"Um...what?"
That's what Bulls fans must be thinking after a head-scratching press conference from vice president John Paxson on Thursday evening following the NBA trade deadline. Paxson addressed the trade that sent Doug McDermott and Taj Gibson to Oklahoma City. He answered several tough questions about the cohesiveness of the team's front office and the direction (or lack thereof) of the organization. Pax came across as very defensive -even offended - as he denied such "false narratives" exist regarding how he, general manager Gar Forman and president Michael Reinsdorf work together.
It was very bizarre, and most of it came across as complete nonsense.
He Said It
In case you missed the press conference, here are the highlights:The Trade
Explain the trade that brought in Cameron Payne, Anthony Morrow and Joffrey Lauvergne: https://twitter.com/Bulls_Peck/status/834920377075785728 https://twitter.com/Bulls_Peck/status/834920511088046081 Obviously OKC's backup point guard Payne (22) is the most valuable piece the Bulls got in return for Taj and Doug, and represents the youth Paxson is referring to. Lauvergne is 25 and Morrow is 31. Both are on expiring contracts and could very likely be gone after this season. So Payne means getting younger, and he's a guy they loved when they were scouting for the 2015 draft. You know, just like they loved Marquis Teague, Tony Snell, Nikola Mirotic, and that kid McDermott they traded up to get before trading away. Paxson also reiterated the importance of finding the right player to lead the team from the point guard position. So how many point guards do they have now? 26? Where will Payne fit in Fred Hoiberg's rotation? Do Paxson and his colleagues really see him as the floor general of the future, despite his recurring foot injuries and atrocious shooting? Let's continue...[USE ARROWS TO CONTINUE READING]
The Kids
If any part of Paxson's incoherent rambling made sense, it was his affirmation that the absence of Doug and Taj will free up minutes for younger guys like Bobby Portis and Denzel Valentine. They need time to develop, and the Bulls staff needs time to evaluate them. https://twitter.com/Bulls_Peck/status/834920869373829120 https://twitter.com/Bulls_Peck/status/834920981458259969 This makes sense. If I respect anything about Paxson's decisions today, it's that he and Forman and Reinsdorf agreed (on some level) that getting these kids minutes is more important than making the playoffs as a 7th or 8th seed. That is accurate, and it's a far cry from the bullshit they spouted last offseason about remaining competitive while retooling their roster. Losing Taj and Doug will mean fewer wins, guaranteed. Not only their individual production, but the loss of team chemistry is just as important. It sounds like the Bulls bosses are prepared to sacrifice wins (and a potential trip to the playoffs) to evaluate the youth on their roster. I respect that. Now, back to the nonsense...[USE ARROWS TO CONTINUE READING]
Is Butler The Man?
Paxson faced several questions about potential trade talks involving Jimmy Butler, and what the All Star's status is on the team finishing the season and entering the offseason. Paxson was, shall we say, indefinite in his response. "Did you have talks today or recently about Butler?" https://twitter.com/Bulls_Peck/status/834921142834053121 https://twitter.com/Bulls_Peck/status/834921301802422272 https://twitter.com/Bulls_Peck/status/834921432870240257 Okay. That's a fairly clear answer on the deadline trade talks. Paxson and his partners didn't hear any offers come close to something they deemed to be of equal or greater value to Jimmy. Next question. "Is the plan to continue to build around Jimmy?" https://twitter.com/Bulls_Peck/status/834921606510231553 That's a no. Again, Paxson refused to say that Butler is their franchise guy. Can you imagine how much that pisses off Jimmy, considering everything he's doing for this team right now? Pax is clearly hedging his bet, already preparing to revisit trade talks for Butler leading up to the draft this summer. Will the Bulls making or missing the playoffs have any impact on their decision to keep or move Butler this summer? https://twitter.com/Bulls_Peck/status/834925061979144192 Sounds like Pax has no idea what direction that will be. Still, the hypocrisy of praise and indifference towards Butler is nothing compared to what Paxson said about the "false narrative" infiltrating the media that he and his colleagues don't see eye to eye. The following quotes are so maddening I can't even respond to them...[USE ARROWS TO CONTINUE READING]
