SB Nation User Blog: Rose Colored Goggles

What should we expect from James Johnson?

Rose Colored Goggles — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 18:58:17 -0000

I originally posted an early version of this in the comments section of another fanpost, but since I got no responses to it I decided to make it a post of its own in order to spark some debate during the dog days of the offseason. To me, this is pretty interesting stuff -- even if it's not a very precise way to predict performance.

A list of the players drafted at #16 over the past 11 years in the NBA Draft:

2009: James Johnson
2008: Maurice Speights (PHI)
2007: Nick Young (WAS)
2006: Rodney Carney (CHI to PHI)
2005: Joey Graham (TOR)
2004: Kirk Snyder (UTA)
2003: Troy Bell (BOS)
2002: Jiri Welsch (PHI)
2001: Kirk Haston (CHH)
2000: Hedo Turkoglu (SAC)

1999: Ron Artest (CHI)

From 2005-2008 the 16th pick was pretty good, but took a fall from 2001-2004. 1999 and 2000 were obviously good years.

I find the 2000 draft to be particulary interesting for two reasons: namely, that Hedo Turkoglu is definitely the best player on this list (so far). Also, that 2000 NBA Draft is the year that the 2009 draft is most often compared to (in terms of it being an overall week draft).

How interesting that the draft that supposedly mirrors this year's draft yielded the best player at 16 out of the last 10 years? I realize this is mostly based on coincidence, but this is definitely far from bad news. Also, it seems as if most people view James Johnson as a goofy, eccentric (albeit very promising and full of potential) SF/PF combo player. A "tweener" if you will. Now, do we see anyone else on this list who fit that description when he came out of college (I believe after his sophomore year)? Yep, Ron-Ron.

Ok, the idea of this post is to set some sort of realistic expectation for our number one rookie during the 2009-2010 season and beyond. Do you think he will be more Hedo Turkoglu and Ron Artest or more Troy Bell and Kirk Haston?

Let the debate begin.

Poll

Based on level of success in the NBA (not style of play), which player do you think James Johnson will most resemble? (note: I didn't include Speights because it's too early to tell what overall impact he will have)

Nick Young

27 votes

Rodney Carney

35 votes

Joey Graham

13 votes

Kirk Snyder

2 votes

Troy Bell

5 votes

Jiri Welsch

3 votes

Kirk Haston

2 votes

Hedo Turkoglu

49 votes

Ron Artest

45 votes

181 votes | Poll has closed

Boozer Trade Idea, Involving Bulls AND Heat

Rose Colored Goggles — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 18:03:09 -0000

Ok, I might get killed for this and I might not. I actually suggested it in a comment on a fanshot yesterday; however, now I'm getting used to the idea and liking it more and more..so... Without further adieu...

THE ULTIMATE BOOZER TRADE:

Chicago gets:

Michael Beasley and Mark Blount

Utah gets:

Tyrus Thomas and Jerome James

Miami gets:

Carlos Boozer

Simple as that. Think about it. It's obvious that the Bulls aren't really that sold on Carlos Boozer as a player; if they're looking into him it's only to replace BG's scoring for one year and to gain increased flexibility for the (insert movie preview announcer voice here) "the summer of 2010." Why not retain that flexibility and get a power forward that's going to be a beast on offense for the foreseeable future?

Mark Blount is a bigger expiring contract than Jerome James, and if we can find a way to salary dump Hinrich this season to Portland in the fabled Blake + Outlaw trade then we will have room to sign a D-Wade, LeBron (yeah right) or, and most likely, Joe Johnson. That still gives us a young, solid line-up heading into the prime of Rose and Beasley's careers. Take a look:

PG: Rose

SG: Johnson

SF: Deng

PF: Beasley

C: Noah

Then we have some combo of Blake, James Johnson, Taj Gibson, possibly John Salmons or Outlaw (and another draft pick) coming off the bench.

Utah does this for the salary relief (according to ESPN Trade Machine this cuts $1 million off their payroll, plus Jerome James' expiring/insurance covered contract) and Miami does this for obvious Booze-ing reasons.

What do you guys think? I realize it's not the most ideal situation or what everyone was hoping for (i.e. Bosh or Amar'e) but I think it's an interesting idea that has not been talked about.

Hollinger pumps up Chi-town as big FA destination on ESPN.com: "Dave (wisconsin) What are...

Rose Colored Goggles — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 19:52:34 -0000

Hollinger pumps up Chi-town as big FA destination on ESPN.com:

"Dave (wisconsin)

What are the chances the Bulls land Bosh by trade this summer?

John Hollinger (3:34 PM)

They have the assets to do it; the part about Gordon leaving that everyone forgets is that now they also have the cap space to sign Bosh outright after the season. Given the talent already there and the desirability of Chi-town, it might be the leading free agent destination next summer -- even ahead of the Big Apple."

http://espn.go.com/sportsnation/chat/_/id/27257

To the Bulls' Front Office

Rose Colored Goggles — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 17:33:46 -0000

Dear JR, Gar and Pax (but mainly just JR),

Thank you for the memories. Just kidding. Screw you.

I understand why the Bulls didn’t want to resign Gordon for that asinine amount of money (for a one dimensional player that is). I was as critical of BG as anyone over the past few years, although it is sad to see the best Bulls player since MJ leave to the hated Pistons.

I do, however, have a couple concerns about the message this organization consistently sends to its fans: we care more about profits than winning. It just seems like JR views the Bulls as his investment, and the White Sox as his team. For quite a few years, the Bulls have been the most profitable franchise in all of pro basketball – this is fact. But while teams like the Lakers, Magic, Celtics and Cavaliers are willing to go into the luxury tax to ensure they have a chance at contending for a championship, the Bulls (i.e. JR) flat-out refuse to (at least since MJ left).

There aren’t too many teams out there that draft a guy #3 overall, have him lead your team in scoring for 4 straight years (he’s the Bulls’ 7th all-time leading scorer also) and then let him walk for absolutely nothing. The only other team that has done something like that (without injuries or personality conflicts involved) are the 1996 Orlando Magic. And it took them 13 years to get back to an NBA Finals. Sheesh.

Also, does anyone else remember Gar Forman on ESPN1000 last week saying that resigning BG was the Bulls’ number one offseason priority? Well, Ben Gordon was on ESPN1000 this morning stating that the he gave the Bulls an opportunity to match or come close to the Piston’s offer and they replied, “no thanks.” Should I expect GarPaxDorf to label this offseason a failure? Of course not. We got James Johnson and Taj Gibson, fool!

I know that resigning Gordon doesn’t guarantee a championship (or even make us contenders), but it does keep us from regressing this year in terms of on-court production. How do we plan on replacing that 20 ppg? James Johnson and Taj Gibson? I mean, if the Bulls weren’t planning on attempting to resign BG then why on earth did we draft two forwards last week? It just doesn’t make sense when Wayne Ellington and Toney Douglas were still on the board at 26 (maybe the Bulls legitimately thought they could get BG for the MLE? If so, they’re crazy).

It just kind of feels like a slap in the face that the organization can’t go into the luxury tax once in a decade to ensure we have a playoff team this season. How about some payback to the fans who bought tickets, merchandise and watched games during the Ron Mercer/Dickey Simpkins years? We still have about 25 million in expiring contracts coming off the books – more than enough to sign a big FA next summer.

I guess what I’m saying is that I hope the Bulls have some sort of plan. I just don’t know what it could possibly be. Telling the fans to wait another year just isn’t going to cut it for me – we’ve been waiting more than a decade! The second half of this season was incredibly exciting, and I’m having a hard time believing that exchanging BG for two rookies is going to provide the same kind of feeling this year.

Thank you JR, for all your love and dedication to keeping my favorite team in NBA purgatory. It does not go unnoticed.

Your #1 disgruntled fan,

R.C.G.