the kinds of shots I felt Lebron stayed away from for the most part this season. For a player who was playing smart all season and making the proper decisions as the focal point of his offense, Lebron settled for stretches against the Bulls. So it'll be interesting to see what Tony Allen and the Grizzlies defense in general can do against Lebron and the Heat. Oh, and Zach Randolph is a MAN.

I also don't want to totally count out the Spurs. This has actually been the team I hoped all year long would face the Heat in the Finals. And since both teams held out their star players in their two regular season matchups, I'm even more intrigued to finally see these two teams do battle when everyone is on the court. The Spurs are efficient, play good team ball, and don't necessarily go through the offensive lulls a team like Indiana or Memphis might go through. I think they would be the perfect matchup. I just feel Memphis is a team on a roll and will be an extremely tough out for the Spurs. So tough that those two may beat each other up and just have nothing left for a potential matchup versus Miami.

As for our Bulls, it was definitely a memorable season in spite of the disappointment of Derrick Rose not returning all season. Just when we counted them out, they always surprised us with #Streakbusting and such. Some good storylines came from it: Nate, Jimmy, Noah becoming a true all-star. There is a lot to look forward to: Derrick's return (I hear he is now no longer listed as day-to-day), Luol regaining his health, Rip getting the hell out of town. This should not be a sad day for Bulls fans as there is a daylight on the horizon.

For the meantime, night sets on the beach. Gone are the bikinis, umbrellas, and cold drinks. As the sun sets on this Bulls season, the time has come for drum circles and mysticism and good vibes to take over as the Bulls look forward to a new dawn... a new beginning.

I thank you all for taking the time to read through my musings of this series and know I will always carry that Bulls banner proudly down here on the beach. 'Til next season.

#TheBullsWillRose #RoseWillRise

I thank you all for taking the time to read through my musings of this series and know I will always carry that Bulls banner proudly down here on the beach. 'Til next season.

#TheBullsWillRose #RoseWillRise

Is Spoelstra a Good Coach?

2013-05-14T21:39:37Z

I really can't tell. One of the reasons Phil was such a great coach is because he was able to hold together teams that had psychotic competitors like mj or kobe, but I really don't think Spoelstra is in that same situation. Nor did he ever have to work to get Lebron to distribute since LBJ was always a willing passer and has some of the best court vision I've ever seen. I think Lebron is a flopping douche, but from what I've seen/heard he appears to be an incredible teammate such as when he gave everyone on the team free Beats (BY DRE!) or the Heat Harlem Shake video. Lebron's personality combined with great veterans such as Battier and Ray Allen, makes it seem like Spo doesn't really have to work hard to keep the team together. The biggest source of tension that I see on that team is the dynamic between the big three and Chalmers, and for the most part I think that's improved over time. Also Wade clearly doesn't respect Spoelstra which you rarely see in a relationship between a star player and a great(?) coach.

Dwyane Wade Snaps @ Erik Spoelstra vs Pacers [5.17.2012] (via CakesBerry)

Everyone acts like Spo was such a genius for embracing small ball with Bosh at center while Lebron and Battier play both forward positions, but it was really the most obvious move in the world. Anyone who is the size of Malone, has a 3 point shot, and has the ability to defend anyone on the court will clearly creates a mismatch for the opposing team when you play him at power forward. This was even more obvious given the lack of back to the basket big men and increased importance throughout the league on the 3 point shot

They had a great season this year, but I'm hesitant to attribute the 27 win-streak to Spo when I think the real reason is due to Lebron becoming even more dominant, and getting to dish it to Ray Allen, and improved 3 point shooters Chalmers and Battier. I just remember all these times last year when Spo drew up the dumbest plays and I thought there was no way Riley could possibly keep this guy as head coach. One horrible play call came during a game last season, the Heat had the final shot to tie the game up and there was absolutely no room to get a shot off because there was literally 3 heat players within 5 feet of each other. If anyone knows which one I'm talking about please comment with a link.

I might be letting my dislike of the Heat cloud my judgement so let me know what you guys think

Dwyane Wade Snaps @ Erik Spoelstra vs Pacers [5.17.2012] (via CakesBerry)

I might be letting my dislike of the Heat cloud my judgement so let me know what you guys think

A Brief Tribute to the 2012-13 Chicago Bulls: How I Became a Convert

2013-05-14T19:55:31Z

If you are a Celtics fan born between 1976-1986, you grew up despising the Chicago Bulls. Windy City basketball dominance was merciless in the 1990's. Michael Jordan's fade-away, Scottie Pippen's long-arms swooping for steals, Bil Cartwright's pointy elbows causing havoc, and Phil Jackson's stoicism: all were cruel reminders of what the Celtics were not. The Celtics were in tatters. An end-of-his-career Dominique Wilkins heavy on jumpers. A David Wesley at the beginning of his career, with his Raymond Felton-lite ground game. Dino Radja's last good season. Sherm Douglas' bulky knee-pads. The enormous bald dome of Eric Montross. Remember back when being 7-feet-tall guaranteed you a contract? "Never-nervous" Pervis Ellison never had a need to be nervous during his Boston tenure. Aside from those four playoff games in 1995, the games simply didn't matter that much. And he was in a suit on the sideline. Yes, they had to wear suits back then, before David Stern had his vice grip on the NBA's image.

The Bulls dominated. Michael Jordan's face went global. His shoes went stratospheric, right with the price tags attached to them, and the gun-shots that rang-out in pursuit of them. Fast forward to 2012. The Chicago Bulls began the season without their future, their fixture, their franchise: the quiet-natured, knee-rehabbing Derrick Rose.

2012-13 Chicago Bulls

Life ain't fair. Life is full of irony. Life ain't easy. Life is full of injuries and illnesses. All four truisms apply to the 2012-13 Chicago Bulls. Some playoff deaths come slowly and painfully. Others come swiftly and silently. The Chicago Bulls are currently dying a slow, gruesome death this May. Last night's 88-65 contest was as palpable an example of a team on its "last legs" as I've ever witnessed. And I witnessed the 2012-13 Boston Celtics!

Let's take a second to think about them. Derrick Rose's year never started, but the amount of words written and spoken about him was endless.

Rose's season was the epitome of what ails the sports world: the era of echo-chamber journalism, twitter-obsessed news, rampant speculation, and fruitless debating about a player's health based on a team doctor's biased diagnosis.

There are two redeeming aspects of the Rose saga.

One: a player's psychological ability to recover is as important as his physical ability. Most of the media ignores this, and most fans ignore this. Example, "They said he's healthy! Why isn't he back?! They need him. He makes !231# million dollars and year!!@#! He should be back by now!" Rarely do you hear anyone saying, "Is he mentally ready? How long will it take him to get over the knee injury, mentally?" Jeff Green had open-heart surgery last year. Fans begin criticizing him the minute he starts to struggle in regular season games. Instead of considering, "Is he mentally ready to take the lane pounding that comes with driving to the hoop with abandon?" Or, "How is his stamina?" Green's second half of the season proved how important he is to the Celtics future. But in December, all you heard were trade rumors.

Two: he serves as an example of how much damage a team can do to its players by mislabeling injuries, shortening careers with false health clearances, and turning the public against its beloved player by demanding he get back on the court. If you're unaware of the Bulls organization checkered past, read Tom Ziller's piece for SB Nation: http://www.sbnation.com/nba/2013/5/8/4311600/derrick-rose-chicago-bulls-injury-luol-deng-doctors

The Bulls without Rose were an incredibly resilient bunch. In fact, they are a definitive example of collective resilience. In a linguistic age where the word "resilient" is bandied about with complete disregard for its true meaning, the 2012-13 Chicago Bulls epitomize the word.

resilient, adjective. (of a person or animal)-- Able to withstand or recover quickly from difficult conditions. (dictionary.com)

resilient, characterized or marked by resilience: as - b: tending to recover from or adjust easily to misfortune or change (www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary)

To read the complete post, click here:

http://darkoindex.com/2013/05/14/a-brief-tribute-to-a-team-i-grew-up-despising-gradually-opening-my-arms-to-the-bulls/

Thanks for reading and Go Bulls,

Jonah

2012-13 Chicago Bulls

Let's take a second to think about them. Derrick Rose's year never started, but the amount of words written and spoken about him was endless.

There are two redeeming aspects of the Rose saga.

resilient, adjective. (of a person or animal)-- Able to withstand or recover quickly from difficult conditions. (dictionary.com)

resilient, characterized or marked by resilience: as - b: tending to recover from or adjust easily to misfortune or change (www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary)

To read the complete post, click here:

http://darkoindex.com/2013/05/14/a-brief-tribute-to-a-team-i-grew-up-despising-gradually-opening-my-arms-to-the-bulls/

Thanks for reading and Go Bulls,

Jonah

Poll

In retrospect, how far did you believe the 2012-13 Chicago Bulls would get playing this full season without Derrick Rose?

Views From the Beach: Wiped Out

2013-05-14T18:45:41Z

I always felt that if the depleted Bulls were to keep this a series, Game 3 was the game to take at the UC. Ideally, you'd want to hold serve at home and take both games, but these aren't ideal times. So I was always of the mind that you take Game 3, go up 2-1, and now the pressure is on the Heat. Instead, what happened is what I feared; they lost a hard-fought game Friday night and you can tell it just kinda sucked the wind out of their sails. Even if they were going to come out guns ablazin' last night, the moment you see Nate missing everything under the sun, it also sucks the energy out of you. Maybe the sight of Rip making it onto the court was truly the straw that broke the camel's back.

This guy didn't seem too affected by it...

So whatever. And then by the end of the night, this whole ugly episode really became a laugher. Right, Jo?

Indeed.

Heat fans are riding high again. Although they never really got too low anyways. Who could blame them, honestly... I mean, even us Bulls fans had no real expectations of winning this series with the current makeup of the roster. In reality, even if the "guy in the suit" had returned at some point this season, I never had any realistic hopes of beating this Miami team this year. So I've expected this the whole time. Game 1 gave the small glimmer of hope, but ultimately the great sadness comes in reality setting in. Reality for me means another year of wondering "what if" with this team. Whether it be ThibsBall, or minutes loads, or just a roster full of players with extensive injury histories, or even Fred, whatever it is, it hurts not truly knowing the full potential of this team yet again. I'm always a die-hard, but man can this kind of thing make you wonder what you've cheered for and spent so much thought and energy on this whole time since October... Almost would've been wiser to just stay away for a year (heh... maybe Derrick was on to something). I think, in the end, none of us can truly do that. I guess it's why we keep this place flowing with traffic year-round.

In the meantime, the Bulls are being reduced to this in the eyes of Heat fans...

Here is to this year's Bulls being educational to all parties involved.

Educational to Bulls fans that we can never truly count this team out. Educational to NBA fans that there is always something to root for no matter how bleak a situation might look. Educational to management that you can't make Filet Mignon out of shitty beef. Educational to the Heat that you can never overlook an opponent or feel entitled just because you're the favorites.

I think all that is left at this point is let it all hang out there. Nate has done well, and the other fill-ins have performed admirably. Why not just toss the youngsters into the fire and see what they got. Let them see what it is they have to work on over the summer if they want to truly compete with the best. Teague, Thomas, Jimmy... let them go out there and give it all they've got. It'll be a different look than the Heat have been game-planning for, so I guess that is worth something. Just please, Thibs, switch it up and don't just offer this roster up as sacrificial lambs. They've played your style all year. It's gotten them this far. How about letting these guys who have given it their all for you all year, all of their sweat, blood, guts, puke, everything... let them go out on their own terms. Seriously, a prayer is about all they've got at this point. Ask Jimmy...

And finally, on a personal note... I've been fighting the good fight down here, even at times defending the indefensible in regards to some of the Bulls' behavior in this series, and in the end, Heat fans have taken it easy for the most part and have commended this Bulls team for not backing down and fighting through all the adversity. Still hasn't prevented them from having some fun with me...

I swear that bitch ever touches me again...

Go Bulls!!! Just one more day to live. A few hours more of hearing the waves that have just crashed upon the shore in a crescendo fade back into the sea...

This guy didn't seem too affected by it...

So whatever. And then by the end of the night, this whole ugly episode really became a laugher. Right, Jo?

Indeed.

In the meantime, the Bulls are being reduced to this in the eyes of Heat fans...

Here is to this year's Bulls being educational to all parties involved.

I swear that bitch ever touches me again...

Go Bulls!!! Just one more day to live. A few hours more of hearing the waves that have just crashed upon the shore in a crescendo fade back into the sea...

Want to Talk About Next Year?

2013-05-14T02:41:58Z

This year's Chicago Bulls has been something to be proud of. Just about every player that has played year (actually played...) has gone out and performed above expectations. From Nate Robinson having a career year, to Jimmy Butler breaking out and staking his claim as the SG of the future, to Noah earning his first All-Star performance as well as the All-NBA Defensive First Team.

With the Bulls being down 3-1 to what most people consider the best team in the league with the best player on earth, and the Bulls looking just about dead, for many of us diehard fans, the best/only way to cope is to think about next year. So this post is for just that. The 2012-2013 Bulls will always be remember for the Derrick Rose Saga and performing above expectations. Had you been told D-Rose wouldn't play the whole year and we'd beat the Nets and go to the second round, you probably would have taken it. It's been a fun, memorable, and once the disappoint/sting of losing to the Heat and having Derrick miss the whole year wears off, positive year overall.

But next year can inspire some hope. Rather than taking a look at the "2014 Plan" or what free agents we wish we could have or any bogus, over-the-top, not-going-to-happen scenarios, I propose that next year, very realistically, looks like a fun, promising, and ultimately more positive year than this one. In fact, I think it is a year in which we have a real reason to think about a deep playoff run, and with a little good fortune, being championship contenders. Let's break it down.

Point Guard: This starts and ends with Derrick Rose. People have forgotten this year... They've forgotten that D-Rose is the only player in the last five seasons to win the MVP award. Think about that for a second. People are excited about Noah being a first-time All-Star and being on the Defensive Team, this guy was the MVP! That's a big deal. Five years is a long time and there have only been two... If Derrick and come back to anywhere near 100% of what he was, we're set. He is a top five player, top two or three PG, and the best player that's played for this team since Jordan. He scores, he drops dimes, he can play defense, he gets chase-down blocks, you get the point. It will be the single biggest addition to any team in the NBA next year and we're already a top eight team without him. Regardless of how you feel about him this year, you should be excited for him to be a part of this team next year.

Then you have Kirk Hinrich. Look how much better we've played with him this year. He plays outstanding defense and runs the team with great efficiency. He made our first team play so much better this year, how much can he help Taj and the second unit? Good size, can defend three positions, good shooter, and gets assists. Plus, his body should hold up a million times better since he won't have to play a whole lot with D-Rose back. Not to mention he can play with Derrick and the two of them can be interchangeable at the guard positions.

Unfortunately, Nate Robinson will be gone. We should appreciate what he has done and be happy that he is going to go make the money he deserves. It's been a fun memorable moment for us Bulls fans getting to watch Nate be D-Rose this year and he has really provided. Best of luck to Nate, he won't soon be forgotten.

However, our third PG will be Marquis Teague. Not the Marquis Teague from this year, but the Marquis Teague of next year. I think there will be a considerable difference. Think about what Jimmy has done in his second year and the minimal expectations that were on him at the beginning of the season. With another year of summer league, and the experience gained this season, most importantly in the playoffs, Marquis could become a competent guard that could fill in in a pinch should Kirk fall apart again. He's shown the speed and athleticism and Thibs already trusts his defense a little bit. If he works a lot on his jumper over the year, we'll have quite the PG situation.

Shooting Guard: Jimmy Butler. Imagine him playing with Derrick next year. Enough said. The man broke out this year in a big way. He's athletic, an amazing defender, and has become a bit of a shooter, even from three. He's got great size and his defense makes us scary good.

Hopefully we'll be able to find a way to resign Marco Belinelli. It'll probably take the mini-MLE, but I think it would be worth it. He's a good player. Can knock down the three at a high rate, runs great pick-and-roll offense, and can even play a little point. With Thibs as the helm, his defense is competent. If we can bring back Marco, we're so set at the two.

Small Forward: Luol Deng. People forget, but he's still an All-Star. Two years in a row now. And he's still our best perimeter defender. And having both he and Butler out there is our answer for LeBron and D-Wade. Not to mention he led our team in scoring this year, rebounds incredibly well for his position, and can play basically the entire game. Thibs loves him and so should you. He's one of our top three players.

To back him up however... I propose we look to the draft. I really like Giannis Adetokoubo. This kid is from Greece, he's 6'9", could play three and four, can handle, drive, and shoot. And would ideally be able to spell Lu a little bit. I think he could turn into a really good, starting caliber player in a couple years.

Power Forward: Carlos Boozer is coming off of his best year as a Bull. He has underperformed a bit in the Heat series, but that should make us forget what an excellent season he has had. He scores at a high rate, rebounds at a high rate, and is an excellent passer. He is a former All-Star and Olympian and will still be in his prime. I think he could have been an All-Star this year and is a hugely important part of this team. Probably our fourth best player.

Taj Gibson will continue to back him up and he's perfect at it. Brings in a defensive presence with his shot-blocking and adds great energy from the bench with his highlight dunks. He'll continue to work on his already good mid-range jumper (which is his best offense) and will expect some kick-outs from D-Rose next year. Between both he and Boozer, we're set up very well at PF. I'd say just as set as any team in the league.

Center: Joakim Noah has made a huge stride this year. He is an All-Star, All-NBA Defensive First Team, and the heart of our team. Our second best player, perhaps the best defender in the league, always near the top of the league in rebounding, and without a doubt the best passing big man there is. He is invaluable. If he can keep his feet healthy, he's going to be one of the greatest Bulls. There is nothing not to love about him, especially after this playoff run is done. He hustles non-stop, brings energy and attitude, and he's flat-out really really good. Defense and offense, he alone makes us set at center.

I believe we should keep Nazr as an emergency big man, and still look to the free agent market to acquire another back-up for Noah. Some names available that we might be able to afford are: Byron Mullens, Hamed Haddadi, Cole Aldrich, Greg Stiemsma, Hasheem Thabeet, Gustavo Ayon, Aaron Gray, and a couple others. One of these players, plus Nazr, provides some size and depth at the center position.

Coach: We'll still have Thibs and he may be the best coach in the NBA. Say what you want about him overworking players, but he is the reason we got to the second round of the playoffs. He has created a winning environment in Chicago and the defense he has instilled is our trademark. Listen to those Nets fans. They'd kill to have Thibs and would have no doubt handled us in the first round if they did. No excuses, just execution. Plus, our players have bought in. Derrick, Noah, and Deng all support him and everyone else will fall in-line. He has experience and the ability to get the very best out of our team. We will again be a top three defense.

Our team for next year: PG: Rose, Hinrich, Teague SG: Butler, Belinelli, Hinrich SF: Deng, Butler, Adetokoubo, second round pick PF: Boozer, Gibson, Adetokoubo C: Noah, free agent, Mohammed

That right there, is a team that can compete with the Miami Heat, and compete for a championship.

Our team for next year: PG: Rose, Hinrich, Teague SG: Butler, Belinelli, Hinrich SF: Deng, Butler, Adetokoubo, second round pick PF: Boozer, Gibson, Adetokoubo C: Noah, free agent, Mohammed

That right there, is a team that can compete with the Miami Heat, and compete for a championship.

Mirotic Higlights

2013-05-11T14:03:13Z

[yanked from the post-game thread -yfbb]

Nice to see Mirotic gain some weight and seem to move a little smoother. I’ll be more than happy if he can play like Ilyasova but I think Mirotic has higher potential

here's a better highlight

lol at the 1st comment

Vincent Turner 2 months ago
Get yo ass to chicago!!

[yanked from the post-game thread -yfbb]

Nice to see Mirotic gain some weight and seem to move a little smoother. I’ll be more than happy if he can play like Ilyasova but I think Mirotic has higher potential

here's a better highlight

lol at the 1st comment

Vincent Turner 2 months ago
Get yo ass to chicago!!

The Bulls Biggest Advantage: Mental Toughness

2013-05-09T21:01:32Z

So far this Chicago Bulls team has been characterized by having heart, passion and the ubiquitous "grit", but despite being the clearest advantage the Bulls possesses and a mainstay in Coach Tom Thibodeau's vernacular, the words that haven't been heard enough, "Mental Toughness".

"If you have a point to make to the official, there is an appropriate time to do that and it's during a dead ball. When the ball is live you have one responsibility, get back and get set. Help your team," Coach Thibodeau after Game 2.

More concerning than the score last night however, was the lack of mental effort given by the Bulls. The result was bad without question, but I don't believe it was indicative of the Bulls chances of winning this series. Game 1 featured the same players and netted a much different outcome.

Obviously there is a significant talent disparity between the two teams at this point, with the Bulls missing Derrick Rose, Luol Deng and Kirk Hinrich.

However while talent is essential to winning, none is required to maintain composure and mentally prioritize during the game. Last night the Bulls seemed far too concerned with receiving equal treatment from refs, getting their point across immediately and flying home.

Regardless of outside opinion, this is a very winnable series for the Bulls. We all know they have an extremely small margin for error against the heat, but you cannot compound that by allowing external forces like referees and their calls take you out of your game.

"We are capable of much better," Bulls Coach Tom Thibodeau said, adding: "You're going to get hit. You have to own your space. You can't allow people to get you back on your heels. That has to be corrected."

Coach Thibodeau was right in challenging his team to, ‘own their space'. If the Bulls are sincere in their desire to win this series they must first own the most important space of all, the one between their ears.

Obviously there is a significant talent disparity between the two teams at this point, with the Bulls missing Derrick Rose, Luol Deng and Kirk Hinrich.

Poll

Do you believe the Bulls are the mentally toughest team in the Playoffs?

Richard Hamilton Found

2013-05-09T15:09:18Z

Sort of... KC Johnson has a not very informative article in which we find out...

Game 1 of the Bulls' series against the Nets marked the first time in 127 career playoff games that Richard Hamilton came off the bench. The next game brought the first "Did Not Play—Coach's Decision" distinction of his decorated career.

And now, despite coach Tom Thibodeau's mantra that "we need everybody," Hamilton has dropped out of the rotation, with even Daequan Cook logging time ahead of him on the Bulls' depleted roster.

"It's hard. I have to be honest," Hamilton told the Tribune. "The only thing I can do is be a good teammate, help my guys out. Try to talk and communicate with them as best as possible to understand time, score and situation. Just try to be as positive and give them advice from all the stuff that I know about the playoffs."

And

Hamilton, 35, told the Tribune earlier this season he hoped to play two more seasons. At least publicly, he has handled his demotion professionally.

Some accused Hamilton of sabotaging former Pistons coach John Kuester in Hamilton's final season in Detroit, a charge Hamilton has denied. Asked if that's why he's not complaining about logging just 10 minutes in the playoffs, Hamilton shrugged.

"Nah, just knowing who I am," Hamilton said. "You don't want to get caught up in doing stuff that you're not about. The foundation of me is who I am. We have great guys on the team so you want to be supportive."

So... there you have it. The foundation of you is who you are. The foundation of Richard Hamilton is who he is. The Foundation series is a seven volume set of science fiction books by Issac Asimov in which he predicts the imminent fall and rebirth of a galactic empire.

Sort of... KC Johnson has a not very informative article in which we find out...

Game 1 of the Bulls' series against the Nets marked the first time in 127 career playoff games that Richard Hamilton came off the bench. The next game brought the first "Did Not Play—Coach's Decision" distinction of his decorated career.

And now, despite coach Tom Thibodeau's mantra that "we need everybody," Hamilton has dropped out of the rotation, with even Daequan Cook logging time ahead of him on the Bulls' depleted roster.

"It's hard. I have to be honest," Hamilton told the Tribune. "The only thing I can do is be a good teammate, help my guys out. Try to talk and communicate with them as best as possible to understand time, score and situation. Just try to be as positive and give them advice from all the stuff that I know about the playoffs."

And

Hamilton, 35, told the Tribune earlier this season he hoped to play two more seasons. At least publicly, he has handled his demotion professionally.

Some accused Hamilton of sabotaging former Pistons coach John Kuester in Hamilton's final season in Detroit, a charge Hamilton has denied. Asked if that's why he's not complaining about logging just 10 minutes in the playoffs, Hamilton shrugged.

"Nah, just knowing who I am," Hamilton said. "You don't want to get caught up in doing stuff that you're not about. The foundation of me is who I am. We have great guys on the team so you want to be supportive."

Views from the Beach: Low Tide

2013-05-09T13:55:48Z

Well, at least I had a decent view of guys getting booted from the game...

I really have to wonder if at some point once the Heat started building a decent lead the Bulls, realizing they already accomplished what they came to do in Miami by stealing one game, decided to pack it in and ultimately lost their minds... It was not a good look. But hey, like Magic Johnson once said during an NBA Finals, "Whether you lose by one or you lose by 20, it's still 1-1". I'll take it.

So where do the Bulls go from here?

It was nice to see Jo and Taj trying to be punctual and get a head start boarding the team flight. I'd be rushing for that bag of peanuts myself.

Yes, the Bulls lost their heads a bit and the arena became a raucous environment once they smelled blood. Now, the Bulls really must regain their focus, get back to what worked for them in Game 1, and come out on fire early to get the UC crowd going itself. One of the main focuses must be re-establishing the defense in the paint. The Heat got 56 points in the paint in Game 2. They were basically living there. It seems the Heat counteracted the Bulls' defensive strategy on Lebron from Game 1 by having a lot of weakside cuts to the basket once he penetrated himself. So suddenly, instead of settling for 3-pointers, the Heat were getting easy buckets as the Bulls would overcommit on Lebron's penetration. Once they were attacking the basket like that and got the momentum on their side and began building a lead, it became a shooting drill out there for Miami.

Other than that, the Bulls head home from here. Right, Miami...?

Sidenote: For the non-Spanish speakers in the audience, that phrase at the bottom is a not-so-nice way we Cubans have of saying GTFO.

Oh, there was a basketball game being played as well...

The crowd came out looking for revenge for Game 1 and to have a good time, and that they did. In fact, after the game started to become a laugher, it blended away into the background of the arena like if it was just playing on a huge LED screen and the festive atmosphere took the forefront. Heck, I myself tuned out after a while and joined in the fun. Not rooting for the Heat, of course. In fact, I ran into a few friends throughout the arena who then proceeded to parade me in my black Pippen jersey around the building like some pet monkey. Laughs all-around so ultimately it was a good time. Besides, I've been giving Heat fans hell over the past few days and, admittedly, using a little ammo provided by you clever BaBers, so I don't mind taking some in return now. It's the best part about when these two teams hook up for me because I can play the villian for about a week. And honestly, I can't be too disappointed in the result because I expected the Heat to come out strong so how the game turned out is no surprise. Well, maybe a 46-point deficit at one point in the game was a bit of a surprise... If anything, I feel bad for the Bulls fan a couple of seats down from me wearing a sleeveless Bulls t-shirt that garnered someone yelling "you shoulda done more pushups before putting that shirt on" at them. I LOL'd.

Will the real MVP please stand up?

No one ever said it was, 'Bron 'Bron. But it's cool, because we have our own hero in waiting. Right?... right?

Yeah, maybe not.

There is no magic antidote. And in the words of Rick Pitino, "Michael Jordan is not walking through that door". Heck, Luol Deng and Kirk Hinrich are probably not walking through that door. The discussion came up yesterday of whether the Bulls had found a rhythm without Kirk and Lu in the lineup and if it was just better for them to stay away. I think last night demonstrated that there is something to be said for having consistent players out on the court. Sure, it seems Luol has been consistently bad throughout the playoffs, but he is still one of the Bulls' better players and a very competent and lengthy defender out on the floor. For a team seriously lacking talent at the moment, I'll take him. Same for the Gritmeister. He provides a steady hand at the point for the Bulls as we saw last night what happens when your offense resides in the hands of Jekyl & Hyde and doesn't maintain a fluid consistency from game to game, or hell, even quarter to quarter. While I think getting back on the home floor can provide the Bulls with an emotional boost after leaving the building with their tail between their legs last night, more importantly is getting actual basketball players back in the lineup. So Kirk, Lu, speedy recovery to you both.

The difference between 2011 and now.

If you look at these series from a flow and road map standpoint, I can see how this time around the Bulls actually have an easier path to disrupting the Heat. In 2011, even with home court advantage, the Bulls were still the underdog. So sure they took that first game, but the Heat still earned a split at the UC and coming home to Miami. It was a tough road to tread. This series seems to have lined up a little better to give the Bulls a tad higher chance at giving the Heat trouble. The Bulls are still underdogs (boy, is that the understatement of the year), but now having earned a split in Miami they get to return to their home floor at the UC where it is tough for opposing teams to come into and win. Hold serve and the Heat are on the ropes. Split the two in Chicago and suddenly this is a long series and a best-of-3. While the Bulls might have no shot, the path is laid out in front of them to continue to be a thorn in the Heat's side.

Also, stay classy, Chicago.

Final word.

I'm sure most of you won't get this, but for the Cubanos in the audience... just because.

Go Bulls!!!!!! Get loud, UC! Show the Heat how it feels to be in a building where people show up on time. I mean, that's a home court advantage, right?

Well, at least I had a decent view of guys getting booted from the game...

So where do the Bulls go from here?

It was nice to see Jo and Taj trying to be punctual and get a head start boarding the team flight. I'd be rushing for that bag of peanuts myself.

Other than that, the Bulls head home from here. Right, Miami...?

Sidenote: For the non-Spanish speakers in the audience, that phrase at the bottom is a not-so-nice way we Cubans have of saying GTFO.

Oh, there was a basketball game being played as well...

Will the real MVP please stand up?

No one ever said it was, 'Bron 'Bron. But it's cool, because we have our own hero in waiting. Right?... right?

Yeah, maybe not.

The difference between 2011 and now.

Also, stay classy, Chicago.

Final word.

I'm sure most of you won't get this, but for the Cubanos in the audience... just because.

Go Bulls!!!!!! Get loud, UC! Show the Heat how it feels to be in a building where people show up on time. I mean, that's a home court advantage, right?

This could be start of something big for the Bulls

2013-05-08T08:41:54Z

The underdogs grinding and fighting against fate, overcoming injuries, playing one handed, one legged or through any kind of illness, and still able to achieve big things. These heroic stories are inspirational, happy ending and are only supposed to be found in bad sports movies.

Or are they?

Watching the Bulls as they sealed their first round series against the apathetic Nets was not only a phenomenal sport experience (though the low block game with tons of fouls can be a pain to watch sometimes), it was a reminder of what is great about sport. And after they surprised the Miami Heat, the 2011/12 champions with the four-time MVP on their roster, on Monday, it must have hit everyone - this might be something big.

I know, I know - It's just one game and only fools that haven't really seen any of Miami's fourth quarter turnarounds this year think the Bulls will actually win the series. But they have left their footprints in America Airlines Arena already. These guys, lead by a coach preaching team effort, are a reminder of everything we love about our favourite game.

Watch Nate Robinson almost throwing up into a trash can during timeouts. Watch Noah limping, Hinrich and Deng dealing with injuries and of course Derrick Rose still not playing. This group of guys, coach Thibodeau's third or maybe fourth options in the rotation (Marquis Teague is just not your typical sixth man) are an inspiration to everybody who has ever dealt with disbelief. These Bulls have shown that everything is possible and they keep shocking the basketball world night in and night out.

It's clear they might not have enough skill and the could soon run out of juice to compete against the Heat. But let's play the "What if" game a little bit. What if they lose the next game and then shut down LeBron James in Games 3 and 4 at home as they did a couple of times in the regular season as they snapped Miami's 27 game winning streak and, of course, in the first half of Game 1 when James scored only two points. Chicago can then take a 2-1 or even 3-1 lead in the series and you can bet that Noah, Robinson and Butler would rather die on the court than let that chance slip away.

These Bulls have a great chance to achieve something big here. They reminded the Heat that no one in the NBA plays them any tougher. Said Nate Robinson: "I’ve played on some tough teams, but this one, there’s something a little different, something special about this group."

What if he's right? As LeBron himself pointed out, this is what playoffs are all about.

As Yahoo's Adrian Wojnarowski recently reported, Derrick Rose is not coming back this season. However, what if he decided to shock the world and jump right into the Miami series which the Bulls (in our scenario) will lead 2-1 or 3-1? He can talk about that "muscle memory" all day but I don't believe he can sleep peacefully after he saw how his shorthanded teammates sacrificed their bodies to make history out of nothing, while he is cheering them on from the bench.

To be clear, I love D-Rose. I love his game, his personality, his attitude, everything. I even love his latest signature shoe, the one everyone is ranting about (Yes, I saw Kevin Ware's injury and no, the shoes are not cursed). But if the Bulls get any closer to that sensation of forcing Game six or possibly Game seven, he has to rethink his values or at least set a tear publicly one more time to make everyone sure that there really is nothing he can do.

Let's hope the Bulls can win Game 3 at home. Then let's play that ¨What if¨ game once again.

Or are they?

What if he's right? As LeBron himself pointed out, this is what playoffs are all about.

Let's hope the Bulls can win Game 3 at home. Then let's play that ¨What if¨ game once again.

Views from the Beach: Basking in the Victorious Sun

2013-05-07T19:28:25Z

It wasn't the prettiest ball for the most part, but I will say while I hated the ugly, low-scoring NBA of the early 2000s, Thibs has made me appreciate good ol' fashioned, grind-it-out basketball. Heck, even one of the late-night radio hosts down here took notice and referred to the Bulls' style of play as... wait for it... GRITTY!!!!! I guess while Hurt Hinrich isn't playing he's doing his best Waterboy impression and distributing his "secret stuff".

"Heck, I'm making a killing off of selling this water. I may never leave this well."

So where do the Heat go from here? Well, it definitely isn't time to panic and the fans all feel the same. The Heat were actually getting open looks from beyond the arc they would normally hit but didn't last night. And then there is the Big 3. Bosh was a no-show which helps negate Boozer's horrid performance. Dwyane Wade had to labor to get his 14 points... against Marco Belinelli. And then Lebron eventually got his, but not before Jimmy Buckets made him work all first half to try and make anything happen. Considering Thibs deployed Jimmy on Lebron from the beginning, I can't really tell if the strategy was "let others shoot, don't let Lebron get his" and it just worked out that others had an off-night shooting... or if the strategy was "don't let the others beat you, oh and make Lebron work for his". It seems a weird combination of the two happened. This lends me to think this wasn't entirely a fluke, but also this is not how the series will consistently play out in the remaining games.

The encouraging thing is it wasn't some crazy shooting night for the Bulls, so that in itself doesn't make it a fluke victory. So while I expect the Heat to revert to the mean a bit in regards to their shooting and 4th-qtr defense, I'm also hoping the Bulls aren't as inept on offense as they were for small stretches of Game 1. Either way, the Bulls sent a clear message that the Heat will have to earn this series.

And while Heat fans aren't panicking, at least they now see the Bulls are here to be true foes and not merely foils. And it definitely puts the kibosh on any thoughts some of these misled fans had of the Heat running through the playoffs en route to a title without suffering a loss. Yeah, slow your roll, Heat fans.

One thing the Heat could do to try and negate the one clear advantage the Bulls possess (rebounding) is have everyone focus on crashing the boards. Problem with that is it somewhat negates one of the things the Heat love to do which is get out in transition. The Bulls had plenty of turnovers last night (thankfully they cut it down in the 2nd half) but many were not the types on which the Heat could get out and run as illustrated by only 9 fastbreak points for Miami. But really, I'm not sure what other options they have. Birdman has played well for them but he only seems to be able to provide his energy in short spurts as most games he's barely getting 20 minutes of burn. If he can get some more court time, he may be able to disrupt JoNo a bit. In fact, now that I think of it, I'd be interested in what a Birdman-Boshtrich lineup looks like out there. Definitely a lot of length compared to having Haslem out there. I'm very intrigued to see what adjustments the Heat make.

I also guess it's a sign of respect when opposing fans hate you so much they can't stop insulting you...

-Hey, Lebron, I guess it wasn't the shoes, huh...

-Classy move by Wade to insult his fans for not catching him while diving out of bounds. He really knows about loyalty.

-For all it's flaws, this group that never quits has endeared itself to me to the point it's become one of my favorite editions of the Chicago Bulls ever. This is coming from someone who grew up watching the dynasty as a teen and suffered through the Baby Bulls and basked in the glory of sweeping the defending champ Heat in '07 and climbing back to the upper tier of title contenders in the Rose era. 20+ years of watching Bulls basketball and this tough bunch is now one of the most memorable. That is a major hat tip to Thibs for keeping these guys focused and playing hard. And kudos to the players themselves for never getting discouraged or tuning Thibs out or getting frustrated with all the drama surrounding #TheReturn and doing their part to remain focused and play hard.

-I'll be in the building for Game 2 and am hoping all those Bulls fans in the MIA (I know y'all are out there, I see you all the time) get loud and make your presence felt. I might be attending the wrong game though as I have a feeling the Heat will come out looking to hand the Bulls their best shot and take them out of the game quickly. Eh, fuck it! Who am i kiddin'... These guys don't seem to pay much attention to logic, so why should I. The moment you doubt them is the moment they surprise you. And God love them for that.

-Get well soon, Lu.

LET'S GO BULLS!!!!!!!!!

"Heck, I'm making a killing off of selling this water. I may never leave this well."

I also guess it's a sign of respect when opposing fans hate you so much they can't stop insulting you...

-Hey, Lebron, I guess it wasn't the shoes, huh...

-Classy move by Wade to insult his fans for not catching him while diving out of bounds. He really knows about loyalty.

-Get well soon, Lu.

LET'S GO BULLS!!!!!!!!!

Can/Will the Bulls keep Nate next year? (and other offseason speculation)

2013-05-07T13:31:00Z

I'm commandeering a fanpost from last week since we kind of started talking about it then.

And I'm not that comfortable talking about the summer already...because I think Nate is gone.

Bulls do not have Bird rights to re-sign Nate, even though he's better than Larry Bird. Doesn't seem fair. Lets hope the Bulls don’t use the full MLE and hard-cap themselves again. They can’t use the BAE because they used it on Belli last year. So for free agents that’s Mini-MLE for (likely) one player. Are you really spending it on Nate?

Blood’s already in the water, the dude is famous now. That game 4, the puking afterwards, and beating freaking Miami has gotten this guy a contract.

He’s at least getting a 2-year deal. John Lucas got 2 years, which screws the 2014 plan. At this point I wouldn't be surprised if some team offers him a 3 year deal. JJ Barea received 4/$18m because of what HE did against Miami.

The Bulls could only match something in that neighborhood if they hard-cap themselves. There’s already 3 PGs on the roster. Even if they cleared one or two of them, there’s still the problem of only being able to use that one cap exception, with the rest going to minimum guys.

[note: this is also about the draft and any crazy trade scenarios you've thought of]

I'm commandeering a fanpost from last week since we kind of started talking about it then.

And I'm not that comfortable talking about the summer already...because I think Nate is gone.

Blood’s already in the water, the dude is famous now. That game 4, the puking afterwards, and beating freaking Miami has gotten this guy a contract.

[note: this is also about the draft and any crazy trade scenarios you've thought of]