Chisoxfn

I feel like this is like the 3rd or 4th time he has taken down his own mate.

This is crazy - first off - wishing everyone speedy recovers but at some point doesn’t league step in and delay some games given how much it keeps spreading on Bulls.

I agree - my point was if somehow Payton wants pace fine. That is about the only way I see Pace sticking out since it seems like the whole move him to president thing isn’t happening.

This has to be about as bad of any report I have seen. It can’t be true can it?

By the way - I hope the Bears first hire is Rick Smith as president - he picks a gm and than hires the head coach. Shake everything up and go from there - unless Pace can pull Payton over to Chicago.

Yeah - he is signing in offseason….fingers crossed nothing blows up between now and than.

I think that is the more likely path forward. I don't ever understand NBA trade value that well - but the best option might be with Portland (who wants the flexibility of its pick back).

If we are concerned - so is the rest of the league. Don’t love trading a #4 overall pick who could be a much improved asset a year from now vs not. At this point he couldn’t get to much lower a trade value. Williams also is a nice fit for the teams longer term needs. But I am fine trading I just think blowing too much juice on the wrong player that doesn’t push you over the top would be the wrong move. Especially knowing they will be for sure players on buy out market if they maintain their current momentum.

I’m not worried about that - he is under control for two more seasons and super young. He will get minutes and Donovan is a really good rotation mgr and we have a good development staff. Think of Buckets - he earned his over time and worked for it. There are more ways to develop than just being played 35 minutes a night and going through that journey.

It is also okay to hold onto Williams and White. Selling low on assets isn’t always good and I am okay waiting a year on them. Either way right now I trust this front office a ton. Hopefully they keep earning that trust.

Cunningham would look real good next to Roquan. Fields officially back back Green Bay. I hope Arob will be joining Fields vs Packers.

No idea - but I feel like he wouldn't mess up the spacing too much but that risk obviously exists. I presume Portland pick plus Pat and White? On Barnes - if you can get him for White and the Portland pick I'm all over it. It could be the perfect story - grab another person from a bad team (Sactown) and have him join this cast of misfits (albeit Barnes obviously has rings). I just haven't watched Barnes enough to know his game but his size and speed actually fits Donovan's system to a T - Bmags post said it best. The only question is how will the shots get split up adding someone like Barnes (it probably works cause you just start staggering minutes and have some of these guys get more time with 2nd unit vs. 1st).

This - he is a perfect fit. But no clue how you get him.

Some of this is on Vogel - some of those role players were in the doghouse under Vogel for whatever reason (Montrez in particular). I also don't think the Lakers not getting Caruso was a luxury tax thing. Westbrook in isolation for what you described wasn't bad - he is an alpha who plays his butt off every day, but he doesn't fit well with the other starters. You almost need him on the court when the bulk of the other guys are out - use him as that ultra energy in those windows where you need that offense - but in a more channeled way (but I don't think Westbrook is ready for that). Could you imagine Westbrook as a 6th man - how crazy that energy / chaos would be in those more limited minutes (say 20-25). But Lakers big miss was moving so many pieces and ending up with such an aging roster. It was evident when Bulls played them - but Bulls are probably the exact opposite of the Lakers in the sense that the Bulls are small-ball and athletic as heck so the difference in speed, etc sticks out like a sore them. Against other teams it may be less noticeable but it will still be a massive achilles heal for the Lakers.

Wow - that game was fun. Damn this team is fun. Lavine was incredible tonight. Defensively, offensively, he passing. Super super efficient…just special. Ball defense was unreal and he put up a double double with 4 blocks and 4 steals!!! And Ayo was fantastic after that slow first quarter. Vuc rushed his shot but did well on d against Jokic. This team is so athletic and fun to watch in transition.

Get well soon Stacey. I hadn’t realized this but Stacey Kings brother died from Covid. Hopefully Stacey is vaxd and has mild symptoms (since it seems there is some hereditary nature to Covid severity).

I guess the wind is that bad eh.

Having not watched the game - how had Mac Jones only thrown it 1 time until that last pass attempt? The weather doesn't look that horrendous, what was the deal?

Hope all the guys that came down with COVID get better. Tough to have so many guys out. If we are lucky - Demar had a false positive and will be back quickly, if not at least there are only 6 games in the next 2 weeks. Caruso out for the next week (at a minimum as well). Got to be careful with that calf/hammy. Don't want this to turn into a full season issue. But no: DDR, White, Green, Caruso, Williams (longer term)...that is 5 guys who were rotational pieces (and obviously 2 key pieces) out right now.

Hard to jump to much conclusions - Iowa's offense is horrific. The game could have been interesting if they could do anythign when they moved the ball into Michigan territory but this is the worst Iowa offense I've seen in 2 decades of the Ferentz era. Usually they can at least run it well - but the oline was weak this year and the QB play was terrible to go with weak wideouts (no surprise), etc.

I didn't watch the 2nd half - but at end of the 1st half - 4th and 2 from midfield, down 14 points. I get it - maybe they fail and if they did Cardinals probably score another TD. But you are huge underdogs down 14 pts - if you have any shot at winning you have to roll the dice there. I'm hoping Fields makes things fun when he comes back next week - but counting down the days until no more Nagy.

Honestly - I could just watch a game that literally just followed Caruso around on camera playing defense. His defensive game is so special. I have no idea how sustainable it is on the long-run but just such a talented defender and I'm so glad the NBA has adjusted the foul calling to allow real defense to be played again. I will caveat - Ball is also incredibly fun to watch play D as well, in particular watching the two of them play together and switch on pick and rolls and play off eachother is an even better watch. If you can't tell - I love love love watching this team (partly because my brain was so toxically broken from the past couple years sets of Bulls teams).

I expect nothing done for the next 2 months - I think real work will start on Feb 1st (maybe slightly before than) but until you get closer to spring training, etc - there just isn't going to be the right motivation to make things happen.

If he was an Asst GM - yes - but the man is GM of the Bulls. So unless the Blazers job is president - I feel rather inclined to elevate his pay and keep him at the same title (a win win for Marc). But if he truly wanted to go there - than I totally get that. The real question is whether he is interested or not. But yeah - I think of Marc as the relationship guy you want in the GM role and AK (is good at that too) but not to the same wavelength, but AK is more of the scouting/developmental, etc type of guy. I am probably wrong on both accounts because the reality is they are both really really good.

All this said - I really want to keep ME. I feel like a really elite front office is worth its weight in gold (relative to what franchises pay the players) - and right now (small sample size), I feel like this front office is trending in that direction. So with that in mind - give the man a pay raise and just tell Portland NO.