Heh, I’d let Hinrich go in a second. Deng is the only one I’d latch onto and I would have a hard time letting Ty Thomas go before seeing what he’s fully capable. Any chance we can dump Wallace for 40 cents on the dollar?
Is this Tyrus Thomas that fouls constantly or not? He’s like an Alonzo Mourning, with his propensity for fouls.
Yes-- with the decidedly ‘merit-based’ NBA officiating, of course. Hate to whine about the zebras but whinewhinewhine some of the calls that poor kid would get were ridiculous and a half. Man got a technical foul for walking away from being berated by The Mask–I mean, Rip Hamilton.
Odds are my Bulls draft #9 and I’m cool with that, especially with John Paxson’s drafting genius. I’m happy with Yi Jianlian, Roy Hibbert, or Spencer Hawes. Bulls get Oden? Katie, bar the door.
Yeah pretty much, but he had some great moments in the playoffs. I think if he’d have played more and Wallace/Brown had been riding pine the Bulls might have pushed that series to 7. Players can outgrow that fouling thing, plus the corrupt and retarded refs in the league automatically target young guys. By season 4 or 5 he might be Amare-lite.
Kirk works his ass off and its hard to find real point guards. And he’s relatively cheap. You’re right about Thomas though, his ceiling is so high right now.
Wallace’s contract will be such a nightmare in 2008. We’ll have to re-sign Deng and Gordon in the 12-14 mil range each after the 07 season. More than $50 mil committed to just Wallace, Deng, Gordon and Hinrich.
We won’t be able to trade for 40 cents on the dollar because of the traded player exception (teams over the cap can’t take back more than 125% of the salary they trade away.) So unless you want to trade for some other teams’ garbage (Zach Randolph is available I’m sure!) we’re probably stuck.
The Bulls are going to have to move up with shrewd moves and good signings. Ben Wallace has hampered them in this department already.
Hinrich has to be kept, as does Deng (if you’re a Bulls fan). Tyrus Thomas has some game, and I’d like to see what he becomes. Nocioni won’t get resigned, I don’t believe.
The Bulls are pretty much wedded to their core roster, which isn’t a bad thing at all right now. We’ll see how it goes, though.
Just to clarify, I really like Hinrich and think he’s an excellent player, I just don’t think he’s irreplaceable and if it got us Garnett I’d be willing to do it.
Wallace’s deal was so egregiously bad. I think Gordon will play himself out of that contract and I’m hoping we can package him before everyone realizes he’s a liability. He makes too many bad decisions.
He’d be tough to move, I just hope that the Bulls are willing to bite the luxury tax bullet to stash him on the bench when they find a pricey low post option.
Damn…
Celtics get hosed. Memphis gets shut out.
I’m pulling for Seattle to get Oden, and I really hope Atlanta is #3. Good day for the Pacific North West. The Western Conference is just going to keep getting stronger.
FIX!
David Stern, show us your balls, now!
At least Oden will go to Portland, where he’ll promptly be arrested like the rest of that team and can’t do much harm.
Looks like the Sports Gods are angry, the Bucks, Grizzles, Celtics and their shameful displays of tanking got them nothing.
Who do you think offers Oden his first doobie? Randolph? Miles? Magloire? Jack?
Kevin Durant, Rashard Lewis and Ray Allen could remind you of those George Karl days with Kemp.
Ha. That’s almost exactly what I said to gonzomax when we were watching it.
Are you guys kidding? Why the hell would Stern want to send those guys out to PNW? If anything you’d think they’d be pulling for the Celtics, Bulls or Sixers.
Of course if you’re just being sarcastic since everyone thinks everything in the NBA is fixed just ignore me.
Heh. I have a newsletter if you’re interested…
I don’t get the Oden to Portland talk. Wasn’t Aldridge solid last season? Durant seems like he could make a fine SF playing alongside Aldridge, Randolph, and Roy.
…
(Although I do find it interesting that the teams that played harder at the end of the season got the top picks while tankers got punished. Sweet basketball justice.)
He was, but I suppose most people assume that Oden is a once in a lifetime talent and taking him is irrelevant of need. They certainly will seriously consider Durant, but I think the possibility of a Duncan/Robinson style combo with Oden and Aldridge has enough potential to go with the best player available regardless of positions already filled.
Atlanta? An NBA backwater? Sir, I protest! Lou Hudson, Pete Maravich, Dan Roundfield, Dominique Wilkins, Doc Rivers, Moses Malone, Mookie Blaylock, Steve Smith, Dikembe Mutombo…
Backwater indeed!
It is only in recent years that the Hawks have consistently struggled. From '85 through '99 they won at a .588 clip and had an enthusiastic fan base. When the Lakers had Magic and the Celtics had Bird and Detroit had Isaiah and the Knicks had Ewing and Chicago had Jordan, Atlanta had Wilkins and won steadily. (There were giants in those days.)
Wilkins vs. Bird in their 7-game, down-to-the-wire '88 playoff duel is still the stuff of legend. (Got a mention on Sportscenter tonight, to prove my point.)
I despair that the Hawks will return to that level with their bickering ownership and a coach who can’t seem to get much out of what, on paper, looks like a talented team. But this draft lottery does give me some cause for optimism (Atlanta’s history of draft futility notwithstanding). We may be one coaching change away…
(Paging Mike Fratello. Time to come home.)
Atlanta hasn’t played a nationally televised game in a decade. I stand by my assessment.
While we’re throwing stones, I want to pile on Atlanta. You guys had a lottery pick, what, two years ago with Marvin Williams? Seriously. This is a guy that was 6th man in North Carolina and he was drafted incredibly high because of his “upside”.
Let’s get this straight. He didn’t even start for his college team…a team that won the national championship, but he’s going to get drafted before any of his teammates because he COULD be a better player?
In time, yeah, he may fill out, develop more of a game, or what have you, but that was such as shitty pick. Deron Williams was after him, Chris Paul was after him, Gerald Green was after him. Hell, David Lee was the last pick of the first round, and a solid pro. Part of the problem was that he was going to get burn right away. If he went to a veteran group and sat on the bench until his game dictated that he couldn’t sit any longer, I think he’d fare best.
Let’s not even get into what you had to give up for Joe Johnson…
Hell, if they never made that sign-and-trade, they would have the third pick this year and (if it had turned out optimally) the 4th pick this year, too. I think I’d rather have that than Joe Johnson (who, don’t get me wrong, is a fantastic player, but they waaaaay overpaid for him).