DaMayor07 wrote:MrSparkle wrote:chefo wrote:
I think it came out that said players were the 'younglings'--because Val and Jerian came out and defended Bobby. Not coincidentally, these are the dudes that Jimmy and Wade had an issue with the year before. It later came out that the Bulls FO had told these guys what they understood as: "if you work really hard over the summer, the team is yours. We just got rid of Jimmy and Dwayne." Which is to say, that the trio had a very over-inflated view of their own importance to the Bulls at that exact time because they thought that the FO chose them over a legit NBA star and an NBA legend.
They all said the exact same things in different words--we busted our asses over the summer, and this guy, who didn't (Niko) came in and won the starting PF spot. We have every right to be mad because you went back on your word. The fact that Niko didn't sign until very late didn't register. Neither did the fact that Niko is just a much better player than Bobby who had legit range out to 30ft AND a much better defender.
It also came out that Hoiberg and this staff were encouraging very physical practices and asking players to be very aggressive on D and on the boards in order to toughen them up, and that Niko was one of the more aggressive players in pushing guys around. So, Niko was portrayed in the friendly media as a bully who got what he deserved... despite that same media saying in practices he was by far the best player on the team.
I stand by what I wrote back then. Bobby should have been suspended for half a season, or at least until Niko came back. Jerian and Val should have been shipped out immediately, as opposed to be given starting roles, both because they showed little remorse about Bobby's actions and viewed them as justified, but also because they sucked and deserved absolutely no leniency. These guys had end-of-the bench talent and their opinions should have mattered about as much as mine. And if they were poisoning the well, like it later came out--cut their asses or ship them out of town pronto--which ended up happening anyways, but years too late.
Totally agree. I’m still shocked we wasted 4 years on Valentine. Now that we have, I’m not opposed to setting thru if a new coach make something of his good 3P shooting and passing as a 15-min. microwave, but I really was never a fan of giving him, Jerian or Bobby any keys or say. Wade and Jimmy should’ve been allowed to put these guys in their place.
Never understood or saw the hype behind DV. He had multiple surgeries? and just couldn't play well enough to make me think "we have something promising here".
Bobby was horrible.
Niko was gold that we destroyed. I feel bad for the guy for his time here in Chicago.
Hopefully the new management gives us hope
Ever since that story came out about DV getting cooked in the Drew League, I have pretended that DV doesn't exist. A scrub who gets pushed around by scrubs not even in the NBA is not worth any attention.