I can't remember wacthing 2 more enjoyable drafts. Last years trade of Brand for Tyson was shocking and great, while this year our bizarre almost cosmic connection to JWill was most unbelieveable. What a great time to be a BULLS fan. Your thoughts please?
Good lord.....
1 - 17 of 17 Posts
the past 4 years... are just that. the past.
we as bulls fans knew that the organization was pretty much intentionally losing in order to build a new elite team a few years down the road.
what most other NBA fans seemed to see was a team falling flat on its face, and wallowing in the mud for years and years and years without any hope of returning to mediocrity
even my mom fell victim to this -- during the championship years, i saw few fans as ferverent as my mother - but ever since the break up of the dynasty, all she talks about when it comes to the bulls is how Krause is intentionally making the team bad, for the sake of making the team bad. most nba fans probably don't think that's what Krause is actually doing... but the Bulls still remain a laughingstock
now, i will say that there was indeed something magical about the 90's bulls teams -- even casual fans couldn't help but appreciate and admire what they did on the court
it'll be interesting to see if this new team that is developing can gain that same kind of magnetism. of course, they have to win first, which is far from certainty. I believe they will return to winning ways -- but that doesn't automatically endear a team to the casual fan
oh well, i shouldn't complain. i think it's becoming obvious that chicago bulls have some very very talented players -- and the real hardcore NBA fans surely realize this too. maybe this was the best thing to happen to the Bulls - y'know, weed out all the championship followers, and see who really sticks by their team. because it's THEIR team.
we as bulls fans knew that the organization was pretty much intentionally losing in order to build a new elite team a few years down the road.
what most other NBA fans seemed to see was a team falling flat on its face, and wallowing in the mud for years and years and years without any hope of returning to mediocrity
even my mom fell victim to this -- during the championship years, i saw few fans as ferverent as my mother - but ever since the break up of the dynasty, all she talks about when it comes to the bulls is how Krause is intentionally making the team bad, for the sake of making the team bad. most nba fans probably don't think that's what Krause is actually doing... but the Bulls still remain a laughingstock
now, i will say that there was indeed something magical about the 90's bulls teams -- even casual fans couldn't help but appreciate and admire what they did on the court
it'll be interesting to see if this new team that is developing can gain that same kind of magnetism. of course, they have to win first, which is far from certainty. I believe they will return to winning ways -- but that doesn't automatically endear a team to the casual fan
oh well, i shouldn't complain. i think it's becoming obvious that chicago bulls have some very very talented players -- and the real hardcore NBA fans surely realize this too. maybe this was the best thing to happen to the Bulls - y'know, weed out all the championship followers, and see who really sticks by their team. because it's THEIR team.
my friend...
He will.I have no doubt of that. They paid big near the end of the last run. And were prepared to do so again. When our guys get to extension time in a few years, and have gotten closer to reaching there potential Reinsdorf will pony up the money if JK asks him to. NO DOUBT.
He will.I have no doubt of that. They paid big near the end of the last run. And were prepared to do so again. When our guys get to extension time in a few years, and have gotten closer to reaching there potential Reinsdorf will pony up the money if JK asks him to. NO DOUBT.
Joined
·
5,094 Posts
On the topic of payroll......
I agree, Maestro!, that the Bulls *will* pay to keep their players. Jordan's last contract was $30 million for one season. Rumors were that they offered him $36 million to play one more season, but he turned it down.
My question, then, is if anybody knows what our team payroll *was* during the last championship season?
Roster included:
Jordan ($30 million)
Pippen
Harper (wasn't his contract at least $5 million/season?)
Kukoc
Longley
Wennington
Kerr
Randy Brown
Dickie
.....and who else? Wasn't James Edwards or Robert Parish on this squad? I can't remember. I guess my point is that the Bulls were probably over the current salary cap with just Michael and Scottie. I know that Kukoc and Harper had nice contracts, and I know that even most of the role players were each making a couple million/season. I don't even think the Bulls flinched at paying the players. The only contract dispute we ever heard about was when Scottie wanted to back out of his 7-year deal because Kukoc was making more than he was.
I agree, Maestro!, that the Bulls *will* pay to keep their players. Jordan's last contract was $30 million for one season. Rumors were that they offered him $36 million to play one more season, but he turned it down.
My question, then, is if anybody knows what our team payroll *was* during the last championship season?
Roster included:
Jordan ($30 million)
Pippen
Harper (wasn't his contract at least $5 million/season?)
Kukoc
Longley
Wennington
Kerr
Randy Brown
Dickie
.....and who else? Wasn't James Edwards or Robert Parish on this squad? I can't remember. I guess my point is that the Bulls were probably over the current salary cap with just Michael and Scottie. I know that Kukoc and Harper had nice contracts, and I know that even most of the role players were each making a couple million/season. I don't even think the Bulls flinched at paying the players. The only contract dispute we ever heard about was when Scottie wanted to back out of his 7-year deal because Kukoc was making more than he was.
actually, during the championship years, Pippen had one of the most modest contracts in the league
he had signed a long-term deal around 92 or 93, just before salaries started exploding. when he signed it, he thought he was getting a good deal. a few years later, when he saw everyone (including role players on his own team) making 2 or 3 times as much, he called his contract "a slap in the face"
sorry, don't have a link on this -- just remember that one quote, probably from 1997 or so.
i think Pippen was earning less than 3mil per at the time, while guys like Harper and Kukoc and Longley were all earning more. i'd probably think that was a little upsetting too.
he had signed a long-term deal around 92 or 93, just before salaries started exploding. when he signed it, he thought he was getting a good deal. a few years later, when he saw everyone (including role players on his own team) making 2 or 3 times as much, he called his contract "a slap in the face"
sorry, don't have a link on this -- just remember that one quote, probably from 1997 or so.
i think Pippen was earning less than 3mil per at the time, while guys like Harper and Kukoc and Longley were all earning more. i'd probably think that was a little upsetting too.
Pippen signed a seven year contract that at his request was front loaded, meaning it paid more in the beginning than the end. It started around $3.8 mil a year which made him the 2nd or 3rd highest paid player in the NBA for the first couple years and he was making more money than Jordan initially. At the end of the the contract he was getting less than 2 1/2 mil a year.
Robert Parrish did play the last year of his career for the Bulls.
Harper (your figure sounds right Wishbone) and Kukoc were earning good money as was Dennis Rodman. I believe their payroll was over $60 mil when the cap was around $30 mil. Jordan salary alone was over the cap for the whole team.
Robert Parrish did play the last year of his career for the Bulls.
Harper (your figure sounds right Wishbone) and Kukoc were earning good money as was Dennis Rodman. I believe their payroll was over $60 mil when the cap was around $30 mil. Jordan salary alone was over the cap for the whole team.
97/98 Bulls payroll was 61 mil:
http://www.geocities.com/Colosseum/Loge/8349/swish.html
that link has a bunch of salary stuff on there
looks like dennis had a nice salary of 9 mil
http://www.geocities.com/Colosseum/Loge/8349/swish.html
that link has a bunch of salary stuff on there
looks like dennis had a nice salary of 9 mil
The Bulls will pay the guys they want. They have paid guys in the past but they don't usually dump huge contracts into people who aren't worth it.
Oakley was due to his final year of his contract.
Mercer was to get somebody, ANYBODY to play in Chicago
Robinson could have been worth it if not for the injury.
Krause isn't the type who would give a player like Alan Houston 100 million and for that I appreciate what he does.
Oakley was due to his final year of his contract.
Mercer was to get somebody, ANYBODY to play in Chicago
Robinson could have been worth it if not for the injury.
Krause isn't the type who would give a player like Alan Houston 100 million and for that I appreciate what he does.
I love the team, I love the players...but two things:
1. I don't know yet that we have elite talent or anything close to an elite team. Kobe, Shaq, T-Mac---those are elite players. The total sum of Sacramento---thats an elite team. The pieces have the potential for number 2. Don't know yet that we have a number 1.
2. Teams that throw seasons should not be rewarded for it. It's fan abuse, and runs contrary to the spirit of sport.
I don't think Krause picked a bad team on purpose. He didn't plan on getting consecutive #4 picks.
He got Brand and Artest who were good picks.
He wanted Miles and would have kept him but that didn't happen. Had to take Fizer. (That was a weak draft)
He tried very hard for Tracy McGrady which certainly would not have been tanking.
I think he tried to make the team better sooner but it didn't happen. So he decided to try something new. Big Trades!
He got Brand and Artest who were good picks.
He wanted Miles and would have kept him but that didn't happen. Had to take Fizer. (That was a weak draft)
He tried very hard for Tracy McGrady which certainly would not have been tanking.
I think he tried to make the team better sooner but it didn't happen. So he decided to try something new. Big Trades!
Joined
·
579 Posts
you forgot Rodman and Buecshler
Joined
·
5,094 Posts
Thanks, Hawk23!
This link (though my browser won't let me read it) should be gold. Everyone who throws up the straw-man argument that "the Bulls don't pay their players" should be forced to look at that team payroll at least three times a day for a month.
Bulls will pay if the player is worth it.
Joined
·
5,094 Posts
True, Ace!, but that misses the point I was trying to make in bringing it up. Bulls were paying a $61 million payroll. With the cap at $45 million (made up number) and a dollar-for-dollar luxury tax, that means the Bulls could go $8 million over the cap and still only be paying 1998 prices for their team. Meanwhile, the TV package is better, ticket prices will be higher (once we start winning again), etc. Bulls have shown that they are willing to go over the cap (to the tune of doubling it) to keep a winning team together.
A more recent example is this summer. Krause could renounce Oak and Best to get under the cap. Instead, he is keeping their rights as a possible tool for sign and trades. He has opted to stay over the cap and play with the league exceptions. In effect, he has made the decision to go approximately $6 million over the cap...... even with the impending luxury tax.
1 - 17 of 17 Posts
