D-Wade: Run with the Bulls

[MUrugger]

More than half way through the season now and the top eight in the East might be separating themselves from the bottom eight.  Bulls are looking like a playoff team and may fight for the fifth seed before its over.

They've been clearing cap space forever now and look ready to make a strong run at home town boy Wade and might even have room for his buddy Bosh.  A group of Noah, Bosh and Gibson on the front line with Rose and Wade at the guards could make for a powerful run through the East for a number of years.

If they could keep 2 of 3 from Deng, Hinrich and Thomas, that team could make a championship run--or several.  Salmons and Miller look to be spare parts with expiring contracts that are likely to be packaged to help turn the dream of the first two paragraphs into a reality.

Rose and Noah in particular, along with Gibson and Deng as part of a solid core offer a potentially attractive home in a big time market $$$ for max contract free agents looking for a team that can win.  

[Jam Chowder]

I think Wade should take a pay-cut and come to the Bucks.

[TheDawson]

I highly doubt the Bulls will get Bosh and Wade...its probably one or the other.

Who would you rather have as a Bulls fan?...dont be biased

Rose is starting to take on the role as scorer and I think Bosh is a better fit.

Gibson isn't putting up many points, but he is rebounding a lot...he's kind of like a more coordinated Ben Wallace. Bosh as a starter and Gibson off the bench to give Noah or Bosh a rest would be great.

[The Lens]

Bosh is no idiot.  There's a very good chance he signs on whereever LeBron or Wade land. The Bulls have enough room.

Also a small chance the Heat could keep Wade & sign LeBron & Bosh.

[TallTitan34]

Come home Dwyane!

[willie warrior]

I think Wade should take a pay-cut and come to the Bucks.

He should take the cut and return to MU to complete his eligibility. Calipari could talk the NCAA into it for Wade. We could use Wade.

[GGGG]

I'll be honest with you.  I think the attractiveness of coming to the Bulls is a lot stronger amongst Bulls fans than it is amongst NBA free agents.  I don't think the role players you mention (Noah, Deng, Thomas (lol)) are really all that good.  The coach is a disaster.

I really would doubt that this will be successful.

[avid1010]

I highly doubt the Bulls will get Bosh and Wade...its probably one or the other.

Who would you rather have as a Bulls fan?...dont be biased

Rose is starting to take on the role as scorer and I think Bosh is a better fit.

Gibson isn't putting up many points, but he is rebounding a lot...he's kind of like a more coordinated Ben Wallace. Bosh as a starter and Gibson off the bench to give Noah or Bosh a rest would be great.

I can't give you an unbiased opinion, but I can tell you who the bulls would rather have....

[PuertoRicanNightmare]

I don't think the Bulls want Wade...at least I hope not. I love him, but as a Bulls fan I don't want them to sign him to a huge deal. That guy has more wear on his tires then anybody his age in the NBA. They need a front court scorer, not a guy who has trouble playing without the ball in his hands.

[dwaderoy2004]

I would agree completely.  both Wade and Rose need the ball in their hands to be successful, and they wouldn;t play off each other well because neither is a very good jump shooter.  Go get Bosh and Joe Johnson.

[g0lden3agle]

When is the trade deadline in the NBA?  I remember reading rumors about a possible Bynum-Bosh trade a week or so ago.  If that goes through, what reason would Bosh have to not just sign an extension with the Lakers?

[PuertoRicanNightmare]

When is the trade deadline in the NBA?  I remember reading rumors about a possible Bynum-Bosh trade a week or so ago.  If that goes through, what reason would Bosh have to not just sign an extension with the Lakers?

They can't afford him

[jmayer1]

They can't afford him

Why wouldn't they be able to afford him?  If he was traded to LA, the Lakers would be able to sign him to any type of deal they wanted (including the maximum) under the "Larry Bird exception" to the salary cap.  I don't think the Lakers will mind the luxury tax hit.

[AZWarrior]

He should take the cut and return to MU to complete his eligibility. Calipari could talk the NCAA into it for Wade. We could use Wade.

Look - its quite clear that we need help down low.  We don't need another guard.  Jeeze.

[HoopsMalone]

Rose and Wade have similar skill sets, but so did Pippen and Jordan.  I'd love to see Wade and Bosh in Chicago.

From an MU perspective, having him 90 miles away from campus means that he can probably get up there 2 or 3 times in the year.  This leads to more photo ops and random bump ins with recruits on official visits.

[tower912]

Rose and Wade have similar skill sets, but so did Pippen and Jordan.  I'd love to see Wade and Bosh in Chicago.

From an MU perspective, having him 90 miles away from campus means that he can probably get up there 2 or 3 times in the year.  This leads to more photo ops and "RANDOM" bump ins with recruits on official visits.

Fixed

[dwaderoy2004]

Rose and Wade have similar skill sets, but so did Pippen and Jordan.  I'd love to see Wade and Bosh in Chicago.

From an MU perspective, having him 90 miles away from campus means that he can probably get up there 2 or 3 times in the year.  This leads to more photo ops and random bump ins with recruits on official visits.

Yes an no.  Pippen was more of a slasher, whereas Jordan, especially later in his career was more of a jump shooter.  Regardless, the bulls at that time ran an offense that wanted similar skill sets in the triangle, where everyone can pass and shoot the jumper.  I don;t think Wade and Rose would be a disaster, but I think a more successful team would involve a guy like Joe Johnson who can shoot it and is more of a complementary star.

[KCmastapeace]

Now the NBA salary cap situation is a little confusing to most people so I'm going to try and clear it up.

The Salary Cap is set at $57.7 M this year. The Hard Cap is at just under 70M. Now teams are allowed to spend just $57.7M unless a player meets a certain exception which allows them to go over the Salary Cap. Once they go over the Hard Cap they pay a $1 tax for every $1 spent.

The exceptions to the Salary Cap go like this basically:
1) You can get one "average" player each year to sign for the league average, (mid-level exception
2) You can get a garbage player every other year for a million bux (bi annual exception)
3) the Bird exception, player must have played three years without moving or being waived, bird rights after three years are traded with him. Only allows teams to resign their own players not in the free agent market.
4) Early Bird exception, sign a current player after 2 years for 175% of his previous salary

The Bulls already have 37M committed to next season. They have room to go get Wade at the Max deal he would require and stay right around the soft cap. If they were able to trade for Bosh this season the could get him under the Bird Exception, but that would put them right at the Hard Cap, if not over. None of the other exceptions would apply.

The basic problem is the Bulls are overpaying for Luol Deng right now and for the foreseeable future. If they get Wade and Bosh, with Luol's salary, they would have no feasible way to afford Rose's contract extension when it came up.

So basically, pray for Wade or Bosh, but get dreams of Wade and Bosh out of your head.

[RawdogDX]

The basic problem is the Bulls are overpaying for Luol Deng right now and for the foreseeable future. If they get Wade and Bosh, with Luol's salary, they would have no feasible way to afford Rose's contract extension when it came up.

So basically, pray for Wade or Bosh, but get dreams of Wade and Bosh out of your head.

i've heard that if they get someone to take heinrich off their hands and don't bring thomas back that they could. 

But that doesn't matter, if the bulls either:
Get bosh and draft a pure shooter to play the 2(there are a few in this draft).
Or get wade and resign TT
the'll be in great shot to make multiple title runs.

[HoopsMalone]

Wade in Chicago means that he could speak/attend many fundraising events for alums in Chicago. 

[damuts222]

 Does Brad Miller's contract expire it says he's making 12 million a year, which is more than Deng and less production by far.

[4everwarriors]

Rose and Wade have similar skill sets, but so did Pippen and Jordan.  I'd love to see Wade and Bosh in Chicago.

From an MU perspective, having him 90 miles away from campus means that he can probably get up there 2 or 3 times in the year.  This leads to more photo ops and random bump ins with recruits on official visits.

Crean tried that with Shumpert already. Didn't work worth stink for him.

[kmwtrucks]

the problem with trading for Bosh would be even though he is a free agent technically he still counts against the cap until the give up his rights. So if you traded player's with expiring contracts for him what ever he makes this year counts against the cap, IE add another 13Mil to the 37Mil. So you would have no room for wade.  They do have enough to sign either bosh or Wade to a Max deal but not both and that is with giving up the rights to resign their own free agents.  The 2 other teams with cap space that could make arguments for Free agents are New York, and Miami along with chicago.  2-3 other's have space but I would think these are going to be the 3 big player's for wade, bosh, and James.

[smellofhotbeeftips]

A friend of mine ran with the bulls in Pampalona. He didn't get gored or trampled but he did slip in some cow crap.

[jmayer1]

the problem with trading for Bosh would be even though he is a free agent technically he still counts against the cap until the give up his rights. So if you traded player's with expiring contracts for him what ever he makes this year counts against the cap, IE add another 13Mil to the 37Mil. So you would have no room for wade.  They do have enough to sign either bosh or Wade to a Max deal but not both and that is with giving up the rights to resign their own free agents.  The 2 other teams with cap space that could make arguments for Free agents are New York, and Miami along with chicago.  2-3 other's have space but I would think these are going to be the 3 big player's for wade, bosh, and James.

This is true.  If the Bulls wanted to trade for Bosh and then sign him & Wade to max deals they would have to clear approximately $18 million or so (assuming a cap of $54 million).  That would be pretty tough to do.  They would have to trade Hinrich and Salmons and renounce Thomas' rights (they could later resign him).  That would clear a little over $17m.  Unless they could get somebody to take Deng and his huge contact off their hands ($11.3m next year).

Forseeably they could have a team of

Rose
Wade
Deng
Bosh
Noah

Thomas (resign after renouncing)
Mid-level exception free agent (around $5 million)
Gibson
Johnson
End of bench guys

It's doable but it would be pretty tough.  It's unlikely they would be able to trade either Hinrich or Deng and not have to take back any salary for next year in return, but there are quite a few GM's in the league who can be had.  However I'm not sure if Gar Forman isn't one of those GM's, or if he isn't, is he good enough to maneuver something like this?