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QUOTE (Tony @ Jun 29, 2016 -> 09:00 PM) According to sources, looks like Jo is going to the Knicks for an average of about 18 mil. I will do nothing but cheer for Jo. I will always remember him as one of my favorite Bulls of all time. Knicks are paying a lot of money but I hope he does awesome there. I figured as soon as Rose went there that Noah was going to go home.

QUOTE (shipps @ Jun 28, 2016 -> 06:09 AM) KC Johnson on the Score this morning said that nothing he has heard or seen would indicate the Bulls are going to give any large contracts to anyone in FA. They are gearing up and clearing a ton of space for two years from now. Cant Jimmy opt out two years from now? No. And by two summers, I think they meant next off-season, although I might be wrong, but I had heard it was next year they were focused on. If they are focused on two years from now, it would really make there moves seem odd. If that was the point, they should be in pure draft pick accumulation mode. Butler's deal (a 5 year deal) has an opt out after the 4th season, so 3 seasons from now he can opt out.

QUOTE (TaylorStSox @ Jun 26, 2016 -> 08:45 PM) You saw the Dornish sails, right? That was just an amazing season with an even better finale. Yeah...epic. Just awesome.

According to this report, we are focused on offering 2 max contracts after this season (with the goal of showcasing a team that would be attractive to build around...i.e., teaming with Butler and what looks to be some other solid young core role playing type). I've heard of worse ideas, especially since Butler with two max type players would be a fantastic possibility (and it also means you get a good idea if Hoiberg is your guy or if you need to make a major move to hire a big name coach / front office person at the end of this season to help lead the FA efforts. By the way, if this is the case, we'll see Taj moved for picks / young players to add more parts that can be "showcased" which would be around longer-term.

QUOTE (shipps @ Jun 27, 2016 -> 01:10 PM) If Rose would have been the player that he was supposed to be in his prime the whole damn picture would be different right now. Hell, they may have won a championship in there somewhere. Agreed...but I'm saying, it is easy to say GarPax is the reason Durant isn't meeting here, but I think the realistic picture is, if we had a roster like any of the teams he is meeting with do, he would be meeting with us. I didn't see the Lakers / Knicks on his initial list and they are bigger market teams who have more cap space, etc (and each of their GM's have collected quite a few rings...with Phil having a hell of a reputation). Durant wants to win and he's picking the teams he thinks are the best potential fits to do so. Now I do think he'll ultimately meet with the Knicks / Lakers, but that is because they have a combination of young talent and tons of cap space (or soon to be clearing cap space) that KD potentially listens to that pitch to see what their plan is (even than, I don't know if he has that conversation and I certainly don't think he's leaving). Either way, I think KD is staying...I'm just saying, we can blame Gar for a lot of things, I don't really think KD not coming here is because of Gar's reputation in the league and has more to do with the current roster / state of franchise, not being in a position to be an instant champion favorite with the signing of KD (PS: We can blame gar for that).

I think it has much more to do with the fact, that we don't have the current roster Durant is looking at. If we had Rose in his prime (pre MVP form) plus Butler on his deal, Durant would be meeting with us.

QUOTE (bmags @ Jun 27, 2016 -> 07:23 AM) I'd rather trade Mirotic but oh well. See what happens in ATL with horford, if they lose him they may be a good candidate. Yeah - I think Mirotic is someone we absolutely should be moving. He's a FA at the end of the year, IIRC. I am open to moving Taj or Niko or keeping them. If I keep Niko, it is because I want to give him more of an opportunity to show me what he is (after an up and down sophmore season) because I think potentially he's a longer term piece (clearly he is still young and has talent...of course I think he's more valuable in a deal to another team who overvalues that talent). If I keep Taj, it is because I'm not getting a meaningful offer and thus would rather keep him around so that the young players can benefit from his leadership, work ethic, and attitude. Taj might not be the greatest player on the planet, but he works hard, puts in his time, plays good defense, and does things the right way (and I want someone like Portis learning from him...especially if all I'm getting is nothing for him...please note, I think the Bulls can get something for him, but too many people just want to dump Taj for the sake of dumping him). I also anticipate that the Bulls are going to be trying to compete this year (they aren't tanking) so despite what a lot of you want, the reality is, if you are intending to compete, moving Taj only makes sense if you get an athletic young piece back (or at least a future draft pick to go with the cap space you can leverage to sign a PG and someone else). If the Bulls don't intend to sign/acquire a legitimate PG, than yes, they should absolutely move Taj, but they should be able to get some value (as I can't see this team competing without a quality pg).

QUOTE (Y2JImmy0 @ Jun 27, 2016 -> 06:30 AM) The Bulls are trying to trade Taj Gibson which is a positive development in my opinion. It is all about the return.

QUOTE (ptatc @ Jun 25, 2016 -> 05:18 AM) Now I see the issue. Every generation claims the same things. If you are looking to the WWII vets to save money, I hate to tell you hut there aren't enough left to make a big difference and if you think they are making enough money to make a difference you are mistaken. Besides I was referring to the current group of people who graduated from college in the 70s who are retiring not going that far back to a generation where there a4e so few left. College costs have always gone up and graduates always claim the same burden. In my profession, the starting salary has douhled while the cost of school has gone up 50% in the last 30 years. Studies have shown that many retirees have to get part time jobs just to afford to live. Taking money from the old who can't affird it just to make the young people lives more affordable is not a way to help the economy. They need to work their way up the food chain just like every generation. I'm curious on your cost of school statistics. I graduated just over 10 years ago, and tuition at my school has doubled (so can't even fathom the 50% increase as what I'm talking about is largely relative to the entire cal state system...I didn't go to a private school). I'll just look at my alma mater over the past 10 years. Today's annual tuition is 5,472. The last year I went there (05/06), it was $2520 (and that was up a good chunk from when I started in 02). http://calstate.edu/budget/student-fees/fe...n-history.shtml

Still can't finish but we looked much better this time around. Could have just as easily won. Such a weird goal we gave them. Had all kinds of us jerseys all around and they score. Was a very entertaining game.

QUOTE (Nixon @ Jun 24, 2016 -> 09:56 AM) It's rather monstrous to chide these parents. As someone who grew up in Florida I know enough to avoid gators/potential gator holes once the sun's gone down and it sounds like there was adequate signage on Disney's part. But 2 year olds are going to do what they f***ing want sometimes. Just like the kid at the zoo. It only takes the blink for the little bastards to trundle off to forbidden zones. Happened to me with my god son at Busch Gardens. I was holding his younger sister, his father standing next to me, we may have turned our heads for 15 seconds and next thing we know the kid is halfway across the Clydesdale paddock. And yeah, the overall internet lynch mob thing is pretty gross. People are quick to read the lede, ditch the nuance, and completely eschew any sense of empathy. The signs I saw, basically said no swimming. At other resorts and parts of beaches, they said, no swimming and referenced gators. If I saw a sign that said no swimming, I wouldn't have an issue with my kid watching the water or even having a foot in the water, potentially. I mean the lake by my house says no swimming (little man made lake, nothing fancy), but ducks in the water and if my daughter stuck her hand in, I wouldn't care in the slightest. I wouldn't let her swim (and there are tons of other kids feeding ducks, etc). Not being from Florida, I could easily see where someone would be out of touch / not thinking of gators as it relates to the "no swimming" sign. They should have clearly stated, no swimming and beware of gators. I see a sign that says watch out for gators and my kids aren't anywhere near that water. Unfortunately that sign wasn't there (from the few pictures I saw at least).

QUOTE (SoxPride18 @ Jun 24, 2016 -> 11:18 AM) Wizards are prepared to give Noah a max deal of 4 years/120 million. Wow, that is gross. Makes the Robin Lopez deal look like a complete steal if Noah gets this. Huh, $30M for Noah. No way. I don't believe that at all. But, as I alluded, people don't quite appreciate how valuable Butler's contract will be to attracting pieces (and enabling the Bulls to have the capspace to do so). Lopez contract is fair too, which is a good thing.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Jun 24, 2016 -> 11:47 AM) It is really too bad that the big picture is getting missed here. Both with Trump and Brexit, there are a lot of people fed up with the system and the way things are going in their respective countries. They feel like they don't have a voice, and with 21st century politics having turned into it being more important to mock your opponents than to actually learn something from them, these are the ways that people see they can even the score and stick it to the man. It would be nice if we could look at things in gray's anymore instead of black and white. Fixing a flawed system doesn't have to be a victory or a loss. But when the alternatives that get set up are extremes of one side or the other, people can't be surprised when the flow is to the opposite extreme of what we have been doing. Brexit should scare the crap out of anyone here in the United States because that same undercurrent of anger, resentment, and frustration exists right here in the US, and has already given us Donald Trump. More important than what the guy actually stands for is why people are actually gravitating towards people like him, and even Bernie Sanders to a large extent. Hopefully people starting paying attention the "why" before it is too late here. The message should be on everyone sitting in government office today. The answer is the status quo and the bickering and the stagnation are not acceptable and that people need to work with the other party to actually drive progress. The standstill that has occurred in government (along with the stagnant economy) are what is driving all these people to be absurd and those pushed and frustrated, either lean more left to a near socialist candidate or more right to a lunatic. Either way, both sides are revolting and they have given those indications, now hopefully the politicians wise up and realize change has to happen (and things don't get too crazy where everything goes to hell).

QUOTE (Rowand44 @ Jun 24, 2016 -> 11:09 AM) Ya, my fault for even starting this with you again. We have a completely different philosophy on this and neither of us are going to change our minds. I'll just leave it at that. Ah its okay...I still love you...but Brian says I have to hate you.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Jun 24, 2016 -> 11:05 AM) Wasn't that the year they never really clicked because it was lockout shortened and then Rose missed like 1/3 of the games with various injuries? I don't think clicking is how I'd have described it, it seemed more like waiting around for them to have a chance to play together. Rose did have injuries, but they were destroying teams that year (even when Rose was out). Best record in the NBA (50-16), beating the good teams in the league and the bad. Very consistent team. Strong defense (#2 in efficiency while the offense was 5th), etc. You look at the roster and it was pretty damn good too, obviously led by Rose.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Jun 24, 2016 -> 10:21 AM) Totally this. It really isn't a big deal for the US. It is from the perspective that we are a global economy and this puts negative, downtun presures, not only on the UK economy but an already weak European economy. Additionally, it will push our rates lower (in the never ending fight for quality) and make it harder for us to have interest rates at a level that is appropriate for the health of a long-term economy.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Jun 24, 2016 -> 10:15 AM) I have no issue with trading Taj given his contract status, but if all you're getting for him is a 2nd rounder then you better be needing his cap space to sign Durant. Worth noting that Mirotic's contract ends next offseason also though? I think there is a realistic possibility we dangle Niko.

QUOTE (KyYlE23 @ Jun 24, 2016 -> 09:21 AM) Seemed like they are upset that the Bulls didnt trade him for similar value that Belinelli got. Taj is basically a role player himself, albeit a well paid one. $9M in the new cap is nothing. If we are going to trade Taj, I'd rather trade him in season for a 1st rounder next year (or for better young pieces than what we'd have gotten with a mid 1st round pick in a weak draft).

QUOTE (Y2JImmy0 @ Jun 24, 2016 -> 09:16 AM) I'm fine with the Rose trade. I just think they should cash in as many of the veterans on short deals as possible. I don't think Taj Gibson has as much value as some but I'd love to be wrong. But yeah, I think their top priorities at this point should be to try and deal Dunleavy and Taj. They have no future with the Bulls. This isn't a playoff team and they should let the younger guys play to see who they have for the foreseeable future. This is the eastern conference, with a legitimate point guard, this is absolutely a playoff team. Title team, no way, but I presume the Bulls plan on upgrading the PG position, making the playoffs, and trying to get an extra year to see what they have in Portis, Niko, Valentine, Doug, prior to making a longer term decision on where they go (and in the meantime....even if they sign someone like Conley, they should have the ability to land another big fish next year). My problem with Conley is I think he's going to want too many years, but maybe he does a one year deal banking on next year anyway. Either way, DRose was like the 82nd ranked PG out of 87 by advanced analytics, so moving away from him would be a HUGE HUGE upgrade.

QUOTE (JenksIsMyHero @ Jun 24, 2016 -> 10:24 AM) I like what this guy is smoking. https://pickandpopovich.com/2016/06/23/why-...-chicago-bulls/ I think Conley is a legit target and than a year from now you could be talking about a team with Conley, Butler, and other young players and trying to add another big name FA. Again, I'm not saying it happens, but that is a quality NBA team in the East. Title favorite, absolutely not, but a year from now who knows.

QUOTE (Rowand44 @ Jun 24, 2016 -> 09:10 AM) We've certainly been cleaning up this way. Look...I'm sorry if people weren't okay with getting Boozer and being that close to a trip to the NBA finals (losing to the Heat in the conference finals while Rose had a bum ankle) and than of course missing out the following year when Rose tore his ACL in the playoffs, but you know what, I was okay with it. f***...some of you all want to be miserable forever and just watch lots of losing basketball. Sure, they could have landed better guys or Rose couldn't have gotten hurt, but the reality is that impacts things. This team had quite a few chances. Just a year ago, we were the right call from probably beating Cleveland and presumably going to the finals (to get crushed by Golden State). I.e., Blatt getting T'd up. Now what happened since than was awful, i.e., dumping Thibs was a disaster move, but lets not act like the Bulls were some horrific franchise who had no shot. Than again, I'm sure a lot of people here would have traded Klay for Love and well, Golden State would never have won 1 title and they certainly wouldn't have the best regular season record in NBA history.

QUOTE (JenksIsMyHero @ Jun 24, 2016 -> 09:00 AM) Even then though, unless they're trading him for a guy they think is a 1st day starter, what's the point? Taj is a very good piece with proven skills on a very team-friendly deal. That's a huge asset. Trading him for potential doesn't make much sense UNLESS you're moving him and the 14th to get a 3rd or 5th or whatever. Up to get Dunn, the guy you really coveted. Same with Butler. Unless you're getting a proven player (Wiggins) plus that pick you want, why give up on an all-star player that's locked up for several years? Exactly. And remember people, it is a lot easier to attract FA pieces to teams with some talent than teams with literally no talent or all rookies. Plus, you know what, I like watching winning basketball. If the Bulls got blown away to where they were going to have so much young talent that it was worth the lumps that they'd take to get to the next step, i'd be all for it, but none of the offers I saw put the franchise in that position, in fact, I think all of them put the team in both a worse position short-term and long-term.

QUOTE (JenksIsMyHero @ Jun 24, 2016 -> 08:35 AM) Marco Bellinelli got a 22nd 1st round pick. Taj should have gotten at least that. Agreed...which goes back to my point, posters here complain about what the Bulls do, but than suggest moving Taj for a 2nd rounder, which would be awful. I haven't seen one rumor of anything that looked halfway decent for Buckets. What good would Rubio and Dunn do, unless you could spin Rubio for something else that was pretty valuable? You don't trade the best player in the deal (especially one signed long term) where all you are getting is one guy back...such limited upside...best case you get a guy who turns into a player as good as Buckets...worse case (which is most plausible scenarios) you get a player far worse and thus got destroyed in your trade. Only time a deal like that makes sense is if a player is forcing his way out and has all the leverage (which literally couldn't be even further from the truth). Top 15-20 player, signed to a great contract. You want him...give us a really strong offer. If not, no dice. Case closed. The proposals that would have happened would have put this team in the spot where it would now need to find multiple good players, when they already have one. If you can find a second, than you are in a legit spot again (and they will have cap space, etc).

No issue with what the Bulls did. Valentine should be a quality role player and that is all you can ask when you are picking 14. None of the offers I've seen were even close to what I would have pulled the trigger on for Jimmy. I think the Bulls are going to focus on adding a PG. By the way, George Hill got the 12th pick in the draft and some of you are proposing that we move Taj for a 2nd rounder...are you kidding me. 2nd rounders are worthless, so I'd rather keep Taj and move him at the deadline for a 1st for a contender looking to add at the minimum. If the Bulls wanted to, I am certain they could have gotten a 1st for Taj in this year's draft, but I presume they didn't want to make a deal now as they are still seeing where things will go this year (plus they probably weren't all that enamored with adding picks in this years draft, unless it was to get someone like Dunn...and clearly Taj wasn't going to get Dunn).

Does Cameron resign or does parliament push back and say not a referendum? All indications were no, but always a possibility. f*** f*** f***ity f***.