The Chicago Bulls Refuse to Rebuild
By not trading Jimmy Butler, the Chicago Bulls have shown that they have no plans to tear it all down and start over from scratch.
The Boston Celtics offered the Chicago Bulls two possible top draft picks in 2017 and 2018 and last year’s 3rd overall pick Jaylen Brown for Jimmy Butler. Bulls’ General Manager Gar Forman said no. “We want Jae Crowder and Avery Bradley,” he said. “Veterans.”
Even though Marc Stein and Woj both confirmed in the last 24 hours that Jae Crowder, or any core pieces for that matter were untouchable.
Even the pitch from the Hawks included multiple first rounders.
Yeah, right. Jimmy Butler is worth lottery picks as one of the best perimeter defenders in the league and has one of the best contracts in the league. Yes, one or both of those picks may have been protected. But, that’s beyond the point.
If he is somehow worth that amount, realize that Boston has an agenda here. How is that going to supplement Boston’s rebuild or playoff run, when Isaiah Thomas’ contract expires next year? Winning this year by trading for Butler (let alone trying to match up against Cleveland or Golden State) won’t be an option with a depleted core.
Then, Chicago dealt Taj Gibson and Doug McDermott (team leaders in true shooting percentage), along with another second rounder to the Oklahoma City Thunder for Cameron Payne and parts.
This gives the Thunder a potential long-range shooter next to Westbrook and an underrated big next to Kanter. There’s no reason McDermott can’t thrive in a new environment with one of the league’s best point guards who needs a shooter.
What does Chicago get? Another point guard project. To start in front of Denzel Valentine, their latest draftee they refuse to put on the floor.
Now, we get to see Butler with unreliable talent around him on a team that has now attempted to trade him twice. The Bulls receive absolutely no value for his services. And, the Bulls will pull out of the year hovering around .500, again.
What now? It’s clear the Bulls wanted to “build around” Butler. But even Forman said “we’re getting younger, more athletic…” after drafting Denzel Valentine. This franchise’s aim with its players is entirely unclear in the sense of player development and acquisitions.
When asked about the future of the team, President of Basketball Operations John Paxson said the Bulls are building “With Jimmy Butler, not around him.”
If Forman and Paxson do not get fired for this buffoonery sometime soon, Bulls fans will give up fandom for this team. Everyone is tired of the Reinsdorf family riding the revenue giant and not building a winner or a loser.
During the post-deadline press conference, Paxson himself said, “I’m not a quitter. I’m going to see this through.” He also believes his job and the entire front office’s jobs are safe. Well, that goes out the window in resignation or firing.
The fact that head coach Fred Hoiberg cannot decide what rotation to use night in and night out is just as frustrating. Guys like Valentine and Bobby Portis have barely touched the floor, and yet, Nikola Mirotic gets more minutes then both of them combined.
When asked on the state of Hoiberg’s job, Paxson again suggests job safety. “Fred is growing and evolving.”
Oh, really? It’s his second year in the NBA, and he still is indecisive with play-calls and rotation management. Some would even claim he doesn’t even have control over his own players. This head coach/front office disaster has made the thought of tearing it all down and starting over from scratch a legitimate option in many fans’ eyes.
Those draft picks and Brown would’ve at least jump-started a “retool” (sound familiar, White Sox fans?) that could’ve been built around three great draft picks in the next two years. (Which would’ve been four first-round picks if Sacramento didn’t trade Boogie away.)
It doesn’t even matter that Forman and Paxson can’t draft or evaluate talent very well. Those Nets picks could have been surefire number one picks!
Even if they choose an Anthony Bennett or Kwame Brown, there’s another pick to potentially capitalize on. Heck, even the former MVP Derrick Rose fell into the Bulls’ laps many moons and ACL tears ago.
Back to reality. Basketball purgatory sucks. This Bulls team will not change its ways. Until their record reaches rock bottom or fans stop buying jerseys and going to games, this will be the sad story of this franchise. Money talks, but team success apparently does not.
They’ll have Butler for at least one more year. This next year is the last shot Gar/Pax will have at building a winner.
Paxson said at the end of yesterday’s press conference that it’s a “false narrative” that the Bulls’ front office is not on the same page.
What’s that? Who would even suggest such a crazy idea? It’s not like you didn’t let Forman speak at the press conference you held.
Please, Sam Hinkie, come and save the Chicago Bulls! My guess is that this plea has fallen on deaf ears. And so will the pleas for the Bulls to tear this team down and rebuild.
