We can still talk Bulls, right? Yeah, why not. With the season freshly ended, we can now turn our full attention to the offseason ahead for our Bullies. After feeling very good about where this team was headed earlier in the season, the ending left a lot to be desired. Will we see most of the same team going forward, or will there be major changes? Let’s take a look ahead.
From everything we’ve heard, it certainly feels like AKME wants to have some continuity. Hard to imagine DD going anywhere, but when it comes to the 2nd best player on our roster, Zach Lavine represents the biggest question; he is an unrestricted free agent. Should he stay or should he go? I’ve been back and forth about this for what feels like years. Do I think Zach Lavine deserves a max contract? No. Do I think all of the players in the NBA deserve a max contract? Hell no. Nowadays, it’s just the price to play poker as they say. If Zach were to get the max contract, and the way I understand it, he can get more money here with us than anywhere else, he would be far from the worst player with a max contract. Although I don’t feel like he is that #1 star, he certainly is a very solid 2. Should the top 2 players on each team get a max deal? I think that’s where the NBA is right now. In that aspect, paying Zach his money should not bother you.
The other thing we need to consider, something that I always think about, is if not Zach, then who? If you want someone on your team gone, fine; who will replace him? Certainly cannot take a step backward… Are there other players that I’d rather have than Zach? Of course. Will we be able to snag any of them? Who knows. I still would rather have Jimmy Butler over Zach Lavine, if we want to go back to the trade that brought Zach here. I’ve always wanted to see Zach blossom into that #1 star. He has improved, yet, I just don’t think he’s that guy. He had his chance in the playoffs, his first appearance, to show us something; he didn’t. It wasn’t just his fault; how bad is his injury? That’s another back and forth topic…
I remember wondering why Derrick Rose, since he was medically cleared, didn’t play for us at the most important time of the year. I will say that for Zach; he was there for us. How bad is he hurt? Did that make all the difference in his performance down the stretch and in the postseason? Nobody really knows. I think we have to assume that it did. Because of this, I think he deserves a mulligan for his first playoff appearance; I think we need to see more of Zach in the postseason. I think if he stays here, and most of the same team returns, I think we will see the playoffs again next year. Question will remain: Will Zach as the #2 star our team mean NBA Finals? Again, it’s not just on him…
This concludes the first of our offseason Bulls’ discussions; much more to come. Zach staying or going will be the biggest thing that happens over the summer for the Bulls. I think about his agent… same guy that represents LeBron… and just feel slimy. Would he dare leave and team up with that over-age, washed up superstar? I think I just threw up in my mouth. There was stuff out there about him and Dejounte Murray in San Antonio; I like Murray and don’t mind the Spurs, but… really? Zach’s comments didn’t exactly make me feel warm and fuzzy, like him staying and signing here was a slam dunk. I do know that I still have a lot of trust in AKME. Looking back at the whole Vooch trade doesn’t make me feel as good as it once did, but in general, they’ve done really well. Any way you cut it, next year, just being over 500, just making the playoffs will not be good enough. We’ve taken the first step; we need to see progression. Let’s get there. Go Bulls!
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