Lots of interesting things in http://www.nba.com/2013/news/features/david_aldridge/01/28/morning-tip-lakers-mini-win-streak-bulls-keep-it-together/index.html?ls=iref:nbahpt6d covering the Bulls. Some things are just plain wrong, like "not even trying to sign Omer" and "desperation to stay under tax"...but hey. What I like are the quotes. Nice and extensive, well beyond most stuff I've seen. I really enjoyed the following one from Noah: How cool is it that Noah admits, "I tried to rebel, but I couldn't!"?
Another quote: "They do not look like they're having any fun playing" Ouch. I'm sorry, but I don't see why it's wrong that the Bulls didn't sign Asik because of finances. I don't think they even tried to sign him. He was a UFA, got an offer, they didn't match. They did the token bit about offering the QO, which is just as much about being in a position to extract something in return if a S&T scenario arose.
Nope, they're not having any fun at all...[video=youtube;KyaxcwRjmAU]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KyaxcwRjmAU&feature=player_embedded[/video] And as for the money...they ARE over the tax, and I believe the reports are that they made the max offer they could (except in number of years) to Asik.
I looked for quite a few minutes and could not find any indication the Bulls made any offer to Asik beyond the QO. What I did find was the Rockets agreed with Asik on July 1, the first day free agency negotiations were allowed, though the deal had to be signed on the 11th. The Bulls are over the tax. It only matters if they're over the tax at the end of the season. We'll see by Feb. 21 if Rip is still here, or some other moves aren't made to get under. I think they made a gamble they can get under, not that they actually thought it good basketball to go over by a bit for a year.
http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2012-07-02/sports/chi-bulls-react-to-asiks-offer-20120702_1_twitter-kcjhoop-coach-tom-thibodeau-general-manager-gar-forman The statements speak against a claim that "they didn't even try to sign Omer."
How? He can say "we want to sign Omer" all he wants. When it came time to actually sign him, he didn't. And not for basketball reasons. In fact, it reads the opposite to me.
BTW, I would have matched Omer. For two seasons, you get him for $5M, or about half what Taj gets. WELL worth it. The third season at $15M? That's a big expiring contract. Or trade him at the deadline his 2nd season to save the Chairman money.
At your service. I was taken aback by the extensiveness of the article. Much better than Sam Smith, at least in terms of developing a story about the team. And the quotes from Noah were priceless.
