$102 million in expiring contracts

[sco]

That’s great but Free Agency is dead

This isn't about free agency, and Paul George says hello.

I don't think it is right to say that guys over 34 are "stars". I know they may still play at high level, but LBJ aside, they aren't legit #1 or #2 options.

[jnrjr79]

That’s great but Free Agency is dead

This isn't about free agency, and Paul George says hello.

I don't think it is right to say that guys over 34 are "stars". I know they may still play at high level, but LBJ aside, they aren't legit #1 or #2 options.

The Bulls shouldn't really be targeting those types of guys in the first place, but Steph Curry, Jimmy Butler, Kevin Durant, and James Harden are all north of 34 and #1 or #2 options.

[League Circles]

That’s great but Free Agency is dead

This isn't about free agency, and Paul George says hello.

I don't think it is right to say that guys over 34 are "stars". I know they may still play at high level, but LBJ aside, they aren't legit #1 or #2 options.

I mean, George was an all star the past two years (and most other years of his career), and averaged 23, 5 and 5 as the co #1 option last year for a 51 win team. Yes he's had a very bad year, but he was absolutely a star, and changed teams outright as a free agent in a max deal.

It's not just LBJ either. Curry, KD etc are certainly still stars. 35 has been the new 30 for a while now. Inevitable with advancements in sports science and training by players.

[_txchilibowl_]

I genuinely don't understand this fan base. Whine when we don't have cap space, whine when we do.

[sco]

I genuinely don't understand this fan base. Whine when we don't have cap space, whine when we do.

I think you do understand this fan base perfectly!

[PJSteven22]

That’s great but Free Agency is dead

This isn't about free agency, and Paul George says hello.

PG is washed up

[meekrab]

The Bulls currently have an enormous amount of contracts that expire at the end of next season - about $102 million for these guys:

Vuc
Ball (team option for 26-27)
Phillips (team option for 26-27)
Terry (RFA in summer 2026)
Carter (assuming he picks up his player option which I think is assured)
Coby
Ayo
Huerter
Collins

Most of these guys are not considered likely part of our future,

I heavily disagree with your assessment, I think the bolded guys all get offers to return after their current contracts, and Huerter and Collins probably a 70% chance. Whether they should get those offers is a subject for another thread, but that still leaves us with like 60 million in expiring veterans.

[League Circles]

The Bulls currently have an enormous amount of contracts that expire at the end of next season - about $102 million for these guys:

Vuc
Ball (team option for 26-27)
Phillips (team option for 26-27)
Terry (RFA in summer 2026)
Carter (assuming he picks up his player option which I think is assured)
Coby
Ayo
Huerter
Collins

Most of these guys are not considered likely part of our future,

I heavily disagree with your assessment, I think the bolded guys all get offers to return after their current contracts, and Huerter and Collins probably a 70% chance. Whether they should get those offers is a subject for another thread, but that still leaves us with like 60 million in expiring veterans.

They're expiring. Yes we may re-sign one or more of them, but there is very little chance of an early extension for them this summer, so they will indeed expire next summer. I sure as hell hope we don't sign Terry and Phillips to new contracts. They suck. Ball we already control for two seasons so he's certainly not getting another deal til summer 2027.

[League Circles]

That’s great but Free Agency is dead

This isn't about free agency, and Paul George says hello.

PG is washed up

He wasn't washed up when he signed a max contract this summer to leave one good team for another, so the point is that he proved that free agency is not dead.

[WindyCityBorn]

Actually the CBA still does allow for signing free agents with cap space. But this is about the expiring contracts specifically in terms of exploring trades.

You know damn well this franchise will never sign a star player.

We sign a star player every few years in free agency:

2006: Wallace
2010: Boozer
2014: Gasol
2016: Wade
2021: Derozan

You can argue this all you want, say they were bad moves which may very well be true, but these guys were all stars at the time we signed them. But again, this isn't about free agency. It's about expiring contracts and the trade options they may give us.

DeRozan was not an all-star. Can’t remember on Wallace.

[League Circles]

You know damn well this franchise will never sign a star player.

We sign a star player every few years in free agency:

2006: Wallace
2010: Boozer
2014: Gasol
2016: Wade
2021: Derozan

You can argue this all you want, say they were bad moves which may very well be true, but these guys were all stars at the time we signed them. But again, this isn't about free agency. It's about expiring contracts and the trade options they may give us.

DeRozan was not an all-star. Can’t remember on Wallace.

Fwiw I was just saying that they were all "stars", not "all stars". Wallace for the 4 time consecutive DPOY when we signed him, so obviously he was a star. Derozan was a 31 year 4 time all star coming off arguably his best season, then went to two all star games with us, so my point most definitely stands.

[PJSteven22]

This isn't about free agency, and Paul George says hello.

PG is washed up

He wasn't washed up when he signed a max contract this summer to leave one good team for another, so the point is that he proved that free agency is not dead.

He was. The 76ers didn’t know it. It’s largely dead. Free agency can be good for around the margins but you can’t really expect a star coming unless your team has a good situation and unless the Bulls land Flagg, they won’t have a good situation by then. So draft it is.

[League Circles]

PG is washed up

He wasn't washed up when he signed a max contract this summer to leave one good team for another, so the point is that he proved that free agency is not dead.

He was. The 76ers didn’t know it. It’s largely dead. Free agency can be good for around the margins but you can’t really expect a star coming unless your team has a good situation and unless the Bulls land Flagg, they won’t have a good situation by then. So draft it is.

You can't expect a star certainly, but that doesn't mean it's dead and only a fool GM would ignore it as one of the three tools to change your roster. But again, this isn't about free agency.

[PJSteven22]

He wasn't washed up when he signed a max contract this summer to leave one good team for another, so the point is that he proved that free agency is not dead.

He was. The 76ers didn’t know it. It’s largely dead. Free agency can be good for around the margins but you can’t really expect a star coming unless your team has a good situation and unless the Bulls land Flagg, they won’t have a good situation by then. So draft it is.

You can't expect a star certainly, but that doesn't mean it's dead and only a fool GM would ignore it as one of the three tools to change your roster. But again, this isn't about free agency.

I’m not saying to ignore it, but it’s not a viable strategy of team building. Sure it’s not about free agency. If you want to talk about trades, AK doesn’t really do well on that front either.

[Dan Z]

He was. The 76ers didn’t know it. It’s largely dead. Free agency can be good for around the margins but you can’t really expect a star coming unless your team has a good situation and unless the Bulls land Flagg, they won’t have a good situation by then. So draft it is.

You can't expect a star certainly, but that doesn't mean it's dead and only a fool GM would ignore it as one of the three tools to change your roster. But again, this isn't about free agency.

I’m not saying to ignore it, but it’s not a viable strategy of team building. Sure it’s not about free agency. If you want to talk about trades, AK doesn’t really do well on that front either.

One problem is that he's not trying to build up assets. If he wanted to acquire a big name player it would have to be a trade or a sign and trade. But without assets then that's a no go.

[PJSteven22]

You can't expect a star certainly, but that doesn't mean it's dead and only a fool GM would ignore it as one of the three tools to change your roster. But again, this isn't about free agency.

I’m not saying to ignore it, but it’s not a viable strategy of team building. Sure it’s not about free agency. If you want to talk about trades, AK doesn’t really do well on that front either.

One problem is that he's not trying to build up assets. If he wanted to acquire a big name player it would have to be a trade or a sign and trade. But without assets then that's a no go.

Exactly! This is what having a goal without a plan looks like.

[Dan Z]

I’m not saying to ignore it, but it’s not a viable strategy of team building. Sure it’s not about free agency. If you want to talk about trades, AK doesn’t really do well on that front either.

One problem is that he's not trying to build up assets. If he wanted to acquire a big name player it would have to be a trade or a sign and trade. But without assets then that's a no go.

Exactly! This is what having a goal without a plan looks like.

A goal without a wish. Ha! What kind of plan is that?

Im glad youre calling AK out.