That's right...Ronnie.  Ronnie Juice said it all.  And I am calling him Ronnie Juice because the man told me he needs a nickname.  So there it is Ronnie.  The Juice is loose.  For those of you who don't know what I'm talking about...go rent the first season of Jersey Shore.  Immediately.  For G-d's sake.

It's been a hot summer.  The Bulls have had a busy offseason to say the least.  Yeah, son.  It's an 11 man roster at this point.

As I said before...Boozer...big-time signing.

Ask yourself a question.  In May...before the LeBracle started...who were the 2 most realistic targets for the Bulls.  Bosh and Boozer.  Then LeBron, the biggest clown and attention whore in the history of the NBA (and I've always thought this...refer to my entry back when Jo and LBJ were jawing with each other), started playing mind games with NBA fandom nationwide.  But if that didn't happen, would anyone have disappointed with Boozer?  They shouldn't have been...and they shouldn't be now.  He was the 2nd best option at power forward behind Bosh.  And in my opinion, a close 2nd.  And yes, I think Amar'e is over-rated and his game will suffer tremendously without a star point guard to lead him through the lane...unless of course he gets bailed out by Chris Paul aka the NBA's biggest social climber and follower.  I don't wanna go on a rant about him, but LeBron joins forces with the Superfriends and all of a sudden Paul can't sit still.  Think for youself, you imbecile.  On the other hand, if I were him, I supposed I'd try to abandon that dreadful organization as well.  But back to Boozer.  He is the inside scorer/rebounder we've been looking for since the Elton Brand trade.  For a long time.  And now Derrick can actually run an effective pick and roll.  I can't wait.

In spite of the Chicago Jazz jokes, I'm a fan of all the jazz defections to Chicago this offseason.  Kyle Korver is the type of player we have lacked for years now.  When was the last time you remember the Bulls having a spot-up 3 point shooter shooter who doesn't demand the ball?  A real one...not a wannabe.  Judd Buechler?  Well now we got Ashton Kutcher.  And he's a sniper. Plus, he can spell both Deng and Brewer.  It's nice to see some 2-3 and 1-2 combos on this squad for a change.  And maybe somebody who knows how to disperse their minutes.  Anyway...

As for Ronnie Brewer, he's considered to be somewhat of a consolation prize.  Totally unfair.  The Bulls wanted J.J. Redick.  They didn't get him.  They should be thanking their lucky stars.  $19 mill for J.J. freakin' Redick?  Good lord.  What exactly has he done to prove that he's worth $19 mill and leaving a team in free agency limbo for a week?  Nothing more than a role player...and not even a great one.  Yeah, he can shoot...but is he better than Ronnie Brewer?  Ummm no.  Ronnie Brewer is a 6'7" slasher who is always amongst the league leaders in steals.  He's also a career 52% shooter averaging double digit scoring throughout his career as well.  52%.  That is high.  He shot 55% from the field 2007-08...a year that he played in 76 games and averaged 12 ppg.  J.J. Redick?  Never averaged double digit scoring a single year.  Come on, man.  Ronnie was the way to go from day 1.  He can guard, or at least make an attempt to guard the elite 2's in the league.  J.J. cannot even make a serious attempt...I don't care how much he has "improved" defensively.  Ronnie Brewer was a big signing...stability at the 2 is just what the Dr. ordered.  And don't forget, he only cost us $12.5 million for 3 years.  Meanwhile, his teammate Wes Matthews is getting $34 million for 5 years...the only word to describe this...hysterical.  The Bulls caught a bargain, my friends.

As for the non-ex-Jazz players we signed.  Mr. CJ Watson come on down.  CJ aka Mr. Vegas aka clutch three.  The man has already changed his Twitter avatar to the Bulls logo...clearly he's happy to be here.  But should we be happy to have him?  Yes.  He gives us some much needed quality depth as a 1-2 combo guard.  He can spell both Brewer and Rose...definitely moreso Rose...and can spark the squad with some offense off the bench.  He's a career 46% shooter...pretty damn good...and he doesn't really turn the ball over and hit a 40% from three 2 years ago (although he had an off year last year at 31%).  He'll be a key roleplayer and a nice addition.

Omer Asik.  A true 7-footer.  Don't know much about him, but I hear he's a beast.  The thing is, I don't trust anything I hear about foreign players.  But Asik is supposed to be a nice player who is extremely gifted when it comes to blocked shots.  Don't know if that will translate to being NBA ready on the defensive end, but maybe.  Either way, some depth in the frontcourt is important.  Someone has to play behind Noah and Boozer.

Speaking of which, word broke tonight that the Bulls signed Kurt Thomas.  Don't know the details of the deal yet.  Regardless, players like Thomas are important to up and coming teams.  They provide presence and stability in the locker room, which is key when you throw a new group of guys together who aren't really familiar with each other's game just yet.  Thomas should have that locker room unlock, even though he won't be able to bring much to the basketball court.  However, he'll spell Noah and Boozer here and there, so that's good enough for me...for now.

Sure, after "LeBrongate", there were times where I said to myself...man I wish we hadn't traded Kurt and just drafted James Anderson (he's gonna be a star in the league, I promise), but you can't do that to yourself.  The concensus is the Bulls had to go all in the way they did, otherwise the fans and the media would have eaten them alive and they simply would always have wondered "what might have been."  And the team they put together looks like a good one.  A tough, dynamic, and versatile crew.  Much more versatile than last year...although I do still think we could use OOOOONE more shooter.  I wouldn't take J.J. over Brewer, but it would be nice to have them both I suppose.  Regardless, I think the Bulls are set to compete in the Eastern Conference...especially if there is any truth to Derrick's claim that he has developed a consistent three-point shot.

BUUUT just wait...the summer ain't over yet.  The Bulls front office is looking into signing Tracy McGrady's arthritic knees and bad back.  Personally, I would love to see him give him an offer and then take it off the table as he's physically about to sign it...just to get him back for what he did 10 years ago.  How the tables have turned...he's all tweeting about how he loves Chicago now.  Man, get the ef out of here.  I mean maybe he could give us 20 minutes a game of pure scoring a night, but I wouldn't bank on it.  I see him getting injured within the first month of the season and then playing sporadically here and there.  If he's cheap, I'll take him...if not...get out.  Like I said, I think we're set as it is, and I'll talk about it more if the discussion gets more serious.  But for now...it's been a very solid summer for Bull fandom.

So the Bulls signed Kyle Korver to a 3 year $15 million dollar deal.  They also extended an offer sheet to J.J. Redick for 3 years and $19 million.  That's waaaaaaaaay too much money for him...and Orlando has a week to match it since Redick is restricted.  But still, good day for the Bulls, as they're addressing their most pressing flaw and weakness from last season...three-point shooting.  And addressing it in a major way.  But I'll get to all that later.  I have some more pressing things on my mind.

There is nothing I can say about LeBron that hasn't already been said by every media member anywhere.  But I'm going to say something anyway.

I have never been more proud of my city and its sports fans.  Pride.  That's what this city is about.  Pride.  When we found out LeBron was going to Cleveland...we didn't cry.  We laughed.  Yeah, that's right.   We laughed.  We laughed at Wade.  We laughed at Bosh.  We sure as hell laughed at LeBron.  We laughed at New York.  We cracked up at New Jersey.  Don't get me started on the Clippers.  And yeah, we even laughed at Cleveland.  Why?  Because.  It's a feeling only Chicagoans can understand.  True Chicagoans.  You know the first thing that ran through my mind when LeBron said Miami?  Okay, fine...first it was disapointment...but I kid you not when I say that less than a minute later I was thinking to myself, "Good, can't wait to see the three stooges in the playoffs."  This city is about proving we are the best.  This city is about taking whatever challenge is thrown at us and ripping it to shreds...just to prove that WE'RE BETTER.

I hate to be brutally honest, but I laughed at Cleveland because it's Cleveland.  I got nothing against Cleveland, but hey, Cleveland fans have been giving us crap ever since LeBron came into this league.  Should I feel sympathy for them because LBJ left?  Nope.  "Noah sucks" anyone?  Hey, that's not to say I'm glad he left.  It would have been better for the Bulls had he stayed.  Cleveland would have continued to be mediocre in the playoffs, and the Heat wouldn't be nearly as good without LeBron.  So the Bulls obviously would have been in better shape.  But that doesn't mean I wanted him to stay for the sake of Cleveland fans.  And guess what...would a home-grown superstar athlete from Chicago who rose to superstardom on a Chicago professional sports franchise ever bounce from our city like that?  No way.  Why?  Because we're Chicago.  I'll put any amount of money on the fact that Derrick Rose retires a Bull.  Even players who aren't from Chicago do everything they can to stay in this city.  This is the land of Jordan.  This is the land of Sweetness.  Players come here to win, and they don't leave until they do...or until they're forced out because they're not getting the job done.  Because the fans demand it.  Like I said...pride.

And that's why immediately after LeBron said "Miami", everyone's mindstate shifted from "we want LeBron" to "LeBron is a little girl."  I'm telling you, excitement is in the air now.  Bulls fans are foaming at the mouth...just drooling and dreaming about crushing the SuperBestFriends.  This city has seen winners.  This city has seen the greatest winners of all time.  Like I said...Jordan.  Pippen.  Payton.  Hull.  Ditka.  I have no problem with LeBron leaving Cleveland...simply becase it wasn't going to happen for him in Cleveland.  It was obvious.  Leaving Cleveland made sense.  Completely.  My problem is more with LeBron being scared.  A scared little girl.  This guy wants to be mentioned amongst the greats?  Please.  I don't care if Jordan was in the same draft class as Magic, was related to Magic, or was conjoined twins with Magic...he would have NEVER EVER EVER NEVER EVER NEVER teamed up with Magic.  Even if the opportunity presented itself.  Because Jordan wanted to destroy Magic.  He did destroy Magic.  He loved destroying Magic.  He LIVED for it.  And he loved destroying Drexler, Barkley, Kemp, Malone, Stockton, Payton, Reggie, Ewing, Shaq, Isiah...all of them.  The only reason he even was cool playing with Pippen is because Pippen happened to be drafted onto his squad.  HIS SQUAD.  Emphasis on the "his."  And here we are.  LePansie is being mentioned in the same sentence with MJ and Kobe, and we find out this guy doesn't even want to be the face of HIS OWN franchise.  He wants to go to someone else's franchise.  He wants to willingly be a second fiddle.  He doesn't want to be the guy to take the last shot.  He doesn't want the pressure.  He won't embrace it.  HE'S NOT EVEN PIPPEN.  You think Pippen wanted to be 2nd fiddle?  Pippen didn't have a choice...like I said, he was drafted onto Jordan's squad (well, acquired on draft day).  Pippen was a killer.  He wanted to be THE GUY.  When Jordan retired the first time and Phil drew up a "last shot buzzerbeater" play for Toni Kukoc in a crucial game in the playoffs in '94, Pippen refused to come into the game.  He was the opposite of LeBron. Pippen needed...begged...pleaded for the chance to prove that he could be THAT GUY.  LeBron is scared to even TRY and be that guy. 

So yeah, to the people of Chicago, where MJ is and always will be the real "KING", LeBron is nothing more than a joke.  There are guys like Broussard and Mark Jackson that say LeBron should be saluted for choosing to take less money and trying to win titles.  But they forget that players aren't just judged by the amount of titles they win.  If that were the case, wouldn't Robert Horry be an automatic Hall of Famer?  No...they are judged by HOW they win titles.  By the ROLE they play in winning the title.  Look, if he came to Chicago, he really could have been great.  He could have been a level below MJ.  AT THE VERY LEAST, on the same spectrum.  It would have been his town, his team, HIS CHAMPIONSHIPS.  He obviously would have been the epicenter of how we won championships.  But the guy just doesn't believe in himself.  He's capable of everything and anything on the basketball court...everyone who watches him can see that.  But he can't.  So he picked the easy way out.  Ride Dwyane Wade's cotails.  So now he won't be the epicenter.  Wade, Bosh, and LBJ will equally be the epicenter.  His detractors will forever look at it this way.  To willingly tarnish your legacy and stare down greatness and turn away...this city...this country...will forever view him as a coward.  Because he can never be considered great now. Sure he may win a few titles down the line.  Maybe two or three or four.  I don't think any more than that.  But Kobe has 5, and he's won by being THE MAN...multiple times.  Jordan has 6 and we know how his career went.  Even Wade has won a title by being THE MAN, which brings me to my next point...

You know who the biggest winner is after all of this?  Dwyane Wade.  Wade already brought home a title for the Heat.  Wade stuck with the franchise that drafted him.  Wade brought 2 superstars along with him.  Wade will remain the face of that franchise.  And Wade will continue to take the big shots for that team.  He's a hero in that town and always will be.  In this town, we don't care about him.  Sure he's from here...but we don't wallow and cry because a Chicago kid refused to come home.  We just wanna kick his ass on the court.  No hurt feelings here...just pride.

But yeah, I don't even want to discuss the whole "process" at this point.  Debacle doesn't even begin to describe it.  Train wreck is an understatement.  Forget the irrationality and weirdness of his decision, because the way he presented "The Decision" quadruples that.  I don't really sympathize with Cleveland fans...sorry.  But that doesn't make it ANY less absurd.  He clearly has no judgment, no values, no father figure to teach him how to make sound decisions, no perspective, and approximately zero ability to put himself in other people's shoes.  If he was at all able to put himself in the shoes of a Cleveland fan, his hometown fans, then there's no way, as a human being, he would have been able to do what he did.  And the ability to put yourself into other people's shoes is not something you are born with...you learn it through experience and guidance.  Due to him being overpriveleged and fed all sorts of BS since he was about 12, he just doesn't get it.  It's a lack of emotion that stems from a lack of basic experiences that most people who develop under normal circumstances are able to acquire.  Basically, he's an 8 year old in a 25 year old's body.  Hence, his desire to recreate his high school hoop glory days with his newfound superbestfriends Wade and Bosh, who can play the roles of his former teammates from his glory days at St. Mary-St. Vincent.  Whatever...all I know is that if I were the greatest athlete in the world playing for the Bulls...I could NEVER EVER EVER EVER do that to my team.  Never.  Couldn't pay me to do it that way.  And I'm pretty sure that is the concensus across the country.

So yeah, LeBron chose playing sidekick to Dwyane Wade over being the face of a franchise and cementing his legacy as one of the greats.  Now, instead of being compared to Jordan and Kobe...he can be compared to James Worthy (no offense Worthy, you were at least drafted onto Magic and Kareem's team and didn't have a choice).

More on Korver and Redick tomorrow.

The Bulls didn't get shut out of free agency after all.  Carlos Boozer come on down.  5 years, about $75 million.  Not the max...not even close.  And leaves room for another max contract juuuuuuuuust in case.  Truth be told, it is a great signing.  Truth be told, I think Boozer fits the Bulls better than Chris Bosh.  Truth be told, I think Chris Bosh is kind of a weirdo.  He looks weird, he acts weird, and he tweets weird.  That's not to say he's a good basketball player, because he is.  But definitely not as good as everyone is making him out to be this summer.  On the other hand, Boozer is a big body who knows how to play the pick and roll and can bang in the post.  Bosh is more of a finesse player rather than a banger.  Unfortunately, both are pretty awful on the defensive end.  But Boozer is a true 20 point 10 (11 actually) rebound player and usually improves those numbers in the playoffs.  I really like Boozer's game and a player with Boozer's style is exactly what the Bulls have been missing...FOR YEARS.

Derrick is going to love playing with Boozer...the same way Deron did.  And what Boozer lacks on the defensive end, Joakim Noah more than makes up for.  They are great compliments to one another.  One is more of an offensive minded player, the other is more of a defensive minded, energy driven player.  Both are great rebounders.  It's going to be an incredibly effective tandem.  Bring in a Michael Redd, and now we have a two-guard who can create (sort of) and shoot the three and we have no weaknesses.  I'd even accept Josh Childress or Ronnie Brewer at the 2 and a Kyle Korver or Mike Miller signing for bench purposes.  That is a very solid group of players.

To me, it seems like the Bulls are well on there way to having their first 50 win season since you know who.

And yeah, I know...there's still an 800 lb. gorilla in the room.  I'm writing under the assumption that LeBron doesn't pick Chicago.  No, I don't think the Bulls are totally out of it.  But I'm not going to sit here and assume that he's picking the Bulls now that they've signed Carlos Boozer.  Sure, there's no reason to believe that he's no longer considering the Bulls, but for some reason, everyone else seems to think that's the case.  As I wrote in my last article, and I still think this is the case, I've seen nothing that conveys that he's no longer considering Chicago.  The only things that could convince me that this is the case are the facts that World Wide Wes is no longer in the picture and has been pushed out of the inner circle due to his pushing Chicago as LBJ's destination, and of course, the hour-long LeBronathon schedule for tomorrow night.  It would be ridiculously bizarre if he had an hour long special scheduled only to tear the heart out of his hometown fans and then stomp on it.  But yeah, I definitely have heard that he's bought a house in Chicago.  And he has also changed his tax address for one of his companies to a Chicago address...TODAY.  The timing for something like that seems very odd.  So honestly, who knows?  No one...and that's a fact.

By the way, Boozer did say that he was going to contact James and personally try to recruit him.  This could mean absolutely nothing.  After all, James may not even want to play with Boozer.  Boozer was the guy who bolted to Utah in the middle of the night and pretty much left James stranded  in Cleveland with out a lackey.  If I were James, I probably wouldn't forget something like that.  Plus who knows if James even liked playing with Boozer in the first place.

But regardless of King Lames, a lineup of Rose, Redd/Childress/Brewer/Miller, Deng, Boozer, and Noah is a formidable one.  No one wants to play that team.  That team is definitely better than a Cleveland team with LeBron and a New York team with LeBron and Amar'e.  And it's a team that is arguably better than a Wade/Bosh Heat team with a bunch of scrubs.  Bottom line...the Bulls are comng out winners this summer...

So the weekend is over and absolutely nothing has been accomplished other than Amar'e getting an awful max deal from the Knicks (Donny Walsh has nothing on Isiah Thomas) and Joe Johnson getting an even more awful max deal from Atlanta.  Well, nothing but a bunch of sportswriters and so-called journalists trying to gain credibility and ratings by leaking every little thing that they hear to the public.  Even if whatever it is they hear makes absolutely zero sense.  See Stephen A. Smith about a week ago.  So instead...they've just lost all credibility.  At this point, I have absolutely stopped paying attention to anyone and everyone, unless their name is Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports, who has yet to release an unsubstantiated rumor.

For some reason...and I honestly cannot give you that reason...in fact I have no freakin' idea where this sentiment comes from...people seem to believe that LeBron James is staying in Cleveland, Dwyane Wade is staying in Miami, and Bosh is following one of them after both decide.  Now Wade, I can understand.  Let's ignore the fact that he met with the Bulls twice for over 2 hours, and that he's got incredibly strong roots in Chicago, and that he's going through a nasty divorce and custody battle that could be effected by his decision...let's ignore ALL THAT...and assume that Wade has been playing the Bulls and is nothing but a "spy" for the Heat as so many journalists (I'm looking at you, Bucher) seem to believe.  (And that reminds me...just a little side note.  I happened to throw in my 2 cents about Bucher being, how shall I say...gullable for simply believing that Wade is not even CONSIDERING defecting to the Bulls and assuming from the beginning that he's just spying for Miami.  He was so irked by opinion that he decided to direct message me on Twitter at 3:46 AM a couple of nights ago.  Next time, Ric...let's hold out till the sun comes up to offer up a retort.)  Anyway, let's ignore all of the above factors, and just assume that Wade is staying in Miami like so many are doing just because he's been unabashedly loyal to the Heat in the months leading up to free agency, even though that means nothing once July 1st hits.  Fair enough.  Wade may be staying...I have no problem with that opinion.

But answer me this.

Why are so many people all of a sudden SOOOO sure that LeBron is staying in Cleveland?  Exactly what has changed in the past 7 days to make people believe that he's leaning more toward Cleveland than Chicago?  I mean he clearly has said nothing.  His camp has said absolutely nothing.  So who is all this coming from?  NOBODY.  The media is totally making almost all of these rumors up, or simply getting them from their absolutely absurd so-called "sources".  Stephen A. Smith must have heard from a friend of a friend of an uncle of a bartender who served a drink to LeBron's baby-mama that he's going to Miami or staying in Cleveland, but absolutely definitely not coming to Chicago.  From sources like this...HOW COULD YOU EVEN DOUBT ANY OF THESE RUMORS?

I don't blame the media for rooting against a LeBron defection.  The general concensus in the media is to be anti-Chicago Bulls...it stems from all the way back to the MJ days.  No one ever roots for a past behemoth in the league to return to glory.  Only Chicagoans could be rooting for a switch.  That goes for LBJ, Wade, and Bosh.  Let's not forget that folks in the media are people as well.  They have opinions, and they have preferences.  And this past week, a lot of these preferences and opinions have come out.  The random rumors from so-called NBA insiders claiming that the general "concensus" is that LeBron is staying in Cleveland, especially when I, or anyone else, have been unable to find any comment, quote, or leak to substantiate this sentiment, clearly conveys the fact that it's very likely that the media are simply rooting for the Bulls to come up empty (I'm looking at you again, Bucher).  After all, the Bulls have been, and always will be...the bad guy.  Especially in this situation where they are trying to steal away the hometown hero from the poor, underdog loser that keeps on chugging along every year in hopes of eventually winning SOMETHING.  But guess what...with or without LeBron, the Cavs have always been losers.  Keeping LeBron won't ever change that...especially if Wade and Bosh join forces in Miami and ESPECIALLY since they have no cap-space.  And then the Bulls, an already fairly formidable opponent, acquire Boozer or Lee to team up with Rose and Noah.  And LeBron knows that.

And that brings me to my next point.  At this point in his career, going into his 8th year, LeBron's main concern has to be winning a championship...not money.  People, including the highly respected KC Johnson, keep saying players never pass up money even if you can get more W's for less money.  You're telling me LeBron is willing to risk never winning a title in Cleveland (which if he didn't last season, definitely won't after this summer...not with that supporting cast) just to appease his hometown fans and take on an extra $25 mill?  The guy is on his way to being a freakin' billionaire.  In his 8th year, with the knowledge that Jordan won in his 7th, you really think he's going to go for the extra $25 mill rather than jump to a team that is in a much better position to win a title with his presence?  Come on.  I mean...really?  I just cannot buy that.  I won't buy that.  It makes no sense to me.  Trust me, I know a title is not guaranteed in Chicago.  But the chances of winning with the Bulls' roster and cap-space has to be at least twice as good as winning one with the Cavs.  If anything has become clear to LeBron, it has to be the fact that it ain't happenin' in Cleveland.

So someone explain to me where all of this optimisim for Cleveland comes from.  Why are Cleveland fans so optimistic?  Why is the media so optimistic on Cleveland's behalf?  I understand being hopeful, but the optimism is providing nothing but false hope.  LeBron has given no hint that he's staying.  His team has given no hint that he's staying.  If anything, the fact that he's delaying his decision till after his basketball camp in Akron is over on Wednesday night is a sign that he's LEAVING.  If he weren't leaving, why wouldn't he just announce it before or during the camp so he could like a damn hero for those kids and the cities of Akron/Cleveland?  What's the point of delaying it till after?  Unless, he's leaving, and then it makes perfect sense as to why he's delaying till after.  I'm not saying that this is exactly what's going on, but is there anyone out there who can argue with my logic?  All I'm saying is there absolutely should not be this much anti-Bulls sentiment and pessimism out there...I have seen nothing that calls for it.  If anything, I have seen the opposite.  Just wait it out, people.

At least that's the headline for this article on espn.com.  He has apparently requested a second meeting to "clarify certain issues" about signing with the Bulls.

And he feels like the Bulls have a better chance to contend for a championship with their roster.  And he's right.  And Ric Bucher has lost all credibility.  This is hilarious...more to come.

Free agency is here.

See how many times you watch this video in the next few days...

Goosebumps?  Yeah, I thought so.

So after all that summit talk...there actually was no summit.  This via the Miami Herald...

"ESPN is reporting that Dwyane Wade, LeBron James and Chris Bosh had a meeting about their futures right here in Miami.

790 The Ticket has learned via Michael Wallace of the Miami Herald that Dwyane Wade was not even in Miami this weekend.

(UPDATE) Bosh & Wade's agent Henry Thomas has denied the ESPN report to Michael Wallace the Miami Herald.

Michael Wallace of the Miami Herald had this article in yesterday's edition where he interviewed Wade at Chicago's O'Hare airport.

790 The Ticket's Jorge Sedano has learned that Wade's itinerary beginning Thursday went like this...

Thursday: Las Vegas

Friday: Chicago (in court to wrap divorce case)

Saturday: Still in Chicago, "Taste of Chicago" w/ kids, Saturday night dropped kids off at new ex-wife

Sunday: All day in Chicago, met w/Mike Wallace at O'Hare

Sunday night - flew back from CHI to destination X

So two days ago, Chicag Bulls fans were feeling somewhat of a sense of euphoria.  There was New York Times report that the Chicago Bulls, after creating more cap space by moving Kirk Hinrich, were going to sign both LeBron James and Dwyane Wade.

NOW...

Things are slightly different.  Can you believe how much can change in two days?  There are now reports that there was some sort of mini-summit between the three big gets this summer.  Bosh, LeBron, and Wade had some sort of meeting in South Florida over the weekend.  This is according to a report from the Sun Sentinel in Florida. Not only that.  Now we got Stephen A. Smith, the rabid NBA insider that everyone knows well from his days on ESPN, reporting that the three knuckleheads are going to be forming a grand triumverate in Miami, with Pat Riley coming back as head coach.  Smith is insistent that it's happening.  He claims his sources are very credible and they have never let him down over 14 years.  And the man does not go out on a limb unless he's extremely confident on the accuracy of the report.  You can listen to him talk about it extensively here.  This is scary stuff.  This is the exact opposite of what was being reported two days ago.  And this is the exact opposite of what we want to happen.

Now regardless of what Stephen A. says, do I believe that the Moe, Larry, and Curly will end up in Miami?  No, I do not.  You have to have a basic understanding of people.  Especially egomaniacal athletes.  These guys are incredibly two-faced.  And they're only looking out for numero uno.  LeBron could have easily said, "Oh yeah D-Wade, I'm coming to Miami and I'm bringing Bosh with me."  Does that mean he meant it?  Absolutely not.  LeBron, when and if he said such a thing, is very aware of the fact that Wade is aware of the fact that LeBron is going to listen to each and every sales pitch before he officially makes up his mind.  LeBron knows that he can always come up with an excuse for Wade that has to do with how good a sales pitch was and how he was excited about coming to the Heat, but after the sales pitch by Team X, he doesn't feel like he can pass up that opportunity.  And Wade is very aware of this.  That is why Wade is covering his tracks by meeting with teams himself.  Teams such as Chicago, New York, and Dallas.  Now if Wade thought it was a done deal, would he meet with all three of those teams?  If this is a done deal, is Stephen A. trying to tell me that Wade's tour is nothing but a dog-and-pony show?  No.  It should be fairly clear to everyone that no one's mind has been made up about anything.  I do not think the summit actually went and changed anything.  There is nothing that Dwyane Wade could have said to LeBron that he didn't already know two days ago when the Bulls were guaranteed to land him and Bosh.

And I'm sorry, but I just cannot buy into the fact that LeBron is willing to share the spotlight with Dwyane Wade, both of whom are two of the top 3 superstars in the league, for the next 5 years.  I just don't see it happening.  I don't see how that can be appealing to LeBron, when he can absolutely own the spotlight in Chicago, but play with a younger version of Dwyane Wade in Derrick Rose.

Meanwhile, these reporters have to keep the news flowing.  This is an exciting time for sports television and radio, and these reports do nothing but boost ratings and sell newspapers. So it's no surprise that certain personalities are going out on a limb at times when they usually wouldn't.  I'm just saying, don't bank on anything anyone is saying...only LeBron knows which way he is truly leaning.  He can say whatever to whomever, maybe to just avoid hurting anyone's feelings...or maybe just for leverage.  The truth is, he knows what's best for him.  And to me, playing alongside Derrick Rose, Joakim Noah, Luol Deng, Taj Gibson, and Chris Bosh is better than playing alongside Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh, and absolutely no one else.  It doesn't take a genius, people.

The Chicago Bulls have come to an agreement to trade Kirk Hinrich, along with the 17th pick in tonight's draft, to the Washington Wizards.  What the Bulls will be getting in return is unknown as of yet. Via Chad Ford of espn.com:

"The Chicago Bulls have a deal in place that would move Kirk Hinrich and the 17th pick to the Washington Wizards, freeing up enough cap space to pursue two maximum-salary players on this summer's free-agent market, sources with knowledge of the Bulls' plans said Thursday.

It wasn't immediately clear what Washington would send to Chicago in the trade.

The deal can't be officially consummated until July 8, when the Wizards will have room under the salary cap to absorb Hinrich's $9 million contract without having to send back anything of similar value.

Since it's a good-faith deal for the time being, there remains a chance it could fall apart. But according to one source, the Sacramento Kings are prepared to make a similar deal with the Bulls in the Wizards' stead if that were to happen.

Either way, moving Hinrich and the pick would push Chicago's space under the cap from $20 million to more than $30 million. That puts the Bulls on equal footing with the Miami Heat in pursuing not just one but two members of a free-agent class that is expected to include LeBron James, Chris Bosh, Carlos Boozer, Amare Stoudemire and Joe Johnson."

What the Wizards or Kings really get out of taking on Hinrich's salary isn't really clear to me.  The Wizards will now have an explosive backcourt after tonight with Arenas and Wall.  Where does Hinrich fit into the picture?  Backing up Wall?  You're going to pay a guy $9 mill to back up Wall?  And same with the Kings...backing up Tyreke Evans?  I dunno...bizarre.  But this is ridiculously good for the Bulls, because it seems that they have put themselves in a position to sign two max guys, although it is unclear as to who they are getting in return.  I'm thinking they're getting future draft picks.

More to come...

So the NBA Draft is tonight.

The night could go two ways.  It could be a historic night in that it could bring the Bulls a step closer to bringing in LeBron...or it could just be blah.

First, let's talk about blah.  The Bulls have the 17th pick in the 1st round.  At that pick, you can either select a solid NBA-ready player, or a "project."  For example, with the 16th pick last year, the Bulls took James Johnson.  A "project" to say the least.  My point is this...you can't expect much from the 16th overall pick.  Especially not in this year's draft when the field is pretty sub-par.  And the Bulls have one below that this year.  However, that being said...there are some very serious gems that can fall to 17 this year.  It is even possible that two potential stars in this league may both fall to 17, which I will discuss shortly. The bottom line is the Bulls should be looking to address their needs with the pick.  And what are their needs?  Shooting.  The one thing I said repeatedly throughout last season was how desperate the Bulls were for a solid three-point shooter.  Terribly desperate.  So knowing this...the Bulls should be targeting two guys.

First...Xavier Henry.

I'm going to tell you right now, he's not likely to fall to 17.  However, if he does, he has to be one of two options that you absolutely must consider with the pick.  He's got a truly NBA-ready 6'6" frame.  He's got a fluid lefty stroke.  He's fairly deadly from three-point-land, and I'm talking NBA three.  Definitely a prolific scorer, and definitely can defend opposing slashers and shooting guards, albeit not consistently quite yet.  There are teams stupid enough out there to take players like Gordon Heyward and/or Avery Bradley ahead of him.  He should not fall to 17, but I can see it happening, so the Bulls absolutely have to be praying that it does so that they at least have the option of grabbing him.

However, a guy that I actually like better than Henry is James Anderson out of Oklahoma State.

There are several things I like better about Anderson over Henry.  Truth be told, they are nearly identical as basketball players.  Both can light it up from the outside, both have nearly identical frames, and both will be studs in the league.  So if the Bulls get either one...trust me I will be more than thrilled.  This is not a James Johnson situation.  Either guy will come in and contribute immediately (unless of course they're playing behind LeBron).  However, Anderson's three-point shooting ability is absurd.  He is a more consistent and prolific shooter than Henry and I also think he is a better and more aggressive defender.  Both of their abilities to finish around the basket are pretty much identical.  I just think Anderson is a slightly better shooter, a slightly more prolific scorer, and a slightly better defender.  The experts seem to think that Henry might possess a few more intangibles over Anderson, I don't really know what that means, nor do I see that in the film.  Given all these factors and their identical frames, I take Anderson over Henry, given his superior ability to knock down the three at will.  Plus, I just don't trust lefties that much.  Sorry X.

Either one of these guys take some of the scoring load off of Derrick Rose (if we don't get LeBron) due to their ability to shoot and slash, so they would be welcome additions.

HOWEVER...

There are some rumors out there.  The latest one floating around is that the Bulls are trying to trade Luol Deng and the 17th pick to the Clippers for the 8th pick.  Why would this happen?  Well, the Bulls would obviously be looking to dump Deng's contract, and the Clippers are trying to get better right now and aren't really in the free agent hunt with Donald Sterling still around as owner.  That would give the Clippers a lineup of Baron Davis, Eric Gordon, Luol Deng, Blake Griffin, and Chris Kaman.  That is a formidable lineup indeed.  For the Bulls, the move would remove Deng's $10.3 million salary as well as the $1.3 million that would be owed to the 17th pick, while adding $2.1 million that will be owed to the 8th pick.  That would put them at roughly $30 million under the cap...pretty much enough to sign both LeBron James and Chris Bosh to max deals.  Ummm...yes please.  If this happens, I don't see how the Bulls don't convince LeBron and another max guy to come to Chicago.  And frankly, I'm not that concerned with who the Bulls would take with the 8th pick if it were to happen, because at that point, you're thinking more big picture (like free agency).

But let's say it does happen.  Obviously, you lose Deng...and you can't automatically assume you get LeBron, so you immediately become pretty thin at small forward.  Obviously you're looking to draft a 3, so you're looking at Luke Babbitt or Paul George.

I really dislike Luke Babbitt's lack of athleticism.  He's a good shooter with a good skill-set, but I don't know how well it will translate to the NBA level.  Plus, he will be a massive liability on the defensive end.  And that's really not going to fly now that Tom Thibodeau is around to make this an elite defensive team.

On the other hand, I'm a big fan of Paul George.  George is a ridiculously good shooter from long-range, which is exactly what the Bulls need.  His release is incredibly quick and I think he's a tremendous athlete.  Pair the guy with Derrick Rose for Derrick to dish it out to him as he spots up in the corner and they become a deadly duo...especially with that release.  I think if you actually get the 8th pick, you have to go with Paul George.

But I'm not holding my breath.  It would be a pretty big blow to lose Deng if you don't sign LeBron, even if you are able to sign a guy like Bosh.  However, at this point, you have to go all in...and I'm sure it's a risk Gar and co. are willing to take.  Like I said, big night ahead...big week ahead.  Big week indeed.

By the way, every song in each of the above videos is absolutely sick...so you should highly consider watching them.