There
has been a lot of chatter about the Nets chances to unseat the Heat in the east
(in my opinion it is more likely that Kwame Brown wins the MVP award). While
this is understandable given their array of off
season maneuvers and acquisitions, the Nets are out of
championship contention, barring anything insane happening, for the next 4 to 5
years. Some people are also wondering about the Bulls chances of making another
run at a title when D-Rose comes back from injury either late this season or
early next season. Unfortunately the Bulls too, are out of luck,
although only for the next 2 to 4 years. The reason both of these teams are out
of contention is that both of them have far too much money allocated to
players, that while good, are not great, which dooms both teams to spend the
next couple of years fighting for the right to be beat by the Miami Heat.
The Bulls have Derrick Rose taking up a substantial amount of their cap space, which is completely reasonable, the problem lies in how they spent the rest of their money. The Bulls have spent almost the entirety of the remainder of their cap space for the next 2-3 years on a front court of; Luol Deng, Joakim Noah, and Carlos Boozer, which while talented, is not exactly causing the rest of the leagues contenders to turn green from jealousy.
The Nets on the other hand, are spending a barrel of money on Joe Johnson ( he makes more than anyone on the Heat, which is just insane), Kris Humphries-Kardashian, Brooke Lopez, and Gerald Wallace to support their point-guard Deron Williams. Again like the Bulls, this is a solid lineup, but not exactly leaving the other contenderss aghast at the thought of having to play them. The reason the other contenders (namely the Heat, and out west the Thunder) are better teams, is that they surrounded their best players with guys like Russel Westbrook, Dwayne Wade, and Chris Bosh. They went out and paid for a second or third guy that keeps coaches and opposing fans up at night. And they still had room leftover for guys like; James Harden, Serge Ibaka, and Ray Allen. Would you rather have Deng, Noah, and Boozer or D-Wade and Bosh? Joe Johnson, Kris Humphries-Kardashian,Gerald-Wallace and Brooke Lopez or Russel Westbrook, James Hard, and Serge Ibaka? The Heat and the Thunder got their players different ways, the Heat cleared cap space and brought them in via free agency and the Thunder sucked for a few years and drafted them. Either way works, but they have a star player backed up by another star or two and some great other pieces. The Bulls and the Nets have a great player backed up by some really good players. The edge clearly goes to the Heat and the Thunder, and will until the Bulls or the Nets can clear some cap space for a run at another star.
The Bulls got to this point by over-paying Deng (whom I like as a player to be clear), falling ass-backwards into Derrick Rose, way overpaying Noah (whose contract I think is worse than Boozers), and then overpaying Boozer. The Nets got here by thinking Deron Williams was going to leave, and then throwing money at anyone they thought was good enough to convince him otherwise. I do not know what the Nets alternative was besides being worse than the Bobcats, but the Bulls need to learn that in the end, the team better served by keeping their powder for legitimate stars than by overpaying a bunch of good players and assuring themselves second place.
The Bulls best option would be to amnesty Noah (only because his contract is the longest of the overpaid guys), and then try and trade Boozer and Deng or let their contracts expire and make a run at the next available superstar in free agency or try and trade for one. D-Rose needs a running-mate whose name can reasonably be mentioned in the same sentence as Wade and/or Bosh. Food for thought: Kevin Love has an opt-out clause the same season that Boozers contract comes off the books, and if the Bulls were to amnesty Noah, and let Deng walk or resign him for less in two years, they could would certainly have the cap space. The Bulls also have the glimmer of hope of that possible unprotected 2016 Charlotte pick, and nothing is better than a unprotected Charlotte pick come draft day.
The Bulls have Derrick Rose taking up a substantial amount of their cap space, which is completely reasonable, the problem lies in how they spent the rest of their money. The Bulls have spent almost the entirety of the remainder of their cap space for the next 2-3 years on a front court of; Luol Deng, Joakim Noah, and Carlos Boozer, which while talented, is not exactly causing the rest of the leagues contenders to turn green from jealousy.
The Nets on the other hand, are spending a barrel of money on Joe Johnson ( he makes more than anyone on the Heat, which is just insane), Kris Humphries-Kardashian, Brooke Lopez, and Gerald Wallace to support their point-guard Deron Williams. Again like the Bulls, this is a solid lineup, but not exactly leaving the other contenderss aghast at the thought of having to play them. The reason the other contenders (namely the Heat, and out west the Thunder) are better teams, is that they surrounded their best players with guys like Russel Westbrook, Dwayne Wade, and Chris Bosh. They went out and paid for a second or third guy that keeps coaches and opposing fans up at night. And they still had room leftover for guys like; James Harden, Serge Ibaka, and Ray Allen. Would you rather have Deng, Noah, and Boozer or D-Wade and Bosh? Joe Johnson, Kris Humphries-Kardashian,Gerald-Wallace and Brooke Lopez or Russel Westbrook, James Hard, and Serge Ibaka? The Heat and the Thunder got their players different ways, the Heat cleared cap space and brought them in via free agency and the Thunder sucked for a few years and drafted them. Either way works, but they have a star player backed up by another star or two and some great other pieces. The Bulls and the Nets have a great player backed up by some really good players. The edge clearly goes to the Heat and the Thunder, and will until the Bulls or the Nets can clear some cap space for a run at another star.
The Bulls got to this point by over-paying Deng (whom I like as a player to be clear), falling ass-backwards into Derrick Rose, way overpaying Noah (whose contract I think is worse than Boozers), and then overpaying Boozer. The Nets got here by thinking Deron Williams was going to leave, and then throwing money at anyone they thought was good enough to convince him otherwise. I do not know what the Nets alternative was besides being worse than the Bobcats, but the Bulls need to learn that in the end, the team better served by keeping their powder for legitimate stars than by overpaying a bunch of good players and assuring themselves second place.
The Bulls best option would be to amnesty Noah (only because his contract is the longest of the overpaid guys), and then try and trade Boozer and Deng or let their contracts expire and make a run at the next available superstar in free agency or try and trade for one. D-Rose needs a running-mate whose name can reasonably be mentioned in the same sentence as Wade and/or Bosh. Food for thought: Kevin Love has an opt-out clause the same season that Boozers contract comes off the books, and if the Bulls were to amnesty Noah, and let Deng walk or resign him for less in two years, they could would certainly have the cap space. The Bulls also have the glimmer of hope of that possible unprotected 2016 Charlotte pick, and nothing is better than a unprotected Charlotte pick come draft day.
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