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There are several scenarios floating around which impact our option at starting PF next season.

Lauri - he's a RFA. We can match. If we want to free cap space to nab a PG, we'd need to renounce his rights. If we operate over the cap, we can match - no problem. He is who he is/was...you know what I mean.

Thad - he's under contract. Again, if we want to free cap space we can waive/stretch or try to trade him. If we operate over the cap, we just keep him and he expires in a year. He is a great leader, but was more effective off the bench.

Theis - he's a FA, but we have bird rights. If we want to free cap space, we probably won't resign him, but if we let all our other FA's go, we might be able to cut a deal. He was our best option next to Vuc.

Williams - he's under contract. Many think he is better suited at PF, despite mostly playing SF. If we start him at PF (and let the others go), we'd need a new SF (unless we start TBJ - which has some appeal, but is risky) in addition to a new PG...so the $ would be tough.

I think theis is getting overrated because he brought some toughness to a team that was severely lacking it. He would be a really solid third big but I don't want to lock him into starting PF.

Thad is washed. Hate the fit next to vuc more than the fit with Lauri.

I'm still in the Lauri was under/incorrectly utilized boat but that's not going to be fixed running it back and starting next to vuc

PWill I don't mind at PF. For me it's more the wing that we get to put next to him. It should be a similar size player so that PWill/wing can be interchangeable. Ideally I would want PWill to develop his SF skills first (SF usually transition to PF once they mature)

That being said I voted for Lauri

PaKii94 wrote:I think theis is getting overrated because he brought some toughness to a team that was severely lacking it. He would be a really solid third big but I don't want to lock him into starting PF.

Thad is washed. Hate the fit next to vuc more than the fit with Lauri.

I'm still in the Lauri was under/incorrectly utilized boat but that's not going to be fixed running it back and starting next to vuc

PWill I don't mind at PF. For me it's more the wing that we get to put next to him. It should be a similar size player so that PWill/wing can be interchangeable. Ideally I would want PWill to develop his SF skills first (SF usually transition to PF once they mature)

That being said I voted for Lauri

I'm in the Theis camp, but it depends on the opportunity cost. I really hate the idea of Sato, or worse White, as our starting PG next season, but there are guys we can trade for and still resign Theis (and/or Lauri).

I don't think Thad is washed, but agree he's not the right guy next to Vuc.

I don't want Lauri back, but there's a price that could make sense to give him another shot or trade him later. I give him credit for improved defense (at/near average) last year, and like him at SF, if we put pat at PF.

Bulls win on defense, not offense. Need multiple plus defenders out there, and Theis is one of the few.
Upgrading the 4 with a better defender would be great, but since another big seems to be the lowest thing on the FO radar I assume our bigs are set, and Theis is the best defender.

We're not going to win any games with 2 defensive liabilities at the 4 & 5, when we mainly win on defense.

In the low chance we keep Lauri, it felt like at the end of the season he was being shoved into the SF position, and not even really utilized as a PF.

IMO PF is the team's biggest issue or maybe SF. I'm alone in thinking that Coby / Sato isn't great but its not a huge hole.

It would be interesting to get Derozan and run out:
Coby / Sato
Lavine
Derozan / PW
Theis / Thad
Vuc

Not going to win an NBA title but it allows a lot of lineup flexibility. With Derozan acting as a point wing and Thad coming back as that point center, you would have a lot of ball handlers. You would have the following front courts:
Theis / Vuc, Theis / Thad, PW / Vuc, PW / Thad
That work together and against different lineups.

Double sign and trade Lauri for Derozan (plus fillers to make it work).

coldfish wrote:IMO PF is the team's biggest issue or maybe SF. I'm alone in thinking that Coby / Sato isn't great but its not a huge hole.

It would be interesting to get Derozan and run out:
Coby / Sato
Lavine
Derozan / PW
Theis / Thad
Vuc

Not going to win an NBA title but it allows a lot of lineup flexibility. With Derozan acting as a point wing and Thad coming back as that point center, you would have a lot of ball handlers. You would have the following front courts:
Theis / Vuc, Theis / Thad, PW / Vuc, PW / Thad
That work together and against different lineups.

Double sign and trade Lauri for Derozan (plus fillers to make it work).

If we have Derozan playing "point wing"...I would need someone (really anyone) else at PG. Let's just start TBJ or go get Nwaba or Harrison.

Pat Williams. Though I see him as a SF, in today's game he's obviously a PF. So hopefully we can land a starting caliber 3 and D playmaker, slide Pat to the 4, and hopefully retain Thies use him as the main back PF/C

Zion Williamson. Let the mod blood sacrifice begin!!

I'd like to see PW and or Bullock. Lonzo at PG.

We need a defender rebounder 3pt shooter that doesn't need the ball and mainly spaces the floor.

None of the above / other.

Anyone better than those options. FA, Trade, etc. Plus, there's a good chance all of them will be traded/moved minus PWill.

I would like Richaun Holmes as our starting pf.

If we're looking to win, it's Theis. The guy brings everything this team is lacking. Without him we don't have a shot blocker on the roster. He also seemed to have a great on-court connection with LaVine.

I believe the Bulls are interested in keeping him, otherwise, I don't really understand the purpose of trading for him and then starting him over Lauri and Thad.

coldfish wrote:IMO PF is the team's biggest issue or maybe SF. I'm alone in thinking that Coby / Sato isn't great but its not a huge hole.

It would be interesting to get Derozan and run out:
Coby / Sato
Lavine
Derozan / PW
Theis / Thad
Vuc

Not going to win an NBA title but it allows a lot of lineup flexibility. With Derozan acting as a point wing and Thad coming back as that point center, you would have a lot of ball handlers. You would have the following front courts:
Theis / Vuc, Theis / Thad, PW / Vuc, PW / Thad
That work together and against different lineups.

Double sign and trade Lauri for Derozan (plus fillers to make it work).

At the end of the season, the game slowed down for Coby and he really wasn't a liability. Sato is steady if nothing else. I agree that the three spot was our weakest position. Before the Vuc trade I was particularly interested in Derozan as a under the radar addition. I'm not a 100% sure I love the fit with Vuc, but he can score and his playmaking abilities lessen the need for a point guard.

HomoSapien wrote:If we're looking to win, it's Theis. The guy brings everything this team is lacking. Without him we don't have a shot blocker on the roster. He also seemed to have a great on-court connection with LaVine.

I believe the Bulls are interested in keeping him, otherwise, I don't really understand the purpose of trading for him and then starting him over Lauri and Thad.

The offense took a dip, but I agree - hard to think of a better available option. Just need some more creativity and shooting from the incoming PG.

Torrey Craig.

If AK doesn't re-sign Theis, it will be a big setback for bringing the Bulls back.

Period.

Assuming we can ink a FA (guard or maybe SF), and then agree to terms with Theis afterwards, he's probably our best option cause his 9.5 mil cap hold is way less than Thad or Lauri.

Voted for P-Will.
I think Theis and Thad lose much of their appeal playing at the 4 instead of at the 5. Seeing we already have Vuc, I'd rather try to trade/S&T them for something else this offseason.

Grodoboldo wrote:Voted for P-Will.
I think Theis and Thad lose much of their appeal playing at the 4 instead of at the 5. Seeing we already have Vuc, I'd rather try to trade/S&T them for something else this offseason.

Completely agree with this. I like Theis a lot, but not as the full-time starter at the 4. Our big situation is really weird.

Can we get that Al-Farouq Aminu that dropped 17, 10 and 6 days before getting traded to the Bulls? Bounce back season - you heard it here first!