Anthony Davis: Chicago’s The Mecca Of Bball, Would Consider Bulls

[othawhitemeat]

KC Johnson said in the article that him saying that came off insincere.

I don't see how it means anything beyond him giving the most basic PC answer.

KC said it rang hallow because the Bulls were rebuilding and that he and LeBron share the same agent. Those aren't really great reasons, consider both things could change by the end of the year.

I also strongly disagree that he gave the most basic PC answer. The mecca quote was beyond a standard answer. And saying he was open to one day joining the Bulls a month after joining the Lakers doesn't strike me as something that most players would say. The most basic PC quote is saying you're focused on the team you're on.

He has said these things too.

A lot is being made out of nothing. Davis isn’t a good media performer. He says nothing when trying to say something. Read all his quotes, watch videos of him talking.

This random quote means nothing.

And until further notice, the Bulls are still rebuilding, Rich Paul can get Davis significantly more money in LA, and the Lakers are an appreciably better team.

Lebron alone makes them better. Kuzma is a nice talent, but if you take Lebron off or a declining Lebron, are the Lakers a better team than the Bulls? I say that only because the talents of Lauri, Zach, WCJ, and Otto are more enticing than anything the Lakers have sans Kuzma. The Lakers have good vets, but they are all soon to be aging. Lebron surely will be in decline soon if he is not already as he is near 35. I have looked at all the stats of all the greats and other than MJ, all numbers start to dip a little around 33, 34, or 35. I would imagine AD is the only player that can protect a little longevity of Lebron on the current team. If somehow AD wanted to come here, surely one of Wendell or Lauri could land us a nice pg to pair along with Zach and having Coby come off the bench. However, I dont believe AD will come here. I do believe AD is waiting to see how the season goes though to see whether he resigns with the Lakers, but that is really risky as he is injury prone.

[chitowndish]

I'd say we have a chance but it is pretty low. Basically if LA does great he isn't going anywhere, if LA sucks he's going to use teams like the Bulls to force LA to make the changes he wants and if they don't he'll find a young talented team that he thinks he can be the final piece on or find some buddies to team up with and at that point we could be an option if things go right. A comment that stuck out to me about Durant and Brooklyn was that he went there because he liked the way they played so if we have a fun fast paced offense where everyone is moving the ball and staying involved and I'm relegated to a spot up shooter for LeBron maybe that starts to look enticing.

The good thing for the Bulls is we don't have to just count on AD we just have to be in a position to pick up a guy like AD and I do think that is the path forward for this team. One nice thing about being solid at every position is we could pick up a star at any position so it gives us a lot of flexibility in what we need our guys are versatile enough to play around anyone. I think something like this is this teams best shot at a championship. It would have been great to get lucky in the lotto and draft a stud but we got a collection of really good young guys so we just get better, play fun winning basketball so that someone like AD want to play with and try and make a consolidation move down the line.

[FriedRise]

A comment that stuck out to me about Durant and Brooklyn was that he went there because he liked the way they played so if we have a fun fast paced offense where everyone is moving the ball and staying involved and I'm relegated to a spot up shooter for LeBron maybe that starts to look enticing.

This was interesting to me. Durant basically said the same thing when he left OKC for GSW, and that type of offense he's talking about IS Golden State in essence (you only have the whole league trying to copy it). But when you watch the Warriors play last year, when Durant was in the game the offense would often bog down to ISO ball (KD has the ball, everyone else stands around). Yes they were obviously more talented with KD on the floor, but they no longer were the fun, ball-sharing fast-paced offense you're accustomed to seeing when we talk about GSW.

We'll have to wait a year to see this, but my guess is with Kyrie and Durant in the lineup, Brooklyn's offense is definitely gonna bog down to my-turn / your-turn ISO ball. They are what they are at this point in their careers, and if Boston or Golden State with their established coaches, players, and culture couldn't change they way they play, surely none of those guys in Brooklyn will have the gravitas to do it.

[weneeda2guard]

Brooklyn situation can turn into a Orlando magic grant hill and tracy McGrady situation very easily. It's why I haven't locked them in as title contenders. Honestly I'm not fully sold they will make the playoffs year 1 with no Durant.

[Peelboy]

Setting aside the likelihood of it happening, there is a simple way for the Bulls to sign AD after this season if he is interested. All it requires is Otto to opt out. Then trade Felicio (expiring $7M deal) with Bulls 2020 FRP, which should be doable. Finally, waive Hutch and renounce FAs (Dunn, Valentine, etc). That yields $46M per the Capulator and would leave AD teamed with Zach, Lauri, Wendell, Coby, with Young, Satoransky, Kornet, Gafford, Archi off the bench.

Alternately, you can get to $39M by waiving/renouncing FAs and Hutch, stretching Felicio, and trading Young/Sato with the FRP. Which lets you keep Otto.

[JimmyJammer]

By the way guys, out here in NY that Davis to Chicago thing has been getting some serious coverage. Knowing how unlucky we have been over the past couple of years, I am resisting the temptation to get excited about this.

[Southpaw]

It's too early to even talk about this because AD hasn't even played for his new team, which he forced his way to be traded to.

But after what just happened this off-season, I can see AD wanting to play for the Bulls. The next 2 years will be critical for the teams Championship aspirations because if they can build a winning culture while developing the young Bulls, we'll be an attractive team for superstars. But then again there's the FO problem, and I don't think our FO has a nice reputation from around the league.

[Axolotl]

Davis is a great player. He knows he is great, and he wants to win. He also knows he can't win without another great. In what seems to be a trend now, he wants to keep his options open too. Now he has the option to stay or leave next year, and is a free agent the year after that. Why would he close those doors unless he had to?

If for some as of now unseen reason Davis would want to play for the Bulls, the Bulls could and would make the necessary arrangements to accommodate him - as would the majority of franchises in NBA.

[JimmyJammer]

I suspect that LeBron’s fall from grace has already begun, which can limit how good that the Lakers can be moving forward. If LeBron proves next season that he cannot stay healthy and the Lakers are unable to go all the way, I think there is a real possibility that AD will be looking at all his options, including possibly coming home to a good up and coming team. But first, we need to at least be a competitive team that's at least fighting to make the playoffs. The Nets have proven that if you build it right and establish a good culture players will want to come.

[FriedRise]

Watch on YouTube

[pylb]

I really don't see him coming here, but I'd love it and would find it hilarious if he left the Lakers next summer after everything they had to give up to acquire him.

[MalagaBulls]

Read on Twitter

[BIG Game]

We should put D. Wade on the payroll so he can start recruiting from LA. We'd have to pay Wade alot of money to sell out LeBron, but we'd end up with AD so pay him whatever it takes

[Michael Jackson]

I really don't see him coming here, but I'd love it and would find it hilarious if he left the Lakers next summer after everything they had to give up to acquire him.

He might, not to come here but he very well might. That is a dumpster fire waiting to happen. Magic might still be lobbing Molotov cocktails at that dumpster.

[Michael Jackson]

We should put D. Wade on the payroll so he can start recruiting from LA. We'd have to pay Wade alot of money to sell out LeBron, but we'd end up with AD so pay him whatever it takes

Wade is Riley’s boy not Lebron’s. I don’t think Klutch has any pull as Thomas was his agent. I know your font was in green but Wade can get us Jimmy not AD.

[keloms]

I really don't see him coming here, but I'd love it and would find it hilarious if he left the Lakers next summer after everything they had to give up to acquire him.

He might, not to come here but he very well might. That is a dumpster fire waiting to happen. Magic might still be lobbing Molotov cocktails at that dumpster.

Reality check, despite whatever 'dumpster fire' narrative people want to spin and push as a way to undermine the Lakers and LeBron, that situation is still many times more desirable than being here.

[bearadonisdna]

A comment that stuck out to me about Durant and Brooklyn was that he went there because he liked the way they played so if we have a fun fast paced offense where everyone is moving the ball and staying involved and I'm relegated to a spot up shooter for LeBron maybe that starts to look enticing.

This was interesting to me. Durant basically said the same thing when he left OKC for GSW, and that type of offense he's talking about IS Golden State in essence (you only have the whole league trying to copy it). But when you watch the Warriors play last year, when Durant was in the game the offense would often bog down to ISO ball (KD has the ball, everyone else stands around). Yes they were obviously more talented with KD on the floor, but they no longer were the fun, ball-sharing fast-paced offense you're accustomed to seeing when we talk about GSW.

We'll have to wait a year to see this, but my guess is with Kyrie and Durant in the lineup, Brooklyn's offense is definitely gonna bog down to my-turn / your-turn ISO ball. They are what they are at this point in their careers, and if Boston or Golden State with their established coaches, players, and culture couldn't change they way they play, surely none of those guys in Brooklyn will have the gravitas to do it.

While Kerr obviously deserves credit for being a good coach , I think his strategies have gotten a little stale.

The GS roster should not have been bogged down by KD but amplify it's effectiveness.

For example , game 5 KD starting at PF, that's a stale move with not much upside. Draymond as a 5 and your asking to get abused inside.

It's hard to be critical of GS offense because it's among the league's best but the inability to create an infrastructure to accomdate a gluttony of talent is kinda hard to believe.

They didnt use this offense much until KD went down but they had a lot of success using draymond as a point forward.

The emphasis of my offense would have been draymond as the playmaker with KD , Curry, Klay as the primary scoring options, probably in that order but KD and curry are interchangeable as you like currys shot over Kevin's.

Instead GS used a lot of curry to Durant with everyone else being staggered around the court or relying on KD play making

[Michael Jackson]

I really don't see him coming here, but I'd love it and would find it hilarious if he left the Lakers next summer after everything they had to give up to acquire him.

He might, not to come here but he very well might. That is a dumpster fire waiting to happen. Magic might still be lobbing Molotov cocktails at that dumpster.

Reality check, despite whatever 'dumpster fire' narrative people want to spin and push as a way to undermine the Lakers and LeBron, that situation is still many times more desirable than being here.

I won’t argue that and I didn’t so don’t put words in my mouth. I am speculating on what they built there and the Lakers have been out maneuvered every year since Dwight Howard joined them. LeBron made a great business decision marketing wise but it surely hasn’t worked out the way he hoped. Rich Paul is not endearing many either. The Buss family and Pelinka are not very astute imho. Still you can win the argument every day no matter how bad they are a more desirable location than the Bulls are. 22 win team with some middling fringe all stars isn’t appealing to any too line talent. I do think AD leaves but not for here unless something remarkable changes here.

[Leslie Forman]

I will forever maintain the opinion that if a competent front office had been put in place and traded for him this summer and signed another FA like Kemba or something, that it would have done pretty well in this garbage conference and would have been enough to have Davis pull a Paul George (the OKC part, not the LA part).

[League Circles]

I will forever maintain the opinion that if a competent front office had been put in place and traded for him this summer and signed another FA like Kemba or something, that it would have done pretty well in this garbage conference and would have been enough to have Davis pull a Paul George (the OKC part, not the LA part).

Yeah, just "competence" needed to get three guys on max deals including trading for two of them. And doing "pretty well" would surely placate you as well.