Who is the Bulls future Power Forward ?

[MJ]

The Bulls have a lot of options, but they need to find the one that gives them the most flexibility going forward, allows them to keep their culture of ferocious, smart defense and smart, conservative offense, while not giving away too many pieces of their depth. 

For that reason, I think Kevin Love and Carmelo Anthony (Anthony is not a fit in Chicago at all and will cause us to lose Thibs within the year) are out of the question, unless either forces their way to Chicago (which is a possibility). 

For me, I think there is one player in the draft that could give us flexibility going forward, not cost us too much (in assets or money) and is the perfect Tom Thibedeau type of player.  That player is Aaron Gordon.

If the Lakers don't win the lottery, Gordon looks to be right around the 6-7 spot in the draft, and we could probably offer Taj and one of our later picks for Gordon straight up. 

If they amnesty Boozer and trade Taj, their cap number suddenly drops to around 40 million next year.  Add the cost of a lottery pick to the number and they are still working with around 20 million in money available. With a core of Rose (if healthy), Butler, Gordon (who is likely a much lighter version of Blake Griffin, only better defensively), Noah and 20 million, they could have a strong position to rebuild while competing next season. 

They could divvy money up over a few key role players (including Mirotic, who is not ready to start next year) while still positioning themselves for 2015 free agency.  Or, perhaps, if the Heat lose this year (and this is a stretch), they could hope that Lebron opts out and demands to go to the Bulls (who would be younger and far more competitive next to him than the Heat look to be next season). 

I think Gordon will be a more complete player than either Mirotic or Taj, and while he won't be as good as Love (probably ever), he fits the tough nose, aggressive, Thibs brand of basketball and would flourish next to Noah and Rose in the Bulls system.  He would improve our offense over both Boozer and Taj (not in year 1 but within 3 years) and our defense wouldnt' suffer that much from losing Taj (while it would improve over Boozer).  All of that would come in a player that will cost about 1/8th of Kevin Love over the next 4 years. 

If Rose can't ever be Rose again, the Bulls will end up in cap hell if they end up with either Carmelo or Love on their books alongside Rose's contract.  I wouldn't make a splash this year unless it's for Lebron (which again, is a very, very small chance). 

[madawg49]

Hey Bteam

[Ralph]

I don't get the love for taj Gibson he's 28 he's not getting younger and every player with a bald head seems to break down fast after 30 ( carter, billups, shaq, baron Davis must I keep going ?) there's just no way taj is the future of anything but hair loss treatment for men.  No country for baldies

[dabulls1]

MUCH rather have Randle or Vonleh if we are trading up to around 5ish (which isn't happening)

[MJ]

MUCH rather have Randle or Vonleh if we are trading up to around 5ish (which isn't happening)

I could see the value in Vonleh, and he might be the better stat stuffer, but if you narrow it down to fit with the Bulls, no one fits more with Thibs style than Aaron Gordon. In fact, the only player that fits more in this draft than Gordon is Jabari Parker (not that I'd pass on Wiggins, Embiid or Exum if they were available).  Next to Rose and Noah, Gordon would be the next great harasser on the Bulls to drive opponents crazy.  Think Kirelenko peskiness on defense with an actual ability to attack the basket in the pick and roll in ways Boozer would pull up for a jumper.  If he adds a jump shot then in the right system he'll be phenomenal.  Of course, if he goes to the wrong system and isn't challenged and doesn't compete, he could bust out just as easily. 

As for Randle, I wouldn't touch him with a ten foot pole.  He had a great chance of being the next Zach Randolph, I'm just not sure if it's the Memphis version or the New York version, and that's a huge difference for the team that lands him.

[Da_Madhouse]

Bulls rumored Deal for Love:

Bulls send: Taj, Dunn and Butler to Minny... Hinrich to Philly

Plus, Sac Pick, Cavs swap and multiple 1sts...

Philly sends : T. Wroten to Bulls

Minny sends: Love to Bulls and Martin to Philly

I'm hearing Minny wants Kyrie and Cavs keep trying to offer Wiggins, but Minny wants players that are proven not prospects.

[dabulls1]

That'd be a great trade for Chicago.

I've been hearing Taj, McBuckets, and Mirotic though.

[Da_Madhouse]

Well Forman said yesterday "Doug is in there long-term plans". And they promised Mirotic he wasn't part of a trade the day they signed him. Ideally, they would like to have Niko and Love at PF, and use Pau as back-up to Noah. After the dust settles they have hopes to get another free agent wing maybe Shawn Marion and a vet shooting guard. But they for see McDermotte as a starter caliber SF, and plan to developed him for the job. Lebron going to Cleveland put blood in the water, their all in to try to steal Love from him, or at worst cost him teammates maybe even Irving ...

Rose - Brooks
Wroten - Snell
Marion - McDermotte - Grant
Love - Mirotic -Blairstow
Noah - Gasol- Blairstow

That's what I see so far...

Sources:

http://chicago.cbslocal.com/2014/07/24/forman-mcdermott-a-fit-with-this-team-in-the-long-term/

http://probasketballtalk.nbcsports.com/2014/07/25/report-bulls-promised-not-to-trade-nikola-mirotic/

View Trade Proposal http://www1.realgm.com/tradechecker/saved_trade/6495815

[Fitz]

This makes little/no sense after signing Pau in free agency (only reason is to keep him away from Cleveland, which isn't a good enough reason to trade the farm for him). I think this is just Minnesota leaking this to drive up the price for Cleveland. LeBron wants Love, and LeBron gets what LeBron wants. Even if it costs them Wiggins.

If they want Jimmy and/or Taj, it really f*cks up the Bulls' defense (especially on the wing). If they trade Jimmy they are left with Snell as their best wing defender, and if they trade Taj then Noah is the only good defensive big man they will have left and he would be worked into the ground. Marion would likely cost more than the vet's min (though maybe he'd take it to play with the talent the Bulls would then have). Wroten is terrible...I would rather just start Snell in that case.

I would rather the Bulls stand pat. People fail to realize trading Wiggins et al. for Love would make Cleveland absolutely terrible on defense. His teams in Miami won with defense.

[Shawn Kemps Kids]

There's zero chance in hell Minnesota takes a deal without Mirotic and Dougy McB.

[Shawn Kemps Kids]

This makes little/no sense after signing Pau in free agency (only reason is to keep him away from Cleveland, which isn't a good enough reason to trade the farm for him). I think this is just Minnesota leaking this to drive up the price for Cleveland. LeBron wants Love, and LeBron gets what LeBron wants. Even if it costs them Wiggins.

If they want Jimmy and/or Taj, it really f*cks up the Bulls' defense (especially on the wing). If they trade Jimmy they are left with Snell as their best wing defender, and if they trade Taj then Noah is the only good defensive big man they will have left and he would be worked into the ground. Marion would likely cost more than the vet's min (though maybe he'd take it to play with the talent the Bulls would then have). Wroten is terrible...I would rather just start Snell in that case.

I would rather the Bulls stand pat. People fail to realize trading Wiggins et al. for Love would make Cleveland absolutely terrible on defense. His teams in Miami won with defense.

That and the bench would be TERRIBLE.

[RepeatTheThreepeat]

I don't get the love for taj Gibson he's 28 he's not getting younger and every player with a bald head seems to break down fast after 30 ( carter, billups, shaq, baron Davis must I keep going ?) there's just no way taj is the future of anything but hair loss treatment for men.  No country for baldies

Yeah man, Jordan, Shaq, Kareem, etc were shit once they hit 30.  

[Vision]

I think Mirotic could be our future power forward. These days stretch 4's are very valuable in the NBA, but just like McD he just needs to put on some muscle. I like taj Gibson a lot, I think besides Rose he's the second most well rounded player on the team in terms of both defense and offensively. So presently as far as I'm concerned he IS our power forward. I just think Mirotic has a higher ceiling especially being only 23 years old.

[Da_Madhouse]

I think Mirotic could be our future power forward. These days stretch 4's are very valuable in the NBA, but just like McD he just needs to put on some muscle. I like taj Gibson a lot, I think besides Rose he's the second most well rounded player on the team in terms of both defense and offensively. So presently as far as I'm concerned he IS our power forward. I just think Mirotic has a higher ceiling especially being only 23 years old.

I couldn't agree with you more. They have invested a lot of time and patience into Niko. And I agree they see a stretch four as a second scoring option to Rose. With the kinda money being rumored the Cavs are willing to give K.Love, I see Niko as next best thing for the Bulls and at a far lower salary.