If Lebron is the first signing, suddenly I care a lot less about overpaying for Joe Johnson.

Yeah, I'd completely agree with this statement. I was terrified we'd end up with Boozer + Johnson. You send me LeBron, then I'll take Joe.

 

The New York Knicks just started crying. We can offer two max to come play with Noah, Taj, Rose.

There is no way in hell LeBron wants to share the spotlight with Wade.

 

Wade has already stated that he would gladly be the #2 if Lebron came to Miami. But I'm not holding my breath.

I think you sign LeBron and Bosh if you can and worry about shooting guard later considering you'd have the best 1-2-3 punch in the league in such a scenario.

At this point everything comes down to Chicago vs. Miami.

 

If Miami continues what they are doing, they are going to be able to offer Lebron and Bosh a chance to play with Wade, play under Pat Riley, live in South Beach, and pay no state tax........

I know they both stated all that BS about wanting to win a championship earlier in the year, but I truly believe Lebron doesn't want to go anywhere where he's gotta share a spotlight.

 

Someone will go down to Miami, it's just who is the question.

Brent Barry!

 

/runs and hides

I think you sign LeBron and Bosh if you can and worry about shooting guard later considering you'd have the best 1-2-3 punch in the league in such a scenario.

Exactly.

I think you sign LeBron and Bosh if you can and worry about shooting guard later considering you'd have the best 1-2-3 punch in the league in such a scenario.

Basically, you sign Lebron and any of the other top 5 or so guys, whichever position you still have to fill, you can move Deng to try to fill it, and use the MLE as well. And between Rose, Lebron, and whoever you sign, you're not likely to need a lot of scoring, so whichever position you still need to fill, you can look for a defensive stopper.

I know they both stated all that BS about wanting to win a championship earlier in the year, but I truly believe Lebron doesn't want to go anywhere where he's gotta share a spotlight.

 

Someone will go down to Miami, it's just who is the question.

I think Amare is an excellent fit there.

I know they both stated all that BS about wanting to win a championship earlier in the year, but I truly believe Lebron doesn't want to go anywhere where he's gotta share a spotlight.

 

Someone will go down to Miami, it's just who is the question.

Amare's been a lock for Miami for a few weeks now from what I've heard.

 

I don't think LeBron has any problem sharing the spotlight, I just don't see him ever supplanting Wade. Rose is young enough that he can come here and be the man... everyone will know that LBJ is #1 on that team. With Wade, that just won't be the case.

 

I'll just keep hoping that we sign LBJ and Bosh.

 

A question for you salary cap wizards. If we signed LBJ and Bosh, can we just keep signing guys and go over the cap (as Reinsdorf has stated he's ready to pay the luxury tax) or does additional salary need to be acquired via trade and/or extensions? I'd assume the latter given everyone is trying to clear space BEFORE free agency opens, so I guess I've answered my own question.

I agree for the most part, I certainly don't think LBJ wants to play second fiddle to anyone, but again, if Pat Riley and Wade show up at Lebron's door with a promise Chris Bosh is going to join the Heat, I have hard time believing GarForPax is going to be able to convince Lebron to play for Chicago in December and January.

The other part to think about though is the city size. Simply put, the marketing opportunities in Miami are a lot less than Chicago. And one company that knows that is Nike.

This was again, why Deng/17 for Clips 8 made much more sense.

 

It allowed them to draft Henry, get rid of Deng's increasing contract as opposed to Kirk's decreasing one, and fit into LeBron/Bosh better.

 

Still waiting to see what the return would be.

So the Bulls will have the MLE available to use? Good deal, I had read conflicting reports on that in a few places.

A question for you salary cap wizards. If we signed LBJ and Bosh, can we just keep signing guys and go over the cap (as Reinsdorf has stated he's ready to pay the luxury tax) or does additional salary need to be acquired via trade and/or extensions? I'd assume the latter given everyone is trying to clear space BEFORE free agency opens, so I guess I've answered my own question.

Once we sign Lebron and Bosh to max deals, we'd likely have only a couple hundred thousand left under the cap. I'm 99% sure that you can team that money with the MLE and make a $5.xx million offer to push you to the cap plus $5 million over the MLE.

 

From there, the Bulls could acquire other players by doing sign and trade deals with the guys that played for them last year, or they could take on salary by trading Deng and having slightly more money come back. They may also receive a trade exemption for dealing Hinrich's contract, I'm not sure on that one.

Wade has already stated that he would gladly be the #2 if Lebron came to Miami. But I'm not holding my breath.

 

And I said I have a 20 foot vertical.

So the Bulls will have the MLE available to use? Good deal, I had read conflicting reports on that in a few places.

If there's a way for a team to lose the MLE rights I don't know what it is.

I agree for the most part, I certainly don't think LBJ wants to play second fiddle to anyone, but again, if Pat Riley and Wade show up at Lebron's door with a promise Chris Bosh is going to join the Heat, I have hard time believing GarForPax is going to be able to convince Lebron to play for Chicago in December and January.

 

I don't think it'll be as hard to still convince them to come here in such a scenario as you might assume. Miami is no doubt a legitimate opponent in this, but even if they have enough room to do that, the Bulls have more than a punchers chance as far as i'm concerned. Half of the Heat games are not in Miami, endorsement possibilities are way better here, and the Heat don't have a point guard anywhere near the level of Derrick Rose to distribute (which I know LeBron can do, but still).

Edited June 24, 201015 yr by whitesoxfan101

A question for you salary cap wizards. If we signed LBJ and Bosh, can we just keep signing guys and go over the cap (as Reinsdorf has stated he's ready to pay the luxury tax) or does additional salary need to be acquired via trade and/or extensions? I'd assume the latter given everyone is trying to clear space BEFORE free agency opens, so I guess I've answered my own question.

I think (but not certain) that a team can continue to go over the cap as much as they want, but they'll have to deal with a higher luxury tax. I could be completely lying though.

Basically, you sign Lebron and any of the other top 5 or so guys, whichever position you still have to fill, you can move Deng to try to fill it, and use the MLE as well. And between Rose, Lebron, and whoever you sign, you're not likely to need a lot of scoring, so whichever position you still need to fill, you can look for a defensive stopper.

 

 

The only thing you would really need if you get Lebron and Bosh is a SG who can knock down open jump shots. Rose/Lebron/Bosh/Noah is the best nucleus in the league and it isn't close. Worry about the rest later.

If there's a way for a team to lose the MLE rights I don't know what it is.

If they have enough room to sign him under the cap. The MLE is used in case signing a player will put them over the cap or if the team is already over the cap.

I think (but not certain) that a team can continue to go over the cap as much as they want, but they'll have to deal with a higher luxury tax. I could be completely lying though.

The team can go over the Tax, but they can only offer so many contracts to players that they don't currently hold the rights to. Once they hit the cap level by signing Bosh and Lebron, they have to start making use of the MLE, veterans exemptions, and the players they hold the rights to who played for them this year.

 

The thing that will push the Bulls over the Tax level is extending Noah this year and Rose next year, but once you've signed Lebron+, no one really cares, and if you can't make money with that team JR, then you're the worst businessman ever.

If they have enough room to sign him under the cap. The MLE is used in case signing a player will put them over the cap or if the team is already over the cap.

Well, that just means the Bulls will have the MLE once they finish signing the other 2 guys, that's not really anything.

Farewell Captain Kirk?

 

http://espn.go.com/chicago/

Farewell Captain Kirk?

 

http://espn.go.com/chicago/

 

Welcome to an hour ago.

Insane, 2 max contracts. Crazy. Crazy. I don't know what it means for Deng if we go for LBJ, but I could make a case that you could play LBJ/Deng/Johnson in a small up tempo lineup.

 

Or you could go with Bosh too and just be real big (without a legit 2 guard but trying to have Deng/LBJ do a bit at the 2 defensively).

 

Either way, we are in a position to potentially have an insane off-season (or a heart breaking one).

Either way, we are in a position to potentially have an insane off-season (or a heart breaking one).

That about sums it up.