Click-a-Bull (Coaching edition: JVG; Calipari; McHale; + JJ/Bosh)

The Bulls are being rather patient in getting their coaching search underway ... which I don't think is the best plan. But part of me thinks that they really like Tom Thibodeau (Boston assistant/defensive genius), so they are holding off on interviews to give him one of the first shots at the job.

Other than Thibs, options include: JVG, Byron Scott, Lawrence Frank, Coach Cal (?) and Kevin McHale

My personal choice is JVG. I am interested in Byron Scott, but his team once quit on him in Nawlins. I am opposed to Kevin McHale (not enough experience, and he's too good on TV).

WHO SHOULD THE BULLS HIRE AS
THEIR NEXT HEAD COACH? --->

Van Gundy rips Bulls over Del Negro

Jeff Van Gundy isn't the only member of his family who thinks the Chicago Bulls handled the end of the Vinny Del Negro era poorly.

Orlando Magic coach Stan Van Gundy does not believe the recently fired Del Negro was given the proper backing from the Bulls front office, and Stan doesn't think Jeff will return to the coaching ranks next season for the Bulls or any other team.

"I was shocked by the coaching change," Van Gundy told ESPNChicago.com after the Magic's shootaround on Monday morning. "I thought Vinny did a great, great job developing the young guys, and I think it will be very hard for anyone to come in and do a better job than he did."

The Magic will try to complete a four-game sweep of the Atlanta Hawks on Monday night in their Eastern Conference semifinal series.

Jeff Van Gundy, working as an ESPN analyst, was critical of the Bulls' handling of Del Negro during a nationally televised broadcast several weeks ago, and his brother agreed.

"From midseason on, I don't think Vinny got much support from their organization," Stan said. "I didn't understand -- you never know the inner-workings, and so maybe there was some stuff behind the scenes -- but from a coaching perspective, Vinny did a very, very good job with that team.

"They gave up their two best wing scorers in [Ben] Gordon and [John] Salmons, and they were a great defensive team that struggled to score. I don't think that's shocking when you give up two guys like that. The front office makes the decision to make those trades [Gordon left via free agency], and then Vinny's the scapegoat for it. [It's a] hard thing to understand."

As for speculation that Jeff is a possible candidate for the Bulls opening, Stan was skeptical.

"I don't think he will coach again next season," he said. "I think there's other priorities in his life. I'd be surprised, in fact, I'd be very, very, surprised if he were back coaching next year."

When asked specifically if he thought his brother would listen if a team like the Bulls came calling, the Orlando coach went a step further.

"I don't even think he would have a willingness to interview," he said.

Hiring Calipari to coach Bulls would be foolish move

LeBron James has won consecutive MVP awards, living up to his considerable teenage hype to become the NBA's best player. He's led the Cavaliers to back-to-back 60-win seasons.

But what James really wants in his basketball career is to play for John Calipari. At least, that's what a flood of recent news stories have suggested.

If the Bulls hire Calipari as head coach, LeBron will follow. Unless, of course, the Cavs make a pre-emptive strike and replace Mike Brown with the first-year coach at Kentucky.

Why wouldn't that happen? After all, Calipari posted a 72-116 record in two-plus seasons as coach of the New Jersey Nets. In college, he's coached four players who were top-four picks in the NBA draft (we're counting John Wall) and never won a national championship.

As this is being written, a team of lawyers may well be petitioning the NCAA to return James' amateur status so he can enroll at Kentucky next season.

In reality, this plan doesn't make much sense at all, which is why the Bulls are not considering Calipari for their coaching vacancy.

McHale wants to coach Bulls

The Chicago Bulls apparently haven't contacted Kevin McHale about its open head-coaching position but he wouldn't mind if they asked, according to ESPN.

The former Minnesota Timberwolves head coach would like to be the replacement to the fired Vinny Del Negro. "You go in there and talk to [Bulls general manager] Gar [Forman]. I know Gar and John Paxson real well. And hopefully if it's the right fit, it's the right fit. That's what you're looking for and that's what they're looking for. They're looking for the right fit," McHale, a TNT analyst, told ESPN.

Meanwhile, the Orlando Magic's Vince Carter(notes) is apparently saying he'd like to see former New Jersey Nets head coach Lawrence Frank should be selected in the Windy City: "He was great," Carter told ESPN about the man he played under for five years. "Very intense."

Chris Bosh and Joe Johnson sending signals they will leave

Well, at least we know one free agent who’s definitely leaving his team. Yes, everyone has long thought it would be Chris Bosh, and he’s done nothing to discourage that thinking with some bizarre social networking behavior in which he’s asked fans to recommend what he should do.

Bosh changed his location on his Twitter account location to “everywhere,” and removed a biography section that noted his status as Raptors captain. These seem fairly obvious hints, and Bosh last week was at a Lakers/Jazz game at Staples Center tweeting about holding the MVP trophy. It seems Bosh is working on his Lakers sign-and-trade. Gasol? Bynum? I assume the Raptors take either, if they have a chance.

But the one I was more thinking of is Joe Johnson, who in this disastrous Hawks playoff meltdown basically bidding goodbye to the booing home crowd after Game 3 when he said the booing didn’t bother him.

“Hopefully, it doesn’t bother our team,” said Johnson. “We’re in this together. Us in this locker room, we could care less if they showed up or not.”


...


If I were the Bulls, I’d step up aggressively and offer him the maximum deal. I might not do the sign-and-trade, but allow a clause for a year extension or work out an insurance deal for a sixth year. From everything I’ve heard, the Bulls would have to mess it up to lose Johnson.

Those who know Johnson say he is low key and doesn’t want to be in the New York area. His agent is Arn Tellem, who represents Derrick Rose, and Johnson also is close with Rose’s agent/mentor B.J. Armstrong. Plus, it would be ideal for Johnson’s game to play with an up tempo style with a point guard like Rose, and good for Rose to have a shooter to spread the court and big two guard to defend.

Now this part would be just guessing as the Bosh scenario could play out in a dozen ways. But then if you were the Bulls, you’d be in position to offer the Raptors a sign-and-trade of Hinrich, Taj Gibson, a No. 1 pick and the rights to Omer Asik for Bosh, and you figure they’d have to give that serious thought. Even if you can add Johnson and keep Hinrich, Gibson and Luol Deng, that’s a heck of head start on the future. And it doesn’t seem so improbable.

Click-a-Bull (Silver Lining; Playoffs as Recruiting Tool?; + FA Update: Bosh, Wade, JoeJo, Boozer)

NBA Playoffs: A Silver Lining in the Cloud of Chicago's Game Two Loss

For more than three quarters Monday night in Cleveland, the Chicago Bulls matched the Cavaliers blow for blow as they tried to steal Game Two of their first round playoff series.

Almost inevitably, however, the Cavs put together a late-game run—fueled by another transcendent performance from LeBron James—to claim a 112-102 win.

There were no surprises, here. (Well, Jamario Moon’s three-point shooting, perhaps.) It’s a story that’s played out many times in postseason history.

The Bulls played spirited basketball, executing on offense and swarming on defense. Joakim Noah, Derrick Rose, and Luol Deng matched everything that James and company had to offer.

However, as well as those three played, it was clearly all Chicago could do just to stay even with the deep and powerful Cavaliers.

Cleveland, meanwhile, looked calm and confident, even when the Bulls carried the lead into the fourth quarter.

There was no panic. The Cavs were puzzled, perhaps, and even a bit irritated; but there were no signs of worry, no indications that they were about to come unraveled.

Sure enough, Moon stepped up to deliver three three-point daggers in the final period, and James flipped the switch that launched his latest late-game heroics.

The Bulls were deflated, and the game was over.

As the series moves to Chicago with the Bulls in a two-game hole, there is a light at the end of the tunnel. This is clearly a team on the rise.

Noah grew up a little Monday night. He relished the challenge of wrestling with Shaquille O’Neal, and he used his youth and quickness to outplay the Cavs’ elder statesman—and anyone else Cleveland threw at him.

Noah’s 25 points and 13 rebounds paced the Bulls. He’s been outspoken with his comments about this series (and others), and backed them up with intensity and focus.

Rose, meanwhile, gave the Cavaliers fits with his explosiveness, finishing with 23 points and eight assists. Deng chipped in a workmanlike 20 points.

Another bright spot: rookie forward Taj Gibson, who had 11 points and seven rebounds in just 23 minutes.

Could not agree more, Noah and Rose have made it clear to any potential FA (notably Bosh or Wade) that this is the place to come if you want to win right away. I doubt Wade leaves Miami, but if he does - we have created the perfect situation for him, in stark contrast to the terrible team he has with the Heat.

My fear is that Taj is playing TOO WELL right now, which will cause the Bulls front office to overrate him ... and think we don't have to go after a power-forward like Bosh. Then Wade stays in Miami, and the Bulls go after the next best 2-guard option ... Joe Johnson. He's good, but I'm not sure he puts us over the top for title contention the way the Wade or Bosh would.





Bulls playoffs a recruiting tool?

Mission accomplished!

Really, though, they've already accomplished the most important goal, just by making the playoffs and producing some nice highlights.

Derrick Rose has been knifing through two, three, sometimes four defenders and still finding ways to score. Joakim Noah put the wrath of Cleveland on his shoulders, then stepped up under pressure to deliver 25 points and 13 rebounds in Game 2.

I agree that making the playoffs gave us a heck of a lot more credibility than missing them. I've been arguing that point with those who've been hoping for a 2% chance at a top three pick for awhile.

I don't think our play against Cleveland ha raised the bar any though. We've done a nice job of not embarrassing ourselves, but it's going to take more to leave a lasting positive impression on free agents this summer.

Two wins, and I think free agents will say "wow they played Cleveland as tough as anyone" after Cleveland wins the title later this year. One win, and I think we'll be respectable. Zero wins, regardless of how hard we fight, won't earn us anything more than we've already earned in terms of respect.

McGraw also adds this scary tidbit:

One thing that appears certain this summer is it will take a maximum contract to get Bosh or Johnson. The Knicks didn't create all that cap room to park it in a mutual fund. They've geared up for a spending spree and likely will offer massive deals to both players.

I can't disagree with that speculation. It's going to take a max contract to get Joe Johnson. If we're willing to throw down that money on Joe Johnson then we'd better be willing to go into the tax, or this team's in real trouble going forward, and history doesn't support us going into the tax. Maybe the prime of Derrick Rose's career will be different. We can only hope.

---------------------



NBA Free Agency Watch: The Top Three Destinations for Chris Bosh

What an unceremonious way to go.

Chris Bosh's facial injury will probably end up damaging much more than just his nose. In all likelihood, it not only ended Toronto's chances of making the Playoffs this year—as Chicago now has more momentum for the 8th and final spot in the East—but it also was probably the end of Bosh's tenure in a Raptors uniform.

Unlike Joe Johnson, (discussed last week, http://bleacherreport.com/articles/375344-nba-free-agency-watch-the-top-3-destinations-for-joe-johnson), Chris Bosh is not only the most likely to leave of the free agents we'll discuss, but he also would probably be the smartest to do so.

While Toronto didn't make my list of teams that were stuck in neutral, (found http://bleacherreport.com/articles/360344-makeover-please-nba-rosters-that-need-a-new-look), they probably would have an automatic berth on that article if it were updated today.

When it comes to the Raptors, a lot of money has been spent on a squad whose chemistry never really clicked, whose toughness has been painfully lacking for yet another year, and who has underachieved beyond even the realistic expectations of a 4th or 5th seed in the East.

What's worse, the Raptors basically painted themselves into a corner while trying to convince Bosh to stay.

That things have turned out so poorly, while also limiting the chances for meaningful change, should probably convince Chris Bosh to cash out early in Toronto and avoid recreating the career arc of Kevin Garnett's painfully frustrating first 12 seasons.

So, with our second installment, we ask the question: "Where's the best place for Chris Bosh to wind up by the time this summer is over?" We answer in descending order:



1. Oklahoma City Thunder

The similarities between Chris Bosh and Kevin Garnett cannot simply be limited to the fact that they both have tirelessly labored for highly appreciative, but ultimately mismanaged franchises.

Both Bosh and Garnett have not only been blessed with freakish wingspan and leaping ability, but also with unparalleled athletic timing and work ethics. Both players are technically superior defensive anchors, who are also multi-dimensional offensive players as well.

Unfortunately, there is an unquestionable amount of evidence that both are also only true No. 1 players until crunch time reveals that they really are more comfortable in the No. 1a category. When it comes down to it, both players have been most successful when they can rely on someone else to take the big shots and close the game.

Can you imagine an already loaded Thunder roster adding one of the game's best defensive big men? Can you imagine a team-first veteran like Bosh patrolling the boards, while steadying this upstart squad with his deadly mid-range jumper and finishing ability?

This would be the best destination for Chris Bosh by far. A starting lineup of Russell Westbrook, Thabo Sefolosha, Kevin Durant, Chris Bosh, and Nenad Kristic would have one of the highest ongoing ceilings in the league.

Keep in mind that Jeff Green would be the 6th Man and crunch time replacement for Kristic, since Bosh could spot time at Center. Then, Serge Ibaka, Nick Collison, and James Harden could fill out the rest of the rotation.

Would you want to mess with that group next season? Didn't think so.

Are they a candidate to perennially win 60 games by adding a proven veteran superstar like Bosh? Absolutely.

Teaming up Chris Bosh with Kevin Durant is the type of no-brainer pairing that even a New York or New Jersey would have trouble providing.

Kevin Garnett didn't get an opportunity to play with fellow stars who completed his game until the tail end of his career. How could Bosh or Oklahoma City pass up the chance to make things right, right now?



2. Chicago Bulls

While the 2008 Beijing Olympics are mostly remembered for LeBron's unparalleled finishes, Kobe Bryant's veteran clutchness, Carmelo Anthony's new-found motor, and Dwayne Wade's triumphant comeback, it's actually Chris Bosh's defense that has remained an enduring memory for me.

Bosh not only was a steadying factor coming off the bench for the Americans, but he also was the glue guy who seemed to do all the little things at the exact right moment.

While Bosh did provide timely post play on offense, it was his defensive communication, mobility, and technical perfection that unquestionably made him the most effective big man for the U.S. during the entire tournament.

Can you imagine pairing him with Joakim Noah and Luol Deng on the Chicago front line? Would you want to try to score inside against that group?

Every single one of those guys is not only a fantastic one-on-one stopper, but a terrifying help defender as well!

Like the Thunder, the Bulls are another attractive fit for Bosh, since they are also already pre-built.

Bosh would be able to blend into an offense without having to absolutely carry it. He would be able to concentrate on the strong points of his game, while deferring to a fellow star, Derrick Rose, for the big shots.

Chicago's lengthy and well-publicized search for post help would be more than adequately addressed with a Bosh signing. While he's more of a jump-shooter than a back-to-the-basket player, he would undoubtedly provide enough across the board to push the Bulls into the East's upper echelon.

NBA Free Agency Watch: The Top Three Destinations for Carlos Boozer

While Carlos Boozer may not have quite the impact or clout of a LeBron James or Dwayne Wade, he certainly stands to benefit from the bidding wars that will surround those elite players this offseason.

Still, let's not diminish this guy's accomplishments either. When healthy, Boozer is one of the few automatic low-post scoring threats in the league. He's a "20 and 10" machine whose finishing and off the ball movements have meshed perfectly with super-point teammate, Deron Williams.

What's more, in addition to typically averaging a steal per game, Boozer has quietly become an effective passer at this stage of his career, racking up three assists per contest this season.

On the flip side, Boozer's limitations are also well defined. They are the reason why, right or wrong, he is oftentimes still not considered in the same stratosphere as other high-profile free agents-to-be like Chris Bosh (http://bleacherreport.com/articles/378153-nba-free-agency-watch-the-top-three-destinations-for-chris-bosh ) and Joe Johnson (http://bleacherreport.com/articles/375344-nba-free-agency-watch-the-top-3-destinations-for-joe-johnson ).

When it comes down to it, Carlos Boozer is an extremely gifted offensive player who is an average defender. He has never been able to protect the rim—probably due to a lack of height. He has also been susceptible to a myriad of nagging injuries and given plenty of reasons to be perceived as a mercenary for hire.

It is probably karmic payback that Carlos Boozer's stay in Utah has turned out like this, given the sketchiness of his signing heist away from Cleveland six seasons ago.

Boozer fought through a host of long-term injuries after signing, only to distract a deep Jazz team last year with his impending departure, and then to ultimately disappoint them when he opted-in to his contract anyways.

In the end though, Carlos Boozer has absolutely produced when on the floor. He has been an integral part in yet another successful Jazz season, and his skillset is the kind coveted by nearly every team in the Association.

Not every franchise with cap space can get LeBron or Wade, but Boozer stands to make a lot of money as a running mate for those that do, or as a consolation prize for those that don't.

Here are the top three possibilities, in descending order, for Carlos Boozer this offseason:

NBA Free Agency Watch: The Top Three Destinations for Joe Johnson

Is it too early to be doing this? I mean, we haven't even made it to the Playoffs yet. Aren't we supposed to be looking forward to those first?

Of course, if we're talking about LeBron however, this conversation is already two-plus years old!

So, let's begin to speculate, prognosticate, and even commiserate with those players not named LeBron—maybe we'll get around to him eventually—who are facing tough decisions about their future locations.

We don't have to limit our conversations concerning these top-flight free agents simply to the teams with loads of offseason cap space—as sign and trades are certainly always possible—but we must give them special consideration, as the odds are in their favor to make a big splash.

So, with our first installment, we ask the question: "Where's the best place for Joe Johnson to wind up by the time this summer is over?" We answer in descending order:



1. Atlanta Hawks

It's not that I'm opposed to change. Far from it, actually.

In this case however, Joe Johnson's smartest choice would be not to mess with the good thing he's already got going.

If you're Joe Johnson, why would you want to move on to a rebuilding team like the Nets and spend a couple of years trying to gain traction? Didn't you just get done doing that in Atlanta?

Would you really want to pair up with another superstar in New York, have to become the team's second gun, and probably play on a roster devoid of role players and depth?

Why do that when you are the undisputed top dog on your current team, which also happens to feature some of the most athletic and developed young forwards in the league?

Joe Johnson's three position versatility is rightfully going to be a coveted commodity this offseason. However, his skill set has developed alongside a cadre of players who complement each other so well in a hierarchy that is already established.

True, there might be a few extra dollars involved to leave, but the actual chances of personal and professional success are greater alongside the likes of Al Horford, Josh Smith, and Marvin Williams.

I would hate to see Joe cash out early on his investment of the past five seasons. He came to Atlanta during one of the franchise's lowest points. He has been a part of the Hawks' ascension to the NBA's near-elite. Why leave now and miss out on the payoff?



2. Chicago Bulls

Could Joe Johnson thrive as the second fiddle to a LeBron or Dwayne Wade? His versatility and relatively unassuming manner indicate that he very well could.

However, as stated above with the Hawks, I believe that Joe Johnson will be most successful as a No. 1 star surrounded by a talented supporting cast of 1a. and near-star players.

Like Atlanta, the Chicago Bulls have an intriguing roster that is filled with legitimate near-stars in Luol Deng and Joakim Noah, while also possessing a player in Derrick Rose who could alternate with Joe Johnson as the lead on a nightly basis.

Add Taj Gibson, Kirk Hinrich, and James Johnson as the other Bulls scheduled to return next year, and Chicago could field a very potent eight-man rotation, while filling out the rest of the roster with adequate depth after Joe Johnson's signing.

A starting lineup of Rose, Joe Johnson, Deng, Gibson, and Noah would be more than athletic and multi-faceted enough to make up for the continuing lack of a post-up player.

It's entirely possible that Chicago could still address that lessened need via a trade or reasonable free-agent signing. With Johnson aboard however, a low-post signee no longer needs to be a star-caliber acquisition. Instead, he just has to be a "different look" role player.

The Bulls will rightly make a big play for hometown hero Dwayne Wade, but in the event that he opts to go elsewhere, Joe Johnson is a perfect fit to step in and round out a Chicago roster that has always seemed just one piece away.

Raptors hoping to re-sign Bosh

The Toronto Raptors are going to make a last-ditch effort to re-sign franchise forward Chris Bosh with a pitch that includes not only a maximum contract offer, but also a promise that the club is willing to spend considerable luxury-tax dollars for the first time in an attempt to compete with the top teams in the Eastern Conference.

“I fully embrace the notion and still fully intend to talk about him staying a Raptor,” Raptors president Bryan Colangelo said Monday while going over the entrails of a second straight playoff-less season, “and the things that might happen with this team should he stay, the success we could have here and why Toronto is the right place for Chris Bosh.”

Colangelo also committed his ownership group – Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment Ltd., the multi-billion-dollar conglomerate that counts profits if not playoff berths from the NHL’s Toronto Maple Leafs and Major League Soccer’s Toronto FC – to go further into the NBA’s punitive luxury tax than it ever has before in order to secure the NBA team its first 50-win season heading into its 16th year.

“The plan … is to win basketball games at whatever cost and whatever extent,” he said. “The board is fully committed to doing whatever it takes to put a winning team on the floor. That includes re-signing Chris Bosh. That includes exceeding the tax limit.

“… I’ve got scenarios where we’ll be a $3-million [all currency U.S.] tax team and a $7-million tax team. And I’ve got scenarios where we’ll be higher than that.”

Wade looking for show of support

Dwyane Wade(notes) trudged off the court late Tuesday, his Miami Heat trailing the Boston Celtics by 33 points and more than six minutes still remaining in the game. The scene was unmistakably clear: If Wade wants help – if he hopes to build these Heat into anything close to resembling a contender – it will have to wait until the summer.

Wade scored 29 points, but, yes, this was mostly a game of one-on-five. The Heat’s lone All-Star was no match for the Celtics, even with Kevin Garnett(notes) suspended. The Celtics rolled to a 106-77 victory to take a 2-0 lead in the first-round series and this was the message they sent: Wade might be one of the three best players in the game and the best player in this series, but even he can’t beat Boston by himself.
More From Marc J. Spears

”We don’t win unless everyone is playing well,” Wade said. ”I don’t care if I score 50, we don’t win the ball game. It takes more that that to beat this team. I got confidence in my guys. They struggled tonight.”

Garnett was likely laughing while seated on the couch at his home. So much was made of his suspension for elbowing Quentin Richardson(notes) in the jaw in Game 1, but neither Richardson nor anyone else with the Heat made Garnett pay for his actions. Wade made 11 of his 18 shots, but the rest of the Heat combined to miss 40 of their 58 attempts.

The Celtics have won all five of their meetings with the Heat this season, including two games in which they didn’t have Garnett. Wade has averaged 31.2 points in those five games, but it hasn’t mattered much.

”One player can’t win it,” Wade said. ”We need everyone who comes in to be positive and have a positive input. We’ve got a couple guys who are struggling right now. As we always do as a team we’re going to stick together. That’s the only reason we’re here now, the only reason we have success.”

Click-a-Bull (Latest Trade Rumors: Magic, Lakers, Spurs; Turnaround, JJohnson, Potential vs. Performance, Slam Dunk Competition)

Bulls talking to Magic about Anthony Johnson

Per KC Johnson:

Magic men: Two league sources said the Magic is one of many teams the Bulls have talked to in their attempts to pare payroll before the Feb. 18 trade deadline. Guard Anthony Johnson has an expiring contract and the Bulls are making John Salmons and Tyrus Thomas available to any takers.

The Bulls remain focused on acquiring at least one expiring contract before the deadline.
For a trade involving Johnson [from the Magic] and Salmons or Tyrus [from the Bulls] to go down, other salaries need to be included. Looking over the roster, the only salary that really fits is JJ Reddick. Everyone else makes too little or isn't expiring.

Working from a base of Reddick + Johnson, you don't have enough salary to match John Salmons, so the obvious trade would be Reddick + Johnson for Tyrus. Orlando would also need to pick up a minimum salary player to meet the minimum roster requirements.

VOTE IN THE POLL ------->

Lakers: Waiting on the Trade Deadline

With both sides anticipating Kobe Bryant extending his stay with the Lakers (be it midseason with an extension or in July with a new contract), it seems counter-intuitive the team would invest so much in the Pau Gasol/Andrew Bynum/Lamar Odom/Ron Artest/Bryant core without a point guard to round out the rotation.

While Brown has shown some ability he's primarily effective against specific defensive matchups and isn't an ideal lead guard in the triangle. The Lakers don't need a true point guard but Shannon doesn't necessarily possess enough combo skills to run the position full-time.

That's why Kirk Hinrich of the Chicago Bulls is so intriguing. He's a strong defender who can rotate up on coverages to small forward. He'd be a capable starter or - if need be - a high minute reserve. He's never been a high percentage shooter but Hinrich has never benefited from the kind of open looks he'd get playing alongside Bryant, Gasol, etc.

Kirk is set to make $9 million next year and $8 million the following season. That's the rub. He'd solve a lot of problems but Lakers owner Dr. Jerry Buss is already in for more than he ever expected.

A trade of expiring contracts like Adam Morrison, Josh Powell and Farmar may be appealing to the Bulls but Hinrich simply isn't worth $18 million next season - which is what the addition would be including the luxury tax. Including Fisher in a package isn't a consideration for Los Angeles; regardless that wouldn't change next year's economics.

Berger: Spurs Intrigued by Ty Thomas

Two Western Conference teams intrigued by Thomas are the Nuggets, patiently seeking a big man to contend with the Lakers, and the Spurs, who were characterized by two rival executives as desperate to acquire an athletic big man. “They feel like they have to do something, like they’re behind the eight ball a little bit,” one of the execs said. The Spurs have a full complement of expiring contracts that would intrigue the Bulls, who want to avoid losing a significant player with no compensation (see Ben Gordon) for the second straight summer. The Spurs, who dipped their toe across the luxury tax line this season, will have to decide before the end of their annual circus road trip – which continued Monday night against the Lakers – what they’re willing to give up to see that investment pay off.

Rebounding from difficult start

The Chicago Bulls got off to a miserable start this year, one that consisted of bum ankle to their star point guard that altered the team’s fortunes, rumors of the coach’s impending firing, and the search for more offense after the departure of Ben Gordon.

While the ship hasn’t totally been righted, the Bulls appear capable of returning to the postseason, even though the team’s makeup could change by the Feb. 18 NBA trading deadline.

First off, when point guard Derrick Rose injured his ankle early in the preseason, the entire Bulls team felt his pain.

Rose hasn’t missed any regular season games, but he certainly wasn’t his explosive self early on.

“It was frustrating,” Rose said.

Rose eventually worked his way through the injury, but it wasn’t easy.

“He missed the whole month of training camp pretty much and that set him back, getting in condition and from a mental aspect of not being able to push off his ankle the way he wants to,” Bulls coach Vinny Del Negro said. “He has relied on athleticism a lot and when that was taken away from him, that obviously changes things.”

Now healthy, Rose has shown marked improvement after earning Rookie of the Year honors last year. This season he has been named to his first NBA all-star game, something that should become an annual occurrence over the next decade or so.

Not only were the Bulls coping with injuries to Rose, along with Kirk Hinrich and Tyrus Thomas, but Chicago was dealing earlier in the season with rumors of Del Negro’s potential departure.

The low point came when the Bulls squandered a 35-point lead and lost 102-98 to the visiting Sacramento Kings on Dec. 21. The Bulls would lose their next game in New York, 88-81 to drop to a season-high seven games under .500 (10-17). As recently as Jan. 8, the Bulls were 14-20, but then turned things around by winning 9 of their next 11 games.

Before that recent surge, nobody was receiving more heat than Del Negro. It seemed like every day there was a story speculating on his potential successor. Del Negro says when the team was at its lowest, his only recourse was to keep battling.

“I never get too excited or too down if you win or lose, you have to keep fighting and figure things out, especially with young teams,” he said. “Some of our guys are playing at a high level.”

The players, like everybody else were aware of the rumors, but like their coach, they had no choice but to block out all distractions and concentrate on trying to turn around a disappointing season.

“The players really kept together,” Rose said. “We weren’t worried about anything like that and we let the front office deal with that, it’s not our business. Our job is to come in, play hard and make this organization look good.”

Few have done more to make a team look good than Rose, one of the most explosive players breaking down a defenders in the NBA.

The Summer Bowl: Joe Johnson to Bulls?

On the day after the Saints' Super Bowl win over the Indianapolis Colts, this former New Orleans resident feels a bit of pride for the city where I used to live, albeit briefly. It must be something akin to the Bears' last championship, or the Sox more recent World Series title or rather -- as powerful of an affection as New Orleans feels for the Saints -- the Jordan era of the Bulls, and the six wins that came with it.

As the NBA season continues to move forward, I wonder if my current place of residence -- Chicago -- can make a dent in what equates to the NBA’s Super Bowl for the majority of the teams in the league: this summer’s loaded free-agent pool, the Summer Bowl, if you will. Let’s be honest, while the Bulls are certainly playoff hopefuls, there are only a few true contenders for the crown this year and Chicago isn’t among them. However, the Bulls are a team with a shot to be a major player this summer.

The biggest fish in the pond, LeBron James, is a near-lock to remain in Cleveland, despite the Knicks/Nets propaganda that is being fed to the public. The Cavaliers can pay him the most money, they are a contender this year and could still add another piece before the upcoming trade deadline, further appeasing their star. If James does opt to leave Cleveland, it would be a long shot that he lands in Chicago.

The next-biggest superstar name on the list happens to hail from Chicago: Dwyane Wade -- though he looked very much like a mere mortal on Saturday night, as the Bulls snapped their three-game losing streak with a win over the Heat at the United Center in their last game. Unfortunately, while there might be some hometown sentiment and Wade stated after the game, as he has in the past, that winning is his top priority -- he may be dissatisfied with Miami at the moment, as the Heat are currently on a losing skid and aren’t in the same class as other Eastern Conference contenders -- but they aren’t in that much of a different situation than Chicago, with a few key differences.

First, like James in Cleveland, the Heat can pay him more than any other team. Next, it’s Florida -- the “Sunshine State,” for those unfamiliar -- and Miami more specifically. And Wade has stated his preference for the warmer climate after growing up in the Windy City and attending college in Milwaukee, not to mention the tax benefits he enjoys in Florida. Keep in mind that the Heat, with few players under contract for next season, potentially have the ability to bring another superstar to pair with “Flash” (and who wouldn’t want to go to Miami and play with Wade?), and it’s obvious the Bulls are fighting an uphill battle in their quest to put together an all-Chicago backcourt with Wade and Derrick Rose.

At The Trading Deadline: Chicago's Potential Vs. Performance Debate

For years we've seen the Chicago Bulls' mistakes turn into fortune for other teams. We've seen promising players turn into all-stars and headcases turn into defensive specialists. Another case of the organization expecting too much too soon, some may say. Or is it a case of cutting your losses before your time to cash in on them runs out?

What may not have be known then about Brand and Artest, but is clear now, is the impact these players would have on their teams down the road. What we do not know, is how GMs come to these hard decisions of getting rid of players who they once coveted.

Sure, Hindsight is 20/20. We all do some things we wish we could take back. But you take the gamble in the name of the organization and live with it. What do you say to Elton Brand leading the Clippers, who hadn't been to the playoffs since 2005, back to respectability and giving them there first series win in a playoff game in thirteen years? Oops maybe.

Who would have thought that Artest, an unknown second-round pick from St John's University, would win the defensive player of the year award in 2004, and become an all-star in the same year, three years removed from the team that drafted him.

You can make cases for other players that have come through the Bulls organization who later had success and become all-stars, such as Brad Miller. Even J.R Smith has become a top guy for the Denver Nuggets since his release from the Bulls.

High Definition (Click for VIDEO)

A Slam Dunk contest never hurt anyone…


2010 – The Silver Anniversary
This Saturday night marks the Silver Anniversary of the NBA’s annual Slam Dunk Competition. The 2010 installment will take place at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, TX, with high flyers Shannon Brown, Gerald Wallace, defending champion Nate Robinson and either DeMar DeRozen or Eric Gordon competing for the right to be named the L’s best dunker.

(SIDE NOTE: That is, unless LeBron James surprises everyone by becoming some sort of last minute mystery dunker… In fact, it’s not beyond the realm of possibilities to see LBJ come running out from the stands, blocking one of Wallace’s attempts from behind, collecting the loose ball, dribbling (full steam down the court) before taking off from behind the foul line for a perfect two handed windmill – stealing the 2010 title and fulfilling his promise to compete… What? It could happen. A guy can dream, right?)

Before the “Dunk Off”; before Nate Robinson attempts to do what Michael Jordan, Dominique Wilkins, Jason Richardson and Harold Minor couldn’t – win three dunk titles – we felt it only fitting to flick through basketball’s history books and remind ourselves why we care about all 24 NBA Dunk Competition’s and their winners.

Click-a-Bull (Trade Rumors: Brad Miller, Kirk to Lakers / Free Agent Rumor: Joe Johnson)

NBA Trade Rumor: Brendan Haywood or Brad Miller To Portland

At the start of the season, there was no question that the Blazers had the most post depth in the League. But then the injuries hit. First Greg Oden fractured the patella in his left knee, and then Joel Przybilla ruptured his right patella tendon. As both of these happened in December, Portland hoped that 2010 would bring them some good news. But after going 5-5 in their last 10 games, and Utah jumping them in the Northwest Conference standings, it’s time to make a move.

According to ESPN.com’s Marc Stein, the Blazers have set their sites on two of the League’s expendable big men: Washington’s Brendan Haywood and Chicago’s Brad Miller. While neither is clearly a long-term option, their short-term benefits could push Portland over the top in the West.

DC pointed this out, and it's worth sharing: If you enter the Kirk for Sasha V. and A. Morrison trade into the ESPN Trade Machine, it shows no effect on the Bulls record and the Lakers getting -1 win this season. Seems odd.


Hawks, Johnson face uncertain future

When the heralded 2010 free-agent market opens this summer, most of the public’s attention will be devoted to figuring out where LeBron James(notes), Dwyane Wade(notes) and Chris Bosh(notes) are going. But there’s another prominent All-Star who figures to attract a lot of interest from NBA suitors, and he just might be among the most likely players to change teams.

Joe Johnson(notes) has the Atlanta Hawks contending now in the Eastern Conference, but several league sources say they wouldn’t be surprised if the All-Star guard leaves this summer, specifically to sign with the Chicago Bulls. The Hawks’ perch near the top of the East would likely keep them from moving Johnson – or any of their other core players – before next month’s trade deadline, but rival team executives wonder if they’d at least be willing to listen to offers if they aren’t certain Johnson will return.

What Should the Bulls do Before the Trade Deadline?

Over the past couple of seasons, the Bulls have been part of many trade rumors involving TT Tyrus for Amare, TT for Carlos Boozer; some more recent rumors involving Kirk for Caron Butler, Salmons for any expiring, and even Noah for T-Mac!

So how does this all play out? And how does it affect the Bulls this summer?

Tyrus Thomas -
The Bulls did not extend Tyrus last summer, instead opting to let him play this season, show some development, and earn a contract extension. Makes sense. But, there is always a "but" with this organization, it seems clear the Bulls never wanted/intended to re-sign TT. Extending Tyrus last summer or re-signing him this summer would severely hurt the Bulls cap-space this summer, meaning we would be passing on all the available free agents to keep TT. (If you haven't heard, that list includes: D-Wade, Bosh, JJohnson, Rudy Gay, Amare.)

I was opposed to trading TT for Boozer or Amare when the rumors came out last year, but would be all for it knowing what I know now. I wanted to keep TT long-term, hoping that eventually his enormous potential/up-side would manifest itself in a Bulls uniform. Looks like that won't happen, so we might as well get something for Tyrus instead of starting another summer by letting another talented young player sign elsewhere.


Kirk for Caron -
I like Kirk, and I like Caron. They both have similar contracts, so that doesn't matter. I already said it in this space, but I don't see us getting Caron then adding another wing player (Wade, JJohnson, Rudy Gay) this summer, so it might limit options.

Salmons for expiring -

This is my favorite option in this list. While Salmons actually has an "expiring contract", he has a player option for next season. With the current economy and Salmons getting off to a terrible start this year (just got his FG% over .400), there is a pretty good chance that Salmons could opt in and take that money. (Even Boozer opted in last year, and is having a great season - so that will pay off for him.)

If Salmons opts in for next season, the Bulls will have virtually no cap space this summer. That means we will have another season of watching D-Rose have to carry an organization that has failed to give him a real coach, failed to develop him as a PG, and failed to surround him with any real talent (save JoaNoah).


Noah for T-Mac -

Laughable. Stupid. Not-worth-writing-about. This is one of those moves that would make me legitimately question my fanhood. (Or is it "fandom"? Either way, I would question it.)

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So where does that leave the Bulls? I've written extensively about how the summer of 2010 may play out - I just have that feeling that the Bulls will fail to get Wade or Bosh, and could end up over-paying for a second-tier free agent, such as JJohnson or Rudy Gay. That is not to say those guys aren't great players ... but are they true franchise players?? I would say there are only about 12-15 REAL franchise players in the Association, and D-Rose isn't there yet. That list would include: Dirk, Melo, Kobe, Yao, CP3, KD, B-Roy, D-Will, LeBron, Granger, Wade, D12, and Bosh.

The Bulls are already stuck with Luol Deng's big money, long-term contract. If we offer another max or near-max deal to a less-than-franchise player, we will be severely limited in the future. It appears that trading TT or Salmons would give us a better chance to offer a max deal to either Wade or Bosh ... so those options have to be considered.

I would hate to give up TT just to get cap space, so if we move him, I would hope we can get back some combination of expiring contracts, draft picks or good players with reasonable contracts. I would give away Salmons for any expiring, just to ensure that he doesn't opt-in to his player option for next year. Other than that, excluding D-Rose and JoaNoah, I am open for any trade possibilities.

Right now, the Bulls are at risk to not have enough cap-space to offer some free agent (Wade or Bosh!) a max deal. On a recent podcast, Bill Simmons talked about the possibility of the Bulls making some moves (trading Kirk, Salmons for expirings) and then signing Bosh AND LeBron (who supposedly want to play together). I'm not a big LeBron fan because of his cocky-selfish-attention-whore attitude, but a team of D-Rose, Bron and Bosh would be unstoppable. I don't think it's a realistic possibility.

Best case scenario would be to move Salmons, sign Wade or Bosh, and replace VDN. Worst case scenario would be Salmons opting-in, Bulls over-paying for JJohnson or Rudy Gay (putting us over the salary cap), then keeping VDN to save some money. That is a huge contrast ... and I'm very scared that the latter could happen.

2010 NBA Free Agency = Fantasy Auction Draft (& a Bulls' FAIL!)

Regular readers know that all 3 BBS writers/contributors are involved in an NBA Fantasy Auction Keeper League. To save some time, here are the basic rules (+our strategies), and here are my pre-season predictions. [Note: DC is currently leading the league and is a lock for 1st place with CP3, Bosh and Boozer. Kmart is in 2nd place, and I am ranked a few spots lower (no details needed).]

The draft basically went down in 3 big steps:

(a) the top players were called (DC set the market by getting CP3 at $26 dollars) and everyone bid to get one of the top players for about $21 to $26 dollars. Everyone had money to spend and wanted a big name on their roster.

This basically included:

CP3 $26
Granger $24 (more than LeBaby and KD if you're keeping track)
Lebron $23
KD $23
DWade $22
Kobe $21


(b) Everyone started to realize we spent about 1/3 of our salary cap ($60 or $65 with the luxury tax) on 1 guy, and eased off for a while. This lead to some incredibly great deals on some really good fantasy players.

Dirk $18
Bosh $17
Pau $15
B Roy $13
Melo $11
Joe Johnson $10
Devin Harris $9
Timmy D $8
Pierce $7
Booxer $6
Gerald Wallace $6
J Smoove $4

(c) Some people had a decent amount of money remaining and were able to get whoever they wanted by out-bidding the other owners. Certain owners had money to spend, and needed to fill out their rosters. Some of the players weren't as good, but everyone had needs to fill and money to spend. The rest of the owners had to wait until they could fill out their rosters with $1 players.

Instead of going for $1-$2 like most guys at this point in the, these players had a slightly elevated price. I would provide examples, but I don't recall how our draft order played out and there were a lot of players in that $3-6 range. You get the idea.
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The 2010 Free Agency period will look exactly like (a) then (c) above, then maybe a little (b). I think we will skip the (b) part (where players go at a discount after an initial big spending period) because too many teams have freed up cap space and convinced their fans to sit through some really bad seasons waiting for a "savior" in the summer of 2010. When that "savior" ends up signing elsewhere (in part (a)), each team is going to panic, needing to get something, and jump right into overpaying a player from the next wave (just like part (c)).

First, let's take a look at the 2010 free agent players available ...

The Big 3:
LeBron
DWade (Player Option)
Bosh (PO)

The next level:
Kobe (PO)
Dirk (Early Termination Option)
Boozer
Rudy Gay
Joe Johnson
Amare (ETO)
Paul Pierce (ETO)
Yao (ETO)

Other notables:
Ray Allen
Josh Howard
Will Bynum
David Lee
Carl Landry
Przybilla (ETO)
Ty Thomas
Camby
Ronnie Brewer
Manu
Michael Redd
Mo Evans


(Source: ESPN)


Second, the teams that have cap space ...

Many teams have planned the past couple seasons based on creating or maintaining cap space for next summer's free agent market. According to Chad Ford (Insider), that list includes: "nine teams -- the New Jersey Nets, New York Knicks, Miami Heat, Minnesota Timberwolves, Houston Rockets, Chicago Bulls, Oklahoma City Thunder, Los Angeles Clippers and Sacramento Kings."

And for more details on teams with cap space, check NBAroundtable:

Max Contract Players

* New York – $20.2-to-$23.4 million in cap space – link
* New Jersey – $20.35-to-$25.5 million in cap space – link
* Miami – $18.4-to-$21.9 million in cap space – link
* Chicago – $9.2-to-$17.9 million in cap space – link

The Rest Of The Group

* Minnesota – $7-to-$14 million in cap space – link
* Oklahoma – $9.2-to-$12.7 million in cap space – link
* Houston Rockets — $6-to-$12.7 million in cap space – link
* LA Clippers – $6-to-$11 million in cap space – link
* Sacramento – $6-to-$10 million in cap space – link
* Atlanta Hawks — no substantial cap space (below MLE) – link

In part (a), the teams will sign the big players for max contracts early in the free agent period. This is where DWade, Bosh and Bron will sign with their "new" teams.

I have a hard time believing Wade will leave Miami (that extra year at $25 million would be tough to pass up). The only reason I see Wade going elsewhere is if there is truth the the rumor (conspiracy theory?) that there was a late-night meeting in Beijing where Bosh, Bron, Wade, CP3 (next year) and a bunch of them decided to play together and win 8 straight titles.

I would say the same for LeBron staying in Cleveland, but he is a selfish, cocky ass-clown who thinks he will be a "global icon" - even though he's making plenty of people dislike him with his antics. I have no idea what he will do, but I think it depends on how the Cavs do this season (and since I've said from the beginning that Shaq makes them worse, I dont see it going well).

So that leaves us with Bosh from the top group ... it seems very, very unlikely that he will remain in Toronto. But no one seems to know where he will end up. Could he go to the Knicks with LeBaby? Sign in Miami to play with DWade? No idea, but I have a feeling he plans on joining a legit team, with the hopes of pushing them over the top and competing for titles. So let's just say the Bulls have not made a great impression.

OK, so let's assume the Bulls make a run at hometown hero, DWade. Maybe there is a chance he leaves Miami to come home and play with DRose for the Bulls? That would seem conceivable if the salary/contract would be identical. But as I said, the Heat can offer an extra year at $25 million, so Chicago has to seem $25 million better than Miami. Seems much less likely considering that. (As a side note, I have made the argument that the Bulls shouldn't sign DWade (scroll way down). I was basically being devil's advocate, but there is an argument, right?)

LeBaby either stays in Cleveland, signs with the Knicks or Nets, or does something drastic like signing with the Clippers (why not? Eric Grodon, Blake Griffin and LeBron would be an excellent core).

No Idea what Bosh is doing, so I guess there is a chance the Bulls could get him. I thought he had "maxed out" as NBA player, reached his peak and would just be the same old same-old for the next 10 years. But with the way he bulked up this offseason and is crashing the glass (one of only 2 players averaging 20points/10rebounds this season), I have changed my mind. I think he has become much better, and the EXACT type of player the Bulls need - scrappy, hard-working 4 who can run the pick-and-roll and score in the post. Pair him up with D-Rose and we are looking excellent!

The pessimist Bulls fan in me feels like there is 0% chance that this happens. The Bulls big stroke of luck was landing D-Rose, and we cannot expect 2 things to work out this perfectly less than 2 years later, right?

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So now let's get into why I absolutely fear/dread/despise the summer of 2010 ... This is where we will see part (c): teams that missed out on the big name players, but cannot come away empty-handed. Assuming the Bulls miss out on CB4, this is where they still have money to spend and need to get something from the "greatest year of free agency in NBA history."

So the Bulls miss out on Wade and Bosh, but will still be looking at some legit players (most likely): Boozer, Rudy Gay, Joe Johnson and Amare. I really like all four of these guys, but I don't love any of them for the Bulls. The key here is that the Hawks have $ that they will aim at JJ, the Knicks will have $, etc - so the price on these guys will be max or near-max. So none of these "second-tier" free agents next summer will sign for "second-tier" dollars. With all of these teams creating cap space, every player will be playing teams against each other to get a bigger contract.

If the Bulls can land one of these 4, we are automatically much improved in any way you look at it. Boozer (the other player averaging 20points/10rebounds) would have a similar effect to Bosh - great in the pick-and-roll, would be excellent with D-Rose and Noah. Rudy Gay gives us a young, athletic, scoring 3 that could play off (and grow together with) Rose. It would give us versatility on both ends with him and Luol playing the 2/3, giving us an athletic, big lineup and creating plenty of matchup problems. Joe Johnson would have that same effect, and give us the much-needed aplha dog to takeover at the end of close games. Amare is having a down year (for him) since eye surgery, but has been hitting the boards much better recently. His killer 17-20' jumper would work incredibly well with D-Rose in the pick-and-roll, which would create much more space for Rose to use his speed/quickness.

(Note: I don't even want to think about what will happen if the Bulls put their time/effort into signing Wade and Bosh, then those second-level players sign deals with other teams before the Bulls get a chance at them. Could be panic-mode where the Bulls end up throwing too much money at Landry/Przybilla/Camby. I'm just saying - be prepared).


At first glance, it appears the Bulls come away from the summer of 2010 much better than they were before with any of JJ/Gay/Booz/Amare, but the long-term effects will end up destroying our team ... leaving us stuck as a 45-52 win team that is always competitive and in the playoffs, but never a real elite team that has a chance to win the title. I will cover the details in my upcoming post: "Why the Bulls Must Trade Luol Deng: To Keep Joakim Noah and Win a Championship"

NBA Player Rankings – Shooting Guard

Earlier this week I posted my “NBA Player Rankings – Point Guard”, now we move on to the next position ...

These are subjective rankings, meaning that although I considered statistics, the final rankings are based on my personal thoughts and feelings on each player. I ranked each player based on the position they actually play for their team, and considered each players’ impact this year and going forward. The things I considered in developing my rankings are: skills/accomplishments, age, stage of career, future potential.

1. Kobe Bryant
2. Dwyane Wade
3. Joe Johnson
4. Brandon Roy
5. Vince Carter
6. Stephen Jackson
7. Manu Ginobili
8. Jason Terry
9. Michael Redd
10. Rip Hamilton
11. Ray Allen
12. Kevin Martin
13. Jason Richardson
14. OJ Mayo
15. Ben Gordon

Just missed the list: Tracy McGrady, Eric Gordon, Allen Iverson, Ronnie Brewer, Raja Bell, John Salmons

This list did not seem as tough at first glance, but it was harder than I thought. Kobe is still the clear #1, but for how long? He has played a lot of games over his career and an obscene amount in the past few years (regular season, playoffs, Olympics), and he goes 100% every night. I will keep D-Wade at #2 for now, but not sure how long that will last. Much more on this to come in my “Bulls Preview Column” later this month – how’s that for a teaser?

I wanted to put Manu in front of Vince, but haven’t seen him healthy in years. Also, Vince might be rejuvenated with a new team.

I had a really tough time placing the lower end of this list. Is BG really ahead of AI? Will T-Mac come back from his injury and perform?



Click here for "NBA Player Rankings – Small Forward"