I agree with this as far as Chris Bosh being the best "fit" alongside Dwight because he can D it up and he can sub at the 5 allowing us to go with a 3rd big that is just a shooter. However, there is an alternative to this that could be just as attractive. Firstly if we are going to have to pay Bosh $20+ million starting next season and Love is set to earn $15.7 million next season, that's a difference of almost $5 million. If you have Love and Dwight you still need a 3rd big that can D it up for you and help dominate the boards. Keep in mind that third big would only need to play around 20 minutes a game max as we would be going small sometimes. And also keep in mind that Love is actually a decent post-up defender. He's not a high-flyer obviously. But if you get him anchored down in the paint he's actually pretty good. He would be fine at the 5 playing against the 2nd units of other teams. That leaves you needed basically an athletic shot-blocking, ground-covering 4/5 to play alongside Love for a few minutes when Dwight sits or just a plain 5 that can anchor the paint when Dwight sits leaving Love at the 4. Well, the plain-Jane big 5 that can anchor the paint....can be found...for around $5 million (or less). Possible targets for a $5 million (or less) salary: KHump Biyombo (trade including a guy like DMo or Jones) Brendan Haywood Jordan Hill (I really like him in a backup center role for around $3 million) Chris Kaman Chris Andersen (LOL, give him $3 million and watch Miami squirm) Greg Stiemsma Aaron Gray Andres Biedrins (minimum salary) Jason Thompson (makes $6 million, could get him as a throw-in in trade with Love, Sac wants to get rid of him, Love and Jason Thompson is the same money as Bosh, and Sac needs a point guard - Lin, California, etc.) Chuck Hayes (not a perfect fit next to Dwight and Love because of his lack of length but you all know what he can do defensively. he's still good.)
Don't think Melo comes here. Bulls are a better fit. Rockets should focus on getting a better PG and strengthening the bench.
Add Melo to Dwight and Harden and we are in the WCF. Who are you going to double? Harden would be the PG in this scenario and I would love to see harden and Melo run their version of the 1-2 PnR on top of the key.
Parsons = regressing D Harden = almost nonexistent D TJ = horrid individual D Melo = below average D Wow if this goes through our defensive rating may actually be worse then previous years, but maybe we can score 150ppg to make up for it. Or just maybe D12 and Bev can guard all 5 positions...
I don't know - not sure he would be willing to be one of three rather than THE guy..... Not sold on him at all. DD
If you're Melo and you want to play with other stars is Chicago really the right place? DRose has been hurt the past 2 seasons, and we can all say it won't happen again but its more susceptible to happening again since it's happened before. I think he would salivate at the opportunity to play with Dwight and James even if it meant less money and 3-5 less shots per game. Keep in mind, Melo didn't complain at all when JR Smith was busy chucking each and every night.
Not sure if this article has been posted already: http://www.basketballinsiders.com/nba-sunday-noah-recruiting-anthony-to-bulls/ "According to the Sun-Times article, Noah doesn’t want to see the Bulls part ways with Taj Gibson in order to land Anthony, as Gibson emerged as a significant contributor for Chicago this past season and will slide into the starting lineup to replace Boozer. Gibson is locked up for the next three seasons, on a very reasonable contract that will pay him just $8 million next season." If Noah does not want to lose Gibson if it means obtaining Melo, would that make us the frontrunners? The Bulls can amnesty Boozer ($16.8 mil) and unload Dunleavy ($3.3 mil) without taking back salary, which would free up around $20 million to offer Melo. I believe Melo's max salary would start at just over $22 million, so it would not be that bad of a paycut. To offer him the full max, they would need to trade Gibson ($8 mil) without taking salary back. As noted though, Noah does not want Melo at the expense of losing Gibson. Capologists, please correct me if I've stated anything wrong.
Agreed. I know Love is a long shot and anything can happen before the end of next season. No way we can afford another year being mediocre, can't waste Dwight's prime like you said. It's going to be tough. Will need some kind of miracle to pull a big one off. Fingers crossed.
Get lowry at PG, upgrade the PF position by packaging Tjones with Dmo and a combo of Lin, Bev, and 1sts, keep Asik, groom the Viper snipers. Dwight/Asik New PF/Parsons/Asik Parsons/Covington Harden/Daniels/Covington Lowry/Canaan New PF is a big mystery but I really think we can low-ball it and get someone like Mbah a Moute and make him work on his 3s. He's an excellent defender, and a buy low kind of guy. Our team dynamic would be excellent in pick & roll defense, 3pt shooting, and would have reliable 3rd/4th options offensively. Plus, we'd be younger and more athletic.
Isn't that sort of a self fulfilling prophecy though? If you're right, he wouldn't sign here, if he does sign then you're wrong.
Kevin Love wouldn't re-sign for Phoenix, lol, they're where we were with Dwight Howard in 2012, except they actually have a player they won't trade. I mean sure, Philadelphia could trump us all, and so could Orlando, but what's the point?
if the cap goes to the rumored $63.2 million and Chicago amnesties Boozer and trades Dunleavy away for nothing and trades their first round draft pick away leaving the bulls with a roster of: Rose Noah Gibson Snell Butler then they will have $16.77 million to offer Melo without getting rid of Taj Gibson. If they get rid of Snell too, they can offer Melo $17.736 million starting salary.
The easier way for the Bulls to acquire Melo would be through sign-and-trade if the Knicks would be willing to do that. I don't know if they would. But perhaps if Melo told the Knicks he was willing to walk to the Lakers for nothing then he might get Phil to cooperate on a sign-and-trade. It would have to be something like this. Boozer plus Eric Murphy for Melo straight up with Melo re-signed to a maximum salary . And then Bulls first rounder, Dunleavy, Snell, Murphy, rights to Mirotic for J.R. Smith and Raymond Felton. This type of deal clears out the Knicks bad salaries leaving them with all expiring salaries for 2014-15. They're gonna stink anyways with Melo gone. Might as well clear out the books and go to the lottery. They will only have Snell, Mirotic (signed to MLE), the Bulls first rounder, Tim Hardaway, Iman Shumpert, and their lottery pick on the books for 2015. That's essentially all rookie deals with Mirotic...a total of less than $20 million of salary cap. So plenty of room to add a pair of max free agents if they want to come. Not to mention the Knicks will have all those expiring contracts plus youngsters to convert into trade for next season. For the Bulls side they would be able to pull off Melo and stay over the cap and still have their MLE to use to add a substantial player or two to their core of Rose, Noah, Melo, Butler. That's a pretty nice core....if Rose is healthy.
