MikeDC wrote:sco wrote:MikeDC wrote:So as I look to build the team for next year, what I see is 6 guys in our rotation, and I want to add two draft picks and because we're currently a trash team, we're going to pencil them in to the rotation at whatever their position is. That gives us an 8 man rotation already.
1- White
2- LaVine
3- Porter, Sato
4/5- Carter, Young
+ Our own draft pick
+ Draft pick from trading Lauri
Current contracts are basically sunk costs. It costs the Bulls nothing to simply keep Arci and let Shaq guy. It costs an extra $1.5M or so to cut Arci and keep Shaq. Not in terms of cap space, but in terms of money no longer in Reindorf's pocket.
The main value, IMO, of cutting a guy or two will be roster spots. Right now, IIRC, they have 12 guys under contract next season. If they keep both their 1st and 2nd round picks (which I hope they find a way to get their 2nd rounder stashed), they only have 1 roster spot to add a FA. They have the ~$10M MLE and ~3M Biannual exemption to use on FA's (plus vet mins).
I'm not a fan of penny pinching or the Reinsdorfs, but this is not even something I would do if I were them.
1. There's that whole issue of "9 figure losses" to provide context. Within that framework, the Bulls ain't going to eat $8M to create a roster spot. They're just gonna go with the guy they've already paid.
2. The MLE gets you an MLE level player. Another Sato or Young. Is there playing time for that guy? Nope. Does it improve our results tangibly? Nope.
It's just not a value proposition. When you figure that the Bulls already have an 8 man rotation (a "core"... although not a very good one), I don't think there's a value to adding another player. It'd be smarter to keep the powder dry and spend on something else. For example, buy a pick or two from one of the many teams that are going to lose even more money and be more desperate than the Bulls.
I think there we could definitely use a MLE level player (i.e. another Young or Sato) to provide injury (and mid-season trade) depth and more vet presence to help stabilize young line-ups. IMO, FA is where you fill "need holes" (not in the lottery - which should be 100% BPA). We have a depth hole at SF that would be a big help to fill. Also we could use a back-up SG who can score or a PF to give us depth (and mid-season Lauri trade insurance) to give us depth in case we decide to trade Lauri at the deadline.