Not sure if there will be another post but AKME also declared they don't expect Lonzo to play next season but they expect to make additions through free agency.
Was completely not surprised that AKME basically said "we'll see" whether they would file for the DPE. We all know they aren't going into the luxury tax so no way they use it. I doubt they'll even file for it. Too much wasted paperwork.
I like that we got a guy... but it’s a classic bad move to take one now rather than two later.
And they can say they know they need shooters, but if they keep not getting shooters when they could, they don’t actually understand they need shooters.
I'll admit I had no idea who Julian Phillips was prior to this morning. With that being said, in a vacuum, I don't hate the signing. Long, athletic defenders are very important in today's version of the NBA.
The problem is he doesn't fit this team. As has been mentioned plenty, why do AKME keep drafting projects when this team is supposedly in win-now mode? And why do they keep drafting guys who can't shoot when this team desperately needs shooting? I'm beginning to think AK might have a fetish for tall, lanky dudes...
I am mildly interested in Sanogo. He clearly has some skill and plays hard. The problem is he's lacking size and athleticism - two things you can't just learn. I think the only way he carves out a career for himself is if he turns himself into a PJ Tucker type. Lose a little weight to help with mobility and develop enough of a corner three that teams have to respect you. Then go out there and bust your ass on defense.
He shot 37% from 3 in HS/AAU and his volume in college was really low. Additionally, he shot 80%+ from the line at Tennessee. I think he has more shooting potential there than we are giving credit for.
You're spot on with your commentary about the strange approach of drafting projects paired with an aging "win-now" roster. I can't help but feel like AKME had a singular plan entering their time with the Bulls, just for it blow up and for them to have no idea how to pivot.
Their drafting strategy seems to be "let's find guys with tons of physical tools, but lack polish" and then throw them into an organization that has lacked player development chops for well over a decade. Do they think they are going to develop the next Jokic, Giannis, or Siakim type?
The best organizations are capable of establishing a clear vision and then executing that vision. That vision could be "let's hoard draft capital forever until we unearth an MVP candidate" like Philly or OKC or it could be "let's spend salary cap/draft capital on talent, and then surround them with complimentary talents" like the Lakers, Phoenix, Cavs or you could be "let's draft really well and be a generally savvy organization" like the Bucks, Warriors, and Heat are.
We have no coherent plan, and even if we did I'm not confident that AK knows how to execute that plan or have any league wide connections willing to work with him to enact that plan. The fact that we traded away more future draft capital for a player redundant with our under-performing roster is just remarkably funny.
There is a race to the bottom in the Chicago sports power rankings, and the Bulls are leaps and bounds ahead of others because of their complete and utter incompetence.
I'll reiterate a comment I made in the live thread that the #36 pick was acquired by Milwaukee for a 2030 2nd and cash while the Bulls traded 2 future 2nds for #35. Bulls cheapness costs them again. Not sure what years the picks they sent out are but to let y'all know, Bulls already don't have a 2024 or 2025 2nd. So if the 2026 and 2027 2nds, then the Bulls won't have a 2nd until 2028, when they could have 2 (their own and the Portland pick converts to a 2nd in 2028 if it hasn't conveyed as a 1st by then).
Not much to say here. Nothing against Phillips, he seems like an ok prospect (although I don't understand how a hyper athletic guy with a 43 inch vertical can only manage to shoot 46% from 2 in the NCAA) for that type of player, but he's just not even the type of player we ought to be looking at.
I mean, I like athleticism, but Trayce Jackson-Davis is athletic too, and actually has size. Why not go there? Both positionally, and just in general. If you look at how the playoffs work, guys that are like 6'8" and 195lb get played off the court by guys that are like 6'6" and 225lbs. All the time.
It's one of the things I think about a lot that I think most people just don't. Like, people have been comparing Zach and Jaylen Brown and Jamal Murray. They focus on Zach being an inch taller than Murray, for example, but completely ignore the fact that Murray's got 15lbs of muscle that Zach doesn't. Brown's got like 20-25lbs on him.
Those dudes are built for playoff basketball and you know when they match up against Zach, they're going to use that weight to effect.
So everyone on BaB is upset we didn’t draft win-now players, but everyone on BaB is also certain we are not a win-now team…it does seam AKME is walking the 2 timeline tightrope. I’m ok with that, done with sucking and would rather watch a team with a coin flip chance of winning than spending an eternity in the cellar depending on lottery luck.
I may start to sound like a hater, but there is no reason to sign Green. You draft Ayo, Terry, Philips. You have Caruso on the roster. How do you justify bringing back a 6'4 power forward who can't shoot, is 29, and often injured. Good luck in Phx Green.
I have zero idea if Phillips will be any good. Second round picks are complete crapshoots.
It’s pretty funny that AK just keeps bringing in non-shooters. Just terrible from an optics perspective. I haven’t seen a team that seems to care so much AND so little about optics at the same time.
With all of that said, I’m happy we drafted someone. It’s a low bar, but expecting the bar to be raised in a significant manner is bordering on delusion at this point. I like the potential of Phillips. Good wingspan, blocks, and steals. Sign a couple of FA shooters and I’ll be even more ok with the pick.
As others have pointed out, the elephant in the room is Donovan. Will he just bench Phillips most of the season? That’s what seems most likely. I’d rather win 39 games and try developing our young guys than win 41 games by giving heavy minutes to bench vets with no real future on this team.
last night during the draft traderumors had a tidbit about Lavines camp not wanting him to go to NYK. It appeared as the bulls were at least in talks, or maybe the Nicks were making calls...this just furthers how stupid that extension was.
Anyway, AKME very much seem to still be doing the wrong things in wrong ways because they have the wrong beliefs about what brings winning.
Sure, you can point to a particular thing or two that aren’t bad, but it’s pretty besides the point. As Bulls fans, we want to go to a nice restaurant and we get there and the place acts like a nice restaurant and serves you a ham sandwich and a can of Campbell’s soup.
We could talk about how the soup is properly heated and the sandwich fine, but mostly who gaf? Nobody is happy or thinks it’s really an acceptable outcome even if you were, in fact, served a meal that meets your minimum nutritional requirements.
The Bulls technically did *something* on draft night, but it was negligible in the face of their problems
Not sure if there will be another post but AKME also declared they don't expect Lonzo to play next season but they expect to make additions through free agency.
Was completely not surprised that AKME basically said "we'll see" whether they would file for the DPE. We all know they aren't going into the luxury tax so no way they use it. I doubt they'll even file for it. Too much wasted paperwork.
Meh
I like that we got a guy... but it’s a classic bad move to take one now rather than two later.
And they can say they know they need shooters, but if they keep not getting shooters when they could, they don’t actually understand they need shooters.
I'll admit I had no idea who Julian Phillips was prior to this morning. With that being said, in a vacuum, I don't hate the signing. Long, athletic defenders are very important in today's version of the NBA.
The problem is he doesn't fit this team. As has been mentioned plenty, why do AKME keep drafting projects when this team is supposedly in win-now mode? And why do they keep drafting guys who can't shoot when this team desperately needs shooting? I'm beginning to think AK might have a fetish for tall, lanky dudes...
I am mildly interested in Sanogo. He clearly has some skill and plays hard. The problem is he's lacking size and athleticism - two things you can't just learn. I think the only way he carves out a career for himself is if he turns himself into a PJ Tucker type. Lose a little weight to help with mobility and develop enough of a corner three that teams have to respect you. Then go out there and bust your ass on defense.
Haven't seen anywhere that the new guy has the dog, so fail.
He shot 37% from 3 in HS/AAU and his volume in college was really low. Additionally, he shot 80%+ from the line at Tennessee. I think he has more shooting potential there than we are giving credit for.
You're spot on with your commentary about the strange approach of drafting projects paired with an aging "win-now" roster. I can't help but feel like AKME had a singular plan entering their time with the Bulls, just for it blow up and for them to have no idea how to pivot.
Their drafting strategy seems to be "let's find guys with tons of physical tools, but lack polish" and then throw them into an organization that has lacked player development chops for well over a decade. Do they think they are going to develop the next Jokic, Giannis, or Siakim type?
The best organizations are capable of establishing a clear vision and then executing that vision. That vision could be "let's hoard draft capital forever until we unearth an MVP candidate" like Philly or OKC or it could be "let's spend salary cap/draft capital on talent, and then surround them with complimentary talents" like the Lakers, Phoenix, Cavs or you could be "let's draft really well and be a generally savvy organization" like the Bucks, Warriors, and Heat are.
We have no coherent plan, and even if we did I'm not confident that AK knows how to execute that plan or have any league wide connections willing to work with him to enact that plan. The fact that we traded away more future draft capital for a player redundant with our under-performing roster is just remarkably funny.
There is a race to the bottom in the Chicago sports power rankings, and the Bulls are leaps and bounds ahead of others because of their complete and utter incompetence.
I'll reiterate a comment I made in the live thread that the #36 pick was acquired by Milwaukee for a 2030 2nd and cash while the Bulls traded 2 future 2nds for #35. Bulls cheapness costs them again. Not sure what years the picks they sent out are but to let y'all know, Bulls already don't have a 2024 or 2025 2nd. So if the 2026 and 2027 2nds, then the Bulls won't have a 2nd until 2028, when they could have 2 (their own and the Portland pick converts to a 2nd in 2028 if it hasn't conveyed as a 1st by then).
Not much to say here. Nothing against Phillips, he seems like an ok prospect (although I don't understand how a hyper athletic guy with a 43 inch vertical can only manage to shoot 46% from 2 in the NCAA) for that type of player, but he's just not even the type of player we ought to be looking at.
I mean, I like athleticism, but Trayce Jackson-Davis is athletic too, and actually has size. Why not go there? Both positionally, and just in general. If you look at how the playoffs work, guys that are like 6'8" and 195lb get played off the court by guys that are like 6'6" and 225lbs. All the time.
It's one of the things I think about a lot that I think most people just don't. Like, people have been comparing Zach and Jaylen Brown and Jamal Murray. They focus on Zach being an inch taller than Murray, for example, but completely ignore the fact that Murray's got 15lbs of muscle that Zach doesn't. Brown's got like 20-25lbs on him.
Those dudes are built for playoff basketball and you know when they match up against Zach, they're going to use that weight to effect.
So everyone on BaB is upset we didn’t draft win-now players, but everyone on BaB is also certain we are not a win-now team…it does seam AKME is walking the 2 timeline tightrope. I’m ok with that, done with sucking and would rather watch a team with a coin flip chance of winning than spending an eternity in the cellar depending on lottery luck.
This is the most boring Bulls team since Skiles took over for Cartwright and told Eddy Curry to start jumping for rebounds.
This was the bare minimum that AKME could have done to keep me from writing off the last little bit of hope I have for them.
Actually, no. They did just a hair more than that. They admitted Lonzo isn't coming back. That is the tiniest step in the right direction.
Call me 94% disillusioned with them instead of 95%.
I may start to sound like a hater, but there is no reason to sign Green. You draft Ayo, Terry, Philips. You have Caruso on the roster. How do you justify bringing back a 6'4 power forward who can't shoot, is 29, and often injured. Good luck in Phx Green.
I have zero idea if Phillips will be any good. Second round picks are complete crapshoots.
It’s pretty funny that AK just keeps bringing in non-shooters. Just terrible from an optics perspective. I haven’t seen a team that seems to care so much AND so little about optics at the same time.
With all of that said, I’m happy we drafted someone. It’s a low bar, but expecting the bar to be raised in a significant manner is bordering on delusion at this point. I like the potential of Phillips. Good wingspan, blocks, and steals. Sign a couple of FA shooters and I’ll be even more ok with the pick.
As others have pointed out, the elephant in the room is Donovan. Will he just bench Phillips most of the season? That’s what seems most likely. I’d rather win 39 games and try developing our young guys than win 41 games by giving heavy minutes to bench vets with no real future on this team.
last night during the draft traderumors had a tidbit about Lavines camp not wanting him to go to NYK. It appeared as the bulls were at least in talks, or maybe the Nicks were making calls...this just furthers how stupid that extension was.
so he likely stays put
Anyway, AKME very much seem to still be doing the wrong things in wrong ways because they have the wrong beliefs about what brings winning.
Sure, you can point to a particular thing or two that aren’t bad, but it’s pretty besides the point. As Bulls fans, we want to go to a nice restaurant and we get there and the place acts like a nice restaurant and serves you a ham sandwich and a can of Campbell’s soup.
We could talk about how the soup is properly heated and the sandwich fine, but mostly who gaf? Nobody is happy or thinks it’s really an acceptable outcome even if you were, in fact, served a meal that meets your minimum nutritional requirements.