Bulls Roster So Far...

Sam Smith breaks down the recent signings. The Bulls have basically used up all the cap space available from a Boozer amnesty. So far the roster looks like...

PG - Rose/Hinrich
SG - Butler/Snell
SF - Dunleavy/McDermott
PF - Gasol/Gibson/Mirotic
C - Noah/Gasol
Reserves - Bairstow/Randolph

Smith seems to think the Bulls are looking to make a trade for a SG which makes a lot of sense. I could see the Bulls sending Randolph and that pick from SAC to a team for some depth at the wing or point position, or possibly for cap space to sign a one year deal with a guy looking to prove himself like Jerryd Bayless (A favorite player of mine). For the most part though I see Hinrich getting plenty of minutes at the 2 since he is more suited to defend at that position these days with Snell also getting some minutes at the 2 after seeing his performance in Summer League.

There is a lot to like about that roster. A solid mix of youth and experience. All of them are all unselfish players. They are all willing and good passers and most of them can shoot from the perimeter and space the floor for the returning former MVP. Defensively, that team is very solid still, especially in the paint. Bulls will be solid on the defensive end of the floor and on the boards while looking a little San Antonio like on the offensive end (not saying they will be that effective but style wise I can see some similarities) with good ball movement and floor spacing (something the Bulls haven't had). D Rose is going to have plenty of room to penetrate opposing defenses and the passing of Noah and Gasol will be a thing of beauty. Snell, Hinrich and Butler have proven at times to be reliable spot up shooters and we all know that McBuckets, Mirotic and Dunleavy are great spot up shooters as well. From a shooting perspective, the Bulls have their best team since Rose came to Chicago with 6 legitimate 3 point threats around him.

I am VERY optimistic about this team especially with the breakup of the big 3 in Miami. This team is ready to win now and as long as they can stay healthy, the Beast in the East will be the Chicago Bulls.

My problem with the team is that it's thin at the guard and loaded at the 4. Especially considering the 4 has players that should probably be on the floor at all times. Also, there isn't anybody on the market that I would like to start over Butler. I would like to see a scoring 2 guard and move butler over to the 3 to guard the best perimeter player on the other team on a nightly basis.

You mentioned how the additions are very good passers, which is true. But the possible conflict I see is prying the ball out if Roses hands. I think Rose needs to get it to Noah, or Gasol, or whoever to initiate the offense. If Rose dribbles the air out of the ball, the Bulls would be underutilizing what should be a strength. I also like the way the offense runs when the ball is fed to Noah at the elbow. It seems like when Rose is out, we see it in greater abundance. I also think this would lessen the wear and tear on Rose. But he has to be willing to give up the ball sooner in the shot clock and then effectively function as a 2.

Bairstow figures to stick at his low price so even though Randolph might be more useful this year I agree they should try to trade him and for a combo guard. Only one game but I'm intrigued by Lazeric Jones, PG. 23 years old which usually appeals to the Bulls but he played in 2 Euro leagues so he's not an inexperienced kid, he seemed to have an awareness of the game and might be worth a non guaranteed last spot on the roster.

At first glance it looks like they have too many 4's but they probably won't sign Nazr or another center so that logjam at 4 actually covers 2 back up spots at the 5 so, no they don't have too many. Plus I'm just guessing that Mirotic comes in light and wouldn't be ready to take on much stronger 4's and if anything gets some miutes at the 3, if he plays much. Not rushing him like so many here think he should would be better because in today's Tribune it showed that the most games he played in a season was 31, then 2 at 29. That's not much more than a junior in college so let's not act like this guy has much experience.


Snell might have more confidence to take his shot without wondering if he should which will make him more effective. You hope Butler can shoot more consistently but I'd like to see him work out of the post more as he's much stronger than most 2's. If Dunleavy starts I think he get into a groove easier and is much more effective.


With one more guard who can contribute added I'm satisfied with that roster.

Ive also heard the idea of picking up Aaron Brooks to fill DJ's role.

Scoot26 said:

Ive also heard the idea of picking up Aaron Brooks to fill DJ's role.

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He's 38 Scoot, and never played pro basketball.

Maybe they have a ton of confidence in Snell. There's always the possibility of a trade. They're most likely moving Randolph at some point.

Scoot26 said:

Ive also heard the idea of picking up Aaron Brooks to fill DJ's role.

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He would fit the small scoring minded PG role that Thibs seems to have so much success with. I'd take him.

We should be in play for another PG. I like Hinrich as a 3rd guy in more of a mentor/coaching type role than as a backup. I really wish we could have gotten DJ back.

RoseMVP1 said:

We should be in play for another PG. I like Hinrich as a 3rd guy in more of a mentor/coaching type role than as a backup. I really wish we could have gotten DJ back.

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I think we would have had Kirk taken the Vet minimum.

PolarBear said:

Sam Smith breaks down the recent signings. The Bulls have basically used up all the cap space available from a Boozer amnesty. So far the roster looks like...

PG - Rose/Hinrich
SG - Butler/Snell
SF - Dunleavy/McDermott
PF - Gasol/Gibson/Mirotic
C - Noah/Gasol
Reserves - Bairstow/Randolph

Smith seems to think the Bulls are looking to make a trade for a SG which makes a lot of sense. I could see the Bulls sending Randolph and that pick from SAC to a team for some depth at the wing or point position, or possibly for cap space to sign a one year deal with a guy looking to prove himself like Jerryd Bayless (A favorite player of mine). For the most part though I see Hinrich getting plenty of minutes at the 2 since he is more suited to defend at that position these days with Snell also getting some minutes at the 2 after seeing his performance in Summer League.

There is a lot to like about that roster. A solid mix of youth and experience. All of them are all unselfish players. They are all willing and good passers and most of them can shoot from the perimeter and space the floor for the returning former MVP. Defensively, that team is very solid still, especially in the paint. Bulls will be solid on the defensive end of the floor and on the boards while looking a little San Antonio like on the offensive end (not saying they will be that effective but style wise I can see some similarities) with good ball movement and floor spacing (something the Bulls haven't had). D Rose is going to have plenty of room to penetrate opposing defenses and the passing of Noah and Gasol will be a thing of beauty. Snell, Hinrich and Butler have proven at times to be reliable spot up shooters and we all know that McBuckets, Mirotic and Dunleavy are great spot up shooters as well. From a shooting perspective, the Bulls have their best team since Rose came to Chicago with 6 legitimate 3 point threats around him.

I am VERY optimistic about this team especially with the breakup of the big 3 in Miami. This team is ready to win now and as long as they can stay healthy, the Beast in the East will be the Chicago Bulls.

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I still hate our guards as a group and don't like our SFs either. Who in the hell can handle the ball in this group? Certainly not our "shooting" guards and certainly not our SFs. Rose really is the only guy in this group who is a true ball handler.

2323 said:

You mentioned how the additions are very good passers, which is true. But the possible conflict I see is prying the ball out if Roses hands. I think Rose needs to get it to Noah, or Gasol, or whoever to initiate the offense. If Rose dribbles the air out of the ball, the Bulls would be underutilizing what should be a strength. I also like the way the offense runs when the ball is fed to Noah at the elbow. It seems like when Rose is out, we see it in greater abundance. I also think this would lessen the wear and tear on Rose. But he has to be willing to give up the ball sooner in the shot clock and then effectively function as a 2.

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You are right. Also, Hinrich is one of the worst PGs in the NBA in feeding the ball to the post in order to start the offense. From the day he got drafted, he has consistently dribbled the ball around the perimeter and running down the shot clock. Butler is not a distributor nor a ball handler at guard. They suck as a group.

Scoot26 said:

Ive also heard the idea of picking up Aaron Brooks to fill DJ's role.

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He is a point guard and I liked him in college. Don't expect any offense from him other than on drives to the basket, though.

The Hawk said:

He is a point guard and I liked him in college. Don't expect any offense from him other than on drives to the basket, though.

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He had a breakout year in 2009-10 in which he led the league in made three pointers (and attempts). He averaged nearly 20 ppg. Was also named MIP.

However, the next season he suffered nagging injuries, was traded mid season and then went to China during the lockout and didnt come back for a year. He's still struggled with consistency since then.

With the numbers starting to trickle in and only final decisions to make, it appears that the highly-anticipated Bulls offseason is starting to reach a conclusion.

The signings of Pau Gasol and Nikola Mirotic haven't been officially announced yet, but the veteran big man is reportedly closing in on a three-year, $22-million agreement - with a player option on the third season - and the 2011 draft pick's deal will be for three years and $17 million, both according to Yahoo! Sports, while veteran floor general Kirk Hinrich returned to the Bulls for a price of two years and $5.6 million, as stated by multiple reports.

Meanwhile, after trading big man Greg Smith's nearly $1-million salary to Dallas for cap space, it's expected that the Bulls also attempt to offload Anthony Randolph - the journeyman forward was acquired in the draft-day trade for first-round pick Doug McDermott - and of course, the team has until Wednesday to exercise the amnesty provision on power forward Carlos Boozer.

Between Derrick Rose and Hinrich manning the point-guard position, returning starter Jimmy Butler and second-year swingman Tony Snell providing size at shooting guard, veteran sharpshooter Mike Dunleavy Jr. and McDermott at small forward and a deep big-man rotation of Gasol, All-Star center Joakim Noah, Sixth Man of the Year runner-up Taj Gibson, Mirotic and second-round draft pick Cameron Bairstow, the Bulls will have 11 players on the roster entering training camp, assuming no moves other than the expected are made. It's likely the team acquires additional backcourt help and perhaps another true center as free agency wraps up.

Rose, Noah, Butler, Gasol and Dunleavy can be penciled in as starters, with Gibson and Hinrich considered almost pseudo-starters, while Snell, Mirotic and McDermott will get opportunities off the bench. Depending on the talent, fit and experience level of whomever the organization acquires before training camp, it's probable that those players could also receive spot minutes.

But barring the unexpected, the aforementioned players are probably your 2014-15 Chicago Bulls, giving the team a big, deep, more offensively-potent look, though aside from Rose, shot creation might be somewhat of an issue and managing the minutes of the post players could be a difficult, if not completely unpleasant, challenge.

nwfisch said:

He's 38 Scoot, and never played pro basketball.

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[video=youtube;SHIFLNWZBfA]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SHIFLNWZBfA&feature=kp[/video]

List of FA's at PG and the wings:

Point Guards
Aaron Brooks
Austin Freeman
Brandon Paul
Jimmer Fredette
Kendall Williams
Lazeric Jones
Mike James
Nolan Smith
Toure Murry
Wings
Brandon Rush
Francisco Garcia
James Jones
MarShon Brooks
Ray Allen
Ronnie Brewer
Wesley Johnson
Xavier Henry

There's actually a few pretty good 3 and D guys on the wings. Brandon Rush and Francisco Garcia are very serviceable players. Wesley Johnson could be thrown in there as well. Xavier Henry is a decently athletic SG who had some good moments in LA. Nolan Smith might be a decent combo guard. Marshon Brooks...who knows with him.

Anytime23 said:

Maybe they have a ton of confidence in Snell. There's always the possibility of a trade. They're most likely moving Randolph at some point.

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if hes been playing like this in practice & can keep his to's down he will take over next season

I like Garcia. I'd imagine Pau and the staff have talked about some of these ex-Lakers FAs as well.


But if we get Brooks, I would feel a bit easier on the depth. The PG FAs drop off a lot, and my favorite guy remaining within budget, was nabbed by the Celtics earlier today. Brian Roberts.


By the way, I now posses the greatest signature ever to explain the Bulls offseason.