2016 Off-Season Thread

[Mike1989 68]

You can't just say last year we averaged this and then just add on to it. The team is completely different. If we run with a Biyombo/Ibaka/Gordon/Fournier/Payton starting five than that is no doubt an offensively challenged group. Vucevic, Green, Hezonja, Augustin, etc. might help add some offense but there is legitimate concern about how well this team will be on that side of the ball.

 

To an extent you are right that you can't take five players PPG, chuck them into a starting line up, and say they will average the same amount of points as last season in this line up. You are right, it doesn't work that way because lot's of different factors can influence whether a player's productivity increases or decreases. The scheme will play a role. Their ability to gel as a unit will play a role. Injuries play a role. So yes, you are right that you can't take the averages for granted. However, it gives you a base line of what to expect and you can project from that, because generally speaking you don't expect players in their prime years or entering their prime years to decline, they either stay the same, similar, or get better.

 

Plus, in my projected line up 3/5ths of last year's starting line up returned. Even if Vogel makes some tweaks to their role, they should still have the same chemistry as last year. So all we need is for Green and Ibaka to slot in and play well, which is not a big ask because we should be expecting good production from two players in their prime years. If either player can't average double digits next year, they have either declined, or have been given a reduced role that hinders their offensive production. Likewise, if Payton, Fournier and Vucevic (if he stays and starts), can't match last year's numbers - either they have declined, struggled to pick up the system, or are being asked to play a different role. So while you are right that you can't use last year's numbers as an exact science, they are generally used to project what we might expect from our starting line up next season. Maybe we see less production from them. Maybe we see more production from them. Time will tell.

 

That being said, my main argument with my projected numbers was simply to point out that we don't necessarily need to be worried about our offensive production if we go forwards with Payton, Fournier, Green, Ibaka, Vucevic in the starting line up and our bench produces, because that line up and rotation gives us shooting and defensive ability. However, we might be worried if Biyombo replaces Vucevic in the starting line up because Biyombo does very little offensively. His career high is 6 ppg in last year's play offs and he can't shoot.So obviously slotting Biyombo in will make things a little awkward, and others would have to step up, or we would need to turn Vucevic into an upgrade at PG or SF that gives us a scoring punch (eg. Bledsoe at PG). So all I was using last year's numbers was to show what we might become with one starting line up and rotation, versus what we might become if we use a different starting line up and rotation. It wasn't 100% accurate. But last year's numbers can still be useful in projecting what we might expect from our additions if they play a similar role, and what we might expect from our existing roster if they play a similar role; and likewise, what we might expect if any of those player's are given an increased role. We have to use some stats to formulate what a player may put up for us...

[Fultz4thewin 2,464]

Also, it's not really saying much that you're "skeptical he's going to be a star"

 

That statement is literally applicable to every single player drafted since 2011

[KRISH10 103]

This is exactly the reason I think he should have stayed here this summer and just work on his game against other NBA players in summer league and in workouts. Going back to play for Croatia when he knows how it is with them playing older guys and not running much plays for him is foolish in my opinion.

[Fultz4thewin 2,464]

So because he's an athletic three point shooter (who so far has only managed 34% from 3 in the NBA), he's a star in the making?

No. He's got set skills that will provide a reason to be in an nba rotation and no limitations that prevent him from being something fantastic.

 

Like always, human beings only usually end up achieving 75% of their potential unless they have a mental illness.

 

There's no reason he shouldn't be something between jr Smith and Chandler Parsons though

[Fultz4thewin 2,464]

This is exactly the reason I think he should have stayed here this summer and just work on his game against other NBA players in summer league and in workouts. Going back to play for Croatia when he knows how it is with them playing older guys and not running much plays for him is foolish in my opinion.

 

Yep.

[Tank Vogel 191]

Summer League is garbage and doesnt help anyone

[KRISH10 103]

Summer League is garbage and doesnt help anyone

 

 

 

I think AG made huge strides in Summer League and it gave him a lot of confidence going into the season.

 

 

 

[Fultz4thewin 2,464]

I think AG made huge strides in Summer League and it gave him a lot of confidence going into the season.

 

Was it the summer league? Or was the summer league just the first time we got to see the results of his practicing?

 

Either way it's probably true that both summer league is useless and Hezonja would have been better off playing in the summer league to get him reps as a first option on offense, something that hasn't happened in a few years

[jjgator 164]

Adrian Wojnarowski ‏@WojVerticalNBA

Sources: In last few hours, Bulls calling teams to unload contracts, trying to create space to sign Dwyane Wade. Wade is serious about them.

[John Snow 1]

Adrian Wojnarowski ‏@WojVerticalNBA

Sources: In last few hours, Bulls calling teams to unload contracts, trying to create space to sign Dwyane Wade. Wade is serious about them.

 

Would love to see the Heat lose him. Would make our division easier and I hate the heat.

[KRISH10 103]

Adrian Wojnarowski ‏@WojVerticalNBA

Sources: In last few hours, Bulls calling teams to unload contracts, trying to create space to sign Dwyane Wade. Wade is serious about them.

 

 

 

Fine, we'll help them out and I guess will take Butler if we have to...

[The Boss 129]

I'm a little worried about the Hayward rumours. I hope we aren't pursuing him too hard when he will opt out of his contract this season and become a free agent this off-season. We can just go after him then. I don't want to give up too much to try and get him now, definitely don't want to include AG but that's who they will be asking for. They have no need for Vuch/Payton, so if we were to get a trade accepted it would have to include either Mario or AG, or both. Mario I could accept, but not AG.