Post by Erik Lassen on Aug 1, 2008 6:13:56 GMT
Headed into the 2008 D5 Offseason, it was a certainty that Ben Gordon and Emeka Okafor would soon be signing the paperwork to stay in the White and Red long-term. But as fate would have it, that was far from reality.
Instead, Gordon and Okafor took more than stern General Manager Erik Lassen was willing to offer. The two signed larger deals, one worth more than 100 million dollars, with Cleveland and Indiana respectively.
So with the two players that Lassen surrendered Kevin Garnett in order to keep gone to richer pastures, the 3rd year GM turned to the free agent pool, and immediately contacted the Player Agents of Andre Igoudala, and Al Jefferson. Jefferson opted to stay in Atlanta for 5 more years, but Igoudala chose to return to his home state, and star in the backcourt with MVP candidate Chris Paul. 'Iggy' inked a 5 year, 75 million dollar deal to play for the Bulls.
Soon after the announcement of this signing, the Bulls announced veteran shooting guard Michael Finley's affordable, 2 year, 8 million dollar deal.
With the backcourt now solidified (thanks to the two most recent signings, and the earlier trades for point guards, Acie Law IV, and Jason Hart, and the recent drafting of IUPUI's George Hill) Lassen changed his attention to the front court, immidietly signing lock down defender / three point speciallist; James Posey, to a 4 year 19 million dollar deal.
Soon afterwards, it left the team with only 3 bigmen, since the Posey signing left the Bulls less money than they thought for the player option on Shelden Williams (who they had previously traded down in the draft in order to get) So, the Bulls looked to other players who didn't get picked up by their teams, and as luck would have it, Lassen saw a young player he has been known to covet: Former Miami Heat power forward, Jason Maxiell. The Bulls instantly offered every cent they had for the bulky bigman, offering him a starting spot in the process. A few days later, the signing was announced, and the Bulls had their rotation filled.
Going into training camp, the Bulls will have a roster cleared of all the brutal contracts of last year (Troy Hudson, and Trenton Hassell) and instead have affordable contracts like Finley, Posey, and Maxiell. All contracts in the same range as Hudson and Hassell, only much better players, who are proven winners. Add former Spur Fabricio Obertro's miniscule contract, and the nice 6.2 million dollar expiring of Jerome James, and resigning Chris Paul and Mehmet Okur next season looks like a lock.
The Bulls are left with the following roster heading into training camp:
PG: Chris Paul (86) | Acie Law IV (70) | Jason Hart (68) |
John Lucas (62) | George Hill (??)
SG: Andre Igoudala (85) | Michael Finley (71) | Charlie Bell (69) | Malik Hairston (??)
SF: James Posey (73) | Rudy Fernandez (63) | Rasual Butler (65)
PF: Jason Maxiell (72) | Sean May (69)
C: Mehmet Okur (79) | Fabricio Oberto (66) | Jerome James (62) | Sasha Kaun (??)
Paul, Posey, Fernandez, Maxiell, and Oberto are probably all worth of rating increases, and only Law, Bell, and James might suffer rating decreases, and with James likely to be cut, that should not be a problem.
With days of Kevin Garnett, Ben Gordon, and Emeka Okafor far in the rear view mirror, the Bulls look ahead with a new core around Chris Paul, in Andre Igoudala, Mehmet Okur, and James Posey, and a lot more depth than years past. Only time will tell how this offseasons turn of events will pay off.
Instead, Gordon and Okafor took more than stern General Manager Erik Lassen was willing to offer. The two signed larger deals, one worth more than 100 million dollars, with Cleveland and Indiana respectively.
So with the two players that Lassen surrendered Kevin Garnett in order to keep gone to richer pastures, the 3rd year GM turned to the free agent pool, and immediately contacted the Player Agents of Andre Igoudala, and Al Jefferson. Jefferson opted to stay in Atlanta for 5 more years, but Igoudala chose to return to his home state, and star in the backcourt with MVP candidate Chris Paul. 'Iggy' inked a 5 year, 75 million dollar deal to play for the Bulls.
Soon after the announcement of this signing, the Bulls announced veteran shooting guard Michael Finley's affordable, 2 year, 8 million dollar deal.
With the backcourt now solidified (thanks to the two most recent signings, and the earlier trades for point guards, Acie Law IV, and Jason Hart, and the recent drafting of IUPUI's George Hill) Lassen changed his attention to the front court, immidietly signing lock down defender / three point speciallist; James Posey, to a 4 year 19 million dollar deal.
Soon afterwards, it left the team with only 3 bigmen, since the Posey signing left the Bulls less money than they thought for the player option on Shelden Williams (who they had previously traded down in the draft in order to get) So, the Bulls looked to other players who didn't get picked up by their teams, and as luck would have it, Lassen saw a young player he has been known to covet: Former Miami Heat power forward, Jason Maxiell. The Bulls instantly offered every cent they had for the bulky bigman, offering him a starting spot in the process. A few days later, the signing was announced, and the Bulls had their rotation filled.
Going into training camp, the Bulls will have a roster cleared of all the brutal contracts of last year (Troy Hudson, and Trenton Hassell) and instead have affordable contracts like Finley, Posey, and Maxiell. All contracts in the same range as Hudson and Hassell, only much better players, who are proven winners. Add former Spur Fabricio Obertro's miniscule contract, and the nice 6.2 million dollar expiring of Jerome James, and resigning Chris Paul and Mehmet Okur next season looks like a lock.
The Bulls are left with the following roster heading into training camp:
PG: Chris Paul (86) | Acie Law IV (70) | Jason Hart (68) |
John Lucas (62) | George Hill (??)
SG: Andre Igoudala (85) | Michael Finley (71) | Charlie Bell (69) | Malik Hairston (??)
SF: James Posey (73) | Rudy Fernandez (63) | Rasual Butler (65)
PF: Jason Maxiell (72) | Sean May (69)
C: Mehmet Okur (79) | Fabricio Oberto (66) | Jerome James (62) | Sasha Kaun (??)
Paul, Posey, Fernandez, Maxiell, and Oberto are probably all worth of rating increases, and only Law, Bell, and James might suffer rating decreases, and with James likely to be cut, that should not be a problem.
With days of Kevin Garnett, Ben Gordon, and Emeka Okafor far in the rear view mirror, the Bulls look ahead with a new core around Chris Paul, in Andre Igoudala, Mehmet Okur, and James Posey, and a lot more depth than years past. Only time will tell how this offseasons turn of events will pay off.