How good will Bulls be next year? Not a contender, that's for sure.

[Kane3387]

No flexibility in off season without major trade. No one will give much for boozer. Will they consider trading Noah?

Remember the time rose injury took place. That's a 12-18 month recovery normally and it will take him time to adjust. Think TA and Perk. Rose won't be back to start the season and might not play at all next year depending on how his rehab goes.

Also deng might need surgery on his wrist after the olympics which likely makes him out at the beginning of the season next year.

I think they are a playoff team in the east but they will definitely not contend next season.

For the record, Tony worked his butt off and managed to get back on the court in 8-9 months.

Just because he was on the court doesn't mean he was productive. He had no confidence on his leg. Same with perk. It took each longer then a full 82 game season plus playoffs before they were back both physically and MENTALLY.

I don't see him being able to carry a team the way is normally asked to next year.

[Kane3387]

Chicago's situation might provide even more incentive for Ainge to keep things together another season.

Was just thinking the same thing

Hope it does. Outside Miami no one in the east is for sure "better" then Boston presently.

[indeedproceed]

Chicago's situation might provide even more incentive for Ainge to keep things together another season.

Was just thinking the same thing

Hope it does. Outside Miami no one in the east is for sure "better" then Boston presently.

Yeah, but until we actually beat Miami in a playoff series, I think its pretty fair to say we're just their foil, not their peer. We're the hard-fought series they go to on the way to the Finals until we aren't, you know?

[BballTim]

On PTI today Wilbon was talking to Jackie MacMullan who was filling in for Kornheiser.

In talking about the Bulls Wilbon said they needed more offensive spark for next season.

Jackie's reply to him was a bit surprising as she said "Ray Allen coming your way baby" which of course Wilbon liked to hear.

Jackie Mac is a very well respected writer with more inside access to the Celtics than most anyone on the planet that is not directly affiliated to the organization.

Not saying this will happen but it was interesting to hear the comment.  If Ray doesn't retire and isn't brought back to Boston then Chicago could be a possible destination to finish his storied career.

In Chicago Ray would have a chance to start on a title contender.  He must also think he'd like playing for Thibs.  No more bruises to his fragile ego as in Boston.

  I wonder if Ray would be that effective in Chicago. The Celts devote a lot of effort to getting Ray looks, and Rondo's a better passer than Rose. Chicago gets their threes by teams leaving players alone to help with Rose. I don't see him getting as many looks on that team.

[indeedproceed]

On PTI today Wilbon was talking to Jackie MacMullan who was filling in for Kornheiser.

In talking about the Bulls Wilbon said they needed more offensive spark for next season.

Jackie's reply to him was a bit surprising as she said "Ray Allen coming your way baby" which of course Wilbon liked to hear.

Jackie Mac is a very well respected writer with more inside access to the Celtics than most anyone on the planet that is not directly affiliated to the organization.

Not saying this will happen but it was interesting to hear the comment.  If Ray doesn't retire and isn't brought back to Boston then Chicago could be a possible destination to finish his storied career.

In Chicago Ray would have a chance to start on a title contender.  He must also think he'd like playing for Thibs.  No more bruises to his fragile ego as in Boston.

  I wonder if Ray would be that effective in Chicago. The Celts devote a lot of effort to getting Ray looks, and Rondo's a better passer than Rose. Chicago gets their threes by teams leaving players alone to help with Rose. I don't see him getting as many looks on that team.

Also it bears mentioning that the dude is 36, to be 37. We aren't losing the Ray Allen who was so clutch in 08, we're losing the Ray Allen that Avery Bradley replaced as the starter in just his second season. If he's gotta go chase dollar bills and starters' minutes to be happy, that's fine, but its not the crippling loss it might've once been.

EDIT: Not that I don't love Ray, or don't want him here next season, just that if he does leave, we'll survive.

[Kane3387]

Chicago's situation might provide even more incentive for Ainge to keep things together another season.

Was just thinking the same thing

Hope it does. Outside Miami no one in the east is for sure "better" then Boston presently.

Yeah, but until we actually beat Miami in a playoff series, I think its pretty fair to say we're just their foil, not their peer. We're the hard-fought series they go to on the way to the Finals until we aren't, you know?

As usual I concur. However take into account the flexibility we have in the off season. Two picks. Opportunity to bring back ray and kg at a lower price and still have some cap space. Packaging cap space and a pick or two for a player. Sign and trades of ray and or bass. Certainly we won't do all of these things but my point is we have many different avenues to catch up to a team we may not be that far behind. All they have is the three mill mini mle. We have a 2.5 mill exception when we reach the cap on top of everything I listed.

I agree let's see where we measure up with a two armed rondo. Then based off that see if it's worth and realistic to go for it next year.

[Kane3387]

On PTI today Wilbon was talking to Jackie MacMullan who was filling in for Kornheiser.

In talking about the Bulls Wilbon said they needed more offensive spark for next season.

Jackie's reply to him was a bit surprising as she said "Ray Allen coming your way baby" which of course Wilbon liked to hear.

Jackie Mac is a very well respected writer with more inside access to the Celtics than most anyone on the planet that is not directly affiliated to the organization.

Not saying this will happen but it was interesting to hear the comment.  If Ray doesn't retire and isn't brought back to Boston then Chicago could be a possible destination to finish his storied career.

In Chicago Ray would have a chance to start on a title contender.  He must also think he'd like playing for Thibs.  No more bruises to his fragile ego as in Boston.

  I wonder if Ray would be that effective in Chicago. The Celts devote a lot of effort to getting Ray looks, and Rondo's a better passer than Rose. Chicago gets their threes by teams leaving players alone to help with Rose. I don't see him getting as many looks on that team.

Will ray take less money to go to Chicago if rose isn't going to be back at 100%? I doubt it. All they can give him is the mini mle. I don't see ray to chicgao as a viable option unless it's in a sign and trade for like rip hamilton, who would be on a one year deal at five mill.

[Lucky17]

Rose out until January 2013?

http://espn.go.com/chicago/nba/story/_/id/7934110/doctor-says-chicago-bulls-derrick-rose-8-12-months-acl-surgery

"We're at this point very optimistic. ... We think of recovery as the long process that's in stages. But the short answer is the time frame we believe an athlete of this caliber generally requires is about 8-12 months. Sometimes shorter, sometimes longer."

That means Rose is likely to miss at least the first two months of next season, or he could miss the entire season.