I guess I'm rooting for Carter then? At least it moves them away from the obscene "vet replacement" justification. And Carter did have an exceptional combine. "Shane Larkin-esque" is how I would describe it.
Until reading that CBS piece posted at the end of the last thread I never considered the fact that they'd extend Caruso. I didn't think that was something he would want or that they would want. But here we are. "We like our guys." It's like all of the worst tendencies of the last regime were baked into the org and they just can't escape it, like a Twilight Zone episode where people's faces contort to fill the mask they wear. Sam Presti could work here and he'd be thinking about how to trade draft picks that haven't even been born yet.
I find any speculation of Caruso not wanting a contract with the Bulls to be hopium that the Bulls wouldn't offer it. Like I've heard the Chuggo boys think Caruso is some pure basketball winner who wouldn't take a massive contract from a go-nowhere team like the Bulls. As if "Caruso needs to play in the playoffs" is anything but narrative. In actuality, he's been underpaid his whole career to this point, so why wouldn't he just take the most money possible? He already has a championship!
I don't want the Bulls to select another smallish PG on a roster littered with smallish guards. If they are insisting on addressing the backcourt, I would much rather see them take a flier on Nikola Topic and his torn ACL.
Really, I am hoping this is all a smoke screen for them to land Cody Williams or Kyle Filipowski...
But, I have not really done any homework on these guys because this has been characterized as a weak draft and the Bulls have not drafted well since Matt Lloyd left...
Both rumors - trading up and another 'promise' - are fantastically depressing. Moon had a great outline in the other thread re draft unpredictability
Great organizations struggle with talent evaluation and development! This is not a great organization. The lack of self-awareness here - what are we good at? what types of players do we develop? - is horrible. I just wish they'd take the more-darts approach to roster construction because we have ample evidence that their targeted approach is just sad. On some level, if they're going to run it back - because they have to lol - why not go all in and trade the 11 to improve the roster with a known quantity? Oh wait, our scouting department also struggles with known quantities
The DJJ / Phillips thing is just what this org is. You have a rotation guy on the minimum who you need to replace. You draft a developmental guy who may one day be DJJ-like, but won't play immediately. Why do this? Pointless
The ultimate Bulls piece is drafting to replace Derrick Jones Jr. (who you acquired with a 1st you'll never get at the price of a future all star) AND trading two future 2nds to get him lol
I'm sure it's just irony, but I love that the two centers the Bulls seem to be interested in are the two that made the championship game this year. As if AKME just watched the championship game and decided those must be the only two centers that were good in the NCAA last year.
If they trade back and take Edey or take him in the second round that is fine. But they should NOT be drafting him in the middle of the first and they should definitely not be trading up to take an immobile center that cant shoot in Clingan.
They really need wings. Not only are they a need for this team, but they are need to make a good freaking basketball team in general.
If they take Edey in the 1st round I am going to lose my goddamn mind. What possible justification would there be? What is he going to do in the NBA? Is he not a bigger Kofi Cockburn with better passing skills, and probably even slower feet?
I can't imagine being that enamored of the college game at this stage to think Zach Edey is a lottery pick.
Just like the Bulls, I haven't invested too much time in the draft, but my strategy if I'm them would be something like this:
1. Players worth moving up for: Reed Sheppard. I know the guy is tiny, but the list of guys with his shooting, athleticism, vision, and productivity NOT being really good NBA players has got to be pretty small. Teams really overthink this kind of stuff. There are plenty of guys his size who end up being great NBA players.
2. Players I'd pick in the unlikely event they fall to us: Clingan. I can't bring myself to think trading up for a guy who projects as a drop center with no shot is such a great idea, even if I think he'll be "good" I don't think he's got a chance to be a high upside guy because the upside of having this kind of guy on your team is just not that high.
3. Guy I really have my eye on is Topic. He'd be a top 5 pick if he hadn't torn his ACL. If he falls to 11, again, that's the kind of talent that seems worth taking a chance on to me.
4. I look at Carter and kind of worry. He's got one year of shooting well on high volume, and 2 years of shooting terribly on decent volume. I think it's kind of like with Ayo, where you could look and think he's going to get it and be a consistently strong shooter, but the more likely outcome is that he's, like Ayo, kind of a sketchy one. If you want a guy who's definitely a shooter, go draft Knecht. Even then, they're shooting from the college three. It's just a slim resume to be going on as far as shooting.
Athletically though, the guy is a marvel, but he's small. And I don't think he's got the PG chops of, say, Coby or Maxey. And despite his wingspan being pretty good, overall, I think it's gonna be hard to match him up on a lot of bigger wings. Again, different strengths, but he hits a lot of the same tweener notes as Coby. Which isn't to say we shouldn't draft the guy because we have a vaguely similar tweeter, but more to say that I don't know that I see a guy who's a real building block sort of player. These are guys who have utility, but I don't know that I'd take them if I saw a more traditional foundational player available.
I think the upside of him is maybe a guy like Maxey or a more drive intensive, less PGy less shooty version of Coby. I dunno.
Yeah I think Sheppard is actually the fairly obvious #1 pick in this draft and very much worth moving up for. There is certainly no one player I wouldn't package with 11 to get that.
His only non-nitpicky weaknesses are: 1) if he can't be your PG, then he's small and 2) his foul drawing and percent of his shots attempted at the rim suggest he did not put a ton of pressure on the basket as a scorer at UK. Everything else about him ranges from "above average" to "literally off the charts".
Thinking about the draft in general, neither Sarr nor Risacher really speak to me. I mean, I can see some appeal, but they don't jump out as guys think will pan out as building blocks of a high level team, which is what I'd be shooting for if I'm drafting at the top.
Just in terms of who I "like" in the aggregate of their statistical, physical, style of play, and mental (to the best degree I can guess it) profiles, I like Sheppard, Topic, and Clingan. Knecht looks solid, but I dunno. Not as solid as the first three.
I don't actively dislike the other guys, they just don't really seem obvious to me as good picks at the top of the draft like those guys do.
Buy low candidates to me would be Topic and Ron Holland. People seem down on Holland, and Topic is hurt, but I'd probably prefer them to the other guys outside my top three. Holland still seems like a safer choice than all the Euro guys who theoretically are better shooters but maybe really aren't..
On the flipside, reach candidates that I wouldn't hate at 11 (or a trade back) are Kel'el Ware and Tyler Smith. Both have great length and physical tools and have shown some ability to shoot it.
Yeah, I like Smith. He seems like he's got pretty much everything that that Matas has, but better size.
Don't dislike Ware, for a pick in that range, but I look at him and I wonder why a guy as athletic as he is doesn't stand out and be more productive. It's like... maybe he's not as athletic as he looks?
The few games I happened to catch of Ware, he looked like a man among boys. Small sample obviously, but that made me wonder why he wasn't higher on draft boards. But you look at the season numbers, and there's definitely some up and down, plus his very underwhelming year in Oregon. That said, his combine measurements and athletic testing are good. I obviously don't have any intel on his personality/attitude/etc, but if that stuff checks out he seems like a pretty fun upside swing to me.
When I see Reed Sheppard, I see a player right on the edge of having star capabilities. Is he good enough off the dribble to be your point guard? I wish he had the chance to play the position full time at Kentucky, I think he's going to have to play with other playmaking ball handlers to be fully effective. I don't know about the fit with Coby, but I would draft for fit. If I was confident he could play PG full time, I think it be a no brainer. A potential Garland, Dame type shooter.
If he has to play the 2, it kind of limits what you can do but still interesting. Anfernee Simons / Devin Booker / Monk type shooter. I just worry about his ability to finish over length.
Reed next to Coby would be a pretty dynamic backcourt. Trade Lavine to Magic for Isaac and Black. Move on from Derozan in the process. Resign P-Will. Trade Vuc and Caruso for youth/pics.
Wooo. I've never been impressed with Marc Eversly, but its hard to criticize because its not quite clear what decisions are his and what are AKs. But some observations...
- These guys should really wake up every day and thank god they are living the dream. I know its cliche, but I really feel like a lot of people can do these jobs. There are 3 different types of workers that get ahead in my experience (1) great performers, (2) great politicians, (3) behind the scene grinders. ME strikes me as a great politician. Just working those relationships behind the scenes. What has he done to be considered for the Pistons job? Network baby. (I hate #2s in my real life)
- There philosophy around team building has never made sense. Always keep too many guards, never enough bigs. Not valuing size. When the Bulls had their brief renaissance, P Will was the starting PF. The backup Center was Tony Bradley, who last I checked, was not in the NBA. ME hand picked him. This year they used most of their free agent money on a 4th small guard - one who adds nothing that Caruso (defense), Coby (shooting), Ayo (playmaking, defense) didn't already do better. Somehow a team that struggles with size used their free agent money to get smaller.
- I assume AK handles the draft and he has a type. I don't buy the Edey talk. The Bulls like 2 way players who can (supposedly) guard the ball and make plays with the ball. Shooting optional. I can see him loving Clingan, Carter, Cody Williams. I doubt Knecht, Dillingham or Reed are on the radar, though they should be.
- The entire act of giving a promise makes little sense. The fact that it could be used against the Bulls is icing on the cake. Why would you promise P Will when you have the 4th pick? Chandler Hutchison? Thybulle? Not one of these guys proved worth it.
- Unless I'm getting a deal I can refuse, I'm probably just keeping my pick. The one caveat is if you can work out something with Portland to either move up in this draft or acquire their extra pick or something. But I don't trust them to win any deal. They haven't done that yet.
I think there's a lot that people learned during the Warriors years that people have to unlearn because it no longer applies. But one I think could be worth retaining is a variant on "could this guy play for the Warriors" approach to drafting. But I would rather phrase it like: "can this guy play fast?"
I don't mean fast like does he get up and down the court, though that's not exactly nothing. But more like "does this guy touch the ball and then move like he has a real plan right away, and send it off the second it's clear he can't progress that plan?". And this is not a "could he do it" but a "did he do it" sort of criterion.
I've been noodling around with this idea with this draft class. I haven't looked at everyone and even then not too extensively. But this is who I think fits the "plays fast" idea among the guys I've looked at:
I can't see a version of the Bulls where Vuc isn't starting next season. Which, in my mind, basically means that any move(s) they make will be meaningless.
The only way he doesn't start is if he gets traded, and we all know that will be basically impossible. He's making $20 million a year, which indicates he's a starter according to AK. He's also AK's guy who he has continued to double down on. Bringing Vooch off the bench would be offensive to AK.
Billy Donovan isn't blameless: he's a company man so he won't rock the boat and sit AK's 'constant', and he won't coach a veteran 'hard' either, especially after this hilariously-over-proportioned LaVine strife
It's still shocking to remember they had that whole travel training camp talking about a new offense, and all it took to torpedo was consternation from one of the worst starting centers in the league
Bulls shouldn't be trading up for either of these guys. As others have pointed out, Sheppard could be interesting. Bulls need a complete overhaul. Package 11 and Caruso for #3 and Eason(Houston could think its can compete sooner than later). Draft Sheppard. Trade Lavine to Orland for Isaac and Anthony Black (we need defense and size). Trade Vuc to OKC for #12 and Giddy (OKC needs rebounding and size and doesn't need another pick and maybe they are wanting to get off of Giddey). Draft Carter. Sign Hartenstein as your starting center. Sign Gary Trent for some shooting.
Do a lineup of:
G: Reed, Ayo
G: White, Carter
SF: Williams, Trent, Giddey, Black
PF: Isaac, Eason
C: Hartenstein
At least we can play some defense and hit a three...maybe.
If I were those other teams, I wouldn't do any of those moves.
I've made this point before, but I find it crazy that anyone thinks Orlando would put 32 year old Zach on their books for $49M when they'll have to re-sign all their good young players (Paolo, Franz, Carter, Suggs, etc).
They have a window to sign and add salary before they new contracts kick in. There have been talks of them looking at Klay Thompson. They definitely need playmaking and shooting as their offense gets stagnant. I dont know who will be available (outside of Paul George) that fits that profile.
Whatever salary they add during this "window" would have to expire BEFORE the new contracts kick in. Otherwise they won't be able to give out those new contracts. Zach's does not.
Cant they simply sign their own RFA? Sure they would likely go over the cap, but if they are winning its not going to be that big of an issue. And really the only issue the last year of Zach's contract, which they could maybe move him at that point if healthy. Zach is a useful second or third scoring option.
I'd do these trades in a heartbeat because the other teams would be stupid to agree to them.
Maybe the Rockets would take Caruso and #11 for #3 but Eason definitely wouldn't be included.
OKC may not necessarily need all of their picks and they may not need Giddy, but they're also not going to just give them away for Vooch and his terrible contact.
Vucevic has 2 years left at 20 million. Which is not terrible. He could also be part of a larger deal for OKC, when/if they try to match salary when they do eventually package picks to get another all-star. Plus, they really do need size.
I know we like to hate Bulls players, but Giddey wasn't barely playing by the end of the playoffs (and doesnt seem to get along with the rest of the team..he is also going to hard to trade with all his background). And OKC has already stockpiled picks. I have no idea why they would want to keep the 11th pick, when they should be moving into win now mode and need size. They are likely trading it for someone and the 12th pick in this draft isnt going to get you a star or even really good player.
As for the others, Orlando needs shooting and has been linked to Klay Thompson of all people. I much rather have Zach than Thompson. And Isaac has the same injury concerns (if not more so) than Lavine (he also only averaged 16 min a game last season). While Caruso fits the Ime profile. They just paid 80 million for a worse version of him in Brooks. Heck the Bulls could take back brooks instead of Eason if they want to move off that contract and both get a better player and price (but honestly that is an overpay for the Bulls...in this incredibly weak draft).
OKC could probably just go after Hartenstein. I think you are underrating Vuc a little bit. He is still a good offensive player and defensive rebounder. He is definitely overpaid, but is a useful big. He just shouldn't be a guy you think is a star...like the bulls do.
If they did think this, they could just trade nothing for Vuc and take his contract into cap space. And the Bulls should be ecstatic to take that deal.
Apparently Mo Cheeks is leaving for Thibodeau's staff.
One of my favorite BaB memories is when he was hired, everyone seemed to have a story of randomly running into Mo Cheeks around Chicago. Things like sightings at Bloomingdales (me) or eating pancakes (someone else I don't recall) or getting coffee. Common denominator: he was always a really nice guy.
wouldn't be even the most minor news without some Bulls weirdness. Just a couple weeks ago it was reported that it was Cheeks's decision to step back off the Bulls bench in more of an advisory role
I think Jaylon Tyson might be underrated. I think he might be a lottery pick talent. He's really big for what is basically a guard skill-set. He uses his body well as a ball handler and seems to have good strength. There's enough there to think he'll shoot the 3 at the next level. And he might be able to cover 2-4 defensively.
ZE is a non athletic center who can’t shoot or defend. He is an average rebounder who often losses the ball. Why would anyone envision him as a starter if the goal is to compete for a championship. His East/West mobility which is crucial for defending the rim is below average.
Andre is one of the best rebounders per minute that ever played in the NBA. He needs to start unless the Bulls can get an athletic defender and rebounder
If u don’t think AD is good enough to start please review his stats and the Bulls record when Vuc missed about 17 games.
It’s not about scoring it’s about rebounding rim protection and efficiency on offense with low turnovers. Most GM’s go after scoring because they don’t know the game. Dallas and Boston went after players who play great defense and the results were predictable.
Drummond is not a good rim protector, and has a way higher turnover percentage than Vucevic
he's more efficient and a better rebounder. But he can't play extended minutes. He could start for the Bulls over Vuc, but it'd be a marginal difference.
He’s is better rim protector because he has much better east - west mobility. His quick feet allow him to guard 2’s and 3’s 25 from the rim. His steals per minute are much better and often off the dribble. Hence, he’s a much better overall defender and by some formulas the best offensive and defensive rebounder ever when looking at available rebounds etc. a more efficient scorer. When Vuc was out he averaged 30-35 minutes. I said in a prior comment he needs to lose 15 pounds and get in better shape. If it’s between him and Vuc it’s no contest. A lot of guys labeled bench who get a chance to start in the right system become stars. He’s that kind of guy Remember he was getting 15 a game when Vuc was out almost entirely on garbage . The Bulls rarely ran a play for him…17-18 ppg 12-14 rebounds 1.3 steals and top 5 shooting percentage with above average defense in 30-35 minutes.
I’d take the Dallas kid DL over him in a second but there not to many around like that.
He turns the ball over more because he tries to score every time he touches the ball against multiple defenders. That can change. He has better hands than Vuc and is a bigger stronger body.
Major upgrade but there are some GM’s that know his potential so the Bulls will almost certainly part ways with AD as Vuc is almost like Zac .. untradable.
I guess I'm rooting for Carter then? At least it moves them away from the obscene "vet replacement" justification. And Carter did have an exceptional combine. "Shane Larkin-esque" is how I would describe it.
I'd say Carter is a potential replacement for Caruso but at least in that case it'd involve an actual trade
Until reading that CBS piece posted at the end of the last thread I never considered the fact that they'd extend Caruso. I didn't think that was something he would want or that they would want. But here we are. "We like our guys." It's like all of the worst tendencies of the last regime were baked into the org and they just can't escape it, like a Twilight Zone episode where people's faces contort to fill the mask they wear. Sam Presti could work here and he'd be thinking about how to trade draft picks that haven't even been born yet.
The last sentence gave me a genuine laugh. Well done, sir!
I find any speculation of Caruso not wanting a contract with the Bulls to be hopium that the Bulls wouldn't offer it. Like I've heard the Chuggo boys think Caruso is some pure basketball winner who wouldn't take a massive contract from a go-nowhere team like the Bulls. As if "Caruso needs to play in the playoffs" is anything but narrative. In actuality, he's been underpaid his whole career to this point, so why wouldn't he just take the most money possible? He already has a championship!
NEW POST! on this: https://open.substack.com/pub/blogabull/p/wait-thats-rightthe-bulls-could-instead?r=2bo&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true
I don't want the Bulls to select another smallish PG on a roster littered with smallish guards. If they are insisting on addressing the backcourt, I would much rather see them take a flier on Nikola Topic and his torn ACL.
Really, I am hoping this is all a smoke screen for them to land Cody Williams or Kyle Filipowski...
But, I have not really done any homework on these guys because this has been characterized as a weak draft and the Bulls have not drafted well since Matt Lloyd left...
Carter isn't small. He's 6'3" with a 6'8.5" wingspan.
Both rumors - trading up and another 'promise' - are fantastically depressing. Moon had a great outline in the other thread re draft unpredictability
Great organizations struggle with talent evaluation and development! This is not a great organization. The lack of self-awareness here - what are we good at? what types of players do we develop? - is horrible. I just wish they'd take the more-darts approach to roster construction because we have ample evidence that their targeted approach is just sad. On some level, if they're going to run it back - because they have to lol - why not go all in and trade the 11 to improve the roster with a known quantity? Oh wait, our scouting department also struggles with known quantities
The DJJ / Phillips thing is just what this org is. You have a rotation guy on the minimum who you need to replace. You draft a developmental guy who may one day be DJJ-like, but won't play immediately. Why do this? Pointless
The ultimate Bulls piece is drafting to replace Derrick Jones Jr. (who you acquired with a 1st you'll never get at the price of a future all star) AND trading two future 2nds to get him lol
I'm sure it's just irony, but I love that the two centers the Bulls seem to be interested in are the two that made the championship game this year. As if AKME just watched the championship game and decided those must be the only two centers that were good in the NCAA last year.
AKME: No championship game = no good.
If they trade back and take Edey or take him in the second round that is fine. But they should NOT be drafting him in the middle of the first and they should definitely not be trading up to take an immobile center that cant shoot in Clingan.
They really need wings. Not only are they a need for this team, but they are need to make a good freaking basketball team in general.
If they take Edey in the 1st round I am going to lose my goddamn mind. What possible justification would there be? What is he going to do in the NBA? Is he not a bigger Kofi Cockburn with better passing skills, and probably even slower feet?
I can't imagine being that enamored of the college game at this stage to think Zach Edey is a lottery pick.
Just like the Bulls, I haven't invested too much time in the draft, but my strategy if I'm them would be something like this:
1. Players worth moving up for: Reed Sheppard. I know the guy is tiny, but the list of guys with his shooting, athleticism, vision, and productivity NOT being really good NBA players has got to be pretty small. Teams really overthink this kind of stuff. There are plenty of guys his size who end up being great NBA players.
2. Players I'd pick in the unlikely event they fall to us: Clingan. I can't bring myself to think trading up for a guy who projects as a drop center with no shot is such a great idea, even if I think he'll be "good" I don't think he's got a chance to be a high upside guy because the upside of having this kind of guy on your team is just not that high.
3. Guy I really have my eye on is Topic. He'd be a top 5 pick if he hadn't torn his ACL. If he falls to 11, again, that's the kind of talent that seems worth taking a chance on to me.
4. I look at Carter and kind of worry. He's got one year of shooting well on high volume, and 2 years of shooting terribly on decent volume. I think it's kind of like with Ayo, where you could look and think he's going to get it and be a consistently strong shooter, but the more likely outcome is that he's, like Ayo, kind of a sketchy one. If you want a guy who's definitely a shooter, go draft Knecht. Even then, they're shooting from the college three. It's just a slim resume to be going on as far as shooting.
Athletically though, the guy is a marvel, but he's small. And I don't think he's got the PG chops of, say, Coby or Maxey. And despite his wingspan being pretty good, overall, I think it's gonna be hard to match him up on a lot of bigger wings. Again, different strengths, but he hits a lot of the same tweener notes as Coby. Which isn't to say we shouldn't draft the guy because we have a vaguely similar tweeter, but more to say that I don't know that I see a guy who's a real building block sort of player. These are guys who have utility, but I don't know that I'd take them if I saw a more traditional foundational player available.
I think the upside of him is maybe a guy like Maxey or a more drive intensive, less PGy less shooty version of Coby. I dunno.
Yeah I think Sheppard is actually the fairly obvious #1 pick in this draft and very much worth moving up for. There is certainly no one player I wouldn't package with 11 to get that.
His only non-nitpicky weaknesses are: 1) if he can't be your PG, then he's small and 2) his foul drawing and percent of his shots attempted at the rim suggest he did not put a ton of pressure on the basket as a scorer at UK. Everything else about him ranges from "above average" to "literally off the charts".
Thinking about the draft in general, neither Sarr nor Risacher really speak to me. I mean, I can see some appeal, but they don't jump out as guys think will pan out as building blocks of a high level team, which is what I'd be shooting for if I'm drafting at the top.
Just in terms of who I "like" in the aggregate of their statistical, physical, style of play, and mental (to the best degree I can guess it) profiles, I like Sheppard, Topic, and Clingan. Knecht looks solid, but I dunno. Not as solid as the first three.
I don't actively dislike the other guys, they just don't really seem obvious to me as good picks at the top of the draft like those guys do.
Buy low candidates to me would be Topic and Ron Holland. People seem down on Holland, and Topic is hurt, but I'd probably prefer them to the other guys outside my top three. Holland still seems like a safer choice than all the Euro guys who theoretically are better shooters but maybe really aren't..
On the flipside, reach candidates that I wouldn't hate at 11 (or a trade back) are Kel'el Ware and Tyler Smith. Both have great length and physical tools and have shown some ability to shoot it.
Yeah, I like Smith. He seems like he's got pretty much everything that that Matas has, but better size.
Don't dislike Ware, for a pick in that range, but I look at him and I wonder why a guy as athletic as he is doesn't stand out and be more productive. It's like... maybe he's not as athletic as he looks?
The few games I happened to catch of Ware, he looked like a man among boys. Small sample obviously, but that made me wonder why he wasn't higher on draft boards. But you look at the season numbers, and there's definitely some up and down, plus his very underwhelming year in Oregon. That said, his combine measurements and athletic testing are good. I obviously don't have any intel on his personality/attitude/etc, but if that stuff checks out he seems like a pretty fun upside swing to me.
When I see Reed Sheppard, I see a player right on the edge of having star capabilities. Is he good enough off the dribble to be your point guard? I wish he had the chance to play the position full time at Kentucky, I think he's going to have to play with other playmaking ball handlers to be fully effective. I don't know about the fit with Coby, but I would draft for fit. If I was confident he could play PG full time, I think it be a no brainer. A potential Garland, Dame type shooter.
If he has to play the 2, it kind of limits what you can do but still interesting. Anfernee Simons / Devin Booker / Monk type shooter. I just worry about his ability to finish over length.
With Sheppard, I worry that the defensive numbers won't translate, and at his size they absolutely have to translate imo
Reed next to Coby would be a pretty dynamic backcourt. Trade Lavine to Magic for Isaac and Black. Move on from Derozan in the process. Resign P-Will. Trade Vuc and Caruso for youth/pics.
Wooo. I've never been impressed with Marc Eversly, but its hard to criticize because its not quite clear what decisions are his and what are AKs. But some observations...
- These guys should really wake up every day and thank god they are living the dream. I know its cliche, but I really feel like a lot of people can do these jobs. There are 3 different types of workers that get ahead in my experience (1) great performers, (2) great politicians, (3) behind the scene grinders. ME strikes me as a great politician. Just working those relationships behind the scenes. What has he done to be considered for the Pistons job? Network baby. (I hate #2s in my real life)
- There philosophy around team building has never made sense. Always keep too many guards, never enough bigs. Not valuing size. When the Bulls had their brief renaissance, P Will was the starting PF. The backup Center was Tony Bradley, who last I checked, was not in the NBA. ME hand picked him. This year they used most of their free agent money on a 4th small guard - one who adds nothing that Caruso (defense), Coby (shooting), Ayo (playmaking, defense) didn't already do better. Somehow a team that struggles with size used their free agent money to get smaller.
- I assume AK handles the draft and he has a type. I don't buy the Edey talk. The Bulls like 2 way players who can (supposedly) guard the ball and make plays with the ball. Shooting optional. I can see him loving Clingan, Carter, Cody Williams. I doubt Knecht, Dillingham or Reed are on the radar, though they should be.
- The entire act of giving a promise makes little sense. The fact that it could be used against the Bulls is icing on the cake. Why would you promise P Will when you have the 4th pick? Chandler Hutchison? Thybulle? Not one of these guys proved worth it.
- Unless I'm getting a deal I can refuse, I'm probably just keeping my pick. The one caveat is if you can work out something with Portland to either move up in this draft or acquire their extra pick or something. But I don't trust them to win any deal. They haven't done that yet.
I think there's a lot that people learned during the Warriors years that people have to unlearn because it no longer applies. But one I think could be worth retaining is a variant on "could this guy play for the Warriors" approach to drafting. But I would rather phrase it like: "can this guy play fast?"
I don't mean fast like does he get up and down the court, though that's not exactly nothing. But more like "does this guy touch the ball and then move like he has a real plan right away, and send it off the second it's clear he can't progress that plan?". And this is not a "could he do it" but a "did he do it" sort of criterion.
I've been noodling around with this idea with this draft class. I haven't looked at everyone and even then not too extensively. But this is who I think fits the "plays fast" idea among the guys I've looked at:
Topic
Both UK guards
Filipowski
Tyler Kolek
Kevin McCullar
I can't see a version of the Bulls where Vuc isn't starting next season. Which, in my mind, basically means that any move(s) they make will be meaningless.
The only way he doesn't start is if he gets traded, and we all know that will be basically impossible. He's making $20 million a year, which indicates he's a starter according to AK. He's also AK's guy who he has continued to double down on. Bringing Vooch off the bench would be offensive to AK.
Billy Donovan isn't blameless: he's a company man so he won't rock the boat and sit AK's 'constant', and he won't coach a veteran 'hard' either, especially after this hilariously-over-proportioned LaVine strife
It's still shocking to remember they had that whole travel training camp talking about a new offense, and all it took to torpedo was consternation from one of the worst starting centers in the league
Yep, totally agree.
Bulls shouldn't be trading up for either of these guys. As others have pointed out, Sheppard could be interesting. Bulls need a complete overhaul. Package 11 and Caruso for #3 and Eason(Houston could think its can compete sooner than later). Draft Sheppard. Trade Lavine to Orland for Isaac and Anthony Black (we need defense and size). Trade Vuc to OKC for #12 and Giddy (OKC needs rebounding and size and doesn't need another pick and maybe they are wanting to get off of Giddey). Draft Carter. Sign Hartenstein as your starting center. Sign Gary Trent for some shooting.
Do a lineup of:
G: Reed, Ayo
G: White, Carter
SF: Williams, Trent, Giddey, Black
PF: Isaac, Eason
C: Hartenstein
At least we can play some defense and hit a three...maybe.
If I were those other teams, I wouldn't do any of those moves.
I've made this point before, but I find it crazy that anyone thinks Orlando would put 32 year old Zach on their books for $49M when they'll have to re-sign all their good young players (Paolo, Franz, Carter, Suggs, etc).
They have a window to sign and add salary before they new contracts kick in. There have been talks of them looking at Klay Thompson. They definitely need playmaking and shooting as their offense gets stagnant. I dont know who will be available (outside of Paul George) that fits that profile.
Whatever salary they add during this "window" would have to expire BEFORE the new contracts kick in. Otherwise they won't be able to give out those new contracts. Zach's does not.
Cant they simply sign their own RFA? Sure they would likely go over the cap, but if they are winning its not going to be that big of an issue. And really the only issue the last year of Zach's contract, which they could maybe move him at that point if healthy. Zach is a useful second or third scoring option.
I'd do these trades in a heartbeat because the other teams would be stupid to agree to them.
Maybe the Rockets would take Caruso and #11 for #3 but Eason definitely wouldn't be included.
OKC may not necessarily need all of their picks and they may not need Giddy, but they're also not going to just give them away for Vooch and his terrible contact.
Vucevic has 2 years left at 20 million. Which is not terrible. He could also be part of a larger deal for OKC, when/if they try to match salary when they do eventually package picks to get another all-star. Plus, they really do need size.
He's overpaid by about $16M, how is that not terrible
these are so far off in terms of value.
you're closer in the OKC trade if it was Vuc and #11 for Giddey, not a pick coming the other way
I know we like to hate Bulls players, but Giddey wasn't barely playing by the end of the playoffs (and doesnt seem to get along with the rest of the team..he is also going to hard to trade with all his background). And OKC has already stockpiled picks. I have no idea why they would want to keep the 11th pick, when they should be moving into win now mode and need size. They are likely trading it for someone and the 12th pick in this draft isnt going to get you a star or even really good player.
As for the others, Orlando needs shooting and has been linked to Klay Thompson of all people. I much rather have Zach than Thompson. And Isaac has the same injury concerns (if not more so) than Lavine (he also only averaged 16 min a game last season). While Caruso fits the Ime profile. They just paid 80 million for a worse version of him in Brooks. Heck the Bulls could take back brooks instead of Eason if they want to move off that contract and both get a better player and price (but honestly that is an overpay for the Bulls...in this incredibly weak draft).
Vuc has size but won't help you win. He wouldn't play in the playoffs either. Why wouldn't they rather sign Hartenstein like you suggest the Bulls do?
OKC could probably just go after Hartenstein. I think you are underrating Vuc a little bit. He is still a good offensive player and defensive rebounder. He is definitely overpaid, but is a useful big. He just shouldn't be a guy you think is a star...like the bulls do.
If they did think this, they could just trade nothing for Vuc and take his contract into cap space. And the Bulls should be ecstatic to take that deal.
Apparently Mo Cheeks is leaving for Thibodeau's staff.
One of my favorite BaB memories is when he was hired, everyone seemed to have a story of randomly running into Mo Cheeks around Chicago. Things like sightings at Bloomingdales (me) or eating pancakes (someone else I don't recall) or getting coffee. Common denominator: he was always a really nice guy.
wouldn't be even the most minor news without some Bulls weirdness. Just a couple weeks ago it was reported that it was Cheeks's decision to step back off the Bulls bench in more of an advisory role
I think Jaylon Tyson might be underrated. I think he might be a lottery pick talent. He's really big for what is basically a guard skill-set. He uses his body well as a ball handler and seems to have good strength. There's enough there to think he'll shoot the 3 at the next level. And he might be able to cover 2-4 defensively.
ZE is a non athletic center who can’t shoot or defend. He is an average rebounder who often losses the ball. Why would anyone envision him as a starter if the goal is to compete for a championship. His East/West mobility which is crucial for defending the rim is below average.
Andre is one of the best rebounders per minute that ever played in the NBA. He needs to start unless the Bulls can get an athletic defender and rebounder
He's a free agent and likely headed somewhere else where he's also not good enough to start for
If u don’t think AD is good enough to start please review his stats and the Bulls record when Vuc missed about 17 games.
It’s not about scoring it’s about rebounding rim protection and efficiency on offense with low turnovers. Most GM’s go after scoring because they don’t know the game. Dallas and Boston went after players who play great defense and the results were predictable.
Drummond is not a good rim protector, and has a way higher turnover percentage than Vucevic
he's more efficient and a better rebounder. But he can't play extended minutes. He could start for the Bulls over Vuc, but it'd be a marginal difference.
He’s is better rim protector because he has much better east - west mobility. His quick feet allow him to guard 2’s and 3’s 25 from the rim. His steals per minute are much better and often off the dribble. Hence, he’s a much better overall defender and by some formulas the best offensive and defensive rebounder ever when looking at available rebounds etc. a more efficient scorer. When Vuc was out he averaged 30-35 minutes. I said in a prior comment he needs to lose 15 pounds and get in better shape. If it’s between him and Vuc it’s no contest. A lot of guys labeled bench who get a chance to start in the right system become stars. He’s that kind of guy Remember he was getting 15 a game when Vuc was out almost entirely on garbage . The Bulls rarely ran a play for him…17-18 ppg 12-14 rebounds 1.3 steals and top 5 shooting percentage with above average defense in 30-35 minutes.
I’d take the Dallas kid DL over him in a second but there not to many around like that.
He turns the ball over more because he tries to score every time he touches the ball against multiple defenders. That can change. He has better hands than Vuc and is a bigger stronger body.
Major upgrade but there are some GM’s that know his potential so the Bulls will almost certainly part ways with AD as Vuc is almost like Zac .. untradable.