Official: DeRozan! Player of the Week p69

[WindyCityBorn]

Six months ago, I didn't want Nikola Vucevic. Six months ago, I didn't want Lonzo Ball. Six months ago, I didn't want Demar Derozan.

Now they're all here on big contracts and three first rounders gone. Well…at least I can't say Karnisovas isn't trying stuff, unlike last summer.

Can you also not want Zion or Ja ? :eyebrow: :eyebrow: :eyebrow:

I absolutely DO NOT WANT Luka Doncic here. Or Trae Young. Or Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. Or Bam Adebayo. What a bunch of losers.

Shai might be 30 before OKC is good again.

[Leslie Forman]

Can you also not want Zion or Ja ? :eyebrow: :eyebrow: :eyebrow:

I absolutely DO NOT WANT Luka Doncic here. Or Trae Young. Or Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. Or Bam Adebayo. What a bunch of losers.

I have no doubt if any of those guys became a Bull you would find fault with it.

Well of course I will, because they'll sign here for huge deals when they're 33.

[PaKii94]

Ideally we'd move Thad+filler to get DD. I saw that spurs have the youngest roster in the league now. Thad can be a vet mentor 8)

Thanks for reminding me Castle Black. I willed this trade into existence! nice. Now let's get Lauri resigned

[TheStig]

Bulls gave up the #20+ pick in the 2025 nba draft for a guy who was 11th in the league in assists, and top 30 in scoring last year.

That pick isn't even worth a 3 month rental of a player of Demar's caliber.

All of us were saying that the pick we gave up in the Vuc trade wouldn't be much and it turned out to be the #8.

I also don't see Derozan playing with the ball in his hands like he did in Tor and SA. Lavine, Vuc and Ball are all gonna need the ball too.

The problem of “players needing the ball” is so much nicer to potentially have than the past Bulls teams of “we need someone else that can create with the ball”.

I don't feel the latter was the case after you signed Ball. Derozan is good but I think we needed more of a 3 and d wing.

[MrSparkle]

It will be interesting seeing these guys figure it out. Incredible moves on paper (considering the situation). In theory, we picked up a late/unselfish version of DeRozan; a more developed version of an unselfish Lonzo; Zach is putting in his unselfish dues on the USA team; Vuc was a system player to begin with; Pat's unselfish to the point of it being a problem. Donovan preaches 99% of your time is spent off-the-ball, making that your effort.

I'm optimistic that these "losers" (more-so victims of bad teams) will be put in a well-planned system to win games. Artunas wanted a pretty offense. We've got a lot of talented players and athletes who have one way or another acknowledged that they want to play the right way, a contrast from the way they used to play. A prime DeRozan and a younger LaVine wouldn't work, but they're different players with different attitudes today. Should be fun.

I do expect major bumps. Expectations are high, but there are a lot of B Chefs in the kitchen, and I can't think of the last time something like this was put together. There isn't a true alpha who could distribute the ball, but there are 4 guys who could lead a .400 team NBA offense. Maybe it will fall on DD to lead. We'll be running PnRs relentlessly.

Donovan needs to prep this team correctly. A proper training camp is going to be critical.

[erlim]

This is so much better than the time we signed Jabari Parker. Nicely done for the FO building a pretty alright team around Lavine. Something a lot of teams can never do; like Minnesota for KG or Kevin Love.

[Dresden]

No one in the East is better then a healthy Nets. But Bulls on paper can matchup with the Bucks.

The Nets are a year older and are fielding a team that is extremely injury prone. Even if healthy I wouldn't rate them above the Bucks right now.

I think it's not out of the realm of possibility that the Bulls finish somewhere 3-5 next year. Philly, BRK and MIL all would look better I'd say, but I think we can be on par with BOS, MIA, ATL. I don't see the Knicks being any better. I would think at worst, we'd be 7-8th.

A healthy KD and an injured Harden were an inch away from beating the Bucks. If there 3 are healthy no one is getting past them.

I would agree with that, but as we've seen with other aging teams, the timing has to work out just right for it all to work. You have to be healthy enough and play enough in the regular season to get your rythym in place, but not overdo it and get injured. And when injuries do happen, you have to hope they won't come at a bad time. But yeah, I think the Nets do have the talent to beat MIL if all goes well for them

[Dresden]

They gave up the 8th overall pick for Vucevic, did you forget that?

Who never will be as good as Vuc.

Not saying it was the wrong move. Only time will tell. But acquiring a player in his 30s making a lot of money for the 8th overall pick is the definition of mortgaging the future. It could be well worth it! But that's just what I'm getting at.

Only if you think the future of your franchise hinges upon the #8 pick in the draft.

[TyrusRose2425]

Nets starting center was Blake Griffin and they had Joe Harris starting at forward too. Even played Bowen at C at times. Bucks started Tucker. I think the Celtics C is 6’8”?

Size isn’t the issue, what we need is PaW to become an elite defender. Probably too big of a leap into next season but hopefully he improves enough that making that leap into his 3rd year isn’t far fetched at all.

[Dresden]

Nick Friedell being Nick Friedell says he doesn't like then move and that the Bulls aren't a top 4 team with the roster. He says that they aren't better than the Knicks or Hawks

They might not be, but last year they definitely weren't. At least now it's debatable.

[Dresden]

There is a downside to all this Roster upgrading. With us giving up another 1st Rounder and 2nd Rounders to San Antonio, plus the First Rounder we still owe to Orlando in 2023.....the future Drafts will no longer be one of the highlights of the Bulls season.

Great.I prefer just to keep watching the Bulls going to the playoffs as deep as they can,just tired of following other teams playing the playoff game and nostalgic about United Center's great fanbase rooting hard for the Bulls again.

Very true. We've going to a team building through free agency instead of the draft. Which I think is what the good teams do.

[DASMACKDOWN]

I havent been this excited for a Bulls team since Derricks MVP season.

If this works out really well, its going to be a titan clash for first in the central.

[Dresden]

Not a fan at all, I don’t think DeRozan moves the needle offensively (not a huge floor spacer) and not even close to impacting the floor defensively.

I will say, it makes the Bulls more interesting.

Well, he moves the needle to the tune of 21.6 ppg, on a 60% TS.

[d boy gentleman]

Six months ago, I didn't want Nikola Vucevic. Six months ago, I didn't want Lonzo Ball. Six months ago, I didn't want Demar Derozan.

Now they're all here on big contracts and three first rounders gone. Well…at least I can't say Karnisovas isn't trying stuff, unlike last summer.

Can you also not want Zion or Ja ?

I absolutely DO NOT WANT Luka Doncic here. Or Trae Young. Or Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. Or Bam Adebayo. What a bunch of losers.

[VolumePoster]

Not a fan at all, I don’t think DeRozan moves the needle offensively (not a huge floor spacer) and not even close to impacting the floor defensively.

I will say, it makes the Bulls more interesting.

Well, he moves the needle to the tune of 21.6 ppg, on a 60% TS.

Don’t you dare forget the 7 assists!

[Dresden]

Listen, I am historically extremely negative on the Bulls and their decisions. I see a lot of the same posters who were always negative continuing that mantra. If you are hating right now you are simply hating for the sake of hating. The Bulls have four very solid players and their 4th best player might be the best 4th player on any team in the league. The Bulls are fun again, will be competitive and have attractive contracts that other teams will want. Look at the hauls Westbrook or CP3 got when originally they were deemed "untradable" contracts. If this doesn't make you trust the front office and the direction in general then I don't know what to say to you. If this team doesn't work I have faith that these guys can rework and always stay relevant / in the mix. Isn't that what the Heat have done for the last 15 years? Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't --- but they are always in the game.

Great piont. You look at teams like LAL, the Heat, the Celtics, maybe the Spurs- they seem to almost always be relevant. Their down periods are a few years, not a decade. They are constantly trying to win titles. They don't just sit back because they have some nice players that are fan favorites, and could develop down the road a few years.

[Jcool0]

Nick Friedell being Nick Friedell says he doesn't like then move and that the Bulls aren't a top 4 team with the roster. He says that they aren't better than the Knicks or Hawks

They might not be, but last year they definitely weren't. At least now it's debatable.

Eh i think the Hawks are getting overrated because of the run they went on when they changed coaches. We will see if they can keep it going.

[WindyCityBorn]

Nets starting center was Blake Griffin and they had Joe Harris starting at forward too. Even played Bowen at C at times. Bucks started Tucker. I think the Celtics C is 6’8”?

Size isn’t the issue, what we need is PaW to become an elite defender. Probably too big of a leap into next season but hopefully he improves enough that making that leap into his 3rd year isn’t far fetched at all.

I’m not sure Williams even starts this season. I think they have to be looking for a proven defensive big to put next Vuc. We aren’t done yet. After all these moves I cannot see AKME not attempting to address the defensive questions in the frontcourt.

[WindyCityBorn]

Nick Friedell being Nick Friedell says he doesn't like then move and that the Bulls aren't a top 4 team with the roster. He says that they aren't better than the Knicks or Hawks

They might not be, but last year they definitely weren't. At least now it's debatable.

Eh i think the Hawks are getting overrated because of the run they went on when they changed coaches. We will see if they can keep it going.

If we aren’t better than the Knicks it will be because of coaching. Talent isn’t even close.

[FriedRise]

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Well, we kinda needed to make the moves we made with how tough the East is gonna be.