Dunleavy looks slow to me. Maybe that changes the more they get used to playing together.

 

 

I'm not too worried about the Bulls either. I think they'll pull it together. Thibs is a good coach and D. Rose is still working out the kinks. By mid season, they'll be back to their old ways. Like I said before, I'm happy this is happening now rather than later in the season.

Way too much fluff around these parts. This team is second round fodder without at least one legitimate upgrade. Of course they're not as bad as they've been the first 4 games. They'll start feasting on crap starting with the Jazz tomorrow. It's about April/May/June. This is a flawed, unbalanced roster who now have three teams (instead of just one) that are more talented than them.

If Noah is ever 100% healthy that is.

I'm sure he'll never be 100 percent healthy but he'll get himself in much better shape soon enough and will be much more effective as well.

According to Grantland, Hibbert was +31 last night. Noah? -30!

Yeah, I'm not that worried. This team is really good. Whether it is going to be a top 2 kind of team is up to Derrick

The Bulls are usually slow starters anyway. I think it has something to do with Thibs system.

The Bulls are usually slow starters anyway. I think it has something to do with Thibs system.

The bad news here is that if they don't pick it up soon they'll hit the circus trip and come out with a terrible first month of the season. Yeah that's recoverable in the long term but then you have to talk about home court for Indiana and Brooklyn.

I'm really hoping they don't re-sign Deng, he seems to be getting worse every year. Even Boozer looks better so far. I used to be fine with him, he seems to be eroding from passable #3 option to offensive liability.

 

I think they're fine with Rose, Noah, Butler and a Gibson/Mirotic duo at PF (I'm not even assuming Mirotic is a star, just an Ersan Ilyasova type). They need to find a SG/SF that can efficiently score in the high-teens at a minimum. I don't know where that guy comes from though unless they get lucky with the Charlotte pick (and it might be 5 years before that guy really makes an impact) . They don't really have the cap space to sign a stud even without Deng and Boozer and Klay Thompson isn't going to fall into their lap.

 

I'm not writing them off, but I'm a bit more worried than I was a month ago.

 

Also, not having a 4th big with the injury history that Noah and Boozer have borders on a criminal transgression.

I'm really hoping they don't re-sign Deng, he seems to be getting worse every year. Even Boozer looks better so far. I used to be fine with him, he seems to be eroding from passable #3 option to offensive liability.

 

I think they're fine with Rose, Noah, Butler and a Gibson/Mirotic duo at PF (I'm not even assuming Mirotic is a star, just an Ersan Ilyasova type). They need to find a SG/SF that can efficiently score in the high-teens at a minimum. I don't know where that guy comes from though unless they get lucky with the Charlotte pick (and it might be 5 years before that guy really makes an impact) . They don't really have the cap space to sign a stud even without Deng and Boozer and Klay Thompson isn't going to fall into their lap.

 

I'm not writing them off, but I'm a bit more worried than I was a month ago.

 

Also, not having a 4th big with the injury history that Noah and Boozer have borders on a criminal transgression.

 

Every time I watch James Harden play it makes me sad as a basketball fan that we didn't get to see 10 years of Westbrook, Harden and Durant teaming up. They legitimately could have had a 90s Bulls type run.

Every time I watch James Harden play it makes me sad as a basketball fan that we didn't get to see 10 years of Westbrook, Harden and Durant teaming up. They legitimately could have had a 90s Bulls type run.

 

The downside of hitting three consecutive (4 when you consider where Ibaka was drafted) home runs in the draft in a small market. And there's just no way Harden would've blossomed into more than a super elite 6th man behind Durant/Westbrook. When I think of tragic what ifs I think of Portland (Oden/Roy) and Houston (T-mac/Yao). Either could've won multiple championships. Sucks when the body betrays you.

The downside of hitting three consecutive (4 when you consider where Ibaka was drafted) home runs in the draft in a small market. And there's just no way Harden would've blossomed into more than a super elite 6th man behind Durant/Westbrook. When I think of tragic what ifs I think of Portland (Oden/Roy) and Houston (T-mac/Yao). Either could've won multiple championships. Sucks when the body betrays you.

 

"Small Market" that had their franchise still increase massively in value and voluntarily moved into said small market from a larger market. f*** those cheap-ass owners.

 

But hey, at least by ruining their franchise's shot at a title they opened up the possibility of Durant signing elsewhere while in his prime.

 

I don't think it was actually so much of a "small market" issue with Harden and OKC.

 

He simply wanted the Max (4/60), and Presti was only willing to go for 4/52 with him, more to do with the fact Durant and Westbrook were already on Max Money, and the impact that would have had on their payroll flexibility, and that Harden hadn't really developed into a superstar (although that was simply because of the role he was in).

 

What really killed OKC was trading for Kendrick Perkins. That contract has really hindered them big time.

I don't think it was actually so much of a "small market" issue with Harden and OKC.

 

He simply wanted the Max (4/60), and Presti was only willing to go for 4/52 with him, more to do with the fact Durant and Westbrook were already on Max Money, and the impact that would have had on their payroll flexibility, and that Harden hadn't really developed into a superstar (although that was simply because of the role he was in).

 

What really killed OKC was trading for Kendrick Perkins. That contract has really hindered them big time.

And subsequently not amnestying Perkins.

I'm really hoping they don't re-sign Deng, he seems to be getting worse every year. Even Boozer looks better so far. I used to be fine with him, he seems to be eroding from passable #3 option to offensive liability.

 

I think they're fine with Rose, Noah, Butler and a Gibson/Mirotic duo at PF (I'm not even assuming Mirotic is a star, just an Ersan Ilyasova type). They need to find a SG/SF that can efficiently score in the high-teens at a minimum. I don't know where that guy comes from though unless they get lucky with the Charlotte pick (and it might be 5 years before that guy really makes an impact) . They don't really have the cap space to sign a stud even without Deng and Boozer and Klay Thompson isn't going to fall into their lap.

 

I'm not writing them off, but I'm a bit more worried than I was a month ago.

 

Also, not having a 4th big with the injury history that Noah and Boozer have borders on a criminal transgression.

 

Right but we knew that was coming. Therewas no money for one and even the bigs I thought could be available signed for way more. Funny seeing people advocate for trading for asik before the one year that would have killed us if we matched. I guess that contract proved it absolutely was moveable.

Right but we knew that was coming. Therewas no money for one and even the bigs I thought could be available signed for way more. Funny seeing people advocate for trading for asik before the one year that would have killed us if we matched. I guess that contract proved it absolutely was moveable.

 

Samuel Dalembert was out there.

Samuel Dalembert was out there.

 

he signed a 2-yr 7.5 mill contract, we had league min to offer after Dunleavy. For as bad as we are at 3pt shooting we needed Dunleavy more than 4th big.

I don't think it was actually so much of a "small market" issue with Harden and OKC.

 

He simply wanted the Max (4/60), and Presti was only willing to go for 4/52 with him, more to do with the fact Durant and Westbrook were already on Max Money, and the impact that would have had on their payroll flexibility, and that Harden hadn't really developed into a superstar (although that was simply because of the role he was in).

 

What really killed OKC was trading for Kendrick Perkins. That contract has really hindered them big time.

 

The "they couldn't afford him" line is definitely crap. He's making $13.7 million this year. Kendrick Perkins + Jeremy Lamb + Steven Adams= $12.9 million. Then keep in mind that Harden would have been making slightly less in OKC because they didn't have the "designated player" slot available to give him a 5-year deal at higher annual raises that Houston gave him. Also, they wouldn't have been a tax team last year, so they'd still have a year or two to figure s*** out.

 

They would have had to do some financial gymnastics to avoid being a huge tax team a few years down the line, but they would need less talent to legitimately contend and they're still not adding anything else because of the tax line. And what do they really need right now? Someone else that can score and handle the ball to diversify the offense. If only they had a guy that was super-efficient in a backup role that's one of the best on the drive and can hit 3's...

he signed a 2-yr 7.5 mill contract, we had league min to offer after Dunleavy. For as bad as we are at 3pt shooting we needed Dunleavy more than 4th big.

 

Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz. Excuses, excuses. Now we can't even afford a backup big. Trade Deng's crusty ass if you have to. Nazr Mohammed as your back-up C is pathetic.

Trade Deng so you can afford Samuel Dalembert?

 

Whoa, Christmas Day sleeved jerseys look way cooler than expected.

Trade Deng so you can afford Samuel Dalembert?

 

No, you trade Deng for upgrades elsewhere (shooting) and then you could better utilize your exceptions. Butler makes Deng irrelevant because they're the same player.

Deng and Butler aren't the same player at all, they're both really good defensively but they're completely different offensively.

The "they couldn't afford him" line is definitely crap. He's making $13.7 million this year. Kendrick Perkins + Jeremy Lamb + Steven Adams= $12.9 million. Then keep in mind that Harden would have been making slightly less in OKC because they didn't have the "designated player" slot available to give him a 5-year deal at higher annual raises that Houston gave him. Also, they wouldn't have been a tax team last year, so they'd still have a year or two to figure s*** out.

 

They would have had to do some financial gymnastics to avoid being a huge tax team a few years down the line, but they would need less talent to legitimately contend and they're still not adding anything else because of the tax line. And what do they really need right now? Someone else that can score and handle the ball to diversify the offense. If only they had a guy that was super-efficient in a backup role that's one of the best on the drive and can hit 3's...

Does anyone think maybe Harden didn't want to play third fiddle?