As a sports fan, I’ve spent countless hours lamenting the mistakes GMs and other front office personnel make, seemingly on a daily basis.
While I understand actually being a GM is harder than it looks, I’d love nothing more than one year in the front office of a lackluster franchise in the hope of turning things around. And if I had to choose the professional sports franchise I’d like to run starting tomorrow, it would be the Chicago Bulls.
Why the Bulls?
They’re an NBA team
I may write like a know-it-all, but even I admit I wouldn’t even know what to do in an NFL or MLB front office. Basketball is the sport I’m most familiar with. Basketball is a sport whose wayward franchises—when not faced with Knick-like cap problems—can be turned around quickly.
And basketball is the sport that seems to have the most boneheaded GMs. Really, would I do any worse than Isiah Thomas? Probably not.
John Paxson stinks
If organizations win championships, like former Bulls GM Jerry Kraus famously claimed, then it’s a wonder that this franchise ever won anything. With all due respect to current Executive VP John Paxson, he’s not getting the job done.
Now, for all I know his equally inept owner Jerry Reinsdorf is the one calling the shots and making the once-mighty Bulls the least relevant team in the Windy City. But as long as Paxson keeps cashing his paychecks, he's part of the problem.
One word: Upside
The Bulls are a team that’s right there. At least, they were. After a nice playoff run last year, many predicted them to seriously contend in the East. This sentiment was amplified when rumors had Chicago potentially acquiring Kevin Garnett, Pau Gasol, or Kobe Bryant.
Of course, none of these deals got done, and the team regressed in a big way.
However, these Baby Bulls still have a lot of good, young pieces that can be developed or traded. They have a reasonable cap situation—and oh, by the way, it doesn’t hurt that they have the number-one pick in Thursday’s draft.
What would I do as the Bulls GM?
Apologize for the last 10 years
I’d apologize for the Bulls breaking up their dynasty and not keeping Jordan in the organization. When you have a superstar of that magnitude who is that beloved by the fans, you keep him around. Period.
You offer him an ownership stake. You do whatever it takes to keep him coming to games, signing autographs, and reminding everyone that this franchise was great once.
In addition, I’d apologize for drafting Marcus Fizer and hiring Tim Floyd. I’d apologize for trading Elton Brand and drafting Eddy Curry. I’d apologize for signing Ben Wallace. I’d apologize for dealing Tyson Chandler, the younger, less expensive version of Ben Wallace, to Charlotte. I’d apologize for trading LaMarcus Aldridge for Tyrus Thomas.
And last but not least, I’d apologize for not signing Mike D’Antoni, a mistake that may take years for this franchise to get over.
Speaking of which…
Replace Vinny Del Negro ASAP
Okay, I probably couldn’t do it as quickly as I'd like. After all he did just sign a contract less than a month ago. But I’d definitely tell him in no uncertain terms that we’re building a winner. And the moment he loses this team, he’s gone—even if it’s mid-season.
I’d also start text messaging Avery Johnson on a regular basis. Just to get the ball rolling.
Draft Derrick Rose
This is, of course, the easiest decision in the world. It’s so easy I don’t even feel the need to explain it.
Make trades
Part of Paxson’s legacy will be the fact that he didn’t move on potential deals—in part because he seems to have a delusional sense of Luol Deng’s value.
I’d try to move some of the aforementioned “young pieces”—including Kirk Hinrich and his contract—in the hopes of landing a frontcourt scorer. Preferably, one who is (or could be) an exciting, honest to goodness, puts asses in seats superstar.
A while back, I went into great detail on this website about a scenario where the Bulls could bring Carmelo Anthony to town. Since the Nuggets insist ‘Melo is staying put, I’d be on the phone to every other franchise that had a disgruntled, under-appreciated player on their roster.
Sign role-playing free agents
Championship contenders need valuable role players. Has anyone else noticed that James Posey has won two rings in three years? He’s the prototypical glue guy that hits the open thres and plays hard-nosed defense. I’d take him over Thabo Sefolosha every day of the week. Did I mention Mr. Posey’s currently an unrestricted free agent?
Perhaps being the Chicago Bulls GM is a bad idea. In reality, there’s a good chance I’d spend my entire tenure with the team trying to fully understand the luxury tax. I’d probably also find myself thirty pounds heavier, since my Second City diet would consist largely of deep dish pizza, bratwurst and deep-dish bratwurst pizza.
However, I could promise Bulls fans this much—I would shake things up. I would make deals. In short, I would actually try. And if there’s one thing Bulls fans and other NBA fans would probably like to see from their GMs, it’s a little effort.
Or perhaps that’s too much to ask.
comments (5) write a comment »
write a new comment
3 months ago
If I was GM of the Bulls this is what I would do.
Draft Day:
Draft Derrick Rose. Easy enough.
Trade Kirk Hinrich for David Lee, Malik Rose and the No. 6 pick in the draft. Two expiring contracts and another lottery pick which can be used as trade bait. David Lee would be a guy worth keeping on the roster because of his hustle and determination. I'm not sure how much value Hinrich has especially with his horrible season he just had, but I think the reason Mike D'Antoni was looking at the Bulls as a potential coaching job was because he had another white boy point guard (Just kidding.) Anyways I know the Knicks are looking to trade that pick away so why not for Hinrich? They are looking for a solid point guard.
Trade Andres Nocioni and the No. 6 pick for Boris Diaw. Diaw is a very versatile player and plays so much better when he actually starts, and it definitely won't happen anytime soon in a Suns uniform.
Trade Joakim Noah, the No. 39 pick and use the trade exception from Joe Smith for Mike Miller.
Resign Chris Duhon
Let Deng and Gordon experience the free agency market and they'll realize they aren't worth as much as they thought. They might come back they might not. Lets look at the roster without them for now
Derrick Rose
Larry Hughes
Mike Miller
Boris Diaw
Drew Gooden
David Lee
Thabo Sefolosha
Tyrus Thomas
Chris Duhon
Your looking at a nine man deep roster with potentially two more pieces that may play as well (Deng and Gordon)
Which the Bulls might make a sign and trade deal for those players.
I would probably make a horrible GM of the Bulls because I really don't know their roster very well, who has potential, who doesn't, etc.
from 3 months ago
you are retarded if you think kirk is worth that much in a trade. Why dont we just trade thabo sefolosha for lebron james and chris duhon for kobe bryant? Deng and Gordon are restricted so they cant leave the team w/o getting somthing in a sign and trade.
3 months ago
Tyson Chandler is a hack. He can't shoot, has no low post moves, cant play 1 on 1 D only can flow to the ball to block shots which kills team defense (see Ben Wallace, and has no work ethic according to numerous reports in Chicago- Brian Hanley (Chicago Sun-times beat reporter) and Carmen DeFalco (bulls radio host ESPN 1000).
If Tyson hadn't landed in an up-tempo style with a great point guard he would still be a bench player. If Chris Paul wasn't there to hold his hand on the offensive end he would still be averaging 5 points a game. All he does in New Orleans to score is jump Chris Paul puts the ball so close to the rim that it could bounce off his shoulder and still go in.
Put Tyrus Thomas in the same situation and he would better because he has all the same strengths as Tyson but only better. Tyrus is as good as Tyson ever was in Chicago, but doesn't play as often as Tyson did because Chicago actually has some other warm bodies to play which wasn't the case when Tyson was Tyrus's age. Both players are athletic with Tyrus Thomas being an athletic freak, but rely to much on athleticism and both have lackadaisical attitudes to their detriments.
Lamarcus Aldridge is a decent player but we have already seen his ceiling. He's ok at everything, good at nothing. Once Greg Oden returns he'll be a role player, probably an 8 and 5 guy who can fill the stat sheet on a bad team without another low post presence.
Finally who cares about Mike D'Antoni. How good of a coach was D'Antoni with Marberry instead of Nash. In the NBA superstar players run the league not superstar coaches. Scott Skiles is one of the best coaches in the league so is Avery Johnson but when the players decided they were working too hard and decided to not listen anymore- the coaches got fired because player contracts are too large and guaranteed so its easier to remove the coach. Also look at Larry Brown with the Knicks and Pat Riley when Shaq or D-Wade were hurt- it's a players league unfortunately, Jerry Sloan is the last of a dying breed (where he is the boss not the players).
Getting Rose who likes to run could turn Ty Thomas into a player in this league and help Luol Deng. Then you'll be saying Vinny DelNegro is a genius when he or any coach in this league has little to do with it- for most franchises.
from 3 months ago
first of all tyson is pretty much ben wallace so anything you say about him being a worse option then wallace is wrong b/c he is a cheaper version. Tyrus thomas is a slightly more cordinated verison of chandler at SF but he still has no basketball skill what so ever just athletic and he has no sense for the game and tries to do way too much, that being said i think the arrival of rose would help his game if he decides he wants to run down the court which he doesnt always do b/c he has a poor atitude unlike Chandler
3 months ago
Gordon will end up in NY for David Lee and an expiring contract in a sign and trade.
I would trade Kirk for Udonis Haslem, or Shawn Marion for Kirk and Noah b/c the heat would like to lose Marion.
I would trade back into the first round and draft Bill Walker from Kansas State, i'd also try to trade back into the first round and get DeAndre Jordan.
This would never happen but if it did Rose would have Jordan, Walker and Tyrus Thomas for years to come the most athletic team in the NBA. If Jordan pans out he could become Amare like, Thomas is a poor man's Shawn Marion, and Bill Walker when healthy could be one of the best players from this draft class not to mention Derrick Rose who will be a top 3 PG in 3 years. Deng, Nocioni, Sefolosha Gooden, Lee would all be on the roster in three years as well as alot of Cap space left from Kirk being traded and larry hughes's huge deal coming off the books just in time for Wade and Lebron and Melo to become FA in 2010-11.
So i would try to rebuild using this years draft b/c players john paxson currently assembled are terrible Gordon cannot defend, if Joakim Noah was on a bad team in college i dont think he even gets drafted because he has no offsive game. Kirk is a SG in a PG body with poor court vision and loul deng is vastly over rated he has poor lateral movement on defense and relies on his jump shot too much they shoulda delt him while he was worth somthing.
write a new comment