Last summer, when things got a little quiet around Raptorland and the crickets started to come out, I started a series of "Sunday Thoughts;" quick Sunday discussion pieces regarding various topics that either came to mind in light of off-season team maneuvers, or sometimes as the result of non-basketball related diversions altogether.
Since we’re still another few weeks away from the draft lottery, I thought now might be a good time to bust out the first Sunday installment, especially since last night’s Celtics win over the Bulls capped what many are calling the greatest first-round series in NBA history.
You know the numbers by now; a record four OT games, a zillion ties, a trillion ridiculous game-changing shots, a…you get the idea. The point is this was a series that you just didn’t want to end as even though last night’s victory concluded with a 10 point Boston win, you just couldn’t count the Bulls out until the final horn sounded.
So I got thinking.
One of the main destinations that keeps popping up regarding Chris Bosh is Chicago. The Bulls have needed a low-post presence for eons, and a Rose and CB4 combination would be dynamite both on the court, and at the gate. But with the way the Bulls gelled during their playoff run, and the success they had with their current group, does this make them a more, or less likely destination for Bosh now?
And on the flip side, as Raptors fans, have players like Joakim Noah and Tyrus Thomas shown enough this spring to warrant inclusion in a deal with the Raps? Wouldn’t one or both, along with a contract like that of Luol Deng, surely have to be included in any sort of transaction?
From my perspective, I think the Bulls run makes it more likely that they aggressively pursue a deal for Bosh. They were inches away on numerous occasions from advancing to the next round and a consistent scoring presence from the 4 spot would undoubtedly put them over the top. They’ve got some nice young talent to spare, and considering Deng didn’t even play, they have wing options to move around as well.
Now that’s all fine on the Chicago side, but what about for us Raptors’ fans? Losing CB4 is not exactly something I’m looking forward to, but would having a healthy Deng on board, in addition to some athleticism and motor via Thomas and/or Noah help to soften Bosh’s departure? Would either fit next to Andrea for that matter?
It’s hard to say.
Even two weeks ago most fans I assume still looked at Noah as being over-hyped out of Florida, and Thomas as a complete bust considering where he was selected. However this past series I think showed some of their true colours. Neither are All-Star caliber players in all likelihood, but both are solid pieces that superior teams need to have; Noah playing the Anderson Varejao card and Thomas looking like a Dennis Rodman type.
Howland when the series began intimated that he hoped the Bulls would win, thus perhaps convincing Chicago management that Bosh wasn’t needed going forward.
I’m not so sure that’s the case, as if anything, the Bulls’ brass may now say "look how close we were…if we just had one more major piece…"
The question is, assuming Bosh says thanks but no thanks to his upcoming extension offer, will BC consider providing that last major piece?
FRANCHISE