https://x.com/ArizonaMBB/status/1938052233448591401?t=mRF579pvELHl4pQcQG5iwQ&s=19
https://x.com/PHNX_Wildcats/status/1938054638080823320?t=mHYJrmDHir16PuCBmxDcvw&s=19
Should t. lloyd take Adam Silver's job?
The only Arizona Coach Carter Bryant trusted to sit with him at his draft event was Jack Murphy, speaks volumes.
I thought he would have been a legit prospect to think about for CHI at #12.
Instead, they went with the high upside pick in Essengue.
I really hope Essengue comes over and plays this season because that team is not good enough to draft "draft and stash" prospects.
He better start right next to Buzelis because I already know I will be upset because Bryant is going to do very well in San Antonio.
Congrats to you Carter!
I wish you would have went higher, but I think you landed in an excellent situation for you.
Go kill it kid!
#BearDown
I like the team, but not the fit. The Spurs are going to need to unload Vassell, Keldon and Barnes for Carter to sniff minutes and now there is no one worth chasing really except someone like a Khris Middleton.
Hopefully Carter gets in the game for real action unlike how Tommy treated him while he was here.
I feel sorry for SAS Fans. They got greedy overall. KD is worth the #2 pick in Harper and #14 in Carter Bryant. The Spurs feel like their young core is going to get them a ring, but really it all hinges on Wemby. I hope they can make the playoffs at least. The super long term thinking with the young guys they have is admirable, but it won't work. The West is too strong. They should have just paid the toll for KD and been done with it.
That Vein Thrombosis issue is scary. Shawnty Polk went down for the count I remember from a blood clot. Wemby needs to make it long enough to knock out the OKC Merchants (all of them are FT merchants over there). The new rules will stop OKC though since they are outlawing that strategy.
Spurs didn't deserve #2 overall anyway, but the NBA really had to interject themselves promising the Mavs #1 overall to fix the Luka debacle, then they are pushing Wemby as the new GOAT so that was #2, and finally #3 to Philly to help Embiid want to stay in the league.
Then they let the peasants feast after that.
Quote from: mvpreed2 on June 25, 2025, 09:13:32 PMI thought he would have been a legit prospect to think about for CHI at #12.
Instead, they went with the high upside pick in Essengue.
Cart in front of the horse - Bulls first order of business is locking up Giddey to a long term deal / matching his RFA offers. Giddey is one of few true PGs. I thought that Chicago was going to trade up and grab Egor Demin so they could let Giddey walk for compensation Sign+Trade since he is worth at least 4 1st's unprotected.
Carter's out here dressing up like he's ready to
take everyone's girl. Start with mine, Carter!
Quote from: arxpert on June 26, 2025, 12:00:03 AMCart in front of the horse - Bulls first order of business is locking up Giddey to a long term deal / matching his RFA offers. Giddey is one of few true PGs. I thought that Chicago was going to trade up and grab Egor Demin so they could let Giddey walk for compensation Sign+Trade since he is worth at least 4 1st's unprotected.
That was never the thought process from newws/podcasts I heard.
The off-season plan was (1) resign Giddey and then retool by getting younger and seeing what you have in Buzelis.
It is a lot easier to say this in support when you see CHI drafted two players that are under the age of 20/19 respectively and are young, athletic forwards.
I wish we would have drafted a C, but it looks like it will be Collins/Smith once they move off of Vucevic.
#BearDown
Quote from: |ᴘ|ʀ|ʏ|ᴍ|ᴇ| on June 26, 2025, 01:58:50 AMCarter's out here dressing up like he's ready to
take everyone's girl. Start with mine, Carter!
Carter is the heart throb of X and will soon be the next Kawhi
Quote from: mvpreed2 on June 26, 2025, 09:20:07 PMQuote from: arxpert on June 26, 2025, 12:00:03 AMCart in front of the horse - Bulls first order of business is locking up Giddey to a long term deal / matching his RFA offers. Giddey is one of few true PGs. I thought that Chicago was going to trade up and grab Egor Demin so they could let Giddey walk for compensation Sign+Trade since he is worth at least 4 1st's unprotected.
That was never the thought process from newws/podcasts I heard.
The off-season plan was (1) resign Giddey and then retool by getting younger and seeing what you have in Buzelis.
It is a lot easier to say this in support when you see CHI drafted two players that are under the age of 20/19 respectively and are young, athletic forwards.
I wish we would have drafted a C, but it looks like it will be Collins/Smith once they move off of Vucevic.
#BearDown
RFA should see to a result of Giddey being paid a huge sum of cash. So the Bulls may not get rid of Vucevic with the East Wide Open now.
Quote from: arxpert on June 27, 2025, 01:49:55 AMQuote from: mvpreed2 on June 26, 2025, 09:20:07 PMQuote from: arxpert on June 26, 2025, 12:00:03 AMCart in front of the horse - Bulls first order of business is locking up Giddey to a long term deal / matching his RFA offers. Giddey is one of few true PGs. I thought that Chicago was going to trade up and grab Egor Demin so they could let Giddey walk for compensation Sign+Trade since he is worth at least 4 1st's unprotected.
That was never the thought process from newws/podcasts I heard.
The off-season plan was (1) resign Giddey and then retool by getting younger and seeing what you have in Buzelis.
It is a lot easier to say this in support when you see CHI drafted two players that are under the age of 20/19 respectively and are young, athletic forwards.
I wish we would have drafted a C, but it looks like it will be Collins/Smith once they move off of Vucevic.
#BearDown
RFA should see to a result of Giddey being paid a huge sum of cash. So the Bulls may not get rid of Vucevic with the East Wide Open now.
Dalen Terry looking at a max extension?
Quote from: arxpert on June 27, 2025, 01:49:55 AMRFA should see to a result of Giddey being paid a huge sum of cash. So the Bulls may not get rid of Vucevic with the East Wide Open now.
I will put it to you this way cousin.
Giddey was rumored to want $30M/year.
CHI is allegedly willing to give it to him, but they are not going to give him that 5th year.
They want to match his contract up with Buzelis's.
Why, because it allows them a lot more cap flexibility is Buzelis is the guy they believe he is.
Fwiw, they believe Buzelis is going to be a star, and it looks like AKME is going all-in on Buzelis being the future star of CHI.
As for Vucevic, he is no longer needed in CHI.
They have Collins/Smith now.
I thank Vucevic for all that he did for us.
He is too old/slow to run the way Donovan wants to run the team now.
Think of the PHX "7secs Or Less" offensive schemes.
That is what they are trying to re-create up in CHI now.
#BearDown
Quote from: |ᴘ|ʀ|ʏ|ᴍ|ᴇ| on June 27, 2025, 02:14:21 AMDalen Terry looking at a max extension?
I hope you are being facetious here.
I sure hope they do not offer Terry a max extension.
This front office is finally able to get off a lot of the mistakes that they did/did not make in the past.
Ball/White/Vucevic could have been gone at the deadline.
CHI said no, but they are going to get a lot of cap space opened up after this season:
Craig/Duarte/Horton-Tucker/Jones is now a UFAs
Ball has a $10M this season, but a $10M team option for 2026-27
Collins/Huerter/Vucevic/White will be a UFA after the 2025-26.
The talks are whether or not AKME is going to do a sign-and-trade with the free agents this summer, extend some prospects, trade them before the deadline, or let them walk in free agency next summer.
I hope AKME is able to resign Jones, move Ball/Vucevic and figure out what the plan is for White.
Resign Huerter/Collins and continue to rebuild this roster.
The verdict is still up on Terry/Phillips, but I believe they will get an extension of some sort.
I just hope it is nowhere near the 5yrs/$90M they signed Williams to.
#BearDown
I'm not being serious lol I liked Terry at UofA, but that draft pick by Chicago looked dumb at the time, and it looks just as dumb now.
Quote from: |ᴘ|ʀ|ʏ|ᴍ|ᴇ| on June 27, 2025, 02:14:21 AMQuote from: arxpert on June 27, 2025, 01:49:55 AMQuote from: mvpreed2 on June 26, 2025, 09:20:07 PMQuote from: arxpert on June 26, 2025, 12:00:03 AMCart in front of the horse - Bulls first order of business is locking up Giddey to a long term deal / matching his RFA offers. Giddey is one of few true PGs. I thought that Chicago was going to trade up and grab Egor Demin so they could let Giddey walk for compensation Sign+Trade since he is worth at least 4 1st's unprotected.
That was never the thought process from newws/podcasts I heard.
The off-season plan was (1) resign Giddey and then retool by getting younger and seeing what you have in Buzelis.
It is a lot easier to say this in support when you see CHI drafted two players that are under the age of 20/19 respectively and are young, athletic forwards.
I wish we would have drafted a C, but it looks like it will be Collins/Smith once they move off of Vucevic.
#BearDown
RFA should see to a result of Giddey being paid a huge sum of cash. So the Bulls may not get rid of Vucevic with the East Wide Open now.
Dalen Terry looking at a max extension?
Maybe in hair extensions. I think he is the next Rondae Hollis Jefferson. Out the League asap.
Quote from: mvpreed2 on June 27, 2025, 10:29:25 AMI will put it to you this way cousin.
Giddey was rumored to want $30M/year.
CHI is allegedly willing to give it to him, but they are not going to give him that 5th year.
They want to match his contract up with Buzelis's.
Why, because it allows them a lot more cap flexibility is Buzelis is the guy they believe he is.
Well then I will sit back and hope DC offers Giddey 4 years 120mil, whatever the Max they can offer a RFA.
They are in a position where in 1 fell swoop they can free up 110mil if they wanted to. What would 30mil be to them?
Your theory may have more intel than I have behind it, but the way you said it doesn't make sense to me.
Lining up Buzelis and Giddey together contractually would be a mistake. Staggering the cap hits would be smarter..
I don't know if it is because Giddey was dumped by OKC for Caruso for free.. (no one better say Caruso won them a title... he was a piece, but Bill Walton would say "Please".) Giddey is a Franchise Player.
He could be dealt for 4 1st rounders theoretically and 30mil a year is value for what he is.
Why would they want Giddey to line up with Buzelis.... both could be on their way to Super Max contracts at the same time if they did that. Wouldn't you want to have to make 1 decision per offseason?
Then finally, Vucevic is still the 4th most effective Center in the NBA after Jokic, KAT, and "Embiid" when healthy. You can swap Wemby in, but Wemby is actually going to stay categorized as a PF for me until he can play Man Defense. Right now, he is Weak Side only. It isn't a knock to him. He is so big that he can afford to play far off the ball and chase down anything from behind or the other side of the rim.
But he isn't True Center until he can play Man Defense. And also before you say Vucevic or KAT can't play Defense at all, they do get in front of their men. They don't have 10 foot wingspans lol.
So I am struggling to understand the play here.
Maybe Chicago has to let Giddey walk after all. Coby White is good enough with Ayo. Lonzo is lurking.
Maybe the Suns trade Grayson Allen for Lonzo to help CHI get some 3pt Shooting that isn't PG/SG reliant.
I only say all of this because this year will be wide open. Vucey should help the Bulls more than ever. I don't think they can survive without him. Shouldn't they want to compete? The 2026 Draft Class is Generational. They won't have a problem finding prospects.
Quote from: mvpreed2 on June 27, 2025, 10:45:27 AMThis front office is finally able to get off a lot of the mistakes that they did/did not make in the past.
Do you know what they loaded up Patrick Williams piggy bank for then? He is a bust.
Quote from: mvpreed2 on June 27, 2025, 10:45:27 AMBall/Vucevic
Send both to DC for Middleton who is expiring too. Win-Win. Wizards need a backup PG as it stands... that is, if the Bulls are going to match ANY offer to Giddey.
Quote from: arxpert on June 27, 2025, 08:38:08 PMYour theory may have more intel than I have behind it, but the way you said it doesn't make sense to me.
Lining up Buzelis and Giddey together contractually would be a mistake. Staggering the cap hits would be smarter..
Why would they want Giddey to line up with Buzelis.... both could be on their way to Super Max contracts at the same time if they did that. Wouldn't you want to have to make 1 decision per offseason?
Then finally, Vucevic is still the 4th most effective Center in the NBA after Jokic, KAT, and "Embiid" when healthy. You can swap Wemby in, but Wemby is actually going to stay categorized as a PF for me until he can play Man Defense. Right now, he is Weak Side only. It isn't a knock to him. He is so big that he can afford to play far off the ball and chase down anything from behind or the other side of the rim.
But he isn't True Center until he can play Man Defense. And also before you say Vucevic or KAT can't play Defense at all, they do get in front of their men. They don't have 10 foot wingspans lol.
So I am struggling to understand the play here.
Maybe Chicago has to let Giddey walk after all. Coby White is good enough with Ayo. Lonzo is lurking.
Maybe the Suns trade Grayson Allen for Lonzo to help CHI get some 3pt Shooting that isn't PG/SG reliant.
I only say all of this because this year will be wide open. Vucey should help the Bulls more than ever. I don't think they can survive without him. Shouldn't they want to compete? The 2026 Draft Class is Generational. They won't have a problem finding prospects.
The reason why AKME is trying to line up Giddey/Buzelis is because if Buzelis is what they believe he is?
Giddey is a UFA, you give Buzelis the super-max extension, and now Buzelis is your "star".
None of these franchises want to deal with that second-apron, and by lining up their deals, you allow yourself to the ability to pick which one is going to be your guy, give him the super-max and figure things out with the other one.
This has everything to do with cap flexibility, and nothing more.
Yes, CHI wants to win, but they are not trying to in 2025-26.
All the statements are centered behind this team taking their swing in the 2026 free agency.
A lot of big names are projected to be UFAs and CHI is putting all of their eggs in that basket.
I would much rather go the organic route and add quality role players to your young core (2023-24 HOU), but I am nobody with a say in what any of my favorite sports programs do.
That is why the names I am listing (Ball/Vucevic) are on the block because (1) they are too old and (2) you get that cap space freed up while you (1) get younger and (2) get more athletic.
Look at CHI drafts picks and you will see what I mean by that.
I just wanted this franchise to figure out the direction, and execute it.
It seems like that is what they are doing now after trading DeRozan/LaVine, drafting Buzelis who was 19, drafting two young F who are not old enough to drink in America, and putting Ball/Vucevic/Williams on the trade block.
As long as I can see the vision, I am willing to ride the ride with my team.
#BearDown
Quote from: mvpreed2 on June 28, 2025, 11:28:45 AMBall/Vucevic/Williams on the trade block.
Ball was traded for Okoro.
Doesn't seem like the Bulls are trying to tank to me so far.
Quote from: arxpert on June 29, 2025, 07:20:40 PMBall was traded for Okoro.
Doesn't seem like the Bulls are trying to tank to me so far.
No, CHI is not trying to tank, but they are trying to free up cap space for the 2026 free agency class like I said earlier.
That Ball deal gets them off the $10M team option for 2026-27, and gives you another young, athletic wing to add to the other two you just drafted.
CHI wants to get younger and more athletic, and thus far, all of their moves support that this off-season.
The question is do they move Vucevic/Williams and who they decide to keep out of Dosumnu/White because of them are on the final year of their deals and both will want to get paid.
#BearDown
Why does Chicago not like draft assets?
Quote from: |ᴘ|ʀ|ʏ|ᴍ|ᴇ| on June 29, 2025, 10:17:57 PMWhy does Chicago not like draft assets?
I believe AKME does not know how to negotiate trade deals properly.
They see us coming, and they know they can fleece us.
AKME traded DeRozan and LaVine, and all they got was their own 1st round pick back and I believe a pair of 2nd round picks.
I would say that AKME needs to strike while they have the upper-hand.
They could have traded LaVine to NYK for Barrett and couple of 1st round picks.
They could have traded Ball to MIN for a 1st round pick that turned out to be the 18th pick.
They wait until the market is down on the asset, and then want to talk business.
#BearDown
Quote from: mvpreed2 on June 30, 2025, 12:57:25 PMQuote from: |ᴘ|ʀ|ʏ|ᴍ|ᴇ| on June 29, 2025, 10:17:57 PMWhy does Chicago not like draft assets?
I believe AKME does not know how to negotiate trade deals properly.
They see us coming, and they know they can fleece us.
AKME traded DeRozan and LaVine, and all they got was their own 1st round pick back and I believe a pair of 2nd round picks.
I would say that AKME needs to strike while they have the upper-hand.
They could have traded LaVine to NYK for Barrett and couple of 1st round picks.
They could have traded Ball to MIN for a 1st round pick that turned out to be the 18th pick.
They wait until the market is down on the asset, and then want to talk business.
#BearDown
Wizards are on pace to have around 125 million of free cap space next summer and they will have around 13 players under rookie deals by the end of the 2026 draft, oldest being Corey Kispert if he isn't traded, but most under 20-22 years old... Interesting.
Quote from: arxpert on July 02, 2025, 01:04:21 AMWizards are on pace to have around 125 million of free cap space next summer and they will have around 13 players under rookie deals by the end of the 2026 draft, oldest being Corey Kispert if he isn't traded, but most under 20-22 years old... Interesting.
I do not believe that was done on accident.
You stockpile young assets, and have an insane amount of cap space right?
You HOPE you can make the right veteran signings so that when the opportunity presents itself, you can make that big swing and elevate your franchise into contention.
Within the last 10 years, GSW/LAL/MIL/BOS all did it.
Now the CLE/HOU/IND are some of the few trying to do it now.
#BearDown
Quote from: mvpreed2 on July 02, 2025, 09:51:43 AMQuote from: arxpert on July 02, 2025, 01:04:21 AMWizards are on pace to have around 125 million of free cap space next summer and they will have around 13 players under rookie deals by the end of the 2026 draft, oldest being Corey Kispert if he isn't traded, but most under 20-22 years old... Interesting.
I do not believe that was done on accident.
You stockpile young assets, and have an insane amount of cap space right?
You HOPE you can make the right veteran signings so that when the opportunity presents itself, you can make that big swing and elevate your franchise into contention.
Within the last 10 years, GSW/LAL/MIL/BOS all did it.
Now the CLE/HOU/IND are some of the few trying to do it now.
#BearDown
I guess they will have to spend money to stay above the salary floor. Something that wasn't part of those 10 years you mentioned. There are new CBA rules. So I wonder who the Wizards would even sign. They have never signed a FA since I can remember that was a Star Player. They only ever traded for them against their will basically do go to the gulag that is DC.
It will be interesting to see how they figure it out. They are "too young". I literally think Arizona, Duke, Houston, Florida, etc could win a game vs the Wizards Under-27 years old team (so as to include Corey Kispert as the "old head"). But most of the Wizards are 23 and under.
I think the Wiz would lose March Madness for sure or a 7 game series vs a Top 10 College Team. Just my opinion.
If you factor in the Vets they have compiled though, it is a different story. Middleton, CJ McCollum, Brogdon, Marcus Smart, Kelly Olynyk etc.. all on expiring contracts. They should be able to fetch some draft capital and maybe an asset or two under 24 years old who is hanging around on a Title Team that they can spare.
Just saw OKC dump Dillon Jones to the Wizards along with a 2nd rounder just to make room for their most recent draft pick Sorber. That is 6 2nd round picks and a 1st rounder in Dillon just thrown in the trash to make 1 roster spot. OKC can't keep up with their plans so they are finding ways to make room without creating competition for themselves.
Oh well. The fact is the Salary Floor makes it impossible to play money ball and stash picks like OKC did now.