I like that line-up quite a bit.  We're pretty set at every position, can throw a LOT (and I mean, a metric s#!tload) of different looks at other teams and we are YOUNG.  Pretty exciting.  We have some obvious holes but, what has to be most exciting, is the cap manueverability (wow, and I was an english major?) that Paxson has managed.  A lot of pieces that are easy to package should the need arise and a low cap figure.  If Ben, Deng and Duhon improve in line with your typical second-year player, we could really bitch-slap the competition.  Hopefully, they continue to build off of last year.  
I think the only thing that could perfect this summer would be if Curry signs the three-year offer that Paxson's put forth.  I'm actually surprised by the fortitude of Curry's cajones what with him looking at risking millions of dollars for the slim possibility of a big payout next summer.  I feel like I'm taking crazy pills.

and regarding fantasy, i'd take part if a league was started.  I get first dibs on Raef LaFrentz!!!!!

Hey Matt, followed you over from Bulls Blog. Nice new look!

RE: the lineup and CookDing's excitement, I have to play the wet blanket once again. Not that I'm not psyched; I am.  I just want to point out that we're only 1 or 2 easy mishaps away from real problems. If Curry can't play (or can't play well) due his heart problems or his long layoff we suddenly have to play Chandler a bunch at center and PF starts looking thin. If Pike gets traded to Sacramento (which would not qualify as a mishap) we're pretty thin at the 2 (since Basden's just a rookie, although I have high hopes for him).

Just a reminder that we still have a lot of question marks until the season's underway. If everything falls into place I like our chances at being a mid-tier playoff team; if not, we could slip to 8th or so.

Either way, what started as a really slow offseason has become pretty entertaining. Nice.

Again, congrats Matt!

The way I see it, we'll have the exact same roster as last year, only we've upgraded our injured list from Funderburke, Reiner and Williams to Songaila, Allen and Basden. Even if Eddy doesn't play a single game next season, I'm pretty confident that that lineup will match or exceed last season's record.

If Songalia can get into any sort of defensive rhythm, I would expect him to get more minutes than Harrington or Davis... if for no other reason than he is young and very capable offensively, but still developing. I only caught a few Kings games last year, but I was very impressed with him when he was on the court. I remember cursing the Kings actually for making so many good management moves like finding this guy.

Anyway... does anyone have any clue what Curry's agent is talking about with the NY sign and trade scenario. I just can't imagine him thinking Pax would ever do anything with anyone on that roster. But it was nice to hear that JP had at least thought about talking to Denver and Memphis about Curry... if that is accurate anyway.

First off, apologies for mistakenly self-titling my last post. I'm not a guy with vanity plates!
;-) Just took me a minute to adapt from the old Bulls Blog posting protocol, where you had to enter your name first.

Second, Mike your point is well taken. And having to do without Curry (if it comes to that) and avoiding an 0-9 start might cancel each other out.  Not to rehash the discussion that we had around a month ago, but my real concern is the offseason upgrades that many Eastern Conference rivals have made. Pacers, Cavs, and Nets are all better. Back then Matt made the important point that we should be thinking about the big picture, at least 2 seasons down the road, so whether we do as well this season as last is not really all that crucial (as long as the team makes progress as a unit).  I agree.  Just pointing out that we're not without some big question marks.  

...we are not, but the team is pretty stacked-especially considering that we'll be under the cap next summer.  As for being an injury away from trouble, that's same is true for about 90% of the league.  And I think that if we do deal pike, we bring back griffin which is pretty much the same thing (with the exception of a little improvement defensively).  This team has a ways to go before they ascend to the league's elite, but I feel strongly that this off-season was another step in the right direction.  As for Eddy, he's got no hand to play.  I'm embarrassed for him, really. ...trying to trade with the Knicks?  I don't see that happening.  ..trying to get 70 million?  Definitely not happening.  They're just floundering.  
As for having "The Man", I think we already have that in Skiles.  As for on the court, the team seems stronger particularly because there's not one area to focus on.  If Songaila scores as advertised and is even marginally competent defensively(and IF we ever get him signed), we will have a lot of options/packages to present.  Defensive, small, offensive, big... ...we'll have capable packages for just about any given scenario.  That's a nice problem to have.
As for the other teams stocking up.. ..it is worrisome that some teams loaded up and, without a doubt, the East is becoming relevant again.  Yet, I KNOW that there are always a good chunk of teams that blow money on "talent" in the off-season only to underachieve the next year.  The Pacers are the only big summer player that can be expected to compete.  Still, they have Artest and all bets are off when he's involved-especially in the playoffs.
I can't help but feel that we are sitting as pretty as just about any young team.  There's a ways to go, admittedly, but there's more promise than uncertainty.

Ben - good point - however, I think that the Bulls will do much better with the playoff experience under their belts. I feel that they could have beaten Washington without Eddy and Luol if they played the same kind of basketball that got them to the playoffs. They didn't seem like the same team once they got to the playoffs. Also, I'm excited about Deng's return and potential improvement from Ben, Kirk and all the other youngsters. And adding Songaila will prove to be a nice score for Pax.

As for the other teams getting better, someone has to lose games. All of those teams may improve, but it would have to be at someone else's expense. The Bulls have consistency in their favor whereas teams like Miami, Cleveland, Milwaukee and NJ are all adding in new pieces which may or may not gel. I don't expect that the Bulls will make it to the Conference Finals, but I do think they are more than capable of matching or exceeding last season's record and possibly advancing to the second round.

That said, I'll be satisfied with a playoff appearance, even if it's the eighth seed. I just want to watch some basketball at this point.

Good points all around. Jobu, the Paul Pierce thing is a fascinating idea if an incredibly long shot. How do you think it would affect team chemistry?

On a side note, reading the latest installment in the Eddy Curry scenario on the heels of having watched 5 back to back episodes of this past season's Entourage (via comcast on-demand), I'm amused and disturbed.  
http://www.dailyherald.com/sports/bulls.asp

It seems like Eddy must be surrounded by Entourage-type clowns and yes-men, with the difference that Leon Rose is no Ari Gold. (Apologies to those who haven't watched the show-- but if you haven't, do yourself a favor and get it on dvd! 2nd season is much better than the 1st...) All of the backstage wheedling and scheming to get positive media "spin" and create an impression of widespread GM interest in Eddy-- who the hell does Rose think he's fooling? And the very IDEA of spurning a multi-year offer with somewhere b/w $19-26 million guaranteed. (I think it's a brilliant structure, by the way, with big bucks delivered on-time if Curry's healthy but with payments spread over 40 years if he has to retire-- sort of like winning the lottery on the deferred-payment plan.)

But just like the Entourage folks rejected a big movie offer for a while but then came scrambling back when industry interest in star Vince seemed to have died down, I still wouldn't put it past Curry's camp to accept our offer at the last minute. I know I'm the only one on this board to think that, and it probably won't happen, but it's not THAT big a longshot. Edtourage is just so F*CKED otherwise!

After all, what's Curry's absolutely best-case scenario if he takes the QO? His health proves great, he plays a lot and dominantly (not sure how that's gonna happen after a slothful off-season), and he gets tons of interest next season as a UFA.  And even THEN the Bulls could offer him more than any other team.  

So we're supposed to believe that the same bunch of money-hungry yes-men (Curry's entourage) for whom $20mil+ guaranteed isn't good enough are going to take LESS money than the Bulls could offer them to play for another team next year? RIGHT.

And even if that were to happen, if Curry et. al. ARE arrogant enough to do it then we don't want him on our team anyway. We'd get a good deal in a sign-and-trade.

So that's another difference b/w Entourage and Edtourage: here I'm actually rooting for management.  I'd love to see a win-win scenario; who doesn't want a score-at-will big man, even if he plays matador defense? But that guy SERIOUSLY needs new representation and advice.

Yesterdays C-Trib reported that the 3-year offer was off the table, does anybody believe that?  It seems like a impetuous decision for SlowHand Paxson to have made.  However, it's understandable given the incompetence of Eddy and Rose (supposedly, an agent in the good graces of the Bulls brass).  I'm inclined to side with Ben: Eddy would likely cave and take the multi-year offer since he's unlikely to do much better next off-season.  It just becomes a moot point, though, if SlowHand rescinds the offer.