Your new starting 5 for the rest of the season.
CHICAGO, IL: So, as anticipated by the media over and over again during the last weeks, the Chicago Bulls finally completed a big shakeup in their roster as they moved a grand total of 7 players and 3 picks over two separate deals, receiving 5 new faces and a pick in return.
No, Bulls fans, rest assured, injured superstar guard Derrick Rose has not been traded. Yes, Front Office received some calls for him, but they instantly rejected any offers.
Joakim Noah, heart and soul of this squad, is also staying put. His name was around the rumors last week as some sources said that Windy City franchise was considering an offer around Noah to acquire sharpshooter Klay Thompson, but those were only rumors, as no offer has been made. Once again, Bulls fans, rest assured. Noah and fan-favorite Taj Gibson are staying too.
On the other hand, almost all free agent acquisitions and draft picks mades when the Bulls were run by the league are leaving the town. From sharpshooters like Ray Allen and Mike Miller to young prospects like Jordan McRae, Chicago is moving a grand total of 7 players, 5 of them who played meaningful minutes for the team as they were trying to stay relevant in a very though Eastern Conference after D-Rose's injury. Even Ersan Ilyasova, who has received lots of praise from GM Marcos Beck after he was acquired from Golden State earlier in the season, is leaving the town.
“Of course, we'll miss Ilyasova, we'll miss McRae. Those were nice, relentless mans who refused to give up on the season after we lost our major star. We gotta give them credit for never backing down, trying their best, playing through injuries. The veteran leadership from Miller and Allen, joining the team with that title experience, contributing both on and off the court, creating a good culture in our locker room, we just want to say thank you for all them, and wish all those great guys a great future." said GM Marcos in the first of many answers he had to give to the media after both deals were announced, earlier today.
"I was talking to Mr. Reinsdorf about the direction of the team and what I envisioned for the future, and me and ex-GM Gar Forman, we have different thoughts. I'm very aggressive in moves, I'm never afraid of making big-time bold moves and I never stop working, and, you know, we usually don't talk very often, Mr. Reinsdorf is a busy man, but he gave the green light to go out there and make the necessary moves to bring another ring to Chicago. So me and (John) Pax (Paxson, VP of basketball operations) went straight to work".
Asked about how the four-team deal took shape, former Bulls All-Time great Paxson said:
Had Marcos arrived before, Pax would have less to worry about, and maybe a little bit more hair left.
"That guy right next to me, you can't say a word louder than you should and he instantly starts thinking about moves and possibilities. We were watching ESPN's Sportscenter and there was something going on around Zach's recovery from his MCL injury and I said 'well he'd be a great fit here'. When I looked at Beck he was already doing some Maths. Found a deal, called MEM, made an offer, got a counter, went back and forth a bit. Jace called us expressing interest in Taj, McRae and our pick, he told Holiday was up for grabbers, then some more calcs (because we refused to deal Taj) and it was done. As for Rob, being honest, that Wade part was all about him and SS. Give them the credit".
In his last answer, when asked about the direction of the league going forward, Marcos was a little bit reluctant to what could happen next summer:
"Well, you know, that 2 billion TV rights contract the league signed last offseason made the CAP jump a lot from last season to this one. So most of the middle of the pack teams saw that as an opportunity to attack the market with lots of money to spend. I'm afraid that this could lead to severe overpays, but they know better what to do with their own money. That much CAP could be bad for the league somehow, but in the end, you gotta adapt to our new reality and move on. I've got too many important things to worry about, like preparing every detail from our next trade and trying to retain Zach Randolph in long term, so let them spend their money overpaying medium-caliber players if they want. But I think most of the guys around and experienced enough to be patient and wait until the right chance to attack."
Reporters were also able to interview Taj Gibson during post-game coverage after Bulls' victory over GS Warriors. Gibson, most likely to lose his starting spot with Zach Randolph arriving in town, did not seem to be very concerned.
Can Taj improve his efficiency and produce at the same level of last season comming off the bench?
"Actually I don't care. I know you won't believe me but I'm a team player. I want to win, I'm willing to sacrifice to win. When Thibs need me to start, I will, if he needs me off the bench then I will do my best too. I just want to have the feeling that I contribute to this team. We just put team success above everything else. I'll be fine, we're gonna be fine. If he's elected the starter, I'll give my best off the bench like last year. Everything for a ring."
Last, but not least, Zach Randolph commented about the final part of his rehab from a torn MCL:
"I'm doing everything, I'm almost there. I still need to catch my breath after small workouts but after so long being out, conditioning is something that I need to improve, but it comes with time. I feel like I'm ready to play by the All-Star break. Hope my new guy D-Rose can get back to the court with me and we can win some games".
One of the key questions for Chicago now is if they are trying to extend Zach Randolph long term or not.
"No, of course not. If someone told me a week ago that me and Gasol were both out of Memphis after the season we had together last year, I would not believe it for a single second. But here I am, heading to Chicago. Time to move on, 100% focused on Bulls now." Finished Z-Bo, with a big smile of hope on his face. Hope, that's the word for da Bulls after all those moves, as they try to make a real push for the playoffs, starting on February.
2028
