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Preface: I'm not intending this thread to be an all out flame war between the two fan bases, but with the Bulls getting the first pick, they are probably on their way to return to their old Baby Bulls ways. How do they compare with the Blazers if we consider rosters, assets, and even management?

I will take Rose as their pick as most Bulls fans want him over Beasley.

Bulls (assuming they can re-sign Gordon and Deng):

Primary Roster
Rose/Hinrich/ Duhon
Gordon/ Thabo/ Hughes
Deng/ Nocioni
Thomas/ Gooden
Noah/ Gray

Expirings: Gooden ($7.1 mil)
Contract stalwarts: Hinrich (?), Hughes
Capspace in near future: Hard to determine with Gordon's/Deng's extensions pending, but I don't see much.
Coach: N/A
Management: Paxson (GM), Reinsdorf (Chairman)



Blazers

Primary Roster
Blake/ Jack/ Rodriguez
Roy/ Fernandez
Webster/ Outlaw/ Jones
Aldridge/ Frye
Oden/ Przybilla/ LaFrentz

1st round draft pick: #13

Expirings: LaFrentz ($12.7 mil)
Contract stalwarts: Przybilla (?)
Capspace in near future: ~$15-30 mil depending on who they choose to retain in summer of 2009.
Coach: Nate McMillan
Management: Pritchard (GM), Allen (Owner)

Both teams have some question marks, such as Portland's SF and PG spots, and Chicago's PF & C spot (I think Oden is a bit more proven than Noah). If Chicago can retain both Gordon and Deng, I think their starting five looks deadly, and if Portland can package their many assets to attain a PG, I think it can match the Bulls' lineup. Blazers management has been very good in the past two years, so I think they have the advantage there, but what do you guys think? Who has the better future?

Blazers (from a Bulls fan) but the Bulls can make it very close, if guys like Deng and Gordon return to 05-06 form and Noah/Thomas develop in the next couple of years.

Otherwise... Roy is already an allstar, Aldridge/Oden will be a killer frontcourt for a long time, and they got some decent pieces around them.

Combine the teams and you get Rose/Roy/Deng/Aldridge/Oden.

Blazers (From a Sonics fan, sigh)

Along with the other comments made, I think it'll be easier for the Blazers to fill their question mark postitions (PG and SF) than the Bulls (PG or PF and C).

The Blazers don't need a conventional pass first PG since Roy has the ball in his hands, so all they need is a D. Fisher type that can shoot the 3. SF are a dime a dozen and the guys they have there now are not too shabby and still young, so it is quite possible they could still emerge too.

The Bulls will have a tough job filling the two toughest positions, PG if they don't draft Rose and C. It is tough to find good PGs and Cs.

Blazers assuming both Roy and Oden don't become injury prone. But Aldridge still doesn't convince me.

The Bulls will probably be on the same level as the current Hornets in their prime, and being in the East helps a whole bunch. (If Hornets were in the east they'd probably be in the Finals right now)

TradeMachine wrote:(I think Oden is a bit more proven than Noah).

Given that Noah has proved he can play in the league and Oden hasn't ,how can Oden possibly be more proven at the NBA level?

Oden may be more talented and have a higher upside but Noah is the more proven at this point because he has done it and Oden hasn't.

I'd take the Blazers but it all depends on Oden being what he was drafted to be, that is a dominant 2 way centre.

andyhop wrote:-= original quote snipped =-



Given that Noah has proved he can play in the league and Oden hasn't ,how can Oden possibly be more proven at the NBA level?

Oden may be more talented and have a higher upside but Noah is the more proven at this point because he has done it and Oden hasn't.

I'd take the Blazers but it all depends on Oden being what he was drafted to be, that is a dominant 2 way centre.

You're taking this logic too far. In the same vein I could argue that Jarrett Jack has proven more than Rose.

I think it's the Blazers, but that's not a slight on the Bulls at all.

I think it will be a lot easier for Portland to fill their PG slot than it will for Chicago to fill their roster holes.

I also wouldn't be too surprised to see the two teams "helping" each other out this off season by the bulls trading Portland Hinrich and the Blazers sending them Lafrentz and some actual talent in return.

That would diminish a lot of the cap space the team has going forward, but Hinrich is a clear upgrade at PG for Portland, and someone in that second tier they need. With he, Roy, Outlaw, Aldridge and Oden, the Blazers would become one of the better defensive teams in the league.

Two questions before this can be answered: who is the Bulls coach and Beasley or Rose?

The coach is crucial because (of course I'm biased but) I think Nate Macmillan really gets the best out of what he's given. Also, the Bulls have shown that bad coaching really can make that group play awful.

I'm leaning towards Blazers at this point but if Oden turns into Sam Bowie I'll revise my opinion to Bulls.

Blazers look better right now.

Bulls don't have an identity right now. I would think packaging some of their duplicate pieces and get them more a star like talent. I would say draft Rose and move Gordon and then they have a pretty good backcourt in Rose and Hinrich that can defend and make plays. The Bulls are so front court heavy with Nocioni, Noah, Gooden, Tyrus, and Gray. Moving two of those guys should get you something of a frontline star.

Perhaps a Boozer, Al Jefferson, Okafor could be had.......

Blazers.

Only reason this is even close is because Chicago plays in the East.

Portland would probably have won between 45-50 games this year in that conference.

netsforever wrote:Blazers.

Only reason this is even close is because Chicago plays in the East.

Portland would probably have won between 45-50 games this year in that conference.

Well the Bulls essentially have the same roster (minus Wallace, minus Brown) that won 49 games two years ago, added Noah, Gooden and now a #1 pick.

If the rest of the players go back to how they were playing in 05-06, the Bulls can end up being ridiculously good.

I think Oden is clearly the best prospect followed by Rose, then Roy and Aldridge are the next best long term prospects after that... so yea...

Personally I'd take Portland because of their front court. If they take Rose they still don't have anyone who can score in their frontcourt. Also, the Bulls roster is still in flux, especially if they take Rose. Will Hinrich or Gordon be traded? Who knows who will be on the Bulls come October.

Blazers.

Blazers.

The Bulls need to do something with Deng and Gordon and determine what they will do with the pick. Like if they traded Deng and Gordon for Melo and then traded the pick for someone like Brand or Al Jefferson then it is a different story.

Basileus777 wrote:Personally I'd take Portland because of their front court. If they take Rose they still don't have anyone who can score in their frontcourt. Also, the Bulls roster is still in flux, especially if they take Rose. Will Hinrich or Gordon be traded? Who knows who will be on the Bulls come October.

Then why not take Beasley? He'd fit their team perfectly, and is a comparable talent to Rose. Is it just because Rose is from Chicago?

CBS7 wrote:-= original quote snipped =-



Well the Bulls essentially have the same roster (minus Wallace, minus Brown) that won 49 games two years ago, added Noah, Gooden and now a #1 pick.

If the rest of the players go back to how they were playing in 05-06, the Bulls can end up being ridiculously good.

If my aunt had balls, she'd be my uncle.

There was no reason for the huge dropoff in play on the part of Chicago this year. No significant personel changes, no major injuries. At this point - 05-06 seems to be an aberration.

Blazers.

Are Deng/Gordon going to resign with the Bulls?

I disagree completely.

Gordon and Deng improve from year to year for 3 years, and the one year they regress isn't the aberration?

Hinrich, playing the worst he's every played in his pro career, is the real Hinrich?