Is anyone on the roster going to break out?

There's no reason we can't look for reasons to be optimistic right? Do any of you predict someone on the roster breaking out next season?

It seems to me like the prime candidates are Tony Snell, Nikola Mirotic and Doug McDermott. I actually think all three will turn into good pros before all is said and done. My guess is that they all might still be one full season away from really breaking out. As a general statement, it seems that players usually break out at least a full season after when you optimistically predict that they might.

What say you?

 

Tony Kukoc broke out under Tim Floyd. Why not these guys?

I'm underwhelmed by Floyd's record at Iowa State.

Good read about it:
http://www.iowastatedaily.com/sport...cle_de0f96b6-d0c2-11e4-8b2e-c7d395b46a4a.html

Hopefully won't be seeing the same kind of stories at the end of next season. Expectations have been set ridiculously high, but in reality the window of opportunity was this year with the Cavs hurting in the playoffs and our older players not older still.

I'm thinking we might resemble this version of the Bulls:
http://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/CHI/1982.html

FWIW

 

I need to know whether Dunleavy's coming back. Somebody needs to start at SF. If they don't re-sign Dunleavy, it would likely need to be Snell, McDermott or some vet minimum hire. In that case, I'd bet on McDermott.

I think Mirotic at least semi broke out last season in that he established himself as one of the better young players in the league. In order for 2015-16 to be a "breakout" season for him, he'd need to do what Butler did this past season...all star or on the cusp. While this is possible, he'll need to be the man at PF for the Bulls and I don't see this happening.

 

Mirotic

 

Just curious, but what kind of stat line do you see Mirotic getting?

 

I think McDermott is probably the most likely to break out, too. I would have said Mirotic but he looked like he needed to grow into his body more in the playoffs. I think it's still going to be another year before he has the strength he needs to really kill it at power forward. I think Snell is going to put it together but he seems to have a slow learning curve. I also think he's going to need to develop a mid-range game for him to really be dangerous.

 

You know I wasn't even thinking stats, I was thinking putting it all together and becoming a reliable night in night out competitor that opposing defenses have to game plan for. But if his minutes rise as I expect them too, and his ppg doesn't jump 4-5 points or so, and his assists (1.2 per game last season) don't go up, I'd be surprised.

 

Same problem as last season. 4 players deserving of playing time and 2 slots. It will be hard for Mirotic to "break out" any more than he has without the minutes. Gasol is going to want to get his. Noah will. You can't just bury Gibson on the bench. Same logjam, different coach. This time it will be resolved however GarPax want it to, and they want Mirotic to put up numbers to justify all the work they put into getting him, so I would not be surprised to see a trade of some type.

McDermott didn't look like much of a NBA player. He can shoot, but wasn't good at really anything else. I don't see Snell as any more than a good role player.

If any of these guys "break out" and the Bulls regress as title contenders, it doesn't really matter much, other than finishing our return journey to the miserable NBA middle.

 

The Bulls were probably a top-10 team last season. It wouldn't surprise me if they dropped down to top-15 for the 2015-16 regular season.

If Noah's knees are "bone on bone" as reported, he may "want his (minutes)," but it won't matter what he wants. He'll get what his knees can handle and that won't be much. Gibson will get some run at center in addition to sharing PF duties with Mirotic. I expect Hoiberg to be more disciplined about minutes and I expect this discipline to cost the team some regular season wins.

I don't think Forman did anything Herculean to get Mirotic. They scouted him, communicated with him, traded up 5 spots to draft him and then waited a couple years for him. The willingness to wait 3 years was the main thing, but still, it wasn't like they traded away precious assets.

When it comes to McDermott, there are pretty much 2 types of Bulls' fans, those who have quickly labeled him a bust and those who are "hopeful wait-and-see" mode. I'm in the latter group.

As for being in the NBA middle, I love watching a championship contender that you can believe in. Nothing better, Unfortunately, I don't see the Bulls as being in this position next season. I think only the Cavs, Blazers, Thunder, Warriors, Clippers, Rockets and Grizzlies can reasonably go into next season with legitimate visions of Larry O'Brien trophies dancing in their heads.

 

Fire Thibs, lower expectations.

Expectations need to be lower.

Make the excuses ahead of time.

Makes complete sense.

Will Profits be higher? As long as suckers buy tickets, yep.

 

What, if any, results do you expect to come from this discipline?

 

Somehow Thibs was the problem yet the expectations will no longer be championship after letting him go.

Buys more time and paychecks for everyone.

 

Other than firing Thibs, what significant has changed to warrant this lowering of expectations?

Noah's health should not be any worse next season as it was this season. If the knees are shot, the knees are shot.

There was much talk about Thibs not playing guys like Mirotic and McDermott enough, like it was holding the Bulls back or something. Supposedly Del Hoiberg has a great offensive scheme hat will unleash the held down talent on the Bulls.

 

If Noah's bone-on-bone, it's degenerative, i.e., it'll get worse.

Both Dunleavy and Brooks were key contributors. Neither is currently on the roster.

Gasol will be 35 next week. Hinrich will be 35 next season.

I've read somewhere that they're expected to salary dump Gibson.

Doom and gloom, baby. Doom and gloom.

 

Not so easy with both post surgery. Taj's ability to bounce back from this is unknown.

Not clear that either can pass a physical if traded.

 

Fair enough, but so many were complaining about the offense and McDermott and Mirotic being shackled and trapped on the bench while guys like Noah and Gibson and MDJ were playing. Now those guys are free and the Mayor is in town to school the NBA with his offense!

Surprising that the Bulls would slip down to #15 if that was the case.

Noah was pretty lousy already last year for the most part. One would think that him getting a bit worse would be offset by the Thidiot being gone and Mirotic / McDermott unleashed.

Hinrich will be another year older, but I think many feel that the new coach will so the "smart" thing and simply not play him. Based on the narrative from some about last season this would increase the performance of the team.





Doom and gloom = reduced expectations = 3-4 years of easy checks and the Bulls not being a contender anymore. AKA Paxson Ball.

Woot.

 

By all means, ignore the optimistic prognosis that was published last week.

 

Supposedly playing Gibson and not Mirotic was a big problem with last season. If that narrative is true, Taj is a 15 minute a game guy off the bench behind Mirotic. His health is not really that important, he's a bench player, under that narrative.

Freeing Mirotic is the main goal. Guys like Taj and Noah and Gasol are yesterday's news.