3 moves to fix your team.
Just a quickie….
We are a month into the season. We know what our teams have got, and what they lack.
You have 3 moves that you can make to fix your team (and I’m not talking about miraculous healing).
Amnesty? Trades (has to financially work/realistic)? Future draft? Rotations?
GO!
Courtside Notes 
jk41 3:50 am on December 4, 2012 Permalink |
So I’m guessing we’re talking about short term, in season here…
If its this season, I’m not sure there’s much we can do! We’re hard capped thanks to the Hinrich signing which means we can’t sign any free agent til December or something because of the pro-rated salaries.
The only players of value we have are Luol Deng and Joakim Noah. These guys are on pretty big contracts and then who do you go for? Rudy Gay? But then Memphis are pretty settled. And Noah’s having a great season, there’s no need to get rid of him.
So I really think the moves to fix the team have to come from within, as boring as it sounds. But these are the things I would do:
1. Get the rotation right
Thibs is trying all he can to find the right combination off the bench. With last year’s Bench Mob, he usually left Deng in with the bench as that stabiliser. But I think now without Asik, he has to leave either Noah or Boozer along with Deng for that extra stability off the bench.
2. Work in some new offensive sets
Scoring is such a nightmare on this team, as you’re well aware of with your gambling. But it’s not just the lack of scoring, but how they approach it. It’s a point guard dominated offense due to it being designed to have Rose running it. It relies on a lot of penetration and ball handling of the PG. And in case we haven’t noticed, Kirk is no Rose. So I would love it if they tweaked their offense to run more through Deng in the post or Boozer/Noah initiating passes, because what have you got to lose? And best outcome is that you find a killer Boozer or Deng play that you can rely on when Rose does eventually come back.
3. Miscellaneous
Wow…I really didn’t think I had that much to write, but then again we are 8-7…
OK, how about the T’Wolves?
naturalbornanalysts 1:00 pm on December 5, 2012 Permalink |
I agree that your offensively challenged Bulls need some spark off the bench. But at best I think you need to hope Jimmy Butler starts to shine and get some more minutes. Nate is too unreliable.
Also agree that Marquis Teague should get some more minutes so you can see what you have with the kid. He is young and I think the experience right now would be good for him.
And you might have your wish with Rose running around before games as of late.
Ok so the Wolves…
We have obviously been hit probably the hardest of any club this year with injuries. To the point that we signed Josh Howard (who surprisingly hasnt been playing all that badly). We have a lot of young talent, and a sprinkle of vets.
Having said that I think there are only three untradeables at the moment:
Love/Rubio/Shved
1. Package Luke Ridnour ($4M) and Derrick Williams ($5M) for something:
Orlando Magic – JJ Reddic ($6M) and Josh McRoberts ($3.5M)
Denver Nuggets – Wilson Chandler ($6M) and Corey Brewer ($3M)
Utah Jazz – Enes Kanter ($4.5) and Raja Bell ($3.5)
I would love the Magic Trade. We need an outside shooter desperately and a guy to play the SG while Alexey continues to develop. And McRoberts can bang the outside shot as a big, which is something Lou and Steimsma cant do.
2. Run more small ball. When AK and Rubio come back I would love to see us running a three guard front, with a wing player like AK playing the 4 and Love/Pek playing inside. So far this year Pek and Love have struggled on the court together, and we have a young athletic team that could allow a team like Rubio/Lee or JJ/Shved/AK/Love to get up and down the court… and if you had Reddick at the 2 guard spot it would fit perfectly. Having said that I dont want Rubio to be rushed back- the same way you dont want Rose rushed.
3. TRADE KEVIN LOVE. Yeah I said it….
Hear me out. He has voiced his concern at not being in the playoffs and not being surrounded by enough talent. Our attempts this year have failed miserably (Budinger, Roy, Williams, Admunson, Steimsma do not inspire confidence) and there is a good possibility we wont be in the playoffs again this year with teams in the West out performing expectations. He is arguably a top 5 player? I would say easily top 10… was the best power forward last year. So what can we get for him? A LOT! Im not going to figure it out now, but definitely a guy with the calibre of Harden at least, and then add a pick or a young guy too. This stems out of the fear of him demanding a trade and us being forced to give him up on the cheap. So if it looks like we arent going to make it again this year… ship him to Danny Ainge in Boston.
jk41 3:42 am on December 7, 2012 Permalink |
Wow…does number 3 mean you get lynched on arrival in Minny? I’m really not sure about that one. I think if you have a special talent, which Love is, you try your best to build around him. Players like him don’t come around everyday, and although there is the threat of him leaving, I think the guys you signed this offseason can be pieces to be turned into a higher level player. This was the thinking with Batum, a wing who can shoot threes.
I like ideas 1 and 2, definitely doable. There seemed to be a trend this year of teams trying to get as deep and possible with any ‘name’ players possible. Looking at Brooklyn and the Clippers here and to a lesser extent, your Wolves. But like I mentioned before, these guys are now in position to be traded as pieces for a bigger fish, and that’s a good position to be in. Not a luxury we have for the Bulls.