The Ball Blog
  • Home
  • Articles
    • Trade Grades
    • Season Predictions: 2016
    • Power Rankings: 2015-16
    • Best, Worst Draft Scenarios
    • NBA PG's Chat >
      • Establishing Personalities, Part 2
      • Establishing Personalities, Part 1
      • Free Agency
      • Rookies
      • Season in Review
      • Champs!
      • Ganging Up
      • I'm Rooting For...
      • Finals!
      • Choked!
      • Buzzer-Beater!
      • MVP!
    • Best Case Scenarios for Playoff Teams
    • Draft Targets
    • Season Predictions: 2014-15
    • One Trade That Every Team Should Do
    • State of the Franchise
  • Teams
    • Atlantic >
      • Boston Celtics >
        • Trade Grades Celtics
        • Season Predictions 2016 Celtics
        • Power Rankings Celtics
        • Best, Worst Draft Scenarios Celtics
        • Best Case Scenario for Playoff Teams Celtics
        • Draft Targets Celtics
        • Season Predictions Celtics
        • One Trade That Every Team Should Do Celtics
        • State of the Franchise Celtics
      • Brooklyn Nets >
        • Trade Grades Nets
        • Season Predictions 2016 Nets
        • Power Rankings Nets
        • Best, Worst Draft Scenarios Nets
        • Best Case Scenario for Playoff Teams Nets
        • Draft Targets Nets
        • Season Predictions Nets
        • One Trade That Every Team Should Do Nets
        • State of the Franchise Nets
      • New York Knicks >
        • Trade Grades Knicks
        • Season Predictions 2016 Knicks
        • Power Rankings Knicks
        • Best, Worst Draft Scenarios Knicks
        • Draft Targets Knicks
        • Season Predictions Knicks
        • One Trade That Every Team Should Do Knicks
        • State of the Franchise Knicks
      • Philadelphia 76ers >
        • Trade Graders 76ers
        • Season Predictions 2016 76ers
        • Power Rankings 76ers
        • Best, Worst Draft Scenarios 76ers
        • Draft Targets 76ers
        • Season Predictions 76ers
        • One Trade That Every Team Should Do 76ers
        • State of the Franchise 76ers
      • Toronto Raptors >
        • Trade Grades Raptors
        • Season Predictions 2016 Raptors
        • Power Rankings Raptors
        • Best, Worst Draft Scenarios Raptors
        • Best Case Scenario for Playoff Teams Raptors
        • Draft Targets Raptors
        • Season Predictions Raptors
        • One Trade That Every Team Should Do Raptors
        • State of the Franchise Raptors
    • Central >
      • Chicago Bulls >
        • Trade Grades Bulls
        • Season Predictions 2016 Bulls
        • Power Rankings Bulls
        • Best, Worst Draft Scenarios Bulls
        • Best Case Scenario for Playoff Teams Bulls
        • Draft Targets Bulls
        • Season Predictions Bulls
        • One Trade That Every Team Should Do Bulls
        • State of the Franchise Bulls
        • OLD Chicago Bulls
      • Cleveland Cavaliers >
        • Trade Grades Cavaliers
        • Season Predictions 2016 Cavaliers
        • Power Rankings Cavaliers
        • Best, Worst Draft Scenarios Cavaliers
        • Best Case Scenario for Playoff Teams Cavaliers
        • Draft Targets Cavaliers
        • Season Predictions Cavaliers
        • One Trade That Every Team Should Do Cavaliers
        • State of the Franchise Cavaliers
      • Detroit Pistons >
        • Trade Grades Pistons
        • Season Predictions 2016 Pistons
        • Power Rankings Pistons
        • Best, Worst Draft Scenarios Pistons
        • Draft Targets Pistons
        • Season Predictions Pistons
        • One Trade That Every Team Should Do Pistons
        • State of the Franchise Pistons
      • Indiana Pacers >
        • Trade Grades Pacers
        • Season Predictions 2016 Pacers
        • Power Rankings Pacers
        • Best, Worst Draft Scenarios Pacers
        • Draft Targets Pacers
        • Season Predictions Pacers
        • One Trade That Every Team Should Do Pacers
        • State of the Franchise Pacers
        • OLD Indiana Pacers
      • Milwaukee Bucks >
        • Trade Grades Bucks
        • Season Predictions 2016 Bucks
        • Power Rankings Bucks
        • Best, Worst Draft Scenarios Bucks
        • Best Case Scenario for Playoff Teams Bucks
        • Draft Targets Bucks
        • Season Predictions Bucks
        • One Trade That Every Team Should Do Bucks
        • State of the Franchise Bucks
        • OLD Milwaukee Bucks
    • Southeast >
      • Atlanta Hawks >
        • Trade Grades Hawks
        • Season Predictions 2016 Hawks
        • Power Rankings Hawks
        • Best, Worst Draft Scenarios Hawks
        • Best Case Scenario for Playoff Teams Hawks
        • Draft Targets Hawks
        • Season Predictions Hawks
        • One Trade That Every Team Should Do Hawks
        • State of the Franchise Hawks
      • Charlotte Hornets >
        • Trade Grades Hornets
        • Season Predictions 2016 Hornets
        • Power Rankings Hornets
        • Best, Worst Draft Scenarios Hornets
        • Draft Targets Hornets
        • Season Predictions Hornets
        • One Trade That Every Team Should Do Hornets
        • State of the Franchise Hornets
      • Miami Heat >
        • Trade Grades Heat
        • Season Predictions 2016 Heat
        • Power Rankings Heat
        • Best, Worst Draft Scenarios Heat
        • Draft Targets Heat
        • Season Predictions Heat
        • One Trade That Every Team Should Do Heat
        • State of the Franchise Heat
      • Orlando Magic >
        • Trade Grades Magic
        • Season Predictions 2016 Magic
        • Power Rankings Magic
        • Best, Worst Draft Scenarios Magic
        • Draft Targets Magic
        • Season Predictions Magic
        • One Trade That Every Team Should Do Magic
        • State of the Franchise Magic
      • Washington Wizards >
        • Trade Grades Wizards
        • Season Predictions 2016 Wizards
        • Power Rankings Wizards
        • Best, Worst Draft Scenarios Wizards
        • Best Case Scenario for Playoff Teams Wizards
        • Draft Targets Wizards
        • Season Predictions Wizards
        • One Trade That Every Team Should Do Wizards
        • State of the Franchise Wizards
    • Northwest >
      • Denver Nuggets >
        • Trade Grades Nuggets
        • Season Predictions 2016 Nuggets
        • Power Rankings Nuggets
        • Best, Worst Draft Scenarios Nuggets
        • Draft Targets Nuggets
        • Season Predictions Nuggets
        • One Trade That Every Team Should Do Nuggets
        • State of the Franchise Nuggets
      • Minnesota Timberwolves >
        • Trade Grades Timberwolves
        • Season Predictions 2016 Timberwolves
        • Power Rankings Timberwolves
        • Best, Worst Draft Scenarios Timberwolves
        • Draft Targets Timberwolves
        • Season Predictions Timberwolves
        • One Trade That Every Team Should Do Timberwolves
        • State of the Franchise Timberwolves
      • Oklahoma City Thunder >
        • Trade Grades Thunder
        • Season Predictions 2016 Thunder
        • Power Rankings Thunder
        • Best, Worst Draft Scenarios Thunder
        • Draft Targets Thunder
        • Season Predictions Thunder
        • One Trade That Every Team Should Do Thunder
        • State of the Franchise Thunder
      • Portland Trail Blazers >
        • Trade Grades Blazers
        • Season Predictions 2016 Blazers
        • Power Rankings Blazers
        • Best, Worst Draft Scenarios Blazers
        • Best Case Scenario for Playoff Teams Blazers
        • Draft Targets Blazers
        • Season Predictions Blazers
        • One Trade That Every Team Should Do Blazers
        • State of the Franchise Blazers
      • Utah Jazz >
        • Trade Grades Jazz
        • Season Predictions 2016 Jazz
        • Power Rankings Jazz
        • Best, Worst Draft Scenarios Jazz
        • Draft Targets Jazz
        • Season Predictions Jazz
        • One Trade That Every Team Should Do Jazz
        • State of the Franchise Jazz
    • Pacific >
      • Golden State Warriors >
        • Trade Grades Warriors
        • Season Predictions 2016 Warriors
        • Power Rankings Warriors
        • Best, Worst Draft Scenarios Warriors
        • Best Case Scenario for Playoff Teams Warriors
        • Draft Targets Warriors
        • Season Predictions Warriors
        • One Trade That Every Team Should Do Warriors
        • State of the Franchise Warriors
      • Los Angeles Clippers >
        • Trade Grades Clippers
        • Season Predictions 2016 Clippers
        • Power Rankings Clippers
        • Best, Worst Draft Scenarios Clippers
        • Best Case Scenario for Playoff Teams Clippers
        • Draft Targets Clippers
        • Season Predictions Clippers
        • One Trade That Every Team Should Do Clippers
        • State of the Franchise Clippers
      • Los Angeles Lakers >
        • Trade Grades Lakers
        • Season Predictions 2016 Lakers
        • Power Rankings Lakers
        • Best, Worst Draft Scenarios Lakers
        • Draft Targets Lakers
        • Season Predictions Lakers
        • One Trade That Every Team Should Do Lakers
        • State of the Franchise Lakers
      • Phoenix Suns >
        • Trade Grades Suns
        • Season Predictions 2016 Suns
        • Power Rankings Suns
        • Best, Worst Draft Scenarios Suns
        • Draft Targets Suns
        • Season Predictions Suns
        • One Trade That Every Team Should Do Suns
        • State of the Franchise Suns
      • Sacramento Kings >
        • Trade Grades Kings
        • Season Predictions 2016 Kings
        • Power Rankings Kings
        • Best, Worst Draft Scenarios Kings
        • Draft Targets Kings
        • Season Predictions Kings
        • One Trade That Every Team Should Do Kings
        • State of the Franchise Kings
    • Southwest >
      • Dallas Mavericks >
        • Trade Grades Mavericks
        • Season Predictions 2016 Mavericks
        • Power Rankings Mavericks
        • Best, Worst Draft Scenarios Mavericks
        • Best Case Scenario for Playoff Teams Mavericks
        • Draft Targets Mavericks
        • Season Predictions Mavericks
        • One Trade That Every Team Should Do Mavericks
        • State of the Franchise Mavericks
      • Houston Rockets >
        • Trade Grades Rockets
        • Season Predictions 2016 Rockets
        • Power Rankings Rockets
        • Best, Worst Draft Scenarios Rockets
        • Best Case Scenario for Playoff Teams Rockets
        • Draft Targets Rockets
        • Season Predictions Rockets
        • One Trade That Every Team Should Do Rockets
        • State of the Franchise Rockets
      • Memphis Grizzlies >
        • Trade Grades Grizzlies
        • Season Predictions 2016 Grizzlies
        • Power Rankings Grizzlies
        • Best, Worst Draft Scenarios Grizzlies
        • Best Case Scenario for Playoff Teams Grizzlies
        • Draft Targets Grizzlies
        • Season Predictions Grizzlies
        • One Trade That Every Team Should Do Grizzlies
        • State of the Franchise Grizzlies
      • New Orleans Pelicans >
        • Trade Grades Pelicans
        • Season Predictions 2016 Pelicans
        • Power Rankings Pelicans
        • Best, Worst Draft Scenarios Pelicans
        • Best Case Scenario For Every Playoff Team Pelicans
        • Draft Targets Pelicans
        • Season Predictions Pelicans
        • One Trade That Every Team Should Do Pelicans
        • State of the Franchise Pelicans
      • San Antonio Spurs >
        • Trade Grades Spurs
        • Season Predictions 2016 Spurs
        • Power Rankings Spurs
        • Best, Worst Draft Scenarios Spurs
        • Best Case Scenario for Playoff Teams Spurs
        • Draft Targets Spurs
        • Season Predictions Spurs
        • One Trade That Every Team Should Do Spurs
        • State of the Franchise Spurs
  • Weekly Survey
  • Trivia
    • 1960s and Earlier >
      • 1960s-Easy
      • 1960s-Medium
      • 1960s-Hard
    • 1970s >
      • 1970s-Easy
      • 1970s-Medium
      • 1970s-Hard
    • 1980s >
      • 1980s-Easy
      • 1980s-Medium
      • 1980s-Hard
    • 1990s >
      • 1990s-Easy
      • 1990s-Medium
      • 1990s-Hard
    • 2000s >
      • 2000s-Easy
      • 2000s-Medium
      • 2000s-Hard
    • 2010s/Present >
      • 2010s-Easy
      • 2010s-Medium
      • 2010s-Hard
    • General >
      • General-Easy
      • General-Medium
      • General-Hard
    • All-time Records >
      • Records-Easier
      • Records-Harder
  • Blog
    • Evaluating NBA Teams' Drafting >
      • Outline
      • Coefficients
      • Grooming the Data Set
      • Final Rankings
    • Sizing up the 2016-17 MVP Race >
      • The Warriors
      • Familiar Faces
      • Team's Just Not Good Enough
      • The Dark Horses
      • The Man Nobody Sees Coming
    • Playoff Predictions >
      • Playoff Predictions: East
      • Playoff Predictions: West
    • This Week in Basketball...
    • Unpopular Opinions: Draft Day 2017
    • Free Agency News: 2017
  • Us
    • About Us
    • Contact Us

Chicago Bulls

Trade Grades: Jimmy Butler

6/28/2017

0 Comments

 
Click here for link to Minnesota Timberwolves' Trade Grades!

Minnesota gets:
Jimmy Butler, No. 16 pick (Justin Patton)
Chicago gets: No. 7 pick (Lauri Markannen), Zach LaVine, Kris Dunn
Picture
Often teams show us how to fail at constructing a roster, but with this trade, the Chicago Bulls showed us how to fail at tearing one down. Astonishing.

You may have recalled that in my 'Unpopular Opinions' segment (which I suggest that you check out), I detailed why in fact I was of the view that Chicago needn't be in any rush to trade their (should-be) prized superstar. How hard it was going to be, I explained, to find another player that you could build your franchise upon. Don't tear down the foundation, build upon it.

But alas, the Bulls opted to destroy it all, and worse yet, failed to receive anything close to a superstar in return.

Dunn was old for a rookie last year when he was selected with the #5 overall pick by Minnesota, and also failed to make an immediate impact on the team with averages of just 3.8 points and 2.4 assists on a measly 37.7% shooting from the field in 17.1 minutes per game. At already 23 years old, it's very well possible that he'll never amount to anything more than a role player. It's not exactly like the Bulls were getting the #5 overall pick for a fresh draft.

LaVine is actually younger than Dunn at 22, and has proven himself to be a solid scorer, averaging 18.9 points on 45.3% shooting from the field. But beyond that? LaVine is a one-dimensional player with lackluster defense that he still hasn't improved enough, and the Timberwolves actually did better when he went down with a season-ending ACL tear that should still concern the Chicago front office regarding his durability. There's no guarantee that LaVine ever learns to do anything other than use his freakish athleticism to put the ball in the basket, which is definitely not the type of guy that you can build a franchise around.
Picture
Lauri Markannen is also nothing exceptionally special, and is perhaps even a slight reach at number seven. Yes, his scoring ability both inside and out is unmatched among other bigs in this draft class, but like LaVine, he is a measly defender who still needs to bulk up considerably. It feels like an eternity ago now where Chicago, led by Tom Thibodeau (who will now be coaching Butler again in Minnesota), had the premier defense in the entire league with a tough and gritty style of play. Anyways, I think Chicago missed out on some serious difference-makers with this pick, and moving up nine spots did not salvage this trade for them at all.

And yes, to be clear, Jimmy Butler is a legitimate superstar. He averaged 23.9 points, 6.2 rebounds, 5.5 assists, and 1.9 steals per game on efficient 45.5/36.7/86.5 shooting splits in 2016-17. The advanced stats check out too: his PER was 14th in the league last season, and ESPN's "Real plus-minus" statistic pegged him at seventh in the league -- and third (behind just Curry and LeBron) when factoring in his huge minutes load over 79/82 played games. The 27-year-old is a top-ten player in the association, and with two full years guaranteed years -- where he's only owed $35 million -- still under contract and no immediate desire to leave Chicago, there's still absolutely no reason that he should have been traded at all. And even with the prospects that the team received in exchange, there's now an overload of point guards: Rajon Rondo, Dunn, LaVine, Cameron Payne, Jerian Grant, and Isaiah Canaan are all under contract next season, and MCW could be returning as well. Failure on all fronts by GM Gar Forman and co.

Grade: D-
0 Comments

Trade Grades: McDermott

2/28/2017

1 Comment

 
Click here for link to: Trade Grades Thunder

Bulls get:
PF/C Joffrey Lauvergne, SG Anthony Morrow, PG Cameron Payne

Thunder get:
PF/C Taj Gibson, SF/PF Doug McDermott, 2018 second-rounder


Undoubtedly, Chicago made a couple of downgrades in this trade. McDermott was their top perimeter threat off the bench -- averaging about 10 points, 3 rebounds, and 1.2 threes per game on efficient shooting percentages (44.5/ 37.3/ 88.1) -- and is still improving. Morrow, on the other hand, once a lethal three-point weapon (career average from three: 41.7%), is now connecting on a miserable 29.4% of his long-balls this year, and he hardly makes an impact in other facets of the game. This downgrade in three-point shooting is especially tough on the Bulls, as they currently rank dead last in three-pointers made and second-to-last in three-point percentage in the NBA; McDermott was one of their very few talented outside shooters. If Chicago was looking to make a trade at the deadline, it should have been to improve in the all-important category of outside shooting, not pour kerosene on the fire.


As well, Taj Gibson -- an essential member of Chicago’s frontcourt -- was putting up a very solid 11.5 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 0.9 blocks in 26.5 minutes per game on 51.4% shooting from the floor. Now, Joffrey Lauvergne is tasked with taking his place, who -- while in fact underrated -- has only been tasked with 14.5 minutes per game, producing 5.6 points and 3.6 rebounds per game in them on 45.3% shooting from the field.


Of course, however, the real value for Chicago here is in 2015 lottery pick Cameron Payne, who will instantly compete for minutes at the Bulls’ weakest position. However, Payne is averaging just 5.3 points -- albeit on just 12.2 minutes per game -- this season on an abysmal 33.8% field goal percentage, so the jury is certainly still out as to whether or not he can make an impact in an expanded role. If this is the case, then the Bulls have just found their long-term answer at point guard in the 22-year-old and may not even need to re-sign Rajon Rondo. But if Payne fails to pan out, especially to such lofty expectations -- which seems to be the more likely scenario -- then Chicago just sacrificed two precious forwards, integral to the team’s rotation, for downgraded replacements; all while only making their three-point shooting problem worse. No pressure, kid.


Grade: C+

1 Comment

Top Ten Players Of the '2016' Part of the 2016-17 Season

1/7/2017

0 Comments

 
http://www.theballblog.com/blog/top-ten-players-of-the-2016-part-of-the-2016-17-season
Picture
9. Jimmy Butler
​
Jimmy Butler has done everything in his power -- and then some -- to keep his Chicago Bulls afloat in the playoff race, but unfortunately has received very little help from his teammates that are not named Dwyane Wade (and even he has made his limitations clear in his old age) in doing so. Butler is averaging 24.6 points, 6.6 rebounds, 4.3 assists, and 1.7 steals per game on very respectable shooting splits of 45.3/33.6/87.7 (FG% / 3P% / FT%). His efforts have earned him basketball's 10th-best PER at 26.53, and he has made it clear that his team would absolutely suffer without him: he ranks fourth in both Value Added and Estimated Wins Added. Still it's not enough, however, as his Bulls rank 10th in the East with a mediocre 17-18 (0.486) record.
0 Comments

Trade Grades: Michael Carter-Williams

10/18/2016

0 Comments

 
Link to Bucks' Trade Grades.
Picture
The Chicago Bulls have acquired PG Michael Carter-Williams (left) from the Milwaukee Bucks in exchange for SF Tony Snell (right).
Picture
The Bulls have indeed pulled off a major overhaul of their roster over the last year-plus. Gone are perennial starters Derrick Rose, Luol Deng, Joakim Noah, and even Pau Gasol. Yet while Chicago's presumed starting five -- PG Rajon Rondo, SG Dwyane Wade, SF/SG Jimmy Butler, PF Taj Gibson, and C Robin Lopez -- are all seasoned veterans (all of which are brand new faces in the Windy City, sans Butler and Gibson), the team has experienced a sudden infusion of younger talent: PF/C Bobby Portis, forwards Doug McDermott and Nikola Mirotic, PG Jerian Grant, and now Carter-Williams. Even after signing Rondo to replace Rose, who was traded away to New York, it was clear that the point guard required a better backup than the somewhat disappointing young Grant, who was acquired by Chicago in that Rose trade.

Carter-Williams provides exactly what the Bulls need in being a competent backup for not only Rondo, but also the aging Wade, who will need to be rested often throughout the season. The only issue I have with this is that Carter-Williams' skillset could be somewhat redundant with that of Rondo's: both are lengthy defenders (though the edge goes to MCW there) with exceptional passing ability (much more so Rondo than MCW, however), who lack a reliable jump-shot. With now Rondo, MCW, Lopez, and Gibson all being unable to create their own shot on a consistent basis, the onus now falls on the star, Jimmy Butler, to be the go-to guy for this offense. It is critical that the aging Wade and the up-and-coming Mirotic and McDermott provide help for Butler in this department, but none of the three are an especially safe bet to do so on a large scale.

In terms of what Chicago gave up in this trade, they did all right. Behind Butler and Wade, the team wasn't particularly overloaded, but youngsters like McDermott and SG Denzel Valentine can easily provide necessary spacing as well as relief for their starters. Thus the loss of sharpshooter SF Tony Snell won't be felt too hardly in the Windy City. Thus GM Gar Forman is to be commended for his excellent work of acquiring a high-upside point man like Carter-Williams at little cost, who will help this team continue its effort of making deep playoff runs, even with a fresh roster.

Grade: A
0 Comments

Archives

8/20/2016

0 Comments

 
​​​Everything prior to the summer of 2016:
Archives
0 Comments

    Author

    Write something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview.

    Archives

    June 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    October 2016
    August 2016

    Categories

    All

    RSS Feed

Proudly powered by Weebly
© 2015 The Ball Blog