Bosh and Wade @ Agents Office With Bulls

[MGB8]

The "interference" angle of the Wade interviews is as follows:

Without Wade interviews, knowing where Bosh is leaning, Bulls would have gotten their PF, then focused on Lebron.

With Wade interviews (and with Bosh), Bulls don't wrap up another PF, losing him to a pre-commit from another team, and then very possibly strike out with James too (always a possibility - he stays in Cleveland, he goes to NY or NJ). And then, at the end of the day, Bulls come away with nothing.

It doesn't look like that has been what happened - especially if the Boozer reports are true. But that's the risk.

As for James - Rose-James-Deng-Boozer-Noah or Rose-SG-James-Boozer-Noah (Deng traded) should still be more appealing than Douglass-Chandler (off injury)-James-Amare-Barron. NJ is a better sell (Harris-Lee-James-Favors-Lopez + 1 more big FA?) People are big on LAC, but I don't see it. Baron is declining. Gordon is good but undersized. Kaman gets hurt and is not a transition player, and we haven't seen Griffin play yet. A lot of uncertainty.

[Bulls1983]

Wade is joking with us and we are passively watching him.

[Jordan45822]

http://twitter.com/WojYahooNBA/status/17651674040

Source briefed on meeting with Bulls Friday tells Y! that Dwyane Wade's interest in Chicago is "for real," and "There's still LeBron hope." 9 minutes ago via web

[Mattchoo]

I posted this in the LBJ thread... but appears Rockets are serious in trying to get Bosh.

http://blogs.chron.com/nba/2010/07/bosh ... weeti.html

If Bosh goes to Houston for full max, that really narrows down our superstar pairing to Wade and LBJ.

[biggestbullsfan]

http://twitter.com/WojYahooNBA/status/17651674040

Source briefed on meeting with Bulls Friday tells Y! that Dwyane Wade's interest in Chicago is "for real," and "There's still LeBron hope." 9 minutes ago via web

Its still hard for me to believe he isnt trying to dick us around. Maybe we should ask Gabrielle Union for confirmation.

[coldfish]

From the Raps board:

I got this from clutchfans, but an interesting perspective

1. Bosh wants the full max, and preferably the full full max as in SnT 6-year deal. This may or may not have been enough of a priority for him to turn down the Miami deal as a result of having to sacrifice this component.

2. Chicago is trying hard to get Wade to sign straight up and Bosh to sign via SnT but Toronto is proving unwilling in this regard.

3. Bosh would prefer to be with Wade or Lebron as his top choice for future destinations. The Rockets are either a backup plan or a pawn being used for leverage and nothing else.

4. Everything's being held up by Lebron who can't make up his mind yet. But Wade is getting impatient and cannot rely on Miami being able to add other talent if it currently only has two players on rookie contracts on its roster, which is why the whole Chicago thing has come up so suddenly for him.

Up until now everything makes sense, is corroborated by stuff going on in the real world. Everything else in SAS' blog about Bosh trying to make SnT to Houston work, or about NY being a realistic backup for Wade (+ Stoudemire + Johnson) seems like pure conjecture at this point.

I could just as easily make up some logical conclusions like this:

5. At dinner Bosh and Wade talked about what Morey had told him, that three superstars and 9 minimums on a team would not lead to a title, and agreed that Miami was less likely and less prepared for a run than Chicago was. They both agreed to try to give it a shot to take turn their three-man summit into a two-man package to the best team that could support it. And Lebron didn't help either by being such a whiny little beeotch at their last summit meeting that did or did not happen. He can take his sob story for leaving the Cavaliers somewhere, anywhere else.

6. Chicago was deemed the team most prepared to win a title with the insertion of Bosh and Wade, and Henry Thomas was the guy driving this line of thinking from the beginning since he works in Chicago and is a closet Bulls fan though he can't tell his clients that. Bulls management jumped at the chance which they had just one day prior thought passed them by, and all sides were near an agreement until...

7. Toronto spit in their face and told them on no uncertain terms to screw themselves if Deng was their best offer for the SnT. Chicago reacted by hitting the phones hard, looking anywhere for someone that could take Deng off their hands the way Hinrich was moved. Hence that Portland rumor of Deng for Przybilla and Bayless. Chicago went to tell Toronto about the deal and got another flat out rejection since Przybilla and Bayless are even scrubbier than Deng (who isn't actually that scrubby but does make 12M per which would definitely harm a team trying to rebuild like the Raptors).

8. Chicago was left with no better options at the end of the night, and Bosh and Wade departed from the meeting with Henry Thomas and Bulls management without a commitment but a preliminary idea to start up negotiations again the next day with the Raptors and other teams to find a way to push through a SnT for Bosh.

9. Secretly after the meeting, the Bulls management decide to try to talk to Wade alone and let him know that Rose Wade Deng Gibson and Noah are still a stacked Eastern Conf team, and that by adding a non-max but still star-quality PF like Boozer or David Lee they could be just as much title contenders as any other. Hence the Lee rumors that have sprung up.

And that's where we are now. You have the entire story more or less, and you didn't need a faker like Stephen A Smith to fill in the gaps for you either. The Rockets are still #3 on Bosh's list behind Chicago and whichever team Lebron decides to go to. We have to hope that Chicago can't find any way to get Toronto to agree to the SnT, since everyone knows our offer is much better and that Toronto will be pushing Bosh to take the Houston deal. We also have to hope that Lebron doesn't sign somewhere that could put together a pretty good package to offer to Toronto in a SnT for Bosh. My current fear is New Jersey who could serve up Favors + expirings.

You would think that Bulls were prepared as it never seemed that the Raps would be interested in Deng with that contract. I love how Bosh is seems like the greedy one when i havent heard anything about a S&T mentioned for either Miami or or Cleveland. If all the above is true or close to the truth, it does seem like Chicago has no interest in giving up Noah. I would guess if it meant the difference between Bosh and Wade or the status quo, they would give up on Noah. Time will tell

[whonka]

From the Raps board:

I got this from clutchfans, but an interesting perspective

1. Bosh wants the full max, and preferably the full full max as in SnT 6-year deal. This may or may not have been enough of a priority for him to turn down the Miami deal as a result of having to sacrifice this component.

2. Chicago is trying hard to get Wade to sign straight up and Bosh to sign via SnT but Toronto is proving unwilling in this regard.

3. Bosh would prefer to be with Wade or Lebron as his top choice for future destinations. The Rockets are either a backup plan or a pawn being used for leverage and nothing else.

4. Everything's being held up by Lebron who can't make up his mind yet. But Wade is getting impatient and cannot rely on Miami being able to add other talent if it currently only has two players on rookie contracts on its roster, which is why the whole Chicago thing has come up so suddenly for him.

Up until now everything makes sense, is corroborated by stuff going on in the real world. Everything else in SAS' blog about Bosh trying to make SnT to Houston work, or about NY being a realistic backup for Wade (+ Stoudemire + Johnson) seems like pure conjecture at this point.

I could just as easily make up some logical conclusions like this:

5. At dinner Bosh and Wade talked about what Morey had told him, that three superstars and 9 minimums on a team would not lead to a title, and agreed that Miami was less likely and less prepared for a run than Chicago was. They both agreed to try to give it a shot to take turn their three-man summit into a two-man package to the best team that could support it. And Lebron didn't help either by being such a whiny little beeotch at their last summit meeting that did or did not happen. He can take his sob story for leaving the Cavaliers somewhere, anywhere else.

6. Chicago was deemed the team most prepared to win a title with the insertion of Bosh and Wade, and Henry Thomas was the guy driving this line of thinking from the beginning since he works in Chicago and is a closet Bulls fan though he can't tell his clients that. Bulls management jumped at the chance which they had just one day prior thought passed them by, and all sides were near an agreement until...

7. Toronto spit in their face and told them on no uncertain terms to screw themselves if Deng was their best offer for the SnT. Chicago reacted by hitting the phones hard, looking anywhere for someone that could take Deng off their hands the way Hinrich was moved. Hence that Portland rumor of Deng for Przybilla and Bayless. Chicago went to tell Toronto about the deal and got another flat out rejection since Przybilla and Bayless are even scrubbier than Deng (who isn't actually that scrubby but does make 12M per which would definitely harm a team trying to rebuild like the Raptors).

8. Chicago was left with no better options at the end of the night, and Bosh and Wade departed from the meeting with Henry Thomas and Bulls management without a commitment but a preliminary idea to start up negotiations again the next day with the Raptors and other teams to find a way to push through a SnT for Bosh.

9. Secretly after the meeting, the Bulls management decide to try to talk to Wade alone and let him know that Rose Wade Deng Gibson and Noah are still a stacked Eastern Conf team, and that by adding a non-max but still star-quality PF like Boozer or David Lee they could be just as much title contenders as any other. Hence the Lee rumors that have sprung up.

And that's where we are now. You have the entire story more or less, and you didn't need a faker like Stephen A Smith to fill in the gaps for you either. The Rockets are still #3 on Bosh's list behind Chicago and whichever team Lebron decides to go to. We have to hope that Chicago can't find any way to get Toronto to agree to the SnT, since everyone knows our offer is much better and that Toronto will be pushing Bosh to take the Houston deal. We also have to hope that Lebron doesn't sign somewhere that could put together a pretty good package to offer to Toronto in a SnT for Bosh. My current fear is New Jersey who could serve up Favors + expirings.

KnicksGod didn't say it, so it's not real.

[TheAdmiral]

KnicksGod didn't say it, so it's not real.

QFT.

[waffle]

that reads pretty well.

Of all the three combinations, at this point I see Bron/Wade as the most realistic. I do not think all 3 can be landed.

- I don't see us being able to work w/ Tor. The best we can offer is Deng and bits and pieces (including picks). In the end, that may be the best they can get, but I don't blame them for not being thrilled.
- If Bron and Wade really do want to play together and both want to win now, we are the best fit
- I would still be happy with any one of three and a second body (boozer, johnson, whatever). I think that would be a snazzy offseason.
- I have always thought that Miami was blowing smoke. I felt their best chance was to land Amare and keep Wade. If Amare is off the table I think Wade has to be looking around with some concern.

[coldfish]

that reads pretty well.

Of all the three combinations, at this point I see Bron/Wade as the most realistic. I do not think all 3 can be landed.

- I don't see us being able to work w/ Tor. The best we can offer is Deng and bits and pieces (including picks). In the end, that may be the best they can get, but I don't blame them for not being thrilled.
- If Bron and Wade really do want to play together and both want to win now, we are the best fit
- I would still be happy with any one of three and a second body (boozer, johnson, whatever). I think that would be a snazzy offseason.
- I have always thought that Miami was blowing smoke. I felt their best chance was to land Amare and keep Wade. If Amare is off the table I think Wade has to be looking around with some concern.

Good post and I agree. IMHO, the Bulls will get two of Boozer, Bron and Wade. Which two is up to Bron. Deng will be traded for depth and capspace.

[theanimal23]

Wow that makes a lot of sense

[waffle]

the sad thing is, I could see us striking out. It's a bit of a domino effect.

- some other team offers a decent S&T for Bosh. All he really is concerned about is getting paid. So he is off the table.
- Amare or boozer signs w/ Miami. Suddenly Wade doesn't feel so lonely and he is losing patience w/ Bron, so he signs back w/ Miami.
- Bron sees that things are falling apart, not sure that the Bulls can pull of anything dramatic, certainly not title-worthy, and just takes the easy route and resigns w/ cavs.

IF I WERE THE BULLS I would pressure them to decide. I do think that is in their best interests. The iron is hot, tempers and emotions are high, the public eye is on them, they are sitting right in front of them (the old car dealership trick - they have you there) and things tend to cool down over time.

Time is not on the Bulls side. If things are going to break our way it needs to be v. soon

[theanimal23]

I agree Waffle, but no PF is signing in Miami till Wade does.

[theanimal23]

The Bulls are very intelligent because last night's meeting with Wade (especially) and Bosh really pressures LeBron to make a committment. I don't think the Bulls will put a gun to his head and demand a decision, but they will do it all to try and leave with a committment. We are the last team to present and Cleveland presents before us. Either he will feel sentimental or be blown away by the Bulls. If he commits, Hello Bosh.

I think LeBron would play with Boozer, but Wade may want to play with Bosh as his PF. I would give up some serious assets if these guys would sign the dotted line at their meeting (any two of Bosh, Wade, LeBron). I'd give up James Johnson, Taj Gibson, 2011 pick, Charlotte pick, and maybe Asik.

Again, IMO, I think Boozer should be enough to land Wade or LeBron. I would be happy with Boozer and one of those two. But if both guys are set to play with Bosh and Toronto won't do a S&T since we can't "force" them due to a lack of a 2nd max slot -- I'll do whatever it takes to get that extra $2 million in cap room.

[waffle]

maybe, but think about Amare. He is just looking to LAND somewhere. I mean heck, he is even considering the Knicks? Miami can surely pay him as much as NY and at least in Miami he is in miami and has a chance to play w/ Wade.

I could see him signing regardless.

[Neusch23]

If we have a chance to land Lebron AND Wade you have to.

Screw a PF, LeBron and Wade in today's NBA would be Jordan and Pippen. PLUS WE HAVE ROSE AND NOAH!

Move deng for depth and fill out a roster. Having an extra 12 mil AFTER locking up Wade and LeBron plus having Noah, Rose, Taj, JJ, is something that puts us so far ahead of everyone else it almost isn't fair.

Wade and Rose IMO would be riding on Bron's Bus, but pippen just proved you will go into the hall on your own rights.

This is the best route, and = the most championships IMO.

[Neusch23]

Get Wade into the end of the meeting with Bron. Rose Too.

[Mattchoo]

that reads pretty well.

Of all the three combinations, at this point I see Bron/Wade as the most realistic. I do not think all 3 can be landed.

- I don't see us being able to work w/ Tor. The best we can offer is Deng and bits and pieces (including picks). In the end, that may be the best they can get, but I don't blame them for not being thrilled.
- If Bron and Wade really do want to play together and both want to win now, we are the best fit
- I would still be happy with any one of three and a second body (boozer, johnson, whatever). I think that would be a snazzy offseason.
- I have always thought that Miami was blowing smoke. I felt their best chance was to land Amare and keep Wade. If Amare is off the table I think Wade has to be looking around with some concern.

Good post and I agree. IMHO, the Bulls will get two of Boozer, Bron and Wade. Which two is up to Bron. Deng will be traded for depth and capspace.

I feel like 2 out of those 3 is a realistic possibility, but I hate being let down so I am trying to NOT get worked up about it.

It would be ridiculous if we somehow managed to have a 7 deep team of Rose, Wade, Lebron, Noah, Pryz, Gibson, Fernandez. Seems unlikely though... What about Rose, Wade, Lebron, Noah, Gortat, Pietrus, and Gibson.

[Red Larrivee]

the sad thing is, I could see us striking out. It's a bit of a domino effect.

- some other team offers a decent S&T for Bosh. All he really is concerned about is getting paid. So he is off the table.
- Amare or boozer signs w/ Miami. Suddenly Wade doesn't feel so lonely and he is losing patience w/ Bron, so he signs back w/ Miami.
- Bron sees that things are falling apart, not sure that the Bulls can pull of anything dramatic, certainly not title-worthy, and just takes the easy route and resigns w/ cavs.

IF I WERE THE BULLS I would pressure them to decide. I do think that is in their best interests. The iron is hot, tempers and emotions are high, the public eye is on them, they are sitting right in front of them (the old car dealership trick - they have you there) and things tend to cool down over time.

Time is not on the Bulls side. If things are going to break our way it needs to be v. soon

Pressuring won't do anything. We're just on Day 3, and no marquee free agent has decided anything. It's jut smoke so far. Bulls, like every other team and a lot of free agents are waiting for the LeBron domino to fall first.

Regarding Bosh, he definitely wants the 6-year max no matter what, but I disagree that he's in it just to get paid right now. Bosh wants to get set up on a championship team, in the East.

[coldfish]

Anyone believe the latest ESPN stuff that Wade wants to play AGAINST Lebron?