Bulls are insignificant right now.

[Internet Apex]

This thread title is one of my favorite things in sports.

Are you going to start watching the NBA when LeBron is playing for the Knicks?

Maybe?

[Slaky]

Twitter has convinced me, and it sounds like Eli, that LeBron is going to New York. Good - if he wasn't going to pick the Bulls that'd be my second choice as far as what's best for the NBA.

[Chuck to Chuck]

If LeBron goes to the Knicks, will ESPN have an hour special where John Paxson lights himself on fire?  I'd watch that.

[R-V]

This thread title is one of my favorite things in sports.

Are you going to start watching the NBA when LeBron is playing for the Knicks?

Maybe?

But Lebron doesn't have nearly as many floorburns as Bullet Bob Hummel.

[Internet Apex]

This thread title is one of my favorite things in sports.

Are you going to start watching the NBA when LeBron is playing for the Knicks?

Maybe?

But Lebron doesn't have nearly as many floorburns as Bullet Bob Hummel.

He'd be so much more awesome if he did thogh.

[R-V]

Stan Van brings the funny.

"It takes 15 seconds to say, 'I've decided to stay in Cleveland,' but we've got another 59 minutes and 45 seconds to, what? Promote LeBron James? As if we don't do that enough."

He likened Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade together to Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol and also said he  wasn't surprised Bosh went to Miami because he'd been following Wade around "for two weeks like a lapdog."

[Quality Start Machine]

"It takes 15 seconds to say, 'I've decided to stay in Cleveland,' but we've got another 59 minutes and 45 seconds to, what? Promote LeBron James? As if we don't do that enough."

Any illusion of ESPN as sports journalism has to evaporate (if it hadn't already) now that they're giving LeBron James a 60 minute infomercial.

[R-V]

Some nuggests from today's chat with a sincere guy who watches way more basketball than we do.

Tell us Bulls fans something to keep us off the ledge

KDonhoops: You have All-Star talents at the two hardest positions to fill. And 30 million in cap space.

Now that the Bulls have Boozer and David Lee to choose from as Big Man support, how big a difference is there between the two and does Lee's presumably lower cost (and therefore the chance to bring in more, particularly IF they land LBJ) make up for any low post presence Boozer has?

KDonhoops: You have to go with Boozer. Older, hurt more, but you can dump the ball into him on the triple threat and get something out of it.

Best SG option for Chicago if LeBron doesn't come? Korver, Reddick, Allen or Brewer?

KDonhoops: Redick. Youngest, best.

As a Bulls fan am I crazy for wanting David Lee more than Boozer?

KDonhoops: No. Lee stays on the court. If Rose were a better passer, I'd be more into Lee.

But if Chicago picked up Lee, I wouldn't be upset.

If you're Bulls' GM, what do you do right now? Sign Boozer and look for trades?

KDonhoops: Exactly. Al Jefferson, Redick, depth.

[Eli]

Adrian Wojjnjdnfkjsndfbglskjndfgski really hates LeBron:

http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news?slug=aw-lebrondecision070710

I do agree with him though.  I almost think it'll be more fun to root for LeBron to fail than it would be to watch him play for the Bulls.

Almost.

[Slaky]

Adrian Wojjnjdnfkjsndfbglskjndfgski really hates LeBron:

http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news?slug=aw-lebrondecision070710

I do agree with him though.  I almost think it'll be more fun to root for LeBron to fail than it would be to watch him play for the Bulls.

Almost.

It's tough to beat Yahoo's NBA coverage these days. It's stellar.

[Yeti]

Some nuggests from today's chat with a sincere guy who watches way more basketball than we do.

Best SG option for Chicago if LeBron doesn't come? Korver, Reddick, Allen or Brewer?

KDonhoops: Redick. Youngest, best.

It would be good if the guy could fucking spell.. Sheesh.

[Slaky]

Some nuggests from today's chat with a sincere guy who watches way more basketball than we do.

Best SG option for Chicago if LeBron doesn't come? Korver, Reddick, Allen or Brewer?

KDonhoops: Redick. Youngest, best.

It would be good if the guy could fucking spell.. Sheesh.

That's the right spelling.

[Slaky]

Adrian Wojjnjdnfkjsndfbglskjndfgski really hates LeBron:

http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news?slug=aw-lebrondecision070710

I do agree with him though.  I almost think it'll be more fun to root for LeBron to fail than it would be to watch him play for the Bulls.

Almost.

Also - that was an excellent read. Damn.

[Andy]

Did you see their (Yahoo.com's) draft night coverage?  It was awesome except one of the analysts they brought in just for that night made really mean jokes about Gordon Hayward's sister.  

Bulls fans are even dumber than Cubs fans, and that's saying something.  Now they're bitching about how Pax and Forman fucked up the LeBron thing and gave away all kinds of talent to clear cap space.

First, LeBron or Dwyane were either coming or they weren't, and it looks like both will have elected to stay home and take more money than any other team could give them.

Second, the Bulls kept trying to overpay Ben Gordon but he wouldn't take their money and then they finally watched him go to Detroit and still be 6'1.  
They dumped Tyrus Thomas, because Tyrus is a selfish asshole, and that only matters because his selfish assholishness keeps him from being a good player.  Good riddance.
John Salmons was an OK player at the three, but couldn't handle the two, and was therefore overpaid, and now he's overpaid for several more years in Milwaukee.  Good for him.
Kirk Hinrich is a nice third guard, but he's being paid like a starter should be, a starter who's much better than he is.
They gave up the 17th pick in a draft with five good players in it.

So KD is, of course, right.  Even with Wade in Miami and LeBron in Cleveland, the Bulls are in better shape than they were 14 months ago.
Vinny Del Negro is not coaching them.
Derrick Rose finally has a real coach, who will make him play defense and force him to run a real offense.
Joakim Noah has learned how to play hard and will do the dirty work that will make life easier for whichever slightly overpaid power forward they'll put next to him (Boozer or Lee).  And that four will split time with Taj Gibson who is good in small doses and a headache inducement in larger doses.
The spots on the team they need to fill are spots that are typically easier to fill than others.  They need a two who can make jumpers and a three who isn't Luol Deng.

It would have been the balls to have gotten Wade or LeBron, but it was a long shot all along.  That doesn't mean the franchise is in dire straits without either of them.  They key is to keep some payroll and roster flexibility (which teams in this spot seem to quickly give away) because deals that suddenly make your team better happen in the NBA, but only to the smart few who are ready for them.  Just ask the Lakers and the way Pau Gasol flopped into their laps a year after the Celtics had Kevin Garnett fall into theirs.  In both cases, the Bulls had first crack at the trades, but had too much roster fodder clogging the payroll to make either deal easy to pull off.

[Eli]

Some false hope, for anyone who cares:

FLASH: Summit Co. processed request TODAY to change address on tax bill for LBJ'S home from an LLC in Cleveland to a new address in Chicago

http://twitter.com/ericmansfield/status/17976525000