Slightly off topic, but I'm so sick of the "Vooch isn't a bad defender. They had the fifth best defense last year" talking point. Vooch isn't such a bad defender that it's impossible to have a good defense with him on the team. He's bad enough, though, that you have to make sacrifices elsewhere to make up for his bad defense.
So are Lavine and DeMar, obviously. But they're good enough on offense to make up for that. Vooch isn't. He's decent offensively but not so much so that he makes up for what he lacks defensively. This team had to make sacrifices offensively to be a good defensive team. They never went for offensive rebounds so that they could get back on defense, for instance.
Ultimately having three bad defenders as your best players was never going to work out. Overpaying two of them just makes it that much worse. I'm afraid for next summer, because I have a feeling AK's going to give DeMar a big, fat extension...
What are people's general thoughts on what the starting lineup should be? Personally, I think Coby and Pat should come off the bench where they can run the second unit. Carter and Craig have made their names as guys who play well without ball in their hands. That's what the starting unit needs with how much the ball with be in the "big 3's" hands.
If the Bulls somehow managed to get their hands on Christian Wood (highly unlikely), I think they'd have a pretty fun, albeit still very flawed, 10 man rotation. AKME haven't moved the needle much this offseason, but I do think this team should be more cohesive than last year.
Looking around the league, what is going on with the Jaylen Brown contract and the Harden/Dame trades? I had the sense that free agency was waiting on those things. Is the season going to start with them unresolved?
The Bulls are not using the DPE and Christian Wood is not coming here. The talk of that Turkish player seems to have just been smoke. So this is the roster.
Ayo is probably like the 9th guy on a good team so whether or not he comes back makes no real difference. That said, I'd prefer the Bulls keep him if only to retain an asset. Maybe the Bulls could package Ayo and Dalen (who stinks) in an "all upside" trade to a team that doesn't watch League Pass.
"Turkish G/F Onurlap Bitim has agreed on a two-way contract with the Chicago Bulls, sources tell ESPN. Bitim, 24, was a second-team EuroCup player for Bursaspor in Turkey."
We need to sign Christian Wood, if only to see the unstoppable offensive/stops no one defense lineup of Zach/Coby/Debo/Wood/Vuc. They could run-and-gun Loyola Marymount style. Also, where is Wood going to get signed at beyond minimum? There are not many options left. I think we can use the $4.5M biannual and be doubling his salary vs just about anyone else.
I read there are like 6 teams with too many guaranteed contracts, so maybe there is a useful cut player available soon? Another reason why the market has slowed. Perhaps Garuba or Bertans? Wood is the biggest difference maker still available - much bigger than redundant Ayo.
Ok sorry for over-posting, but couldn’t we rescind Ayo’s offer, sign Liberty to a min, offer wood $8M, resulting in 14 players signed and still being under the cap???
I love that all of the speculation was Ayo would get an offer below the QO, likely close to the minimum, and then the Bulls go out there and hand him $21 million. Sorry, Jerry, I'm not paying for League Pass this year.
Pleased Ayo will be back. As much AK loses on the margins and probably did so here (that's a big number!) , it would have been penny wise but pound foolish to let him walk after trying to squeeze him
This isn't nearly the scope of the disastrous Vuc overpay IMO
I take the Ayo signing to mean that when the starters are sitting either Ayo or Caruso will nominally play the 3 (or in other words a 3 guard lineup). Those three would all kinda be interchangeable since none of them is super small. It's not crazy, I would have liked to see them sign a 4/5 type to get little more beef in the 2nd unit. I'd expect this to be the top 10.
NBA Free Agency is mostly over, are the Bulls mostly done?
I like the Bulls a little more with the Carter, Craig, and Sonogo signings. A lot more with Woods on board, using that DPE slot.
Where do you see the Bulls trending now?
Slightly off topic, but I'm so sick of the "Vooch isn't a bad defender. They had the fifth best defense last year" talking point. Vooch isn't such a bad defender that it's impossible to have a good defense with him on the team. He's bad enough, though, that you have to make sacrifices elsewhere to make up for his bad defense.
So are Lavine and DeMar, obviously. But they're good enough on offense to make up for that. Vooch isn't. He's decent offensively but not so much so that he makes up for what he lacks defensively. This team had to make sacrifices offensively to be a good defensive team. They never went for offensive rebounds so that they could get back on defense, for instance.
Ultimately having three bad defenders as your best players was never going to work out. Overpaying two of them just makes it that much worse. I'm afraid for next summer, because I have a feeling AK's going to give DeMar a big, fat extension...
What’s the word on Onuralp Bitim?
I’d like to sign T. Watford and use the DPE on Royce O’Neal
Carter - Lavine - DeRozen - Williams - Vuc
Caruso - Coby - O’Neal - Craig - Watford(Billy D played DJJ at C. Watford is 6’8 with a 7’2.5 wingspan)
Lonzo - Terry - Phillips - Drummond
What are people's general thoughts on what the starting lineup should be? Personally, I think Coby and Pat should come off the bench where they can run the second unit. Carter and Craig have made their names as guys who play well without ball in their hands. That's what the starting unit needs with how much the ball with be in the "big 3's" hands.
If the Bulls somehow managed to get their hands on Christian Wood (highly unlikely), I think they'd have a pretty fun, albeit still very flawed, 10 man rotation. AKME haven't moved the needle much this offseason, but I do think this team should be more cohesive than last year.
Looking around the league, what is going on with the Jaylen Brown contract and the Harden/Dame trades? I had the sense that free agency was waiting on those things. Is the season going to start with them unresolved?
C. Wood doesn’t really bother me since he’s just like Vuc we already know how that is.
The Bulls are not using the DPE and Christian Wood is not coming here. The talk of that Turkish player seems to have just been smoke. So this is the roster.
Ayo is probably like the 9th guy on a good team so whether or not he comes back makes no real difference. That said, I'd prefer the Bulls keep him if only to retain an asset. Maybe the Bulls could package Ayo and Dalen (who stinks) in an "all upside" trade to a team that doesn't watch League Pass.
LOL apologies that Turkish guy is real!
Woj:
"Turkish G/F Onurlap Bitim has agreed on a two-way contract with the Chicago Bulls, sources tell ESPN. Bitim, 24, was a second-team EuroCup player for Bursaspor in Turkey."
Update post with Bitim signing.
it doesn't look like he was part of any pre-draft assessment, so no measurements. He's "listed" at 6'6"
We need to sign Christian Wood, if only to see the unstoppable offensive/stops no one defense lineup of Zach/Coby/Debo/Wood/Vuc. They could run-and-gun Loyola Marymount style. Also, where is Wood going to get signed at beyond minimum? There are not many options left. I think we can use the $4.5M biannual and be doubling his salary vs just about anyone else.
I read there are like 6 teams with too many guaranteed contracts, so maybe there is a useful cut player available soon? Another reason why the market has slowed. Perhaps Garuba or Bertans? Wood is the biggest difference maker still available - much bigger than redundant Ayo.
Ok sorry for over-posting, but couldn’t we rescind Ayo’s offer, sign Liberty to a min, offer wood $8M, resulting in 14 players signed and still being under the cap???
lol so do we just delete this and start over?
Ayo signs for 3 years/$21 million
I love that all of the speculation was Ayo would get an offer below the QO, likely close to the minimum, and then the Bulls go out there and hand him $21 million. Sorry, Jerry, I'm not paying for League Pass this year.
Pleased Ayo will be back. As much AK loses on the margins and probably did so here (that's a big number!) , it would have been penny wise but pound foolish to let him walk after trying to squeeze him
This isn't nearly the scope of the disastrous Vuc overpay IMO
I take the Ayo signing to mean that when the starters are sitting either Ayo or Caruso will nominally play the 3 (or in other words a 3 guard lineup). Those three would all kinda be interchangeable since none of them is super small. It's not crazy, I would have liked to see them sign a 4/5 type to get little more beef in the 2nd unit. I'd expect this to be the top 10.
Carter / Ayo
LaVine / Coby
DeMar / Caruso
PWill / Craig (either might start)
Vooch / Drummond