For me, I'm not sure how differently it could have shaken out. Conley and Lonzo were options. Derozan was pretty divided around here. pretty sure Lonzo and the Bulls wanted each other. Conley might had had some traction, I can't really remember.
Looking back, I probably would have just done a reset and only offered 1 yr contracts and pay a premium 1yr deal cost
I wanted DeRozan because I thought it was rare to get a star on the free agent market. No idea how that would have changed todays team without doing a deep dive. He wasn’t a great fit but was and still is a really good player who was undervalued during free agency.
I wanted DeRozan and Lowry. I really thought being able to reunite those guys in New York along with Randle would have been something special. A lot of ink was spilled this season about Lowry's decline but it seemed like he was the same guy in the playoffs. I think vets get to a point where it's hard to care about a regular season game in Charlotte.
Lowry ended up signing for 30 per and DeRozan for 25. Knicks could have asked Lowry to take a slight discount, bring back Rose, and used the MLE on Burks.
I wrote about 500 words on it two summers ago and am not going to try to find those posts. Anyway I'm happy with how things have ended up.
Also, if I'm honest, I thought the Kemba deal was better than signing Lowry. And I understood why they went for Fournier over DeRozan. MIP Randle did most of his damage from the midrange,so DeRozan could have junket up the offense by using the same spots on the court. No one knew Randle had it in him to optimize his shot selection like last season.
Timeline. Derozen would have stunted IQ, Grimes or RJ. The timeline was not right.
We kicked the can on that cap space for Brunson?
Best bargain out there.
Derozen has kept youthful. GOod for him. Bulls did not make the leap with him and Lavine.
They had a good plan, it did not execute for them. Knicks and fans understand these things.
A lot of people thought that Bulls team was going to go places after all of them signings. During the season it sure looked like DeRozen would have brought us to contender status. That was until the Bulls flamed out and now those embers are still dwindling together with their hopes and dreams for the next couple(few?) years. All while we are slowly and steadily improving. At this point I see us 1 big signing or 2 more years of internal development from being a true title contender.
ramtour420 wrote:A lot of people thought that Bulls team was going to go places after all of them signings. During the season it sure looked like DeRozen would have brought us to contender status. That was until the Bulls flamed out and now those embers are still dwindling together with their hopes and dreams for the next couple(few?) years. All while we are slowly and steadily improving. At this point I see us 1 big signing or 2 more years of internal development from being a true title contender.
If you swapped Alex Caruso for Kemba Walker and skipped Fournier and Rose, in favor of Demar Derozan, I think you make the playoffs in 21/22. Hard to quantify Rose's impact on the team overall. If wishes were fishes, right? We might still be arguing about floor spacing, but there is a world where Barrett is relegated to the second unit. Maybe keep Bullock instead of Noel? I think we still had the room exception that we never used. Could have brought Noel back on that exception
Caruso/IQ
Barrett/Burks
Derozan/Bullock
Randle/Gibson/Toppin
Robinson/Noel/Sims
In retrospect signing Walker then Fournier and re-signing Rose were missteps at best but more like big gaffes. Of those three, I'd say the Walker signing was the most foreseeable but at the time there was hope he'd turn back the clock and the gamble would pay off. It did not. Fournier was a fine NBA player who just doesn't fit or make the effort to play in Thibs' defense oriented system. Rose just turned out to be cooked after leading that 4th seed run. All regrettable but par for the NBA course I'd say. Others might say differently.
Created a thread about Derozan when he was a Spur. Not well received. Admitedly I was hyping Lonzo as a target even more. Those who were concerned about his availability turned out to be right.
Thought his stellar D, footspeed, improved 3, and court vision would help big time. Grimes reminds me of Lonzo but a few years away developmentally.
GustavBahler wrote:Created a thread about Derozan when he was a Spur. Not well received. Admitedly I was hyping Lonzo as a target even more. Those who were concerned about his availability turned out to be right.Thought his stellar D, footspeed, improved 3, and court vision would help big time. Grimes reminds me of Lonzo but a few years away developmentally.
I was pro-Lonzo also. Had no idea his knees didn't exist.
ramtour420 wrote:A lot of people thought that Bulls team was going to go places after all of them signings. During the season it sure looked like DeRozen would have brought us to contender status. That was until the Bulls flamed out and now those embers are still dwindling together with their hopes and dreams for the next couple(few?) years. All while we are slowly and steadily improving. At this point I see us 1 big signing or 2 more years of internal development from being a true title contender.
I have no idea what the Knicks would have been with DD but i've always liked him and wanted him and Lonzo that FA. The Bulls were 27-13 when Lonzo went down, 22-13 with Lonzo playing. Can't predict but it appeared they had something going.
I also loved that DD actually wanted to be a Knick, first choice. Fourn's choice was Boston first. For the record I wasn't unhappy with Fourn, guy could always shoot.
Things have gone our way, but changing players and changing history we have no idea where our draft picks would have landed with different players as well.
I actually happen to love having IQ, Grimes, Hart, DD on the wing, so looking forward to this season, certain things really intrigue me, should be fun.
At the time the goal was a new backcourt. I liked the idea of Ball and Dinwiddie. Both are big and Thibs likes big. Lonzo was a POA defender and spot up shooter that could really pass and create pace. He couldn't get to the bucket or create much off the bounce in the half. That’s the things Spencer is good at. I was also a big proponent of Kelly O and not Nerlens. Obviously wouldn’t have worked bc of Ball’s injuries. It’s tragic what happened to Ball. He and Alex Caruso were a heck of a defensive backcourt for half a season. It would be fun to see them be impact players for a good team. Neither have any bag and both play guard.
