Why did the Bulls leave BJ Armstrong unprotected in 1995

[TiMVP]

in the expansion draft....i mean he was an all-star 2 years before and they had to protect 8 players. why didn't they protect bj armstrong? was it for cap reasons? i mean, they were all about winning then even without jordan, so that wouldn't even make sense. anyone know?

[JordansBulls]

Because you could only protect up to 3 players IIRC.

I'm not sure if this was decided before the season or near the end, but IIRC only 3 players could be protected on the team.

[TiMVP]

I thought it was only 3 players can be unprotected. otherwise there would've been better choices than bj armstrong and greg anthony

[Rocketsftw]

. Why did the Chicago Bulls give B.J. Armstrong away?

Apparently the Bulls want to see how many key players from their 1991 to '93 championship teams they can lose without getting anything in return. When the Toronto Raptors took Armstrong, whom Chicago had surprisingly left unprotected, with the first choice of the expansion draft, he joined forwards Horace Grant and Scott Williams on the list of valued players who have left the Bulls without Chicago receiving any compensation.

That's not to say there weren't reasons to leave Armstrong unprotected. Here, according to Bull sources, was Chicago's thinking: The 6'2" Armstrong's difficulty in guarding quick point guards or taller shooting guards, and his inability to penetrate, had become unaffordable liabilities. At the same time he quietly made known his displeasure over dwindling playing time—from 33.8 minutes a game in 1993-94 to 29.9 after the All-Star break last season—and restrictions on his offensive role imposed by coach Phil Jackson after Michael Jordan's return in March. Armstrong made $2.8 million last season, to be essentially a spot-up shooter. Steve Kerr can do that just as well, if not better, than Armstrong and for far less money: He made $620,000 last year.

That's why Armstrong was expendable. Why was he sent packing via the expansion draft instead of by a trade? The answer: Unless the Bulls could get the established power forward they wanted for Armstrong, which they quickly found out they couldn't, they really didn't want another player. They would rather have Armstrong's salary slot to sign a free-agent big man, to re-sign unrestricted free-agent center Luc Longley or to renegotiate the contract of disgruntled All-Star forward Scottie Pippen, who earned a paltry (for a superstar) $2.2 million per season.

Don't feel bad for Armstrong. Toronto general manager Isiah Thomas is ready to fulfill his request to move to a contender by trading him, probably to the Golden State Warriors. One rumor had Armstrong heading to the Bay Area for a package including forwards Victor Alexander and Carlos Rogers.




Ex-All-star guard B.J. Armstrong, who won three NBA championships with the Chicago Bulls, was picked by the Toronto Raptors during the recent NBA expansion draft.

But Armstrong, 27, who was left unprotected by the Bulls and was the Raptors' first selection in the expansion draft, said he wants out.

Raptors Vice President Isiah Thomas confirmed that Armstrong said he would like to be traded and handed Thomas a list of four teams he would like to be dealt to. Thomas would not reveal the names.

"B.J. Armstrong is a classy guy. We want to fulfill his wishes and move him to a championship caliber team," Thomas said in the Chicago Sun-Times.
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"We've had serious discussions with some teams about moving him. We felt we owed it to B.J. and B.J. wanted to leave so we thought that we would try to facilitate his wishes," Thomas added.


Armstrong, who was the very first player chosen by the Raptors (JET, July 17) when the Chicago Bulls left him unprotected, was dealt for centers Carlos Rogers and Victor Alexander and the rights to 1995 second-round draft picks Dwayne Whitfield, Martin Lewis and Michael McDonald.


http://books.google.com/books?id=ijgDAA ... ed&f=false

[spudwebb]

Because you could only protect up to 3 players IIRC.

I'm not sure if this was decided before the season or near the end, but IIRC only 3 players could be protected on the team.

Teams were allowed to protect 8 players. Where are you pulling 3 from? If 27 teams were only allowed to protect 3 players, you think BJ Armstrong would be the first player picked in the expansion draft?

i mean he was an all-star 2 years before

after the All-Star break last season

I don't think kiddies now get that BJ Armstrong's all-star year was a joke. He was VOTED as an All-Star by legions of Chicago Bulls (Jordan) fans all across the country when Jordan went into his first retirement. He was nowhere close to an all-star caliber player, had nowhere close to all-star numbers. He averaged 14.8 points and 3.9 assists per game as point guard for god's sake. Because a total scrub like Armstrong was was voted an all-star Penny Hardaway who played all 82 games that year and averaged 16, 6.5 and 5 was left off. So was Joe Dumars averaging 20ppg. Armstrong was starting and a guy like Mark Price was on the bench.

BJ Armstrong was a joke. He wasn't even good enough to start on his own team. At one point during the Bulls 1st 3 peat he was saying if he was on another team he'd be like KJ or Hardaway. So when he got benched for the scrub he was when Ron Harper was paired with Jordan, he stared whining about his minutes. But he Bulls really didn't need him because all he was only a spot up shooter. And they had someone who actually did a better job of that in Steve Kerr.

The worst part about this is people that weren't actually following the league then look back and say hey Jordan played with another all-star, BJ Armstrong.

[NADALbULLS]

Yeah that is funny how people use that Armstrong all-star appearance to make out as though Jordan had a bunch of all-stars. I wonder what Jordan would have done if they had a line-up like Boston or LA have right now. I guess you can't do any better than 72-10 anyway.

[Paxson]

They wanted to a more defensive pg. Enter Ron Harper.

[G35]

He was like the Jordan Farmar of his day with a lil better all around ability imo. Farmar thinks that he can do better in an environment that isn't so restrictive. In the triangle the PG is mostly a spot shooter (well at least in the versions we have seen) Armstrong was capable of doing more than spot up shooting and wanted to expand his offensive role.

WTF?

Expand your offensive role with who on your team? Just go ahead and pack your bags. Your services will no longer be needed.....

[drewchad]

Worst all star starting 5 ever?

BJ
Kenny Anderson
Pippen
Coleman
Shaq

[sonny]

He was banging Scottie's mom

[a_sensei]

Worst all star starting 5 ever?

BJ
Kenny Anderson
Pippen
Coleman
Shaq

Plus the bench had John Starks, Horace Grant, Mookie Blaylock and Charles Oakley... all good players but that is a lot of very borderline allstars on one team. Yet, they actually beat a West team that had Olajuwon, Malone, Payton, Kemp, Stockton, Drexler, Robinson and KJ.

[Mamba Venom]

They wanted to a more defensive pg. Enter Ron Harper.

BJ & Grant were solid. Bulls may have won in 95 if the Magic didnt have the vet Grant telling them how to win vs. Bulls.

[Prop]

because unprotected BJs are the best kind.

[JackFinn]

He was banging Scottie's mom

Also LeBron's mom.

[noido]

because unprotected BJs are the best kind.

It took a while for someone to get to this. Nice

[rz04]

Because a protected BJ is no fun.

[Sebastian]

because unprotected BJs are the best kind.

It took a while for someone to get to this. Nice

I was coming hard at this thread with something similar, but alas, my attempt at a josh was beaten off by this "Prop" fellow.

[ahonui06]

Because they went on to win a 3Peat without him so who cares.

[MaxRider]

Because you could only protect up to 3 players IIRC.

I'm not sure if this was decided before the season or near the end, but IIRC only 3 players could be protected on the team.

i thought it was because of the contract