Big 3 needed? Who is the target? Draft, FA or trade?

[LUKE23]

I think the Cassell/Billups/Nash examples are very relevant and spot on.

We'll know a LOT more about our circumstances and team progression come April, but we might be ready for a 3-4 year vet PG to come in as early as next summer.

I' mean guys, let's realize that other than the Spurs, most of the top NBA teams are creations that last 3-6 years at most. It isn't like we need to be 100% sure that our PG will still be on the team in 2023 if we've got a chance to string together three 50-win seasons in 2016-2018.

By example, the Nets had two amazing years in the finals after they brought in Kidd at age 28 in 2001.

This team is different because of how advanced Parker/Giannis are for age 19, because very few, if any teams have been in that situation. We have a long window, we just have to make sure we don't blow our wad too early.

[Newz]

fair enough... but I was certainly hoping for something less vague than that. there can be all sorts of reasons they are "struggling" in the tough western conference (if you even want to call it that). that's tough as hell to put it on holiday. he certainly didn't seem to hurt the chemistry in philly, when he was even more inefficient than he is now.

my sense is he was a golden boy pg, who got traded to a rebuilding baby team. 21 yo davis who doesn't know how to win yet. tyreke playing better but still tyreke. I feel like were gonna wake up one day and NO is going to be all of a sudden pounding people and jrue is gonna be viewed like conley and damn near untouchable again. maybe kind of like the cycle we saw with GS where theyre like meh and then all of a sudden boom they arrive all at once.

maybe im way off. I haven't been watching them so I easily could be talking out of my ass.

Holiday is honestly very similar to Knight in the way he impacts the game. Good player, shouldn't have got paid what he got paid and shouldn't be playing PG full time.

Also I don't care if Anthony Davis is 21 or not... he's the best player in the league at this point. If a team can't get to .500 with him, then it means that something is seriously wrong with the team. It isn't the big man position since Asik is a pretty damn good fit with Davis.

[tski1972]

Probably not terribly expensive to get and fits the current growth model.

or the Bucks could just play Nate Wolters.

[Nebula1]

or the Bucks could just play Nate Wolters.

Nate Wolters is not a starting PG in the NBA. He might be a decent backup, but probably not a long-term solution.

Tyler Ennis is worth a look as a possible long-term solution and fits with what's going on in Milwaukee.

[ReasonablySober]

I still think our window begins in at least four years. Giannis and Parker are advanced for their age, but they aren't KD or LeBron level advanced. Neither has really shown yet that they're locks to dominate in the NBA. They still have a very long way to go.

[tski1972]

or the Bucks could just play Nate Wolters.

Nate Wolters is not a starting PG in the NBA. He might be a decent backup, but probably not a long-term solution.

Tyler Ennis is worth a look as a possible long-term solution and fits with what's going on in Milwaukee.

I don't see a lot of variation in their games. Explain.

[Newz]

I still think our window begins in at least four years. Giannis and Parker are advanced for their age, but they aren't KD or LeBron level advanced. Neither has really shown yet that they're locks to dominate in the NBA. They still have a very long way to go.

Your opinion seems to really have changed on Giannis. I thought you thought that dude was a sure fire stud.

Also, Jabari is awesome.

[LUKE23]

I don't think it's going to take another 4 seasons. Usually win jumps are pretty dramatic if it's really young players leading the charge. I think we will have a really, really damn good team in 2016-17. That's if Giannis/Jabari are what we think they are, and we continue to draft competently.

[raferfenix]

Are the Bucks so different than the Suns were when they signed Nash?

I remember many bashing that deal for similar reasons. Hell Cuban of all owners let him walk because of age and the number of dollars and years on that contract.

Then Amare exploded with a superstar pass first PG.

I don't think Giannis and Parker are necessarily so far off that kind of progression.

[ReasonablySober]

I still think our window begins in at least four years. Giannis and Parker are advanced for their age, but they aren't KD or LeBron level advanced. Neither has really shown yet that they're locks to dominate in the NBA. They still have a very long way to go.

Your opinion seems to really have changed on Giannis. I thought you thought that dude was a sure fire stud.

Also, Jabari is awesome.

It absolutely hasn't. I think he's going to be a top ten player in the league. He just hasn't shown that on the court yet.

[paulpressey25]

If we are waiting four years for our window, it means Giannis and Jabari aren't who we think they are.

This situation is simple. Right now we need to tank the heck of out this year by jettisoning the veterans in an effort to somehow luck into a Tyus Jones type guy in the top ten.

Immediately after getting that guy, we go all in on an expensive but meaningful veteran player like a Dragic or Jimmy Butler and to be the catalyst to start winning 45-50 games. If you think you've got your studs, it makes no sense to sit and keep losing for multiple years with a team of all rookies like how the Clippers of old did it or the T-Wolves of the past decade.

The problem is that we may be in that mode a year too early because of Kidd, Mayo, Ersan, etc.

[LUKE23]

We need to jettison the veterans regardless. It's a double positive. Lose more this year, gain cap flexibility should the opportunities present themselves this summer. If not, wait until summer of 2016 to spend money.

But I do agree, if it takes four more seasons to get to that level, Giannis/Parker aren't the guys we thought. I don't think it takes that long.

[ReasonablySober]

If we are waiting four years for our window, it means Giannis and Jabari aren't who we think they are.

Who do you think they are? Hall of fame all time greats on the level of KD and LeBron?

[Matches Malone]

Unless I'm reading things incorrectly, it doesn't appear the Bulls have the cap space to fit Butler in. They are at $64M next year not counting their pick, and the cap is projected at $66.3M. They would need to clear quite a bit of salary to keep him. He'd be my target.

I was under the assumption that Chicago can go over the cap space to re-sign their own players but they would have to pay luxury tax if they wanted to do that. I think at the end of the day they try and figure out a way to get him back next year, but he would be my #1 FA.

[ReKon]

If we are waiting four years for our window, it means Giannis and Jabari aren't who we think they are.

Who do you think they are? Hall of fame all time greats on the level of KD and LeBron?

I can probably wait two years for them to have a breakout year and then a third to show that they can maintain a steady level of elite play

By year 4 i would expect us to be at least contenders although a lot of moves we re gonna make over these years will play a major role(drafting right,bringing some good bench players etc.)

I don t think it s unrealistic to expect Gianni/Jabari to be in the conversation for best forward duo in 3 years time.

[GoldenAntlers]

Age doesn't matter if it's the right player.

Sam Cassell was 29 when he joined the Bucks and gave the team 5 exceptional years as PG.

I'm not adding Rondo to this team. Partly because of age, partly because of fit, and partly because of potential chemistry concerns. He's just a really bad fit for this team moving forward.

im not sure I want him either but he didn't sem to do to bad with..... allen, pierce and garnett. they match up pretty favorably to knight, parker, and giannis if you ask me.

I guess this is why I'm open to Rondo. Going young at the point is wonderful if there are actually young
Point guards available... Not convinced there are.

[Siefer]

I don't think there's anything particularly radical about saying Giannis and Parker are probably four years away from entering their primes (and being ready to contend). They'll be 23, and just beginning their second contracts. Sounds about right.

[mattg]

Say no to rondo. Despite all his assists the celtics are still better offensively when he's on the bench. Put an atrocious scorer like that in our lineup and Giannis gets permanently stunted as teams sit their whole defense in the paint and our offense looks like a clogged toilet.

People who make these Nash parallels should check out the offensive impact Nash was having in Dallas. You're talking top 10 offenses of all time, and Cuban/their FO was blind to it because they had the ball in Michael finley's hands too much(and dirk to a certain extent). None of the PGs we'd acquire are even close to that level.

Additionally, tyler Ennis is garbage. Unathletic, can't shoot, can't defend, and really mediocre playmaker. Why not just play Kendal Marshall if you want to play an unathletic, bad defensively sorta tall PG who isn't scoring minded?

[cinematographer]

Unless I'm reading things incorrectly, it doesn't appear the Bulls have the cap space to fit Butler in. They are at $64M next year not counting their pick, and the cap is projected at $66.3M. They would need to clear quite a bit of salary to keep him. He'd be my target.

I was under the assumption that Chicago can go over the cap space to re-sign their own players but they would have to pay luxury tax if they wanted to do that. I think at the end of the day they try and figure out a way to get him back next year, but he would be my #1 FA.

They have his Bird Rights, they can go over.

[paulpressey25]

Who do you think they are? Hall of fame all time greats on the level of KD and LeBron?

I don't know who they are but I believe these to be truths:

1) We play up the "19-year old" angle a lot here but in reality Giannis turns 20 at midnight and Jabari is 20 in March. Both guys are pretty heady players. They are already driving wins. It might take four years to reach a Finals, but not four years for these two to be cornerstones to get us to 50-wins if surrounded with a good coach and some good role players. Heck, we are almost there right now with these two guys as infants so to speak.

2) To be a true contender we do need that third wheel. And the best way to get that guy is tank again this year while we can afford to do so.

3) Once we get that third guy this summer, I don't see value in making our players go through another 2-3 seasons where we flail around because we want even more young prospects. Rather get that really good veteran guard who can be a catalyst for a fast turnaround. The cap is rising massively. We have the money before the max contracts suddenly become $25mm a year in 2018.