I know it's still cool to hate on Bron but if he keeps playing like he has been this year, I wouldn't mnd him winning it all this year now that the Bulls are a non-factor.

 

I would love for the Bulls to advance as far as they can but a Bulls/Heat ECFs will be a horrific beatdown, better for the Celtics to give it a shot.

[/img]

[/img]

 

Tyson & Eddie: The Divergent Careers of Two Former Prep Phenoms

I love the foot note on the Knicks trade

 

The trade is more lopsided today. The Knicks received Curry and Antonio Davis from the Bulls. Davis's most noteworthy moment as a Knick came when he went into the stands in Chicago to confront a fan he alleged had harassed his wife. The fan turned out to be Michael Axelrod, the son of Barack Obama's future campaign adviser. The Knicks later swapped Davis for Rose, who was nearing the end of his career. The Bulls received Tim Thomas, Michael Sweetney, and Jermaine Jackson and a 2006 draft pick that evolved into the second overall selection. The pick became the eventual All-Star LaMarcus Aldridge, whom Chicago traded for Tyrus Thomas and Viktor Khryapa. The Bulls traded Thomas in a 2010 deal to Charlotte that included a future first-round pick. The pick is protected, but becomes less guarded each year the Bulls do not use it: It is lottery protected in this draft, top-12 protected in 2013, top-10 protected in 2014, top-eight protected in 2015, and unprotected in 2016. In other words, the pick will be very valuable in the future unless Charlotte turns the franchise around. And of course, the Bulls gained the right to swap picks with the Knicks in the 2007 draft and landed Joakim Noah at ninth overall. The Knicks, relegated to the 23rd pick, selected Wilson Chandler.

I love the foot note on the Knicks trade

There's a lot of good nuggets in there. The best/most annoying one?

 

Krause wanted to rebuild from the inside out. He did not know much about Yao Ming, who arrived to the league the next year. He was told not to look at a young Spaniard named Pau Gasol. "This is not to demean anybody, but we were told not to see Gasol," Krause said recently. "Whoever was in charge of that thing kept saying, 'Don't see him.' We said OK. Was that a mistake? Probably yes. We should have seen him. We didn't."

 

Honestly, it's crazy how much NBA scouting has changed in just the last 10 years.

There's a lot of good nuggets in there. The best/most annoying one?

 

 

 

Honestly, it's crazy how much NBA scouting has changed in just the last 10 years.

 

I blame Krause as much as the guy in charge. Kruase was always trying to be smarter than everyone else because he lucked out with Kukoc. He kept drafting a bunch of foreign nobodies that never did s*** like Dragan Tarlac

I blame Krause as much as the guy in charge. Kruase was always trying to be smarter than everyone else because he lucked out with Kukoc. He kept drafting a bunch of foreign nobodies that never did s*** like Dragan Tarlac

 

It started long before then. Really it started with Pippen.

I blame Krause as much as the guy in charge. Kruase was always trying to be smarter than everyone else because he lucked out with Kukoc. He kept drafting a bunch of foreign nobodies that never did s*** like Dragan Tarlac

Yeah, but that's what makes things so odd... obsessed with foreign nobodies... but ignores Gasol. Krause thought he was king s***. Let's be honest, Kukoc was a decent player, but nothing special. It was all Jordan, Jordan, Jordan, splash some Pippen. Plucking a Dennis Rodman here or there, or a Kerr, those were smart moves, but they were just basketball moves you do to surround the GOAT.

Yeah, but that's what makes things so odd... obsessed with foreign nobodies... but ignores Gasol. Krause thought he was king s***. Let's be honest, Kukoc was a decent player, but nothing special. It was all Jordan, Jordan, Jordan, splash some Pippen. Plucking a Dennis Rodman here or there, or a Kerr, those were smart moves, but they were just basketball moves you do to surround the GOAT.

OTOH, was it Krause who hired the coach that finally put together an offense that could exploit Jordan?

OTOH, was it Krause who hired the coach that finally put together an offense that could exploit Jordan?

Offenses don't exploit Jordan. Jordan exploits defenses.

I'll back-track. Obviously the hiring of Phil was great and Jerry clearly did some things right. I'm not wanting to, nor never meant to piss all over the legacy of Jerry Krause.

 

He was extremely over confident and full of himself, but clearly, he did his job pretty well for an extended period, but he did not adjust well to a league that over adjusted around him.

ARE YOU SERIOUS STEVE?

 

J4L in the post above said that the Knicks are the best team in the East after the Heat. I called him out on it, because it derives from a previous argument where I said that people were overlooking the Pacers.

 

What is your deal?

 

You didn't call me out on anything. I never said the Knicks were the 2nd best team in the east right now. The Pacers could very well be better than the Knicks. And you know what? The Heat could still sweep them because they're much better than the Pacers.

I'll back-track. Obviously the hiring of Phil was great and Jerry clearly did some things right. I'm not wanting to, nor never meant to piss all over the legacy of Jerry Krause.

 

He was extremely over confident and full of himself, but clearly, he did his job pretty well for an extended period, but he did not adjust well to a league that over adjusted around him.

 

I still think it was the biggest sports blunder not to pay Jordan or Phil. Pay them the moon if you have to (so long as you were still making money...which JR was) and you're guaranteed how many more titles? 3? 4? Sigh.

Jenks,

 

Reinsdorf offered to pay (Jordan and Jackson) them anything they wanted. I think Jackson was offered $8mil and I believe Jordan's previous salary was something like $20mil+.

 

The problem was Pippen.

I still think it was the biggest sports blunder not to pay Jordan or Phil. Pay them the moon if you have to (so long as you were still making money...which JR was) and you're guaranteed how many more titles? 3? 4? Sigh.

 

What??? Jordan only retired because they wouldn't pay him? Did I miss something??

What??? Jordan only retired because they wouldn't pay him? Did I miss something??

 

From what I remember, Jordan didn't come back because Jackson wasn't coming back. Jackson wasn't coming back because he felt slighted ($$) and because Krause wanted to break everything up to go younger. I also thought I remember Jordan not being happy with being "low-balled" by Krause.

 

I still think if they had offered Jordan more he would have stayed, even if Phil decided to move on.

Edited May 4, 201213 yr by Jenksismybitch

Jordan was offered a blank check.

 

His last 2 seasons:

 

1996-97 Chicago Bulls NBA $30,140,000

1997-98 Chicago Bulls NBA $33,140,000

 

Then when he came back with Wizards:

 

2001-02 Washington Wizards NBA $1,000,000

2002-03 Washington Wizards NBA $1,030,000

 

It wasnt about money at all.

From what I remember, Jordan didn't come back because Jackson wasn't coming back. Jackson wasn't coming back because he felt slighted ($$) and because Krause wanted to break everything up to go younger. I also thought I remember Jordan not being happy with being "low-balled" by Krause.

 

I still think if they had offered Jordan more he would have stayed, even if Phil decided to move on.

 

No way. His last two years they paid him over $30 million a season, basically to pay him for all the other seasons he was underpaid. He just retired because he was done again, happy with another 3-peat. Jackson may have been low-balled, but there was no point in keeping him anyway with a young team.

Hmm, yeah i'm wrong. Sam Smith had a good write-up about the last year. Jackson was offered a 5 year deal in '96-97 but Jackson, basically because of having to deal with Krause, declined, and 97-98 was his last year.

Edited May 4, 201213 yr by Jenksismybitch

Although there was this, maybe this was what I was remembering:

 

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/art...10025/index.htm

 

Last summer, after tense and often acrimonious negotiations, Jackson signed a one-year contract worth $2.75 million. Jackson says he was so convinced the Bulls wouldn't ante up that he packed the belongings in his office and was prepared to walk until his players talked him out of it. Reinsdorf eventually blinked and paid more than he had planned. Those who know the owner well say that won't happen again.

Although there was this, maybe this was what I was remembering:

 

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/art...10025/index.htm

 

I know they didn't get along with Phil and he definitely may have been low-balled and/or forced out. But Jordan wasn't and he quit on his own after title #6.

Jenks,

 

I dont think anyone is quite sure what happened. In my opinion I always felt that Pippen wanted to get out of Jordan's shadow and show the world how great he was, Jackson wanted more power and wanted to show up Krause. Reinsdorf was put in the position of either defending his friend Krause, or giving into Jackson.

 

If you read between the lines there basically was an ultimatum, get rid of Krause or we wont come back.

Edited May 4, 201213 yr by Soxbadger

Jenks,

 

I dont think anyone is quite sure what happened. In my opinion I always felt that Pippen wanted to get out of Jordan's shadow and show the world how great he was, Jackson wanted more power and wanted to show up Krause. Reinsdorf was put in the position of either defending his friend Krause, or giving into Jackson.

 

If you read between the lines there basically was an ultimatum, get rid of Krause or we wont come back.

 

Honestly Badger I do not remember any of it being about Pippen. From what I remember, everyone hated Krause, and Krause/Reinsdorf did not want to pay Phil like a Superstar coach.

 

MJ said he wasn't sticking around without Phil, Phil said he was done negotiating with Jerry squared, and Krause thought everyone was too old and that he could rebuild because he was that smart and completely discounted the fact that the players in the NBA saw it as a s***ty move.

 

Besides, if Pippen wanted to be out of MJs shadow, then why did he join the Rockets to play with Barkley, Clyde and Hakeem? Why would he immediately go play second fiddle somewhere else?

I still think it was the biggest sports blunder not to pay Jordan or Phil. Pay them the moon if you have to (so long as you were still making money...which JR was) and you're guaranteed how many more titles? 3? 4? Sigh.

Wait. What?

 

The Bulls were seriously on their last legs after 97-98. They were NOT going to win 3 or 4 more titles.

Wait. What?

 

The Bulls were seriously on their last legs after 97-98. They were NOT going to win 3 or 4 more titles.

 

That team, sure. It could have been rebuilt around MJ and Pip.