Luol Deng spoke with Bud on Thursday (Ferry is about to make a move)

[Gianluca]

Chris Vivlamore: Just spoke to new Hawk Thebo Sefolosha. His former teammate, Luol Deng, can expect a recruiting call to join him in ATL. #ATLHawks Twitter @ajchawks - See more at: http://hoopshype.com/rumors.htm#sthash.y7ZYHROE.dpuf

[PSSSHHHRRR87]

Melo makes his decision real soon. Its obvious Melo was not taking a cut to help the Knicks out; so Phil offered him the five year max. Lets see what happens with that. I do think the Mavericks have a shot; if Melo and Chandler are good team mates, the Knicks shot themselves in the foot by sending Chandler to Dallas....

Hope Melo does go to the Mavs. Chandler/Dirk/Melo is one hell of starting front court. Just wonder how well Melo and Monta would coexist on the court. I'm thinking really, really well. The East would get worse tho. Melo going to Bulls would be the best move for the league.

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[Buzzard]

4 yr for 75 million is not even close to being the max is it?

Logic would suggest that they would not overpay for Deng if they will not even offer the max to CM.

Something like four years 96 Million is the max other teams can offer. I find it interesting Dirk is taking his cut in pay as soon as possible. To me, that hints at something being in place. Why take the biggest cut so early, if Melo or Bron are not real options? They are the only two players in free agency that will come close to 20 million starting.

[PSSSHHHRRR87]

4 yr for 75 million is not even close to being the max is it?

Logic would suggest that they would not overpay for Deng if they will not even offer the max to CM.

Melo's max offer from a team other than the Knicks is 4 yr/$97 mil. Knicks offered 5yr/$129 mil.

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[Afro]

If Thabo convinces Deng to take a pay cut it'll be well worth the 4 million

[GameTime]

Chris Vivlamore: Just spoke to new Hawk Thebo Sefolosha. His former teammate, Luol Deng, can expect a recruiting call to join him in ATL. #ATLHawks Twitter @ajchawks - See more at: http://hoopshype.com/rumors.htm#sthash.y7ZYHROE.dpuf

 

Didn't know Thabo and Deng were such good friends. I'm sure Bud/Ferry knew. Brilliant. 

[Swatguy]

The roster is 14 now without Deng. We would need a 3 to 1 deal. Dennis, Jenkins and Scott for Monroe.

[Plainview1981]

If Thabo convinces Deng to take a pay cut it'll be well worth the 4 million

I will agree with that. If Deng signed for 8 million then it becomes harder to look down on Thabo's contract.

[Admin]

Just ran the #'s for Deng with Cleveland and Chicago and his effect on the teams record. 

 

Bulls 10-13 in games Deng played and 38-21 without.

 

Cavs 19-21 in games Deng played and 14-28 without.

 

So the Bulls were much better without him and the Cavs were much better with him. 

 

Here's an article I found on it from Chicago Bulls Confidential:

 

 

So it's been roughly a month since the Bulls traded Luol Deng. They've fared better without Deng than with him, but it'd be a great disservice to Deng to connect the dots with such a low level of analysis. For his part, after an initial hot start, Deng's performance has dipped since heading to the Cavaliers likely a bi-product of their team dysfunction as much as anything.

 

Since the trade, the Bulls are 11-7. They were 10-13 with Deng prior to the trade. Granted six of those 10 wins came prior to Derrick Rose tearing his meniscus, many of the losses also came during the period where the Bulls were missing other players, and were dealing with the initial shock of the Rose injury.

 

The team was clearly in a bad funk right after the injury prior to bouncing back.

 

However, the biggest difference between the Bulls record with and without Deng likely isn't Deng himself, it's D.J. Augustin. The Bulls replaced Marquis Teague and his .1 PER with D.J. Augustin and his 16.5. Beyond the overall statistical dominance that Augustin has brought to the table ahead of Teague, he also provides the shooting the Bulls have clearly lacked as a team.

 

Mike Dunleavy and Tony Snell have also played far more minutes and while Dunleavy's shooting numbers have dipped considerably since the trade and Snell's haven't been that great to begin with, team's still have to defend those guys out closer to the three point line than they did Deng. All in all, the Bulls interior scoring seems better in the absence of Deng and better spacing is a part of that.

 

Without ever being able to produce a consistent three point shot, the Bulls were always going to have some issues given that their other two primary wing players also lacked consistent three point shots.

 

Rose, Butler, and Deng would have been a terror defensively, but opponents would have happily defended 18 feet and in all the way around the court against that group. This doesn't mean Deng had to go, but Rose certainly isn't going [even if we're scared about his health] and Butler doesn't look like a guy who will cost 12 million dollars.

 

SFs frequently don't have great three point shots, but PGs and SGs typically do. I've always though an effective offense needs quality three point shooting from two of those three positions on the court most of the time. The Bulls tired to get away with three guys who were below average.

 

We'll never know for sure how it would have worked, but hopefully Chicago finds a way to address this weakness while adding a multi-dimensional player this off-season. Either someone who can shoot and create off the dribble or a spot up shooter who can also defend. Maybe Tony Snell can qualify as the second of those to things if he improves, but he's far away from that goal right now.

 

How's Deng look in Cleveland?

 

pts/36: 16.2
rbs/36: 5.4
ast/36: 2.3
FG%: 42.6%
3pt%: 33.3%
eFG%: 46.6%
TS%: 51.4%
PER: 15.2

 

These numbers are generally down from his stats as a Bull this season, but they're in-line with what Deng did the previous two years with the Bulls. Some may say the Cavaliers are dragging Deng back down, but I think it's more likely that Deng is just falling back down to the player he's been for most of his prime.

 

Now Kyrie Irving's either a terrible PG or has simply lost all trust in everyone wearing a yellow uniform, because he hangs onto the ball like its his soul on offense. For a smart player, it's easy to see where a lack of ball movement would cut into one or two easy shots a game for Deng and slow him down a tick, so I won't completely discount the Cleveland factor.

 

That said, it makes me wonder just what Deng's value will be this off-season. Deng scoffed at a 10 million dollar offer from the Bulls, but looking at Deng play for another team? Looking at the Bulls not really missing him [i certainly don't think they're better without him, but they obviously aren't falling apart to any degree either].

 

All in all, he looks like the MVP of role players to me. A guy you'd love to have on your team, but not the guy you want to pay big money to. With Chris Grant fired, I'll also be curious to see if Cleveland is committed to resigning Deng if he continues to perform at this level. Prior to Grant going, the Cavs likely would have heaped money at Deng to try and prove themselves right.

 

They still might. However, with Grant gone they can just throw Deng away and say it was a bad trade by the former GM. All in all, I don't see quality organizations climbing over themselves to offer Deng an eight figure deal which means he may have to choose between big bucks and a nice work environment.

 

I think Luol Deng has had the opportunity Ben Gordon wishes he had before heading to free agency. A chance to see how crappy it can be to make big bucks in a dysfunctional environment. I'll be curious to see what Deng does with the situation.

 

I will say this, I wouldn't be surprised if in the long run Deng finds himself regretting turning down the Bulls 3/30 extension. He may get more money, or he may find another good team to go to, but I'm betting he won't get both.

[PSSSHHHRRR87]

If Thabo convinces Deng to take a pay cut it'll be well worth the 4 million

4yr/$37 mil w/ 4th yr TO. Averages out to be $9.25 mil/yr. I think that is fair for a starting two-way wing player, a renowned perimeter defender, and an efficient 15 ppg. Go Hawks! IFWT.

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[Admin]

4yr/$37 mil w/ 4th yr TO. Averages out to be $9.25 mil/yr. I think that is fair for a starting two-way wing player, a renowned perimeter defender, and an efficient 15 ppg. Go Hawks! IFWT.

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That's the high end of what I'd really be comfortable with but with the TO after the 3rd year I'd be ok with it. 10 is the absolute highest I'd be okay with. Anything more and I'm gonna be pissed. 

[PSSSHHHRRR87]

Just ran the #'s for Deng with Cleveland and Chicago and his effect on the teams record.

Bulls 10-13 in games Deng played and 38-21 without.

Cavs 19-21 in games Deng played and 14-28 without.

So the Bulls were much better without him and the Cavs were much better with him.

Here's an article I found on it from Chicago Bulls Confidential:

It's all about coaching and culture in this example. Bulls are like Hawks—next man up keeps the train a rolling. The Cavs hardly have a clue and Deng said that the locker room atmosphere in Cleveland isn't a winning atmosphere at all.

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[Plainview1981]

Thabo admits to having a chip on his shoulder:http://t.co/aPqR1acplZ

[Admin]

It's all about coaching and culture in this example. Bulls are like Hawks—next man up keeps the train a rolling. The Cavs hardly have a clue and Deng said that the locker room atmosphere in Cleveland isn't a winning atmosphere at all.

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I'm more concerned with how the Bulls lost easily their best player of the first 20 plus games and they didn't miss a beat without him. I mean is he a difference maker? I dunno.

[PSSSHHHRRR87]

That's the high end of what I'd really be comfortable with but with the TO after the 3rd year I'd be ok with it. 10 is the absolute highest I'd be okay with. Anything more and I'm gonna be pissed.

9's look better than 8's on paper and really it's the price difference of a 2nd round pick that may buy Deng for the Hawks. An extra half million per year is worth it.

Another question—If the Hawks sign Deng, is there a possibility that Korver is the one that gets moved to the bench in favor of the better defender in DMC? Is Horford/Sap/Deng/DMC/Teague better than Horford/Sap/Deng/Korver/Teague? My poll question of who is a better starter, DMC or Korver, just became really relevant!

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[Plainview1981]

I'm more concerned with how the Bulls lost easily their best player of the first 20 plus games and they didn't miss a beat without him. I mean is he a difference maker? I dunno.

The Bulls perhaps could have used some scoring punch in the playoffs.

[PSSSHHHRRR87]

I'm more concerned with how the Bulls lost easily their best player of the first 20 plus games and they didn't miss a beat without him. I mean is he a difference maker? I dunno.

Same could be asked about Horford and the Hawks... Is Horford a difference maker? This is the same Bulls team that's been without Derrick Rose for two seasons now. It's coaching and culture that's kept the Bulls going.

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[Plainview1981]

9's look better than 8's on paper and really it's the price difference of a 2nd round pick that may buy Deng for the Hawks. An extra half million per year is worth it.

Another question—If the Hawks sign Deng, is there a possibility that Korver is the one that gets moved to the bench in favor of the better defender in DMC? Is Horford/Sap/Deng/DMC/Teague better than Horford/Sap/Deng/Korver/Teague? My poll question of who is a better starter, DMC or Korver, just became really relevant!

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I would start Korver over Carroll at SG.

Korver compliments Deng better due to Korver's shooting. Deng's shooting his been off for years and so you would rather pair him with the better shooter. Plus you have better floor spacing if Deng posts up.

Edited July 4, 2014 by Hotlanta1981

[Admin]

9's look better than 8's on paper and really it's the price difference of a 2nd round pick that may buy Deng for the Hawks. An extra half million per year is worth it.

Another question—If the Hawks sign Deng, is there a possibility that Korver is the one that gets moved to the bench in favor of the better defender in DMC? Is Horford/Sap/Deng/DMC/Teague better than Horford/Sap/Deng/Korver/Teague? My poll question of who is a better starter, DMC or Korver, just became really relevant!

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I think we go:

Teague / Mack / Schröder

Korver / Thabo / Patterson

Deng / DMC

Millsap / Payne / Scott

Horford / Brand or Antić / Muscala

[Admin]

Same could be asked about Horford and the Hawks... Is Horford a difference maker? This is the same Bulls team that's been without Derrick Rose for two seasons now. It's coaching and culture that's kept the Bulls going.

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We were much better with Horford record wise than without so I don't see it as a good comparison.