WT- Nate unlikely to be back (WAIT! + instagram pic pg 81!)

[jumpmanjay]

If the Jazz have 5 mil and want a contract and need a PG who not salary dump Kirk over there and then just MMLE to sign Nate?

Because maybe we could just add Nate for the min? Wouldn't that be the ideal scenario?

[bad knees]

Jazz are also looking for a pick from the team that sends them the contract. They are looking for teams who are trying to shed contracts, and are willing to send picks in order to do that. That ain't us.

I guess that, if they can't find a team who is willing to give them a pick in return for taking on a contract, they might use part of their $5M in cap space on Nate.

This scenario with the Jazz shows that it's going to take a long time for all of the dominoes to fall before Nate runs out of options for more than the vet min. All the teams have to meet the minimum salary requirements this year, which are like 90-95% of the salary cap. So there are going to be some teams with some money that they have to spend at the end. Nate may end up going to one of those places.

[transplant]

We all got to see Nate last season.

The Bulls' fanbase fell in love with Nate.

None of the NBA GMs are exactly falling over themselves to sign Robinson.

While Nate may still come out of this smelling like roses, this result is becoming less likely by the day.

If I'm Nate, I'm now reconsidering things. He put up great numbers for a bad team in 2011-12. He put up great numbers for a playoff team in 2012-13. If his fine play in consecutive seasons isn't going to translate to the security of an above vet-min contract, then maybe at age 29 he should give up on the big contract dream and instead go into full "ring-chaser" mode.

[Keller61]

Looks like the greatest athlete in the history of the world will likely be returning to the Bulls on a minimum contract. Yeah, that's how we roll.

What, you mean Scal is coming back?

[Ralphb07]

Sam: It should tell you something that even after the wonderful season Nate had that with all the players signed he’s still without a team. I expect him to eventually get picked up, but I don’t see that it would be with the Bulls even for a minimum as they seem pretty committed to giving Teague a chance and Nate doesn’t see himself as a fifth guard playing once every two weeks.

http://www.nba.com/bulls/news/ask-sam-s ... 22013.html

So Sam thinks even at the minimum that Nate will not be back

[D_GoLow]

Sam: It should tell you something that even after the wonderful season Nate had that with all the players signed he’s still without a team. I expect him to eventually get picked up, but I don’t see that it would be with the Bulls even for a minimum as they seem pretty committed to giving Teague a chance and Nate doesn’t see himself as a fifth guard playing once every two weeks.

http://www.nba.com/bulls/news/ask-sam-s ... 22013.html

So Sam thinks even at the minimum that Nate will not be back

If Teague struggles in Summer League do you think they might reconsider?

[awaxndau]

Sam: It should tell you something that even after the wonderful season Nate had that with all the players signed he’s still without a team. I expect him to eventually get picked up, but I don’t see that it would be with the Bulls even for a minimum as they seem pretty committed to giving Teague a chance and Nate doesn’t see himself as a fifth guard playing once every two weeks.

http://www.nba.com/bulls/news/ask-sam-s ... 22013.html

A lot of us have been saying this for awhile now. There's just no Minutes here for Nate to play.
Unless someone gets hurt, and i dont believe Nate wants to be that kind of player who only plays in blowouts or injuries

[HomoSapien]

We all got to see Nate last season.

The Bulls' fanbase fell in love with Nate.

None of the NBA GMs are exactly falling over themselves to sign Robinson.

While Nate may still come out of this smelling like roses, this result is becoming less likely by the day.

If I'm Nate, I'm now reconsidering things. He put up great numbers for a bad team in 2011-12. He put up great numbers for a playoff team in 2012-13. If his fine play in consecutive seasons isn't going to translate to the security of an above vet-min contract, then maybe at age 29 he should give up on the big contract dream and instead go into full "ring-chaser" mode.

I was trying to think of what I'd do if I were in Nate shoes. I think my two options would to either go to Europe and get paid more, or take a discount to stay with the Bulls and continue to become a fan favorite. If he's able to stay here for 3-4 seasons and just become one of the guys that people love then he'll open himself up to future opportunities with the Bulls (maybe in the studio like Gill was) or perhaps even on TNT.

[blumeany]

I think it's crazy talk for a supposed CONTENDER to be so concerned with developing last year's late first round draft pick that they wouldn't pick up a guy who was a hero for them last year and provided some much needed scoring. It's lunacy. You give Nate the minutes and Teague the minutes on occassion. Unless they've seen something in practice or offseason that I haven't seen. Teague still seemed way too raw, more raw that Butler was, that's for sure.

Not to mention that right now the Bulls have guys that are backups at two positions. You have Hinrich who is backing up Rose, but also backing up Butler. Butler is starting at SG, but he's also backing up Deng. So, let's say Hinrich goes down. You're now down to Rose and Teague at point, and Butler at SG. If Deng also gets banged up, you probably have to start Dunleavy.

I just don't get it.

[Payt10]

Who cares about Teague this year. Once Hinrich's deal finally expires after the season, he'll get his opportunity in year 3.

All I know is that I really don't think you want to see Teague forced into action next year if he's still bad at basketball. You know Hinrich will miss a large chunk of the season, which means Teague becomes the backup you'll be forced to play unless you want to run Derrick into the ground by giving him more minutes.

Nate needs to be re-signed if all it takes is the minimum, because he's better, and he's more durable. He'd be great insurance if nothing else.

[Jerry Krizause]

God, screw Teague. If not being competent at anything were an NBA skill, he'd have at least one NBA skill. There's a chance that Teague will be out the NBA in 3-5 years. If you think you're a contender, you don't give him entitlement minutes based on absolutely nothing but his draft status.

Yesterday, I watched a YouTube video of Andrew Goudelock scoring 42 points in a D-League game. Marquis Teague couldn't score 42 points against a plucky bunch of rec-league white boys. Yet, Goudelock has little to no chance to make this team because the great Marquis Teague has his spot locked up.

I don't really think that the Bulls are true contenders, but if the Bulls FO thinks that they are, then they shouldn't be worried about Teague. Teague was one of the worst players that I saw in the NBA last year, and I saw Hamed Haddadi.

[League Circles]

I've been a Teague critic but dude does have tons of penetrating and defensive potential. And Kirk is probably entering his last year on the team. Teague may end up being important to the Bulls as a reserve guard or as a trade chip. Of course he has to improve, which is likely given he is 13 years old.

[blumeany]

I've been a Teague critic but dude does have tons of penetrating and defensive potential. And Kirk is probably entering his last year on the team. Teague may end up being important to the Bulls as a reserve guard or as a trade chip. Of course he has to improve, which is likely given he is 13 years old.

I don't totally disagree with you, but the key words here are 'potential' and 'may end up'. When you're a contender, you probably want to stack your team with 'has been successful at's

[Bosco7414]

The only remaining teams that I see being a threat to us retaining Nate are, Atlanta, Memphis, and Utah....

I cud see him fitting and gettin either the Playin time or the maybe even more money than he is askin....

His situation in Memphis wud be similar to bein wit us, but if they offer more money, he mite jus bite.....

Atlanta and Utah cud jus overpay for him and he mite end up bein their stater...

The Best fit for Nate will Be to come back to Bulls on a 1 yr. deal, and if it works out, next off season give him a deal for about 3yr/11-12mill... This team we have has great chemistry and losin him means losin some of that energy... If he plays as well wit Rose as he has w/o him the Bulls are easily a 60 win team next yr....

[othawhitemeat]

If we can have Nate, but want to develop Teague I am going to blow a fuse. Teague could be good, but as ridiculous as it sounds, Nate can actually be the difference between us winning a championship and coming up a game short from making the Finals.

[Ben]

The only remaining teams that I see being a threat to us retaining Nate are, Atlanta, Memphis, and Utah....

I cud see him fitting and gettin either the Playin time or the maybe even more money than he is askin....

His situation in Memphis wud be similar to bein wit us, but if they offer more money, he mite jus bite.....

Atlanta and Utah cud jus overpay for him and he mite end up bein their stater...

The Best fit for Nate will Be to come back to Bulls on a 1 yr. deal, and if it works out, next off season give him a deal for about 3yr/11-12mill... This team we have has great chemistry and losin him means losin some of that energy... If he plays as well wit Rose as he has w/o him the Bulls are easily a 60 win team next yr....

Memphis already has Jerryd Bayless, so it would be really odd if they went with Nate. Stranger things have happened, though. (Plus they just let go of Josh Selby who, while not being anywhere Nate's level of play, is that sort of player.)

[bulls_13]

Why would Nate be bitter at Chicago if the Bulls were the only team that made him an offer? He might be even more aggressive in trying to punish other teams though. I doubt he would be an off court issue at all. Seems to be a good locker room guy and get along with everyone on the team.

True, I don't think he'd be bitter AT Chicago, but could see him going rouge in trying to prove himself, play out of the system, etc. Can picture Thibs face now.

Help Nate go rouge, which best suits him?




Also I can't imagine Nate ever taking shots out of the system.




Edit - Ben beat me to it.

Its absolutely nuts that no one has picked him up yet after the season he had last year.

It's insane. I can't believe it.

Oyyy, no mercy around here, eh?!

[mostek]

It is not about counting on Teague, for more than injury/blowout minutes. Even if you look at a rotation that limits minutes to the usually overworked Deng, Noah, and even Rose, they are covered. If Rose, or Hinrich, went down for any extended time, you would probably have to go out an add a temporary guy, but it looks like another big that could hopefully jump ahead of Nazr, which would probably push Thomas off the roster, would be a higher priority.

Rose(32) Hinrich(16) Teague(0)
Butler(30) Hinrich(10) Dunleavy(8) Snell (0)
Deng(32) Dunleavy(16)
Boozer(30) Gibson(18) Murphy(0) Thomas(0)
Noah(32) Gibson(10) Nazr(6)

The Bulls stated last season with 13, which included Rose, not expect back until very late, if at all. If I were Nate, I would be looking for a place I would see the most rotation minutes available.

I think the reason the Teague has a chance to take a big step forward, is that he will be part of the Red/White practice team. Players 11 - 13, do not get as much time, unless the rotation has an injury. With the roster as currently structured, he should be lining up against Rose, and with Hinrich.

Rose - Teague
Butler - Hinrich
Deng - Dunleavy
Boozer - Gibson
Noah - Nazr* This is what needs to be addressed

Snell, Murphy, Thomas, waiting their chances, like Teague last year, and Butler, the year before.

[Left Hook]

I don't think people should be too hard on Teague just after last season. This year he should get more minutes and that should tell us something, and if he doesn't, then that should probably tell us he wasn't good enough for more minutes, and then we can give up on him.

[Ralphb07]

We'll see tomorrow if Teague is ready or not.