So most people have never heard of the College Basketball Invitational (CBI) tournament, which is going on right now and has its championship next week just like the NCAA tournament that gets (deservedly) all the attention. But if you're from Chicago, maybe you should have heard of it. Because there were only three men's teams from Illinois playing in the post-season, and two of them (NIT entries Illinois State and University of Illinois Champaign) are gone, gone gone (in the words of Phillip Phillips).
The third team, my own alma mater Loyola University, is still alive and will be competing with Louisiana-Monroe in the best-of-three championship of the CBI.
Yeah, I said CHAMPIONSHIP!
If you are not aware of the fact, only one team from Illinois has ever won the NCAA tournament. One guess who it was. Did you guess Loyola University of Chicago? If you didn't, you're wrong. LU won it in 1963.
I'm not 100% certain, but I think Loyola's last postseason appearance was in the 1985 NCAA tournament where they went to the Sweet 16 and lost to a really really really (that's three "really's") good Georgetown team.
Why should we care about this? Well, there's been a lot of talk these past two weeks about how bad the state of Chicago, and of Illinois college basketball has been recently. There's not much excitement around the usual teams, Illinos and DePaul. No one talks about the Redbirds of ISU, or the Salukis of SIU, or Western, Eastern, Northern, Chicago State, UIC, Northwestern, or Loyola.
Yet a bunch of NBA players and a bunch of players on the last few years' final four teams have been from Chicago. Anthony Davis. Derrick Rose. Jabari Parker. The Okafor kid from Duke this year. All Chicagoans. And there are plenty of others who are NOT superstars of their teams but instead are just good solid players.
They aren't playing for local schools.
It's a big change from when I was in school. The best college bound HS basketball players were often heading to Illinois. Or DePaul. Some even went to Loyola. A few went to Northwestern. A couple more ended up at ISU. Voise Winters? Efram Winters, Mitchell Anderson, Kenny Battle, Mark Aguirre, Ken Norman, Terry Cummings, Alfredrick Hughes, Andre Battle, David Thirdkill, Darius Clemons..those were Illinois kids who played for Illinois schools. They made Illinois college programs good.
They're all leaving now.
Seeing Loyola playing for a championship, talking about it, promoting one of our Chicago teams, is a first step in increasing the visibility of the local programs. Showcasing local talent, showcasing local coaching, those are good things. The local news and sports should be at least talking about LU's postseason run, which has included wins over Rider, Oral Roberts and Seattle so far. They don't have to make it the lead, or even higher than the upcoming Kentucky/Notre Dame matchup, but it should at the very least be news in the Chicago area market.
It hasn't been. No one, except for an occasional mention by WSCR's Mike Mulligan (a Loyola graduate), says anything about them. And that's why Chicago and Illinois basketball are not relevant these days. The big story is about major programs in other states. Not a word about Illinois programs, except to ridicule them and maybe talk about DePaul's search for a head coach.
Go Ramblers!!!
*****
Showing posts with label Derrick Rose. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Derrick Rose. Show all posts
Friday, March 27, 2015
Thursday, February 19, 2015
Basketball Trade Deadline
A non-story here in Chicago. No moves were made by the Bulls.
Did they need to make a move? Well, not just for the sake of making a move. It appeared to me (with the limited effort I put into looking at the market) there wasn't anything out there that would justify giving up something they already have.
I wouldn't have minded if they'd kicked the tires on a big man. Others seem to want to get a wing who can spread the floor. Seems to me that they've got those players on their team in Dunleavy, Butler, maybe Snell and McDermott. OTOH, they've got bigs, sure, but they're OLD or banged-up bigs. Nazr Mohammed is just taking up a spot on the bench mostly. Joakim and Pau are both playing too many minutes, Gibson is solid but not as impressive as he was last year in my view, and Mirotic is more of a stretch four, not really a power forward even if he has the size.
Maybe this team has been playing it right. Players like Dunleavy, Rose and Butler, and even Joakim have taken time off for illnesses and minor (or major, in Dunleavy's case) injuries. Even McDermott got time off, but that was not so great because he needed minutes and reps in game situations.
Maybe Pau or Joakim should think up some injuries that will keep them out for a little bit in this stretch run so that everyone is healthy and rested for the real season: the playoffs.
*****
Did they need to make a move? Well, not just for the sake of making a move. It appeared to me (with the limited effort I put into looking at the market) there wasn't anything out there that would justify giving up something they already have.
I wouldn't have minded if they'd kicked the tires on a big man. Others seem to want to get a wing who can spread the floor. Seems to me that they've got those players on their team in Dunleavy, Butler, maybe Snell and McDermott. OTOH, they've got bigs, sure, but they're OLD or banged-up bigs. Nazr Mohammed is just taking up a spot on the bench mostly. Joakim and Pau are both playing too many minutes, Gibson is solid but not as impressive as he was last year in my view, and Mirotic is more of a stretch four, not really a power forward even if he has the size.
Maybe this team has been playing it right. Players like Dunleavy, Rose and Butler, and even Joakim have taken time off for illnesses and minor (or major, in Dunleavy's case) injuries. Even McDermott got time off, but that was not so great because he needed minutes and reps in game situations.
Maybe Pau or Joakim should think up some injuries that will keep them out for a little bit in this stretch run so that everyone is healthy and rested for the real season: the playoffs.
*****
Tuesday, January 27, 2015
Busy Chicago Winter...
So a lot has been happening in Chitown sports. I don't have time to do much in-depth writing about anything in particular, so I'm just going to touch on the high points:
*****
- Bears go 5-11, fire Emery, Trestman, Kromer, and every other coach. They turn around and hire John Fox, fresh off a playoff appearance with the Broncos after being in the Super Bowl last year. Fox has hired good coordinators (a d- coordinator from the 49'ers who's supposed to be great, and the o- coordinator from Denver who seems pretty good too) and a bunch of decent position coaches. Chicagoans are giddy about having a REAL head coach who knows how to run an NFL franchise. Oh, and they hired a young fresh GM named Ryan Pace, who seems to not be threatened by making strong hires like Fox.
- Cubs already had announced Joe Maddon as their field manager, and then they turned around and grabbed Jon Lester, the top free agent pitcher. They made a few other signings as well, including Jason Hamel (who was traded with Samarzidja for the A's top prospects last summer) and a catcher (name escapes me) from the D-backs. Then they traded for Dexter Fowler, a high OBP guy from Houston and a switch-hitting CF.
- The White Sox made headlines by trading for Samarzidja, getting him from the A's for a package of prospects. They also signed Adam LaRoche and a closer named Robertson. They should get significantly better next year.
- The Bulls were doing great but seem to have hit a wall, with injuries slowing Noah and Mike Dunleavy, and with Jimmy Butler coming back down to Earth after a pretty incredible start to the season. Taj, Derek and Hinrich have also missed a few games (as has Butler) due to injuries and illness. The best thing has been Pau Gasol, who has been absolutely outstanding at the PF for the Bulls.
- The Black Hawks look a little inconsistent, but they're coming off their All Star break, and they should look better into the second part of the season. Their rookie, Tavo Taravinin (I know I butchered that spelling) has received some valuable experience, as has rookie goalie Scott Darling. Kane and Toews are doing great, and Sharp is back from an injury. Versteeg is out currently, but should be back sometimes soon.
- Ernie Banks died at age 83. Was there a better person to represent Chicago baseball, indeed, Chicago sports? Incredible player, and as nice a guy as you'd want to meet, by all accounts. He's one of the players I never had a chance to get an autograph. He was never down in Arizona for spring training. (I got Billy Williams, Fergie Jenkins and Ron Santo down in Mesa, and got guys like Hundley, Beckert, Kessinger, and many others at my one and only Cubs Convention.)
*****
Wednesday, July 23, 2014
Not that strange...
So NBA free agency signings are winding down, and LeBron James' decision to leave the Heat for his hometown Cavaliers changed the balance of power in the East. Suddenly the Heat are an aging Dwayne Wade, Chris Bosh and Luol Deng. Not bad, but not the superteam that they were with LeBron and Wade near his prime.
My Bulls made an important signing, though not exactly where they probably needed one. With a dearth of impact free agents at the 2 and 3, they instead signed Pau Gasol, an aging big man who can score with his back to the basket. Will he be what Derrick Rose needs (assuming Rose can stay on the court after two years of injuries)? Maybe. Boozer is gone, but Gibson remains. And so does Dunleavy and Butler and Hinrich and most importantly, Noah. Added to the team are draft pick Doug McDermott and Euro star Nikola Mirotic. Is that enough to surpass the Heat and (now) the Cavs and the Pacers? Maybe. Just maybe.
So now the big talk all over is a potential trade. It seems that the Cavaliers are really pushing to get Kevin Love from the T-wolves. They've offered their number one pick, top overall selection Andrew Wiggins (no, not the kid from Ender's Game, this is Mitchell Wiggins' son) and other assets in an attempt to acquire the all-star power forward. And the Bulls are in the hunt as well. According to at least one report, they've offered Taj Gibson, Nikola Mirotic and Doug McDermott for Love.
I'm torn. Is it too much? Does it decimate their depth in order to get a superstar at a position where they're not all that weak? Is Love plus Gasol that much greater than Gasol plus Gibson? Is it enough better to absorb the loss of Mirotic's and McDermott's potential scoring? On paper I'd say no. I'd say that if they were going to move that many assets, they should instead go for an impact shooting guard or an impact small forward. Are there any of those such players available? Or is it Love or nothing?
On the other hand, Mirotic and McDermott are, at this point in time, nothing more than "potential". Let's put it a different way. If they had, two months ago, dealt Gibson, their 16th and 19th picks in the draft, and the rights to Mirotic for Love, would I have applauded the deal? (This before the Gasol signing...) I think I would have been cool with that deal. I was nervous about including Butler in the deal but that was because I knew what Butler brought to the table in a more concrete sense. But this is basically the exact same deal as that one.
In the end, does it make the Bulls a better team? I'm not sure it does. Unless I'm sure, I don't think I'd get behind such a deal. Love's a good player, but I've heard it pointed out that he got those boards and points on a bad team with very few options for scoring and rebounding. On the Bulls, where Noah is the rebounder and Rose will also score, does he really have the impact? Or is the hard-working Gibson just as valuable to this team?
If there's a deal out there for a SF or a SG, I'd rethink the deal. Otherwise, for now - no deal.
*****
My Bulls made an important signing, though not exactly where they probably needed one. With a dearth of impact free agents at the 2 and 3, they instead signed Pau Gasol, an aging big man who can score with his back to the basket. Will he be what Derrick Rose needs (assuming Rose can stay on the court after two years of injuries)? Maybe. Boozer is gone, but Gibson remains. And so does Dunleavy and Butler and Hinrich and most importantly, Noah. Added to the team are draft pick Doug McDermott and Euro star Nikola Mirotic. Is that enough to surpass the Heat and (now) the Cavs and the Pacers? Maybe. Just maybe.
So now the big talk all over is a potential trade. It seems that the Cavaliers are really pushing to get Kevin Love from the T-wolves. They've offered their number one pick, top overall selection Andrew Wiggins (no, not the kid from Ender's Game, this is Mitchell Wiggins' son) and other assets in an attempt to acquire the all-star power forward. And the Bulls are in the hunt as well. According to at least one report, they've offered Taj Gibson, Nikola Mirotic and Doug McDermott for Love.
I'm torn. Is it too much? Does it decimate their depth in order to get a superstar at a position where they're not all that weak? Is Love plus Gasol that much greater than Gasol plus Gibson? Is it enough better to absorb the loss of Mirotic's and McDermott's potential scoring? On paper I'd say no. I'd say that if they were going to move that many assets, they should instead go for an impact shooting guard or an impact small forward. Are there any of those such players available? Or is it Love or nothing?
On the other hand, Mirotic and McDermott are, at this point in time, nothing more than "potential". Let's put it a different way. If they had, two months ago, dealt Gibson, their 16th and 19th picks in the draft, and the rights to Mirotic for Love, would I have applauded the deal? (This before the Gasol signing...) I think I would have been cool with that deal. I was nervous about including Butler in the deal but that was because I knew what Butler brought to the table in a more concrete sense. But this is basically the exact same deal as that one.
In the end, does it make the Bulls a better team? I'm not sure it does. Unless I'm sure, I don't think I'd get behind such a deal. Love's a good player, but I've heard it pointed out that he got those boards and points on a bad team with very few options for scoring and rebounding. On the Bulls, where Noah is the rebounder and Rose will also score, does he really have the impact? Or is the hard-working Gibson just as valuable to this team?
If there's a deal out there for a SF or a SG, I'd rethink the deal. Otherwise, for now - no deal.
*****
Tuesday, July 8, 2014
Bulls' Options Clarifying...
Free agency has begun and it's beginning to look a lot like every other major free agent year for our Bulls.
Oh, there are differences. In those other years the Bulls were fully capable of offering max contracts. Two, actually, in 2000, I believe, and at least one and a half in 2010. In both years the top free agents (Hill, McGrady, Eddie Jones in 2000, James, Bosh and Wade in 2010) spurned the Bulls' offers. In 2000 they ended up here and there; I think Hill and McGrady both went to Orlando and Jones...well, who remembers? In 2010 they all went to the same team - the Heat.
In 2014, the Bulls can NOT offer a max contract. In fact, after they "amnesty" Carlos Boozer, they'll have about 11 million or so, if I heard correctly (or if what I heard was correct). If Carmelo Anthony signed here without the deal being a sign-and-trade, he would be leaving some 50 million dollars on the table.
So in the end, we're not going to watch Carmelo light it up in a Bulls uni next year.
Option two seems to be bringing the European kid Mirotic over here and signing a tier two free agent. Is that enough to win it? Well, we don't know how good Mirotic will be in the NBA. In fact, we don't know if he'll be ANY good at all. Is he Hedo Turkoglu? Is he Dirk Nowitski? Is he Toni Kukoc? One analyst stated that he would probably have been the #4 pick in this year's NBA draft if he was just becoming available now. That's good, but what does it do for us next year? Does it make us a contender for the title, or just a better team?
Option two also seems to possibly involve trying to bring Pau Gasol in for a couple years. Might make some sense if he isn't too expensive.
So the front line would be a combination of Noah, Gasol, Gibson, and Mirotic. Doug McDermott, their first round pick (taken at #11 by Denver then traded for by the Bulls) would be the designated shooter. I'm assuming Mike Dunleavy is history (though I liked him a lot last year). Rose would be the point guard, Jimmy Butler would presumably be the swing 2/3, and there might be a couple other bench types that they'd work to bring in. I heard Shawn Marion mentioned. I also heard Trevor Ariza mentioned.
That sounds like it would be a good team. Still doesn't have that elite scorer, unless Mirotic becomes GREAT. Possible, but hard to count on.
We might know something by the end of the week. More to come...
*****
Oh, there are differences. In those other years the Bulls were fully capable of offering max contracts. Two, actually, in 2000, I believe, and at least one and a half in 2010. In both years the top free agents (Hill, McGrady, Eddie Jones in 2000, James, Bosh and Wade in 2010) spurned the Bulls' offers. In 2000 they ended up here and there; I think Hill and McGrady both went to Orlando and Jones...well, who remembers? In 2010 they all went to the same team - the Heat.
In 2014, the Bulls can NOT offer a max contract. In fact, after they "amnesty" Carlos Boozer, they'll have about 11 million or so, if I heard correctly (or if what I heard was correct). If Carmelo Anthony signed here without the deal being a sign-and-trade, he would be leaving some 50 million dollars on the table.
So in the end, we're not going to watch Carmelo light it up in a Bulls uni next year.
Option two seems to be bringing the European kid Mirotic over here and signing a tier two free agent. Is that enough to win it? Well, we don't know how good Mirotic will be in the NBA. In fact, we don't know if he'll be ANY good at all. Is he Hedo Turkoglu? Is he Dirk Nowitski? Is he Toni Kukoc? One analyst stated that he would probably have been the #4 pick in this year's NBA draft if he was just becoming available now. That's good, but what does it do for us next year? Does it make us a contender for the title, or just a better team?
Option two also seems to possibly involve trying to bring Pau Gasol in for a couple years. Might make some sense if he isn't too expensive.
So the front line would be a combination of Noah, Gasol, Gibson, and Mirotic. Doug McDermott, their first round pick (taken at #11 by Denver then traded for by the Bulls) would be the designated shooter. I'm assuming Mike Dunleavy is history (though I liked him a lot last year). Rose would be the point guard, Jimmy Butler would presumably be the swing 2/3, and there might be a couple other bench types that they'd work to bring in. I heard Shawn Marion mentioned. I also heard Trevor Ariza mentioned.
That sounds like it would be a good team. Still doesn't have that elite scorer, unless Mirotic becomes GREAT. Possible, but hard to count on.
We might know something by the end of the week. More to come...
*****
Monday, June 30, 2014
Chicago Bulls - which direction should they take?
So here are the Bulls, sitting with the potential to get about 11 million under the cap if they "amnesty" Carlos Boozer. They had a good draft, getting the guy who many thought would fit best with their roster no matter what - Doug McDermott from Creighton. They also got a power forward from New Mexico with the second pick (number 49), a senior with decent numbers.
Here's the key pieces on their current roster:
So what do they do? Do they try to trade for Kevin Love, perhaps moving Taj Gibson and Tony Snell or even Jimmy Butler while amnesty-ing Boozer to get under the cap enough to make the deal work?
Do they try to sign Carmelo Anthony, maybe doing a sign-and-trade with the Knicks and dealing Butler and Dunleavy while amnesty-ing Boozer?
Do they make a move to bring over Nikolai Mirotic, the kid playing in Spain (I think?) who it will cost big money in terms of a buy-out of his European contract and his salary?
What would I do?
I would try my darnedest to sign Anthony. I thought that they could maybe do a sign-and-trade with Boozer, since his contract is expiring next year and he's not a bad player, just not worth 16+ million a year. It would seem that if they could do that, they could easily accomodate Anthony's big contract. Otherwise he's going to have to take a pay cut.
An acquaintance who played pro ball overseas says that, as an observer and someone who understands the game pretty well, he feels Love would be the best move. He would give them the superstar they need to go with Rose and Noah (assuming Rose comes all the way back). If they do that, their lineup would be Rose, Noah, Love, maybe Dunleavy, maybe Butler, maybe Ronnie Brewer. There's a big three but is there anything beyond that?
Another acquaintance who also played pro ball and major college ball suggests that Anthony is the right move. Assuming they'd have to deal Gibson, their lineup might be Rose, Snell or Butler, Anthony, Randolph (the kid they got from Denver) and Noah. There's a big three with plenty of scoring but again, is there ENOUGH beyond that?
Tonight's the night. Free agency opens and Anthony is meeting first with Chicago. Hope we get him somehow.
*****
Here's the key pieces on their current roster:
- Derrick Rose - coming off two seasons off due to injuries to both knees
- Taj Gibson - power forward who really came on in 2013-2014
- Joakim Noah - center who I should have listed one spot higher - double double machine
- Jimmy Butler - swing man who can play big guard or small forward, good defensively
- Mike Dunleavy - swing man who can hit threes and do more
- Carlos Boozer - power forward with below average to average defensive presence
- Kirk Hinrich - may be a free agent at point guard
- D.J. Augustine - another free agent at point guard
- Tony Snell - rookie swing man with promise
- Jimmer Fredette - possible free agent shooting guard who can, well, shoot
- Greg Smith - forward/center who held up the end of the bench at the end of the season
- Cameron Bairstow - power forward rookie second rounder
- Anthony Randolph - power forward obtained in the pick swap with Denver in the draft
- Ronnie Brewer - free agent signed at end of year for playoffs then not used
- Lou Amundsen - forward and that's all I know
- Mike James - another filler player, point guard who Thibs likes
- Nazr Mohammed - center who has to be close to done, not used much last year
So what do they do? Do they try to trade for Kevin Love, perhaps moving Taj Gibson and Tony Snell or even Jimmy Butler while amnesty-ing Boozer to get under the cap enough to make the deal work?
Do they try to sign Carmelo Anthony, maybe doing a sign-and-trade with the Knicks and dealing Butler and Dunleavy while amnesty-ing Boozer?
Do they make a move to bring over Nikolai Mirotic, the kid playing in Spain (I think?) who it will cost big money in terms of a buy-out of his European contract and his salary?
What would I do?
I would try my darnedest to sign Anthony. I thought that they could maybe do a sign-and-trade with Boozer, since his contract is expiring next year and he's not a bad player, just not worth 16+ million a year. It would seem that if they could do that, they could easily accomodate Anthony's big contract. Otherwise he's going to have to take a pay cut.
An acquaintance who played pro ball overseas says that, as an observer and someone who understands the game pretty well, he feels Love would be the best move. He would give them the superstar they need to go with Rose and Noah (assuming Rose comes all the way back). If they do that, their lineup would be Rose, Noah, Love, maybe Dunleavy, maybe Butler, maybe Ronnie Brewer. There's a big three but is there anything beyond that?
Another acquaintance who also played pro ball and major college ball suggests that Anthony is the right move. Assuming they'd have to deal Gibson, their lineup might be Rose, Snell or Butler, Anthony, Randolph (the kid they got from Denver) and Noah. There's a big three with plenty of scoring but again, is there ENOUGH beyond that?
Tonight's the night. Free agency opens and Anthony is meeting first with Chicago. Hope we get him somehow.
*****
Wednesday, April 30, 2014
Bulls' Post-season Over...
So another first round exit for our Chicago Bulls, going down 4-1 vs the Washington Wizards. Yeah, those guys who were laughingstocks of the league not long ago, and for a while, too. To be fair, the Wizards have talented players like Wall, Ariza, Biel (Beal?), and Nene, and the Bulls couldn't keep up with their scoring ability and their aggressiveness.
But the Bulls looked, well, tired. They couldn't start well, and they didn't look like they had enough energy to mount the comebacks that they needed in almost every game.
Why is that? This team had the best record in the NBA in the second half of the season. Could it be that Thibs is pushing them too hard? I think that's a reasonable question. His rotations are too short by at least two players in the regular season, sometimes only playing 6 or 7 players (maybe 8) when perhaps he should be spreading out minutes between 9 or 10 players. Not only would it give more rest to the go-to guys, but it would also give those other guys meaningful minutes in game situations and allow the team to find out if they have something (or nothing). Jimmer Fredette? Could barely get on the floor. Ronnie Brewer? Why even bother?
He played Hinrich, Dunleavy, Butler, Boozer, Noah, Gibson, and Augustine too much, I think.
They are certainly his best seven players. But even Boozer was left out in crunch time, those minutes going the Gibson.
Thibs' biggest problem seems to be his inflexibility. That may also be his biggest strength. But if winning every game in the regular season (or playing to win every game, which is virtually the same thing) costs them their legs come playoff time, something's gotta be done. I'm sure no one wants to tell him how to coach, but someone better make him see that you can't sacrifice offense all the time in order to keep your best defensive unit on the floor for most of the game.
It will be interesting to see how this off-season plays out. With Rose coming back and the ability to amnesty Boozer, is there anyone out there who can make the difference between a first round exit and competing for the title? Besides Carmelo, that is, who apparently would have to take significantly less money to come to Chicago without a sign-and-trade, and I'd guess that New York doesn't want Boozer in such a deal (even though his contract is up after this year).
*****
Take a look at my short stories, available on Amazon for $0.99 each...price will go up a bit soon...
Rick's Rules
Night Family
Dead Or Alive
Thank you!
*****
But the Bulls looked, well, tired. They couldn't start well, and they didn't look like they had enough energy to mount the comebacks that they needed in almost every game.
Why is that? This team had the best record in the NBA in the second half of the season. Could it be that Thibs is pushing them too hard? I think that's a reasonable question. His rotations are too short by at least two players in the regular season, sometimes only playing 6 or 7 players (maybe 8) when perhaps he should be spreading out minutes between 9 or 10 players. Not only would it give more rest to the go-to guys, but it would also give those other guys meaningful minutes in game situations and allow the team to find out if they have something (or nothing). Jimmer Fredette? Could barely get on the floor. Ronnie Brewer? Why even bother?
He played Hinrich, Dunleavy, Butler, Boozer, Noah, Gibson, and Augustine too much, I think.
They are certainly his best seven players. But even Boozer was left out in crunch time, those minutes going the Gibson.
Thibs' biggest problem seems to be his inflexibility. That may also be his biggest strength. But if winning every game in the regular season (or playing to win every game, which is virtually the same thing) costs them their legs come playoff time, something's gotta be done. I'm sure no one wants to tell him how to coach, but someone better make him see that you can't sacrifice offense all the time in order to keep your best defensive unit on the floor for most of the game.
It will be interesting to see how this off-season plays out. With Rose coming back and the ability to amnesty Boozer, is there anyone out there who can make the difference between a first round exit and competing for the title? Besides Carmelo, that is, who apparently would have to take significantly less money to come to Chicago without a sign-and-trade, and I'd guess that New York doesn't want Boozer in such a deal (even though his contract is up after this year).
*****
Take a look at my short stories, available on Amazon for $0.99 each...price will go up a bit soon...
Rick's Rules
Night Family
Dead Or Alive
Thank you!
*****
Wednesday, March 19, 2014
Carmelo as a Bull - Good idea?
Okay, I know...this is probably off the table now that Phil Jackson has agreed to run the Knicks as their president and has endorsed the idea of committing to Carmelo Anthony. Phil knows how to win, and he knows how to work with star players. He's got 11 rings as a coach, and 2 as a player. If I had to bet money on the outcome, I'd bet that Anthony will stay with the Knicks, where he can earn the most money in the biggest market, and take a chance on Phil turning things around for that franchise.
But what if Phil is blowing smoke? What if when Phil says that he believes that Carmelo can help the team, he means that Carmelo can help the team by being dealt in a sign-and-trade? And who has what it would take to make that sort of a deal? Who has assets that might just help the Knicks rebuild this year and in the future? Or what if Carmelo looks at the picture in the short term and says, "There is no way we're going to compete next year...and probably not the year after either. Not with as bad as the Knicks look and as capped out as they are."
What if either one of those things is the real truth? I submit that the Bulls are one of, and maybe the only team that makes sense to make a move for Anthony, from both the Bulls' and Knicks' points of view.
For the Bulls, is Anthony a fit? I don't know...but I do know that this Bulls team as it is currently constituted is not going to win an NBA championship. So let's say they amnesty Boozer and they have the cap room for a really good player (which should be the case). Who is that player? After Anthony, who is the next best free agent? Well, it looks to me like it is probably...wait for it...
Luol Deng!
Here's one list of free agents for 2014: Sports Illustrated List
Notice that most of the free agents above #10 (Deng's position) are centers and power forwards. Also note that many of them (Lebron, Bosh, Wade, Duncan, Nowitski, Kobe, and even Anthony) are likely to resign with their own teams. Pao Gasol and Zach Randolph make some sense for the Bulls (especially Randolph, if they do indeed amnesty Boozer) but their real need is for a scorer at either shooting guard or small forward. Anthony is the only one on that list before Deng who fits that role, and might possibly be available in a sign-and-trade.
Does Anthony make the Bulls a championship contender? I think he does. But if he doesn't, so what? No one else, either free agent or draft pick (outside of maybe Parker or Wiggins or a couple of others who will be long gone when the Bulls draft) makes the Bulls a contender. Anthony provides what the Bulls need - scoring. With Derrick Rose (even if he isn't as good as he used to be), and a supporting cast including Noah and Gibson, and whatever is left that the Bulls don't trade to the Knicks to get Anthony, it's a Bulls team that can go deeper in the playoffs. They have their secret weapon as well - coach Thibodeaux. (I'm probably spelling that wrong.)
So why would it make sense for the Knicks? The biggest asset they'd get in the deal would be Boozer and his 16 million dollar expiring contract. Assuming Anthony's max deal with the Knicks is 130 million over 5 years (a figure I heard on the radio this morning, but I'd previously heard 23 million a year over 6 years), that means the Bulls have to match 26 million a year. Boozer accounts for 16 million of that amount. 10 million to go.
What would the Knicks want? I'd think they want a young player. Butler, probably. Butler's valuable to the Bulls but not indispensable, and Anthony is going to be the starting "3". I don't know what he makes but it can't be too much. So what else goes east? Could they sign-and-trade Hinrich to a team-friendly deal that would make him very attractive to the Knicks, who could use veteran leadership at the point? Or could they decide that Jimmer Fredette is their three-point shooter and deal Mike Dunleavy? I think his contract is about 5 million a year. Let's just guess-timate that Butler is around 3 million. That brings us to 24 million. Two to go. I'm positive that they'd want the Bulls' pick. I'd rather trade both Bulls' first rounders (2014 and 2015) if that's possible. I know there's a league rule about dealing successive first round picks, but I don't know if it applies when you also have other teams' first round picks. If it does, then keep the 2015 pick and send them the pick they got for Deng (the Kings' pick, I believe, protected this year but not next?). I think all the Bulls have to do is find another million dollars in salary to deal. I'm sure it could be done. That's if the Bulls have to match 26 million. If it's 23 million, it's a little easier.
The key is Boozer. Does he work for the Knicks, who will also have Stoudamire under contract? I think it does. First, Boozer is expiring after next season. Second, Boozer is a good player (if not a great player, and if not worth the big contract the Bulls gave him), and Stoudamire can swing between center and power forward. Butler replaces Anthony, and Hinrich gives them veteran leadership for a couple of years. Or Dunleavy gives them a year of a solid small forward and three point shooter. And they get some young players with not-too-low draft picks. Would that work for someone like Phil Jackson and the Knicks?
So is this likely? I doubt it. Like I said earlier, I'd bet that Anthony will stay in New York and the Bulls will have to find somewhere else to spend the money. Maybe they don't amnesty Boozer, maybe they bring Mirotic over and draft a couple of more pieces and see what they have in Rose. Maybe they make a run at Paul Pierce or something like that. There are options.
But none of those options lead to a Bulls championship next year, in my opinion. The only scenario where I see a championship in the picture is one where they get Carmelo Anthony.
*****
You can find my short story NIGHT FAMILY on Amazon!
You can also find another of my short stories DEAD OR ALIVE on Amazon!
*****
But what if Phil is blowing smoke? What if when Phil says that he believes that Carmelo can help the team, he means that Carmelo can help the team by being dealt in a sign-and-trade? And who has what it would take to make that sort of a deal? Who has assets that might just help the Knicks rebuild this year and in the future? Or what if Carmelo looks at the picture in the short term and says, "There is no way we're going to compete next year...and probably not the year after either. Not with as bad as the Knicks look and as capped out as they are."
What if either one of those things is the real truth? I submit that the Bulls are one of, and maybe the only team that makes sense to make a move for Anthony, from both the Bulls' and Knicks' points of view.
For the Bulls, is Anthony a fit? I don't know...but I do know that this Bulls team as it is currently constituted is not going to win an NBA championship. So let's say they amnesty Boozer and they have the cap room for a really good player (which should be the case). Who is that player? After Anthony, who is the next best free agent? Well, it looks to me like it is probably...wait for it...
Luol Deng!
Here's one list of free agents for 2014: Sports Illustrated List
Notice that most of the free agents above #10 (Deng's position) are centers and power forwards. Also note that many of them (Lebron, Bosh, Wade, Duncan, Nowitski, Kobe, and even Anthony) are likely to resign with their own teams. Pao Gasol and Zach Randolph make some sense for the Bulls (especially Randolph, if they do indeed amnesty Boozer) but their real need is for a scorer at either shooting guard or small forward. Anthony is the only one on that list before Deng who fits that role, and might possibly be available in a sign-and-trade.
Does Anthony make the Bulls a championship contender? I think he does. But if he doesn't, so what? No one else, either free agent or draft pick (outside of maybe Parker or Wiggins or a couple of others who will be long gone when the Bulls draft) makes the Bulls a contender. Anthony provides what the Bulls need - scoring. With Derrick Rose (even if he isn't as good as he used to be), and a supporting cast including Noah and Gibson, and whatever is left that the Bulls don't trade to the Knicks to get Anthony, it's a Bulls team that can go deeper in the playoffs. They have their secret weapon as well - coach Thibodeaux. (I'm probably spelling that wrong.)
So why would it make sense for the Knicks? The biggest asset they'd get in the deal would be Boozer and his 16 million dollar expiring contract. Assuming Anthony's max deal with the Knicks is 130 million over 5 years (a figure I heard on the radio this morning, but I'd previously heard 23 million a year over 6 years), that means the Bulls have to match 26 million a year. Boozer accounts for 16 million of that amount. 10 million to go.
What would the Knicks want? I'd think they want a young player. Butler, probably. Butler's valuable to the Bulls but not indispensable, and Anthony is going to be the starting "3". I don't know what he makes but it can't be too much. So what else goes east? Could they sign-and-trade Hinrich to a team-friendly deal that would make him very attractive to the Knicks, who could use veteran leadership at the point? Or could they decide that Jimmer Fredette is their three-point shooter and deal Mike Dunleavy? I think his contract is about 5 million a year. Let's just guess-timate that Butler is around 3 million. That brings us to 24 million. Two to go. I'm positive that they'd want the Bulls' pick. I'd rather trade both Bulls' first rounders (2014 and 2015) if that's possible. I know there's a league rule about dealing successive first round picks, but I don't know if it applies when you also have other teams' first round picks. If it does, then keep the 2015 pick and send them the pick they got for Deng (the Kings' pick, I believe, protected this year but not next?). I think all the Bulls have to do is find another million dollars in salary to deal. I'm sure it could be done. That's if the Bulls have to match 26 million. If it's 23 million, it's a little easier.
The key is Boozer. Does he work for the Knicks, who will also have Stoudamire under contract? I think it does. First, Boozer is expiring after next season. Second, Boozer is a good player (if not a great player, and if not worth the big contract the Bulls gave him), and Stoudamire can swing between center and power forward. Butler replaces Anthony, and Hinrich gives them veteran leadership for a couple of years. Or Dunleavy gives them a year of a solid small forward and three point shooter. And they get some young players with not-too-low draft picks. Would that work for someone like Phil Jackson and the Knicks?
So is this likely? I doubt it. Like I said earlier, I'd bet that Anthony will stay in New York and the Bulls will have to find somewhere else to spend the money. Maybe they don't amnesty Boozer, maybe they bring Mirotic over and draft a couple of more pieces and see what they have in Rose. Maybe they make a run at Paul Pierce or something like that. There are options.
But none of those options lead to a Bulls championship next year, in my opinion. The only scenario where I see a championship in the picture is one where they get Carmelo Anthony.
*****
You can find my short story NIGHT FAMILY on Amazon!
You can also find another of my short stories DEAD OR ALIVE on Amazon!
*****
Tuesday, October 22, 2013
Arrow pointing up or down?
Bulls:
Derrick Rose is back and looks to be pretty well recovered from his torn ACL from the 2011/2012 season playoffs. Dunleavy is probably an upgrade from both Kyle Korver and the Italian guy from last year (I can't even remember his name). Hinrich moving to the second unit is an upgrade from Nate Robinson, though Robinson was outstanding offensively last year, better than Hinrich likely will be. Marcus Teague is a year better, and the frontcourt rotation of Noah, Boozer, Gibson and Nazr Mohammed should be similar to what it was last year. Jimmy Butler was a revelation in the playoffs and should be solid at the two guard. Undefeated in preseason.
The arrow is pointing up.
Bears:
Cutler and Briggs both injured. Melton already out for the year. Peppers looking like his age might be catching up with him. Tillman still looking good but fighting injuries. Defense in general has gone the wrong direction. O line looks improved, running game should continue to be solid. Tight end is a 100% improvement. But...Cutler out for minimum 4 weeks.
Arrow pointing down.
Black Hawks:
All the stars back and healthy. Some role players gone (I always liked Dave Bolland) but there are others to step in and take their places. Corey Crawford locked up, hopefully he continues to perform. Looking good so far.
Arrow pointing flat. How can it go up from a Stanley Cup Championship?!?!
White Sox:
Konerko a shadow of his former self, and may be gone. Relatively young arms like Danks and Floyd and Quintana and Chris Sale are average to very good, but a couple (Danks and Floyd) are injury prone. Defense was horrid last year. Will it improve? How?
Arrow pointing down.
Cubs:
Figuring things out with their young "stars" - are they really star major leaguers or are they run-of-the-mill guys? (I'm talking about Castro and Rizzo.) Young stud prospects are still at least one season away. Pitching is rough after Samarzidja and Travis Wood. Edwin Jackson is an expensive journeyman. Scott Baker might help. Ryan Sweeney and Nate Schuerholz at least give them a little something in the outfield. There will be a new manager, but we don't know who yet.
For 2014, arrow pointing down.
For 2015, arrow starts to point upward, we hope.
*****
Derrick Rose is back and looks to be pretty well recovered from his torn ACL from the 2011/2012 season playoffs. Dunleavy is probably an upgrade from both Kyle Korver and the Italian guy from last year (I can't even remember his name). Hinrich moving to the second unit is an upgrade from Nate Robinson, though Robinson was outstanding offensively last year, better than Hinrich likely will be. Marcus Teague is a year better, and the frontcourt rotation of Noah, Boozer, Gibson and Nazr Mohammed should be similar to what it was last year. Jimmy Butler was a revelation in the playoffs and should be solid at the two guard. Undefeated in preseason.
The arrow is pointing up.
Bears:
Cutler and Briggs both injured. Melton already out for the year. Peppers looking like his age might be catching up with him. Tillman still looking good but fighting injuries. Defense in general has gone the wrong direction. O line looks improved, running game should continue to be solid. Tight end is a 100% improvement. But...Cutler out for minimum 4 weeks.
Arrow pointing down.
Black Hawks:
All the stars back and healthy. Some role players gone (I always liked Dave Bolland) but there are others to step in and take their places. Corey Crawford locked up, hopefully he continues to perform. Looking good so far.
Arrow pointing flat. How can it go up from a Stanley Cup Championship?!?!
White Sox:
Konerko a shadow of his former self, and may be gone. Relatively young arms like Danks and Floyd and Quintana and Chris Sale are average to very good, but a couple (Danks and Floyd) are injury prone. Defense was horrid last year. Will it improve? How?
Arrow pointing down.
Cubs:
Figuring things out with their young "stars" - are they really star major leaguers or are they run-of-the-mill guys? (I'm talking about Castro and Rizzo.) Young stud prospects are still at least one season away. Pitching is rough after Samarzidja and Travis Wood. Edwin Jackson is an expensive journeyman. Scott Baker might help. Ryan Sweeney and Nate Schuerholz at least give them a little something in the outfield. There will be a new manager, but we don't know who yet.
For 2014, arrow pointing down.
For 2015, arrow starts to point upward, we hope.
*****
Thursday, May 16, 2013
Bulls Post-Season Wrap-up
So the Bulls season ended with one of their better games in the playoffs as they took the Heat to the final seconds and had a good look - no, two good looks - at tying the game with a three. But alas, it didn't happen, and the Heat take the series in 5.
Mark Silverman on ESPN1000 just asked what the big picture was for this Bulls team next year.
I submit that it should be a fairly rosy picture. Everyone should be healthy to start the season, and everyone should be in their proper places. The starting point guard should be Derrick Rose, and Kirk Hinrich and Nate Robinson (if they resign him) should be playing the amount of minutes and against the players where they should have the better of the matchup. Hinrich showed his worth this year, I think - he's not a scorer, but he does do a better job of passing and defending than most any other Bull. Depending on matchups, he could start at the two guard or back up the point guard.
Carlos Boozer seemed, to me, to play far far better when Hinrich was playing point guard than when he wasn't. Would this be a way to get some real value out of Boozer? What if he was putting up a double double a night in part against second teamers? Start Boozer, play him 3 or 4 minutes, bring in Taj until the second team comes in and make sure Boozer and Hinrich get plenty of minutes together.
Backup center: A weakness for this year's team. Mohammed was okay in his limited minutes, but the Bulls ended up using Taj as the back-up center quite a bit, it seemed to me. Or Boozer, with Deng at power forward.
Jimmy Butler matured into a bonafide NBA player this year. Is he the starting two-guard next year? I think he's more of a small forward. Would I rather have Deng at SF? Sure, but Deng might also be the one guy on this team who could bring back real value in a deal. It would depend on what they could get for Deng in a trade as to whether I would consider moving him.
I'm not enamored with Marco Bellinelli, but I certainly wouldn't rule him out as the long range spot-up shooter and another backup two guard. I'm certain that Hamilton, who appeared to be poorly used in the playoffs, is going to be bought out and I won't have a problem with that, though I wonder if Rip's lack of contribution throughout the latter part of the year was his problem or Tom Thibodeau's problem. Thibodeau is a great coach, but he does seem to 1.) overwork his players a bit, too many minutes and too much pedal to the metal, and 2.) underutilize some players for whatever reason. As examples of the second, see Rip, Marcus Teague, and maybe even Vlad Rad. The guy ended up buried on the bench and really wasn't given any opportunity to contribute as far as I could see.
There will be a somewhat higher draft pick this year, and that may translate into a useful player, but with Thibodeau's tendency to sit young players, will it matter? With Rip going, will there be a spot for a veteran PF or center who can back up in the front court? Will some players look at the Bulls and say, now there's a team that can compete with Miami and I just might have a shot at getting to the Finals and getting a championship with this team, so I'll take the veteran's exception, or even the minimum, to play for them? (So many players seem to do that with Miami. There has to be someone who will do it with the Bulls...)
The Bulls got some real experience in the playoffs this year for players like Butler, Bellinelli and even a little bit for Marcus Teague. Can that translate to a much improved squad next year? Let's hope.
That's my big-picture view of the Bulls. Now it's on to watch the BlackHawks on their road to the Stanley Cup, then focus on the Cubs' rebuilding efforts this summer...
*****
Mark Silverman on ESPN1000 just asked what the big picture was for this Bulls team next year.
I submit that it should be a fairly rosy picture. Everyone should be healthy to start the season, and everyone should be in their proper places. The starting point guard should be Derrick Rose, and Kirk Hinrich and Nate Robinson (if they resign him) should be playing the amount of minutes and against the players where they should have the better of the matchup. Hinrich showed his worth this year, I think - he's not a scorer, but he does do a better job of passing and defending than most any other Bull. Depending on matchups, he could start at the two guard or back up the point guard.
Carlos Boozer seemed, to me, to play far far better when Hinrich was playing point guard than when he wasn't. Would this be a way to get some real value out of Boozer? What if he was putting up a double double a night in part against second teamers? Start Boozer, play him 3 or 4 minutes, bring in Taj until the second team comes in and make sure Boozer and Hinrich get plenty of minutes together.
Backup center: A weakness for this year's team. Mohammed was okay in his limited minutes, but the Bulls ended up using Taj as the back-up center quite a bit, it seemed to me. Or Boozer, with Deng at power forward.
Jimmy Butler matured into a bonafide NBA player this year. Is he the starting two-guard next year? I think he's more of a small forward. Would I rather have Deng at SF? Sure, but Deng might also be the one guy on this team who could bring back real value in a deal. It would depend on what they could get for Deng in a trade as to whether I would consider moving him.
I'm not enamored with Marco Bellinelli, but I certainly wouldn't rule him out as the long range spot-up shooter and another backup two guard. I'm certain that Hamilton, who appeared to be poorly used in the playoffs, is going to be bought out and I won't have a problem with that, though I wonder if Rip's lack of contribution throughout the latter part of the year was his problem or Tom Thibodeau's problem. Thibodeau is a great coach, but he does seem to 1.) overwork his players a bit, too many minutes and too much pedal to the metal, and 2.) underutilize some players for whatever reason. As examples of the second, see Rip, Marcus Teague, and maybe even Vlad Rad. The guy ended up buried on the bench and really wasn't given any opportunity to contribute as far as I could see.
There will be a somewhat higher draft pick this year, and that may translate into a useful player, but with Thibodeau's tendency to sit young players, will it matter? With Rip going, will there be a spot for a veteran PF or center who can back up in the front court? Will some players look at the Bulls and say, now there's a team that can compete with Miami and I just might have a shot at getting to the Finals and getting a championship with this team, so I'll take the veteran's exception, or even the minimum, to play for them? (So many players seem to do that with Miami. There has to be someone who will do it with the Bulls...)
The Bulls got some real experience in the playoffs this year for players like Butler, Bellinelli and even a little bit for Marcus Teague. Can that translate to a much improved squad next year? Let's hope.
That's my big-picture view of the Bulls. Now it's on to watch the BlackHawks on their road to the Stanley Cup, then focus on the Cubs' rebuilding efforts this summer...
*****
Thursday, February 14, 2013
No Rose?
So the news the last couple of days has surrounded Derrick Rose's comments in an interview with USA Today that he may sit out the entire season. That's disappointing. I had sort of thought he'd be back shortly after the All Star Break (now) in a limited role to begin preparing him for the playoffs. But maybe we're just out of luck for this year.
I'm of two minds. I'm not sure the Bulls have enough to take the Heat in the playoffs, let alone the Pacers, this year. Rose coming off a serious injury probably won't be at 100% by the playoffs, and even though Rose at 80% probably makes the Bulls a better team just by changing the rotations, I'm thinking that it won't make them good enough. And then there's the injury factor...no one wants him coming back too soon and screwing something else up. When you favor or protect one joint or limb, you tend to put more stress on something else. Will that something else give him problems that he might not get if he waits it out and just comes back next year at full strength?
Then there's the matter of the Bulls' finish in the division. Can they finish low enough to get a draft pick that can contribute? Or be valuable enough to deal for the right piece? I'm not suggesting that they throw the season away, but maybe they end up with only the 8th or 10th best record instead of the 3rd or 4th by virtue of Rose's absence? One of these years that Bobcats' pick will actually become the Bulls' pick without strings, and if it was this year, could the Bulls perhaps package a couple picks for another really useful player?
On the other hand, Deng is having a good year. Noah has up until now been pretty healthy. They picked up Hinrich specifically as a backup to Rose, and they still have Hamilton and Butler's emerging. Boozer's been good, and Gibson is solid as usual. (They have a dropoff on their bench at center.) Could they give the Heat a run for their money? Another part of me wants to see just what this Bulls team can do in the playoffs at full strength.
So what will it be? Stay tuned to find out...
*****
I'm of two minds. I'm not sure the Bulls have enough to take the Heat in the playoffs, let alone the Pacers, this year. Rose coming off a serious injury probably won't be at 100% by the playoffs, and even though Rose at 80% probably makes the Bulls a better team just by changing the rotations, I'm thinking that it won't make them good enough. And then there's the injury factor...no one wants him coming back too soon and screwing something else up. When you favor or protect one joint or limb, you tend to put more stress on something else. Will that something else give him problems that he might not get if he waits it out and just comes back next year at full strength?
Then there's the matter of the Bulls' finish in the division. Can they finish low enough to get a draft pick that can contribute? Or be valuable enough to deal for the right piece? I'm not suggesting that they throw the season away, but maybe they end up with only the 8th or 10th best record instead of the 3rd or 4th by virtue of Rose's absence? One of these years that Bobcats' pick will actually become the Bulls' pick without strings, and if it was this year, could the Bulls perhaps package a couple picks for another really useful player?
On the other hand, Deng is having a good year. Noah has up until now been pretty healthy. They picked up Hinrich specifically as a backup to Rose, and they still have Hamilton and Butler's emerging. Boozer's been good, and Gibson is solid as usual. (They have a dropoff on their bench at center.) Could they give the Heat a run for their money? Another part of me wants to see just what this Bulls team can do in the playoffs at full strength.
So what will it be? Stay tuned to find out...
*****
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