Mark K

The theoretical definition of cognitive dissonance acted out in practice; an example:

Bulls fans: these players are bad and stink

Also Bulls fans: why can’t this coach win more games im so shocked this is happening

“Media Personality”

that’s fantastic lol

Give the money Josh Giddey wants to Yuki Kawamura

Hell, max this man

Now

If the Bulls are trying to get me back as a fan, adding Yuki Kawamura to their Summer League roster is an appealing start…

There might be one bad contract (Pat), but there’s a lot of not good ones that total up to be a lot of money for not much. Fortunately, most of it is expiring — not that I expect them to these expirings into anything meaningful

Agree.

There would be much lesser noise if value was maximised (or close to it).

Continually leaving chips on the table is a losing strategy.

I disagree with the framing that Caruso was just a role player and Giddey is a big piece.

Caruso was the third-most impactful player on the current champion, the same team who wanted Giddey to go to the bench, not close games, and play a role (who will also be making 50% more on his next deal).

“Look, Koby, I know your payroll is high and would love to dump Okoro. And yes, I understand he has guaranteed money next season, whereas Lonzo has a team option. I have the leverage, but you know what? I also happen to be an idiot and bad at my job, so let’s not bother arguing about draft picks”.

Lonzo and Caruso are two of the most impactful role players of this generation of players…

…and the Bulls moved them both for young, limited veterans who can’t shoot and their incumbent teams were more than comfortable getting rid of.

Arturas is truly is incompetent.

I don’t have that on my phone but I found this gem

At this point, the Bulls are a team comprised entirely of players who would/should be bench guys on real teams.

The rotation may be *deep*, but it’s full of retreads from other teams that have no real scope to emerging into something significant simply by changing scenery.

There’s obvious parallels in the Lonzo-Okoro and Caruso-Giddey deals.

Not netting any draft concessions whilst taking on the lesser player / more problems contract scenario is bad process.

More problematic, though, is holding on too long, only to trade impact players for distressed young players.

Look, I know Alex Caruso has two 20-point games in the Finals, but Josh Giddey had some cool triple-doubles in March and April.

We need more Luigi’s

Still only 37.

I can’t hear you snark because you used brackets

Bulls traded an old, bald veteran who comes off the bench for a young, star-in-the-making who has head a full lush hair.

AK cooked.

There was dumb Bulls fan suggesting that Caruso were merely an aging bench player.

And yet, here he is, closing games in the Finals.

No one was more deserving in escpaing the Bullsian hell hole than Alex Caruso.

Damn privilege to watch him on a real team, in an actual games of consequence.

The small market Bulls really have no chance against this level of competition.

David and Goliath stuff.

The Pacers deserve a tonne of credit for identifying two teams (SAC, TOR) who were either dumb and/or had played their hand and extracted two star-level players for very minimal returns.

Smart teams will always prey on the dumb ones.

It is written.

9th on offense, 14th on defense, 13th in Net Rating on the season.

Those numbers ratchet up to 7th on offense, 9th on defense, and 6th in Net Rating from Jan 1, 2025.

A very good basketball team, built in the mold of squads we saw pre-super teams i.e. 2 stars + concise moves on the periphery

Indiana has:

— two All-NBA level guys
— two-way role guys up and down the roster
— one of the best coaches to do it

People will either pretend that:

a) this run is a fluke and not replicable; or

b) their roster is the new blueprint of building a team in this CBA when really it’s more of the same

I know some dweebs fell for that late season Giddey run, but might god is Caruso showing us all what real, meaningful and impactful basketball really looks like.

The Pope may be from Chicago but the Bulls are owned by the Antichrist.

Evens out.

Middling normality reigns supreme.

If they get a first for Vooch, it’ll be a fake, protected one that likely doesn’t convey.

Might be possible for Coby and Ayo, but I’d still say more unlikely than likely.