Screw Melo. What the Bulls Should do.

[ChiTownCliff]

I know all the talk right now is about Chicago snagging Melo from NY this off-season. LOL!

1) Melo is not walking away from 45 million dollars. His agent and his wife will not let that happen. The Bulls really cannot give him a max deal for 4 years unless they REALLY gut the whole team.

2) Melo simply is not a great fit with coach Thibs or the whole mentality of the Bulls. You know, work hard even if you are likely not winning anything.

So Melo is likely not coming because of the money, and I for one am fine with this. The Bulls would have to gut the team to make it happen. If Rose is not 85% of what he was, then the Bulls will be relying on Melo to get the job the done, and he has failed at that everywhere he has been in the NBA and with decent talent around him.

Here is what I would like to see. This thought process is pretty conservative in nature and is based on the notion that Rose may never return and if he does, he will likely never be close to what he was.

Here is the plan:

1) Amnesty Boozer and free up about 14 million.

2) Get Nikola Mirotic over here asap. Maybe he is just another Hedo Turkpglu or maybe he is much better. We will never know until he is here! Again, I expect little from him in a 1st season in the NBA, but the Bulls are better off getting him here and getting him used to America and the NBA. Rumors have him wanting about 3-4 million a season. I think that is a solid number.

3) Keep Taj! He is the future PF of the Bulls. He really is making a name for himself this season. His back to back basket game and defense make him a much better post option to pair with Noah anyways. Noah is great at making plays from the key and this allows Taj to play in the paint where he belongs.

4) Keep Dunleavy and keep Hinrich. Kirk and Mike are solid role-players and both come cheap. No reason to move Dunleavy unless part of a good trade. 3 million a season is a good price for a vet that can drain 3s. Kirk is a decent starting PG if Rose has more issues and he is a great defender. He is likely willing to sign for next to nothing to stay in Chicago.

5) Go after a decent backup PG. I would love to see Augustin be that guy but he has played real well and may be able to get a better offer elsewhere.

6) Save money and analyze the roster! Keep as much money from dropping Boozer as we can by filling out the roster with 1 year contracts. The main thing the Bulls need to do is see if Rose is going to get healthy and to see if a championship team can still be build around him. If Mirotic is the real deal, then the Bulls can trade off Taj before the deadline for more cap money. Bulls will have a couple of decent draft picks in the mid to late teens. Use those on the best available talent. Maybe scorers. The Bulls have been great at grabbing talented players with picks in the teens and twenties.

7) Free Agents 2015! Yep, I am talking about waiting another year. Let Butler and the rest of the young guys grow a bit more. SEE IF ROSE CAN PLAY A FULL SEASON! Evaluate the roster and see if Mirotic is the next Dirk or the next Darko. Then, with pockets full of cash and a solid roster go after a free agent in 2015 like; LaMarcus Aldridge or Kevin Love.

Here would be your lineup:

PG - Rose/Hinrich
SG - Stephenson/Snell
SF - Butler/Dunleavy
PF - Taj/Mirotic
C- Noah

Bulls would likely be able to pick up some decent veteran help to round out the roster. The real key to this roster is Taj and Butler getting a chance to grow some more, Rose being decent, and Mirotic working out.

NBA Title Contender? Maybe. Still better and safer than throwing all our eggs into one basket (Melo).

 

[bksballer89]

I think #1 is a lock. Boozer will get amnesty

 

[bksballer89]

2) Who is Mirotic?

3) I agree

4) Dunleavy and Hinrich are the type of veterans any contender would love to have

5) Not sure who's available

 

[Clayton]

If the choice is between Melo and Lance Stephenson then I see your point but everything is predicated on a healthy Rose so until that happens its all kinda moot

 

[ChiTownCliff]

Video on Mirotic. He is corrently the best player in Europe and the Bulls own his rights. Here is a video:

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JjaHc9Vp9wU]Nikola Mirotic 2013 Scouting Video - YouTube[/ame]

 

[LogicMan]

Good to hear from you Cliff

Your ideas seem logical to me.

I agree with boozer discard and yup they need to evaluate now what rose is or has left.

Melo is not a franchise changing play IMO.

 

[BOTSLAYER]

He looks pretty good, he might be better suited at the 3. He was getting beat up in the paint and in the NBA those players are going to be a lot bigger.

About the Bulls plan I like everything you said, makes a lot of sense. If Mirotic is a 3 though Taj could be kept.

As for Melo I think it would be mutually beneficial with the group they now but if they are going to rebuild I think there are better options. Melo would also have to prove he wants to be in CHI more than CHI needs to beg Melo to come.

People want to bitch the college kids don't have options, Nikola is making $5.4m a year and will be taking a pay cut to come to the NBA. Top players coming out of high school who think they are worth more than the D-League money or however much their "education" and the under the table money is can go to euroleague and get much more money. Mirotic is a good player but he isn't a Wiggins, Parker or Embiid and those players do not even have an argument for heading directly to the NBA. Could you imagine Dwight banging with those guys? Could you imagine his paycheck?

 

[seattlefan75]

if melo is going to test free agency than i think its going to go down between the bulls and lakers for him

 

[anotheridiot]

after what carmello did to denver and forcing the trade, the only way he comes here is with a sign and trade for the max contract. What may happen since it has been rumored is Thibbs being part of that trade.But whether ist 30 or 45 million more, this testing free agency is just talk.

Stephenson is a ball hog. We dont need him here.

Dunleavy should not even be starting. Today, no way he can guard James or Wade. Should have been in late in the game to run them thru screens. Missed Jimmer again today to do the same, when Allen comes in, give someone a blow and let him chase allen around, and let allen chase him around.This tight rotation will kill these guys and as much as kirk should be able to stay here again, the load is just too big for 6 or 7 guys a game.

Our problem will be the same, Garpax is gonna free up max space again, which probably means moving dunleavy like they moved Korver, miss on LeBron and Melo again, end up giving a max contract to a second tier guy again like boozer and set us back 4 years again, this year it could be a zach randolph kind of player that we dont need..