Nobody is expecting the Bulls to make any kind of big splash either this offseason or at any point during the coming regular season. In fact, fewer are expecting any type of competitive year with each passing day. Some are disgruntled with the moves the front office has made over the course of the month. I'll get to that in a moment, but first, there are a couple of signings I need to recap.
News has just broken that the Bulls are finalizing a deal with 6-5 guard Marco Belinelli, a five-year veteran most recently of the New Orleans Hornets. The Italian is coming off a season in which he set career-high averages in scoring (11.8), rebounding (2.6) and minutes played (29.8). If Jimmy Butler is the replacement for Ronnie Brewer, then I present to you the man who will fill Kyle Korver's role. His shooting numbers were down a bit last year from his career totals, but under the circumstances, the Bulls aren't going to find a better shooter left on the market. He'll come off the bench in just about every game he suits up for and provide a lift when needed. He's no Ray Allen, but he has a chance to find open looks and make life difficult for any defender assigned to watch him. Once he starts firing bombs from downtown, they'll find the net very often. As long as he takes smart shots, he'll be a valuable member of the squad.
Late Saturday night, it was reported the Bulls had agreed to terms with veteran center Nazr Mohammed, a Chicago product who spent more than half of the Oklahoma City Thunder's run to the NBA Finals on the bench. He's one of only five active players to win an NCAA championship (Kentucky, 1998) and an NBA championship (San Antonio, 2005). Statistically speaking, there's nothing too exciting to mention. Still, I can guarantee you'll be seeing him on the floor very often. With the Bulls about to officially decline Omer Asik's offer sheet with the Rockets, he'll be the only true center on the bench. In last year's shorterned regular season, he played 63 out of a possible 66 games, so he's still in game shape. He might not have the cult following Asik did during his time here, but he'll bring that veteran big man presence previously held by Kurt Thomas. His value will be at its peak if he can get into the dirty areas and perform the little things to make the Bulls' offense run smoothly and efficiently. As he'll be 35 when the season tips off, we don't know how much he has left in the tank. Whatever he does have though will be of great service to this team.
As I welcome the two newest additions to the Bulls, I feel I have to address some of the criticism that has been directed at Gar Forman and John Paxson. I think we all know by this point, the Bulls aren't going to contend for the top seed in the East next year, which about says it all for any postseason aspirations. Their two best players are questionable as far as availability for the first part of the season. It's a reality we have to accept. That said, why are people getting upset over the departures of the likes of Brewer, Korver, Asik and C.J. Watson?
It's pretty clear that none will be back for financial reasons. This is a club that refuses to get to a point where it has to pay a luxury tax. We can argue the team's finances all we want and call them cheap, but the reality is none of those players were getting us any closer to a championship. They all had some great games in the regular season, but once Derrick Rose and Joakim Noah went down, they couldn't answer the call. Don't get me wrong when I say I'll miss seeing them thrill sold-out United Center crowds. They helped provide the most exciting Bulls basketball since the Jordan days.
But the postseason is when it counts. No one could help out Luol Deng against Philadelphia and not enough was done in the playoffs before that. Trust me when I say the money was better spent elsewhere. Why overpay for a group with many shortcomings who couldn't rise to the occasion when it meant the most? Even if Rose hadn't torn his ACL, the inevitable might have only been delayed. Do you really want to see another huge tease in the regular season only to see the role players turn invisible and/or ineffective in a "Win or Go Home" situation? I realize not everyone may agree with me here, but each and every one of those decisions to let certain players walk was justified. Some might refuse to accept them, but pro basketball is as much a business as it is a game. Players come and go. Then, you go out and play the cards you're dealt. It's how things will be as long as the NBA exists.
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