Do you remember teams getting in Deng's grill when he got the ball at the 3pt line? I don't. Lots of good looks at the basket. It's fine, but a big deal when talking about spreading the floor. Compared to LeBron who hit a number of very contested 3pt shots against us (and Boston, and...). And on one hand you credit Brewer for his defense, then say he's not good enough. Well, I remember Deng being in foul trouble and Brewer doing just as well on LeBron. I'm not convinced 3200 minutes had anything to do with needing Deng on the court that much, since Thibs would play him 44 minutes in a 30 point blowout.
Brewer's an exceptional defender. However, most of what I've seen of him has been at SG. Yeah, I know he played more SF in Utah, but I need my own eyes to believe enough to support irrevocable decisions. Sorry, but I can't just take your word for it. Again, the leap to Brewer as a great full-time SF defender requires the kind of starry-eyed optimism that you can embrace, but I can't. If this means that I'm inconsistent, then I'm inconsistent. As for whether Deng was guarded, I may not understand the point. Before this season, Deng and Brewer were similar in that neither was able to reliably hit the open 3. Now Deng can and Brewer still can't (unless, of course, you're willing to project Brewer's solid 3-point shooting in the playoffs as a permanent thing). But seriously, we can go round and round on this one, but we'll waste each other's time. At the end of the day, I think Deng is far more valuable to the Bulls than you do.
Can we just pause her for a moment so I can officially issue a mea culpa. I positively lambasted the franchise when it put Joe Johnson at the top of their free agent (who they actually had a crack at) wish list. GarPax was right. I was wrong. He would have been perfect.
I think you raise an important ancillary point that is worth exploring. Brewer shot pretty darn well in the playoffs and the Bulls still got beat soundly by the Heat. The Monte Ellis talk, if it gets anything right, is on the money because it sets our aim high enough. At the end of the day the franchise needs another talent upgrade. The most obvious weakness is shooting guard but it's by no means the only weakness.
I would do Noah ahead of Deng . And I don't think Deng would be enough for Golden State either. It's a big leap of faith to take in Asik but i wonder if we could round out our big rotation by bringing in Jeff Foster in free agency. I'd be pretty comfortable with Foster and Boozer and Omer and Taj as the young uns behind them Ultimately I would see Omer starting with Boozer and Foster and Taj rounding out the 2nd unit. Foster Boozer Deng Ellis Rose Asik Gibson Jackson ( for Korver and Bogans and 1 of our 1st round picks ) Brewer Watson Uncle Kurt and the best big available with the earliest of our 1st round picks
You dont think we start Jackson if we were to get him? At this point in his career I think he'll still be a starter
