Predict the Bulls: Buyers/Sellers/Mixed Bag

[kodo]

I think we'll either unload Vuc or Zach or do nothing. It seems like we're trying hard on both but have not takes and that might remain the case throughout the deadline. Zach's playing at a level where it's pretty nuts there are no takes by traditional standards and so is Vuc, but if we can't find someone willing to advance our goals in some way then nothing it is.

I won't really be mad at AK for not making a trade if the markets don't exist, and it sure looks like the markets don't exist.

Yeah. I would love to tank the season, but AK has never intimated he's willing to do that. I think taking back 2nd's and expirings will do little to make this team better. I'd rather see us get rid of Coby, Pat and the POR 1st in a deal to bring back another good starter.

Agreed there's no reason to disbelieve AK when he says his goals haven't changed, win as many games as possible.
In order to trade Zach/Vuc, I believe he needs a better player coming back and why is any team going to trade $2 for our $1. How many high volume, create your own shot SGs are better than Lavine and actually available anyway?

The MPJ trade talks was a good test because it's the closest realistic trade, and that never happened. MPJ is just a pure downgrade from Lavine no matter how you slice it, which is why Denver offered it.

The national media narrative that we have to take anything back for Lavine because otherwise we just treadmill just shows the national media know nothing about our FO or ownership. We can keep treadmilling for the next 5 years, just hold our beer.

[dougthonus]

The national media narrative that we have to take anything back for Lavine because otherwise we just treadmill just shows the national media know nothing about our FO or ownership. We can keep treadmilling for the next 5 years, just hold our beer.

Well, I think beyond that, it makes no sense to trade Zach in a move that puts in a worse position talent wise and financially and offer nothing in terms of future assets or potential.

Why would any team do that?

[Hangtime84]

Pat + Coby for player ______ I think is the move.

Or retool buy getting John Collins

Standing “pat” I can also see

[jnrjr79]

Bumping to note how wrong the board was altogether in the poll. Myself included!

I thought Vooch was gone. He wasn’t. But I was right on the general vibe that the Bulls would sell something off.

Not sure how to rate the Lonzo extension since it wasn’t a trade, but it does lean a bit toward the “mixed bag” concept when they traded Zach but extended Zo.

[ChettheJet]

I was wrong in thinking some team would want a 20/20 center in Vuc and a solid veteran shooting D PG in Carter or that Terry could be added to send the Bulls a serviceable guy under contract. BOS now got Craig without giving anything up.

The inability to move Vucevic to me reinforces that resigning him to this contract was a mistake. There was no evidence any other team would be willing to sign him and certainly not for the $20M the Bulls agreed to. And now with the three veterans they had at the time gone Vuc is still here when each of the past 2-3 trading periods saw several centers get moved.

[MrSparkle]

I was wrong in thinking some team would want a 20/20 center in Vuc and a solid veteran shooting D PG in Carter or that Terry could be added to send the Bulls a serviceable guy under contract. BOS now got Craig without giving anything up.

The inability to move Vucevic to me reinforces that resigning him to this contract was a mistake. There was no evidence any other team would be willing to sign him and certainly not for the $20M the Bulls agreed to. And now with the three veterans they had at the time gone Vuc is still here when each of the past 2-3 trading periods saw several centers get moved.

Yep. I didn't like the 60/3 deal, but I didn't hate it.

In hindsight, I should've really hated it!

If you sign a guy to a significant deal and you can't get ONE top-10 protected pick for him, you signed a bad deal. Or at best, a worthless asset.

That's where I wonder about Coby's market. Nobody offered a mid FRP, otherwise I believe he'd be gone. Truth is, he's mediocre. He's actually being outplayed by a 40yo CP3 and 36yo Westbrook... Both "free" MLE/Vet-Min range pickups. So why would anyone move a FRP for him, despite the "value" deal? If he improves marginally next year, then he'll want a bigger contract, but to me, he's hardly worth his current deal, let alone a bigger one (even if he improves). His defense and decision-making suck, and his streaky 3P% is not the strength it should be. Curious if Tre Jones puts a dent in his minutes. I imagine Billy will DNP Tre the rest of the way.

Same deal with Patrick. Bulls are outbidding themselves on these guys, over and over again. It's crazy. Just 2y wasted with Zach's extension. You don't want to consistently think that you'd be better off letting these guys walk, but that's the truth. The talent and fit evaluation is just horrible.

My theory/vibe early on was they would resign the underperforming guys cheap , and benefit later. But there comes a point where the guy can't even hit league-average benchmarks... And that's why we've been a .400 win team over the 1st apron. Vuc dropped to a bottom-5 starting center. His hot 3P% shooting made him rise in the PER standings, but it was fool's gold, and no GM in the league bit on it.