Paxson, Forman shouldn't be afraid to tell truth about Bulls
The Bulls management team of John Paxson and Gar Forman doesn't take questions very often. When it happens, like it did Thursday evening, the session can get a little awkward.
So here are a few suggestions on how the Bulls might want to redirect their message:
• For starters, just admit they're having a tough time transitioning from the Derrick Rose team to the new era. It's not easy to reload with a bunch of draft picks in the teens or below, but it is possible.
The Bulls absolutely made the right decision by not trading Jimmy Butler on Thursday and shouldn't trade him this summer unless they are completely blown away by an offer. Paxson got this right, Butler is a top-12 player in the NBA and it's not easy to find those guys, even at the top of the draft.
A complete rebuild featuring sold-off assets, 20-win seasons and lucky trinkets to being to the draft lottery is a horrible idea. If only there were an example of a team that's gone nowhere following this path.
Oh wait, check out the Philadelphia 76ers, who traded Nerlens Noel, the No. 6 pick in 2013, for nickels on the dollar, then announced Friday rookie Ben Simmons won't play at all this season due to a foot injury.
Or the Los Angeles Lakers, who picked Julius Randle (No. 7 overall), D'Angelo Williams (No. 2) and Brandon Ingram (No. 2) the last three years and have a 19-39 record to show for it.
The best way to rebuild in the NBA these days is by trying to find gold on other team's rosters, in conjunction with some smart draft picks.
How did Boston land Isaiah Thomas? A trade with Phoenix. Kyle Lowry helped put Toronto over the top after a trade with Houston. Atlanta signed Paul Millsap as a low-demand free agent. The Rockets landed their star, James Harden, in a famous trade with Oklahoma City.
This is essentially what the Bulls tried to do Thursday. They gave up a disappointing player, Doug McDermott, in hopes that point guard Cameron Payne will blossom into a star when given major minutes. Payne had been backing up dance partner Russell Westbrook in Oklahoma City.
Taj Gibson was probably leaving anyway as a free agent this summer, so they included him in the deal. Don't count out power forward Joffrey Lauvergne as a guy who could contribute. He's an interesting player who is trying to add the 3-point shot to his game.
Likewise, the Thunder is hoping it unearthed a diamond in McDermott. Maybe both players will blossom with new teams. We won't know the answer for a few years.
• Admit to mistakes, like trading for McDermott in 2014 and counting heavily on Nikola Mirotic.
Obviously, the Bulls expected McDermott and Mirotic to develop into top-line players and it hasn't happened. It still might, but in hindsight, Zach LaVine would have been a better player to target in the '14 draft. Also, if rumors of the Bulls being offered lottery picks for Mirotic in 2014 were true, they should have taken them.
Not every move works. When asked about McDermott, Paxson felt the need to mention the former coaching staff, led by Tom Thibodeau, favored the pick. Bad form.
McDermott may still turn into a valuable NBA player. But another aspect of Thursday's trade is that with all the young players on the Bulls' roster, it sounds like McDermott was the only one with much trade value.
Paxson was justified in mentioning how the Bulls don't have many long-term commitments. And with about $30 million in cap space this summer, they'll have the means to improve the supporting cast or chase a star-caliber player.
When a team has some great players to build around, it's easy to plug in pieces. In a situation like the Bulls, where they built around Rose, lost Rose to injury and eventually had to move on, some decisions won't work out.
With McDermott now in Oklahoma City, the Bulls have essentially turned to McDermott 2.0, Denzel Valentine, to see if he can handle a major role. McDermott and Valentine were both four-year college players who posted good numbers. Those type of players don't always cut it in the NBA. Sometimes you have to take a chance on great athletes (like LaVine).
Butler is 27 and should be entering his peak years. And he wants to be here. The Bulls should have a five-year window of building a contender around - sorry, make that build with - Butler. The process needs to get serious this summer.
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