There have been two surprises for me around Giddey. One is fast breaks. I naively expected him to fill in a Lonzo Ball like role, grabbing rebounds and making the Bulls that deadly open court team they were the first half year with Lonzo. I'm now realizing that Lonzo is really special in this regard. Giddey is a good rebounder but not enough of a scoring threat, and better advancing the ball in a secondary break type motion than fast break. At least that's my impression.
Second, I was hoping to see more of the SLOB wizardry that Giddey was famous for, and that Steph Noh used to write about. I haven't seen any of this at all. I am curious what others think, but I wonder if more credit should be given to the OKC coach (Daigneault) for the design and execution of these.
On a positive note, the Bulls were utterly lacking on post entry passes and Giddey at least checks that box. If they are going to use Vucevic, at least get him passes where he can use his base and strength to score.
Overall, Giddey's assist numbers are up but I was hoping for more flash. Has Giddey lost juice on his fancy passing because of coaching, personnel, or have defenses just decided to disrespect his offense, hang back and clog passing lanes?
I don't disagree. With that said there's some basic basketball stuff like "pass it to the big guy in the post when he has someone six inches shorter guarding him" that the other professional basketball players on this team seemed to struggle with. Although I'm starting to feel like it may be a Vuc thing related to this lack of speed keeping him from sealing defenders.
I believe he's had like two really nice SLOB plays this year. And if I recall correctly, both were plays that Billy took from Daigneault, so I'm thinking credit probably should be given to him for making Giddey look good.
I really worry about them giving Giddy another contract.
Watching him you wonder "should this guy even be in the NBA, let alone starting games?" and I'm sure that's what other GMs are thinking. But we all know the Bulls are capable of imagining a robust market for him and overpaying him based on that imaginary market. After giving away Caruso for this useless asset they are not going to have the balls to let him walk and get the minimum contract or Euro ball roster slot his game warrants.
Speaking of minimum contracts, giving Dalen Terry another year at $5+mil because he's already here is the epitome of managerial laziness. Is he ever going to be capable of contributing to an NBA offense? All indications thus far are "fuck" and "no." This is a guy you can replace with an undrafted free agent. Just because you drafted him doesn't mean you need to double down on guys who clearly can't play in the NBA.
I hope AKME does one of the few (only?) good front-office Bullsian things and lets the RFA market, or lake therof, put downward pressure on Giddey. I'm fine if they re-sign him and pay him like a decent backup PG. And then hopefully they'd play him like they paid him.
I watched a handful of Giddey's NBL games and apart from the occasional slick pass found myself thinking "this guy's the big NBA prospect?"
I thought he'd be a late-first round pick and couldn't believe OKC took him at #6. He's good enough for the NBA, but that high pick really messed up everyone's expectations of him.
I know this isn't the normal MO around here, but hearing the crowd chant "We want Taj" last night and then giving him a huge ovation when he came in was heartwarming.
I think Giddey may be turning into the new Pat, based on some of the other Bulls sites I read. What I mean by that is out of 10 games Giddey has like eight terrible games and then two decent games. And when he has those two decent games, writers and fans freak out about how good looks and then totally ignore his eight terrible games.
So I'm expecting a four year, $100 million extension for Giddey this coming summer...
I guess I don't see how this moves the needle that much for Denver, but I also don't really care. If they want Zach, they can have him!
Getting stuck with MPJ's contact isn't my favorite, but at least it's less than Zach's. I think the Bulls basically have to say yes to any deal that doesn't involve them giving up draft capital.
Lol at Bulls Reddit losing their minds that this trade wouldn't net the Bulls any picks or good young players. The Bulls aren't getting jack shit for Zach, people! The point is to get off his contract without giving up assets. That's exactly what this trade does.
It also gets them one step closer to keeping their pick this year and hopefully the next couple of years after that. That's the main prize in trading Zach (and Vooch). If the Bulls are rebuilding, they need lottery picks. The only way they get/keep those is if they're really bad.
Stein+Fischer on Saturday saying Bulls holding out for a first for Vuc
https://marcstein.substack.com/p/all-the-latest-nba-trade-talk-and?utm_content=buffer429a7&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=email-post&r=3shtjf
++ for the entirely apt Star Trek reference. It was GM malpractice to give up AC for Giddey straight up.
To the point about Zach's attitude, he probably enjoys knowing Giddey's defense overshadows his own shoddy effort on that end this year
There have been two surprises for me around Giddey. One is fast breaks. I naively expected him to fill in a Lonzo Ball like role, grabbing rebounds and making the Bulls that deadly open court team they were the first half year with Lonzo. I'm now realizing that Lonzo is really special in this regard. Giddey is a good rebounder but not enough of a scoring threat, and better advancing the ball in a secondary break type motion than fast break. At least that's my impression.
Second, I was hoping to see more of the SLOB wizardry that Giddey was famous for, and that Steph Noh used to write about. I haven't seen any of this at all. I am curious what others think, but I wonder if more credit should be given to the OKC coach (Daigneault) for the design and execution of these.
On a positive note, the Bulls were utterly lacking on post entry passes and Giddey at least checks that box. If they are going to use Vucevic, at least get him passes where he can use his base and strength to score.
Overall, Giddey's assist numbers are up but I was hoping for more flash. Has Giddey lost juice on his fancy passing because of coaching, personnel, or have defenses just decided to disrespect his offense, hang back and clog passing lanes?
yes I do think Giddey helps Vuc. But...why are we doing this?
I don't disagree. With that said there's some basic basketball stuff like "pass it to the big guy in the post when he has someone six inches shorter guarding him" that the other professional basketball players on this team seemed to struggle with. Although I'm starting to feel like it may be a Vuc thing related to this lack of speed keeping him from sealing defenders.
I remember this SLOB play https://videos.nba.com/nba/pbp/media/2024/12/06/0022400336/617/bbe410c0-58ac-1adb-6247-ec27bce13fda_1280x720.mp4
I believe he's had like two really nice SLOB plays this year. And if I recall correctly, both were plays that Billy took from Daigneault, so I'm thinking credit probably should be given to him for making Giddey look good.
Vuc plays because ::AK Drago voice:: he’s double-double machine.
hahahahahahahahahaha it's funny because it's true
I really worry about them giving Giddy another contract.
Watching him you wonder "should this guy even be in the NBA, let alone starting games?" and I'm sure that's what other GMs are thinking. But we all know the Bulls are capable of imagining a robust market for him and overpaying him based on that imaginary market. After giving away Caruso for this useless asset they are not going to have the balls to let him walk and get the minimum contract or Euro ball roster slot his game warrants.
Speaking of minimum contracts, giving Dalen Terry another year at $5+mil because he's already here is the epitome of managerial laziness. Is he ever going to be capable of contributing to an NBA offense? All indications thus far are "fuck" and "no." This is a guy you can replace with an undrafted free agent. Just because you drafted him doesn't mean you need to double down on guys who clearly can't play in the NBA.
The Bulls are the sunk cost fallacy, but like, the entire team.
I hope AKME does one of the few (only?) good front-office Bullsian things and lets the RFA market, or lake therof, put downward pressure on Giddey. I'm fine if they re-sign him and pay him like a decent backup PG. And then hopefully they'd play him like they paid him.
I watched a handful of Giddey's NBL games and apart from the occasional slick pass found myself thinking "this guy's the big NBA prospect?"
I thought he'd be a late-first round pick and couldn't believe OKC took him at #6. He's good enough for the NBA, but that high pick really messed up everyone's expectations of him.
Vuc and Giddey are both Questionable tonight. Crazy practice?
PWill is Questionable too, which is sorta cool.
Hornets game thread (season is still going!) is UP - > https://open.substack.com/chat/posts/7110a486-96ef-4831-9d77-9bb5398b159d?utm_source=share&utm_medium=android&r=2bo
I know this isn't the normal MO around here, but hearing the crowd chant "We want Taj" last night and then giving him a huge ovation when he came in was heartwarming.
I think Giddey may be turning into the new Pat, based on some of the other Bulls sites I read. What I mean by that is out of 10 games Giddey has like eight terrible games and then two decent games. And when he has those two decent games, writers and fans freak out about how good looks and then totally ignore his eight terrible games.
So I'm expecting a four year, $100 million extension for Giddey this coming summer...
Bad looking ankle injury on Monday. So he'll also turn into Pat in that 'he was looking better until he got hurt' will become the new excuse
Do we know if that was the same ankle he hurt at the Olympics?
It is. We don't know the severity of this sprain yet though
Is it bad to hope it's so severe that AK decides he doesn't have enough information to go off of in order to offer an extension?
You tell ' em, Will.
https://bsky.app/profile/willgottlieb.bsky.social/post/3ldja2gwrtk2u
should had this up earlier today, but I actually found his argument dumb as hell
https://www.blogabull.com/p/some-therapy-for-the-tank-brained
https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6002502/2024/12/17/zach-lavine-trade-rumors-nuggets/
well thats the only thing slightly encouraging.
I guess I don't see how this moves the needle that much for Denver, but I also don't really care. If they want Zach, they can have him!
Getting stuck with MPJ's contact isn't my favorite, but at least it's less than Zach's. I think the Bulls basically have to say yes to any deal that doesn't involve them giving up draft capital.
Lol at Bulls Reddit losing their minds that this trade wouldn't net the Bulls any picks or good young players. The Bulls aren't getting jack shit for Zach, people! The point is to get off his contract without giving up assets. That's exactly what this trade does.
It also gets them one step closer to keeping their pick this year and hopefully the next couple of years after that. That's the main prize in trading Zach (and Vooch). If the Bulls are rebuilding, they need lottery picks. The only way they get/keep those is if they're really bad.