Don't believe the hype of LeBron James teaming with Dwyane Wade in Miami. Two alpha dogs one team doesn't work.
Do you remember July of 2000? Besides gearing up for a my first year at Illinois Drunk University, err I mean Illinois State University, I was all fired up for the Bulls big free agent chase. The team had won their 6th NBA championship just two years earlier, but had completely torn down their team to chase the likes of Tim Duncan, Tracy McGrady, Grant Hill and Eddie Jones. Former GM Jerry “Crumbs” Krause had the right plan in mind when he cleared the decks in the lockout season of ‘99 and went young for the 2000 season. It was, technically, the right plan. Krause’s vision at that time was that you have to get really bad to put yourself in position to get really good. After going to 8-10 games in that 17-65 ‘00 season, I was ready to see the Bulls become great again. Krause sat two rows in front of us at a March game against Toronto that year. Krause was there scouting McGrady. I was like a kid at Toys-R-Us that night. “Krause is here! We’re getting T-Mac” I told Jay D (my buddy from high school & long suffering Bulls fan). The thinking that spring was Duncan and Hill would end up in Orlando and McGrady and Eddie Jones would sign with the Bulls. I was fine with that. Then the fateful day at O’Hare happened.
Side Note: This was when a 21 year old McGrady was viewed as the next star wing player to go along with Kobe Bryant and Vince Carter. 2000 T-Mac was an absolute beast.
Krause met McGrady at the gate with Benny The Bull, The Luvabulls, The Blues Brothers singing “Sweet Home Chicago”, and a bunch of fans who were there to get their ugly mugs on television. It seemed cool at the time, but nothing could change the image problem the Bulls had throughout the league back then. McGrady enjoyed his two day visit to Chicago, but was welcomed back to Florida by the Magic who quickly signed him and Grant Hill. Edie Jones signed with Miami, and Duncan remained in San Antonio. You knew it was bad when Tim Thomas said thanks, but no thanks. The Bulls? Cover your eyes….Ron Mercer and Brad Miller. I was depressed for weeks. The Bulls were viewed throughout the league as callous for “breaking up” the dynasty (That’s wrong, but image is everything in the NBA).
The Bulls had the right plan, but they also possessed a weak roster (Elton Brand, Ron Artest, Marcus Fizer who sucked ass, and Jamal Crawford) which didn’t help their cause. As we approach free agency 2010, I can’t help but remember that hideous summer as a Bulls fan. Could it happen again? Absolutely. Anything can happen when egos and money are involved. Do I think it will happen again? No chance–not with the business like approach of John Paxson and Tom Thibodeau. In July 2004, the Bulls flew to, then, free agent Kobe Bryant’s house in California. The Bulls didn’t have cap room that summer, but nearly convinced Kobe to force a sign and trade to the Bulls. Kobe was impressed with the Bulls no nonsense approach, and how they kept the visit low key. Unlike the Knicks.
You knew I had to get a Knicks jab in there.
I can’t see the Bulls getting shutout as in 2000. Not with the best point guard in the league in Derrick Rose, and not with a solid potential all-star in the middle in Joakim Noah. Point guard and center are the two hardest positions to fill on a basketball team. The Bulls go into free agency with those spots filled with studs. The thought of Screamin’ A. Smith saying it’s a lock that LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh will sign with Miami is, as he would put it, “a basketball abomination.” This is what passes for reporting these days– throwing shit against a wall and hoping it sticks. You can have one alpha dog on a basketball team. Who would take the last shot on that team? How would LeBron feel about having the label of hitching himself to Wade’s coattail to a championship? How would Bosh like scoring 12-15 points a game as the 3rd wheel? Are you convinced this won’t happen? How about the fact Bosh has said he won’t play center. You know who Miami has locked into the center spot? Nobody. Unless they can bring back the immortal Joel Anthony. Give me a fucking break.
The Bulls ,as I’ve said, are in the best position of any of the teams with cap room. My uncle (Big Lou) is now convinced LeBron is headed to the Newark Nets. I know that he’s boys with Jay-Z and they are moving to Brooklyn in 2-3 years. However (Screamin A. voice), is The King going to play in Newark? No. Is he going to trust a new owner who wanted the guy who drafted Michael Jordan (Rod Thorn) to take a pay cut? No. The Bulls are the “IT” team of this free agency.
Some think the Bulls would like to pair Joe Johnson with LeBron James. That works for me. I'll take Teenwolf paired with LeBron. Just get The King to Chicago.
Who will the Bulls end up with? Everyone has a guess. I’m glad I’m going to a wedding this weekend and will be, somewhat, away from all of this madness. Most think the Bulls will target Chris Bosh at the start of free agency tonight and, hopefully, get a commitment from him before their Friday sit down with LeBron. Others have said that Joe Johnson is the Bulls preferred tag team partner for James. I don’t care either way. I’m good with both. Johnson would provide the space the floor shooter that the Bulls desperately need even if they get James. Bosh could be a nice pick and roll option for James and Rose and give the Bulls their best low post presence since…..since…..since…..Eddy Curry? What, did you think I was going to go Stacey King or Bill Cartwright on you?
Side Note: This just gave me a great idea. I think I’m going to plan a bad Bulls big men blog one of these days. You think I’m long winded normally, just wait until I can put together that list. I smell 3,600 words on Dalibor Bagaric, Aaron “The white Panther” Gray, Mark Randall, Michael Ruffin, Corie “I smoke a shit load of weed” Blount, Dickey Simpkins, Jason Caffey, and Dragon Tarlac.
The Bulls will come away with two solid players in the worst case scenario. I still think they will get LeBron and Bosh, or Lebron and Johnson. It makes too much sense for LeBron not to joing this team. If James leaves, he has to win big right away. Is he going to do that in New York with Tony Douglas passing him the rock? No chance in hell, as Vince McMahon would say. It’s why the rumors have been circulating for weeks. It’s why I believe the Bulls made the give away Kirk Hinrich trade. The Bulls would never give away Pax’s boy for nothing if they didn’t have some sort of notion that LeBron and, either Bosh or Johnson was coming with him. You don’t make those kind of moves on a whim. They know something.
Even though this situation reminds me of that fateful summer ten years ago, this time it’s a whole different story. The Bulls are on the top players radars because of Noah and that Rose guy, who by the way, is pretty good at basketball. The rebuilding efforts have been long, painful, and tortuous for Bulls fans. With two strokes of the pen, the Bulls could be back to playing in June and winning titles again. This isn’t July 1, 2000. This is a legit playoff team that two players away. It all starts tonight Bulls fans. Thankfully, Jerry Krause and the Blues Brothers won’t be at O’Hare making asses of themselves. If that were the case, I’d have post Vegas anxiety right now. I know one thing, I know I won’t have post July 2000 anxiety when this is said and done.
