What would you think of this lineup:

Derrick Rose
Joe Johnson
Luol Deng
Carlos Boozer
Joakim Noah

Bench: Kirk, Taj, James Johnson, free agent guard, Draft picks

If everyone stays healthy it's a top 5 lineup in the East, but it's not a championship lineup.

Would it even be possible to have both JJ and Boozer without getting rid of Kirk or Deng? But anyways, I'd love that lineup. That's definitely an ECF type team, maybe even a finals team depending on how they gel down the stretch run of the season.

I wasn't really sure about money... Just figuring neither of those would get max contracts and maybe we'd have enough room for both.

its a great lineup but not a championship team. what if wade stays in miami and they sign bosh as well, and if lebron stays in cleveland, i dont see how we beat those teams.

So you guys like Rose-Kirk-Deng-Bosh/Amare-Noah or Rose-Wade-Deng-Taj-Noah OR (dreaming) Rose-Kirk-Lebron-Taj-Noah more than Rose-JJohnson-Deng-Booz-Noah?

Yes. Boozer turns 29 this year, and has played only a half season 3 of the last 6 years. I don't think that team wins the East. It could, if Rose out-duels everyone, which is entirely possible, but I'm not really that excited about either Johnson or Boozer.

On the other hand, I'm even less a fan of Amare.

I'd say both are likely to wind up with fairly major contracts because teams that miss on the big 3 are going to wind up bidding them upwards. That's exactly what is killing the NBA in salaries right now. Guys like Lebron, Wade; legit stars are actually underpaid, but there are so few of them that teams wind up bidding like crazy for 2nd and 3rd tier talent (Deng, Gordon, Arenas, Hinrich are some examples we're familiar with) and digging themselves into deep financial holes because of it.

^^^ this. I would be willing to bet Joe Johnson for sure gets a max contract. Especially if the Knicks dont get one of the big 3. they will throw money at whoever to try and get something.

Agreed. I do feel it is possible to end up with Ray Allen and Carlos Boozer...if the Bulls felt it were worth investing a three year deal into Ray Allen.

I honestly love the thought of adding Boozer if we can't get any of the big three. He's a 20/10 guy waiting to happen in Chicago while providing us a dimension we desperately need to remain consistent. While durability is a concern to a degree...I just look at it as a guy who has less miles on his body and is 100% healthy at this point without any threat of reoccurring injury. Boozer also has been dynamite during his time in the playoffs...playing a big time roll in a few big time series.

I also like the idea of boozer here, not over bosh/amare but i do like the idea.

Two of the top ten rebounders in the league starting side by side? yes please