Melo 15: The End Is Nigh

[punkmodafunk]

So Melo will meet today with the Knicks right?

Maybe he'll have a decision later on?

He already met with them last night.

Ah ok, I thought it was yesterday. So, maybe we'll have some news today, like some reports said "before the weekend, by the 4th of July's holiday"

[Droseisthe1]

When did Kaman sign with Portland??

[Magilla_Gorilla]

So much for the 'we're pulling out all the stops to improve the team' approach. Instead we try to lowball the marquee FA you spent a year courting and tell him it's because you have to keep Taj fing Gibson.

Gut the **** team if you have to in order to get a superstar. You aren't winning with Rose, Noah and a supporting cast. You get Rose, Noah and Melo together and figure out the rest as you go.

Why let the truth get in the way of your misplaced rage...

The truth as kc reported that the lakers offered a contract that surpasses the bulls financial means and the bulls aren't prepared to gut the team (read: trade Taj) to get him.

KC also reported that Melo is the one who wants Taj on the team.

Like I said - don't let the truth get in the way.

[Droseisthe1]

So Melo will meet today with the Knicks right?

Maybe he'll have a decision later on?

He already met with them last night.

Ah ok, I thought it was yesterday. So, maybe we'll have some news today, like some reports said "before the weekend, by the 4th of July's holiday"

I say the more delayed the decision is, the better our chances. I'm hoping we don't hear a decision today.

[Knicksfan20]

Gotcha Coldfish. My mistake. I understand now.



Still... Gibson is the best player out of the group i mentioned. IF we Signed and traded Melo to you, you keep Gibson.

But again, in my offers you wouldnt be gutting your team. You still would have the majority of last years team still in tact.

If you wanted to keep Brewer, trade us Mirotic instead along with MCD.

Keep brewer and Taj and you guys are still a top defensive team. I honestly dont want Mirotic. I think he is another Euro stiff who can shoot. But he has some value.

[thejet1711]

I'm not as pessimistic as I was yesterday.
If it was a straight money grab, I feel he would've given NY a verbal yesterday.

Also the FO can't be dumb enough to sit and wait while being burned and lose out elsewhere. They have to he a feeling.

[Magilla_Gorilla]

When did Kaman sign with Portland??

Yesterday during one of this boards meltdown/hysteria.

[Axl Rose]

So much for the 'we're pulling out all the stops to improve the team' approach. Instead we try to lowball the marquee FA you spent a year courting and tell him it's because you have to keep Taj fing Gibson.

Gut the **** team if you have to in order to get a superstar. You aren't winning with Rose, Noah and a supporting cast. You get Rose, Noah and Melo together and figure out the rest as you go.

Why let the truth get in the way of your misplaced rage...

The truth as kc reported that the lakers offered a contract that surpasses the bulls financial means and the bulls aren't prepared to gut the team (read: trade Taj) to get him.

KC is just assuming...i dont think he has inside info on what they are willing or arent willing to do

Bulls told Melo if he committed they would "make the financials work" meaning if he wanted max they would get him max

[Magilla_Gorilla]

He already met with them last night.

Ah ok, I thought it was yesterday. So, maybe we'll have some news today, like some reports said "before the weekend, by the 4th of July's holiday"

I say the more delayed the decision is, the better our chances. I'm hoping we don't hear a decision today.

Agreed. I don't know if it's supported by logic - but the longer Melo takes to make his decision the better I think our chances become.

[TheWhitePanther]

So much for the 'we're pulling out all the stops to improve the team' approach. Instead we try to lowball the marquee FA you spent a year courting and tell him it's because you have to keep Taj fing Gibson.

Gut the **** team if you have to in order to get a superstar. You aren't winning with Rose, Noah and a supporting cast. You get Rose, Noah and Melo together and figure out the rest as you go.

Why let the truth get in the way of your misplaced rage...

The truth as kc reported that the lakers offered a contract that surpasses the bulls financial means and the bulls aren't prepared to gut the team (read: trade Taj) to get him.

What a huge overreaction it is to call trading Taj to acquire Melo "Gutting the team". I love Taj, but he's only one guy and the bulls have a world class PF/Stretch 4 waiting in the wings. Gutting the team would be to trade Butler, Taj and Mirotic plus future picks and filler to acquire a player. Let's not pretend that Taj Gibson is an all-star. He's a really exciting role player and that's it. If done correctly, as I understand it, the Bulls could possibly replace hime with Pau at the MLE depending on how that cap plays out with all the moves. I have to wonder if Pau being brought into this whole situation is more to do with the realization that Melo can't get the max without Taj being mortgaged for cap room.

edit: to umfan, it appears upon further review that you're not calling it a gut, but many here and in the media seem to refer to it as such, so that's what I'm reacting to. I clearly only read your comment regarding KC.

[Leto]

The Knicks have no leverage of any kind. We don't have to deal with them one way or another. This decision is Melo's. If he wants to come to Chicago, he will be here next week. If NY wants a S&T where they take Boozer's expiring contract, they can garner a few assets out of the deal. If they ask for too much, screw them. We'll amnesty Boozer and send Dunleavy, Snell, Magic and Jimmy, if need be, to another team in a salary dump and NY gets zero.

Still, it just depends on Melo--not on Phil Jackson.

[Droseisthe1]

I'm not as pessimistic as I was yesterday.
If it was a straight money grab, I feel he would've given NY a verbal yesterday.

Also the FO can't be dumb enough to sit and wait while being burned and lose out elsewhere. They have to he a feeling.

That's what I'm saying. The longer this thing plays out, though more agonizing, I can only think it's better for us.

[Procision]

I keep wondering why the hell was taj at the meeting. Hopefully they gave melo a scenario with taj and without taj at the meeting before taj arrived.

If we keep taj and have to sign melo without a SnT We can only offer him about 16 mil, thats very doubtful to do it. Hopefully bulls told melo they can sign him for a max and potentially keep taj if NY agrees to SnT but will be taj if needed to free up 23.5 in cap space.

[Ctownbulls]

Nothing has changed since 3 months ago. Knicks can offer max and Bulls can offer whatever they can. People think it's easy to leave money on the table for just a CHANCE to win. Nothing is guaranteed. I'd personally take the extra 40-50 MILLION and hope Phil can turn it around after a year.

[Chitownbulls]

Longer he waits....i think our chances grow

[Jeff Van Gully]

money makin' mitch...

you might want to stay here. there may or may not be a shank waiting for you back at the knicks cell block.

Mitch belongs on a message board with champions anyways

keep him... champion.

that'd be at least one knick you can steal.

[Magilla_Gorilla]

I keep wondering why the hell was taj at the meeting. Hopefully they gave melo a scenario with taj and without taj at the meeting before taj arrived.

If we keep taj and have to sign melo without a SnT We can only offer him about 16 mil, thats very doubtful to do it. Hopefully bulls told melo they can sign him for a max and potentially keep taj if NY agrees to SnT but will be taj if needed to free up 23.5 in cap space.

Taj was there - as KC reported - because Melo wants him on the team if he's here. Not to mention the two have a relationship dating back to their AAU days.

This crap is turning into the Kobe : Deng situation.

[Bulls_Fan]

So what would the contract be that we could offer Melo, 4-72? ALl i have heard is what the first year we can offer is in the ballpark of 16m'ish.

[Droseisthe1]

Mirotic coming over and I'm thinking the Bulls are entirely prepared to get rid of Taj today.


I believe by the end of today or tomorrow, Taj Gibson will NOT be a Bull.

[kulaz3000]

I'm not as pessimistic as I was yesterday.
If it was a straight money grab, I feel he would've given NY a verbal yesterday.

Also the FO can't be dumb enough to sit and wait while being burned and lose out elsewhere. They have to he a feeling.

That's what I'm saying. The longer this thing plays out, though more agonizing, I can only think it's better for us.

I'm almost 100% positive that the Bulls already have lined up the next phase of players they'll likely target if they miss out on Melo, heck, I bet they've already spoken to them and maybe even have had some verbal agreements.

Some may not remember but Boozer, though people may forget was one of the sought out free agents himself during the LeBron, Wade and Bosh sweepstakes, and we had him as a back up plan, and he knew that he was the back up plan and yet the Bulls convinced to hold out for the other big 3's decision.

I have no doubt that the Bulls have an execute button ready in case things fall through with Melo, no doubt.