What do you think of the Bulls' day and how the Draft went down?
Posted by Roman Modrowski on June 28, 2007 06:21 PM|Permalink
Comments
Noah is a wasted Pick, we didnt need another Ben Wallace. I understand he is a winner, and hi energy (nice bo-tie by the way, whats up with that? He looked like he was on a bad acid trip, not to mention he cant shoot or score in the low post and he isnt even a real 7footer.
Then, NY goes and makes the Randolph trade(that we shouldve made) and pai him with an emerging Eddie Curry, and it makes us look even smaller and weaker in the middle.
All i can say is, we better go get Jermaine O'Neal or KG, Cause it looks height is coming back to the East and we dont have anyone over 6'9 (legitimately).
Noah is a wasted Pick, we didnt need another Ben Wallace. I understand he is a winner, and hi energy (nice bo-tie by the way, whats up with that? He looked like he was on a bad acid trip, not to mention he cant shoot or score in the low post and he isnt even a real 7footer.
Then, NY goes and makes the Randolph trade(that we shouldve made) and pair him with an emerging Eddie Curry, and it makes us look even smaller and weaker in the middle.
All i can say is, we better go get Jermaine O'Neal or KG, Cause it looks height is coming back to the East and we dont have anyone over 6'9 (legitimately). I dont care what the roster says.
I trust Paxson. He's proven the last three years that he knows what he's doing. I know a lot of people are disappointed about the pick but they should wait and see how things pan out. Also, keep in mind that free agency is about to start. Paxson may have something up his sleeve. I know the Bulls can use an inside scorer but you never know how Noah will improve his game. If I remember correctly Jordan wasn't highly touted for his offensive game coming out of North Carolina. I'm not saying Noah will become a prolific scorer but give him time to develop in the NBA. Here's hoping he rocks Chicago and shuts up all the critics.
I trust Paxson. He's proven the last three years that he knows what he's doing. I know a lot of people are disappointed about the pick but they should wait and see how things pan out. Also, keep in mind that free agency is about to start. Paxson may have something up his sleeve. I know the Bulls can use an inside scorer but you never know how Noah will improve his game. If I remember correctly Jordan wasn't highly touted for his offensive game coming out of North Carolina. I'm not saying Noah will become a prolific scorer but give him time to develop in the NBA. Here's hoping he rocks Chicago and shuts up all the critics.
The second round picks don't do much for me either. I just hope that Pax and Skiles dont get so full of their own "draftosophy" that they don't make the moves we need to compete with the beefed up east. We still need someone who can score from the block. It isnt going to be Ben, or Noah, or Thomas, PJ is a jump shooter, sweetney is ridiculously out of shape. Right now, if we need some go to buckets when our shooters are off, we got nothing.
Thats what killed us against Detroit. The minute we cooled off from the 3 point line, we were done for.
Also, the drafting of JamesON Curry just blows everyones Pax & Skiles only want character guys argument out the window.
MAN, I JUST HOPE WE DIDNT MISS OUT ON RANDOLPH. I REALLY REALLY REALLY HOPE THAT DOESNT BITE US IN THE ARSE FOR THE NEXT 5 YEARS.
Unreal.
The last player that I wanted to see in a Bulls uniform was this idiot who has the worst looking shot that I have ever seen.He is not a scorer and that is what they needed.
They will regret passing on SPENCER HAWES to select a player who already has an attitude the size of Texas even before he gets the millions.
By the way... if he can not even get it together enough to wear a suit on the biggest night of his career then how long do you thing it will take before he starts to butt heads with Scott Skyles?
The Bulls went to great lengths to build a team that plays an unselfish type of game and then they draft a guy who is all about "LOOK AT ME! LOOK AT ME!"
Bad move!
Roman, the Bulls are planning for the future with this pick (in the event they don't trade Noah). Wallace will be a cautionary tale in 3 years and they need someone to potentially play his role. Moreover, through this draft, the Bulls went from no 7 footers to two of them. I'll take that. Speaking of the Knicks: I want to watch that offense run, throw it into one of the big men and watch them kill bugs pounding the ball into the ground. Moreover, neither plays well as weak side support. They both want to shoot, not defend and not rebound. They may score a few, but quick teams will be driving freely into the lane as those two turtles rotate late all day. The Bulls are going to try and run teams to death and it looks like they will even more equipped to do so.
Roman responds: Wallace may be a cautionary tale sooner than that. There will be more moves coming in the NBA. The Wolves will trade KG, or else they'll lose him after next season for nothing. That won't happen. And there's still the Kobe situation. The Draft is over. The moves aren't.
well let's see, the Bulls now have 3 legitimate shot blockers in Wallace, Thomas and now Noah. all three have shown the willingness and ability to pass out of the low post, Thomas showed later in the season he is woking on some moves in the low post and doesn't hesitate to take a rebound back up and take a hit to get to the line, and neither does Noah. all 3 are also excellent rebounders. with the addition of JamesOn Curry and AAron Gray, Duhon can easily be packaged with Sweetny and Khryapa and possibly Nocioni(although I like Noce and would hate to see him leave)for a veteran player to help stabalize and mentor the younger players. if P.J. elects to retire I would love to see him stay with the Bulls in some sort of capacity to help mentor Thomas, Noah and Gray.
I like Joakim. I like Jameson and Gray also. Paxson did well in the draft. He did the best with what he had. There is no substitute for a winning pedigree. Joakim is NOT scared and tentative like Tyson was. He is going to scrap and Gray is a legit 7fter who is 270. I hope he pans out. Jameson is 6'4 guard that has handles, can shoot and guard. This makes Duhon expendable. Bulls did well. I give Pax a C+. Paxson has to bring it during free agency! We need an impact player. Chauncy, Vince, Rashard Lewis, Anderson Varejo, Gerald Wallace, James Posey are out there.
There is no denying it...ISAIAH stole ALL of the thunder last night! He was wheeling and dealing like a Vegas card shuffler!!! Trading for Zach Randolph and Fred Jones was the deal of the night! Now they got more meat in the post than Moo and Oink! All they had to give up was JJ and Michael from Good Times! While we are busy trying to figure out what kind of headbands people are wearing, NY is busy picking up beasts. Told you all that Isaiah was a genious. And he scooped up Wilson Chandler from Depaul. I have to give him a A+.
I think we need a top notch assistant coach to teach our bigs the art of inside scoring. Scoring, positioning and shooting technique can be learned. We need a coach to handle that task.
Good Job Pax. He was able to draft what the Bulls did not have all of last year, a player over 6'9. Noah is Undervalued. And Athletic PF almost 7ft tall with a motor. Not to many of those in The NBA, remember most players over 6'10 have no motor at all. This Guy is like a Red Bull Drink, Already he's a top ten player over 6'10 in the East. By the way who was left on the draft boards? Another 6'8 forward and a 7'0 who will not be ready to contribute for 3 years possibly (we are not trying to be Atlanta Here). I think Aaron Gray is a tough 7'1 center who we could finally use to body someone in the post. Curry is solid, did anyone watch Oklahoma St? he has been on of the best players in the Big 12 for 3 years (He's insurance for moving Duhon). But to see what Ray Allen and Zack Randolph went for, I wish we would have made some moves in that direction too.
Noah was actually a pretty good pick if the Bulls end up trading Ben Wallace. I like Noah's energy and winning attitude, I don't like his Tyson Chandler-esque move of screaming after making a wide open dunk. Hopefully he'll get away from doing that in the pros. For as ugly as his shot is, it's fairly consistent from 16-20 feet out, and he has shown the ability to hit free throws. I'm going to have to see how they work the rotations of Wallace, Tyrus Thomas, and Noah. And as far as the Knicks are concerned, Jason hit it on the head with his earlier post, Randolph going to the Knicks was probably the worst place for him. The Knicks before the move were not good defenders or rebounders, and this definitely won't change that. the Knicks will continue to lose like they have been, by letting the other team score at will. Looking back, the Bulls ended up trading Eddie Curry for Tyrus Thomas, Mike Sweetney, and Joakim Noah. Tyrus will be a ball hawking, high-flying acrobatic stud, and Noah will bring a Anderson Verejo type energy to the Bulls. The Knicks will not make the playoffs again, and Isaiah is gone after this year. The move of the day was the Celtics getting Ray Allen. He's a perfect compliment for Paul Pierce.
Pax waited and took the best player available. Cannot imagine he is done this summer dealing.
Isiah a "genious"? Let's see...he bankrupted the CBA, took the Knicks from a near playoff team to the 2nd highest payroll thanks to some horrific trades and the joke team of the league. Zac Randolph...terrific low post player but essentially plays the same spot as fat Eddy Curry.
The bad news is that with Randolph and Curry, the All U Can Eat buffets are about to lose a lot of money.
This draft pick will get John Paxson fired. Why not draft someone who can score? The Bulls first wasted $60 million on Tyson Chandler with an Afro (Ben Wallace) then draft a guy who will not get along with Scott Skiles. Skiles cant get along with players with personality and thats the main reason they didnt go after Zack Randolph or any other star player. This shelf life on this Paxson/Skiles experiment is about over. Its good to have a lot of guys who hustle and play hard but I want to see some guys who have basketball talent, someone who can be a difference maker, a Batman. What the Bulls have are a bunch of Robins.
C'mon people, you weren't going to solve your low post issues in the draft! Nobody wanted the #9 pick, so Pax got the best available player, which was Noah... Spencer Hawes?! I don't want 7 footer who can't rebound or play D... You can teach a player offense, not drive and energy.
People calling him selfish, you haven't watched him play in college... he could have easily left college last year, but decided to stay another year, I don't call that selfish. What he is a personality, something the bulls don't have...
Pax's really work is acquiring a post player via free agency or a trade, which I think he will do. Picking Noah @ #9 was easy, no brainer.
And with Zeke's moves... Randolph? with Curry? Again, only 1 ball Isaiah! Kudos in dumping Francis, but losing Channing Frye? The best move was Ray Allen for Green... What is Ainge thinking????
Great picks. Exactly what the Bulls needed. All top three picks will play beyond everyone's expectations.
Have to trust Paxson and Skiles b-ball.wisdom.
I think this will prove to be a solid pick. He's a high energy guy with an enormous drive to win. His offensive skills will develop and he is great defensively. With Noah I dont think the Bulls need Wallace anymore. He should be added to the Kobe package. KB has said repeatedly that he wants to play here. Lets go out and get em. That will make everyone happy
Noah reminds me of Brian Williams aka Bison Daily both in personality and game. He will be a role player for a very long time. The problem is we have no real stars on the Bulls right now, unless one emerges soon (Deng, Thomas, or Gorden) we will not be seeing a championship any time soon.
I do not believe free agency will get us the low post scorer we need in Chicago this year so trading for one is our only hope for this comming year. We better do something soon because when this group of prospects matures the face of the NBA will change for a very long time.
The thing to remember here is: Pax values winners. Nearly all of his top draft choices (Hinrich, Gordon, Deng, Thomas, Noah) have come from major winning programs. Why has he turned his once-pitiful team around so quickly (relatively speaking)? Simple - he's drafted guys who came out of college with lots of success and experience under their belts. Only Deng and Thomas came out as Freshman, both after playing on excellent, well-established teams that played deep into the NCAA tournament. Pax has bred a culture of winning, and by drafting Noah he's only continuing this process. Was Noah a perfect pick? No, but that's not generally how the draft works. Was he the best available player? Time will tell, but apparently the Bulls staff thought so. They had Spencer Hawes in for one last interview a couple of days ago. From what I understand he did well in his one-on-one workouts against Noah. Even Noah admitted that he could have shot better in those workouts. You can't say the Bulls didn't do their due diligence with Hawes and Noah. There must have been something about Hawes that didn't impress them, because he did seem to fit their need for a "scorer with length" better than Noah. I'm going to trust Pax and his staff on this pick. They have shown yearly improvement by sticking to their plan.
The Zach Randolph situation wasn't right for the Bulls. I'm glad they didn't consummate a deal there. Randolph wouldn't have addressed their real need (height, or "length" as they call it these days) enough to warrant his "black hole in the post" tendencies. Forget his off-the-court travails, he really doesn't fit the Bulls' style of play. Good luck to him in NY. Once again Isiah Thomas proves that he's essentially a would-be party clown playing the role of a GM/Coach. With this latest move he's paired two players on a front line who basically A. Only post-up, B. Don't give up the ball, C. Don't play defense and D. Don't have the athleticism to play as big as they are. Granted, Randolph will probably pick up some of the rebounds that Curry ignores, but still...what a mess. Quick - name the last NBA championship team that had two 20-point-per-game low-post-only scorers on the same front line. Yeah, thought so. Also, what's with Thomas' tendency to isolate guys who the rest of the league think of as 2nd-round talent and then promise to draft them in the mid-first round? Last year it was Balkman, this year Wilson Chandler. I hope Isiah is dusting off the bright orange wig and floppy oversized shoes, because he's gonna be needing to make a lot of little kids laugh in a year or two...
Notes on the second rounders: I've seen Aaron Gray play, and I think this pick was a steal. In a game against Bradley last year he made some quick moves on Patrick O'Bryant (Golden State's 7-foot first rounder last year) that were impressive. The Bulls had no true big men last year, and at times I feel that hurt them. Gray will make the team because he's had four years of college experience, and has improved every year. He will help against the few true big men left in the East, i.e. Shaq, Ilgauskas, etc. I was kind of hoping Marc Gasol would still be on the board at 49, but if given a choice between the two I think Pax still would have gone for Gray because of his collegiate experience. Good pick. As for Curry, I don't know much about him. What I do know is he's a combo Guard who shoots well from the three-point line (41 percent), scores well (17 ppg) and gives up the ball too (3.7 assists). All of that while playing for a team that goes against lots of top-level talent. Sounds like a good backup to me. Also, "JamesOn" is a really unique name. It's weird, but I kind of like it.
All the criticism I've seen of Noah doesn't ring true, or at least not yet. "Not a good enough shooter?" He shot over 60 percent each year in college, which means he shoots layups and dunks the ball, but also means he chooses well. Basketball IQ is very important in the NBA. "Too much of a goofy 'me' guy who wants all the attention?" He played with top talent and blended in extremely well, to the tune of two NCAA championships. When his teammates improved (as they did from last year to this year) his stats went down, and he didn't complain once because they kept winning. His only goal in sports is to win. Off the court he'll give great interviews and add character to an otherwise boring bunch of Bulls players. Nothing wrong there. "Not strong enough to play PF in the NBA?" It ain't about strength, it's about stamina. Where other draft prospects commented on how hard the Bulls' workouts were, Noah professed his love for their style. His work ethic is legendary. "Too much like Tyson Chandler?" C'mon folks, be nice. When Tyson has won something in his life, gimme a call. Heck when "Hands" Chandler (my nickname for him, due to his lack thereof) successfully throws down a dunk lemme know. Joakim Noah is a proven winner with a great attitude. I can't wait to see him play with this Bulls squad. It's going to be exciting.
Okay, Okay, ladies and gentlemen, i sat and i threw a HUGE FIT WITH MY BROTHER DURING THE 9TH PICK OF THE DRAFT. Why oh why would the bulls waste the ninth pick on a over hyped player who cant score. He shoots his jumper like he's serving a volleyball, and has anyone seen how he runs? its terrible the bulls have energy all through the lineup and dont need anymore in the post, what they need is someone that can score and help free up more open jump shots for the guards. noah is tall but skinny so he wont be that much of a presence down low and if him and ben wallace ever get on the floor together, ben luol and kirk better hit evry jumper because those two WILL NOT SCORE, i really hope the bulls plan on making the right trade can anyone tell me the possibilities that the bulls land KG.
The Bulls got Noah and that says it all. Noah is the third head for the three headed monster. Wallace, Thomas, and Noah can rotate with two on the floor at all times. I think Collison will end in the mix for that scorer with Deng, Thabo, and Thomas getting better. Scoring wasn't why we lost, look at our numbers per game.... Hinrich needs a big next to him to keep from being worn out against a bigger player, time after time. Trade Gordon for Collison.
WTSW - That front line question is a tricky one because its nearly IMPOSSIBLE to get 1 front-line scorer, let alone 2. (SEE THE BULL 06 FOR REFERENCE) But to answer your question it has been done with the SPURS (Duncan and Robinson) - who were a bad team much like the Knicks before they went and got Duncan.
"We need a BATMAN, we have too many Robins."
Well said Michael Walker.
Who knows, maybe Gordon will emerge as an Unstoppable Scorer for the entire game, not just 1 or 2 of the 4 quarters, maybe we can live off of Dengs 20 footers, and Nocioni leading the team in 3pt percentage. Maybe we can develope a new kind of offensive system where we just throw the ball off the backboard and let Noah and Wallace and Tyrus go after the tip dunk. Maybe that can be our low post play. The brick shot/ally oop/tip dunk play.
Perhaps the plan is to become the SUNS of the east and just run everyone into the Ground. At least we are deep.
Maybe we just hold pat, and take our chances with the squad we got for one more year and make a charge for LeBron or Dwade or Carmello. Hmmmm...that actually sounds like a good idea.
If we dont make a big move, and we have plenty of peices to pull that off still. Then, its going to be 3'pointer and TipDunk city again. Fun to watch, but hard to be consistant. Look how Detroit dismantled us and exploited our weakness. We need to be more well rounded. Even the Suns got thumped by a team that had both shooters and inside scorers.
Stop looking at immediates people! This Bulls team has one of the brightest futures in the NBA. Yes there is something about Noah's personality that rubs me the wrong way, but the bottom line is they got someone with the 9th pick that can block, rebound, hustle, has lenght, is a proven winner, is agressive under the rim, has the college pedigree, AND they wanted last year. Thats not bad. Does it fill the need of a low post guy, no, but can ANYBODY out there tell me that Spencer Hawes would have made the Bulls Championship favorites!?
The Bulls ARE a low post guy away, but I'd much rather have a big veteran player down there, and so would Pax/Skiles. (Why else replace Tyson with Ben Wallace last year if not for experience/leadership?) Look, Paxon now has 3 more pieces to add to any trade that could open up in the future, and that doesnt leave the team naked at every position if they do decide to go for a big time player. Noah is WAY more desired around the league than the other drafts left on the board. Think about this for a second, what would a team like Miami give to have Noah, teams like the Suns, Lakers, Dallas, San Antonio, Indiana, all of them could use a guy like Noah. At the end of the day making a player package around this pick may get more of a bite around the league.
I'm not so sure Pax is done making moves. KG or Jermaine O'neal could end up in Chicago before January if the price is right. Those that think that passing on Zack Randalph was a horrible attrocity, I would like to tell that if you look only at the numbers you're making a big mistake. Does anybody on this league want Ron Artest on their team!? What do his numbers look like? Amazing stats, but a cancer to anything he touches. I'm no saying Randalph wont pan out on NY, but I'd much rather have an Amare, a KG, or even a Marion than him.
The Bulls got two 7 footers! Think of all guys in the league that are the size of Noah ... now how many of them are that althletic and quick? Most people that tall are stiff and slow. He has a chance to be good ... about as good as anyother player that was left on the board at 9. So overall a good night for the Bulls. Nothing spectacular, but John Paxon has players at EVERY position that other teams want, and that could spark the trade the Bulls need.
I think Noah was a smart pick. He was certainly the best dressed dude at the draft - gotta respect the bowtie. Pax likes to pick players who are used to winning, and that's a good philosophy. Don't know too much about the other picks, but with a name like JamesOn, you really can't go wrong.
I actually think Randolph will do fine in NY city wise, because it appears to me that most of the trouble for these athletes come from the BIG FISH little POND syndrome. In that, the smaller the city or the market, the more visable they are and the less they can get away with. Lets face it, at least half the league is smoking grass, and going to stip clubs.
Iverson,Weber,Hamilton,WhiteChocolate,JamesONcurry, etc.etc. all have weed busts. Still cracks me up that Hamilton and El Amin got busted with a trunk full of MJ on their way back to campus the NIGH AFTER they won the NCAA champs. Someone was fint' to have a major house party pajama jammy jam.
Anyways, my point is, maybe its not the athletes getting into trouble more than they should, but that in smaller markets there is less crime and less for the police to do but to profile and pull over athletes? Just a thought!
NY is crime central. A guy with a rap sheet like Randolph is petty at best, ignored most likely.
Still, id love nothing more than if the NYK went down in flames, it will be interesting to watch and no fun to play them.
With Jianlin off the board the choice was between Noah and Hawes. Noah is a junior and his team was crowned twice and Hawes is a freshman. Paxson took the best possible pick with number nine. Fire Paxson? Are you kidding me? Paxson has done nothing but improve this team every year. The Bulls would have taken Noah with the number two pick last year so getting him at nine is a bargain. Isaiah a genious remark is too funny.
if you guys dont remember Noah was projected to be the #1 overall pick last year. He fits right into our system as being a team player. Although i would have loved to see Thorton (the dude is an animal), Noah was a solid pick. Pax's picks have been great the last couple of years with Tyrus, Gordon, Deng, Nocioni and Hinrick. Now i would love to see them make a deal for kobe. With the 2nd round picks, i go to Pitt and have seen Aaron Gray play numerous times. Now he does have potential and is big and plays the post well, his downside is he is very soft and hesitant. Not to mention his free throw woes. Overall the bulls did alright, but i feel a big move in free agency
nbadraft.net compared Noah to Tyson Chandler with a higher basketball I.Q.
I would suggest the possibility of Noah developing into someone much better: Marcus Camby.
If Noah has the desire and willingness to be coached that he appears to have, there is no reason to believe that he cannot develop a consistent 15-18 foot jumper.
Given that expectation, he has everything else required to become a Camby clone. He already is that, physically, with the same height, weight and build. He plays tough D. He is a shot blocker. He can run the court and passes well.
Personally, I would be ecstatic to see Noah in 3 or 4 years develop into a high rebounding/shot blocking DOY contender who only scores 12 points per game.
How about packaging Noah or Thomas, Gordon and a future #1 for Jermaine O´Neal and signing a big veteran 2-guard (Stackhouse???) with the mid-level exception. We would start O´neal, Ben, Thomas or Noah, Kirk and and the new addition. Sounds like that´s a line up that could have beaten both the Cavs and the Pistons this year???? Hmm?
I like the pick considering what was left on the board. I was not impressed with the Bulls rebounding last year. Remeber, the Bulls were a playoff team last year with the 9 pick. It would have been hard for any pick to immediately hep the team, except for Oden. Pax also stole Gray in the 2nd round. How much better will Hawes be than Gray? Also, if Curry can play defense and play smart he is a pure shooter off the bench. Something Duhon could not do last year which hurt the team in a lot games. Bottom line is if Gordon and Hinrich step up and score every night then the Bulls are in the Finals next year with two 7 footers, Wallace, and Thomas killing the glass.
I assume the comparison to Chandler was based on Chandler's ability today, and not coming out of the draft. There is no doubt Noah is a far better player than Chandler was coming out of high school.
Even today, Noah is the better overall player since he actually has a few low post moves - he can jump hook with either hand, something Chandler still cannot do. That shot is UGLY but I can't see him playing the high post like Ben Wallace does. If they can't trade him, I can see Noah replacing Wallace in 2 years. Unfortunately this pick doesn't really make the Bulls better, but hopefully it gives them a better chance to trade for a difference maker.
I like this pick. He can contribute on the defensive end immediately. And despite the need for a low post scorer, no one picks up significant minutes with Skiles coaching unless they can play defense. This team is going to be defense first as long as Skiles is coaching them and Noah can contribute. It's also a little insurance against
Comments
Noah is a wasted Pick, we didnt need another Ben Wallace. I understand he is a winner, and hi energy (nice bo-tie by the way, whats up with that? He looked like he was on a bad acid trip, not to mention he cant shoot or score in the low post and he isnt even a real 7footer.
Then, NY goes and makes the Randolph trade(that we shouldve made) and pai him with an emerging Eddie Curry, and it makes us look even smaller and weaker in the middle.
All i can say is, we better go get Jermaine O'Neal or KG, Cause it looks height is coming back to the East and we dont have anyone over 6'9 (legitimately).
Posted by: bculz | June 28, 2007 08:21 PM
Noah is a wasted Pick, we didnt need another Ben Wallace. I understand he is a winner, and hi energy (nice bo-tie by the way, whats up with that? He looked like he was on a bad acid trip, not to mention he cant shoot or score in the low post and he isnt even a real 7footer.
Then, NY goes and makes the Randolph trade(that we shouldve made) and pair him with an emerging Eddie Curry, and it makes us look even smaller and weaker in the middle.
All i can say is, we better go get Jermaine O'Neal or KG, Cause it looks height is coming back to the East and we dont have anyone over 6'9 (legitimately). I dont care what the roster says.
Posted by: bculz | June 28, 2007 08:23 PM
I trust Paxson. He's proven the last three years that he knows what he's doing. I know a lot of people are disappointed about the pick but they should wait and see how things pan out. Also, keep in mind that free agency is about to start. Paxson may have something up his sleeve. I know the Bulls can use an inside scorer but you never know how Noah will improve his game. If I remember correctly Jordan wasn't highly touted for his offensive game coming out of North Carolina. I'm not saying Noah will become a prolific scorer but give him time to develop in the NBA. Here's hoping he rocks Chicago and shuts up all the critics.
Go Bulls!
Posted by: Joel | June 28, 2007 09:20 PM
I trust Paxson. He's proven the last three years that he knows what he's doing. I know a lot of people are disappointed about the pick but they should wait and see how things pan out. Also, keep in mind that free agency is about to start. Paxson may have something up his sleeve. I know the Bulls can use an inside scorer but you never know how Noah will improve his game. If I remember correctly Jordan wasn't highly touted for his offensive game coming out of North Carolina. I'm not saying Noah will become a prolific scorer but give him time to develop in the NBA. Here's hoping he rocks Chicago and shuts up all the critics.
Go Bulls!
Posted by: Joel | June 28, 2007 09:23 PM
The second round picks don't do much for me either. I just hope that Pax and Skiles dont get so full of their own "draftosophy" that they don't make the moves we need to compete with the beefed up east. We still need someone who can score from the block. It isnt going to be Ben, or Noah, or Thomas, PJ is a jump shooter, sweetney is ridiculously out of shape. Right now, if we need some go to buckets when our shooters are off, we got nothing.
Thats what killed us against Detroit. The minute we cooled off from the 3 point line, we were done for.
Also, the drafting of JamesON Curry just blows everyones Pax & Skiles only want character guys argument out the window.
MAN, I JUST HOPE WE DIDNT MISS OUT ON RANDOLPH. I REALLY REALLY REALLY HOPE THAT DOESNT BITE US IN THE ARSE FOR THE NEXT 5 YEARS.
Roman responds: Randolph + New York = Trouble.
Posted by: bculz | June 28, 2007 11:01 PM
Unreal.
The last player that I wanted to see in a Bulls uniform was this idiot who has the worst looking shot that I have ever seen.He is not a scorer and that is what they needed.
They will regret passing on SPENCER HAWES to select a player who already has an attitude the size of Texas even before he gets the millions.
By the way... if he can not even get it together enough to wear a suit on the biggest night of his career then how long do you thing it will take before he starts to butt heads with Scott Skyles?
The Bulls went to great lengths to build a team that plays an unselfish type of game and then they draft a guy who is all about "LOOK AT ME! LOOK AT ME!"
Bad move!
Posted by: Philtration | June 29, 2007 12:39 AM
Roman, the Bulls are planning for the future with this pick (in the event they don't trade Noah). Wallace will be a cautionary tale in 3 years and they need someone to potentially play his role. Moreover, through this draft, the Bulls went from no 7 footers to two of them. I'll take that. Speaking of the Knicks: I want to watch that offense run, throw it into one of the big men and watch them kill bugs pounding the ball into the ground. Moreover, neither plays well as weak side support. They both want to shoot, not defend and not rebound. They may score a few, but quick teams will be driving freely into the lane as those two turtles rotate late all day. The Bulls are going to try and run teams to death and it looks like they will even more equipped to do so.
Roman responds: Wallace may be a cautionary tale sooner than that. There will be more moves coming in the NBA. The Wolves will trade KG, or else they'll lose him after next season for nothing. That won't happen. And there's still the Kobe situation. The Draft is over. The moves aren't.
Posted by: Jason | June 29, 2007 02:23 AM
well let's see, the Bulls now have 3 legitimate shot blockers in Wallace, Thomas and now Noah. all three have shown the willingness and ability to pass out of the low post, Thomas showed later in the season he is woking on some moves in the low post and doesn't hesitate to take a rebound back up and take a hit to get to the line, and neither does Noah. all 3 are also excellent rebounders. with the addition of JamesOn Curry and AAron Gray, Duhon can easily be packaged with Sweetny and Khryapa and possibly Nocioni(although I like Noce and would hate to see him leave)for a veteran player to help stabalize and mentor the younger players. if P.J. elects to retire I would love to see him stay with the Bulls in some sort of capacity to help mentor Thomas, Noah and Gray.
Posted by: Tim Little | June 29, 2007 07:11 AM
I like Joakim. I like Jameson and Gray also. Paxson did well in the draft. He did the best with what he had. There is no substitute for a winning pedigree. Joakim is NOT scared and tentative like Tyson was. He is going to scrap and Gray is a legit 7fter who is 270. I hope he pans out. Jameson is 6'4 guard that has handles, can shoot and guard. This makes Duhon expendable. Bulls did well. I give Pax a C+. Paxson has to bring it during free agency! We need an impact player. Chauncy, Vince, Rashard Lewis, Anderson Varejo, Gerald Wallace, James Posey are out there.
There is no denying it...ISAIAH stole ALL of the thunder last night! He was wheeling and dealing like a Vegas card shuffler!!! Trading for Zach Randolph and Fred Jones was the deal of the night! Now they got more meat in the post than Moo and Oink! All they had to give up was JJ and Michael from Good Times! While we are busy trying to figure out what kind of headbands people are wearing, NY is busy picking up beasts. Told you all that Isaiah was a genious. And he scooped up Wilson Chandler from Depaul. I have to give him a A+.
Posted by: Keith-Lifetime Southsider | June 29, 2007 08:17 AM
I think we need a top notch assistant coach to teach our bigs the art of inside scoring. Scoring, positioning and shooting technique can be learned. We need a coach to handle that task.
John Paxson has done a great job.
Posted by: John | June 29, 2007 08:34 AM
Good Job Pax. He was able to draft what the Bulls did not have all of last year, a player over 6'9. Noah is Undervalued. And Athletic PF almost 7ft tall with a motor. Not to many of those in The NBA, remember most players over 6'10 have no motor at all. This Guy is like a Red Bull Drink, Already he's a top ten player over 6'10 in the East. By the way who was left on the draft boards? Another 6'8 forward and a 7'0 who will not be ready to contribute for 3 years possibly (we are not trying to be Atlanta Here). I think Aaron Gray is a tough 7'1 center who we could finally use to body someone in the post. Curry is solid, did anyone watch Oklahoma St? he has been on of the best players in the Big 12 for 3 years (He's insurance for moving Duhon). But to see what Ray Allen and Zack Randolph went for, I wish we would have made some moves in that direction too.
Posted by: Anonymous | June 29, 2007 09:03 AM
Noah was actually a pretty good pick if the Bulls end up trading Ben Wallace. I like Noah's energy and winning attitude, I don't like his Tyson Chandler-esque move of screaming after making a wide open dunk. Hopefully he'll get away from doing that in the pros. For as ugly as his shot is, it's fairly consistent from 16-20 feet out, and he has shown the ability to hit free throws. I'm going to have to see how they work the rotations of Wallace, Tyrus Thomas, and Noah. And as far as the Knicks are concerned, Jason hit it on the head with his earlier post, Randolph going to the Knicks was probably the worst place for him. The Knicks before the move were not good defenders or rebounders, and this definitely won't change that. the Knicks will continue to lose like they have been, by letting the other team score at will. Looking back, the Bulls ended up trading Eddie Curry for Tyrus Thomas, Mike Sweetney, and Joakim Noah. Tyrus will be a ball hawking, high-flying acrobatic stud, and Noah will bring a Anderson Verejo type energy to the Bulls. The Knicks will not make the playoffs again, and Isaiah is gone after this year. The move of the day was the Celtics getting Ray Allen. He's a perfect compliment for Paul Pierce.
Posted by: Anonymous | June 29, 2007 09:32 AM
Randolph + NY = Trouble for who? Us or for them?
Roman responds: I think it might spell trouble for the Knicks.
Posted by: bculz | June 29, 2007 09:42 AM
Pax waited and took the best player available. Cannot imagine he is done this summer dealing.
Isiah a "genious"? Let's see...he bankrupted the CBA, took the Knicks from a near playoff team to the 2nd highest payroll thanks to some horrific trades and the joke team of the league. Zac Randolph...terrific low post player but essentially plays the same spot as fat Eddy Curry.
The bad news is that with Randolph and Curry, the All U Can Eat buffets are about to lose a lot of money.
Posted by: Johnny Cakes | June 29, 2007 10:17 AM
This draft pick will get John Paxson fired. Why not draft someone who can score? The Bulls first wasted $60 million on Tyson Chandler with an Afro (Ben Wallace) then draft a guy who will not get along with Scott Skiles. Skiles cant get along with players with personality and thats the main reason they didnt go after Zack Randolph or any other star player. This shelf life on this Paxson/Skiles experiment is about over. Its good to have a lot of guys who hustle and play hard but I want to see some guys who have basketball talent, someone who can be a difference maker, a Batman. What the Bulls have are a bunch of Robins.
Posted by: MICHAEL WALKER | June 29, 2007 10:20 AM
C'mon people, you weren't going to solve your low post issues in the draft! Nobody wanted the #9 pick, so Pax got the best available player, which was Noah... Spencer Hawes?! I don't want 7 footer who can't rebound or play D... You can teach a player offense, not drive and energy.
People calling him selfish, you haven't watched him play in college... he could have easily left college last year, but decided to stay another year, I don't call that selfish. What he is a personality, something the bulls don't have...
Pax's really work is acquiring a post player via free agency or a trade, which I think he will do. Picking Noah @ #9 was easy, no brainer.
And with Zeke's moves... Randolph? with Curry? Again, only 1 ball Isaiah! Kudos in dumping Francis, but losing Channing Frye? The best move was Ray Allen for Green... What is Ainge thinking????
Posted by: Big D | June 29, 2007 10:22 AM
Great picks. Exactly what the Bulls needed. All top three picks will play beyond everyone's expectations.
Have to trust Paxson and Skiles b-ball.wisdom.
Posted by: Doctor G | June 29, 2007 10:26 AM
I think this will prove to be a solid pick. He's a high energy guy with an enormous drive to win. His offensive skills will develop and he is great defensively. With Noah I dont think the Bulls need Wallace anymore. He should be added to the Kobe package. KB has said repeatedly that he wants to play here. Lets go out and get em. That will make everyone happy
Posted by: Pete W. | June 29, 2007 11:00 AM
Noah reminds me of Brian Williams aka Bison Daily both in personality and game. He will be a role player for a very long time. The problem is we have no real stars on the Bulls right now, unless one emerges soon (Deng, Thomas, or Gorden) we will not be seeing a championship any time soon.
I do not believe free agency will get us the low post scorer we need in Chicago this year so trading for one is our only hope for this comming year. We better do something soon because when this group of prospects matures the face of the NBA will change for a very long time.
Posted by: Forum Cruiser | June 29, 2007 11:22 AM
The thing to remember here is: Pax values winners. Nearly all of his top draft choices (Hinrich, Gordon, Deng, Thomas, Noah) have come from major winning programs. Why has he turned his once-pitiful team around so quickly (relatively speaking)? Simple - he's drafted guys who came out of college with lots of success and experience under their belts. Only Deng and Thomas came out as Freshman, both after playing on excellent, well-established teams that played deep into the NCAA tournament. Pax has bred a culture of winning, and by drafting Noah he's only continuing this process. Was Noah a perfect pick? No, but that's not generally how the draft works. Was he the best available player? Time will tell, but apparently the Bulls staff thought so. They had Spencer Hawes in for one last interview a couple of days ago. From what I understand he did well in his one-on-one workouts against Noah. Even Noah admitted that he could have shot better in those workouts. You can't say the Bulls didn't do their due diligence with Hawes and Noah. There must have been something about Hawes that didn't impress them, because he did seem to fit their need for a "scorer with length" better than Noah. I'm going to trust Pax and his staff on this pick. They have shown yearly improvement by sticking to their plan.
The Zach Randolph situation wasn't right for the Bulls. I'm glad they didn't consummate a deal there. Randolph wouldn't have addressed their real need (height, or "length" as they call it these days) enough to warrant his "black hole in the post" tendencies. Forget his off-the-court travails, he really doesn't fit the Bulls' style of play. Good luck to him in NY. Once again Isiah Thomas proves that he's essentially a would-be party clown playing the role of a GM/Coach. With this latest move he's paired two players on a front line who basically A. Only post-up, B. Don't give up the ball, C. Don't play defense and D. Don't have the athleticism to play as big as they are. Granted, Randolph will probably pick up some of the rebounds that Curry ignores, but still...what a mess. Quick - name the last NBA championship team that had two 20-point-per-game low-post-only scorers on the same front line. Yeah, thought so. Also, what's with Thomas' tendency to isolate guys who the rest of the league think of as 2nd-round talent and then promise to draft them in the mid-first round? Last year it was Balkman, this year Wilson Chandler. I hope Isiah is dusting off the bright orange wig and floppy oversized shoes, because he's gonna be needing to make a lot of little kids laugh in a year or two...
Notes on the second rounders: I've seen Aaron Gray play, and I think this pick was a steal. In a game against Bradley last year he made some quick moves on Patrick O'Bryant (Golden State's 7-foot first rounder last year) that were impressive. The Bulls had no true big men last year, and at times I feel that hurt them. Gray will make the team because he's had four years of college experience, and has improved every year. He will help against the few true big men left in the East, i.e. Shaq, Ilgauskas, etc. I was kind of hoping Marc Gasol would still be on the board at 49, but if given a choice between the two I think Pax still would have gone for Gray because of his collegiate experience. Good pick. As for Curry, I don't know much about him. What I do know is he's a combo Guard who shoots well from the three-point line (41 percent), scores well (17 ppg) and gives up the ball too (3.7 assists). All of that while playing for a team that goes against lots of top-level talent. Sounds like a good backup to me. Also, "JamesOn" is a really unique name. It's weird, but I kind of like it.
All the criticism I've seen of Noah doesn't ring true, or at least not yet. "Not a good enough shooter?" He shot over 60 percent each year in college, which means he shoots layups and dunks the ball, but also means he chooses well. Basketball IQ is very important in the NBA. "Too much of a goofy 'me' guy who wants all the attention?" He played with top talent and blended in extremely well, to the tune of two NCAA championships. When his teammates improved (as they did from last year to this year) his stats went down, and he didn't complain once because they kept winning. His only goal in sports is to win. Off the court he'll give great interviews and add character to an otherwise boring bunch of Bulls players. Nothing wrong there. "Not strong enough to play PF in the NBA?" It ain't about strength, it's about stamina. Where other draft prospects commented on how hard the Bulls' workouts were, Noah professed his love for their style. His work ethic is legendary. "Too much like Tyson Chandler?" C'mon folks, be nice. When Tyson has won something in his life, gimme a call. Heck when "Hands" Chandler (my nickname for him, due to his lack thereof) successfully throws down a dunk lemme know. Joakim Noah is a proven winner with a great attitude. I can't wait to see him play with this Bulls squad. It's going to be exciting.
Posted by: WTSW | June 29, 2007 11:23 AM
Okay, Okay, ladies and gentlemen, i sat and i threw a HUGE FIT WITH MY BROTHER DURING THE 9TH PICK OF THE DRAFT. Why oh why would the bulls waste the ninth pick on a over hyped player who cant score. He shoots his jumper like he's serving a volleyball, and has anyone seen how he runs? its terrible the bulls have energy all through the lineup and dont need anymore in the post, what they need is someone that can score and help free up more open jump shots for the guards. noah is tall but skinny so he wont be that much of a presence down low and if him and ben wallace ever get on the floor together, ben luol and kirk better hit evry jumper because those two WILL NOT SCORE, i really hope the bulls plan on making the right trade can anyone tell me the possibilities that the bulls land KG.
Posted by: jovan | June 29, 2007 11:36 AM
The Bulls got Noah and that says it all. Noah is the third head for the three headed monster. Wallace, Thomas, and Noah can rotate with two on the floor at all times. I think Collison will end in the mix for that scorer with Deng, Thabo, and Thomas getting better. Scoring wasn't why we lost, look at our numbers per game.... Hinrich needs a big next to him to keep from being worn out against a bigger player, time after time. Trade Gordon for Collison.
Posted by: Dean H. | June 29, 2007 12:07 PM
WTSW - That front line question is a tricky one because its nearly IMPOSSIBLE to get 1 front-line scorer, let alone 2. (SEE THE BULL 06 FOR REFERENCE) But to answer your question it has been done with the SPURS (Duncan and Robinson) - who were a bad team much like the Knicks before they went and got Duncan.
Posted by: Keith-Lifetime Southsider | June 29, 2007 12:09 PM
"We need a BATMAN, we have too many Robins."
Well said Michael Walker.
Who knows, maybe Gordon will emerge as an Unstoppable Scorer for the entire game, not just 1 or 2 of the 4 quarters, maybe we can live off of Dengs 20 footers, and Nocioni leading the team in 3pt percentage. Maybe we can develope a new kind of offensive system where we just throw the ball off the backboard and let Noah and Wallace and Tyrus go after the tip dunk. Maybe that can be our low post play. The brick shot/ally oop/tip dunk play.
Perhaps the plan is to become the SUNS of the east and just run everyone into the Ground. At least we are deep.
Maybe we just hold pat, and take our chances with the squad we got for one more year and make a charge for LeBron or Dwade or Carmello. Hmmmm...that actually sounds like a good idea.
If we dont make a big move, and we have plenty of peices to pull that off still. Then, its going to be 3'pointer and TipDunk city again. Fun to watch, but hard to be consistant. Look how Detroit dismantled us and exploited our weakness. We need to be more well rounded. Even the Suns got thumped by a team that had both shooters and inside scorers.
Posted by: bculz | June 29, 2007 12:33 PM
Stop looking at immediates people! This Bulls team has one of the brightest futures in the NBA. Yes there is something about Noah's personality that rubs me the wrong way, but the bottom line is they got someone with the 9th pick that can block, rebound, hustle, has lenght, is a proven winner, is agressive under the rim, has the college pedigree, AND they wanted last year. Thats not bad. Does it fill the need of a low post guy, no, but can ANYBODY out there tell me that Spencer Hawes would have made the Bulls Championship favorites!?
The Bulls ARE a low post guy away, but I'd much rather have a big veteran player down there, and so would Pax/Skiles. (Why else replace Tyson with Ben Wallace last year if not for experience/leadership?) Look, Paxon now has 3 more pieces to add to any trade that could open up in the future, and that doesnt leave the team naked at every position if they do decide to go for a big time player. Noah is WAY more desired around the league than the other drafts left on the board. Think about this for a second, what would a team like Miami give to have Noah, teams like the Suns, Lakers, Dallas, San Antonio, Indiana, all of them could use a guy like Noah. At the end of the day making a player package around this pick may get more of a bite around the league.
I'm not so sure Pax is done making moves. KG or Jermaine O'neal could end up in Chicago before January if the price is right. Those that think that passing on Zack Randalph was a horrible attrocity, I would like to tell that if you look only at the numbers you're making a big mistake. Does anybody on this league want Ron Artest on their team!? What do his numbers look like? Amazing stats, but a cancer to anything he touches. I'm no saying Randalph wont pan out on NY, but I'd much rather have an Amare, a KG, or even a Marion than him.
The Bulls got two 7 footers! Think of all guys in the league that are the size of Noah ... now how many of them are that althletic and quick? Most people that tall are stiff and slow. He has a chance to be good ... about as good as anyother player that was left on the board at 9. So overall a good night for the Bulls. Nothing spectacular, but John Paxon has players at EVERY position that other teams want, and that could spark the trade the Bulls need.
Posted by: Roddy (Chicago) | June 29, 2007 12:35 PM
Tell Noah, I want my style back!
Posted by: SIDE SHOW BOB | June 29, 2007 12:50 PM
I think Noah was a smart pick. He was certainly the best dressed dude at the draft - gotta respect the bowtie. Pax likes to pick players who are used to winning, and that's a good philosophy. Don't know too much about the other picks, but with a name like JamesOn, you really can't go wrong.
Posted by: Julie B. | June 29, 2007 12:53 PM
I actually think Randolph will do fine in NY city wise, because it appears to me that most of the trouble for these athletes come from the BIG FISH little POND syndrome. In that, the smaller the city or the market, the more visable they are and the less they can get away with. Lets face it, at least half the league is smoking grass, and going to stip clubs.
Iverson,Weber,Hamilton,WhiteChocolate,JamesONcurry, etc.etc. all have weed busts. Still cracks me up that Hamilton and El Amin got busted with a trunk full of MJ on their way back to campus the NIGH AFTER they won the NCAA champs. Someone was fint' to have a major house party pajama jammy jam.
Anyways, my point is, maybe its not the athletes getting into trouble more than they should, but that in smaller markets there is less crime and less for the police to do but to profile and pull over athletes? Just a thought!
NY is crime central. A guy with a rap sheet like Randolph is petty at best, ignored most likely.
Still, id love nothing more than if the NYK went down in flames, it will be interesting to watch and no fun to play them.
Posted by: bculz | June 29, 2007 12:59 PM
With Jianlin off the board the choice was between Noah and Hawes. Noah is a junior and his team was crowned twice and Hawes is a freshman. Paxson took the best possible pick with number nine. Fire Paxson? Are you kidding me? Paxson has done nothing but improve this team every year. The Bulls would have taken Noah with the number two pick last year so getting him at nine is a bargain. Isaiah a genious remark is too funny.
Posted by: dan | June 29, 2007 01:01 PM
if you guys dont remember Noah was projected to be the #1 overall pick last year. He fits right into our system as being a team player. Although i would have loved to see Thorton (the dude is an animal), Noah was a solid pick. Pax's picks have been great the last couple of years with Tyrus, Gordon, Deng, Nocioni and Hinrick. Now i would love to see them make a deal for kobe. With the 2nd round picks, i go to Pitt and have seen Aaron Gray play numerous times. Now he does have potential and is big and plays the post well, his downside is he is very soft and hesitant. Not to mention his free throw woes. Overall the bulls did alright, but i feel a big move in free agency
Posted by: Anonymous | June 29, 2007 01:31 PM
nbadraft.net compared Noah to Tyson Chandler with a higher basketball I.Q.
I would suggest the possibility of Noah developing into someone much better: Marcus Camby.
If Noah has the desire and willingness to be coached that he appears to have, there is no reason to believe that he cannot develop a consistent 15-18 foot jumper.
Given that expectation, he has everything else required to become a Camby clone. He already is that, physically, with the same height, weight and build. He plays tough D. He is a shot blocker. He can run the court and passes well.
Personally, I would be ecstatic to see Noah in 3 or 4 years develop into a high rebounding/shot blocking DOY contender who only scores 12 points per game.
Posted by: Tim | June 29, 2007 02:04 PM
Ill would work with him. I shot 71/110 threes my Jr yr in college. I can fix him, I can fix any shot!
Posted by: bculz | June 29, 2007 06:18 PM
How about packaging Noah or Thomas, Gordon and a future #1 for Jermaine O´Neal and signing a big veteran 2-guard (Stackhouse???) with the mid-level exception. We would start O´neal, Ben, Thomas or Noah, Kirk and and the new addition. Sounds like that´s a line up that could have beaten both the Cavs and the Pistons this year???? Hmm?
Posted by: fuff | June 29, 2007 07:25 PM
Ok, I know the guy can tell a joke but really..I think the Bulls wasted a draft pick by picking Carrot Top.
Posted by: Anonymous | June 29, 2007 10:23 PM
I like the pick considering what was left on the board. I was not impressed with the Bulls rebounding last year. Remeber, the Bulls were a playoff team last year with the 9 pick. It would have been hard for any pick to immediately hep the team, except for Oden. Pax also stole Gray in the 2nd round. How much better will Hawes be than Gray? Also, if Curry can play defense and play smart he is a pure shooter off the bench. Something Duhon could not do last year which hurt the team in a lot games. Bottom line is if Gordon and Hinrich step up and score every night then the Bulls are in the Finals next year with two 7 footers, Wallace, and Thomas killing the glass.
Posted by: Tony | June 30, 2007 08:07 AM
I assume the comparison to Chandler was based on Chandler's ability today, and not coming out of the draft. There is no doubt Noah is a far better player than Chandler was coming out of high school.
Even today, Noah is the better overall player since he actually has a few low post moves - he can jump hook with either hand, something Chandler still cannot do. That shot is UGLY but I can't see him playing the high post like Ben Wallace does. If they can't trade him, I can see Noah replacing Wallace in 2 years. Unfortunately this pick doesn't really make the Bulls better, but hopefully it gives them a better chance to trade for a difference maker.
Posted by: Anonymous | June 30, 2007 09:08 AM
I like this pick. He can contribute on the defensive end immediately. And despite the need for a low post scorer, no one picks up significant minutes with Skiles coaching unless they can play defense. This team is going to be defense first as long as Skiles is coaching them and Noah can contribute. It's also a little insurance against