"Could not execute", now that is truly funny!!! The free-spending Lakers had MAX money to throw at Melo, and he didn't sign there, either. I guess they couldn't "execute" either. The Rockets also had MAX money to throw at Melo, and he didn't sign there, either. I guess they couldn't "execute" either. Any Bulls fan who is surprised that Melo chose the Knicks over anyone else is delusional IMHO. Since the Knicks were the only team that could throw actual MAX money at Melo (the extra year, bigger raises). I can't speak for what anyone else felt, I only know that I am firmly on the record as saying all along that Melo would re-sign with the Knicks because he actually cares more about money than winning.
A recurring theme of the Bulls organization since MJ has been the inability to execute on the stated organizational goal of landing a top notch free agent when they have supposedly set themselves up to do so. TMAC. Lebron. Wade. Melo. Whiff. Whiff. Whiff. Whiff. So, yes, its an inability to execute on stated organizational goals. They did manage to overpay Ben Wallace and promptly dumped Tyson Chandler for 1/2 the price. And Tyson went on to be a DPOY, NBA Champion, Team USA guy. Woot. Whiff. ----- If the Bulls are a truly great organization, where are the results? Other than the Forbes list. 2 division championships, 0 conference championships, 0 NBA championships. Where are the results? 17 years!
Stated organizational goal? Nice. Actually, I'm guessing that the goal was to obtain a player(s) in free agency that would improve the team. In 2006, they signed Ben Wallace, the best FA available. The team went from winning 41 games and a 1st-round playoff exit to winning 49 games and a 1st-round playoff win over the defending champion Heat. In 2010, they signed Boozer and went from winning 41 games and a 1st-round playoff exit to a league-best 62 games and a trip to the conference finals. My guess is that, in both cases, Forman and Paxson got nice performance bonuses for their efforts, though they may have had to give some of it back when Wallace became a certifiable team cancer and had to be removed. As for the TMAC thing, that just wasn't a fair fight. As you'll recall, Krause was sitting on all that cap space and was going to just outspend the competition when they went and changed the CBA, installing the first-ever individual salary maximum in pro sports. So instead of being able to offer McGrady and Grant Hill, say, $15-$20mil per each, the most anyone could pay them was set at $9.7mil. Most of the stars stayed put and those that moved (McGrady and Hill both went to Orlando) wanted nothing to do with the monstrosity that was the Bulls roster. Poor ol' Jerry.
Right, and in hindsight, that contract was more of a millstone than an asset. And it meant the immediate dumping of Team USA, DPOY, NBA Champion Tyson Chandler. You would have rather have had Tyson Chandler for those years, at what he made, than Ben Wallace. That exchange wasn't a win for the organization by any stretch. And once again, for too much money. And a contract that the organization would later regret. That wasn't a win. The goal was to get a stud. Lebron, Wade, a guy like that. They settled for overpaying Carlos Boozer. Do you know how those guys get performance bonuses? That would actually be very interesting if anyone had any information on that. I imagine for Paxson its more financial goals that team performance, or at least a combination. The Melo "pursuit" wasn't a fair fight either, since the organization hand't situated itself to make a competitive offer. As for poor 'ol Jerry, I'm sure whenever he's feeling down he can polish his 6 championship rings and stare at his banner hanging in the rafters. Its funny. Krause is mocked and ridiculed for not landing TMAC. Paxson has whiffed on Lebron, Wade and Melo. Its the same result. Same problem. The studs don't choose to come here. And and each case, bad contracts followed. EROB. Mercer. Boozer. Even the lone "win" in Wallace was a bad contract. Let's hope Gasol isn't the same way. Its a smarter, lower dollar amount at least. Let's hope he can give us three good years.
Bulls liked Chandler enough to sign him to a very serious contract in 2005. He almost immediately turned into a spoiled brat dog-ass piece of shit. This prompted the Wallace signing and the trade of Chandler. Chandler needed to be traded. It was a wake-up call that may have saved his career. Your welcome, Tyson. Your goal for them was for them to get a "stud" and since this was your goal, you get to set the definition in order to declare what the Bulls got as a fail. And except for superstars who are limited by the individual salary maximum, virtually every free agent signee is overpaid. No, I don't know how their bonuses are handled, but I can't see why Paxson's would be based on financial performance directly. I believe that he is given a salary budget and other financial guidelines that he must get special permission to exceed...he has little control over the cost side. Wouldn't surprise me if ticket sale revenue is tied in somehow. Even less fair than that. Other teams that were as well situated as possible didn't have a chance either. Anthony was just teasing. I join you in the hope that Gasol and the 2014-15 team is all that and more.
Revisionist history, transplant. Chandler had some injury issues. Something to do with his throat, if I remember. Chandler did not need to be traded for his sake, he needed to be traded to save money. He was a rather clutch player on the defensive end, especially late in games. Wallace was signed because the Bulls had cap space to use, and if they didn't, they wouldn't have the space the next season. It was use it or lose it. And K4E, the Bulls stated goal has been to make playoffs. Paxson said it back when, and Boozer repeated it after we lost in the finals. As far as Melo goes, K4E is quite right. The Bulls actions were conservative and risk averse. If Melo didn't sign, they'd still have the roster we have now. That might demonstrate to Melo that instead of being aggressive to put together a champ that they'd be, you know, conservative and risk averse.
Boy, Thibs must be a real fucking moron. NBA Coach of the Year, USA Men's National Team assistant, he could have his choice of jobs. Yet he chose to re-sign with a cheap organization that doesn't care about winning. What a complete idiot he must be?
Revisionist history? OK, let me ask you this. If Chandler had had a good season in 2005-06, would they still have signed Wallace and traded Chandler?
Yes. PJ Brown was an expiring contract. Saved money the season after. When Wallace was signed, I think we all were expecting him to move to PF, his more natural position. http://m.espn.go.com/nba/story?storyId=2510218&src=desktop Note: the Bulls played Chandler with Antonio Davis.
You of all people ("Mr. Offense") should know that you don't want Chandler and Ben Wallace on the court at the same time. Both were defensive specialists who make Noah look like Dirk Nowitzki. Wallace was signed because Skiles had become disenchanted with Chandler. Chandler was traded because you don't want your backup center to make 8 figures per year, particularly when he's a young player with maturity issues.
I never ever read anything that Skiles was unhappy with Chandler or that he had maturity issues. More like Skiles was an asshat who ended up getting fired following the Chandler trade. Chandler told everyone the truth about Skiles after he was traded - good for him. He's got more championship rings than any player or management guy (aside from Reinsdorf) since MJ left. When PJ Brown's contract expired, who did they replace him with? NOBODY. My bad. Kirk's salary/new contract. So they wouldn't have to pay the tax. I found you an article from the time saying it was to save money. It was to save money, as is always the case. And they played PJ Brown with Wallace and won 49 games. PJ was terrible on offense. No better than Chandler.
Yes, Tyson was so "valuable" that he played 3 non-descript years in NO, before they traded him to CHA, who kept him for one year and traded him to DAL, who kept him for one year and traded him to NYK. Yes, he finally made All-Defense 2nd Team FIVE YEARS after the Bulls traded him, when he was in the last year of his contract. But why bother arguing with folks who completely ignore the fact that a salary cap exists and that teams actually have to budget for players around that salary cap, and that it only hurts a team to have overpaid, duplicate players on the roster? Folks who never, ever care to discuss the salary cap implications of any roster move obviously have an alterior motive. Because they obviously can't understand that "saves money" doesn't always mean "more profits", there is also a salary cap implication to each and every move.
The name you're searching for is Joe Smith. Damned good player. Tyrus played a lot too. PJ sucked, no argument, but that doesn't make playing Chandler with Wallace anything other than what it was...stupid. Actually, in 2006-07, Nocioni was the best PF on the team. He had a helluva good offensive season.
Smith didn't replace PJ Brown. Your opinion is playing the 2 would be stupid. They played PJ who was worse - that was stupid.
Yah, Tyson's time in NOH was so nondescript that he was added as 1st alternate to Team USA for 2008. (maybe Ben Wallace turned down the offer?) And in 2010 he won the gold. (maybe Ben Wallace turned down the offer?) A year later he was a starter on a NBA Champion. No use for that guy. Because of Skiles. All for millions and millions less than the Bulls opted to pay Ben Wallace. How many gold medals does Skiles have as a coach? How many Championship rings does Skiles have as a coach? Who does Skiles work for in the NBA? Skiles is out of the league and has accomplished little as a NBA coach for a reason.
Brown was a veteran PF who started most of the games for the Bulls in 2006-07. Joe Smith was a veteran PF who started most of the games for the Bulls in 2007-08 (til he was traded). I'm sure you have your reasons.
Smith's salary was 1/2 that of Brown's for starters. Where's the $9M/year player that replaced PJ? The player as good as Chandler who replaced him?
