[RE-POST] LeBron to Bulls? ... Confessions of a "LeBron Hater"

[THIS POST WAS ORIGINALLY POSTED May 14, 2010]

I will say it up front: I hate LeBron James. I hate his quest to become a "global icon" and I hate his cocky attitude. Everything he does is annoying to me. I was visibly upset when he stole the show at the All-Star Slam Dunk Contest 2 years ago, only to back out and not even compete last year. It was a ploy for attention, because he's an attention-grabbing, me-first kind of guy. I hated him even more when he walked off without shaking hands against the Magic.

I take delight in his failures, and love all the negativity that resulted from "Game 5" against the Celtics. Instead of taking the blame (like MJ, Magic, Bird, etc. would have), he was defiant. Then he had a pretty bad game last night, despite what his triple-double indicates - he shot 8/21 FG and had 9 TOs to go along with his gaudy numbers. It was like he was forcing the triple-double to make a point that it wasn't his fault. It's his team, and it's his fault.

I have often made my hatred for LeBron known, and so I am frequently asked the obvious question: "What will you do if the Bulls sign LeBron this summer?" And the answer is complicated ...


DC (another BBS contributor) recently summarized my thought process on twitter:

@DanFXC: I hope the bulls don't even make lebron an offer. But when they do I hope he signs. I'm OK with this hypocrisy.

As a die-hard NBA fan, I watch a lot of basketball. I recognize talent, and it's obvious that LeBron is the best player in the Association. (I might technically argue that Kobe is a better basketball player and LeBron is the best athlete playing basketball, but that's not the point.) LeBron is awesome. I went to game 3 of the Bulls/Cavs series a couple weeks ago, and it was incredible. I hated every single second of it, but LeBron was ridiculous. Just so we're clear, I get it: he's great. So would I want the best player on my team? Seems dumb to say no. But I hate him so much, how can I possibly say yes?


I will cheer for the Bulls. I will hope they win every game, just like I do now and always have. But I will never love LeBron the way I love those 1990s Bulls players: MJ, Pippen, BJ Armstrong, Jud Buechler, Horace, Rodman, Will Perdue, Craig Hodges, Cliff Levingston (the list goes on and on ...) and current Bulls D-Rose and JoaNoah. I will never love LeBron like that. He will never be included in my list of "Top 10 Favorite Bulls' Players" (or even my 'Top 25'). I hate him enough that I can be sure of that.

But my loyalty to the Bulls goes much deeper than my LeBron hate. I was only 7 years old, but I still hate the 'Bad Boy Pistons' for walking off the floor when we completed the sweep in 1991. I still remember being mad at Magic a couple weeks later, when the Bulls whooped the Lakers and tied the 1991 NBA Finals 1-1, and he said (with a been-there-won-that swagger): "You could lose by 1 or lose by 20, it's still 1-1". I grew up thinking that every summer started with a Chicago Bulls Championship parade. I didn't hope we would win, I expected it. (That's how good MJ and Pippen were.) I ran up and down the streets banging pots and pans after Pax hit the "3 for the 3-peat". I followed MJ's baseball career, and defended Scottie after "the migraine". I loved the "Beatles-esque" aura that surrounded the 72-win team with Jordan, Pippen and Rodman. I know exactly where I was the day we drafted Dickey Simpkins. I cried, literally cried, when Phil Jackson called 1998 "The Last Dance." I watched us draft the co-rookie of the year, then trade him after he put up two-straight 20/10 seasons. I even hung with the Bulls when they signed the arch-enemy, John Starks. I was there for drafting BG only to let him walk for nothing, and I still wear my draft-day hat from the night we drafted Tyrus Thomas. I jumped up and hugged my roommate when we won the 1.7%-chance lotto for D-Rose, two grown men hugging and yelling like 5-year-olds.

I've blindly stayed committed to this team for the last 12 years. We have had a couple ups, but many more downs. It's been frustrating and terrifying and awful, but I couldn't be swayed ... I'm a Bulls fan. It's what I am, and it's all I know. I know what it's like to win and win and win (twice). So I have held onto that hope during the last twelve seasons, hoping that we can get to that point again. We've had some steps in the right direction, and could be taking a big step toward that goal this summer. And if signing LeBron gives us the best chance to win (and win and win), I will support that signing and support him, because he will be a member of my team.

He's not my first choice this summer, as I'd gladly take Wade or Bosh instead ... but I will support my team regardless of what happens. Maybe after I spend some time supporting the Bulls, and thus LeBron in a Bulls uniform, I will even begin to stop disliking him. I doubt it, but it's possible. But I know that whatever our starting lineup ends up being next year, if LeBron is on the Bulls, he will be my fifth favorite player in that group.

Click-a-Bull (Ira the Idiot; Rudy/Henry Update)

LeBron’s new spokesman? We nominate Wade

Dec. 2 and March 29 in Cleveland? The forecast is for considerable storminess.

Jan. 15 and Feb. 24 in Chicago? Apparently, clear skies.

Give Dwyane Wade credit. Amid a summer of Heat villainy, he continues to emerge as a voice of reason.

His returns to Chicago this season are setting up like nothing close to what LeBron James is expected to receive in Cleveland.

Thursday, Wade spent time on WSCR in Chicago, promoting his charity weekend there. During the radio interview, he was asked about his spurning of his hometown during free agency, after dropping numerous hints about the possibility of a return.

Dwyane Wade has spent the offseason saying the right things.

He was as smooth as, well, the anti-LeBron.

“Like I said, it was very close and I had to take my emotional side out of Chicago and not making an emotional decision,” he said. “But, at the end of the day, I think those guys understood, first of all, they have got a great team. They did an unbelievable job at getting the right team around them to get themselves in a position to compete for a championship real soon. They did a great job.

Leave it to a beat writer in Miami to get the pulse of Chicago Bulls' fans about D-Wade. What a f$%^ing moron. Maybe I'm in the minority of Bulls' fans, but I hate anything related to that punk group of chumps down in "South Beach". Wade can talk a good talk about Chicago being his home, but the only reason he's not the most hated athlete in Chicago is because we all hate LeBron just slightly more. Warm reception at the UC? I think we'll save the cheers for our own team.

The only reason I want Wade to be successful at all is because I'm hoping LeBron gets hurt near the end of the regular season and the Heat win the title without him. That way that little punk-bitch has to accept the ring that his teammates earned while he sat on the bench with a broken leg. And now I'm hoping he gets hurt colliding into this ass-hat Ira Winkleman and they both end up in wheelchairs. Stick to Miami and your hated Heat. Leave the real basketball, and the real fans, in Chicago where it belongs.




Odds and Ends; Rudy update and Henry's situation with Memphis

A couple minor news items came out over the past few days, and I didn't feel like creating a whole blog post for either, but on another slow August day (is there a worse month in sports than August? Seriously?) I figure it's worth an update.


First, Rudy Fernandez no longer wants to play in the NBA, or at least he's willing to say that in hopes of getting his release from the Blazers.

"He has indicated he would like to return to Europe to continue his basketball career," Miller told Yahoo! Sports on Wednesday. "He is more comfortable in Europe. He'd rather be in Europe than the NBA. He understands the circumstances in which he wouldn't be coming back. I don't see any scenario in which he'd want to be back."


Well I can think of a scenario where Rudy would love to return to the NBA. One where he's not on the Blazers and isn't losing a couple million dollars a year over what Europe would pay him.

Rudy's gone on to discuss how he was depressed last season, doesn't like his role, and feels the Blazers broke promises. I'm not going to jump on him. This is a guy who probably lost about 6 million bucks so far by coming to the NBA and doesn't feel he's had an appropriate chance to play his style of game to earn a quality NBA contract.

I'm sure promises were made given how much he had to leave on the table to come over, and so he has every right to be pissed off that those promises were broken.

However, while I understand Rudy's plight, at this point, he's certainly made himself undesirable for teams to trade for him. That may certainly be his intention as it's likely he's being incredibly straight forward when he says this isn't what he wants, and he wants to play in Europe again.

As for Xavier Henry, he's still battling with Memphis over whether a few hundred thousand in his contract will be guaranteed or not, and what types of things need to happen to make that money guaranteed.

The center of the argument hinges on Memphis desire to make part of his money incentive based on achieving one of three metrics (all rookie team, rookie / sophomore team inclusion, or 15 minutes a game for 70+ games). It's common to have incentives in contracts (virtually every rookie contract now has them), but performance incentives are rare in rookie contracts.

Is Memphis pushing the envelope too hard here? I'd think they are well within their rights to try to push it however they want. As noted on shamsports creative financing in the NBA article, this is a tactic the Spurs have used all the time.

RE-POST: How Will the Summer of 2010 Play Out for the Chicago Bulls? (Part 2)

[Editor's Note: This is a continuation of Part 1, which was originally posted back in March and was re-posted yesterday. So much has changed since these were written that it's almost funny to look back. But this is definitely worth scrolling all the way down for my "worst-case-scenario" for the Bulls.]

If you missed Part 1 of my Summer 2010 predictions, check that out first because I will be severely disappointed if it comes down to this next part ...

The second-tier free agents:

Boozer
Rudy Gay
Joe Johnson
Amare (ETO)

... and I left David Lee off my previous list, so I'll touch on that option.

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

Note: None of the first 4 are truly "second-tier" players, as they are all great NBA talents. They just aren't on the level of the "Big 3" from my previous post. D-Lee might actually be a second-tier player, but would be a great addition to the Bulls along with one of the "Big 3." Except why spend the money on D-Lee when we have a pretty legit young PF in Taj Gibson. (I cannot believe I typed that sentence, if the Tyrus dream wasn't over before, it certainly is now.)

Note 2: I have already discussed the Summer of 2010, including a brief paragraph on how each of these 4 would fit with the Bulls:

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.

I don't think I can better summarize how each of those guys might fit with the bulls than I did back in December, so I'll get into my predictions of how/why these guys might leave (and how much they could/should sign for).

All five (including D-Lee) of these guys could pull a near-max deal for a couple reasons:

(a) All 4 are very talented and pretty young (more on age below).

(b) A bunch of teams have money to spend, and have sold their fans on "Summer of 2010" hope, so those teams cannot come away with nothing.


Amare

Amare is a freak, coming back from micro-fracture and a dislocated retina ... and he has been going nuts since the trade deadline (trust me, he was on my fantasy team). It's hard to argue that he would not be a good addition to the Bulls. A perfect fit for the pick-and-roll with D-Rose because he can attack the basket, or step back and drop 20-footers. That being said, his injury history makes me cautious + he came straight out of high school. So he's only 27-years-old, but already in his 8th season.

Boozer

Boozer is younger than you might think at 28, but has missed significant time in 3 of his 8 seasons. I think he is clearly the 3rd option for a PF this summer, behind Bosh and Amare (who seems headed to the Heat). No one seems to have a clue what he will do, but I know one thing ... he will be signing a very large paycheck with whatever team offers him the most money.

I know that he can bring a lot to his team, consistently putting up double-doubles for the first half this season and can easily go off for 30+ points ... but I am really hoping it doesn't come down to this for the Bulls. That means we will have missed at many better options, including both Bosh and Amare just at this position!

Joe Johnson

It appears the Hawks will not be offering a max-deal, so another team may be able to swoop and and get JJ if they are willing to pay the money. Will that be the Knicks? It's very possible, but there are other teams interested as well:

The word from the paper of record, the New York Times, is that it is far more likely that the Knicks will have Atlanta Hawks forward Joe Johnson(notes) on its roster next year. Johnson and Knicks coach Mike D'Antoni worked well together in Phoenix and the coach would supposedly love to have him back.

The eight-year pro guard is averaging 21.5 points, 4.7 rebounds and 4.7 assists per game. The Times says the Hawks are going to try and retain Johnson and the Los Angeles Clippers and Chicago Bulls are likely going to try and sign him as well.

So will the Bulls land JJ? I hope not. Add his playoff performance to that (29% shooting, 12ppg against the Magic), and I would be extremely disappointed if the Bulls sign JJ. As Bill Simmons recently wrote: "You cannot win a title if Joe Johnson is one of the two guys making max money on your salary cap unless the other guy is named "LeBron." Desperate NBA teams with money to burn this summer, consider yourselves warned."



Rudy Gay

Rudy Gay is 23 years old, and has career averages of 17.4p, 5.5r, 1.7a. Seems like that would a legit addition to our frontline of Noah and Taj, but ... Don't the Bulls already have an overpaid, 23-year-old small forward who puts up 15.8p, 6.5r, 2.2a?? Seems redundant.

I have no idea if RG will stay in Memphis this summer, and I really don't care. If the Bulls sign Gay, I think it will be out of utter desperation after swinging and missing at our real targets.


David Lee

I have no idea what David Lee will do, but part of me believes that he would love to play on a team with a "true center." He has spent the last few seasons playing as an under-sized center for the Knicks, and being 4 inches shorter and 50 pounds lighter than everyone you are going against on a nightly basis has to get old. If the Bulls sign a wing player (Bron, Wade), Lee could be the perfect compliment ... but we already have Taj in that spot. So it would seem like a waste to sign a more expensive power forward.

***********************************

So how would I rank the top Free Agents for the Bulls?

(1) LeBron (hate him, but he is the best player on earth)
(2) Bosh (actually my number 1 choice)
(3) Wade
(4) Amare
(5) Boozer

...

(34) David Lee
(87) Rudy Gay
(108) Joe Johnson



**********************************

So what do I think the Bulls will do this summer?? I am terrified at how this will turn out ...

Sign Reggie Theus as our head coach based on his performance in season 1 of "Hang Time" (possibly replacing him next year with Dick Butkus).

Sign-and-trade Taj Gibson for Joe Johnson (max deal), freeing up enough cap space to sign Rudy Gay to a max deal. Our starting lineup will be Rose, Noah and 3 wings (Deng, Gay, and JoeJo) with no power-forward on the roster.

That will leave us with no cap-space for the next few years, allowing both Rose and Noah to leave for better teams that can give them the money they deserve.

[Singing] "Only the BULLS! Only the BULLS!! ..."

RE-POST: How Will the Summer of 2010 Play Out for the Chicago Bulls?

[Editor's Note: This was originally posted back in March, so a lot (I repeat: A LOT!) has changed since then. But it's still fun to look back.]


The "Summer of 2010" has been talked/written about extensively for the last 2-3 years. We know all the players and teams involved, and it has almost taken on a life of its own. But enough with the vague, hopeful claims - it's time to look into some realistic possibilities and probabilities for the Chicago Bulls.

Here are the teams with enough cap space to sign a free agent to a max contract:

New York (4 players, 17.8M, no pick holds) 32.8M free
New Jersey (7 players, 23M, 1 high pick hold) 25.6M free
Miami (5 players including Wade, 26M 2 medium pick holds) 22.6M free
Washington (6 players including Gilbert, 28M, 1 high pick hold) 20.1M free
Chicago (7 players, 33M, 1 medium pick hold) 17.6M free
Sacramento (9 players, 33M, 1 high pick hold) 16.6M free
LA Clippers (4 players, 32.6M, 1 mid-lottery hold) 16.5M free

(That info was harder to find than I thought, but I'll trust it because the numbers are fairly close to the numbers at this link and this link.)

Then I found this link from a more reputable source, HoopsWorld (note that this shows contracts, not cap space):

TEAM CONTRACTS #1 PICKS MINIMUM HOLDS
Miami HEAT 5 - $30.7 million* 2 5 - $2.4 million
New York Knicks 5 - $18.6 million 0 7 - $3.3 million
New Jersey Nets 7 - $25.9 million 2 3 - $1.4 million
Sacramento Kings 10 - $34.2 million 1 1 - $0.5 million
Chicago Bulls 6 - $31.9 million 1 5 - $2.4 million
Los Angeles Clippers 4 - $33.5 million 2** 6 - $2.8 million
Minnesota Timberwolves 8 - $35.0 million 2** 2 - $0.9 million

The Bulls made the list because they were able to turn Nocioni('s terrible contract) into Salmons and Brad Miller last season, then turn Salmons into expirings from the Bucks this year. Those moves freed up enough cap space to offer a max deal to a free agent this summer, so now we have to figure out which player that might be.

Here are the free agents (or likely free agents) heading into this summer (from my previous Summer 2010 post):

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)

Obviously the Bulls (and everyone else) cleared space to go after 1 or 2 of the "Big 3" - and since there are 7 teams with max space (including the Knicks and Heat with space for 2), there will be a bunch of teams disappointed and settling for second-tier free agents. So which players will end up on which teams? Let's figure it out ...


The "Big 3"





The major issue is that these 3 (and any of the other FAs) can get an extra year (at $25M) if they stay with their current teams. That is a huge economic advantage for the Cavs, Raptors, Heat respectively and would be enough to keep almost anyone in any situation. But each of the "Big 3" have all kinds of money, so each could leave their current teams for different reasons.


LeBron -

Let me get this out of the way: I hate LeBron. I understand that he is the best basketball player on the planet, but I just don't like him. That being said, I'm sure I could learn to love him in a Bulls' uniform. I hated Rodman on the Pistons and hated Noah at Florida, and I have learned to embrace/love them.

So will he leave Cleveland? At first I thought it would depend on whether they win a title this year, but I'm not so sure that is the deciding factor.

The money is least relevant to him because he has a HUGE endorsement deal from Nike, and would probably make even more endorsement money in a bigger market. Plus, he wants to be a "global douche icon", which would be easier in a real city, like Chicago, NY or LA.

On the other hand, he is from Ohio, and would ruin basketball in Cleveland if he leaves before bringing them a title. So weighing both sides ...

I am pretty convinced that he will stay in Cleveland, but for a short-term deal so that he can keep the team on the hook to keep improving.

Chances LeBron stays or leaves?
Back with Cleveland: 80%
Leaves the Cavs: 20%

I initially had 85/15, but increased the chance of him leaving when thinking about the possibility of Dallas (or some other team) offering a sign-and-trade. That would allow Bron (or Wade or Bosh) to leave their city without completely destroying the team's hopes. So that is a possibility, and has Bill Simmons' has pointed out, something that Mark Cuban is hoping/planning to work on this summer.

If he does leave CLE, I assume he will go to the NY Knicks, which brings is to ...


Chris Bosh -

I don't see him staying in Toronto. He is a legit star, but stuck on the only NBA franchise in Canada - and just doesn't get the credit/recognition he wants/deserves. I realize it would be difficult to leave $25M on the table - but Bosh has to be convinced that he could make up some of that through exposure and endorsements. Toronto tried to bring in some pieces and make a run at things this year, but it hasn't panned out and I see Bosh leaving.

Chances CB4 stays or leaves:
Stays in Tor: 10%
Leaves for NY: 15%
Leaves for Miami: 25%
Leaves for Chicago: 50%

I realize that it looks like wishful thinking from a Bulls fan, but I have legit reasons for each % above:

Toronto - possible he stays for the $25M.
NY - will only head there with LBJ, because the Knicks are so terrible that they have to get 2 of the Big 3, or they will get none.
Miami - Bosh could leave

Chicago!!! - Doesn't this seem absolutely perfect for Bosh?! 5 reasons ...

(1) He leaves Toronto to come to a major city in the States (read: endoresement $$).

(2) The Bulls have been searching for a back-to-the-basket, low-post scorer for years, and Bosh has said that he wants to be "The Man" on his new team.

(3) The center he currently plays with (Bargnani) is a perimeter player. In Chicago he would play with a true center (Noah) who does all the dirty work (boards/protects paint), so he could focus on offense.

(4) he gets to play with one of the best young PGs in the league.

(5) He could basically "pick" his coach because there is no way VDN is back next year.

Chicago literally seems to have everything someone like Bosh could want, so I think there is a legit 50% chance he signs with the Bulls. (And yes, I can admit that part of that % is wishful homerism.)

D-Wade

Six months ago, I would have typed this:

Stays in MIA: 100%
Leaves: 0%

And that would be it. Now? I have some doubts. Miami has a lot to offer: weather, no state tax, extra year for $25m, etc. Plus Wade already has major endorsements (Jordan, T-Mobile) because he is in a major market. But Miami lacks one crucial thing: a basketball team with any chance of actually winning a title.

Wade is a warrior, and more importantly, he is a winner. He kills himself every night to carry that garbage team, possibly even to the playoffs. (And that garbage team EMBARRASSED Los Bulls last night.) Part of him wants to win, and knows he might have to do that elsewhere. He sees other teams adding pieces to get better, and the best the Heat can do is/are get mentioned in some rumors. So I think there's a small chance he could leave.

Stays in MIA: 95%
Leaves MIA: 5%

I kept the percentages very highly skewed toward Miami, mainly because they have the space to offer Wade a max deal AND bring in another max or near-max player. If he does leave the Heat, I have no doubt he will come home to Chicago to form the greatest hometown backcourt in NBA history! (Again, I concede some homerism.)



So by my percentages, it looks likes the Bulls have a good shot at Bosh and a small chance to get Wade ... but I don't think they have any chance of getting both. So who will it be? (cue "Ace Ventura" voice) Finkle and Einhorn, Einhorn and Finkle? ... Wade and Bosh, Bosh and Wade?




Obviously, either would be awesome in a Bulls uniform. Bosh would be the low-post player that the Bulls have coveted (cue Squints-voice from "The SandLot") FOR-E-VER. D-Rose and Bosh running the pick-and-roll would be a joy to watch.



But Wade is more of a superstar, and comes pre-packaged with championship experience. Plus, he and Rose would complete the best hometown backcourt in NBA history.

Given this choice, in most cases I would say to pick the better overall player ... this is a superstar league and D-Wade is the bigger star. But even in my pre-season preview, I wrote (mostly playing devil's advocate) that the Bulls should not sign D-Wade (scroll to the bottom).


It's almost too hard to choose, mainly because landing either of these guys would be the greatest thing to happen to this franchise since the 1.7% ping-pong ball that landed us D-Rose. So all that being said, I'm pushing for Bosh. Wade might be better, but Bosh will drastically improve with our team (read: Noah and Rose). Plus, we have a better chance of getting Bosh (I think), so we might as well go all in on that front.


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


Assuming I am totally wrong about the "Big 3" - which of the second-tier FAs could/should the Bulls go after?

Click here for: How Will the Summer of 2010 Play Out for the Chicago Bulls? (Part 2)

Click-a-Bull (World Wide Wes, Tom Thibodeau and Free Agents (Chris Bosh and Lebron James))

The Tom Thibodeau-LeBron James via William Wesley corrolary

The Bulls' hiring of Tom Thibodeau is in and of itself a great maneuver. Thibodeau, long considered a defensive guru and a major component of the Celtics' ridiculous defense the last two years. He's widely respected and was considered an obvious choice (seriously, the Bulls could ink LeBron on the first day of free agency and still find a way to look bad doing it).

But there is another element, and it's one that bears discussion. Thibodeau recently signed with CAA member (I know, you'll never believe it) William Wesley. Man, who didn't see that coming. And as Adrian Wojnarowski outlines in his Yahoo! report this morning, it's that move that prompted the Bulls to move a little switfter in swooping up Thibs, on account of Wesley's relationship with James.

The Bulls' candidacy as a suitor for James began as a trickle, then turned into stream, then became a river, and now it is the broken dam, water rushing down the valley sweeping away homes, livestock, and the occasional 7-11. It reeks of a massive plan, instituted by a team that hasn't exactly shown a "mastermind" element over the last few years.

What's more confusing is Wesley's role in all of this. Wesley's phenomenally powerful, there's no doubt about that. But his specific role within the James camp is the subject of conflicting reports. There is a definitive sense that Wesley's in the room, but the question is whether he's a vocal participant, or a wallflower. The wallflower idea was growing steam, but then one of his client coaches was hired by a major suitor, one that Woj claims is now in the lead.

But riddle me this.We know the top free agents have been discussing the highs and lows of this whole process for a while. We know CAA is involved in this process. And we know Wesley just recently began formally representing coaches for CAA.

So what happens if the Bulls' maneuvering sets off an arms escalation and the Nets respond with hiring John Calipari, another Wesley buddy. The ramifications of this kind of approach could develop a power base for CAA and Wesley for years, across multiple teams.

I know, I know, massive speculation is no one's friend. I'm with you on that. My point is more that it cannot be understated the ridiculous levels the James pursuit has reached. Thibodeau was hired for many legitimate reasons and should make a great head coach.

But having friends of friends never hurt either.

NBA stands at LeBron’s beck and call

World Wide Wes has been telling everyone that he believes LeBron James(notes) is leaning hard toward signing with the Chicago Bulls. No one can be certain if basketball’s most famous middleman has been whispering honest insights to friends or amping the anxiety of Cleveland owner Dan Gilbert. Just know this: It wasn’t until Tom Thibodeau – who swore he never again wanted an agent – signed with William Wesley’s CAA that the Chicago Bulls grew serious about the coach’s candidacy.

Something pushed Bulls officials to get on a plane, fly to Los Angeles on the eve of the NBA Finals and meet with the Boston Celtics assistant coach. Within 48 hours, the Bulls had a deal for Thibodeau to become their head coach. For several weeks, the Bulls had chances to interview him. They never did. Just a year ago, Thibodeau couldn’t get offers from the Sacramento Kings, Detroit Pistons, Philadelphia Sixers and Minnesota Timberwolves. The Celtics see him as a career assistant and wouldn’t even consider him as a candidate to replace Doc Rivers.

Only now, Tom Thibodeau has a three-year contract to coach the Chicago Bulls.

As one front-office executive with a franchise that has significant salary-cap space this summer said, “I think all the big free-agent deals will be done by July 1, if not the draft. The NBA would have a cow if [it] knew what’s going on now.”

Some league executives don’t even believe Bulls general manager Gar Forman was sold on Thibodeau, but it doesn’t matter. Bulls owner Jerry Reinsdorf was. Everything is happening on the ownership level now, and that’s the reason Gilbert wants to become Jerry Jones and Danny Ferry wanted out of a Cleveland future whether it included LeBron James or not. The hiring of Thibodeau doesn’t assure the Bulls of James, but consider it something of a down payment.

Dwyane Wade(notes) isn’t coming to the Bulls, and they know it. He’s recruiting free agents for the Miami Heat now, and his public disparaging of the Bulls’ lack of loyalty to their former great players was mostly directed toward the ears of his free-agent peers. Wade is selling the organizational stability of the Heat, the possibility of playing for the best available championship coach on the market, Pat Riley.

Riley promises to sell James and Chris Bosh(notes) on taking a little less money for a chance to be champions. He plans to tell them all about how the Showtime Lakers did it in the pre-salary cap ’80’s and how they can do it, too. It’s an improbable scenario, and a source with knowledge of his plans says Riley clearly prefers Chris Bosh over Amar’e Stoudemire(notes) with the second max contract slot the Heat have available. In fact, Riley is believed to still be torn about whether he would take Stoudemire over Utah’s Carlos Boozer(notes). Riley is also intrigued with signing Boston’s Ray Allen(notes) to get a shooter on the floor with Wade.

What’s been lost for the Cavaliers is the strong, steady leadership they had with Ferry and coach Mike Brown. Gilbert was honest with Ferry: He wanted to take back control and involve himself with everything again. Before Ferry was hired as GM, it wasn’t uncommon for Gilbert to pass notes to the bench for substitutions he wanted Paul Silas to make. Ferry had come out of San Antonio, and believed an orderly structure made for successful, winning organizations.

“LeBron never had to come out and say that he wanted Brown and Ferry gone,” one front-office executive familiar with the Cavs’ dynamic said. “But the anti-Brown and anti-Ferry sentiment from LeBron’s crowd was loud and clear to Dan Gilbert. He knew where LeBron stood.”

Ferry convinced Gilbert to step back, let him do his job. But more and more, the owner’s impulsive need to inject himself into everything took over the franchise. Most of all, Gilbert had become the biggest enabler of LeBron James and his inner circle, and that only promises to get worse. Ferry never loved the players’ pregame skits, the hiring of James’ buddies, the associates’ riding on the team plane, but Gilbert seldom said no to anything. He behaved like the permissive parent who believed his kid would love him more if he spoiled him rotten. And it got the Cavs a superstar, James, who never respected anyone and a cast of associates who had the run of the place. Had James wanted Ferry to still be the GM, Gilbert would’ve backed down and Ferry would have a new contract.

“Danny’s been miserable for the past two years,” a friend of his told Yahoo! Sports. “Even if they kept LeBron, do you still lose for winning there anyway?”

Ferry fought to retain Brown, but Gilbert, a staunch Michigan State man, is determined to hire away Tom Izzo. Unless James tells him he wants John Calipari, and then they’ll hire John Calipari. As much as anything, the Cavaliers are giving the franchise completely over to James and his inner circle now. Whatever he wants to stay, he’ll get. Now, Ferry isn’t there to play the wet blanket anymore. He never feared fighting Gilbert on issues because he had stature, money and, truth be told, he didn’t need the job.

All this changes with the promotion of new GM Chris Grant, a capable and respected young executive who won’t have nearly the muscle with Gilbert that his old boss did. Grant isn’t in the job to challenge the owner, but to carry out his vision. The message to James and his people is unmistakable: Whatever you want here, you’ll have. Your way is our way now. That isn’t how it works with winning organizations, and the tragic part is that James may well recognize that and bail on Cleveland anyway.

All the pieces stay fluid and evolving now. World Wide Wes whispers the Bulls for those listening, and all hell has broken loose with a free-agent chase for LeBron James that’s well under way long before July 1.

Click-a-Bull (Bosh to Follow LeBron to Bulls?)

Sources: Bosh gives Raptors wish list

Chris Bosh's agent has told the Toronto Raptors that he's narrowed his list of preferred teams to five, two sources told ESPN.com's Chad Ford at the NBA draft camp.

The list of five teams -- Toronto plus the Chicago Bulls, Los Angeles Lakers, Miami Heat and New York Knicks, sources said -- were given to Toronto management in case the Raptors want to construct a sign-and-trade deal (assuming he doesn't re-sign with Toronto).

Bosh likes that option, sources told Ford, because he'd get one more year on his contract and could make more money.

Sources said the Raptors prefer a sign-and-trade if Bosh is intent on leaving as well. They likely would want a big man to replace the 6-10, 230-pound Bosh in the lineup.

One source said Bosh's decision hinges on where LeBron James signs.

"If LeBron decides to go to either New York or Chicago, I think that's where you'll see Chris land," the source told Ford. "If LeBron stays in Cleveland, I think the process is more wide open."

Bosh, 26, is an unrestricted free agent. He averaged 24 points per game last season and has averaged 20.2 points per game for his career.

Click-a-Bull (LeBron Hater; LBJ/Cal; No LBJ/Cal; LBJ called Rose; Bulls Lead FA)

Just in case you missed my "Confessions of a "LeBron Hater"" post ...
LeBron to Bulls? ... Confessions of a "LeBron Hater"

I will say it up front: I hate LeBron James. I hate his quest to become a "global icon" and I hate his cocky attitude. Everything he does is annoying to me. I was visibly upset when he stole the show at the All-Star Slam Dunk Contest 2 years ago, only to back out and not even compete last year. It was a ploy for attention, because he's an attention-grabbing, me-first kind of guy. I hated him even more when he walked off without shaking hands against the Magic.

I take delight in his failures, and love all the negativity that resulted from "Game 5" against the Celtics. Instead of taking the blame (like MJ, Magic, Bird, etc. would have), he was defiant. Then he had a pretty bad game last night, despite what his triple-double indicates - he shot 8/21 FG and had 9 TOs to go along with his gaudy numbers. It was like he was forcing the triple-double to make a point that it wasn't his fault. It's his team, and it's his fault.

I have often made my hatred for LeBron known, and so I am frequently asked the obvious question: "What will you do if the Bulls sign LeBron this summer?" And the answer is complicated ...

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

Source: LeBron-Cal deal not on radar

A source with direct knowledge of the Chicago Bulls front office's plans says the team believes it has the right players in place -- namely, Derrick Rose, Joakim Noah and Luol Deng -- to surround LeBron James when it makes its case with the free agent-to-be on July 1.

But the source said there has been no discussion of bringing Kentucky coach John Calipari in with James as part of a package deal.

The Chicago Tribune reported Monday that according to league sources, basketball power broker William Wesley -- a friend of both James and Calipari -- has been quietly contacting NBA teams that have coaching vacancies and salary-cap space about the possibility of bringing in James and Calipari together.

Bulls must weigh if they want James … and Calipari

In the first 24 hours after the Celtics eliminated the Cavaliers on Thursday, the Bulls sold more than 500 new full season tickets and a team official estimated incoming call volume to their sales office stood roughly 50 times normal levels.

The question now is whether the allure of LeBron James will have a similar effect on Bulls management.

League sources said Sunday that noted NBA power broker William Wesley continues to work back channels to sell John Calipari and James as a package deal to franchises such as the Bulls, Nets and Clippers with coaching vacancies and salary cap room.

Another league source confirmed that an unknown Calipari connection contacted Bulls management over the weekend. This not only once again renders the coach's vows to remain at Kentucky hollow, it underscores the juggling act general manager Gar Forman and senior vice president John Paxson must navigate as they tackle a coaching search while planning for free agency, which begins July 1.

LeBron called Rose after Cavs' elimination

Shortly after Cleveland was eliminated by Boston in the second round of the Eastern Conference playoffs, LeBron James placed a call to Bulls guard Derrick Rose.

What did they talk about?

Word is, James said he likes Rose's game, likes his team and would welcome the chance to play together.

Before putting LeBron's No. 6 Bulls jersey up for sale, keep in mind that it's possible James made similar calls to Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh. Maybe even Nets center Brook Lopez. But it has been made clear through various channels that James is very interested in joining the Bulls when he becomes a free agent on July 1.

New York, New Jersey and Miami figure to be James' top options, along with re-signing in Cleveland. Staying with the Cavaliers is starting to seem less likely after the early playoff exit exposed flaws in the team's winning formula.

The James phone call to Rose was mentioned by ESPN reporter Scoop Jackson and confirmed by a league source. Rose has been taking things slowly since the Bulls season ended with a first-round loss to Cleveland, but he visits the Berto Center on occasion. The source said the James-Rose conversation did not last very long.

Free Agent Watch: Bulls in “lead” for LeBron, Amar’e and luck

More thoughts on potential free agents:

LeBron James:
The only “news” we currently have about where LeBron will end up in July is all rumor and speculation. But according to ESPN’s Chad Ford, the Bulls are leading the Race for the King: “I keep hearing that the Bulls are atop his list at the moment. That could change, but that’s the word around the league at the moment. [Top three are:] 1. Bulls. 2. Knicks 3. Heat … I think the darkhorse is Dallas who’ll try to acquire him via sign-and-trade. As for the Cavs, it doesn’t look very good at the moment, but things can change. I think owner Dan Gilbert would essentially have to give him the GM job as well to keep him there.”

In unrelated news, I’m currently “in the lead” for Bionic Superhero of the Future, along with Lou Ferrigno, Homer Simpson and the Easter Bunny.

Okay. Sarcasm aside, the New Jersey Nets were also in the running for LeBron. Until last night, anyway. As Ford noted: “If they can land [John] Wall, they suddenly become much more competitive in the LeBron James sweepstakes. if they don’t land Wall, I think we can scratch them off the list. That’s some pretty big stakes.”

They were big. Unfortunately for the 17 remaining Nets fans — and 17 might be too high a guess — the Washington Wizards won the number one pick in the draft lottery and will almost certainly take Wall. The Nets, who were one of the worst team’s in league history last season, ended up with the third pick. Even if the Wizards go crazy and pass up Wall, there’s no way he will get past the Philadelphia 76ers, who have the second pick.

By the way, Bulls player development assistant Lindsey Hunter literally laughed away the idea that LeBron and Derrick Rose wouldn’t work well together. With all due apologies to John Hollinger.

LeBron to Bulls? ... Confessions of a "LeBron Hater"

I will say it up front: I hate LeBron James. I hate his quest to become a "global icon" and I hate his cocky attitude. Everything he does is annoying to me. I was visibly upset when he stole the show at the All-Star Slam Dunk Contest 2 years ago, only to back out and not even compete last year. It was a ploy for attention, because he's an attention-grabbing, me-first kind of guy. I hated him even more when he walked off without shaking hands against the Magic.

I take delight in his failures, and love all the negativity that resulted from "Game 5" against the Celtics. Instead of taking the blame (like MJ, Magic, Bird, etc. would have), he was defiant. Then he had a pretty bad game last night, despite what his triple-double indicates - he shot 8/21 FG and had 9 TOs to go along with his gaudy numbers. It was like he was forcing the triple-double to make a point that it wasn't his fault. It's his team, and it's his fault.

I have often made my hatred for LeBron known, and so I am frequently asked the obvious question: "What will you do if the Bulls sign LeBron this summer?" And the answer is complicated ...


DC (another BBS contributor) recently summarized my thought process on twitter:

@DanFXC: I hope the bulls don't even make lebron an offer. But when they do I hope he signs. I'm OK with this hypocrisy.

As a die-hard NBA fan, I watch a lot of basketball. I recognize talent, and it's obvious that LeBron is the best player in the Association. (I might technically argue that Kobe is a better basketball player and LeBron is the best athlete playing basketball, but that's not the point.) LeBron is awesome. I went to game 3 of the Bulls/Cavs series a couple weeks ago, and it was incredible. I hated every single second of it, but LeBron was ridiculous. Just so we're clear, I get it: he's great. So would I want the best player on my team? Seems dumb to say no. But I hate him so much, how can I possibly say yes?


I will cheer for the Bulls. I will hope they win every game, just like I do now and always have. But I will never love LeBron the way I love those 1990s Bulls players: MJ, Pippen, BJ Armstrong, Jud Buechler, Horace, Rodman, Will Perdue, Craig Hodges, Cliff Levingston (the list goes on and on ...) and current Bulls D-Rose and JoaNoah. I will never love LeBron like that. He will never be included in my list of "Top 10 Favorite Bulls' Players" (or even my 'Top 25'). I hate him enough that I can be sure of that.

But my loyalty to the Bulls goes much deeper than my LeBron hate. I was only 7 years old, but I still hate the 'Bad Boy Pistons' for walking off the floor when we completed the sweep in 1991. I still remember being mad at Magic a couple weeks later, when the Bulls whooped the Lakers and tied the 1991 NBA Finals 1-1, and he said (with a been-there-won-that swagger): "You could lose by 1 or lose by 20, it's still 1-1". I grew up thinking that every summer started with a Chicago Bulls Championship parade. I didn't hope we would win, I expected it. (That's how good MJ and Pippen were.) I ran up and down the streets banging pots and pans after Pax hit the "3 for the 3-peat". I followed MJ's baseball career, and defended Scottie after "the migraine". I loved the "Beatles-esque" aura that surrounded the 72-win team with Jordan, Pippen and Rodman. I know exactly where I was the day we drafted Dickey Simpkins. I cried, literally cried, when Phil Jackson called 1998 "The Last Dance." I watched us draft the co-rookie of the year, then trade him after he put up two-straight 20/10 seasons. I even hung with the Bulls when they signed the arch-enemy, John Starks. I was there for drafting BG only to let him walk for nothing, and I still wear my draft-day hat from the night we drafted Tyrus Thomas. I jumped up and hugged my roommate when we won the 1.7%-chance lotto for D-Rose, two grown men hugging and yelling like 5-year-olds.

I've blindly stayed committed to this team for the last 12 years. We have had a couple ups, but many more downs. It's been frustrating and terrifying and awful, but I couldn't be swayed ... I'm a Bulls fan. It's what I am, and it's all I know. I know what it's like to win and win and win (twice). So I have held onto that hope during the last twelve seasons, hoping that we can get to that point again. We've had some steps in the right direction, and could be taking a big step toward that goal this summer. And if signing LeBron gives us the best chance to win (and win and win), I will support that signing and support him, because he will be a member of my team.

He's not my first choice this summer, as I'd gladly take Wade or Bosh instead ... but I will support my team regardless of what happens. Maybe after I spend some time supporting the Bulls, and thus LeBron in a Bulls uniform, I will even begin to stop disliking him. I doubt it, but it's possible. But I know that whatever our starting lineup ends up being next year, if LeBron is on the Bulls, he will be my fifth favorite player in that group.

Is LeBron to Bulls Possible? Or LBJ + Wade or Bosh??

Chad Ford on TrueHoop: LeBron to the Bulls? 3 GMs think so

Boston Celtics fans were chanting "New York Knicks" during Thursday's Game 6 every time that LeBron James went to the foul line. Maybe they should've been chanting "Chicago Bulls."

Within minutes of the Cleveland Cavaliers' elimination at the hands of the Celtics, the speculation about LeBron James' next destination resumed in full force.

In the space of five minutes I heard from three NBA GMs via text, e-mail and phone. All three said that based on the information they have, they believe LeBron will leave the Cavs.

More surprisingly, all of them said they believe the destination will be the Chicago Bulls. Two said they believe that John Calipari will be the Bulls' new head coach.

One GM went a bit further in a phone call a few minutes later. "I think the Bulls are really going to go for it. Look for them to offer the Cavs Luol Deng in a sign-and-trade for LeBron. That will allow them to retain most of their cap space. Then they'll go after Dwyane Wade or Chris Bosh as well."

I'm sure we'll hear various scenarios involving the Knicks, Nets and Heat over the course of the next month. But it's hard to come up with any other scenario that would be quite as appealing for LeBron.

So the Bulls could trot out a lineup of Rose, Noah, Taj, LeBron and either Wade/Bosh? Sounds unrealistic. And it is, but not by as much as you'd think. Larry Coon has written some great things to make NBA salary caps and the CBA understandable

He was asked on twitter last night if the Bulls could S&T Deng for LeBron, then have enough cap space to sign Wade/Bosh:

"No -- looks like they're about $1.1M short. ... But they can sell/trade/renounce their draft pick, and they'll be just $300K short. ... And technically they could decide to split it."

How Will the Summer of 2010 Play Out for the Chicago Bulls? (Part 2)

If you missed Part 1 of my Summer 2010 predictions, check that out first because I will be severely disappointed if it comes down to this next part ...

The second-tier free agents:

Boozer
Rudy Gay
Joe Johnson
Amare (ETO)

... and I left David Lee off my previous list, so I'll touch on that option.

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

Note: None of the first 4 are truly "second-tier" players, as they are all great NBA talents. They just aren't on the level of the "Big 3" from my previous post. D-Lee might actually be a second-tier player, but would be a great addition to the Bulls along with one of the "Big 3." Except why spend the money on D-Lee when we have a pretty legit young PF in Taj Gibson. (I cannot believe I typed that sentence, if the Tyrus dream wasn't over before, it certainly is now.)

Note 2: I have already discussed the Summer of 2010, including a brief paragraph on how each of these 4 would fit with the Bulls:

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.

I don't think I can better summarize how each of those guys might fit with the bulls than I did back in December, so I'll get into my predictions of how/why these guys might leave (and how much they could/should sign for).

All five (including D-Lee) of these guys could pull a near-max deal for a couple reasons:

(a) All 4 are very talented and pretty young (more on age below).

(b) A bunch of teams have money to spend, and have sold their fans on "Summer of 2010" hope, so those teams cannot come away with nothing.


Amare

Amare is a freak, coming back from micro-fracture and a dislocated retina ... and he has been going nuts since the trade deadline (trust me, he was on my fantasy team). It's hard to argue that he would not be a good addition to the Bulls. A perfect fit for the pick-and-roll with D-Rose because he can attack the basket, or step back and drop 20-footers. That being said, his injury history makes me cautious + he came straight out of high school. So he's only 27-years-old, but already in his 8th season.

Boozer

Boozer is younger than you might think at 28, but has missed significant time in 3 of his 8 seasons. I think he is clearly the 3rd option for a PF this summer, behind Bosh and Amare (who seems headed to the Heat). No one seems to have a clue what he will do, but I know one thing ... he will be signing a very large paycheck with whatever team offers him the most money.

I know that he can bring a lot to his team, consistently putting up double-doubles for the first half this season and can easily go off for 30+ points ... but I am really hoping it doesn't come down to this for the Bulls. That means we will have missed at many better options, including both Bosh and Amare just at this position!

Joe Johnson

It appears the Hawks will not be offering a max-deal, so another team may be able to swoop and and get JJ if they are willing to pay the money. Will that be the Knicks? It's very possible, but there are other teams interested as well:

The word from the paper of record, the New York Times, is that it is far more likely that the Knicks will have Atlanta Hawks forward Joe Johnson(notes) on its roster next year. Johnson and Knicks coach Mike D'Antoni worked well together in Phoenix and the coach would supposedly love to have him back.

The eight-year pro guard is averaging 21.5 points, 4.7 rebounds and 4.7 assists per game. The Times says the Hawks are going to try and retain Johnson and the Los Angeles Clippers and Chicago Bulls are likely going to try and sign him as well.

So will the Bulls land JJ? I hope not. Add his playoff performance to that (29% shooting, 12ppg against the Magic), and I would be extremely disappointed if the Bulls sign JJ. As Bill Simmons recently wrote: "You cannot win a title if Joe Johnson is one of the two guys making max money on your salary cap unless the other guy is named "LeBron." Desperate NBA teams with money to burn this summer, consider yourselves warned."



Rudy Gay

Rudy Gay is 23 years old, and has career averages of 17.4p, 5.5r, 1.7a. Seems like that would a legit addition to our frontline of Noah and Taj, but ... Don't the Bulls already have an overpaid, 23-year-old small forward who puts up 15.8p, 6.5r, 2.2a?? Seems redundant.

I have no idea if RG will stay in Memphis this summer, and I really don't care. If the Bulls sign Gay, I think it will be out of utter desperation after swinging and missing at our real targets.


David Lee

I have no idea what David Lee will do, but part of me believes that he would love to play on a team with a "true center." He has spent the last few seasons playing as an under-sized center for the Knicks, and being 4 inches shorter and 50 pounds lighter than everyone you are going against on a nightly basis has to get old. If the Bulls sign a wing player (Bron, Wade), Lee could be the perfect compliment ... but we already have Taj in that spot. So it would seem like a waste to sign a more expensive power forward.

***********************************

So how would I rank the top Free Agents for the Bulls?

(1) LeBron (hate him, but he is the best player on earth)
(2) Bosh (actually my number 1 choice)
(3) Wade
(4) Amare
(5) Boozer

...

(34) David Lee
(87) Rudy Gay
(108) Joe Johnson



**********************************

So what do I think the Bulls will do this summer?? I am terrified at how this will turn out ...

Sign Reggie Theus as our head coach based on his performance in season 1 of "Hang Time" (possibly replacing him next year with Dick Butkus).

Sign-and-trade Taj Gibson for Joe Johnson (max deal), freeing up enough cap space to sign Rudy Gay to a max deal. Our starting lineup will be Rose, Noah and 3 wings (Deng, Gay, and JoeJo) with no power-forward on the roster.

That will leave us with no cap-space for the next few years, allowing both Rose and Noah to leave for better teams that can give them the money they deserve.

[Singing] "Only the BULLS! Only the BULLS!! ..."

How Will the Summer of 2010 Play Out for the Chicago Bulls?

The "Summer of 2010" has been talked/written about extensively for the last 2-3 years. We know all the players and teams involved, and it has almost taken on a life of its own. But enough with the vague, hopeful claims - it's time to look into some realistic possibilities and probabilities for the Chicago Bulls.

Here are the teams with enough cap space to sign a free agent to a max contract:

New York (4 players, 17.8M, no pick holds) 32.8M free
New Jersey (7 players, 23M, 1 high pick hold) 25.6M free
Miami (5 players including Wade, 26M 2 medium pick holds) 22.6M free
Washington (6 players including Gilbert, 28M, 1 high pick hold) 20.1M free
Chicago (7 players, 33M, 1 medium pick hold) 17.6M free
Sacramento (9 players, 33M, 1 high pick hold) 16.6M free
LA Clippers (4 players, 32.6M, 1 mid-lottery hold) 16.5M free

(That info was harder to find than I thought, but I'll trust it because the numbers are fairly close to the numbers at this link and this link.)

Then I found this link from a more reputable source, HoopsWorld (note that this shows contracts, not cap space):

TEAM CONTRACTS #1 PICKS MINIMUM HOLDS
Miami HEAT 5 - $30.7 million* 2 5 - $2.4 million
New York Knicks 5 - $18.6 million 0 7 - $3.3 million
New Jersey Nets 7 - $25.9 million 2 3 - $1.4 million
Sacramento Kings 10 - $34.2 million 1 1 - $0.5 million
Chicago Bulls 6 - $31.9 million 1 5 - $2.4 million
Los Angeles Clippers 4 - $33.5 million 2** 6 - $2.8 million
Minnesota Timberwolves 8 - $35.0 million 2** 2 - $0.9 million

The Bulls made the list because they were able to turn Nocioni('s terrible contract) into Salmons and Brad Miller last season, then turn Salmons into expirings from the Bucks this year. Those moves freed up enough cap space to offer a max deal to a free agent this summer, so now we have to figure out which player that might be.

Here are the free agents (or likely free agents) heading into this summer (from my previous Summer 2010 post):

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)

Obviously the Bulls (and everyone else) cleared space to go after 1 or 2 of the "Big 3" - and since there are 7 teams with max space (including the Knicks and Heat with space for 2), there will be a bunch of teams disappointed and settling for second-tier free agents. So which players will end up on which teams? Let's figure it out ...


The "Big 3"





The major issue is that these 3 (and any of the other FAs) can get an extra year (at $25M) if they stay with their current teams. That is a huge economic advantage for the Cavs, Raptors, Heat respectively and would be enough to keep almost anyone in any situation. But each of the "Big 3" have all kinds of money, so each could leave their current teams for different reasons.


LeBron -

Let me get this out of the way: I hate LeBron. I understand that he is the best basketball player on the planet, but I just don't like him. That being said, I'm sure I could learn to love him in a Bulls' uniform. I hated Rodman on the Pistons and hated Noah at Florida, and I have learned to embrace/love them.

So will he leave Cleveland? At first I thought it would depend on whether they win a title this year, but I'm not so sure that is the deciding factor.

The money is least relevant to him because he has a HUGE endorsement deal from Nike, and would probably make even more endorsement money in a bigger market. Plus, he wants to be a "global douche icon", which would be easier in a real city, like Chicago, NY or LA.

On the other hand, he is from Ohio, and would ruin basketball in Cleveland if he leaves before bringing them a title. So weighing both sides ...

I am pretty convinced that he will stay in Cleveland, but for a short-term deal so that he can keep the team on the hook to keep improving.

Chances LeBron stays or leaves?
Back with Cleveland: 80%
Leaves the Cavs: 20%

I initially had 85/15, but increased the chance of him leaving when thinking about the possibility of Dallas (or some other team) offering a sign-and-trade. That would allow Bron (or Wade or Bosh) to leave their city without completely destroying the team's hopes. So that is a possibility, and has Bill Simmons' has pointed out, something that Mark Cuban is hoping/planning to work on this summer.

If he does leave CLE, I assume he will go to the NY Knicks, which brings is to ...


Chris Bosh -

I don't see him staying in Toronto. He is a legit star, but stuck on the only NBA franchise in Canada - and just doesn't get the credit/recognition he wants/deserves. I realize it would be difficult to leave $25M on the table - but Bosh has to be convinced that he could make up some of that through exposure and endorsements. Toronto tried to bring in some pieces and make a run at things this year, but it hasn't panned out and I see Bosh leaving.

Chances CB4 stays or leaves:
Stays in Tor: 10%
Leaves for NY: 15%
Leaves for Miami: 25%
Leaves for Chicago: 50%

I realize that it looks like wishful thinking from a Bulls fan, but I have legit reasons for each % above:

Toronto - possible he stays for the $25M.
NY - will only head there with LBJ, because the Knicks are so terrible that they have to get 2 of the Big 3, or they will get none.
Miami - Bosh could leave

Chicago!!! - Doesn't this seem absolutely perfect for Bosh?! 5 reasons ...

(1) He leaves Toronto to come to a major city in the States (read: endoresement $$).

(2) The Bulls have been searching for a back-to-the-basket, low-post scorer for years, and Bosh has said that he wants to be "The Man" on his new team.

(3) The center he currently plays with (Bargnani) is a perimeter player. In Chicago he would play with a true center (Noah) who does all the dirty work (boards/protects paint), so he could focus on offense.

(4) he gets to play with one of the best young PGs in the league.

(5) He could basically "pick" his coach because there is no way VDN is back next year.

Chicago literally seems to have everything someone like Bosh could want, so I think there is a legit 50% chance he signs with the Bulls. (And yes, I can admit that part of that % is wishful homerism.)

D-Wade

Six months ago, I would have typed this:

Stays in MIA: 100%
Leaves: 0%

And that would be it. Now? I have some doubts. Miami has a lot to offer: weather, no state tax, extra year for $25m, etc. Plus Wade already has major endorsements (Jordan, T-Mobile) because he is in a major market. But Miami lacks one crucial thing: a basketball team with any chance of actually winning a title.

Wade is a warrior, and more importantly, he is a winner. He kills himself every night to carry that garbage team, possibly even to the playoffs. (And that garbage team EMBARRASSED Los Bulls last night.) Part of him wants to win, and knows he might have to do that elsewhere. He sees other teams adding pieces to get better, and the best the Heat can do is/are get mentioned in some rumors. So I think there's a small chance he could leave.

Stays in MIA: 95%
Leaves MIA: 5%

I kept the percentages very highly skewed toward Miami, mainly because they have the space to offer Wade a max deal AND bring in another max or near-max player. If he does leave the Heat, I have no doubt he will come home to Chicago to form the greatest hometown backcourt in NBA history! (Again, I concede some homerism.)



So by my percentages, it looks likes the Bulls have a good shot at Bosh and a small chance to get Wade ... but I don't think they have any chance of getting both. So who will it be? (cue "Ace Ventura" voice) Finkle and Einhorn, Einhorn and Finkle? ... Wade and Bosh, Bosh and Wade?




Obviously, either would be awesome in a Bulls uniform. Bosh would be the low-post player that the Bulls have coveted (cue Squints-voice from "The SandLot") FOR-E-VER. D-Rose and Bosh running the pick-and-roll would be a joy to watch.



But Wade is more of a superstar, and comes pre-packaged with championship experience. Plus, he and Rose would complete the best hometown backcourt in NBA history.

Given this choice, in most cases I would say to pick the better overall player ... this is a superstar league and D-Wade is the bigger star. But even in my pre-season preview, I wrote (mostly playing devil's advocate) that the Bulls should not sign D-Wade (scroll to the bottom).


It's almost too hard to choose, mainly because landing either of these guys would be the greatest thing to happen to this franchise since the 1.7% ping-pong ball that landed us D-Rose. So all that being said, I'm pushing for Bosh. Wade might be better, but Bosh will drastically improve with our team (read: Noah and Rose). Plus, we have a better chance of getting Bosh (I think), so we might as well go all in on that front.


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


Assuming I am totally wrong about the "Big 3" - which of the second-tier FAs could/should the Bulls go after?

Click here for: How Will the Summer of 2010 Play Out for the Chicago Bulls? (Part 2)

Click-a-Bull (D-Rose/FAs, Hope for D-Wade, Hunter/Richard, Noah Out 3 Weeks)

Derrick Rose Likes Chicago’s Chances in Free Agency

Rose tells ESPN Radio that Chicago is the place to be for top free agents: “Everybody wants to know A. if you recruited any of the free agents while you were down at the All-Star game and B. what are the chances that one of the top three guys come here next year, either Wade, LeBron or Bosh? ‘No I couldn’t go after them like that. I told them Chicago is a great place, if they wanna come we’ll be more than happy to take them. It’s huge if one of them comes here. One of the three, either Lebron, Wade or Bosh, one of them comes here.’ Do you believe that you have a real chance to get one of them? ‘Definitely, we definitely have a real good chance to get them. Chicago marketing is unbelievable and I don’t see any one of the three passing Chicago up if they can come here.”‘

My Free Agency Hopes For The Chicago Bulls

Summer 2010 - The biggest free agency period in the history of the NBA, with players such as Lebron, Chris Bosh, Dwayne Wade, Joe Johnson, Ray Allen, Shaq, Dirk (eto), Paul Peirce (eto), Kobe (player option), David Lee the list goes on and on.......

New York will look to sign a player like Lebron and if they dont get him then its Chris Bosh, in general the Knicks will sign whoever they can get because if they dont the fan's will be looking for blood.

Boston will probably try to keep Paul Peirce and Ray Allen and then if they want to they may try to get someone to trade for Allen to get some more young bodies.

Dirk will stay in Dallas because its his team and they are still serious title contenders.

Everyone will try to get everyone, as a Bulls fan however I have one player that I hope will decide to sign for Chicago.

Dwayne Wade is one of the leagues top shooting guards, he's already and NBA Champion and can carry a team, he is also a Chicago native and obviously Miami are not serious about being a contender seen as though they could have signed a big/scorer to help him out this year but decided not too therefore.....

My hope is that Chicago have enough strong points to lure him for the 2010/2011 season, with him I feel Chicago are serious contenders in the Eastern confrence and can contend with any team wether it be the Cav's, Magic, Hawks or Celtics.

Bulls trading places; Richard in, Hunter out

After getting crushed on the boards in a loss to Atlanta on Monday, the Bulls decided not to wait any longer to bring in an extra big man.

Coach Vinny Del Negro confirmed that 6-foot-9 power forward Chris Richard will return, most likely in time for Wednesday's practice.

Richard spent the preseason with the Bulls, then was signed to a pair of 10-day contracts in February but was released when a pair of trades left the team with one too many players.

Before being let go, Richard played as many as 20 minutes in a couple of games. His best outing was 7 rebounds and 2 blocks against Miami on Feb. 6.

With the team's leading rebounders - Joakim Noah and Luol Deng - out with injuries, the Hawks built a 63-37 advantage on the boards and pulled away late to win 116-92 at the United Center.

"One guy's not going to control the glass for us," Del Negro said following Tuesday's light practice at the Berto Center. "It's going to help. Chris, I thought he did a good job when he was here. He knows what we're doing. He's a good kid."

Before Richard is officially signed, another player must go, and the Bulls plan to release veteran guard Lindsey Hunter. He already started the transition Tuesday, dressed more like a coach than a player at practice.

Bulls shut Noah down for 3 weeks

The Bulls announced Wednesday that Joakim Noah will be shut down for three weeks as he battles plantar fasciitis in his left foot.

Noah has been plagued with the condition since mid-January. He has already missed 10 games and, at minimum, will now miss 10 more.

"I don't know if you do replace him," Bulls coach Vinny Del Negro said. "He was the second-leading rebounder in the whole NBA. He brings a lot of energy and has a great spirit to the game for us. He gets us possessions and out on the break. His offense has developed all year. It's a big loss. Other guys have to step up. The biggest concern is rebounding and when we play bigger front lines, not having his length is an issue."

There is no guarantee Noah will be healthy when this three-week window ends either. At the very least, he will need heavy conditioning to return as Noah admits he falls out of shape quickly when he isn't playing.

No matter how this non-surprising news is diced, it's a major setback for the Bulls at a time they are playing nine straight games against teams with either winning records or in the playoff hunt.

Derrick Rose, Brad Miller and Luol Deng didn't practice Wednesday with sore knees.

Click-a-Bull (Future SF, Scottie/LeBron, JoaNoah, Trades, MJ/Horse, Playoffs)

Bulls will need to determine their future small forward

There's a question the Bulls need to answer that has little to do with making the playoffs or attracting a top-notch free agent.

It could have an impact on the team's future, however.

Who's better: James Johnson or Joe Alexander?

This could turn into an interesting practice battle in the next two months. Both players are big, athletic forwards who can attack the basket. They also appear to have similar, developing jump shots.

Which one will be the better NBA player?

Their credentials are similar. Alexander was the No. 8 pick of the 2008 draft by Milwaukee, Johnson the No. 16 pick in 2009. In age, Alexander is two months older.

Alexander made his name with a 22-point, 11-rebound performance in West Virginia's NCAA Tournament upset of Duke. Johnson helped carry Wake Forest to a short-lived No. 1 ranking last winter.

Neither has seen much playing time in the NBA. Johnson is averaging 9.1 minutes during his rookie season. Alexander logged 12.4 minutes per game with the Bucks last year, but hasn't played in the NBA at all this season because of a hamstring injury. He's healthy now and was on a D-League assignment when the trade went down sending him to the Bulls with Hakim Warrick, while John Salmons went to Milwaukee.

Talking to Alexander, he sounds anxious to prove he's not a draft bust. The Bucks made a stunning decision last fall to not pick up his third-year option, essentially cutting Alexander loose based on a rookie season and sophomore training camp.

Not sure I understand the premise of that article?? Isn't our future small forward the 23-year-old guy that currently starts at small forward and is under contract for $71 million??


Scottie Pippen: “I don’t know if LeBron James fits with the Chicago Bulls”

There’s no question about it, the Chicago Bulls are looking to be players in this summer’s free agent market. With a projected figure of about $31.85 million in 2010-11 payroll, the Bulls will have about $20 million to dangle a max contract in front of one of the top-tier free agents. But sorry Bulls fans, according to Scottie Pippen, he doesn’t think LeBron James should be that guy.

Maybe Pippen wants to go down as the Bulls’ greatest small forward of all-time, or perhaps he really doesn’t see LBJ working out in the Windy City; but when asked if he had a choice of one player to build his franchise around, he chose the King.

That’s a difficult question. If you want to ask me that then I’m going to probably go after the best player in the game and that’s going to be LeBron James. But I don’t know if LeBron James fits with the Chicago Bulls. I don’t know if I want Derrick Rose to give the ball up and let LeBron run the show. There are some great free agents out there. For me, you have to have the right fit. You just can’t go and get the best player. You got to have chemistry in this game.

To me, this is very interesting. One thing about all six of Chicago’s championship teams is that they had great chemistry. But I don’t see where Pippen is coming from that he doesn’t think Rose and James could coexist on the same roster.

Bulls' Del Negro paints dour Noah picture

Throughout most of Joakim Noah's plantar fasciitis saga, the Bulls have tried to portray a positive vibe while warning that the injury is unpredictable.

The unpredictable aspect remained Monday morning. But a new level of pessimism underscored Vinny Del Negro's words following shootaround, which isn't surprising other than they were finally expressed publicly.

"He could be out a while," Del Negro admitted. "He could be out a week, two weeks, a month. I don't know yet. It's going to be how he reacts, how his foot reacts. It comes down to rest and getting treatments and see how he reacts.

"And then when he comes back it's his conditioning. It's not the perfect scenario obviously."

Del Negro admitted last Friday to "getting greedy" in playing Noah 27 minutes in the Bulls' overtime victory over Portland. Noah shot baskets in sweat clothes while wearing his protective boot at the shootaround.

"Joakim being out really hurts us just from length and activity and size up front," Del Negro said. "He was having such a good year. It's difficult to lose a player like that."

Bulls Trades: A Good Or Bad Thing?

Bulls fans were excited when they heard the rumors of a trade swelling up during the All-Star break. But, many were disappointed once they saw who was traded away, and who they got back. Yet, there were still those who looked at the glass half full, instead of half empty. I was one of the ones looking at it half full. I was hoping we would get some productivity out of the new additions, and then land a top free agent over the summer. Well, so far my hope has become reality.

The main concern going around when Tyrus Thomas and John Salmons were traded was that the Bulls organization was giving up on this year to land a top free agent prospect during the off-season. Some of the possibilities for them will be: Dwayne Wade, LeBron James, Chris Bosh, and Carlos Boozer. I do not believe they have a chance with James, but getting Wade, Bosh, or Boozer is a definite possibility. A lot of people have crossed off Wade, but I think if he goes out and looks for a new team Chicago would be one of his top destinations, because that is where he grew up as a kid.

The trades that the Bulls acquired during the All-Star break will open up enough salary to land one of these prospects. The thing is, the Bulls trades have actually contributed to the Bulls success since the All-Star break. They have had a strong 6-3 record since the trades have occurred. Although it looked like giving away Tyrus Thomas and John Salmons would hurt them, it has not affected them as of yet.

Michael Jordan takes more hands-on approach with Bobcats

One of Michael Jordan’s first acts since reaching a deal to buy the Charlotte Bobcats: losing two games of H-O-R-S-E to guard Gerald Henderson.

A trash-talking Jordan attended the Bobcats’ shootaround Monday morning before their game against Dallas, challenging the rookie Henderson to a shooting competition after the workout.

It may be a sign of a more hands-on approach for Jordan, who agreed late Friday to buy the Bobcats from owner Bob Johnson. Jordan has been a part-owner with the final say on basketball decisions since 2006, but has rarely attended practices.

The former NBA superstar spent time near the end of the workout talking with coach Larry Brown and general manager Rod Higgins. Higgins said Jordan decided against signing guard Larry Hughes, but wouldn’t rule out signing a guard to add depth as they try to reach the playoffs.

While Jordan declined to speak to reporters, he did plenty of talking on the court.

Needling Henderson relentlessly for being from Duke, the North Carolina product kept clanging jumpers off the rim as Henderson quickly won the first shooting game.

But then Jordan, wearing jeans and sneakers, started getting hot. He hit a free throw with his eyes closed to take the lead in the second game.

“What do you think, I just dunked my whole career?” Jordan asked Henderson after making a 3.

Henderson remained stone-faced when Jordan hit another outside jumper.

“You’ve got to miss eventually,” Henderson told him. “That’s what Cleveland said,” replied Jordan, referring to his last-second shot for Chicago in 1989 to win a playoff series over the Cavaliers.

But Jordan did start missing, and Henderson, who has played little this season, started making shots. Teammate Gerald Wallace even started calling him Kobe Bryant.

“He didn’t want to go a third game,” Henderson said of Jordan. “I don’t know, maybe he’s going to get back in the gym and get off the golf course.”

Did One Win Cost The Bulls a Playoff Spot?

This past Friday as the Bulls took on the Portland Trailblazers in a very exciting overtime victory a choice was made that may cost Chicago a spot in the playoffs.

Joakim Noah who is suffering from Plantar Fasciitis, an injury that will never go away and the only proven treatment is rest, played 27 minutes scoring 8 points grabbing 11 boards and even dishing out 4 assists. All this while playing stellar defense on LaMarcus Aldridge.

But was the win worth it?

This was only Noah's 4th game back after missing 7 games earlier in the month. In the first three games Noah player a total 26 minutes. Most people, myself included, was very confused why the team was even playing Noah since they were playing well winning five of the seven games he missed.

After the game Friday it was being reported that Noah could barely walk and was seen with a bag of ice wrapped around his foot in the locker room. There were several times during the game that Noah looked to be in extreme pain.

Noah sat out Saturday's game vs the Pacers and will miss tonight's game against the Atlanta Hawks.

Heading into an extremely tough stretch of games this month, it again raises the question why the team did not rest him and save him for the stretch run. March features 12 out of the 15 games against teams in the playoff hunt, including two games against the Miami Heat which are currently in 9th place 2 1/2 games behind the Bulls.

LeBron and Bosh to the Bulls?

Bill Simmons thinks so, according to his chat today:

joe (chicago)


Look into your crystal ball and sort out where the big free agents are going this summer!



Bill Simmons



If I had to guess at gunpoint: LeBron and Bosh (Chicago); Wade and Amare (Miami); David Lee, Joe Johnson (New York); Rudy Gay (Clippers).

Quick Reaction: Bulls Beat Cavs

Could LeBaby's last drive been any more fitting last night? Storming into the lane, wildly jumping into defenders, and then bitching at the ref when he doesn't get the call. It's everything I wanted to see in a Bulls win.

I was only able to catch the second half, but the Bulls looked pretty good. Seemed like one of those games we were going to hang close, then find a way to lose at the end. We managed to hold on, so I don't have any major complaints (apart from the minutes/rotation that Vinny employs. But nobody's perfect, so we cannot expect our NBA coach to know how and when to use his players.)

Side note: Getting Shaq made the Cavs worse, and it's showing as they've already lost as many games at home as they did all of last season. How does he work better with that team than Big Z? Hate the Cavs, glad to see them making organizational mistakes. (speaking of that, I am posting a longer Tyrus Thomas post later today.)

Quick recap: hate the Cavs, love a Bulls W any way we can get it.


Vote in the Poll: Predict the Bulls record ------------->





'D' Bulls top LeBron

Would you believe the Bulls won for a second straight game because of their -- ahem -- defense?

Despite going scoreless in the last 1:44 and shooting only 40.9 percent, the Bulls squeezed out an 86-85 victory Thursday over the Cleveland Cavaliers at Quicken Loans Arena because they successfully defended a LeBron James drive in the final seconds.

That's right. With Luol Deng and Joakim Noah providing the resistance, the Bulls thwarted a James drive for a potential game-winner and forced a turnover with .2 seconds left.

The Bulls (3-2) had stops on their last three defensive possessions against the Cavaliers (3-3) -- and this comes two days after they had stops on their last two defensive possessions in a two-point victory over the Milwaukee Bucks.

Bulls stop LeBron's late effort, halt Cavs' streak

For a split second, LeBron James appeared to be on his way to bailing out the Cleveland Cavaliers once more.

Luol Deng and Joakim Noah put a stop to that.

Chicago's forwards double teamed James and denied the superstar on a drive in the final seconds as the Chicago Bulls ended Cleveland's three-game winning streak with an 86-85 win Thursday night, the Cavaliers' second home loss already this season.

James thought there was sufficient bumping to get a foul called on either Deng or Noah.

The Bulls, and the officials, saw it differently.

Bulls' Thomas back, plays vs. Cavaliers

Chicago Bulls forward Tyrus Thomas, who flew to Cleveland on his own, checked into the game late in the first quarter Thursday night against the Cavaliers.

The fourth-year forward, who has been out for the past few days with the flu, has two points and a block in six minutes of action so far against the Cavs. The organization wasn't sure if Thomas would play earlier in the day, but obviously he felt well enough to help out his teammates. For the second straight game, rookie Taj Gibson started in his place.

Thomas, who was suffering from flu-like symptoms, missed Tuesday's game against the Milwaukee Bucks and missed practice Wednesday.

NBA Fantasy - Auction Keeper League - PREDICTIONS

All 3 BBS writers already described the auction draft and each of our teams, so check that out for league info and rules. I was looking for a way to project how good (or bad) each team will actually be this year.

I'm starting with these ESPN rankings of the top 175 fantasy players.


I wanted to see where each my of players fall on that list, and how that stacks up to the rest of the league.

First thing I noticed from the ESPN list is that I have 2 guys in the top 10 (KD, 5; Amare, 9) and 3 in the top 20 (J. Johnson, 18). Seems like I was off to a good start because had this been a draft rather than auction, I would have only had 2 picks in the top 18 (9 person fantasy league).

The problem is that I have a pretty significant drop off after that. My next best players (both projected starters for me) show up in the mid-40s (Westbrook, 43; LmA, 46). My utility spot will either be a big man (Emeka, 60) or PG (Chalmers, 94) if Westbrook is not getting enough assists.


My team finishes out with a Bull (Salmons, 69), a second-year player that is out 6-8 weeks (K. Love, 121) and a rookie (Flynn, 139). Not sure how that will play out, but I expect Love's stats to jump in year 2 (when he returns). I also expect Flynn to be competitive with Blake Griffin for ROY, which would be a great rookie season. Basically taking a flyer out on those two, now I have to wait and see if it pans out.

Doing this made me realize that my team is pretty top-heavy. I would rather have a more well-balanced roster because one injury could cripple me, but there's something to be said for getting top-tier players. There is a big drop from the elite NBA players to the mid-level guys. Once you get out of that top group, there is some variance, but everyone is pretty much the same. You can fill out the stats with 2-3 random guys who do one or two things well.

I was curious how my team stacked up, and whether the other teams in the league were top-heavy or balanced. So here's a look at the the league based on the ESPN rank of the projected starters. I will lay out each team (add up the total - so lower numbers are better), give a quick analysis of strengths and weaknesses, then project where each team will finish (9 team league, so I will project 1-3, 4-6, 7-9).

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

My team - Sum of 6 starters' ranks: 191 (Rank: 3/9)

Westbrook 43
Joe Johnson 18
Kevin Durant 5
Aldridge 46
Amare 9
Okafor 60


Read the analysis above. Realistically, I see my team somewhere in the middle of the standings because I lack a premier PG, but how could I not pick my own team to win the league?? Projected finish: 1

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

Derek - Sum of 6 starters' ranks: 199 (Rank: 5/9)

Dwight Howard 11
Devin Harris 27
O.J. Mayo 54
Tim Duncan 20
Ron Artest 71
Andre Iguodala 16

Very good team at every position - having 3 players in the top 20, but none in the top 10. Definitely not winning FT% with Howard and TD on the roster, but they fill up the other big-man stats. Harris should see his numbers jump as a he takes a bigger role with Vince gone. Would expect a similar jump from OJ, but who knows where minutes/shots will come from in the Grizzlies' backcourt. Projected finish: 4-6.

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

Gasser - Sum of 6 starters' ranks: 231 (Rank: 9/9)

Nene 41
Kobe Bryant 4
Tony Parker 64
Carmelo Anthony 19
Gerald Wallace 23
Al Harrington 80

Nothing to love about this team, but sneaky good. Only 2 players in the top 20, but it's a legit 2 players - unless Kobe's age/games finally catch up with him. Plus, Gerald Wallace is possibly the most unheralded top 25 guy. With that top 3, should have no problem filling up the scoring, FT%, 3s. Not sure where the big stats (blocks, rebounds) with Nene and Big Al. Looks like a back-of-the-middle-of-the-pack team. Projected finish: 7-9.

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

Kmart - Sum of 6 starters' ranks: 179 (Rank: 2/9)

Brook Lopez 30
Dwyane Wade 3
Chauncey Billups 17
Vince Carter 26
Al Horford 72
Kevin Martin 31

Looks like a good team with a top 3 player and another in the top 20. Feels like there are a lot of questions: Will D-Wade stay healthy or was last season a fluke? Will Lopez jump in year 2? Is Chauncey finally going to start slipping? Will Vince flourish finally playing on a good team? If everything goes right, this is a legit team, but I'm not convinced that all of the "ifs" work out positively. Projected finish: 4-6.


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

PC - Sum of 6 starters' ranks: 193 (Rank: 4/9)

Mehmet Okur 51
Steve Nash 15
Gilbert Arenas 44
LeBron James 2
Kevin Garnett 24
Rudy Gay 57

This is a very solid team, but not built on a very solid foundation. Two players in the top 20, including #2 overall, and potential for two others with Arenas and Garnett. Really dependent on some bad knees (Arenas, Garnett) and an old PG (Nash). It would be impossible not to be in the mix with LeBron, who could potentially win the league by himself. Projected finish: 1-3.

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

Sacks - Sum of 6 starters' ranks: 214 (Rank: 8/9)

Andrea Bargnani 61
Deron Williams 8
Eric Gordon 68
Danny Granger 6
Josh Smith 22
Marcus Camby 49

Overspent on Granger, but ended up with 2 players in the top 10. Those 2 with Josh Smith make for a very good core, but the role players look pretty weak. If Eric Gordon makes the leap in year 2 this team could be better than anticipated. Projected finish: 7-9.

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

DC - Sum of 6 starters' ranks: 208 (Rank: 6/9)

Chris Bosh 10
Chris Paul 1
Monta Ellis 39
Hedo Turkoglu 45
Carlos Boozer 38
Andrew Bynum 75

Great start both big and small with Chris and Chris, both in the top 10. I see Hedo having a major decline in Toronto. Depending on potentially-splitting-minutes-with-Milsap Boozer and an always-potentially-out-for-the-season Bynum for big stats might be risky. Projected finish: 4-6.

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

Big Fil - Sum of 6 starters' ranks: 143 (Rank: 1/9)

Al Jefferson 13
Jason Kidd 21
Brandon Roy 14
Paul Pierce 25
Caron Butler 36
Troy Murphy 34

Quietly put together a good team that will be absolutely no fun to cheer for (other than B-Roy). No top 10 players, but no one ranked below 36 (this is the balanced approach to contrast with my top-heavy team). Could struggle to get the big stats (blocks, rebounds) with only Big Al working down low, but a better fantasy than real-life team. Projected finish: 1-3.

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

Catron - Sum of 6 starters' ranks: 210 (Rank: 7/9)

David Lee 37
Jose Calderon 29
Michael Redd 58
Dirk Nowitzki 7
Pau Gasol 12
Jason Terry 67

Love D. Lee in real-life and Pau in fantasy, but not much else. Dirk is a legit fantasy player who will carry this team, and Calderon should rack up some assists. Other than Lee, this team seems to lack anyone to fill up the big stats. No real weaknesses shooting, so this team could kill in the 3 % categories. Obviously the best odds we have for a white-wash in the entire league. Projected finish: 7-9.