Keep imploding the GarPax mess. Trade Lavine in offseason

[Stratmaster]

Very possibly I can giggle about how you were wrong on Zach and you can chuckle back about how wrong I was on Vuc. We shall see.

I'm going to just hope they're both bad asses.

To me, there is a big difference between what I hope happens and what I think will happen. I also don't view any of these things as absolutes. There isn't an obvious linear path that players take. There are trends you see generally repeated and can make guesses, but some guys will simply prove you wrong.

Zach, as an example, has already gone on to prove many wrong. He has ascended to become a pretty great player much later in his career than a lot of other guys do. I don't know why anyone would be shocked if Zach continued to get iteratively better.

Damn it now you aren't giving me anything to giggle about in 2 seasons. Let's go Vuc!

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[The Box Office]

It's great that none of us are the actual GMs for the Bulls.

Offense >>> Defense? HAHAHAHA LOL. Oh my. We fallen bad. I never thought I would hear that from long time posters. I strongly disagree regarding the notion though.

In a great team, obviously it should be a balanced team. But THIS CURRENT Bulls is too hung up on offense and we're still losing. BADLY. Now I'm not saying 100% defense and 0% offense. Stop reaching. Use critical thinking and stop over exaggerating to make your talking points sound great.

Think about the situation this way; how have I been 100% correct regarding our chances of making the Playoffs, during the last 4 years, before the season started? Because...

- The team is still filled with GarPax's guys. Doesn't matter who the coach is.
- Zach LaVine is our best player, who doesn't compete on defense, causing the rest of the players to follow. The leader HAS to do the dirty work and EVERYTHING consistently first before the rest of the team follows. That has NOT happened here.

I witnessed the previous 4 years. We already tried the "Zach LaVine" way. It clearly doesn't work. Now it's time for painful extraction.

There is one thing no one mentioned here. And that is:

Zach LaVine IS NOT AKME's guy. He never was. They inherited him. LaVine remains GarPax's guy. Accept it now. Make your peace with it. LaVine is gone whether you hate it or not. Kicking and screaming through the door. I'm getting you ready. $30 million per to remain in Chicago? No way. And I have to keep repeating: LaVine is not taking a hometown discount when he and his agent know that they can fetch far more in the open market.

AKME will not hitch their names to LaVine. They're trying to set their own marks here that has absolutely nothing to do with GarPax. In the case they do try to sign LaVine to a max deal, AKME signed over their basketball lives to your Beloved Dear Leader knowing that he doesn't win anything. Michael Reinsdorf will have to fire AKME in the final years of their contracts. Because we will keep losing with LaVine at the helm.

Remember when LaVine recently tweaked his ankle again? I thought he tore his ACL. Again. That's a f*ckin red flag, gentlemen. I'm happy that LaVine recovered from his ACL tear and regained his form and then some. I'm truly am, but it's time to do what's best for the Chicago Bulls and that's to flip him.

Anyone here experience corporate takeovers? I have. I was in 2 of them. 95% of the previous staff is let go. 1-2 people are usually kept. The same applies here. In this case, I see 100% gone. Because GarPax's guys are not winners anyway.

[dougthonus]

Offense >>> Defense? HAHAHAHA LOL.

As someone who has said things like this, let me clarify at least what I meant. Great offensive players are more scarce and more expensive and more important towards creating a great offensive team. Great defense typically does not require unique, scarce players, and is more of a team concept than great offense which is often achieved through elite individual talent.

In the end, great teams are typically great on both sides of the ball to win.

[DJhitek]

The Bulls need a very good playmaker in the worst way and I’m not sure they have the means to improve that spot. But truthfully, AK hasn’t endeared himself in my eyes with his moves.

[samwana]

We need two way players with talent. Sad enough we just threw 2 lotto picks away. We need the basketball draft gods to be really really good to us for a second year in a row.

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[Bandit King]

Why trade your best player? Makes no sense!!! Bulls not interested in draft picks anyways!!!

[Flopper]

Worst thing about the Vuc deal is that it takes options off the table. Can't really think about moving Zach or re-tooling in any other way when 2 of the next 3 1sts are going to Orlando. And it's basically gg if Zach leaves after next season.

[Evil_Headband]

Why trade your best player? Makes no sense!!! Bulls not interested in draft picks anyways!!!

The more the Bulls lose, the more likely it is that Zach will leave at the end of next year. Bulls may need to get assets in return. Vuc might have to be traded too. AKME shouldn’t double down on mistakes, a good organization accepts them and adjusts. Maybe things can turn around next year but I have serious doubts.

[MGB8]

Why trade your best player? Makes no sense!!! Bulls not interested in draft picks anyways!!!

On the counter argument, 2 years ago the Thunder traded away Paul George for SGA and a boat load of picks.

Now, SGA may end up a better player than George just on his own... and those picks...

If you get the right offer...

[CobyWhite0]

Why trade your best player? Makes no sense!!! Bulls not interested in draft picks anyways!!!

On the counter argument, 2 years ago the Thunder traded away Paul George for SGA and a boat load of picks.

Now, SGA may end up a better player than George just on his own... and those picks...

If you get the right offer...

I'd say it's quite unlikely, but Zach and/or Vuc could easily be traded this summer if the right offer comes along.

If Zach wants out after next season, and lets AKME know that this summer, they won't really have a choice.

[pipfan]

If we move into the top 4, I would consider the blow up option. If we can get good return for Lavine and Vuc-maybe we start fresh and let BRK, Philly and Milw play themselves out at the top of the conference.

[kodo]

Tanking can work, as OKC showed.

But I don't think as an organization we're OKC. By that I mean we aren't willing to tank. When that ownership group got Kevin Durant, and I was in Seattle at the time, what's did they do? They tanked even more. And after a horrible 20 win season with Kevin Durant of all picks on your team, what did they do? They tanked again for another season.

We tried tanking just 1 year and the ownership & executives couldn't stand it and started adding Kilpatrick to the roster and starting Holiday and Lopez to win games.

To tank, the ownership & organization need to 100% be in on the tank and not care about ticket sales, optics, or reputation. They have to not give a damn what all other organizations and media are snickering about the team like Philly for 6+ years.

Everything I've seen, the Bulls are 100% opposite of that. Our ownership is so sensitive about how we're perceived they fired Thibs when they thought he was bad mouthing us to JVG, who went on national TV about it.

If this team got Durant, we would switch to "win now" mode instantly. Heck, people said "we've tanked enough" on this board after we drafted only 2 kids, Coby & Wendell. Compared to how long teams like Phoenix & Minny have been tanking, it's a drop in the bucket.

I was all in on tanking until I saw how this board & Chicago fans reacted after just two short years of tanking when it actually takes 6-10 years. And with the new lottery rules, and the plans to draft 18 year olds, that tank timeline is going to be extended.

I don't think this ownership or these fans have the stomach for tanking.

[d boy gentleman]

Tanking can work, as OKC showed.

But I don't think as an organization we're OKC. By that I mean we aren't willing to tank. When that ownership group got Kevin Durant, and I was in Seattle at the time, what's did they do? They tanked even more. And after a horrible 20 win season with Kevin Durant of all picks on your team, what did they do? They tanked again for another season.

We tried tanking just 1 year and the ownership & executives couldn't stand it and started adding Kilpatrick to the roster and starting Holiday and Lopez to win games.

To tank, the ownership & organization need to 100% be in on the tank and not care about ticket sales, optics, or reputation. They have to not give a damn what all other organizations and media are snickering about the team like Philly for 6+ years.

Everything I've seen, the Bulls are 100% opposite of that. Our ownership is so sensitive about how we're perceived they fired Thibs when they thought he was bad mouthing us to JVG, who went on national TV about it.

If this team got Durant, we would switch to "win now" mode instantly. Heck, people said "we've tanked enough" on this board after we drafted only 2 kids, Coby & Wendell. Compared to how long teams like Phoenix & Minny have been tanking, it's a drop in the bucket.

I was all in on tanking until I saw how this board & Chicago fans reacted after just two short years of tanking when it actually takes 6-10 years. And with the new lottery rules, and the plans to draft 18 year olds, that tank timeline is going to be extended.

I don't think this ownership or these fans have the stomach for tanking.

OKC is tanking? Didn't know that...They traded away George, Westbrook and Paul and got back young players and picks in return and made the playoffs last season. Regardless, it doesn't show that tanking works. For every OKC, there's a Minnesota, Sacramento, Detroit and other perpetual losers that are always lottery bound and can't get it right. Philly also whiffed on picks with Okafor, Noel and Fultz in the midst of Embiid and Simmons, both of whom were injury risks and still are.

Phoenix added Chris Paul and are currently the number 2 team in the West. They weren't going anywhere with Ayton and Booker and made a move to compete now.

You are right, no fan wants to deal with 6-10 years of perpetual losing. As a matter of fact, if it takes 6-10 years to build a contender, it shows that the franchise is totally inept. And you also lose fan interest; I'm not interested in another 5 year rebuild and I'm sure other fans feel the same way...

[TheStig]

Why trade your best player? Makes no sense!!! Bulls not interested in draft picks anyways!!!

The more the Bulls lose, the more likely it is that Zach will leave at the end of next year. Bulls may need to get assets in return. Vuc might have to be traded too. AKME shouldn’t double down on mistakes, a good organization accepts them and adjusts. Maybe things can turn around next year but I have serious doubts.

Do you really think that ownership has a stomach for losing? If so, they'd have just let GarPax continue.

Do you really truly believe that they can't be a good team with some tweaks? I think they're closer. It's a shame they couldn't get Ball. I think that is the missing piece from the playoff team.

What is the path to rebuild? We don't even control our own picks. Maybe you trade Vuc for a couple of firsts and same with Lavine. You're still not able to tank effectively because the pick is gone and likely not going to be trading them to cr@p teams.

I think the path forward is to swing for another good high level player and build around what we got for the next 3 years and see where the cards fall.