The Bulls Would Be Championship Contenders if...

[Berowsk]

They had kept all their draft picks from the past 10 years.

In 2008, as we all know, the Bulls selected Derrick Rose, who is considered by many as a potential Rookie of the year.

In 2007, who seems like a bust now and probably will stay a bust, they selected Joakim Noah.

In 2006, they selected LaMarcus Aldridge, but ended up trading him away for Tyrus Thomas and some other fool. So there is one mistake.

In 2004, the Bulls selected Shooting Guard Ben Gordon, who as we all know from 2k9, can hit 3's nonstop. Great starter at SG, even better 6th man. Also, the Bulls selected Chris Duhon, who is also great coming off the bench.

In 2003, with the 7th pick, they drafted Kirk Hinrich. If you're like me, you hate playing Captain Kirk in NBA 2k9. Dude hits everything. But still, he's even better coming of the bench as the 6th man than Ben Gordon is, so he will be our 6th.

We won't mention 2002, which included draft bust Jay Williams. He's that loser that got in the motorcycle accident, right? Imagine if they picked Amare Stoudamire with that pick. Damn. But with the 30th overall pick, the Bulls selected Roger Mason.

In 2001, their first round selection was Eddie Curry. Even though he isn't a good starter, I could see him coming off the bench as a role player.

The 2000 draft was full of fail, and sadly the Bulls were at the short end of the stick with 3 first rounders and 3 second rounders. They selected Marcus Fizer with the 4th, who? and Jamal Crawford with the 8th. Crawford will also be a great role player, averaging 15.1 pts, and 4.2 assists.

Finally, in 1999, the Bulls drafted a decent amount of win. With the first overall, they drafted Elton Brand. Even though plagued by injury, Brand is an all-star caliber player. Also, with the 16th pick, the Bulls selected Ron Artest, arguably the best defensive player in the league. Good draft.

Recapping, the Bulls would have a very solid starting 5, with a good bench.

PG - Derrick Rose (16.6 PPG, 6.2 AST, 3.6 TRB)
SG - Ben Gordon (18.4 PPG, 3.0 AST)
SF - Ron Artest (16.0 PPG, 5.1 TRB)
PF - Elton Brand (20.0 PPG, 10.1 TRB)
C - LaMarcus Aldridge (15.1 PPG, 6.7 TRB)
6 - Roger Mason (7.2 PPG)
7 - Kirk Hinrich (14.0 PPG, 6.2 AST)
8 - Jamal Crawford (15.1 PPG, 4.2 AST)
9 - Eddy Curry (13.5 PPG, 5.2 TRB)
10 - Chris Duhon (7.8 PPG)

Wow I wish they had kept their draft picks. Good stuff.

Any Comments? Give me a better lineup draft wise.

 

[Onez]

You can't just say they would've be been able to draft and keep all those players.

 

[Berowsk]

why can't I?

 

[FirstTimer]

Ok I'm going to go through this as easily as possible b/c this idea is ridiculous.....

No way they can keep all these players b/c order to keep all of them they would have had to resign all of them. No way they can afford all those guys and not be over the salary cap and they'd go into massive luxury tax territory. Plus there are too many conditionals...

If Jay Williams had stayed on and stayed healthy are the Bulls a perrninial lottery team?

Same as if they had kept Brand and Artest. They would not have been drafting at the top of the lottery every year.

Plus the Eddie Curry trade gave them a lot of those top draft picks that you want on the roster with Eddy Curry still being there. If they keep Eddie Curry, then they don't trade him for those 2 1st rounders(2006 and 2007).

One of which was Lamarcus Aldridge(2006). So there goes that.
They didn't originally draft Jamal Crawford. They took Chris Mihm and traded him for Crawford. So Crawford wouldn't even be on the team.


Your idea makes no sense.

 

[Senser81]

You can't just say they would've be been able to draft and keep all those players.

Maybe not all, but the Bulls could have kept some of the players and still had a good team.

Jerry Krause (aka the most overrated sports management person in history) made an almost irreparable mistake by trading away Elton Brand for virtually nothing. Krause made the move to free up cap space so he could acquire both Tyson Chandler and Eddy Curry. The Bulls also got rid of Ron Artest and Brad Miller, who both ended up being all-stars on other teams. Krause was a horrendous GM.

The Bulls should have held onto Brand (obviously), and they still would have been able to afford either Curry or Chandler (but not both). They also NEVER should have passed on getting LaMarcus Aldridge, considering how badly they needed a post player at the time. It was the dumbest move of John Paxson's dumb tenure as GM. The Bulls could have an imposing frontline of Brand, Chandler, and Aldridge, paired with a backcourt of Rose and Heinrich, with Gordon getting minutes off the bench.

 

[Saluki]

The Bulls also haven't had a decent coach since they let the 98 championship team fall apart. Tim Flyod? Pfft

 

[mfbmike]

...and the Celtics could've drafted Tim Duncan

...and the Hawks could've drafted Chris Paul

...and the Blazers could've drafted Michael Jordan

and like firsttimer said, some of the reason they had all those 1st round draft picks is because of the trades they made with previous 1st round picks.

 

[FirstTimer]

Maybe not all, but the Bulls could have kept some of the players and still had a good team.

Jerry Krause (aka the most overrated sports management person in history) made an almost irreparable mistake by trading away Elton Brand for virtually nothing. Krause made the move to free up cap space so he could acquire both Tyson Chandler and Eddy Curry. The Bulls also got rid of Ron Artest and Brad Miller, who both ended up being all-stars on other teams. Krause was a horrendous GM.

The Bulls should have held onto Brand (obviously), and they still would have been able to afford either Curry or Chandler (but not both). They also NEVER should have passed on getting LaMarcus Aldridge, considering how badly they needed a post player at the time. It was the dumbest move of John Paxson's dumb tenure as GM. The Bulls could have an imposing frontline of Brand, Chandler, and Aldridge, paired with a backcourt of Rose and Heinrich, with Gordon getting minutes off the bench.

How would they have Brand and Chandler if Brand was traded to LAC for the pick that they took Chandler with?

 

[Senser81]

...and the Celtics could've drafted Tim Duncan

...and the Hawks could've drafted Chris Paul

...and the Blazers could've drafted Michael Jordan

Thats nice. Don't remember Michael Jordan playing for the Blazers. I do remember Elton Brand playing for the Bulls. Weird, huh?

 

[FirstTimer]

...and the Celtics could've drafted Tim Duncan

...and the Hawks could've drafted Chris Paul

...and the Blazers could've drafted Michael Jordan

Fail. Not even what the thread was saying.

It's not saying what IF we drafted this guy. It's saying what IF we had kept the guys we actually drafted.

 

[mfbmike]

Thats nice. Don't remember Michael Jordan playing for the Blazers. I do remember Elton Brand playing for the Bulls. Weird, huh?

The point I was making was that there is always a "what if" factor when it comes to drafts.

What if such and such player went to such and such team as opposed to the team they actually did go to? etc etc.

:headscratch:

 

[mfbmike]

Fail. Not even what the thread was saying.

It's not saying what IF we drafted this guy. It's saying what IF we had kept the guys we actually drafted.

allow me to escort myself out of this thread then

:will:

hahaah.

 

[Senser81]

How would they have Brand and Chandler if Brand was traded to LAC for the pick that they took Chandler with?

IIRC, the Bulls had either the 2nd or 4th overall pick already, then traded Brand away for another top 4 pick. They could have kept Brand then taken either Curry or Chandler with their own pick.

 

[Senser81]

The point I was making was that there is always a "what if" factor when it comes to drafts.

What if such and such player went to such and such team as opposed to the team they actually did go to? etc etc.

:headscratch:

The difference being that the Bulls actually drafted all these players? So its not really "what if", is it? It actually happened? Or was I just imagining Brand playing for the Bulls, and forgetting those years Jordan spent on the Blazers?

EDIT: And then this one time? At Band Camp?

 

[mfbmike]

SAM BOWIE FTW

 

[FirstTimer]

I do agree though the Aldridge for Thomas deal stands out as the worst move Paxson has made during his time as GM, 2nd would be the Deng contract.

Even if he only takes back that ONE move and we have Aldridge instead of Thomas I think the team would have been a legit contender in the East for a few seasons, making a conference final here or there. We wouldn't have Rose because I doubt that with Aldridge we finish in the lottery last season where we did.

Even still if we keep Aldridge a starting 5 of

Hinrich
Gordon
Deng
Aldridge
Noah

Would have done pretty well in the East IMO.

 

[FirstTimer]

IIRC, the Bulls had either the 2nd or 4th overall pick already, then traded Brand away for another top 4 pick. They could have kept Brand then taken either Curry or Chandler with their own pick.

They had the 4th overall already.

LAC took Chandler with the 2nd pick and they traded Chandler's rights to the Bulls for Elton Brand. So one would think the LAC would still have taken Chandler #2 overall if the Bulls hadn't traded Brand for him?

Speculation I suppose, but if the Bulls had stood pat at #4 I'm sure they would have taken the hometown kid Curry.

In either case Curry teamed with Brand would have been nice...then if the Bulls have Curry and Brand do they still trade Curry to the Knicks to get the picks they would have used to take Aldridge with...?

 

[ralaw]

Even with that lineup I don't see the team being a title contender, because they're a bunch of #2 options. In the playoffs you need superstars who can take over a game and a lineup of Hinrich, Gordon, Deng, Aldridge and Noah doesn't have that. Aldridge is the closest, but IMO he's better suited being a compliment to an established player like he is in Portland.

 

[FirstTimer]

Even with that lineup I don't see the team being a title contender, because they're a bunch of #2 options. In the playoffs you need superstars who can take over a game and a lineup of Hinrich, Gordon, Deng, Aldridge and Noah doesn't have that. Aldridge is the closest, but IMO he's better suited being a compliment to an established player like he is in Portland.

Never said title contender. Just a contender in the East. Making a conference final or so. Even with that lineup they would have had a tough time matching up with the Pistons, Cavs, Celtics, and Magic. But they would have been in the discussion for teams that could make the Conference finals on a yearly basis.

 

[Senser81]

Even with that lineup I don't see the team being a title contender, because they're a bunch of #2 options. In the playoffs you need superstars who can take over a game and a lineup of Hinrich, Gordon, Deng, Aldridge and Noah doesn't have that. Aldridge is the closest, but IMO he's better suited being a compliment to an established player like he is in Portland.

Maybe. But a few years ago in the playoffs, the Bulls had the Heat on the ropes and had a Game 7 in Chicago (which they subsquently lost to the Heat in huge fashion), and the Heat went on to win the title.