Chisoxfn

QUOTE (HickoryHuskers @ Apr 18, 2016 -> 07:31 AM) SI mock draft (done before the TEN-LA trade) has the Bears taking Ronnie Stanley in the 1st and Derrick Henry in the 2nd. I'd be fully on board with that. I think the Rams will move up to grab Stanley though and if they don't, only way Stanley gets to Bears is if Giants grade Conklin out better as Giants are for sure going oline.

I miss Paulie.

QUOTE (KyYlE23 @ Apr 15, 2016 -> 08:52 AM) Nobody is screwed with cap space, the cap is going up for everyone. That's why Gars comments about valuable cap space are so f***ing stupid, everyone is going to get a big bump with the new tv deals Agree...but we are in a better spot than a lot of franchises in regards to it. But you are 100%, it is why this year, having cap space isn't so valuable. After plenty of mediocre teams blow that space on crappy non star players, than maybe a year from now, if you position yourself properly you could have a shot. I still think this franchise needs to align itself and get Anthony Davis and put him with Buckets and a distributing point guard. Find a way.

You know...this thread is just awful. I'm closing this thing. I realize people are pissed at the LaRoche situation, but come on. This is just beyond overkill in here and really all of the Drake stuff.

QUOTE (Harry Chappas @ Apr 15, 2016 -> 01:08 AM) The bulls are screwed cap space is fine but nobody is coming here and every team will have space. The bulls will be in the lottery for at least the next fouryears . Why exactly are they screwed cap space wise? The only long-term deal they have is Butler (outside of rookies) and he's deal is extremely fair, especially given the new cap. Rose is a free agent after this year. In no way, shape or form are they in a bad spot cap wise. In fact, they could have all the flexibility in the world to offer Durant a max deal right now and if they moved Rose and Taj, you'd be talking about having room for two max players (now I'm not advocating going after 2 max guys in FA as I don't think this class can do it, unless of course you are talking KD).

QUOTE (SoxAce @ Apr 14, 2016 -> 08:08 PM) That 30 for 30 episode with the Magic was great. People to this day forget how good Penny Hardaway was. A damn shame injuries derailed his career. He and Shaq as Shaq put it "Were Shaq and Kobe before Shaq and Kobe." What was worse, Rose's injuries or Pennies? I'd argue Rose's but Penny had Shaq so who knows what that would have turned into. I still think Bulls win a title the year Rose went down. He was so f***ing good pre-injury. Was watching highlights of old Rose last night and I forgot just how f***ing nasty he was. So aggressive, so much killer instinct. Made me realize just how much his regression is due to his mental regression / fear vs. physical loss.

QUOTE (JenksIsMyHero @ Apr 14, 2016 -> 11:44 AM) Why saddle yourself to a guy that hasn't played a full season or looked All-Star caliber in about 4 years? Butler is a keeper. He's on a long term team friendly contract. He's an all-star quality player. What you get back has no guarantee of being on that level. And the Bulls don't need more "ok" players. They need all-star guys. Giving up on the only one you have would be dumb. I think Rose has some value, particularly to teams that need a marketable star. I wonder if you could "give" him away to the Lakers. I agree with everything in this post and I still think you can get a pick (or young player) for Rose plus cap space. Top 5 pick, no, young star player, no, but something that could turn into a quality asset (to go with cap space).

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Apr 14, 2016 -> 11:11 AM) Reading between the lines of what was said last night, I think they know that one of Butler or Rose is going. Butler is the only one with any value at all in my eyes, which means it is going to be him. Rose is expiring, his value is freeing up the cap space plus potentially a pick. Rose got better and better as the season went on. Given where the cap is, they can move him and cap space is a valuable asset.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Apr 14, 2016 -> 09:57 AM) A lot depends on this off season, and how far they decide to go with trading away players. If they go as far as Butler, and get a big package back, they can shorten that period of time up a lot. If they only window dress, this could be post-Jordan era. Fundementally the question is does trading Jimmy speed up or slow down the process. I think having a guy like Butler who is affordable, etc. and is top 15 in the league speeds up the process. You get rid of him and you start completely from scratch vs. having him to potentially help attract another star. If there is one thing we've learned recently, you better have some good players if you plan on getting a FA and you have to hope those players want to play with your star (Jimmy seems like a guy more likely to recruit, etc, but whether his reputation is tarnished this year or not, who knows). One thing for certain, Jimmy has elevated his game every single year in the league and I can see him self reflecting and putting not only more effort into the physical game but working hard on figuring out what went wrong and what he needs to do to be a better leader and that answer might just be solved by bringing in more young guys who only know jimmy as a star and will see how hard he works despite being a star and how hard he worked to get there and thus him doing his thing is really and truly leading by example. It seems like guys like Dougie have seen what Jimmy does and realize how hard you have to work to make it in this league (and that is a good example and a great quality of a leader). I am pretty against moving Buckets unless you get blown away. His cap number is so cheap given the rising cap, etc.

QUOTE (StrangeSox @ Apr 14, 2016 -> 09:20 AM) so how many more years will be the bulls be hot garbage? 5 minimum? Hard to say. I don't know what direction they are going. Having a player like Jimmy Butler should help as does cap space. Things can change in a hurry given FA.

QUOTE (bmags @ Apr 14, 2016 -> 08:05 AM) I am very disappointed Gar Forman is not gone. Gar basically hid behind Pax who had to give all the answers. The couple times Gar spoke it was weak. Paxson on the other hand, I continue to think he is a good and bright basketball mind and the tone was, I'm going to fix it which I presume means Gar takes a lesser role and Pax starts calling more shots. I still don't see how Gar sticks around based upon some of the leaks and the pure decision he made around axing Thibs in the first place. Pax had some quotes which essentially were slaps in the face for Hoiberg. Essentially saying, he needs to figure out how to actually coach and hold players accountable and be focused in the details, etc. He obviously had strong tones for Rose and Butler as well, with focus on Rose being he needs to play defense and for Jimmy the fact that leaders don't lead in the press and talk about leading, they just lead. Pax also blasted the team's conditioning, will, etc.

lets do this boys!!! Keep on winning!!!

QUOTE (KyYlE23 @ Apr 13, 2016 -> 03:52 PM) Cowley has been reporting that Gar is in self preservation mode since before the trade deadline, but you would never hear KC speculate something like that. Agreed...but today's reports are that Gar is presumed out. I haven't heard anyone actually speculate he is truly out. I've seen most speculate that it will be status quo but he'll be on notice. So this would be a big difference (and agree KC would never do so early). I was stunned when KC had his recent piece out (which made me think Pax was the person pushing the message which meant Gar was out but than KC of course qualified it by saying he expected no changes).

QUOTE (Tony @ Apr 13, 2016 -> 03:31 PM) Westgate has the money line on GSW at +9900 tonight. I've never seen that before. So seriously, I could put $1 down on Memphis and get significant cash? Technically GSW is -9900. Memphis is at +2200. Tempting to put it down. If it was 9900 I would have done it. I'd wager $100 for a shot at $9900. Crazier things have happened. Moneyline at SIA (whatever that is) is +3740. is there a way to bet online at these odds? Kind of a fun $10 buck bet or something.

I would have thought this would have taken traction on real gm bulls board, but I haven't seen anything. Curious to see whether this ends up being true or not (not saying you are making up, just whether the reporters are accurate). If the Goff's of the world are reporting it, you'd have to figure Cowley, KC, and others would get to that point.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Apr 13, 2016 -> 02:15 PM) This is what was said in the earlier Goodwill article. Unless we got a guaranteed 1st, I wouldn't have made that trade. Would have put the Bulls in a worse long-term position due to Koufas contract. Another report had indicated Pax was for it but the Bulls were ultimately the destroyer of the deal when Gar convinced everyone to roll with Pau with MJD getting back as he thought the team might have a run left in them.

QUOTE (KyYlE23 @ Apr 13, 2016 -> 12:16 PM) Yea, during the show, they discussed it a little bit during transition also. He stopped short of guaranteeing it, but he said he will be extremely surprised if Forman is still the GM As soon as KC started putting this Pax wanted this and Gar wanted that story, it told me there was a real probability of something going down. I know in that same piece, KC said he expected things to stay the same, but If that was the case, I don't see why someone within the front office leaks that.

QUOTE (Rowand44 @ Apr 13, 2016 -> 12:11 PM) I would have made that Jimmy deal in a heartbeat. That plus other picks and Crowder makes it a very interesting deal. I don't know that I do it purely for the Nets pick as we aren't taking about an amazing draft. Maybe if the Nets win the lotto and you now know you have the #1 or #2 pick and you've evaluated and you are comfortable, do you evaluate it.

QUOTE (bmags @ Apr 13, 2016 -> 12:42 PM) But to who? The rams are only team in need of a QB (unless saints make the jump), and the teams around the Rams are unlikely drafters of a QB> You'd need a thread of say the Jets being interested and potentially moving up and thus pressuring the Rams.

QUOTE (knightni @ Apr 13, 2016 -> 12:29 PM) Do the Bears have the leverage needed to trade down and get multiple draft picks if their guy isn't there in the top 12? I think the question would be what player is there that a team would want to move up for. My only answer would be a QB (if a team wanted to move up for it). Given the talent after top 8 or so picks drops off and you have a glut of guys with similar ratings (based upon consensus reports), it would seem that the most probably scenario would be a team like the Rams potentially moving up to secure a QB who had fell (or being afraid someone else above them would grab Lynch, if that is who they'd want). I suppose maybe a team could target Treadwell or Ezekiel if they were there at the Bears pick and they needed to move a few slots to secure it. I can't imagine any major moves. If we could move down a few spots, I would do it in a heart beat as I don't anticipate much difference between 12 and 15th or 16th given the plethora of needs. I do kind of hope that Hargraves is there as I think he's just a good pure corner and we could use it.

QUOTE (chw42 @ Apr 13, 2016 -> 11:21 AM) Crowder's turned into a good player this year, but I don't think he's near Jimmy's level yet. Sure there were other parts to the deal, but I think Boston missed out on a pretty good trade there. I sure as hell wouldn't have been happy trading Butler. We finally developed a good wing player and we want to trade him away cause he didn't like the coach and maybe rubbed some players the wrong way? The NBA's a superstar league, and Jimmy's as close to that as we have right now. There's no way we should be letting a rookie head coach or a couple of over the hill veterans determine his importance to this franchise. Correction, he's rubbed certain veterans the wrong way, most likely those same vets who remember him as being a bench / role player, non-high pick and have a hard time being in his shadow. I agree with you, the Boston deal would have been awful. Only deal I'm making is where you are getting some top 15 player or guy you think can be an elite top 15 NBA player (i.e., top 2 pick where you like the possibilities or young player(s) you project.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Apr 13, 2016 -> 10:42 AM) Tell me who this sounds like Technically, Phil did everything in his power to make players think for themselves as well. Trestman was awful and did a lot of bad things. Hoiberg might be that guy and there are similarities, but in the case of Marc, he screwed it up despite coming into a system where the players hadn't been empowered by management. Trestman replaced Lovie, but it wasn't as if the front office told the players a year before to ignore Lovie's message cause he's gone anyway and thus you immediately set a very very poor message that would be difficult for any new coach to enter. Honestly, the situation Gar created by doing that, created a situation where, in my opinion, only the best and most powerful established coaches could succeed. Bringing in a rookie NBA coach into that mess was a recipe for failure (even if Hoiberg was the second coming of Phil or Red Auerbach). And this is coming from someone who has bashed Hoiberg excessively, the Bulls certainly didn't hand him any favors by neutering Thibbodeau the year before. Only way this changes now is by either players changing there ways as a result of the sting of missing the playoffs (plus some various roster moves to help change the culture and bring in new players who know Butler as nothing but the current star that he is and only know, in a Bull uniform, Hoiberg's ways). I do think the finally absolutely failing when having full freedom and laissez faire might help set a bit of the tone. My guess is the leaders next year will be Noah & Butler and I would hope the two of them would work together. Taj might stick around but I do really believe that Rose is gone.

I'd argue that Thompson defensive upside is better than Austin Jackson. That said, if we got a .730 OPS out of Jackson and above average D, I'd call that a player you can absolutely win with as well. I don't know what we will get long term. There was a point in time, I'd call Austin Jackson an above average player (averaged a 4.9 WAR over a 3 season span).

QUOTE (ChiSoxFanMike @ Apr 13, 2016 -> 10:17 AM) How much cap room will the Bulls have to work with if they let Gasol and Noah walk? A lot. The real wild card is if they thought they could get Durant and adjust the team to build around him (whether he'd want to play / would fit with Jimmy, I don't know) but you could use the various chips to develop the team. Probability / odds of success of that happening are low, but you also have to remember they could likely move Rose and if so they'd have massive money. In this free agent class, massive money doesn't help (as teams will overpay) unless you are getting a bonafide star. It is also why I'd have a hard time moving Butler. He works extremely hard, has done nothing but get better every year, and is signed to an affordable contract (especially given the expanding cap).

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Apr 13, 2016 -> 07:26 AM) Are you talking about Thompson? Are you honestly telling me that you expect him to sustain a fluke first week in the majors into a career? All you have to do is look at his August numbers and his September numbers to understand that we aren't talking about sustainability. In fact his September .732 OPS falls right in line with his AAA career average OPS of .735. In fact his career high for ANY year in the minors was .809. That is purebread lunacy to think he is a .900 OPS player. This is a really good post. I would argue he is one of those players who could outproduce slightly from an offensive position (vs. his minor league numbers) given his tools. That said, if Thompson actually posts a .730-.750 OPS while playing plus defense in center, I'd call that a really good player. I don't know whether he will do that or not, but I talked to a scout at spring training and he had nothing but nice things to say about Trayce and his view was that Trayce was going to be a solid starter. That said, Sox really liked Trayce...they weren't dying to get rid of him, but they had a massive hole at 3B and hand to find someway to address it if they intended to contend.