Alright! Branded and I have somewhat come to a consensus. Francis is a player worthy of being Brand's Co-Rookie of the year, and is possibly better. And, while the Bull's moves were questionable, it could all work out in the end. If it does, You will have a new dynasty to brag about. Two High-school big men, both talented, a good 1/2, and with a currently-horrible team, a chance to get one, possibly two top 5 draft picks in the next couple years. Not to mention decent cap space.
That's all well and good about Jordan and Phil Jackson, and I agree with the decision not to rebuild around Kukoc and Pippen, but instead of trading away everyone and freeing up cap space, you trade for younger superstars. Pippen and Kukoc were HOT commodities at the time. He could have gotten a young superstar or two to rebuild around. I don't think Krause is a bad GM, you can't win 6 rings without being a pretty good to great GM, but I just wonder if he has run his course. It is obvious that if you gut a team that people like Tim Duncan aren't going to be running to rebuilding projects, so why not trade for a superstar or two and rebuild around them. I know people say it isn't easy to get superstars, but when you have superstars of your own who teams are clamoring for, then it is easier. And Pippen definitely could have netted a superstar.
You know V...that rookie of the year award is way too broad an award. If you give it to the best performer new to the league, then I'd have to say Brand...slightly...by a handsbreadth. But if it's for the best new player to enter the league, then part of me think Wink deserved it. Thats hard to describe, but I think Francis showed himself a better player that year than Brand, he just didn't out perform Brand. That still doesn't explain what I'm trying to say fully... I think going back, we're going to rate them 1. Odom 2. (tie) Francis/Davis 3. Brand Decent cap space? Not unless we can move Mercer and Miller...we don't have enough even to sign Norris anymore, or he'd be a Bull by now.
Except Pippen said "I'm going to Houston. I'd like you to sign and trade me so I can get the max, but you've screwed me over so much that one more time won't matter if you won't." Reinsdorf and Jerry, in an obvious PR move, did it. They had lost him already. HE WAS AN UNRESTRICTED FREE AGENT. Krause never wanted it to come to this. He had a deal setup where he would trade Pip and others and end up with for Ron Mercer and Tracy McGrady during the 1997 draft. Jackson complained to the owner (yeah, make him the GM) and Reinsdorf nixed the deal. There went our young superstar. People laugh, but Mercer has put up nice numbers every year he's been in the league. With the kind of player we now know McGrady to be, they would have been a good duo and we wouldn't be where we are now. Kukoc...I don't know. If a true superstar were out there when he was moved, then I think Krause would have taken it. He held him a tad too long and his value went down. Part of me back when Kukoc was traded thought that we should have taken Larry Hughes instead of the number 7 draft pick...but I feel good about Crawford. If nothing else, he'll be a great PG for the two centers and thats the thing big men need most.
gettinbranded is right about the Pippen deal. Pippen was on his way out, and Chicago decided to do the classy thing in helping him to get where he wanted to go. I don't like Jerry Krause, but that was a nice farewell present.
