Chicago Bulls: Free Agency

By Flickr user Keith Allison - http://www.flickr.com/photos/keithallison/5576308358/, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=18304839

Free Agency: Chicago Bulls

The Chicago Bulls made one of the biggest Free Agency moves in signing Dwyane Wade. This making them a much better team offensively and defensively than they were before. And before signing Wade they also added Rajon Rondo to the roster replacing the former MVP Derrick Rose who the Bulls traded to the New York Knicks. Rondo adds Defense at the Point Guard position and also adds another great defender to their team. Although all this may seem good, the Bulls have also lost some people as well like All-Star Pau Gasol, Former Defensive Player Of The Year Joakim Noah, and Derrick Rose as mentioned before.

Lets look at their Starting Lineup from last season and their projected starting lineup for this upcoming season:
Last Season:
Rose
Butler
Dunleavy/Snell
Mirotic/Gibson
Gasol

Projected Lineup:
Rondo
Wade
Butler
Mirotic/Gibson
Lopez

Looking at this, it really seems like they upgraded their lineup for the most part. They will be a bit weak with the big men, from Gasol to Lopez is a big downgrade and if Mirotic doesn't start to bulk up and work on his defense then the Bulls will get destroyed up front which is definitely going to hurt them. Lets see the Point Guard position from Rose to Rondo. Rondo doesn't have the shooting and attacking to the basket like Rose, but in my opinion this is an upgrade for Chicago considering Rose being injury prone and Rondo being a great passer and defender. Shooting Guard, Butler to Wade (Butler moving to the Small Forward position). Although Butler is still on the team, Wade is a top 3 Shooting Guard All-Time and proved he could stay healthy last season by only missing 8 games last season compared to previous seasons 20 games missed. Butler did have a better season last season than Wade, it still isn't bad having Wade at the 2 and still having Butler on the team. And the Small Forward position, from many people like Dunleavy and Snell to Star Jimmy Butler. This is their biggest upgrade to their lineup, Butler is one of the best Two Way players in the League which will help when he starts playing at his new position. It may possibly be tough for Butler to adjust to a new position considering some of the players he will be playing agains will be bigger than him, but Butler being one of the best defenders and scorers in the league it shouldn't be a problem.

So comparing their lineup to last years lineup, the Bulls have upgraded, but really how good can they be in the East? A lot of teams in the East have upgraded during free agency, but I think the Bulls will end up getting between the 5-7 Seed, depending on how healthy and how good they work together.

Playoff Outlook 2015 (first round edition)

In this post I will explain the playoffs and the outcomes of it. There are many possible outcomes and I will try to describe them all.

It came to my attention that I should write this post when my friends and I made some NBA Playoff brackets. We gave one to our Spanish teacher. She has no knowledge of the NBA, whatsoever (all though she knows a lot about the 90s in the NBA). She asked me to make a post for people like her that don't have much knowledge of present day basketball and how to fill out her bracket. I told her I will, and look where I am now, typing this post for her, so I'm dedicating this post to my Spanish teacher.

Well anyway, lets get started.

East: Round One

Hawks vs Nets: I think this one is pretty obvious. The Nets are 0-4 vs the Hawks. Now your all like, but the Hawks havn't been that good lately. Yeah, okay, but the Nets played them twice in the last two weeks. I think the Hawks have this one.
Winner: Hawks

Cavs vs Celtics: Yes, okay, the Celtics have won against the Cavs twice in the last 2 weeks, but the Cavs sat their main players out. I think that the Cavs did that on purpose and wanted to play the Celtics. C'mon, this team has no star player.
Winner: Cavaliers

Toronto vs Wizards: I honestly hope that the Wizards suprise me. They are 0-3 against the Wizards this season. The Wizards have been horrible lately but they tend to have a playoff mode. Also, Toronto has had troubles in the playoffs before. Last year, they lost to the Nets as the Nets had a spoiler. Yeah, I called it last year. No one believed me that the Nets would beat the Raptors. In conclusion though, I think that Toronto will win just because they don't want to be spoiled again.
Winner: Toronto

Bulls vs Bucks: Wow, this is another obvious one to me. This was another team I called out to loose last year and nobody believed me. This team probably was upset about the Wizards last year and they probably want to win this year. They lead against the Bucks 3-1 this season and this is a Bucks team that has many two-year guys that have no playoff expirences. I think that the Bulls will win this one.
Winner: Bulls

West: Round One

Warriors vs Pelicans: This is an easy one. Draymond Green will do a great job on Davis, Stephen Curry will be boss, and Warriors will win. Anyone disagree, no? Fine, lets move on.
Winner: Warriors

Rockets vs Mavericks: Yes I know Rockets lead 3-1, but I thought this team would be a finals team at the beginning of the season. Obviously that view has changed, but they still have a great team. I think this game will come down to game 7 and James Harden will clutch it and will the whole thing. That's just James Harden.
Winner: Rockets

Portland vs Memphis: The whole season, Memphis has won vs the Blazers. It now does not help the Blazers that Batum and Matthews are out. Also, Aldridge has played half the season with a hand injury and Afflalo just went down. It doesn't look like Memphis has much of a challenge in the first round.
Winner: Memphis

Clippers vs Spurs: The season series is tied between these teams. It really comes down to who has more Playoff experience. I want to say that Chris Paul will carry his team, but I don't buy it one second. This team went on a 10 game win streak at the end of the season. They are still that same team from last year. It will probably come down to a game 6 or 7 and I think that the Spurs will win.
Winner: Spurs

Again, I'm dedicating this post to my Spanish teacher. Gracias, for telling me to do this post. And for teaching me how to command people to do things in Spanish. It doesn't really do much though. People just look at me and are all like "What?". And I just yell at them "Lavalos!" Still, I might go to Mexico or Spain one day. Then I might be able to command someone to wash the dishes. Thank you.