[HJHJR]

That's what Jalen Rose had to say this evening on CLTV. Jalen was the featured guest along with Tim Hardaway on CLTV's "Sports Page." Jalen and Tim were there to promote their All Star Game at the U.C. Saturday afternoon.

The interview lasted nearly 40 minutes. Tim made it clear he intends to play this season and he hopes to know where by September. He indicated that while his first choice would be to play for a championship contender, he'd seriously consider playing for Chicago if Krause reaches out to him. Jalen was all for seeing Tim in a Bulls uniform this season.

As for Jalen, he made it clear that he's very happy to be a member of the Chicago Bulls. He has a lot of respect for Jay Williams but he warned fans that there will be days he'll shoot lights out, and then there will be days he won't be able to make a layup. He agreed that Chandler, Curry and Hassell made great improvement as last season progressed. But once again he warned that they are only second year players who may play like world beaters one night and then be unable to throw the ball in the ocean the next night. That's when he stepped out and said that the Bulls need vets at every position. Whether they're starters or support players Jalen said you need vets to step up and play on those nights when the kids aren't producing.

While remaining positive about the Bulls future, I think Jalen painted a fairly accurate picture of what fans should expect this season. And that would be a lot of inconsistency. He said they're nowhere near producing the way the Bulls teams did when they were winning 70+ games during the season, but they're also not a team that will be limited to winning 15 to 20 games again. He indicated that optimistically he'd like to see the team approach 40 wins this season. But I think he's also hoping Krause delivers a few productive veterans before camp opens on 10/2.

 

[BCH]

There is a lot of truth in what Rose has to say. making it happen is a different matter.

I am not sure if they have there Veteran's exception this year but if they do that is one player. They have the mid level but is it enough to grab 3 other players. I am counting Rose as the only veteran. So you would need a PG, SG, PF, C if you want to do it as one player per position.

So who is available?

 

[truebluefan]

Originally posted by HJHJR
That's what Jalen Rose had to say this evening on CLTV. Jalen was the featured guest along with Tim Hardaway on CLTV's "Sports Page." Jalen and Tim were there to promote their All Star Game at the U.C. Saturday afternoon.

The interview lasted nearly 40 minutes. Tim made it clear he intends to play this season and he hopes to know where by September. He indicated that while his first choice would be to play for a championship contender, he'd seriously consider playing for Chicago if Krause reaches out to him. Jalen was all for seeing Tim in a Bulls uniform this season.

As for Jalen, he made it clear that he's very happy to be a member of the Chicago Bulls. He has a lot of respect for Jay Williams but he warned fans that there will be days he'll shoot lights out, and then there will be days he won't be able to make a layup. He agreed that Chandler, Curry and Hassell made great improvement as last season progressed. But once again he warned that they are only second year players who may play like world beaters one night and then be unable to throw the ball in the ocean the next night. That's when he stepped out and said that the Bulls need vets at every position. Whether they're starters or support players Jalen said you need vets to step up and play on those nights when the kids aren't producing.

While remaining positive about the Bulls future, I think Jalen painted a fairly accurate picture of what fans should expect this season. And that would be a lot of inconsistency. He said they're nowhere near producing the way the Bulls teams did when they were winning 70+ games during the season, but they're also not a team that will be limited to winning 15 to 20 games again. He indicated that optimistically he'd like to see the team approach 40 wins this season. But I think he's also hoping Krause delivers a few productive veterans before camp opens on 10/2.

Jalen is right. We will have nights when the young guys including Jay look like world beaters and the next night look like HS players! That comes with youth. Getting vets will help. No doubt about it. But we cannot afford to get real good players unless we do a trade. Vets at every position is going to be difficult to come by with our cap being the way it is. Rose is one vet. Then do we count Crawford as a vet? His games have been so limited until this year, im not sure you can really call him a vet! As for Jalens wish of having a vet at every spot, i dont see it. As for wanting 40 wins. I do too. But i dont see that either. Not this year. Youth on some nights will be our strength and on other nights our weakness. 30-35 wins at the most.

 

[johnston797]

Well, with Fred H., Rose and E-Rob, there are vets at the 2/3 spots.

You could count Fizer as a vet in a pinch. If we had one 4/5 and one other solid vet, seems to me you could put vets at most position during the games this year.

 

[HJHJR]

Originally posted by BCH
There is a lot of truth in what Rose has to say. making it happen is a different matter.

I am not sure if they have there Veteran's exception this year but if they do that is one player. They have the mid level but is it enough to grab 3 other players. I am counting Rose as the only veteran. So you would need a PG, SG, PF, C if you want to do it as one player per position.

So who is available?

Both exceptions are available to the Bulls...$4.5 million and $1.4 million. That's not a lot of money to spread around if you want to sign more than a couple of productive free agent veterans. But with sign and trades and straight trades available to Krause, there's still alot he can do to age the roster in a way that will provide stability throughout the season as the kids continue to develop.

Jalen knows what it takes to win, so his assessment of the Bulls potential should be taken seriously. He said the team is too young to produce wins on a consistent basis...that there will be alot of ups and downs. When he mentioned 40 wins I got the impression that was more hopeful than certain. This much is certain, however...he wants Krause to add a more veteran presence to the roster. Let's see if Krause is listening.

BTW, I think we can forget about Danny Manning becoming a Bull. I heard that things didn't go particularly well with his physical.

 

[Songcycle]

Because of the lowering of the salary cap, the luxury cap and the unwilligness of free agents vets to immediayely settle for what little is out there, I don't think you'll see a lot of free agent movement until September, much closer to training camp opening.
If I'm not mistaken, Krause made such a statement to one of the reporters or it was attributed to Krause indirectly. There are not enough teams with money far enough away from the luxury cap to cause major competition for available players. (See NCBullsFan analysis and list in another thread)
The few teams with available funds will find a buyers market and the closer to training camp it gets, the amounts players will be willing to sign for will get lower and lower.
I would be very surprised to see the Bulls go for anything but vets. We have more than enough youth.

 

[ChiBullsFan]

I like what Jalen has to say in interviews because he speaks the truth. He is about as straightforward as it gets, never being political or diplomatic. I feel like I can trust what he says and that as a student of the game he really knows what he's talking about.

He is very quick to talk about the potential of all the young Bulls and how he really believes in their talent, but he's very realistic about how they will perform in the near future. He doesn't sugarcoat the truth, he says that these guys really struggle with certain aspects and that it will take time for them to adapt.

In the end, I do think the Bulls have enough talent to pull off a 40-win season in the Eastern Conf. The young talent will make them more able to compete on a nightly basis, but it will be the veterans who pull us through in the 4th quarter and I feel confident with Jalen as the go-to guy. Also, I think people will be pleasantly surprised with JayWill's ability to step up in the end of games (albeit with less reliability/consistency).

 

[Kneepad]

Tim made it clear he intends to play this season and he hopes to know where by September. He indicated that...he'd seriously consider playing for Chicago if Krause reaches out to him.

I wasn't in favor of signing Hardaway last summer, and I'm even less if favor of it this summer. I feel perfectly comfortable with our guard lineup (Craw, JWill, Hassell, Hoiberg, Mason, Rose) as is. I simply don't see any room for a player literally on his last legs.

That's when he stepped out and said that the Bulls need vets at every position. Whether they're starters or support players Jalen said you need vets to step up and play on those nights when the kids aren't producing.

Again, no roster room. Giving up promising youth for has-beens would be undoing the painful process we've been enduring for the past four years. We have enough vets in Rose, ERob, and Hoiberg. And Fizer, Crawford, and Bags are now 3rd year players. The only vet signing I would be in favor of is a 3rd string center.

 

[truebluefan]

i was for Tim last year but not this year. I feel what Crawford can bring to the table and also Jay that the need for a hardaway is not there as it was last year.

 

[ace20004u]

I think the Bulls need to add a vet sf to challenge and perhaps even beat E-Rob out of his starting spot (Rose will play sg this year) or at least to play if E-Rob is injured this season. They also need a vet 4/5 banger sort of player. IMO, I'd love o somehow see the Bulls get their hands on Nazr Mohammed or Lorenzen Wright, although I doubt that would be possible. Keon Clark might be the answer but his bad work habits could affect the young uns and besides, the Bulls are showing zero interest in him. Perhaps the best fa pf/c the Bulls could resign would be Chris Anstey? Beats Me.

 

[Sep]

We all want to win now, but I think we can agree that it can't be at the expense of the young guys' development, or at the expense of financial flexibility a few years down the road. For example, Keon Clark is an upgrade over anyone we have RIGHT NOW, but I don't think he's a great guy to have in the locker room, and he wants a lot of money, a long term contract, and a starting spot.

I don't think it's easy to find veterans, who still know how to play, willing to come to a team that won 21 games, on a short-term, low-paying contract. Veteran don't take less money to play for a loser. Besides, there's no one in this free-agent class who solves our problems.

I'm rambling a bit, but the only thing I'd like to see us add right now is a backup center (Bags just can't cut it for me). I'd like to stand pat with the rest of the guys. If we're lucky, Fizer and ERob can play themselves into some trade value, and maybe bring us back the kind of player(s) that we really want.

I'm happy with winning only 30 games next year, if that reflects the maturation and development of the guys who are going to be here when we win our next title. I don't want our wins to be built on the backs of guys who are just passing through and collecting a check.