Chicago Bulls Thread

[Moz]

Fuck... They can pirate Donnie Walsh can they? I mean Doc Rivers turned Lance Stephenson into Jeff Green and Stan Van Gundy got Montejiunas and Marcus Thornton for freaking Joel Anthony and all GarPax can get is Justin Holiday + a 2nd rounder? Oh yeh I remember now that's what you'll get if you're asking everyone a first rounder and a rotation bigman for Taj Gibson... The Kings deal, the Celtics deal, Oladipo and Vucevic, Jahlil Okafor these pompous duo are fucking cockblockers... And yeh they will re-sign Gasol next year rejoice!

[Andrew]

But come on, when you add a star like Justin Holiday to an already championship-calibre team like the one they have...

Honestly though, it's about what I expected. Well, alright, I didn't expect Kirk Hinrich to be the player they traded, but in terms of the significance of the move, we probably all called this one.

[Moz]

I actually expect the worst be like them trading Taj for Luol Deng Such a downer that these idiots still believe that this squad can get them elsewhere... Or perhaps they're just letting it be what it's like so that they'll have an excuse to sack Hoiberg...

[Andrew]

At this point, it doesn't look like the current squad will play up to whatever potential they had on paper (and like I said, I feel they could've been a bit better than what they are currently). Right now, I'm just hoping that we can see some positives, like Butler getting back and looking like a player to build around, Portis continuing to emerge, and so on, before what is hopefully some kind of re-tool in the offseason.

[air gordon]

you've been saying this paper champion thing the last 2 years. there is no retool if Gasol is being resigned.

Fuck...

well said

And yeh they will re-sign Gasol next year rejoice!

Gar Forman:

We value Pau. We value him on the floor and the leadership he brings. We see him as a part of our core."

the cherry on top

bulls fans deserve better. im done with this management. there's no need to watch this garbage team anymore. i hope the bulls don't make the playoffs which would further embarrass their GM

[Andrew]

Rose had another game with some "vintage" moments, but it's in another loss. They're now 1-6 in the seven games where he's scored 25 or more.

[air gordon]

http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/ba ... story.html

We're also hopeful Joakim Noah will remain a Bull."

KC: Do you still think you're a championship-caliber team?

Gar: I never said that and correct me if I'm wrong.

KC: You were asked that question at the news conference announcing Thibodeau's dismissal and you answered yes.

[Andrew]

McBuckets with 30 off the bench, helping the Bulls improve (for lack of a better word) to 2-6 in games where Rose scores 25+.

Do you think Portis will be starting by the end of the season?

[Andrew]

Really hoping they can keep Moore around. I like the idea of him and Portis being a part of the core rotation moving forward. Both played well in the win over the Lakers today.

Also: The Story of Kobe Bryant and the Bulls

Interesting to look back on as Kobe's farewell tour rolls on. But as we consider where the Bulls go from here, this bit stands out:

Eventually it came that Kobe told the Lakers not only that he wanted to be traded, he wanted to be traded to the Bulls.

We don’t hear that much in Chicago, especially from the top players. And for all their other reasons, they don’t like playing against the Jordan legacy. Kevin Garnett couldn’t get farther and faster from it, manufacturing excuses about a disloyal organization. Grant Hill wanted no part. Even LeBron. Was LeBron going to have a better chance to win with Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh or Wade, Joakim Noah and a healthy Derrick Rose? And maybe even Bosh as well as the Bulls had a way to get all three. James did fine in Miami, but he also wanted no part of, “Yeah, but Jordan won six titles.’ Free agents won’t say it; but they’re scared of the past.

Bring it on, Kobe demanded.

It's an unfortunate dilemma...not that I'd trade the Jordan & Pippen Era and its six championships for today's free agent crop and the possibility that maybe one of them comes to the Bulls, and maybe that makes them a legitimate title contender, if such a cosmic swap were possible. I guess it's something I've never really thought of, though. I mean, obviously the Bulls were a force to be reckoned with in the 90s, and set the bar high for the squads that would come after them. But players still join the Lakers and the Celtics, despite their history of championships and great players, which spans longer than the Bulls' time atop the NBA. They sign with the Knicks, despite them being just as dysfunctional as the Bulls (probably more so), not being as successful in recent times, and having the pressure of the biggest market in the league.

We can talk about ownership not wanting to spend money, or GarPax making the wrong moves, and there are valid points to be made there. But if stars really are being scared off by the legacy of Jordan's Bulls...how do you combat that? Hope for someone with Kobe's competitive fire and chutzpah, I suppose.

[air gordon]

I don't buy it players are scared to come to Chicago because of Jordan and the titles.

When krumbs krause was around there was a sentiment started by KG not to come there but that died off when krause was fired.

Future hall of famer Pau Gasol took less money to sign with the Bulls. The Bulls were able to resign Jimmy Buckets.

[Andrew]

Analysis of Derrick Rose's recent performance. The increase in efficiency is nice, though with injuries and the drop in defense, it's not exactly translating to wins. It's good to see him steadily improving though, as it bodes well for him being able to contribute in the future, or bringing his trade value up so they can move him.

[air gordon]

Roy hibbert to the Lakers?!

[Andrew]

Fred Hoiberg challenges the Chicago Bulls to be tougher

The Chicago Bulls are currently the eight seed in the Eastern Conference and Fred Hoiberg believes that there is one surefire way that they can climb in the standings and, hopefully, guarantee themselves a more favorable match up once the postseason rolls around.

According to a report from Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times, the first-year head coach wants to see his roster get tougher and he made this message quite clear on Tuesday.

“It’s got to come to a point where it bothers you,’’ said Hoiberg. “That’s the first thing is when you get outhustled and outworked and knocked out of bounds, that’s where it starts."

Hoiberg made sure that his players practiced what he was preaching as he put the Bulls through a drill during Tuesday's practice where the players were forced to be the one's initiating contact rather than reacting to it.

“We did a drill [Tuesday] where you have to go hit, have to go make first contact. A lot of times we’re reacting. We get hit in the back first. Now we’re pushed underneath in the basket and you’re in terrible rebounding position. They don’t call that a lot. It’s physical. It’s a man’s game. If it doesn’t bother you, it’s going to continue to happen."

Good sentiments and all, but you've got to take it to heart and get the job done out on the court, for real, in games that count. That remains to be seen.

[Andrew]

Well, it's happened. The slide continues, and they're now in ninth place in the East. Still above .500 - for now - but the Pistons have won four in a row, while the Wizards have won three and are catching up. Missing the Playoffs is a very real possibility.

[Cpt(K)]

The current position the Bulls are in depresses me. The slide seems to be a prelude to another stint of mediocrity for the Bulls, who only became relevant once more in 2004, but then fell short one season before returning to the postseason. Hopefully, if that's the case it will be a short exit.

[Andrew]

Injuries haven't helped, which is a familiar tale. At least there have been some bright spots here and there: the continued emergence of Butler, the promise of Portis.

[NovU]

If you told me the Bulls would struggle to make the playoffs by this time of the year before season began, I would have told you you're crazy. But wow. This is looking more and more like a bust year for the Bulls.

I guess this also goes to show how special Jimmy Butler is. Without him, the Bulls aren't anything.

[air gordon]

it is indeed a bust year. i will be happy when the bulls are officially eliminated from the playoffs. management, coach, team sucks. but... no i stand by that

[Andrew]

It looks like it's going to come down to them and Detroit for the eighth spot, as the Wizards have dropped off again. If they do miss the Playoffs, here's hoping for some "Derrick Rose in 2008" luck in the lottery. That'd be a nice silver lining to a disappointing season.

[air gordon]

i suppose you can add the wiz back into the mix. they do hold the tie breaker over chicago.

the bulls are stuck in the dreaded mediocrity level. i don't see the upside of making the postseason over the 1.7% chance of winning the lottery. it shouldn't take a beat down by the cavs in the 1st round (unless it's toronto lol) to give the proper perspective for all parties involved... and sacto looks like they are retaining their pick. just let the tank roll and pick up a lottery pick on the way

[Andrew]

Yeah, it's a tough spot to be in. Given the expectations coming into the season, it's weird that we're now hoping for lottery picks, but that's the way it's all fallen apart.

[air gordon]

It is what it is. Biggest concern for me is management using injuries as their excuse as to why this team is not a "contender"

I'm ok with the losing over staying put for another year

[Andrew]

I could also see them making that excuse. Injuries haven't helped, but it's not the only issue.

I'm still seeing comments elsewhere that Hoiberg should be canned. I don't think it happens this early in his contract, but if them paying out his deal wasn't an issue, would that be the right move?

[air gordon]

hoiberg was GarPax's handpicked coach. should GarPax be fired?

[Andrew]

It wouldn't break my heart to see them shown the door.