martin wrote:

franco12 wrote:what about Derick Rose coming out and saying he preferred Joe Johnson:

http://www.realgm.com/src_wiretap_archives/67865/20100705/rose_preferred_johnson_over_lebron/

Hey, Lebron, Rose preferred Joe Johnson over you- still want to sign there?

This is what Bulls strategy SHOULD have been. Target Joe and PF. Those 2 types of players would have complimented Rose much better (Bron and Wade obviously better talent but...)

Joe and Boozer would've been an awesome fit for them and what they could've afforded given their cap space.

crzymdups wrote:even chris broussard is acknowledging it:

NYK's plan to have Amare and next yr Carmelo has intrigued LeBron. Not saying NYK is frontrunner (they're not) but they're gaining ground
about 13 hours ago via web

http://twitter.com/chris_broussard

how can that guy have any clue? i hope he signs here just so that dude cant no longer show his grill on any tv shows.

TMS wrote:

Solace wrote:

TMS wrote:not sure the Bulls are out of it... they still have enough cap space to sign another impact FA to go along with Derrick Rose, Joakim Noah & Luol Deng even if Lebron signs there... not a bad nucleus there talent wise... in many ways, their roster still trumps ours even with Amare & Gallo, though what we gained here is a dominant low post scorer that Chicago doesn't currently have... that could change if they're able to land a Boozer, Scola or D Lee.

Well, in some ways, though, you wonder if it's actually complimentary talent. Will Rose take a backseat to LeBron? Right now it seems like there's no chance they can get both Bosh and LeBron, so I dunno. In some ways, I would prefer our current roster over what the Bulls have. I think our roster + LeBron is better than the Bulls roster + LeBron. Just my two cents, though.

come on man, Rose would most definitely take a backseat to Lebron... & if he raised a stink about it, he'd be traded for an Allstar that will... there's zero to debate about in that regard... Rose is not in the same class as Lebron James.

& again, the Bulls wouldn't just be limited to signing Lebron, they'd have enough cap space left over to land another impact level FA... so is our roster & Lebron better than the Bulls Roster & Lebron & another impact signing? i'm not so sure you can make that statement.

If they can make an impact signing. The only impact signing who might qualify is Boozer, I guess. I don't see them getting Bosh. But, I also am not convinced Rose will want to take a back seat. He's already given some subtle indications otherwise. Of course, you can trade him, but whose to say LeBron wants to enter that situation? From the Bulls standpoint, of course.

TMS wrote:

Solace wrote:

TMS wrote:not sure the Bulls are out of it... they still have enough cap space to sign another impact FA to go along with Derrick Rose, Joakim Noah & Luol Deng even if Lebron signs there... not a bad nucleus there talent wise... in many ways, their roster still trumps ours even with Amare & Gallo, though what we gained here is a dominant low post scorer that Chicago doesn't currently have... that could change if they're able to land a Boozer, Scola or D Lee.

Well, in some ways, though, you wonder if it's actually complimentary talent. Will Rose take a backseat to LeBron? Right now it seems like there's no chance they can get both Bosh and LeBron, so I dunno. In some ways, I would prefer our current roster over what the Bulls have. I think our roster + LeBron is better than the Bulls roster + LeBron. Just my two cents, though.

come on man, Rose would most definitely take a backseat to Lebron... & if he raised a stink about it, he'd be traded for an Allstar that will... there's zero to debate about in that regard... Rose is not in the same class as Lebron James.

& again, the Bulls wouldn't just be limited to signing Lebron, they'd have enough cap space left over to land another impact level FA... so is our roster & Lebron better than the Bulls Roster & Lebron & another impact signing? i'm not so sure you can make that statement.

Rose does not want to cede control of the team to Lebron and he would have to. If you bring in Lebron against Rose's wishes, you may as well just trade him now. DRose is heading into his own RFA soon.

At some point you do have to consider the makeup of the team you are building.

TMS wrote:

crzymdups wrote:

TMS wrote:not sure the Bulls are out of it... they still have enough cap space to sign another impact FA to go along with Derrick Rose, Joakim Noah & Luol Deng even if Lebron signs there... not a bad nucleus there talent wise... in many ways, their roster still trumps ours even with Amare & Gallo, though what we gained here is a dominant low post scorer that Chicago doesn't currently have... that could change if they're able to land a Boozer, Scola or D Lee.

yeah, but before that "other impact free agent" the bulls were supposedly adding was either Bosh or Joe Johnson. Johnson is out of play now. As is Rudy Gay. As is Amare. Bosh is looking like a longshot and we know he definitely won't take a penny less than 6yrs $120M and Toronto wants no part of Deng in return for Bosh.

Chicago's options are looking more and more limited as FA progresses.

Also, all the Chicago talk was supposedly WWWes's doing. And Derrick Rose knows he and Bron are not a good fit.

No matter what the media says, I think Chicago is looking dimmer and dimmer.

personally i never considered Joe Johnson an option for CHI... while it seems like a fit pairing him with Rose in their backcourt over a more alpha male personality like Lebron or Wade, people are kidding themselves if they believe Joe Johnson is not a ball dominating type player... he is... which makes the same case people have raised about Rose & Lebron not being a good fit together also apply to a Rose & JJ tandem.

JJ played off the ball effectively in Phoenix. He's also not the type of personality who needs to dominate the ball.

franco12 wrote:Don't the bulls need to trade Deng to free up more space for 2 max signings?

yes, but right now they have enough cap space to offer Lebron a max contract & another $14M leftover to fill out the rest of their roster... the Knicks have enough to sign Lebron & the rest of the roster will be filled out with vet minimum level contracts as it stands now, unless some trade is made to dump Curry's contract.

TMS wrote:

franco12 wrote:Don't the bulls need to trade Deng to free up more space for 2 max signings?

yes, but right now they have enough cap space to offer Lebron a max contract & another $14M leftover to fill out the rest of their roster... the Knicks have enough to sign Lebron & the rest of the roster will be filled out with vet minimum level contracts as it stands now, unless some trade is made to dump Curry's contract.

maybe douglas is the "poor mans" rondo... bos seemed to have the same concerns when it went for the hr: can rondo get it done, they have no depth, etc. still hinges on lbj joining up.

crzymdups wrote:

TMS wrote:

crzymdups wrote:

TMS wrote:not sure the Bulls are out of it... they still have enough cap space to sign another impact FA to go along with Derrick Rose, Joakim Noah & Luol Deng even if Lebron signs there... not a bad nucleus there talent wise... in many ways, their roster still trumps ours even with Amare & Gallo, though what we gained here is a dominant low post scorer that Chicago doesn't currently have... that could change if they're able to land a Boozer, Scola or D Lee.

yeah, but before that "other impact free agent" the bulls were supposedly adding was either Bosh or Joe Johnson. Johnson is out of play now. As is Rudy Gay. As is Amare. Bosh is looking like a longshot and we know he definitely won't take a penny less than 6yrs $120M and Toronto wants no part of Deng in return for Bosh.

Chicago's options are looking more and more limited as FA progresses.

Also, all the Chicago talk was supposedly WWWes's doing. And Derrick Rose knows he and Bron are not a good fit.

No matter what the media says, I think Chicago is looking dimmer and dimmer.

personally i never considered Joe Johnson an option for CHI... while it seems like a fit pairing him with Rose in their backcourt over a more alpha male personality like Lebron or Wade, people are kidding themselves if they believe Joe Johnson is not a ball dominating type player... he is... which makes the same case people have raised about Rose & Lebron not being a good fit together also apply to a Rose & JJ tandem.

JJ played off the ball effectively in Phoenix. He's also not the type of personality who needs to dominate the ball.

you have a valid point about his days in Phoenix, but he's been a ball dominant player since he's been in Atlanta... i do think he would have easily accepted a secondary role to play with someone like Lebron, but Derrick Rose is not Lebron.

TMS wrote:

franco12 wrote:Don't the bulls need to trade Deng to free up more space for 2 max signings?

yes, but right now they have enough cap space to offer Lebron a max contract & another $14M leftover to fill out the rest of their roster... the Knicks have enough to sign Lebron & the rest of the roster will be filled out with vet minimum level contracts as it stands now, unless some trade is made to dump Curry's contract.

"the rest of the roster" is misleading. they have six guys under contract if you count amare and three second round picks who could make the team. with lebron that would be ten guys. so two minimum guys on the end of the bench? (and i bet one of those is duhon and a strong feeling the other is barron - just a feeling)

TMS wrote:

martin wrote:

TMS wrote:

franco12 wrote:Don't the bulls need to trade Deng to free up more space for 2 max signings?

yes, but right now they have enough cap space to offer Lebron a max contract & another $14M leftover to fill out the rest of their roster... the Knicks have enough to sign Lebron & the rest of the roster will be filled out with vet minimum level contracts as it stands now, unless some trade is made to dump Curry's contract.

not sure this is correct. Even with Amare and LeBron, I think they got a few million to spare. maybe < $2M.

i'm assuming we pick up Bill Walker's option, so that leaves us with about $1M to fill out the rest of the roster give or take.

remember though - every guy we sign actually frees up one of the $470,000 "phantom cap holds".

we should have about $2M to work with after signing a second max and the three second round picks.

also, re: bill walker - it's not an option - he's on the cap at $800,000 unless we waive him by august 1st.

TMS wrote:

sidsanders wrote:

TMS wrote:

franco12 wrote:Don't the bulls need to trade Deng to free up more space for 2 max signings?

yes, but right now they have enough cap space to offer Lebron a max contract & another $14M leftover to fill out the rest of their roster... the Knicks have enough to sign Lebron & the rest of the roster will be filled out with vet minimum level contracts as it stands now, unless some trade is made to dump Curry's contract.

maybe douglas is the "poor mans" rondo... bos seemed to have the same concerns when it went for the hr: can rondo get it done, they have no depth, etc. still hinges on lbj joining up.

let's compare rosters side by side:

NY with Lebron:

C - Amare $16.5M
PF - Gallo $3.3M
SF - Lebron $16.5M
SG - Chandler $2.1M
PG - Douglas $1M
6 - Walker $850K
7 - Curry $11.3M
leaves NY with $4.55M to fill 6 more roster spots

CHI with Lebron:

C - Noah $3.1M
PF - Boozer or Lee $11M (Scola $8M)
SF - Deng $11.3M
SG - Lebron $16.6M
PG - Rose $5.5M
6 - Gibson $1.1M
7 - Johnson $1.7M
leaves CHI with $5.8M to fill 6 more roster spots... $8.8M if they go with Scola at PF

does the NY roster look that much better than Chicago's? i don't see it personally.

i hope lbj hates booozer and chi picks him up. on d, chi looks better. on o,ny with lbj, i think that team has a better look (since they will have lots o lots o 3 point shooters hehehe). hard to say what choice lbj would make. can he as the leader get guys to commit to d (read amare)? can he rely on chis guys for consistent o if he has an off night?