Four Years, Two Teams?

It may be to the point where these teams have faced each other so often that it is now considered a war by international law, but odds have it that the Warriors and Cavaliers will play each other in the NBA Finals once again. The argument remains as to whether or not the dominance of these two teams is good for the NBA, but anyway you put it this is the outcome for the 2017 season and maybe even a couple more years down the road. Buckle up NBA fans, this one may be a long ride. On another note the question remains, can anyone challenge either of these teams? No. At least not this year, and it is hard to see a new team emerging if both superpowers stay together this off-season.

Moves, Moves, and more Moves

There was a major shopping spree on players this off-season, as this it was one of the most active and exciting off-season’s that NBA fans have seen in a long time. Big names all seemed to move to and throughout the western conference. So much that it sparked the league to change the format of the All-Star game so that the West would not be so lopsided. One team in each conference stood out to me, as well as many other people, in making the most enticing moves this off-season.

In the east it was clearly the Celtics who had the best additions to their team. Adding Gordon Hayward through free agency and trading for Kyrie Irving were two great moves that helped the team get a lot younger and have a true identity to go along with the youth of their bench. There is still the aging Al Horford who does not fit the long-term plans of the team, but for right now he is good veteran help. This team is not going to stun the Cavaliers and take the eastern conference championship, but they should at least make the east finals competitive. The Celtics will be a force in the eastern conference for years to come, whether or not they do anything depends on the future of the Cavaliers roster.

As for the west the most intriguing team this off-season was the Oklahoma City Thunder with the additions of Paul George and Carmelo Anthony. The fact that both of these trades were pulled off is incredible, especially considering that Sam Presti technically flipped Serge Ibaka (traded to Magic for Victor Oladipo and Domantas Sabonis) for Paul George (Traded to Thunder for Victor Oladipo and Domantas Sabonis). This team now has a very interesting dynamic, as they have 3 guys that love to operate with the ball in their hands. Will they figure out a way to make it work? Yeah, I think they do but I do not think they reach a level that is higher for the Warriors. Sorry Thunder fans.

Lastly, some quick hitters regarding the rest of NBA and free agency moves. In the East everyone seemed to get worse and is entering rebuilding stages as the Bulls, Pacers, Hawks, and Knicks all traded away key pieces to get younger assets. All those stars migrated to the West where there were shuffles on most of the rosters. The Rockets propelled themselves into the top of the conference even further with the addition of Chris Paul. The Timberwolves made a big acquisition in getting Jimmy Butler, a move that they hope will help them in the long run as they have an extremely young roster. Lastly the Nuggets and Clippers both made additions that will likely keep them on the edge of the playoffs, but will not amount to major success in the West.

Graduating Class of 2017

Just about every team not mentioned above decided that it was a good move to invest in the draft, and it looks like the draft class is not going to disappoint. While it seems like the draft prospects have always busted in recent years, the rookies this year seem to be of a different breed. Going into the draft there were talks that this could be the best class since 2003, and from the little film we have seen in the summer league and preseason this looks more than formidable.

The number one overall pick by the 76ers Markelle Fultz not only looks like a stud, but so do his teammates around him. This is a team that has the potential to be really good in years to come if all of their young players tend to pan out how they should. While this pick was a no brainer for the 76ers, he is a perfect fit for their team as he provides the outside shooting needed to spread the floor.

The second overall pick went to the Los Angeles Lakers and they selected Lonzo Ball, as I am sure everyone on the planet knows by this point. Put his dad and all the drama aside and consensus has it that this kid is going to be a star. The pieces around him seem to be in place, but it is just a matter of how everyone progresses in the coming years. The interesting thing to follow with this roster is what happens next year in free agency, as the Lakers have a lot of money to spend and a lot of big name free agents should be available.

Some other noticeable draft picks were Jayson Tatum to the Celtics at three, Josh Jackson to the Suns at four, De’Aaron Fox to the Kings at five, and Dennis Smith Jr. to the Mavericks at nine. All of these players have potential to shine almost immediately in the league, and could very well be superstars in the making. Tatum is in a very interesting scenario as he is going to develop on a team that will likely get a lot of playoff success and experience. Jackson is on a young, but extremely talented team as he prepares to pair up with Devin Booker for years to come. Fox and Smith will not have any enticing prospects around them, but both are extremely explosive and quick players at the point guard position and should have long careers ahead of them.

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        Considering the hype this team had going into the season, for many Bulls fans, this is a disappointment. Personally, I am not as shocked as many people are; when the Bulls went all out and signed a washed up Dwayne Wade and an injury riddled Rondo, I knew the best the Bulls could expect for the next two years was maybe a 5th seed. But the season has been worse than expected, between being a game below .500 and constant drama between the players, the season seems to be on the downward spiral toward a second straight year without a playoff berth and without a top 10 draft pick.

        In basketball, nothing is gained from mediocrity, picks 15-30 even in the first round usually don’t provide that big an impact in the NBA. If the Bulls want to be a successful franchise again, they need to push the reset button, and yes, that includes Jimmy Butler.

        For many Bull fans, this idea seems crazy. Jimmy Butler is the future! Why would you trade someone who could be a superstar in this league? While it’s true Jimmy Butler has super star potential, I don’t believe he has leadership potential. He has stated in an interview that he likes controversy in a locker room. That kind of thought process is unacceptable for the face of a franchise. A leader is supposed to unite and rally a locker room, not tear it apart.

        Another reason to trade Butler is the return the Bulls could possibly get from him. If the Bulls moved him this year, one of the most realistic landing spots for him would be Boston, a place that has a plethora of draft picks and assets to give the Bulls in return. Right now, the Boston Celtics, who are currently the second seed in the East, hold the Brooklyn Nets’ 2017 1st round pick; the Nets have the worst record in the NBA and will probably get the first pick in the upcoming draft. The Celtics could possibly trade that to the Bulls along with other draft picks to the Bulls for Butler, possibly giving the Bulls the first pick in what is supposed to be a very good draft class.

        I think the Bulls would also do well to get rid of Rondo and Hoiberg. Rondo has made it clear that he wants out of Chicago, and Hoiberg has potential to be a good coach somewhere else, but it’s clear it hasn’t worked in Chicago. I think the Bulls should keep Wade as after this year he only has one more left on his contract, and he could be a good mentor to the young incoming players. A few years ago, the Bulls were legit championship contenders and had the youngest MVP in league history on their team. Six years later, they’re struggling to maintain a playoff spot.  Chicago Bull fans and their front office need to understand their window to win a championship is over and it’s time to start the long, arduous, rebuilding process

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The Bulls are Barrymore, a team that has no identity and has to constantly be reminded by Adam Sandler, or in this case head coach Tom Thibodeau, of who they are: a title contender.

Up to this point however, coach Thibs hasn’t been as successful as he’d like to be. In the past the Bulls have been the hard-nosed defensive team that wore teams down and fought until the end.

That killer instinct has faded many times this season as they are giving up 99.1 points to opponents and the only consistency we’ve seen from them as a unit is their inconsistency. One night they’re beating the feared Golden State Warriors on the road in double overtime and the next they’re falling apart against a lowly, Kobe-less Lakers squad.

Some may argue it’s the injuries as the Bulls have gone through stints, some short some long, missing guys like Joakim Noah, Taj Gibson, Mike Dunleavy, Jimmy Butler and the list goes on. In fact, they’ve only had their starting five together for 20 games this season.

Yet, even when healthy the Bulls seem to lack the killer instinct and toughness that had propelled them through playoff runs as underdogs in the past. Nazr Mohammed disagrees however and thinks grittiness is still there, “We got us a dog. We got us a couple of dogs…There’s nothing in particular that we need. It’s more of us not having focus and desperation, along with the understanding of what it really takes to win a championship.”

We have seen Tony Snell step up as of late and Derrick Rose continues to show more and more flashes of his glory days. Noah has been on the ups and Pau Gasol continues to have what may be the best year of his career. First time all-star Jimmy Butler has been a treat to watch besides a slump in January and Aaron Brooks is the latest piece of evidence that proves any decent point guard can succeed in Thibs’ system.

So fine, maybe they do have some “dogs” but what’s scary is that Mohammed mentioned the Bulls not having focus. With only 28 games left in the season the Bulls must get focused immediately if they’re serious about bringing a title back to the Windy City.

Finishing the first half on a four game winning streak with a huge win against division rival Cleveland, who had stolen the first two of the season series prior to that Bulls 113-98 victory, was a very necessary step in the right direction.

Now well rested after the all-star break and seemingly healthy the Bulls will have to put it all together in the final months. They start the last stretch on Friday at Detroit before heading home for a big seven game home stand.

The pieces are in place to succeed. If they really want this all they need to do is focus.

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Whether it’s the fact that he’s played a total of 54 games out of a possible 242 games since the start of the 2011-12 season, him making questionable comments about sitting out so he won’t be walking with a limp at his son’s graduation or the fact that he doesn’t recruit top players to join the Bulls.  But the fact still remains, if the Chicago Bulls want any chance at a championship, they need Derrick Rose to be healthy when it really matters, in the playoffs.

Rose hasn’t played in the postseason since his MVP season in 2010-11, aside from Game 1 against Philadelphia when he tore his ACL), and as a result the Bulls have won 1 playoff series in that span.  That is why the Bulls and Rose are being smart by holding Rose out of games unless he is completely healthy so far this season.

After two knee surgeries, a sprained ankle, and now a hamstring injury, Rose needs to get all the rest he can to limit the risk of him going out with yet another serious injury and missing the biggest games of the season for the Bulls.  Rose has played in 5 of 13 games so far this season, and has missed time with ankle sprains, and recently an aggravated hamstring.  The added rest that he’s getting now may even help him be more fresh than many other players in the Playoffs.

Now, that’s not to say it isn’t annoying as a fan.  I will admit, watching the Bulls with Derrick Rose in the lineup is much more entertaining than watching a team with Kirk Hinrich running the point.  I myself have not watched a couple of the games with Rose on the sideline because they aren’t as exciting.  Maybe that makes me a bad fan, but let’s all admit that without Rose, the Bulls are a pretty boring team filled with mostly a high effort, scrappy group of players.

But Rose makes them a watchable product, he adds to their offense in ways that few players can.  Not only does he score around 20 points a night, he opens up the floor to get guys like Pau Gasol, Jimmy Butler, and Taj Gibson more open looks.  I’m sure I can speak for most Bulls fans when I say that seeing Derrick limp off the court last Thursday in Toronto produced eerie flashbacks to last year’s game in Portland or Game 1 of the 2012 playoff series against Philadelphia.  At least this time Rose escaped with a minor hamstring injury.

Now the other argument here is that Rose hasn’t shown that he has been able to handle the rigors of an NBA season since his MVP season.  Many proponents of this argument will point to the fact that the year he tore his ACL, he never was consistently in the lineup, playing in only 39 of a possible 66 games.  He then missed the entire 2012-13 season, and played in 10 of the first 11 games last season before injuring his knee, causing him to miss the final 71 games.

This year, he has only played in 5 of 13 games so far, and has not been able to finish 2 games in a row yet, which is concerning.  However I believe, perhaps wrongly so, that Rose has matured and learned from previous experiences.  It’s safe to say that even last year he probably would’ve tried to play through his sprained ankle that caused him to miss four games and perhaps would have played in last night’s game in Sacramento, but he has learned that not every game matters (contrary to what his coach believes), and that he needs to save himself for the postseason.

Bulls fans are probably tired of hearing “will he/won’t he?” regarding Derrick Rose’s injury status prior to a game, but as a Bulls fan, it’s much better to be talking about this now than in the playoffs.  Without Derrick Rose the Bulls are still a playoff team, but with Derrick Rose the Bulls are a legitimate championship contender, and the Bulls are being smart by holding him out in November so they can (hopefully) have him healthy in April.

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With a little more than half of the NBA season in the books, we are already seeing talks about where Carmelo Anthony will play next season. As we already know, he will most likely test the free agent market. Now, it just a matter of where will he go. It’s been speculated that Anthony might actually stay in New York with the Knicks, or he might go to Los Angeles and team up with Kobe and the Lakers, or even find his way to Chicago and team up with Derrick Rose and the Bulls.

We could see Anthony stating the time is right for his departure from the Big Apple. He will not win an NBA Championship in a New York Knicks uniform, given the team’s supporting cast, injuries, and current state.

If he were to leave New York, the best fit for Carmelo would be going to the Chicago Bulls. Some might say that it would be the Lakers because he and Kobe would be a highly dynamic offensive duo. But in Chicago it would be him and Rose and a lot of young and upcoming future all-stars like Jimmy Butler, and you still would have all-star center Joakim Noah.

Until the offseason, this is all just talk. And with how weak the Eastern Conference is this season, the Knicks are still well alive in the NBA playoffs hunt.

The NBA zeason is halfway done and it is only heating up. It is going to be a great end to this season.

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