The Bulls put on a nice show Sunday for Carmelo Anthony, future free agent and potential Chicago real estate shopper. The possibility of Anthony eyeing the Bulls this summer has been well-documented. But something else happened Sunday that showed why the move is unlikely. Joakim Noah continues to establish himself as one of the league’s most valuable big men and probably will merit a salary increase when his contract expires in 2016. If Anthony did jump to the Bulls, here’s a preview of the payroll: Derrick Rose is set to make $20.1 million in the 2015-16 season. Anthony makes $21.7 million this year with the Knicks. Anthony could get a bigger overall contract if he stays with New York, but the Bulls are allowed to pay him as much as the Knicks could next season — $22.56 million, or a 5 percent raise from what he made this year. Anthony might be willing to accept less money to join a team with a better chance of winning, but it would be unrealistic to think the Bulls would get a deep discount. Maybe Rose would give the Bulls a generous hometown discount when his maximum deal expires in 2017, but that’s a long way off. Read more http://www.dailyherald.com/article/20140304/sports/140309309/
Like franchises, players more often than not make financial decisions first and pure basketball decisions second. Players sometimes leave money on the table to chase a ring but not very often. I have doubts Melo would put a ring chance first unless endorcement incentives set off salary adjustment.
I was pointing out that McGraw is saying the team would put finances above adding Melo, though he'd be the missing piece to the championship puzzle. And we're really going to sign Noah to a big and long contract at age 30 or 31?
Right and I was posting that Melo would put finances above agreeing to be signed. Big contract for Noah? I would support that in a heartbeat.
http://espn.go.com/blog/chicago/bulls/post/_/id/10226/paxson John Paxson knows the Chicago Bulls need a second star to pair with Derrick Rose, and said the organization's inability to find one so far isn't for a lack of effort. "The fact that … we haven't gotten another superstar to go with Derrick hasn't been through a lack of making phone calls and having dialogue with other teams," Paxson, the Bulls' executive vice president of basketball operations, said Tuesday on "The Waddle & Silvy Show" on ESPN 1000. "We're not out there promoting when we talk to people. The fact that we haven't been able to do that, we'd like to do that. We understand as well as anybody that it's been proven over the years that one great player is not going to get you a championship." In recent years, the Bulls were rumored to have been interested in superstars who wanted out of their longtime NBA homes such as Dwight Howard and Carmelo Anthony, but nothing materialized. Of course, right now the Bulls have no superstars since Rose is sidelined as he recovers from knee surgery. Whenever he does return, assuming the roster remains as is, he will again be expected to carry the load for the Bulls in an NBA which has trended toward superstar players teaming up.
That article is 2 1/2 years old. I imagine Noah ' s stock has risen since then. Regardless, I believe Noah and a healthy Rose would be a formidable combination. Anthony would make an incredible big 3 but it would require gutting a solid core of players, a bold financial move by the Bulls and a basketball over financial concession by Melo. I don't see either side throwing money matters to the wind and am less than enthusiastic about our chances with a big 3 plus scrubs rather than a big 3 or big 2 with a solid cast.
My memory of the Hawks/Pacers/Heat series in Rose's MVP year was they trapped him at half court and he got the ball to Noah near the top of the key. We had Lu and an energetic/younger Boozer, and it wasn't enough. I don't think anything's changed in the 2 1/2 years. "We understand as well as anybody that it's been proven over the years that one great player is not going to get you a championship." <--- is still true. As good as Noah is, he's a 12PPG on .480 FG% with a sub-20 PER and lacks a jump shot you'd want to see him take every chance he could. Put him on the heat and he'd be their 4th best player. Arguably 3rd best. We're seeing modestly talented players in Thibs' system beating up on a really weak Eastern Conference. Imagine what he could do with really good players.
True Denny, however, one thing has changed, the offense running through Noah. That being said, another star added with the offense running through Noah would be unstoppable! Add to that the defense that all of Thibs teams play...WOW
Boozer had turf toe. As TB#1 pointed out, Noah was nowhere near the player then that he is now...he also was battling plantar fasciitis. Just sayin'.
1000 pardons. I recall he had a foot issue going into the 2011 playoffs, but I was wrong about the plantar; it was his ankle. He hurt it in late March and missed 3 games. Then he played limited minutes going into the playoffs.
No excuses. Remember that? If you want to play the "we'd have won but for the nagging little injuries" game, for for it. It's an issue for every team. In fact, Wade suffered a shoulder injury through that series. He hurt it diving for a loose ball against the Celtics in the previous series. I'll play the "if we had another good player on the roster, those injuries matter less" game.
Your right, I don't like making excuses. It was your characterization of "an energetic/younger Boozer" that set me off. I think that everyone who has participated on this thread has been in violent agreement that the Bulls could use another quality player, and in particular a wing.
Boozer played hurt. And then he took some shit for parroting the management line, "playoffs is the goal." People were upset he wasn't decimated by the loss to the Heat.
So your memory now was that he was hurt? Not a frisky young pup? Those people who were upset by what Boozer said should have been upset about other things. The things that professional athletes say seldom matters much.
They were furious with Boozer. His stats in that series are about what they are today. So yeah, I'd say hurt but frisky young pup.
More hurt than frisky/young IMO...he shot about 40% in that series which is waaayy worse than he did in that regular season and even significantly worse than he's doing this (down) season. As for how some fans reacted, you've been around long enough to know that fans (or at least Chicago fans) lose perspective when it comes to highly-paid athletes. That was Boozer's first season with the Bulls and he was the team's highest-paid player by over a $3mil margin. Like you, they didn't want to hear excuses.
