Because we need a thread with Pau Gasol's name in the title

I was thinking Donyell Marshall was the best we signed. But then again, I'm not sure we've used the MLE much at all. Dunleavy with the mini MLE?

 

Gasol in his prime was awesome. This version, well, we'll see. Its looking like 2 years 11 mil per if the Lakers do a sign and trade and 3 years, around 6-7 mil per if they don't.

The Bulls had a hole to fill when they dumped Deng and still needed a second shot creator on top of that.

It looks like they are losing Carlos Boozer and Luol Deng and replacing that with Pau Gasol and rookies.

With the Heat breaking up the East is wide open. I would have loved to see the FO execute on their plan, but it was a strikeout.

This is obviously some type of plan B, C, D type thing. I'm a Pau fan, but its hard to see how this group, as currently constructed, is built to escape the East. Seems more like a hodge - podge at this point. There are holes that need filling. Obvious, gaping holes that were supposed to be addressed by the FO and have not been.

Gasol - Gibson - Mirotic - Noah looks awesome.

The other positions? Ulp. Hope Jimmy and Derrick are ready for heavy minutes. We need to make 2-3 Nate - DJ esque signing to shore this mess up.

 

K.C. Johnson ‏@KCJHoop 13s
Several execs from other teams are high on the Gasol acquisition, which will be straight signing and not S&T.

 

So, when the Bulls were going to war with Boozer - Gibson - Noah I don't ever remember thinking, you know what would put us over the hump, getting rid of Deng and Boozer and adding a guy like Pau Gasol, while leaving the issue at the 2 totally unaddressed and losing an all-star in his prime like Deng.

Also, interesting that the Bulls would not trade Deng for Gasol when Gasol was in his prime, but appear to be offering Gasol 10 to 11 mil per year as opposed to 10 mil a year for Deng in their current states (Gasol over the hill).

 

Joakim Noah ✔ @JoakimNoah

LOL

 

Addition of Gasol can impact the Bulls in different ways

Gasol is best known for his blend of an upper-echelon low-post game and uncanny ball skills for a man of his size, as he’s been regarded as one of the NBA’s best passing big men throughout his career. That trait in particular makes his potential pairing with Joakim Noah especially intriguing, as the Bulls’ All-Star center is arguably the league’s best playmaker at his position, with Gasol’s younger brother Marc of the Grizzlies a close second.

While Gasol is also capable of stepping out to the perimeter and knocking down mid-range jumpers and even deeper shots, his offensive preference is playing on the block, something that wasn’t always the strategy of ex-Lakers head coach Mike D’Antoni and caused them to butt heads. Again, when paired with Noah, who isn’t known to excel as a back-to-the-basket scorer, Gasol’s game would prove complementary and when on the court with Sixth Man of the Year award runner-up Taj Gibson, who made major strides in his post-up game last season, his versatility would allow him to operate in the high post.

Read more http://www.csnchicago.com/bulls/addition-gasol-can-impact-bulls-different-ways

 

I can't think of a year where the Bulls had the MLE (have to be over the cap) and didn't use it. In addition to Marshall and Dunleavy, Joe Smith, Rip Hamilton and Kirk Hinrich were signed using the MLE. Scottie Pippen on the second time around might have been as well.

 

Champions. Every one.

 

Did we improve enough to think we're better than Washington?

 

As the team stands now? Yeah. Slightly better. They lost Ariza, but gained Pierce. Some may argue that this signing alone improves them a little.

We will lose Boozer, Gained Gasol, Mirotic, McDermott, and some say the second round draft pick could make this team and ride the pines as well. Last but not least we added Rose.

That being said, Washington will probably win 50 games or more this season.

 

If they did nothing and Rose returns to health, they improved enough.

 

I feel like this move was not driven by basketball considerations, or even monetary considerations, but more like public persona considerations. Gar/Pax don't want to look like a failure to ownership or their next door neighbors so they go out and orchestrate this bizarre deal. I feel like I'm watching the Celtics: If they are so eager to git rid of their defensive first, nonshooting point guard with an attitude why did they just go and draft the exact same type of player? If the Bulls are amnestying Boozer why are they signing Gasol?

If this is driven by basketball considerations, the franchise is trying to compensate for Thibodeau's shortcomings. It's like GarPax are trying to overload on bigs so that Gibson and Noah aren't hurt by the playoffs. Here's a better idea: make Thibodeau understand his roster limitations or get rid of him.

 

Ya, now minutes can be limited to keep players more rested for the playoffs. Even more so with Mirotic on the team.

Another factor in all of this is, teams are going to have to match up to us. That is going to be difficult to do for most teams, especially with the way Gasol and Noah pass the ball! When teams go small ball, we can make them pay. Gibson can guard SF's in many instances. Noah can too! So this team on paper could be a nightmare to play against.

 

There was a time where we had Boozer, Gibson, Noah and Asik.

 

KC tweeted this: Interesting thought.

K.C. Johnson @KCJHoop

With Gibson's defensive versatility, wonder if Thibodeau has already envisioned closing some games with Noah, Gasol, Gibson up front.

 

I was thinking this too, but then who is going to stick the 3? Is Butler on the bench?

I'd imagine we'll see that lineup from time to time though.

Thibs will get the most out of these guys. Crunch time in the playoffs though and its time to create a shot and Rose is doubled or Lebron is on him, then what?

Hope Pau still has lots of gas in the tank.

 

If Hinrich is back with us, Hinrich and Rose along with the big three up front.

 

Interesting take, but I don't believe that GarPax made the Gasol trade to impress their neighbors.

I think that the Bulls are trying to improve their team right now. Gasol is clearly better than Boozer right now. The same can't be said with certainty about Mirotic. Gasol will probably be asked to give the team 20-25 mpg. This should help extend Gasol's useful basketball life.

I firmly believe that the addition of Gasol makes the Bulls better and hope the neighbors agree.

 

Gasol was always better than Boozer. At one point, he was the best big man in the game, arguably. That said, Gasol isn't known for playing defense anymore. From what I've seen and read, he's not mobile enough anymore, especially defending the P&R.

 

As you've repeatedly pointed out, Thibodeau's a defensive genius and can cover for the defensive shortcomings of a legit scorer. Get 'er done Thibs!