In all my years of being an NBA fan I don't think I've ever seen a situation with a team that is as complicated as the Bulls have right now. With such little cap space, Derrick Rose injured and a team that is not playing well on the court the situation must be perplexing for the front office. With that in mind my first point is that I think all Bulls fans should be thankful for the team we have at the moment and also accept and get behind any decisions the Bulls staff make. Many people either seem to think we should completely blow the team up and tank or trade many of our best players; not many people seem happy with the organization including Derrick Rose. Am I the only person who thinks that Derrick is way out of line in essentially throwing a tantrum over any decisions the front office may make, he’s a player not a GM and although it isn't his fault, it’s because of him the franchise is in this difficult situation. With this said I really think the Bulls players and fans should be thankful what we have, a decant team that works had we at least 3-4 potential All-Stars. I also think the Bulls should sit on what they have for a least the rest of this season before making any drastic changes. Players like Noah, Deng and Butler are the heart of everything that has been good about the Bulls in recent years and if people are patient I'm sure this team can accomplish something great in years to come. Derrick Rose is only 25, Noah and Deng aren't even in their 30's. Butler and Snell are very young. So once again I stress that if people are patient and don't panic In an attempt to get instant success this team could be a force once again in the next few years.
Tom Dryland
I do believed that we will improved by the season goes. The good thing about our loses is we lose by small margin. That shows that we are still fighting it just happened that we are missing important pieces. I see more character in this team, so I believed that the baby bulls team implosion under Skiles won’t happen again.
Rollen Decuzar
The year must be 1929, because the Bulls are dropping with no bottom in sight! Their loss at home against a hapless Magic team actually helped them improve in the virtual draft order from 15th to 9th. Yep, that's how bad the Eastern Conference is, that they just fell past five Western Conference teams in one shot. They're tied with Cleveland and only a game ahead of Brooklyn, meaning The Bulls can soon fall to 7th-worst in the league (and Orlando, the team that somehow beat them, is not far behind either), giving them a fairly decent shot at a Top-3 pick. The best part is, they haven't had to trade anyone away to be this bad (which I know you're against doing)! Here's to a (much) better 2014-15...
Mike Burgher
For the last several years it's been apparent that the Miami Heat's main vulnerability is their frontline, that if you can score in the paint and out rebound them they can be beat. And yet anytime someone talks about what the Bulls need to beat the Heat is a star shooting guard. It just doesn't make sense to me. Why wouldn't you go after a PF or Center who could hit them where it hurts? Carlos Boozer was supposed to have been a post player but he's all perimeter, so why not (eventually) go after a LaMarcus Aldridge, Al Horford or Kevin Love? If you have to deal Noah I think it's worth it. And Mirotic might serve better as trade bait for one of these guys rather than as another perimeter scoring big man. Don't we have to architect a team that exploit the Heat's weaknesses?
Marcus Nikokiris
If the Bulls are in the lottery this year, are the Bulls going to send Steve Schanwald again?
Megan Wong
General journalism question for you. Are you able to be a fan of the team you write for? Do you consider yourself to be a Bulls fan? Is it difficult to remain objective while rooting for the team (Bulls)?
Gorav Raheja
It seems like most fans are looking to trade Deng now with fear of losing him without compensation. My preference is to keep him, however, I am curious how each scenario (trade now, resign, letting him walk) potentially would play out.
Matt Koza
On all these tanking thoughts and radio talk, I hear we need to get lottery picks, currently top 14. Well, how many do the Bulls have today? Rose, Deng, Noah, Hinrich, Augustine, Dunleavy(?), Boozer (?), Nazr (?). Bottom line, getting into the lottery means taking gigantic risks. How's that Cousins fella working out? Keep trying, win some, be professional, (never a worry), and see what happens. The tunnel is not forever.
Anyway, while this season is becoming a dark novel there is always next year. Yes, I'm a Cubs fan.
Greg Young
We don't seem to hear about the Charlotte pick in many credible rumors. Is it your suspicion that this just doesn't have that much value yet, even now?
Paul Cronin
Why does the NBA have the matching salaries rule on trades? It seems to severely limit what a team can do, and I am unaware of a similar rule in other sports. So what's the reasoning behind it?
Andy Harris
A little while ago, I would have thought I was crazy asking this question but now… What do you think are the chances that the Bobcats will finish with a better record than the Bulls this season?
Colin Baenziger
As I write this, the Bulls are out of the playoffs even in the weak Eastern Conference. When teams play like the Bulls are playing now--lifeless, missing the little things, losing to non-playoff teams--that's usually when the coach gets let go. But I doubt the Bulls want to give up on Thibs, one of the best coaches in the league, regardless of whatever supposed "rift" exists with the front office, especially since he just signed a four-year extension. Yet the players don't seem to be responding to him as they have in the past. I don't think it's on Thibs, though--there's just too much uncertainty. This just feels like the 2008 season when the constant trade talk and uncertain contract situations for Gordon and Deng derailed what had been a consistent playoff team. Is there any precedence for an organization giving a coach a sabbatical? It might sound dumb, but I don't think firing Thibs is the answer. This way, it could give the players a different voice short term and allow everyone to recommit. Let Thibs take five months scouting, trying to find the players that will best fit his vision of the Bulls. A Thibs team won't tank, but they're trying and still losing. Something else is out of whack.
Chris Feldman
No stupid trade suggestions. But a question about Thibodeau. I think a lot of the Bulls problem now is psychological, not just injuries, and they are still getting past losing Derrick and all their dreams for this season. I do not think you can get past that by just saying "play harder, no one is going to feel sorry for us, etc etc." How has Thibs handled the team's mental game?
Vivian Forte
Do you think, with the way that D.J. Augustin has been playing, that there is a chance we may have found a new backup point guard? Kirk isn't getting any younger, and is constantly banged up when playing big minutes. Do you think that, as much as it hurts to say, that we don't bring back Kirk and bring back D.J. to run the show when Derrick is on the bench/injured?
Harrison Elliott
I know Phoenix is scorching, but are they really trying to win? Is their success coming in spite of themselves? Do they have motivation to decelerate in their winning ways? I only ask at the availability of Goran Dragic. His skill set seems ideal for what ails the Bulls at the moment: abilities to draw defenses to the paint and hit a shot beyond the arc. The starting job is too much for Kirk to handle at this point in his career. Dragic at 7 mil a year is pricey, but this team as constructed is missing a creator.
Bryan Quigley
With the most recent struggles to score the basketball, do you see the Bulls making any big moves or smaller moves like D.J. Augustin? Maybe Chris Kaman Perhaps as he seems to be on the outs in LA.
I hate to say this but we could kind of use Rip Hamilton right about now.
David Castillo