I split season tickets with 2 buddies of mine. A year after the Bulls win 33 games, the team has raised ticket prices and demanded full payment by May 19th. This is most likely before they name a head coach and before the draft. What has this team done to deserve a raise in ticket prices? 33 wins? Come on. Needless to say, we decided against renewing season tickets.

But we got started talking about the moves of the Paxson GM era and their minimal impact. We all fell in love with him at first because he built a team that lead us to the playoffs. But is making it to the 2nd round once really that awe inspiring?

To point:
- He's had 5 top 10 picks and 2 top 5. None are all-stars or even close
- He chose Scott Skiles and Ben Wallace over Tyson Chandler. Granted we don't have CP3 to throw him the ball, but who looks better?
- His big signings have been: Ben Wallace, Andres Nocioni, Scottie Pippen
- His trades: Jamal Crawford for a bunch of filler, Eddy Curry for draft picks (Tyrus Thomas and Joakim Noah), deals for Antonio Davis and other vets
- Passed up on trades for Kobe, Gasol, etc. so he didn't give up his youth
- Continually drafted low ceiling/high floor guys (Hinrich, Gordon, Deng are all solid players but not All-Star talented players)
- Allowed the Boylan experience to continue at the expense of developing our youth just so we could run at the playoffs...even though that would've meant a first round sweep by Boston

And don't get me started on Reinsdorf. Any owner that proclaims he'd trade all of his NBA championships for one World Series ring shouldn't own a team.

I think we've reached the point where we need to blow up from top down, including the ownership.

End of June with the draft of Michael Beasley.

With the way we develop big men, he'd turn out to be a bust and look more like Tyrus Thomas than Carmelo Anthony.

I don't think even the Bulls could screw Beasley up.

Yeah, that'd be hard, he's basically the result if you could somehow meld Tyrus Thomas and Luol Deng into one player.

With Pax apparenty striking out in the D'Antoni sweepstakes, he needs to do something big this offseason. But first things first, they need a legitamate head coach. Does he go after Coach Izzo afterall? Maybe offer Coach K something he cant refuse? Who knows......

He does however, need to make a big splash this offseason via a trade for some star power. McGrady would be nice. He could definitley end his Postseason drought in the Eastern Conference. Maybe a combo of Arenas and Brand? Both players can opt out of their contracts and become free agents (sign and trade deals?). Who knows... he can't sit on his hands this offseason thats for sure.

with reinsdorf in the background all we are gonna end up with is some assistant coach who will fail. We are lookin at another few years of horriblness. this team is going no where.

Let's get back on topic with the original post. I'm very glad you excluded the Ben Wallace deal as one of his trades, considering it was necessitated by his own awful signing.

Thus far, the Paxson + Reinsdorf tandem has been an utter failure. You can't place this all on Pax, who had a deal for Gasol in place that was nixed by Reinsdorf's cheap pockets, and I am certain that had a solid offer been made to Pax to land Kobe, he would have taken it. Unfortunately, LA was unwilling to give into Kobe's demands, and look where that got them!

I think sports ownership has passed by Reinsdorf. He's living in an 80s/09s mentality that loyalty actually still matters. In all fairness, Ozzie Guillen, he of the colorful rants and poor team performance, should be canned. The same can go for Kenny Williams, the architect of the worst offense in the Majors. Their seats aren't even considered hot right now.

The same can be said for Paxson. The list above was a good one. 5 top 10 picks, 2 top 5 picks, no stars. Sure, the Bulls have been unlucky to get those top 5 picks in years that there really wasn't deep talent, but nonetheless, he had the picks. Unfortunately, this team needs an overhaul unless we strike gold with a top 2 pick in the lottery.

If that happens, it opens the door to make the necessary moves to build a championship contender. Either Beasley or Rose will be stars in this league.

The sad thing is, our pick in round one will end up around a place to pick up DJ Augustin. Who just so happens to be the perfect PG for a Mike D'Antoni system.

But if we don't get a top 2 pick, we're left with choices of Kevin Love, Koufus, Brook Lopez area.

Another draft of limited upside guys. That depresses me even more.

I agree with you that Reinsdorf needs to sell the team. Paxson would go then as well.

A second round exit at the hands of the Utah Jazz!

If any team ever wins on the road I'll believe that.

This team just badly needs a shakeup, at this point there really is no player that is off limits besides Deng.

I really want Augustin but I see us ending up with Love and me being really disappointed because I just don't see how he could be a starter on the NBA level.

No player, Deng included, should be off limits if the right deal arises. SF is our deepest position and Tyrus could easily play the SF if we trade either Deng or Nocioni.

Good things are on the way!!

To answer the question...TODAY!

IMO, the absolute best thing about getting the #1 is knowing that there is no way Pax can fish it up. At #9, there is a good shot we do something stupid.