Could Cleveland's loss be Chicago's gain?
Last night, LeBron James suffered one of the most stunning playoff eliminations in NBA postseason history. The best team in the league — starring the best player on the planet — didn’t make it out of the second round…didn’t even make it to a seventh game. LeBron’s future in Cleveland has never looked more bleak.
All season, I have been steadfast in my belief that LeBron won’t come to Chicago. That, in fact, he would never want to. As much as James admires Michael Jordan, I can’t imagine him coming to the Windy City and playing in MJ’s giant shadow. I mean, LeBron could still conceivably eclipse Jordan’s accomplishments somewhere else, but he would have to win at least six or seven titles with the Bulls to measure up to Mike’s legacy. I don’t see that happening.
And yet…ESPN’s Chad Ford has heard differently:
“Within minutes of the Cleveland Cavaliers’ elimination at the hands of the Celtics, the speculation about LeBron James’ next destination resumed in full force. In the space of five minutes I heard from three NBA GMs via text, e-mail and phone. All three said that based on the information they have, they believe LeBron will leave the Cavs. More surprisingly, all of them said they believe the destination will be the Chicago Bulls. Two said they believe that John Calipari will be the Bulls’ new head coach.”
Ford then received the following information from one GM over the phone: “I think the Bulls are really going to go for it. Look for them to offer the Cavs Luol Deng in a sign-and-trade for LeBron. That will allow them to retain most of their cap space. Then they’ll go after Dwyane Wade or Chris Bosh as well.”
Talk about dream scenarios. That would be like winning the lottery on the same day you inherited a gold mine that was sitting on top of a diamond mine that had a huge oil reserve underneath it. Can you imagine a lineup that included LeBron, Wade, Derrick Rose and Joakim Noah? Seriously, I just got chills.
But as fun as it is to dream, there are other teams — the Cavaliers, Clippers, Heat and Knicks just to name a few — that all have just as good a shot at James as the Bulls do. And July is still a month and a half away. Literally anything could happen.
Still, when I woke up yesterday, I would have rated Chicago’s chances of landing Lebron at about zero percent. Now? I think there’s a chance.
hopefully they can pull it out
mayb james goes into free agency n we sign him
then trade deng kirk taj n 1st rounder for bosh
i just got 1 question
if there able to pull this off is there any more cap to sign decent role players?
It’s a long shot, but Good Luck Bulls!
I’ll play on that team for minimum wage.
I also think he wouldn’t want to play underneath Jordan’s legacy here but I also think he loves the idea of building his own and having a statue next to Jordan’s. Sure, it’d take a few championships to do it but we have the team that could make a run. Also, he’s already living under Jordan’s giant shadow and is constantly compared to him (see: comparison to Jordan’s 7th year and this year). That will never change and coming here really wouldn’t strengthen the comparison that much since it can’t be strengthened already. Going to be an interesting summer and I’d say I’m a little more hopeful than I was before about him coming here. I don’t see Wade leaving Miami at all now but I’d say there IS a chance Bosh could end up here in a dream scenario with LeBron given their friendship and different positions.
What if the same thing happens next year and the year after and the year after? What if he keeps choking and somehow the team arround him doesnt get better. In a lot of ways Rose and James play the same style, go quickly and powerfully to the basket, the only difference is that James gets all the calls from the refs. I am not a fan of teams trying to fudgepack themselves with superstars. I am more for trying to win as a team, having Rose at the helm and surrounding him with good, solid workmanlike players such as Amare, or Bosh, or Boozer or Korver, etc. Not to mention Noah and Gibson developing in the next few years and the Bulls will be contenders. Why play with fire? Yes James is a top two player in the league, yes he gets more than enough media exposure, yes he is very marketable and profitable, but what if it doesn’t work out with having two star players on one team? I know that Scottie and Michael worked out just fine, but that was totally different. They were there from the beginning (Michael was drafted 3 years earlier than Scottie by the Bulls), they gradually built up steam and with a solid supporting cast, dominated. For the sake of a fair argument, I won’t snub some of you guys by bringing up anything other than how things might work out. I will keep Lebron’s attitude out of this, because I know that some people will be bowing to him and saying how he should be revered, more so than anyone else on the planet. This is all just an opinion though, haha.
I was able to keep myself from even considering LBJ to the Bulls all year, and now I’m at the point where I’d be disappointed if it doesn’t happen. Damn, national media!
But, the Bulls need to present a championship game plan to get him here. And, I think the coach will be important. I would like to see them throw the world at Phil Jackson for Pax’s job. Other than Phil, I only want to see on guy: the guy who beat Lebron, Tom Thibodeau.
“That would be like winning the lottery on the same day you inherited a gold mine that was sitting on top of a gold mine that had a huge oil reserve underneath it.”
I could have said it better myself…lol
If there is even a .0000000000000001% at landing LeBron, the organization has to go all out to make it happen. I think the whole thing about playing in the shadow of Jordan is stupid…eventually, SOMEONE has to eclipse Jordan…why not LeBron, and why not LeBron in a Bulls uniform. Get Bosh in a sign and trade and the Bulls starting winning titles.
I wonder what Mike would have to say about this…
I wish a journalist would ask MJ where he thinks LeBron will go…and whether or not he would be supportive of a move to Jordan’s city…
OMFG! It never even occured to me that doing a sign and trade w/Lebron for Loul would keep a ton of cap space to fill out the Bull’s roster. …Well, I guess there is a good reason that I am not GM. Also, who would of thought that Loul would be sooooo valueable. Ha!
Personally, I would rather have MELO in 2011.
You wouldn’t be able to get Melo in 2011…not through free agency…we have to sign Noah and Rose to large contracts next season, it’s now or never for the Bulls.
Kobe plays in LA under the shadows of a ton of great Lakers. KG went to Boston under the shadows of a ton of great Celtics. No matter where Lebron goes he will always have the shadow of MJ hovering over him, and I have never believed that would intensify by him playing in Michael’s building.
Having said that (and knowing Chicago sports like I do)… Chicago makes the most sense for Lebron to go to which is why he will never sign here. I hope he proves me wrong though.
I like the idea of the sign and trade of Bron for Deng, but instead of going after another big guy how about going after the role players like David Lee, and another shooter or two. Then in the Draft pick up Xavier Henry from Kansas or James Anderson from Oklahoma State and have a contender for years to come.
A max deal to Lebron and a sign and trade with Luol means the Bulls would be about $13 mil under the cap. Unless another player is thrown in to free up some more cap space. But I doubt the Bulls would want to give up anymore. More in the trade means less for Lebron to play with and less depth.
A sign and trade for Bosh using Kirk’s contract just doesn’t make sense from Toronto’s perspective. They already have enough guards/wings. Unless they could get a third team involved. Think maybe Utah with a sign and trade for Boozer. Maybe Kirk to Utah, Boozer to Toronto and Bosh to the Bulls (don’t have the trade calculator up to figure this out). But once again does Utah really need Kirk? And would Boozer really want to play in Toronto?
And all the clowns talking about Lebron or whomever not wanting to play in someones shadow…please. That theory would mean noone would ever want to play in Boston or LA…consider how many champions played for those teams yet they have no problem convincing people to come play for them.
The possibilities are really exciting for the Bulls. Now will management pull this off? Without bashing them this requires the other people in these scenarios to play ball. Which is difficult.
My fellow
My fellow Bulls fans,all eyes on the king now and we may get our hands on him in the near future and he will only win NBA titles in Chicago,he won’t ever win in Cleveland or new york,especially new york.GO BULLS.
2010 Bulls Roster
PG Rose
SG James
SF Bosh
PF Gibson
C Noah
Bench
Law
Johnson
Other role players
2011 NBA Championship anyone?
To anyone who thinks lebron can’t mesh with another star, rose, like Scottie and MJ did because those two grew up in the game together should look no further than the Celtics, talk about a team being cobbled together…and they happened to win it all two years ago and knock this cavs team out.
I don’t know if there are enough basketballs for James, Rose, Bosh. Also, James is not playing SG, and Bosh is not playing SF, if they sign James and Bosh, Gibson is coming off the bench.
I think the team below is a little more realistic for 2011…look at the Celtics, Spurs, Pistons, you need balance and roles.
COACH:
Lawrence Frank
PG:
1.Derrick Rose-The Star.
2.Kirk Hinrich-No 2 Guard for Kirk this year; Solid D;
SG:
3.Wes Matthews-Perfect Compliment to Rose for years; Hit 3’s; Guards big guards and even SF (S/D Carmelo. If you throw $ at him, Utah won’t match; Can become backup if Henry/Anderson become a star;
4.Xavier Henry or James Anderson (DRAFT)
SF:
5.Luol Deng-I know, I know, but he’s not going anywhere.
6.Matt Barnes-Lockdown D; Attitude Guy; Can play point-forward;
7.James Johnson-Sit on the bench one more year till you’re released.
PF:
8.Chris Bosh-Can play pick and roll with Rose, and hit the shots Noah can’t; he and Noah get you 20+ REB/Game.
9.Taj Gibson-Solid backup.
10.Kurt Thomas-Veteran presence; Can play C/PF; Great mentor to Taj as he will teach him the pick and pop game;
C:
11.Joakim Noah-The heart of the team; Do the dirty work, energy guy;
12.Joel Anthony-Rebound and block shots;
OK here it is now all in our face Lebron Wade and bosh of the three the bulls need only two if not one and some other mid level players to be a top contender, which is Wade and James bosh is not a max player but yet he is a proven scorer wonder if james is up to a challenge like taking on Chicago I sure would love to see him come here then, alot of pressure would be taken off him as well as Rose and together added Noah and whomever you like to add this is a big time team young also whom will contend for years to come not to mention the growth the younger bulls will continue to do this can not be over looked winning one year is fine but how about doing it for many years now is yr chance lebron Wade you two listining its time to make it all happen I dont think the timing will ever be any better than now you must take advantage of the moment and make sure you do the right thing sign here and you will be doing that trust this, no where else will the fans support you more than they will here , no where else can you be all you can be, look at what you have now and look at the bulls who is on the upside and who is on the downside enuff said , do the right thing King and Wade you come on home then you both will have it made and winning will not be a dream any more it will happen and that is a fact. Peace
“Two said they believe that John Calipari will be the Bulls’ new head coach.”
Which goes to show that these two GMs have absolutely no clue what they are talking about. What they said before that quote is nice for us Bulls fans to hear, but we have to realize that at the base of Ford’s story are people who probably make us all look like we would be great GMs.
ok here we go….offer deng for lebron and take the angle of you dont want to get nothin in return for lebron leaving to con cavs into taking deng…then as much as i would love to say go after bosh or d. wade, maybe it be smarter to go after David Lee or even Joe Johnson both fill needs as a inside pesence (Lee) and a shooter (Johnson) but i’d take Lee and pray kirk finds his stroke and Lee would allo us to maybe sign another bench piece maybe Korver, Morrow or Matthews frm Utah Noah Lee James Hinrich & Rose as a startin 5 with Gibson, Johnshon, Law, Asik, B. Miller and maybe one of the 3 fa I mentioned is a championship team, if it takes getting calipari get him and lets go get tis rng next season!!
I might as well bash Reggie before others get to him… I see you included 2 commas – A big step for a 9 year old turd. Piece!
LeBron! Come to Chicago!!
Chad Ford and Chris Broussard are the biggest Bull-shitters on ESPN. They just try to build hype, they really got no inside scoop, they’re probably making this all up. How can I trust Brossard when he claimed VDN was basically 99% done in December, and it was verrrrrrry unlikely that he would complete the season. Or how to trust Chad Ford when his 2 GM sources don’t know jack about what Calipari wants to do, but speak out of their asses anyways. Listen to what Lebron says, not these “insiders.”
Wes Matthews???????? You would take 9 points 2 rebounds and 1 assist over going full on after Lebron?!? Why Bosh? He is Soft. He sat out the last two weeks because of a broken Cheekbone!! Put a mask on and lead your team to the Playoffs!! I have never been sold on him and I think Noah would punk him on a daily basis and ruin the guy.
Just for gits and shiggles, I want to dream a little about what this would actually look like …
Rose, Wade, LeBron, Gibson, Noah
So, I tried to cook up some sugary year averages for the dream.
Rose – 18 pt, 9 ast, 4 reb
Wade – 22 pt, 6 reb, 6 ast
James – 26 pt, 8 reb, 7 ast
Gibson – 12 pt, 9 reb, 2 ast
Noah – 14 pt, 13 reb, 4 ast
??
your bashing me Ryan what a joke all you got to add to this is nothing worth hearing have another beer, and wake up when free agency is over maybe then you will be able to say something worth while. Peace
Don t break up the team there is a reason chicago looks so good to any free agents , if you move players then we may loose are appeal to any free agent the word free means they can choose where they want to play, we are good here with one or two players our team can be great for a long time to come. peace
trade deng he just in the way.he cant stick anyone,stay hurt al the time.everybody must go but rose,noah,gibson,johnson.bring lebron and somebody else then were talkin
I want BOSH
Anyone who doesn’t want LeBron James should be immediately banned from watching basketball. As much as I personally don’t like the guy, he is the best player in the NBA. If LeBron was in Kobe’s shoes, the Lakers would have won 66 games, and probably had a cake walk to the championship. Just look at how bad the guys he’s playing with now are:
Shaq – Corpse
Jamison – Awful, but occasionally produces on offense
Varejao – Wanted to stop the game when he was bleeding, enough said
Z – A bigger and less athletic Aaron Gray
Hickson – Can’t create offensively, his only move is the power dunk, horrible footwork on defense, occasionally bailed out by his athleticism
Parker – Literally, not as good as his sister
Williams – He can score 15 and allow about 43.
West – Suicidal
Moon – He can jump high, that’s it
What LeBron needs is someone to lighten the load for him. Someone who can cover him when he’s having an off night (or off series.) Essentially he needs a Scottie Pippen, and I legitimately think Rose can do that. He seems selfless and dedicated enough to do whatever’s best for the team. Noah, he just wants to win and scream, in that order, so I don’t see him having a problem with LeBron. Simmons compared them to Pippen/Grant. If we are able to get Wade/Bosh, that gives us 3 players to split the burden of winning. Just imagine the 2008 Celtics on steroids and still young and athletic with little scar tissue. If we have to move Deng or Hinrich, so be it, and I’m one of the few people that supports both of them. Look at it this way: a starting lineup with Rose, Wade/Bosh, LeBron and Noah has three starting all-stars (I think Rose will start in 2011), and potentially a reserve in Noah. That’s a third of an all-star team playing every night.
Simmons wrote this way more eloquently than I did. Read his column.
I love the sign and trade idea of Deng for Lebron..never thought about that. That would save us so much more instead of just trying to sign LeBron straight up. Doing that would give us the option to sign a player(s) and sign our own.
Man.. We only got 6 weeks to wait and see what happens..
Not gonna happen like I keep saying a thousand time people… hopefully the Bulls GM’s don’t even try to sign James and if they do the Lebron will only eject them. Let get David & Gay baby…
Even if we trade Deng for Lebron Cleveland won’t do it unless the bulls also offer: Taj Gibson, James Johnson, J. Noah and the Bulls future 1st round draft pick. Remember people Lebron James is a TOP SUPER STAR PLAYER not like my guy Rudy Gay where you can just trade Deng for him and they will take if both parties are interested. Beside it common sense, how do you guys think the Celtic got KG 2 year ago back? by just giving up 1 player??? NOPE!!! People please do your research! especially Trm3 dumb ass that does not know anything about B-ball he is more of a baseball-football fan then basketball. lol jk…..
34. Rudy Gay
If you’re my best perimeter guy and can’t make 3s, then you better be dropping 24-26 a night easy, and he can’t do it. He’s headed for Iguodala/Deng/Granger territory — someone who gets paid like a franchise player but isn’t one (a recipe for NBA disaster). If I’m a Knicks fan, my Summer of 2010 Worst-Case Scenario is Amar’e and Rudy. That’s taking me to a 6-seed every spring.
(You know what’s really sad? Every Knicks fan just said, “A 6-seed every spring? I’ll take it!”)
This is Bill Simmons wrapping up your boy Gay in a nutshell. You do know he averaged 1 assist a game right DJ? Plus we don’t have to trade anyone for Lebron! He’s a Free Agent! The trades would be to make space for another Max free agent, if we would even need one after that.
And Max, tell me this mister smart guy, what makes you think Cleveland will let him just walk out that door without them getting nothing in return??? Most GMs are not that stupid to let go of a top star level player for nothing. If he does leave, they will make him do a sign and trade deal for sure.
Tell me this Max mister know it all, did KG when he left the T-wolves as a free-agent did he just walk away and let the T-wolves with no players to replace him? No he did not b-cuz he was a top Star player! Just made my point again. This is Rudy Gay-David Lee wrapping up on your boy Lebron. face ass lol
The Cavs can’t make him do anything! He’s a unrestricted Free Agent. KG was under contract when he got traded. The final year of his ontract. Your points make no sense? Do you know how Free Agency works? Lebron can walk away and go anywhere and leave the Cavs with nothing. They can’t demand anything. The sign and trade only works if Lebron wants the Max money Cleveland can offer him and tells the Cavs to take whatever is offered or he walks and they get nothing. Gay however is a Restricted Free agent meaning the grizzlies have the right to match any offer that is made to him. David Lee is as well. So if you want both of those guys you either overpay or trade for them. You made it seem like you knew all this. I see now that your a copy and paste stat guy.
1st of all knowing Lebron James, if he does plan to leave Cleveland like you say he does (which I highly doubt it) he will ask for a sign and trade deal so he can get more money from the other team it common sense. What player in NBA does not want to make big bucks with a long contract? especially how F-up the economy is.
Another thing, your right about Rudy Gay being a Restricted Free agent but, I am not saying we should try to steal him away from Memphis. I keep saying if you read my comment to: TRADE DENG FOR GAY! that way Memphis gets back another SF to replace him.
Another thing, you are wrong about David Lee being a Restricted Free agent. He is a unrestricted free agent check it out online and do your research like I keep telling! (just made my point again)
like I keep telling you kid*
You have no idea what your talking about stat boy…..Don’t back pedal on your stupid ass comments you made before. You had no idea how Free Agency worked until I broke it down for you. Enough with the kid shit already. Are you even older than me? Why would the Grizzlies want Deng? His contract is bigger than Gays so if they are trying to shed cap space that deal would never get done. Once again here I go explaining the business of the NBA to you again…..If I am wrong about David Lee then so be it. I’ll make you a deal, when Lebron signs here I’ll give you my seats to watch them play the grizzlies because I know how much you like Rudy Gay and that will be the only way to see him play at the United Center!!
hahaha dude please stop making me laugh kid keep dreaming! if anything I am teach you about cap space. For example now your just asking for Lebron James.
Before you wanted Wade, Bosh, Lebron with other top players. Until I kept saying IF THE BULLS GET RUDY AND LEE THEY WILL COME OUT CHEAPER THEN STAR PLAYERS.
And just like you have your hopes on LB. I also see a lot of hope in a trade for Rudy Gay in exchange for Deng. Either way Memphis has to give Rudy Gay his big long contract so they have no choice if they plan on keeping him. That being said the number will match up perfectly if they do the trade.
them in the summer
First off son I never said anything about a dream team of All-Stars. You put words in my mouth when you were beating your chest about how much you know and how great your knowledge is. Secondly you really don’t know how business works. The Grizzlies being a small Market team don’t want to keep Rudy Gay because they don’t want to take on his contract long term. They are cutting payroll they see more value in other players than him. (That should be your first hint of his lack of greatness) So that being said they will not sign him to a large contract to trade it for another large contract. Are you following or should I start over? Plus if Rudy Gay is so Great why would they trade him for a lesser player in your eyes like Deng? Oh by the way in that Lebron video you tried to post, the “team” he was talking about was his agent and advisers not the actual Cavs team. It’s funny how everyone on the planet got that except for you…..He in no way acted like a guy that wanted to go back to the drawing board and see if they can win again. He might not come to Chicago but I think your one of the only ones that thinks he is staying in Cleveland.
Nope wrong again my friend, most ESPN reporters-former coaches, Bulls.com, yahoo.com and my other friends think he is staying in Cleveland for sure. So I am not the only 1, all I am doing is just pasting on the message to inform you dumb crazy people that he is not coming to Chicago.
Another Memphis is planning on re-signing Rudy Gay dumb ass read the article on espn, yahoo or nba.com smart guy. With the number he put up. And as for Deng, he also put up solid numbers this year to impress other teams like Memphis if he is one of the pieces they need to get better b-cuz of his high percent shooting and slashing to the basket.
Another thing*
Lots of reporter saying he is coming to the Bulls….Chad Ford, Chris Broussard, etc. Wilbon says New Jersey and so does Avery Johnson. What are you talking about??? Barry and Bill Simmons say the Bulls. You make no sense in any of your rants dude. Sonny Vaccaro who is a friend of Lebrons says there is no scenario where he sees him staying in Cleveland. He says the best basketball decision would be the Bulls. Cleveland beat writers are even saying they think he is gone. Once again you start talking out your ass and I put facts behind my points. Ric Bucher says the Bulls. I can keep going. So call me all the names you want but it doesn’t make you smart or give you any sense….and yet you call me kid!
Hahahaha! yall two are funny going back and forth. I dont really want lebron nor do I think he will come here… noone even considered that till 2 days ago and now everyone thinks that? ya right. I think plan A should be signing bosh and convincing him to be our number 2 to rose. He may be a lil soft but he can put up 20 and 10 and give us the low post present we have desperately been needing as well as stretch the floor and pick and role w rose. We dont need him to be tuff and do the dirty work cause we got noah and gibson off the bench to do that. In addition sign korver or another 3pt shooter to space the floor. Then draft either anderson or henry to develop as our future sg, both also have nba 3 range. Keep everything else.
pg- rose
sg-kirk(1st half while draft pick develops then move to 6th man)
sf-deng
pf-bosh
c-noah
bench:
anderson/henry(then move to starting after developing)
korver
gibson
miller(bring him back he is a good veteran mentor for our bigs)
This team could go small, big, shoot threes, run, score in paint, defend. Do everything. This is a contender next year and championship team for years to come. Also VERY realistic.
Where are you getting all this info out of you ass? Dude please stop making up facts and face the truth about LB staying in Cleveland. Most reports are all saying it! Some think he mate be a good fix with Chicago but, they keep saying their is a big IF on Rose And LB if they can work together. Like I keep telling from what I heard from Avery Johnson both of them like to control the basketball and that mate cause a problem to LB or Rose. As for my guy Rudy he just shot the ball.
your*