bmags

QUOTE (Steve9347 @ Jul 30, 2012 -> 06:29 PM) In 2015, Cliff Lee will be 36 and making $25 million. Good luck to whatever team acquires that. That is unbelievable.

QUOTE (ZoomSlowik @ Jul 30, 2012 -> 05:05 PM) Says the guy that brought up the silly argument about what would have happened if Rose didn't get hurt and Bosh still did. None of us can say with any certainty what deals were really on the table, so it's impossible to know how feasibly some of the plans of attack were. If someone says we should have dealt Deng for a lottery pick, the easy response is "was that trade there?" We can only go on what actually happened, which is virtually nothing. One thing that did seem feasible though would have been getting Mayo, someone that actually could have made a difference when Rose is healthy, instead of splurging on a fading veteran stop-gap at the PG spot. Mayo at least has a chance of making a difference in their championship chase once Rose is healthy, Hinrich won't. You weren't exactly going to get another Kobe with their money, but a young, talented player would have been a much better choice. There may have been other options to add a potential long-term answer, I don't totally know what was on the table. Hinrich was pretty clearly a move made to try to tread water when Rose is out though, which shouldn't have been their top priority. No, I was responding to J4L acting like it was ridiculous anyone could have defeated the heat this year, when they were very vulnerable up until game 6 of the ECF. People shouldn't make claims like "Bulls weren't title contenders" and then when challeneged say "It doesn't matter about what they WERE". If it didn't matter than it shouldn't constantly be stated.

QUOTE (StrangeSox @ Jul 30, 2012 -> 03:48 PM) Agreed 100%. But it's a legal contract. How do you have a legal contract without the resources of the state to enforce it.

QUOTE (RockRaines @ Jul 30, 2012 -> 03:42 PM) Eh maybe, I dont want my iphone to be any bigger. I want to actually put my phone in my pocket. Right, I like how fast EVO is and would love to try it out, but I don't want a palm pilot in my pocket all day. Same with the windows phone. It's fine if you have a purse, but, I have only pockets.

QUOTE (ZoomSlowik @ Jul 27, 2012 -> 03:38 AM) Who gives a flying f*** about hypotheticals? Rose really did tear his ACL and won't be his old self for a while, and the Heat still won with Bosh, their only good big man, playing 30 minutes across 11 games and at less than 100% for the rest of the playoffs. Oh, and the Heat have every important player back and added Ray Allen to hit wide open 3's all year. Seriously, the last two years don't matter. They didn't win, now it's time to move on from that and prepare for when Rose is healthy again. This thread does a great job of making a silly argument, then arguing that we shouldn't be talking about the argument. The point remains that there were two hypothetical places the bulls could go this offseason: stand pat firesale Even though you can't run your org based on the feelings of your players, I can't imagine how Rose would react to them trading away all of his good teammates after he signed a contract. Now he has a legitimate reason to bust his ass to come back better and stronger: one last run with his teammates. Even with all of his competitiveness, I cant imagine what it would feel like to bust your ass year round to get back, after busting your ass for 3 years for the org, only to have it be for a lottery team. The only truly best of both worlds argument would be a Howard trade, where if he leaves you have salary cap relief, if he stays you have the best C int he game. But I just can't imagine the Magic wanting a package of above average, well-paid players in exchange for Howard. They clearly want flexibility, something the Bulls can't really provide. I'd love to hear a legit alternative. But it really just seems like the issue is the bulls didn't sign mayo. But oh well. He doesn't really change the trajectory of the bulls path, anyway.

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Jul 30, 2012 -> 02:45 PM) Joe McGrane was going over Liriano on videotape and was showing how is delivery was so inconsistent. When he was straight forward, he said he had a Steve Carlton slider, when he fell to the side, he had no command. He also said Cooper believes in clean angles and will straighten his delivery up, which could pay off huge. It just depends how long it takes. I'm hoping it has to do with interest. I think Liriano was trying to bulk up his next contract with high K rates and it let to him overthrowing and sloppy delivery. But now that he's on a contender, you can make quite a bit more money by pitching well "under pressure" and helping a team get to the playoffs. At least that's what I'm hoping.

QUOTE (Jordan4life @ Jul 26, 2012 -> 10:18 PM) Ok, well, if that helps you out. Great. The Bulls, even healthy, can't see the Heat. But if you want to give us Rose while subtracting Bosh, sure. The Bulls have a much better chance. There's nobody to kick Carlos Boozer's ass for the 6th straight postseason. Honestly man, why not. If we are playing the hypotheticals, where the bulls did not lose Rose, why can't I compare that situation to what really happened in the rest of the playoffs? But no, that's right, the Heat won 16 straight to win the world everything, they weren't ever vulnerable blah blah blah.

QUOTE (Jordan4life @ Jul 26, 2012 -> 09:27 PM) Ok, so rose doesn't go down and Bosh still gets hurt? I guess that would've give them a better chance. Does that make you feel any better? Pretty sure I'm allowed to do that, yes. If the Rose-led bulls face heat during that pacers/early boston series I'd feel pretty good. Even would feel good without Noah.

QUOTE (Jordan4life @ Jul 26, 2012 -> 09:06 PM) Not really. Unless you really believed a broken down, 5 years past his prime Rip Hamilton would've been the difference between losing in the conference finals in 2011 and getting to the finals in 2012. If you really believe that, maybe Reinsdorf really is a genius. How about an injured bosh?

QUOTE (Jordan4life @ Jul 26, 2012 -> 07:58 PM) That's because they didn't. Once LeBron made up his mind that he was getting his title, that was that. A healthy Bulls (something that doesn't exist, anyway) had no chance at Miami this year. Post-ECF Game 6, I agree, Pre-that, I don't know. I liked us. But I don't think any team, barring that lakers team plus Howard, can beat the heat for the next 2 years. I don't even think wade and Bosh much matter. Lebron hit his peak this past year, and it was everything we were worried it would be. He's Magic/Bird...but an amazing help defender.

So who should we have gotten the past 3 years that another team acquired?

QUOTE (ZoomSlowik @ Jul 26, 2012 -> 06:04 PM) Big difference between getting OKC in round 2 and getting the Atlanta Hawks. The mighty okc thunder that lost in 5 to the Heat, but are still awesome, as opposed to the Bulls who are worthless and can never win.

QUOTE (Steve9347 @ Jul 26, 2012 -> 05:49 PM) You are looking at everything in a vacuum. Their salary is bloated for their performance last year, but that's because they had the balls to make themselves contenders. Do you think I'd care so much if the Bulls went out in the 1st round if they'd just won titles in 2010 and 2009 (with a completely rebuilt supporting cast for Kobe after winning in 2000, 2001, and 2002)? Of course not. The Lakers have that payroll, because they built a team that could content and actually win titles. Yet they still aren't satisfied and upgraded their weakest position with Steve Nash. If you think the following roster isn't going to make waves YET AGAIN, you are also mistaken. PG Nash SG Bryant SF Artest PF Gasol C Bynum But no, let's look at everything over the course of the last two seasons when the Bulls won the mystical "Regular Season Championship". There were indeed a lot of intriguing Point Guards this offseason.

QUOTE (Jenksismyb**** @ Jul 26, 2012 -> 04:14 PM) I'd imagine most posters would agree this is still a 50 win team. But that means dick in the NBA when you're competing against teams like Miami, LA, OKC, etc. The last two years have shown that - we win lots of team games in a superstar sport. We have one, they have 2.5. Basically the Bulls are in the worst possible position. They're good enough to win, not good enough to win a title. So crappy draft picks for a worthless division title. Okay, again I'll just bring up that the bulls lost 4-1 2 years ago with our team. Then last year we didn't have that option. The superstar heavy OKC thunder just lost 4-1 to heat, why aren't they getting dwight?!? The mav's won 2 years ago with only one true superstar. What we think we know about bball may not be true. That said, this teams another player that can really, REALLY create his own shot. We don't have that.

What a lot of those teams have in common is getting their championship core and spending to preserve it. And then there's the Magic, who would seem to be the classic example of overspending on above average free agents to push them over the top, which ended up blowing up in their face. Until we get that true #2, I'm fine with these shorter, cheaper contracts. I just don't see the advantage to specifically tanking now for the 2014 offseason as opposed to just maintaining status quo until 2014, where you gain a lot of flexibility. While I'd prefer Mayo over Kirk, I don't really see Mayo as some missing piece in a championship team. He's been on really good playoff teams, did any of you ever say "Oh man, Mayo is really putting them over the top!". Of all the go-for-it options, i'd go for Dwight and see if the 5th year sways him, or take the cap space. BUT, I don't see any signs that the Magic want our actual equal value players instaead of just a bunch of expiring contracts so they can rebuild. If they took our players they'd just be an 8th seed in the east. Why woudl they want that?

While true, he really said that to his face?

This is pretty exciting. The proposals I am reading make me nauseous to lose those players, but I also feel like I would immediately rationalize trading for greinke as the right decision if we landed him. Fun stuff.

QUOTE (danman31 @ Jul 25, 2012 -> 08:20 PM) Anybody buying Mountain Lion for Apple? Worth getting? The features don't impress me, but maybe there's something I'm missing. It's only $20, probably will get it.

QUOTE (KyYlE23 @ Jul 26, 2012 -> 01:56 PM) No, i am saying nothing ever happens. The Bulls continually tell us to wait another year, another two years, everything is according to plan. You are looking at one small part of the past 14 seasons. Lebron and Wade left everyone high and dry, sure, but this management never takes any risks, never tries to make significant moves. They fall in love with their core, sell it to us as great, and hope everythign works out perfectly. I find this funny because the mavs just had an offseason very similar to the bulls '10 offseason, but you are acting like they are the bees knees right now.

QUOTE (KyYlE23 @ Jul 24, 2012 -> 06:02 PM) I did not want Korver and Asik, so let me put that out there. The Bulls, Celtics and Lakers all got to the playoffs and lost the past two years. The Lakers and Celtics continue to make moves to try and improve their team, the Bulls say YAY MALCOLM THOMAS MIGHT BE GOOD. Its time for a new philosophy. The celtics just doubled down on their core, which is basically what the Bulls are doing now.

QUOTE (KyYlE23 @ Jul 24, 2012 -> 05:59 PM) Jason Terry. overhauled!

Yeah Dallas is really killing it this offseason.

QUOTE (KyYlE23 @ Jul 24, 2012 -> 05:52 PM) Not so much reimagining. Going forward, this team is not what it was the past two years, the bench mob is gone. When Derrick is fully back, everyone will be two years older. Deng and Noah have both struggled with major injuries pretty much every season they have been in the NBA. Now the plan is, hope everyone gets, and remains healthy, and new guys become like the old guys. Except without Derrick running the show. Please, forgive me for thinking that this is a bulls*** plan and something a little more concrete should have been drafted for this offseason. Well, your statement was not about going forward it was ridiculing someone for thinking the bulls were better than the lakers and celts the past two years. I think the better plan would be to start getting rid of our high contracts now and get good draft picks and space, BUT I still don't believe treading water as a playoff contender until you have space and an expiring contract in 2014 is specifically the worst path they could take. Signing asik and korver would've been worse. But if some star becomes available the next two years they need to prepare to go over the luxury cap.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Jul 24, 2012 -> 06:38 PM) Exactly my point with my "plan". What contract have they signed that will stick around past 2014?

QUOTE (KyYlE23 @ Jul 24, 2012 -> 06:42 PM) Of course you dont. Why would you think a team that won the title two years ago is better than the Bulls. They got the number 1 seed! And LA and Boston will both make any move possible to get better, they certainly dont sit on their hands. One day you will see it for what it is. Hopefully soon. The lakers won the NBA championship 3 seasons ago. Their 2011 campaign was an embarrassment, and at full strength, I don't see how the bulls don't win this year against them as well. It's a shame we never got to play boston in the playoffs, but I'm confident we would have beat them in 2011, but maybe their spunkiness beats us this year. For some reason Derrick's injury has people re-imagining the bulls as much worse than they were.