Tomorrow is looming...
I thought it would be fun to predict what we think will happen and to also say what we hope will happen...Assuming there are no huge trades...

Hope..

Sign Al Harrington
Sign Nazr Muhammed

This would give us a starting PF and C. Harrington is about 2 inches shorter than ideal, but he gets the job done. Nazr brings us championship experience as well as height. He is a huge upgrade over Chandler at C. This will solidify the front court, provide us with size and most importantly low post scoring!!!! I prefer this to signing Big Ben for 2 reasons
1.We can get 2 for about the price of 1
2.Signing Ben still leaves a huge need for low post scoing

Bulls sign Harrington and Pryzbilla.

Harrington would be a horrible signing IMO.

I would like Pryz and Nazr.

Big Ben

I think they sign Nazr and thats it.

Either Al Harrington or Ben Wallace

Why do you think Harrington will be a horrible signing?

IMO, I think we sign Nene and Pryzbilla, but I'd want Harrington and Wallace.

HOPE: Nene and Nazr.

Hinrich/Duhon
Gordon/Thabo
Deng/Noc
Tyrus/Chandler/sweets
Nene/Nazr/malik

in three years is a championship frontcout, a championship backcourt, and championship depth. You have 10 guys that could start.

Prediction: I'll be specific
Big ben gets big deal.......from detroit

Nene gets resigned by nuggests who go into luxury tax, never get a 2 guard and dont make playoffs

Wilcox resigns with sonics

Pryzbilla goes to San antonio

immediately after that we sign nazr

al harrington resigns with hawks in a surprisng and awful move.

This isn't bad bc if none of these guys are our post scorer, we oughta wait till one comes along next year, comes via trade (for tyson when tyrus develops?), comes in draft next year with knicks pick

IMO we cannot pursue ben wallace bc we have tyson and tyrus...had we gotten bargs or aldridge, that could work. We can't have three roster spots taken by bigs without offense to speak of. Nazr will get you enough to get through the year, maybe we can trade for garnett next year when his value is a little less.

Doesn't seem like a Skiles type of player at all, and isn't a true back to the basket big like we need.

I figured you'd say that, but he's the best player available with good low post moves.

yes, even though hes short, hes stronger than hell and like Soxfan said, hes got good post moves. I wouldnt mind him at all.

He is also the kind of guy that probably will not be happy if he isn't getting 12-16 shot attempts per game, which I'm not sure we want to give him.

he can have his share but we need to give tyrus the rest of the shots

Just Nene.

12 shots a game is not bad considering he'd be our #1 option down low. He's 6'9, 245. Thats not bad at all considering he has been used as a 4 for a while. He is also very strong and would immediately become our #1 low post scorer.

Problem is I would not say the majority of his shot attempts come from down on the block, more from the perimeter.

I dont see any reason why he couldnt average 12-15 ppg for us Is that reasonable?

Very true. And now that I look up the stats, he averaged 16 shots a game last season but that was more of a Kenny Thomas type role. Not really a 4, not really a 3. I'm sure Pax would tell him that we need him to be more of a low post guy and if he doesn't accept that, we wouldn't sign him. And knowing Scott Skiles, he would get his head right if there was any discrepencies there.

The thing is, there is not much difference between Gooden, Harrington, and Nene. Gooden isn't really proven, Harringotn is a bit undersized and more of a 3, and Nene is a defensive minded player.

Best case scenario, IMO, (sans Ben Wallace), is Nazr Mohammed and Nene.

I think that if we do get Harrington, Skiles and Pax will definitely have had a conversation with him about his role.

I am completely against signing Wallace...he will eat up too much cap space and provide little offense.

We would literally be paying $23-25 million for him and Chandler and literally getting no offense.

Plus, I think we could get 2-3 players for just Ben...

However, if Tyson is traded...then I am all for Big Ben. We loose his $10 mil salary and could use that to sign an offensive option. Then we would have Big Ben's legitimate MVP defense combined with someones nba calibur low post offense.

Like I said earlier, Harrington and Big Ben would be spectacular...that is, if we get rid of Tyson.

Its pretty much impossible to sign both right? Not sure if wed have enough money.

The way I look at this is that the Bulls still have 2 needs, NBA quality frontcourt depth (see any of Nene, Nazr or Pryz) and a legit low post scorer. I posted this in another thread, but it seems the Harrington discussion has solidified here.

My problem with Harrington is that he is best suited to be a 3, we have tons of guys that already fit that role. Furthermore, Harrington doesnt seem like a great rebounder, he turns the ball over too much, and doesnt shoot for a high percentage for a post. While the Bulls clearly have a hole at PF, if Harrington isnt the player to put the Bulls over the top (and I dont think he is) then it seems to me the Bulls would just be throwing money at Harrington for the sake of throwing money at someone. I would rather the Bulls keep the money that would have gone to Harrington to keeping the core intact to make a legitimate title run in the next 5 years (finding during that time through trade, FA or the draft, a difference making player in the post). If the Bulls do sign Harrington, I hope I'm very wrong, but I would rather the Bulls address front court depth than sign Harrington.

I also don't see the point of getting big ben. We already have Tyson, what is the point of having both of them?

[COLOR=green]We'll just stop them every time the go to the lane, and play pereimeter offense, duh. [COLOR=green]

and be last in the league in free throw percentage

Free Agency has begun on the East Coast.

But not in the central or pacific time zones, we have to wait longer.

I hate to say it, because I hate the idea, but ESPN 1000 reported earlier we were set to offer a max contract to Big Ben.

Just like New Years.

For some reason, this get's me excited. Yet, it puzzles me considering we could have had Aldridge, a bigger offensive threat, and Wallace which would mean PF - offense, and C - defense. But no, Pax just loves stockpiling the defenders like Isaiah Thomas loves stockpiling guards.

Hinrich, Sefolosha, Deng, Aldridge, Wallace : Wow.

Why, because you want another big man who doesnt score?

Because it mean's the end of Tyson Chandler's stint in Chicago.

Like Rowand44.

I dont think adding one big man to our weak depth there does that at all. Even if both would be outrageously overpayed. Also, Im in the minority who actually likes Tyson. Lets hope he's doing actual work this offseason to earn his pay.

And there is no way Pax is stupid enough to keep Tyson, Tyrus, and Ben all on the same roster. 1 would have to go...and I'm pretty sure Tyrus and Ben are staying (if Ben was to sign). This is also pending future moved made by the club.

How would keeping depth in your post be stupid in any way shape or form? Even if all are defensive minded and two havebig deals, we have no real depth at Center anyway. I dont think Tyrus has anything to do with this situation at all, yes he's the 3/4 version of Tyson, but he can not play Center for us. Keeping an old one dimensional player over a young one? I have faith in the fact that Tyson is in fact doing hard work in LA, getting his post game in order, and working out so he is in actual shape to take punishment in and NBA game at Center. Get over ragging on Tyson, yes it was all his fault for showing up no better last year and in worse shape, but he has his dough now and hopefully he is working hard to show he deserved it.

This is the NBA. When a pro-athlete get's paid....he gawn! See: Tim Thomas, Jon Garland

Man I forgot every professional athlete doesnt care about getting better and living up to hype and shooting down critics. Man am I stupid, I thought for a second most of the guys who play the game, love it and want to be the best

See: countless pro-athletes.

I tell you, Tyson Chandler must have some magic spell over the city of Chicago. Every year, we say "Let's hope Tyson get's it together this season." and he never does. When do you finally give up? When he retires in 15 years with numbers like 4 ppg, 8 rpg, 1.05 bpg?

I'll say one thing about Tyson: Although I am one of the few who really likes him (and would only give him up if it meant KG coming here), I'm disappointed that he's not at the Berto Center working out. Rather he's in L.A.

I think it would also mean a lot more to Pax and Skiles if he were here, and he'd have less of a chance being traded if both of them were to keep an eye on his work outs. Instead, they have to keep informed thousands of miles away.

Another reports suggests that a sign and dtrade may be in the works for Wallce including Tyson Chandler. Either way, Ben Will be in Chicago Saturday to meet with Pax. If it just comes down to dollars, the Bulls can afford to pay Ben more..

Actually, the Pistons can pay Ben the most. Do you have a link to that sign/trade rumor?

Honest to God, I expect this to be a great season for him, and knew going into last season he wouldnt be any good because of all the reports of his lack of training and working on anything in the offseason. He has his money now, he can either blow up and succeed or implode and fail. If he does the latter Im over him, but I fully expect the former from him. This time last year he was sitting on the couch apparently starving himself so as not to hurt his chances to earn a new deal. No one can say if he is truely working his butt off twice a day to get better, but Im willing to give him the benefit of the doubt now that he has everything he wants.

Trust me, I want him to succeed and become an All-Star, but I just don't see it happening.

From the Score... they said that the Bulls have much more cap room. Looking back, I am not sure if they haver all their facts straight... they might be wrong on this.

He will be in Chicago tomorrow

IMO, this is the one year we should really be giving him the benefit of the doubt to see if he does so. All bets are off after this year as I said.

He has already played 5 season in the NBA and we are still waiting for him to burst on the scene. It's a shame. 5 seasons! His best year was 04-05 (8 ppg, 10 rpg) and that was in a role coming off the bench. Put him back in that role.

One with a bum back and one when he was training at a completely worthless level during the offseason before. I can safely say he will be better this season than last even if all he just does one lap around the gym a day.