Melo Thread 19: It's Spidey Austin..it was Spidey all along.

[BullsFTW]

Can anyone recap on what has happened since yesterday? I really dont want to read dozens of pages where half of them are GIFs and pics

Nothing. Media speculations, that's all.

[OldSchoolNoBull]

I don't know about this notion about Melo waiting to see what happens with LBJ/Bosh. I mean, FA has been going on for a week and LBJ/Bosh have done less than Melo. They haven't talked to anybody. There was a report that LBJ sent his agent to meet with some teams. It's almost like they're waiting for something too.

Maybe they're all waiting on each other not realizing that everyone else is waiting on them. That would be funny.

[Magilla_Gorilla]

Can anyone recap on what has happened since yesterday? I really dont want to read dozens of pages where half of them are GIFs and pics

Nothing. Nothing has happened. Still waiting for Melo to make up his mind - everything else is just speculation.

[DaeDae]

I know this is the Melo thread, but I just have to say that I don't know if I can stomach Lance for a few years. I recognize that he's the best fit out of the remaining FA's, but he's a freaking bozo. I don't see it working well with Thibs. The kids polarizing, especially when you look at our needs and the fact we will have money burning a hole in our pockets.

Apparently we aren't that interested, check the Lance thread, so rest easy.

Watching Rodney Stuckey or someone of that ilk will be so much more fun to stomach. And that's about all the talent level that's left after Stephenson in the wing category unfortunately.

Maaaybe Ariza, but we'd have to overpay no doubt. And he's not a balhandler or shot creator.

Thank you.

[Rerisen]

Our roster is better than NY's or LA's even without Taj.

Only if Rose is assumed healthy. We don't know how much faith Melo has in that.

[BullsFTW]

The scenario Ralp outlined where the Bulls offer Melo his non-Bird max of 22 mil was possible right? It's weird that the whole damn media assumes we are capped at 15.8 mil

Yes its possible, but it might be assumed that Melo would no longer think the team is strong enough without Taj here. We would have no PF. Obviously a guy like Melo probably has no faith in a rookie Euro that has never played an NBA game.

Other words if the Knicks were willing to call our bluff, Melo no longer wants the Bulls even at max, because they aren't the best destination for winning at that point.

Ralph also noted we would get Gasol so that fills the PF hole. Maybe it was just too damn elaborate and the FO couldn't get all the necessary parties to cooperate

Maybe that's why it's taking long, the Bulls putting pieces together.

[Zartan]

How does one acquire Jarrett Jack (and his 6.3 milly cap hit) for pennies on the dollar?

Oxymoron.

[Axl Rose]

nvm

[FunyRoger]

Can anyone recap on what has happened since yesterday? I really dont want to read dozens of pages where half of them are GIFs and pics

Nothing. Nothing has happened. Still waiting for Melo to make up his mind - everything else is just speculation.

BTW how long can he "make up his mind"? When is deadline for loldecision?

[Rerisen]

Ralph also noted we would get Gasol so that fills the PF hole. Maybe it was just too damn elaborate and the FO couldn't get all the necessary parties to cooperate

Maybe that's why it's taking long, the Bulls putting pieces together.

It looks good on paper, and like it would sell to Melo.

But Gasol is taking his own sweet time and it was said he had no decision imminent the other day.

[Zartan]

Can anyone recap on what has happened since yesterday? I really dont want to read dozens of pages where half of them are GIFs and pics

Nothing. Nothing has happened. Still waiting for Melo to make up his mind - everything else is just speculation.

BTW how long can he "make up his mind"? When is deadline for loldecision?

Indefinitely I suppose....

[Rerisen]

Also on Gasol, he isn't going to agree to be part of a S&T here unless he knows Melo is coming first.

And he can't know that till Miami decides what they are doing.

Heck, if Bosh goes to Houston, and then LBJ and Melo take less in Miami, Gasol could end up there part of a new 'big four'.

[AshyLarrysDiaper]

I still think he's coming. The only insight into Melo's thinking we got this weekend was that nonsense about LA's presentation. As if a video is going to change his feelings about Kobe's contract and a stripped-down roster with no coach.

We all knew that if Melo was going to force a S&T to come here he'd need to make LA seem like a viable destination. And he REALLY had his work cut out for him to make LA seem like a viable destination. So his camp got to work, and now LA's the "frontrunner." I only hope Phil is convinced.

[Chitownbulls]

I think the Bulls brought Taj in to sell the idea of Melo taking less.

50m less? Was that ever realistic.

We better have had a barebones + Taj middle plan as well to be serious, which would start him around 17 I believe.

The 15 number was never credible. Because we weren't forming the Heatles Superteam here, to be worth that sacrifice, and even when those guys took the hit, it wasn't nearly so much to them as what Melo would be leaving on the table.

Their paycut was just about cancelled altogether by Florida's lack of taxes.

The scenario Ralp outlined where the Bulls offer Melo his non-Bird max of 22 mil was possible right? It's weird that the whole damn media assumes we are capped at 15.8 mil

Its not wierd....just Media doing what they want. Espn NY an ESPN LA

[FillTheRafters]

Did anyone else get a kick out of SAS's Freudian slip saying Melo might go to Miami to play "for" (not with) LeBron? That made me giggle a little.

[Mech Engineer]

The scenario Ralp outlined where the Bulls offer Melo his non-Bird max of 22 mil was possible right? It's weird that the whole damn media assumes we are capped at 15.8 mil

Yes its possible, but it might be assumed that Melo would no longer think the team is strong enough without Taj here. We would have no PF. Obviously a guy like Melo probably has no faith in a rookie Euro that has never played an NBA game.

Other words if the Knicks were willing to call our bluff, Melo no longer wants the Bulls even at max, because they aren't the best destination for winning at that point.

People keep blaming Taj. It's a damn if you do or if damn if you don't kind of situation with Taj regarding Melo, IMO from all the reports. Melo wanted Taj to be there but the salary will be less and if he has to come to a Taj dumped team, he might as well as stay back in a more comfortable place like NY or go to LA where other factors trump Chicago for Melo.

FWIW, Paxson mentioned that they do not have a max slot and they have to work around that. One thing I would question the Bulls FO is about not planning this flexibility well if Melo doesn't come because of money. They should have known that Free Agency has very low odds to begin with and if you don't have most of the important issues taken care off...then your chances are very low.

We have time for post-mortem if things don't work out but the Bulls have to seriously consider putting all their eggs in the free agency basket every 4 years. It is just a gross underutilization of basketball capabilities of the organization. You keep dumping assets for a few years before free agency and then get a Plan B, C type guy and reboot again in 4 years. That is not what the Spurs do even if the Bulls do not have Tim Duncan.

[Rerisen]

People keep blaming Taj. It's a damn if you do or if damn if you don't kind of situation with Taj regarding Melo, IMO from all the reports. He wanted Taj to be there but the salary will be less and if he has to come to a Taj dumped team, he might as well as stay back in a more comfortable place like NY or go to LA where other factors trump Chicago for Melo.

FWIW, Paxson mentioned that they do not have a max slot and they have to work around that. One thing I would question the Bulls FO is about not planning this flexibility well if Melo doesn't come because of money. They should have known that Free Agency has very low odds to begin with and if you don't have most of the important issues taken care off...then your chances are very low.

We have time for post-mortem if things don't work out but the Bulls have to seriously consider putting all their eggs in the free agency basket every 4 years. It is just a gross underutilization of basketball capabilities of the organization. You keep dumping assets for a few years before free agency and then get a Plan B, C type guy and reboot again in 4 years. That is not what the Spurs do even if the Bulls do not have Tim Duncan.

Everything you wrote is exactly why I asked why we felt so confident before all this began. Unless we had a back room deal, it's hard to see the cause for such confidence. And if it goes as is being broadly predicted, will make you wonder if we should have sunk this much time and effort into a cause that is being painted as extreme long shot.

[Hans Embiid]

wade,stepheson,Glen Davis

Barf

DO NOT WANT

Stephenson yes Wade and Davis hell no

Stephenson is 1000x better than a Ariza or Pierce.

Rose/Stephenson/Butler/Gibson/Noah
Augustin/Kirk/McDermott/Mirotic/Smith

[Michael Scott]

ESPN First Take starts at 10. SAS will have much more time than last night to get into things. And maybe he's heard new info since then.

[weneeda2guard]

Amnesty boozer trade dunleavy

Sign lance Stephenson and take advantage of Cleveland stupidity and trade for Jarrett jack pennies on the dollar

Rose/Kirk
Lance/Jarrett
Jimmy/ McDermott
Taj/ mirotic
Noah/ smith

Finals lock and beats Miami without bosh with melo wade and lebron

Excellent plan. I agree and the Bulls should be working on this and not waiting around .

Houston and Dallas ave moved on - I like to believe if Chicago hasn't its because they're still in it. There isn't anybody we're looking at that isn't going to still be around when Melo makes his decision.

We did the waiting around in 2010 too cause we thought we were in it

Got left with boozer and mediocre talent

At what point do we learn from our mistakes?

We can take advantage of 2 shakey situations

Lance could come here for 9-11 mill just to spite Indy since they playing him

Cleveland actually thinks lebron really going to return and need someone to take Jarrett jack so we can get him for non gurantees snell and a couple of 2nd rd picks in the future.

We would still be able to bring mirotic over even possibly convince a Jordan hill or big baby to come over for a couple of mill. Then bring Kirk back at vet min.

We would have a deep well coached team

But if we go along in this melo roller coaster we are going to be left with mirotic and players from the nba bargain bin and no chance to improve

We still would have the assets to pursue Kevin love too