***Offical NBA Regular Season Thread***

[Rhoadhoused]

debatable. Irving is the only one that is a game changer. Thompson and Waiters are good starters but not guys you can have being a 2nd or 3rd option winning titles. Doesn't matter a ton if you waste picks on players like Anthony Bennett. The opportunity to switch picks in 2015 was the best pick the Bulls got. If the Cavs become a team where they get to be a 5-6 seed repeatedly they won't get great picks to help build around Irving.

It seems the Cavs are in between "Hey, let's tank and build around Irving" and "Hey, let's make the playoffs and see what we can do".

They have no choice. Keep losing that badly and Irving leaves. Waiters and Thompson are very promising good players. Verejoa is pretty good as a veteran. They do have to hope Bennett turns it around because that is obviously not working out so far. But the #10 pick in 2 years or picking 10 spots earlier is lower priority than a good chance at filling your biggest hole for nothing for two years.

 

[jbindm]

They have no choice. Keep losing that badly and Irving leaves. Waiters and Thompson are very promising good players. Verejoa is pretty good as a veteran. They do have to hope Bennett turns it around because that is obviously not working out so far. But the #10 pick in 2 years or picking 10 spots earlier is lower priority than a good chance at filling your biggest hole for nothing for two years.

Report: Bulls plan to trade Luol Deng, amnesty Carlos Boozer

Whoa.

Great move by the Bulls, although amnestying Boozer is a long overdue move. At any rate, if you can't save the season then do the next best thing - save some money, stockpile some draft picks, and tank like a mofo.

 

[Mumbai1986]

I think w/o Deng's contract and by cutting Bynum, the Bulls already fall 20 million below the cap. You amnesty Boozer and you drop even further. The tax level for the 2013-14 year is around 71 million. If Boozer is amnestied, the Bulls only have 36 million in salaries. Have a lot of money to spend on free agents in 2014.

Hopefully, the Bulls get a high draft pick and pick up one of these 2014 free agents:

2014 NBA Free Agents | HOOPSWORLD | Basketball News & NBA Rumors

 

[Die4Cy]

The Bulls haven't been very good at losing the last couple weeks. They need to be a lot worse in an awful Eastern Conference to even make it to the draft lottery. They're still holding a playoff spot in one of the dreaded "NBA Hell" slots.

Obviously you can't coach professionals to tank games. They are playing for jobs and new contracts every time out. But if the Bulls continue to play around .500 ball, they probably make the playoffs this year and get a lower draft pick. You can imagine the GM feeling like the owner in Major League when those guys win.

 

[MNCyGuy]

They have no choice. Keep losing that badly and Irving leaves. Waiters and Thompson are very promising good players. Verejoa is pretty good as a veteran. They do have to hope Bennett turns it around because that is obviously not working out so far. But the #10 pick in 2 years or picking 10 spots earlier is lower priority than a good chance at filling your biggest hole for nothing for two years.

I wonder if Cleveland has another move in them after all the reports earlier this year that Irving and Waiters can't get along.

 

[Wesley]

The Lakers have a crap load of money for next year. Plus LA > Cleveland. I'd rather have the Lakers situation then the Cavs if I was playing. Cavs are a franchise that will be mediocre but never great (2nd tier team in the east)

Next year for Koby and then he will hang it up. They need another bigtime star in LA.

 

[CycloneRulzzz]

So trade has gone down with bynum to bulls, I thought gasol for bynum was a done deal?

 

[Mumbai1986]

The other interesting thing to this trade is the amount of draft picks the Bulls have now. They have the Bobcats and Kings first round picks if those two teams make the playoffs. and they have the Trailblazer's 2nd rounders. I would not be surprised if they package those picks with Carlos Boozer potentially for a higher pick.

 

[MNCyGuy]

The other interesting thing to this trade is the amount of draft picks the Bulls have now. They have the Bobcats and Kings first round picks if those two teams make the playoffs. and they have the Trailblazer's 2nd rounders. I would not be surprised if they package those picks with Carlos Boozer potentially for a higher pick.

I thought only the team that original offered the contract could amnesty a player. Wouldn't Boozer essentially be worthless to other teams in that regard?

 

[CycloneRulzzz]

Saw that once bynum clears waivers one of the teams interested is Miami. If Heat sign bynum you can just hand the title to Miami.

 

[Mumbai1986]

I thought only the team that original offered the contract could amnesty a player. Wouldn't Boozer essentially be worthless to other teams in that regard?

That's true, but if the Bulls are looking to parlay these picks into a higher pick in the 2014 draft, the team they trade with will want a player.

 

[kucyclone]

That's true, but if the Bulls are looking to parlay these picks into a higher pick in the 2014 draft, the team they trade with will want a player.

Give me an example of a team that would want Boozer and low picks, and is willing to give up a high pick. I don't see it.

 

[Wesley]

Saw that once bynum clears waivers one of the teams interested is Miami. If Heat sign bynum you can just hand the title to Miami.

Bynum must be real good.

 

[Rhoadhoused]

Just FYI the bulls can only swap picks in 2015 if the Cavs pick later than 14th. So that swap is not a big deal at all.

 

[Jordanj6502]

Bulls amnestying Boozer is partially because they want to sign Mirotic this off season. And with Gibson's contract recently extended, it is a waste to have all three. I think the plan was always to amnesty Boozer before his final year, because the Bulls couldn't sign a better player with the money. The Bulls aren't in full rebuild with these moves, just a major overall. They still have Noah, Gibson, Butler. They trust Snell (more than I do, but whatever), hope to finally bring in Mirotic, and still believe Rose is their PG. And with these moves, they should have cap space to fill out the roster.

 

[cyguytillidie]

Saw that once bynum clears waivers one of the teams interested is Miami. If Heat sign bynum you can just hand the title to Miami.

Bynum is a cancer. Not so sure he seals up the title for the Heat. Bynum might not even want to play again.

 

[MNCyGuy]

Bynum is a cancer. Not so sure he seals up the title for the Heat. Bynum might not even want to play again.

It's possible he'd benefit from being around strong veteran leadership again. He did well enough partnered with Kobe and Gasol to convince league GM's he was a centerpiece big man. Likewise, LeBron and company have seemingly resurrected Beasley's career (and Chris Anderson before him), and he was more actively destructive than Bynum. Bynum seems more unmotivated than a locker room cancer. Of course, there's always a risk when you start accumulating too many knuckleheads on your team.

 

[Jordanj6502]

Thibodeau is apparently upset about the Deng trade. And that is understandable. Deng was easily Thibs favorite player, and is a difficult player to replace. There have been rumors of Thibodeau and the front office not getting along, but I hope there is not much to the rumors. Thibodeau is a great coach, and I hope he is here for the new look team in the upcoming seasons.

 

[CycloneRulzzz]

Bynum is a cancer. Not so sure he seals up the title for the Heat. Bynum might not even want to play again.

Miami is going to need someone to go against Hibbert. Bosh and Birdman isn't going to cut it.

 

[Jordanj6502]

Miami is going to need someone to go against Hibbert. Bosh and Birdman isn't going to cut it.

They wanted Oden to work out, but (as most people had already figured out) he is too injury prone, and just not going to have an NBA career.