The Bestest

Derrick Rose of Chicago Bulls says he is best player in NBA - ESPN Chicago

When asked by CNN's Pedro Pinto in an interview who the best player in the NBA is right now, the former MVP did not hesitate with his answer.

"Derrick Rose," the 24-year-old said confidently.

The fact that Rose responded that way won't surprise those close to him. Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau and general manager Gar Forman both said recently that the star point guard is feeling great and is ready to start the season.

 

Shoot well

Conventional wisdom sez Derrick Rose and Jimmy Butler need shooters to spread defenses and let them get to the basket.

...if Rose’s extensive work on his jumper while he recovered last season manifests itself and Butler continues to make strides as a long-range marksman, there’s no reason to believe defenders won’t have to play them honestly, as well as contend with the duo’s shared athleticism, especially in transition. 

Or maybe not.

Curse this Heat.

Bulls lose to Heat in summer league - chicagotribune.com

The Bulls, led by Marquis Teague's 21 points, shot just 31.2 percent. Even Teague's night, which featured 10 trips to the free-throw line, got marred by five turnovers. The Bulls had 15 overall.

"Marquis is still a work in progress, but he’s moving in the right direction," Bulls assistant coach Adrian Griffin, who is coaching the team, said earlier this week. "He has to think of ways to help the team next season and that’s pressure defense and not turning it over."

  Assist to turn over ratio  - or maybe just turnovers period.

Snell well and ends well

“Those who are easily shocked should be shocked more often.” 

― Mae West

I would like to be this surprised more often. How can a rookie SG hold his own in the post against a second year PF and C, both selected in the 2012 lottery (5th and 11th) ?

Sam Smith

Snell had his best game of his three thus far with 14 points, six rebounds, four assists and two steals while defending both power forward Thomas Robinson and center Meyers Leonard.
“He had his hands full tonight and I did not see him back down,” said assistant Adrian Griffin, who is coaching the summer league team. “Robinson had 50 pounds on him and was trying to run him over. Snell stuck in there and did a terrific job. He was giving up a lot of weight, but he was boxing out, taking charges. To see him compete like that we feel very good about Tony.”

Tony!   That's a good name for a Chicago Bull.

Summer Teague

Scott Skiles argued NBA players only get better in the off season when they have sufficient time to improve their skills.  

NBA Bulls Summer League

Other notables: Marquis Teague, Bulls. Derrick Rose’s backup had his best scoring game yet, finishing with 25 points on 7-for-14 shooting, hitting all three 3-point attempts.

Yes.  2013 summer league is where 29th pick Marquis Teague needs to shine.  He was a one year college player selected by Chicago for his future value. One would expect him to play very well against any rookie guard selected outside of the lottery (i.e. Damien Lillard) and with Developmental League players. 

Teague played like a 29th pick so what's Teague's "upside?" Rookie of the year PG Damian Lillard is 23 and had four years at Webber State to develop his "game".  Teague is 20 and would be a Junior when the NBA starts this fall.

A success metric for 2013 would be appearing in a super majority of the Bulls games (55) while getting his ave. minutes played in double digits (15+).  He'd have to work into part of the extended player rotation.  That also means Teague should shoot over .420 this year and over .330 behind the 3pt line. As a PG under Thibs, he will need a good asst. to turn over ratio.   Hinrich was 3.1 which put him 5th in the NBA.  Bulls Marco Belinelli was a poor, bottom 10 percentile 1.8 and Jeff, his brother, 2.5.

Teague should see playing time against other rotational players and therefore have an asst to turn over ratio above 2.25.  FG% .420 and 3PT% .330.

Free Agent Rumors

Rumor 1)
LaMarcus Aldridge wants out of Portland.
His agent also has Derrick Rose
This means there might be a trade:

Aldridge for Carlos Boozer. Financially it is possible.

Still very Unlikely.

Aldridge has no leverage with the club. Boozer's play and longer contract are inferior assets.

Maybe Bulls add their rights to a promising Europlayer to sweaten the deal. They would give up a future, possibly valuable, asset to improve and compete for a title now.


Rumor 2)
Monta Ellis is a FA.
Monta is willing to take less money for the chance to grt a title.
Bulls are interested and need to sign Monta Ellis.

Not gonna happen.


Ellis' agent probably got a call and into the Bulls and brought up Ellis. Technically that shows interest on the Bulls part but really, it is unlikely Chicago initated the contact.

Ellis gave up something like 11 million to enter into FA. Would he settle for much less to sign with the contender Bulls?

Chicago has a very structured Coach. Would they seek a shoot first smallish guard with Snell and Hinrick under contract?

Ellis isn't giving up thst much money and the Bulls don't need his inefficent scoring skills.

This is about upping Ellis' value for a low to mid tier team to snatch and sign Ellis as a quick fix.

Adams

Bulls did not re-sign Asst Coach Adams.

GM Forman:

"I think with any type of personnel decision I think it's best left unsaid as far as why decisions are made," Forman said. "I don't think it does anybody any good to go into specifics and I think that goes for any personnel decision we make whether it's a player or anything else." 

Thibs :

"Ron is a great friend, an outstanding coach and I will miss him," Thibodeau was quoted as saying in the statement. 

Possibly some comment will come from Adams after he lands a job on another team.  

Nazr resigns, Dunleavy joins Bulls

Mike Dunleavy verbally agrees to 2 year contract with Bulls. Better than Kover overall with the ball and more athletic. Can play SF

Nazr returns another year.

Nazr spent months earning trust with Coach Thibs.  Returning builds on last year so expect a better year from him.

Update:

CBS Sports rated Mike the 3rd best SF Free agent.

3. Mike Dunleavy Jr., unrestricted, 32 yrs old, 2yr $7.5m: Dunleavy has had a little bit of a renaissance. He was a huge weapon for the Milwaukee Bucks the last couple of years and is another one of those valuable shooters who could bring about a nice little bidding war.

Bulls picks as described by the Franchise.

Two shooters. 

One expected to contribute immediately - shoot- and later develop into a rounded player.

The Bulls used the 20th pick in Thursday's NBA draft on Snell, the New Mexico wing who connected on 38 percent of his 434 3-point attempts in three seasons for Steve Alford's Lobos.

"In today's NBA, you can never have enough shooting," Thibodeau said. "We addressed a need. Both guys shoot extremely well."

Snell, who possesses a wingspan near 7 feet, a 9-inch hand length and very low 4.9 percent body fat, has the tools and athleticism to become a strong perimeter defender able to guard multiple positions.

Snell averaged 9.2 points while missing just one of 105 games in three seasons at New Mexico. So he's durable. He's also long, though not considered a strong rebounder. There also are questions about his aggressiveness.

"We think he has a chance to contribute this year," general manager Gar Forman said. "Long term, there's great upside because of his makeup, his tools and his ability to shoot."

In the second round with the 49th pick overall, they added Murphy, a 6-foot-10 "stretch 4" from Florida who led the SEC in 3-point shooting last season at 45.3 percent.

I had no idea a PF lead the SEC in 3-pt shooting %.

Second pick can also shoot.

Murphy was a first-team all-SEC performer as a senior and led the conference in three-point shooting at 45.3 percent, in addition to averaging 12.2 points and 5.5 rebounds per game.

Tony Snell

He isn't even at the draft.

 TV sez:

6'11 wing span and 47% pull up jump shooter.

Okay that means Bulls don't want to develop a shooter. They like size and length at SG.  

Pick 19

Cleveland selects a Karasev.

Wide open for Chicago.

Bullock Hardaway Franklin Mitchell

Little Tommy Tolbert's NBA Draft

Tom Tolbert (KNBR) highlighted one player, just one, that intrigued him.  Some drafts have this player going to the Bulls.

20. Chicago Bulls - Jamaal Franklin, SG, San Diego State (6’5, 17.0 ppg, 9.5 rpg, 3.3 apg)

Jamaal superficially reminds me, and others, of Kawhi Leonard, a mid round pick that worked.  It simply appears like the Bulls should copy the Spurs and get the next wing at SDSU who needs an improved shot.  He'll improve his shooting and be a stud like Kawhi.   No.  I doubted it. I also dismissed Jamaal because Jimmy Butler can do about the same thing and is taller.

I mention Jamaal because Tolbert is no fool.  He thought, along with many of the other comments written about Jamaal's talents, that grabbing 9 rebounds per game was very unusual for a wing player and indicated that he isn't shying away from "mixing it up" and getting physical.

Good point.

I am totally confused except I assert that at #20, the Bulls selection will be under 6'8.

NBA Draft 2013

NBA Draft is Thursday.  I don't know squat but here's my shot at a what they'll do with #20.

Drafting #20 is high for a team like the Bulls. Even in weak drafts, a player here is expected to make the team and contribute. Whoever is selected, that player will work hard and have some dependable skill, be it defense, a post-up shot, length and etc.

The past may predict the present.  The Bulls' recent draft history from Wikipedia has a stand out, James Johnson.  James was a rare miss among some very good, in hindsight, picks.

Year	Round	Pick	Name	Nationality	College/HS/Club
2012	1	29	Marquis Teague	United States	University of Kentucky
2011	1	30	Jimmy Butler	United States	Marquette University
2009	1	16	James Johnson	United States	Wake Forest University
2009	1	26	Taj Gibson	United States	University of Southern California
2008	1	1	Derrick Rose	United States	University of Memphis
2008	2	39	Sonny Weems	United States	University of Arkansas
2007	1	9	Joakim Noah	United States[1]	University of Florida
2007	2	49	Aaron Gray	United States	University of Pittsburgh
2007	2	51	JamesOn Curry	United States	Oklahoma State University

James was a high risk pick.  The pre-draft knock was 1) tweener with physical skills and a tantalizing upside, 2) questionable motivation and focus.  He was a known risk/high payoff selection that didn't work. So was Tyrus Thomas for that matter.

James' Classmate Taj Gibson at #26 was described as an older player with less upside and a hard worker.  A unexciting selection who is now a considered a late round gem. Maybe a top 10 selection in hindsight.

For the 2013 draft CNNSI suggests PF Tony Mitchell, an athletic multi-position player with questionable circumstances.  I am skeptical they'll risk another "James Johnson" pick at 20 unless Mitchell is very special with special circumstances.  Jimmy Butler is an example of a that special circumstances guy.  Bulls did their homework and he's a great pick.

Someone will fall to 20.  In a weak draft, GMs error for a pick with size.  It's possible a SG/SF with a good shot and defensive length will be there.  In the CNNSI mock draft, that guy could be C.J. McCollum.  He's supposed to go to the Bucks at #15 to replace 6'3" Monta Ellis, however I think the Bucks want size at SG.  Swapping a small SG with a less expensive 6'3" SG doesn't shakeup the Bucks back court.

CNNSI sez: "McCollum has shown during workouts that he is an NBA shooter."

and USATODAY "C.J. McCollum is serious about his college degree — the one he went back to Lehigh to get, the reason he passed up the potential for millions of dollars last summer."

That's what the Bulls need, character and shooting, on the cheap.

UPDATE
Apparently the ESPN's Chad Ford now thinks McCollum will go at #7 to the Kings. Wow.  That makes sense for this reason.  Steph Curry GSW a 6'3" hybrid SG/PG also went #7.  The new Sac Coach is former Assistant Malone from GSW and he would know how to use a player like McCollum who looks like a "Steph Curry" on paper.

So to updated: McColumn if available or Tim Harway Jr.

The 6-foot-6 shooting guard has earned a firm first round projection from just about every reputable NBA draft analyst in the business, and has drawn rave reviews from general managers for his work ethic, 3-point shot and approach to the game. - MLIVE.COM

Then in order: Reggie Bullock for his perimeter shooting and defense or Tony Snell.

The wildcard is when some F/C drops in the draft. I doubt that will happen since confused GMs pick for height in the absence of a clear choice. I expect the bigs will be selected before 20.  If Bulls grab some falling big man - the Bulls front office may be just as confused as I.

Trades

CNNSI graded the February trades, including the Bulls trades with Charlotte and Milwaukee.  It's not surprising the Bulls were labeled LOSERS.

I like the trades but the failing grade is to be expected,  the Bulls franchise has been heavily, and often unreasonably criticized.  It started when the GM didn't over pay for top scoring Ben Gorden, and the owner allegly scaring away coach DiAntoni, with his focus on defense.  Signing unexperienced Vinny Del Negro as a coach seemed to be the final blow to fans and the media.  

With the trade, Chicago cleared enough cap space to sign a max free agent, their GM's goal, and they kept their starting line up, something a coach has got to love.  In trading away Thomas and Salmons, the Bulls received comprable players, Warrick and Murray. Thomas also netted Charlotte's first round pick while dumping Salmons salary cost two 2nd round picks.

Chicago is strong enough to make a playoff run but they traded with eastern "rivals" also fighting for a playoff spot.  Every team got better. Salmons can start for Milwaukee which needed a SG, and Thomas is more than athletic enough to team with SG Jackson and SF/PF Wallace.  Charlotte can be very good and *if* Thomas improves his game.

Milwaukee, Chicago, Charlotte and Miami are four teams within 2.5 games of each other and competing for the three lower playoff spots.  Add Toronto, only 2 games ahead of the Bulls, and that's 4.5 game separating 5 teams competing for 4 slots.   Clearly Chicago took a step back letting Salmons and Thomas go but if Murray and Warrick can fill in, they'll make that step up.

Last night, in the win over Minnesota, VDN played Warrick and Murray.  Welcome to the team and the playoff hunt.

The Next 4; LAC, PHI, ATL and MIA

Bulls face the LAC and @PHI back to back.
Then there is a day off followed by another back-to-back @ATL and MIA at home.

A sweep would be outstanding.  More likely the ATL game is the one they'll lose.  The MIA Heat at home might be difficult but the home crowd should get the Bulls excited.

LAC are beatable and since the Bulls lost to these guys recently, I expect it's a game Chicago will not look past.  No let down or surprise, Bulls are going for a blow out.  That would help with PHI the next day.

PHI is team that's having problems and would like to beat Chicago to make a statement.  Since it's a 2nd game in as many days and a road game. PHI is going to a test of the Bulls focus.  If Chicago can blow out the LAC, then the team rests their starters for the PHI game.

The rest day would be welcome.  Then to Atlanta for a tough game against a team looking to make a statement, they're #4 seed and the Bulls a likely 5th seed.  This would be a game to set the table for the playoffs.  ATL wants to tell the Bulls to forgetaboutit.

MIA at home is one of those games where we want to get some distance between them for the 5th seed. For Wade, it's a chance to see what a real home court advantage would look like.

Mid-point 2009-2010 predictions.

At the mid-point, here are the eastern standings.
Eastern Conference Team
  1. Cleveland -
  2. Orlando 5.5
  3. Atlanta 6.5
  4. Boston 7.0
  5. Toronto 11.5
  6. Charlotte 12.5
  7. Chicago 13.0
  8. Miami 13.0

  9. Milwaukee 16.0
 10. New York 18.5
 11. Washington 20.5
 12. Philadelphia 21.0
 13. Indiana 21.5
 14. Detroit 21.5
 15. New Jersey 32.5

The four lower tier playoff teams will consist of ...

• The Larry Brown coached Charlotte with StackJack.  They're improved since the trade and Brown's a demanding coach who will keep the team together.
• Miami, with Beasley, O'Neal and Wade.  They have enough talent and star power to close out strong.  If Wade gets hurt, it's all over.
• Toronto,  with Bosh this team has done well enough to stay near the top of the lower half most of the season.  
• Chicago, Rose is a recognized all-star, Noah will become one with a solid playoff run this spring.  Taj is enough of an addition in the post to get this team over .500 and make up for pouting Tyrus Thomas.

Of course there will be trades and all bets are off if any key player is moved.

Hack Job

Why is this a hack job?

The invective ...

Del Negro, who stumbled upon a winning formula as the 8th seed in last year's playoffs (go small and run, run, run!), spent most of his first season rolling out head-scratching lineups and poorly-drawn plays that made Don Nelson look like he wasn't daydreaming about scotch. Most coaches progress year after year, but Del Negro has mirrored his team (or perhaps the team has mirrored their soon-to-be-fired coach) in taking a clumsy step backward. 

As a sidenote, VDN's hair certainly isn't helping the situation either. 

And Del Negro knows it. He's been feisty with the media who have suggested that his leash is pretty much at the last link right now. After stories haphazardly leaked on ESPN that Del Negro had been fired, he was quoted as saying the reports were "just funny." He's also lashed out in his own defense at the media in weeks prior, showing both his immaturity with the media and the complete lack of leadership at the club right now. That cuts to the core of the problem: Confidence

Re-read this and then ask yourself, exactly who lacks confidence?

The guy's eventual point?  Bulls should trade Loul Deng for Stoudemire, then,if it doesn't work out Stoudemire can walk away leaving salary cap space.

Stoudemire's contract expires at the end of the season as well, so if the experiment works, he's already in a big free agent market, on a rising team, in an easier conference, dramatically increasing the likelihood of him re-signing. 

Stoudemire's been available for two years on a struggling team, yeah he's worth Deng.

Nice Surprises

It's far enough in the 2009-2010 season to evaluate the current NBA rookie class.   According to an NBA scout, the Bulls got lucky.

Taj Gibson, Bulls."A large percentage of his points is off putbacks, which makes him a good blend guy. He's not a particularly good jump shooter and he's not going to be a household name, but he's a guy who's going to give you spirited minutes."

So maybe Taj works on his jump shot this summer.

Bulls 2010

Posting real soon now.