2013 Chicago Bulls Season

[Clonan]

So it was done this week, Ray Allen and Rashard lewis signed with the Miami Heat.   And I hate to say it but with those 2 signings they just got BETTER.   But what really kills me is the thought that the 2013 Heat are shaping up to beat the Bulls' 72-10 record season.  What do you think?

Meanwhile in Chicago we are trying to figure out how to pay Omer Asik way more than he's worth... So much optimism 7 months ago and now this.

[pdga#7648]

No way 72-10 gets beat!

[Dan Michler]

So it was done this week, Ray Allen and Rashard lewis signed with the Miami Heat.   And I hate to say it but with those 2 signings they just got BETTER.   But what really kills me is the thought that the 2013 Heat are shaping up to beat the Bulls' 72-10 record season.  What do you think?

What I think is you are giving Ray Allen and Rashard Lewis way too much credit.

[Clonan]

Ok maybe rashard lewis is stretch but  Ray Allen is just what they needed, someone who can hit a big shot. The guy can still hit 3's at will and its not like they'll need him to give 20 minutes a night.  Ray Allen starting or off the bench for the Heat does not hurt them one bit.  And its not like the East is looking too mighty yet.

[Dan Michler]

I completely agree he makes them a better team.  But not a 70 win team.  They aren't that good.  They were underdogs in the Finals.  They were on the brink against an old Celtics team.  Allen just makes them a little bit deeper, a little bit better.  They still have the same holes, no big man, lack of rebounding.  Allen does nothing to plug those.

Whats more interesting to me is why Allen left Boston.  That unit was always billed to be the ultimate "team unity" bunch.  Yet he took half the money in Miami that Boston offered.  That'll be an awkward reunion when he goes back to Boston.

I agree the East is looking shaky right now.  I'm willing to hand Miami the East crown.  I still think OKC is the best team on paper.

[pdga#7648]

Dan? what have you heard on D Rose? PTI tonight talked about him sitting out the entire season?    please tell me they are wrong!

[Jon Brakel]

On the Steve Dahl Show they were talking February. But they don't have an NBA guru on the show so I'm sure they were just repeating what they'd heard some where else.

[pdga#7648]

February would be alot better than 2014

[Clonan]

I don't think Rose will be back in February. maybe March or April. Possibly out the whole season if the Bulls are completely out of it by march or April....The time table for D-rose's at time of surgery was a possible return in March 2013, 9 months post-op. They keep saying he is 2 weeks, 3 weeks ahead of schedule , which would put him at a February return but I don't see why they would rush him back.  Because he is young and has the best trainers, it makes sense that he is ahead of that schedule but again, I don't know why they would rush him back for this season (other than to sell tickets).

Realistically,  the Bulls obviously are not title contenders without D-Rose, so if they are in the sh!tter come March or April, perhaps they will sit out D-Rose. 

haha Who knows though maybe the Bulls can squeak out a 7 or 8 seed.

Still excited to see some Bulls Basketball again! Maybe this be the year the mighty Boozer plays up to his salary. that would be a first.

[Dan Michler]

Very excited for the NBA season to start tonight.

The Bulls are definitely a wildcard this season.  Its hard to get a good feel for what we should expect.  The bench has been completely overhauled.  Obviously no DRose.  Taj should see a few more minutes so I'd expect his production to increase.  Noah has been working on his hook shot quite a bit over the offseason.  I'm hoping he'll be more of a threat to score this year.  Can Rip Hamilton stay healthy?

If these things happen I can see the Bulls as a 50+ win team, maybe even battle for the 2nd seed in the East.  The one constant is the defense, and that comes from Thibodeau.  Defense will keep the Bulls competitive.  I have high hopes.  As for Derrick, I'm hoping for the best but expecting the worst.  He may get back on the floor late this season, but its hard to imagine him getting back to his normal MVP level of play until next season.

[Dan Michler]

Rotations weren't what I expected last night.  Happy to see Noah logging 40 minutes and producing big.  Confused about Taj only playing 19 min.  He may have been a little distracted with the contract negotiations that went into the night.  Happy to see them get Taj locked up long-term though!  Hoping for a monster year from him.

Good to be 1-0.

[pdga#7648]

glad to see Hinrich back in a Bulls uniform. I have always liked that kid. I was shocked to see Noah take on such a huge roll on opening night. 6-12 fg's and 11-12 ft's for 23 and 10 rebounds. hopefully Taj's minutes will go up cause Noah will not produce like this very often. It is really time for Boozer to step up and show us why we should keep his ass!!

really need to keep up during the off season though. never knew we got rid of Korver, Asik, Brewer. If RIP can't stay healthy, I don't like the bench filling in for him now. too many unknowns??

[Jon Brakel]

I gotta agree with Dan. If Rose can get healthy before the end of the season it would still be unrealistic to think that he will be at the top of his game until next season. It will be interesting to see if they can put together a competitive season without him.

[Dan Michler]

Tough loss last night to OKC.  Both of our losses came in crunch time when we just couldn't generate any offense.  We just don't have that secondary dynamic scorer behind Rose.  Oh well, we can cry about it all day but thats not going to change.

I love the way the starting 5 is playing.  They've really stepped up.  I do not like the new bench so far.  Taj got that money and suddenly he forgot how to play basketball.  We need his energy off the bench badly.  Bellinelli has been nothing close to what Kyle Korver gave us.  And there is no Ronnie Brewer.  Nate Robinson is basically last year's CJ Watson/JL III.  Which he's done a fine job with, but you can't rely on him in to win you games in cruch time.

Still, a 3-2 start is fine.  Goal should be a 50 win season.

[pdga#7648]

Gibson is killing me in fantasy. 4 points last night??     I do got Noah and Rip putting up good numbers though.  1 injury to any starter, and I honestly believe this team wont finish over .500.  hope I am wrong? but still it is Bulls Basketball, have to watch.

On a side note, how about the Lakers?? 1-4 with aquiring D. Howard?? unreal! love it, but hard to believe.  Brown was just fired today, so evidently the Big Bosses can't believe the start as well! 

[dana]

If anyone is ever looking for tix, my buddy has 2 or 4 season tix, 300 level straight up behind the hoop.  Bulls finish on the ticket side.

[Clonan]

I hope the Bulls management makes a strong effort get Kevin Love in a Chicago Bulls uniform. It sounds like he yearns to play f or a team like ours.

2015 opt out clause... its a long ways away and Minnesota could make him happy by then but the Bulls should be all over this.

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/nba--kevin-love-remains-unsure-about-timberwolves--future-200009299.html

[Dan Michler]

I would circle the summer of 2014 on your calendar if your looking for major additions to the Bulls roster.  I think there could be a lot of upheaval around the NBA that summer, similar to 2010.

LeBron/Bosh/Wade all have player options that summer.  LeBron will most likely opt out and look to sign an extension.  With the increased luxury tax penalties that resulted from the lockout last year, I would not expect all to be back with Miami in the fall of 2014.  Its just not financially feasible.

Carmelo Anthony has a player option that summer.  Expect him to also opt out and look to sign a max extension.

Love's contract expires in 2015, making him a trade piece in 2014.  Same for LaMarcus Aldridge.  Stephen Curry is a free agent that summer.

Deng's contract expires in 2014, making him a free agent.  Boozer's contract expires in 2015, making it feasible for the Bulls to amnesty his contract and eat the last year of his deal.

My point is there will be several elite NBA talents shifting teams around that time, and the Bulls will finally have the ability to make significant payroll additions.  I think what we've got is what we've got for this season and the next, but after that all bets are off. 

[Clonan]

A lot of Derrick Rose return talk this week. From what he said yesterday after the Bulls loss to Boston, doesn't seem like he is coming back anytime soon and hasn't put off waiting until next season to return.  Although the Bulls could really use him in the 2nd half of the season (duh), I like that he is being patient with his recovery.  Whenever he does return, hopefully it's with the same tenacity as Adrian Peterson.

And I am also happy with the Bulls 1st half of the season.  The past 2 weeks were pretty weak but with all things considered,  I think they played well.  Hopefully the injury bug goes away after the break!

[Dan Michler]

With the Bulls/Heat matchup tonight, hearing alot of comparisons between this Heat team and the 72 win Bulls from '95-96.

First of all, no comparisons can be made until you've actually won the championship.  Secondly, this Miami win streak is awesome without a doubt.  But being awesome for 30 games is not as difficult as being awesome for 82 games, you know what I mean?  So, go get 72 wins and then we can talk.  That team was also 15-3 in the playoffs (the '91 Bulls were 15-2!).

And for the record, the Bulls came back in '96-97 and clicked off 69 wins.  They reduced minutes for the starters at the end of that season and lost 3 of their final 4 games, or they certainly could have reached 70 for a second consecutive season. 

The Bulls from 1995-1998 is the greatest team of all-time.  Miami has a long way to go before they should be seriously compared.