Off Season Interviews: Chicago Bulls
Aug 25, 2022 11:26:45 GMT -5
Golden State Warriors (Caleb), LA Clippers GM (Remy), and 1 more like this
Post by The Athletic on Aug 25, 2022 11:26:45 GMT -5
First things first overall how’d you feel about your first year rebuilding?
Chuck: Honestly, I quite enjoyed it. I didn't even start the year planning on rebuilding. I expected a core of Jrue/KP/Holmes and some depth to be able to grab a 6-8 seed and then maybe use some picks to upgrade. We had some pretty weird injury luck, KP did his thing where he misses big chunks, Jrue was out at some key moments, Richaun got his eyes poked out and was out for covid and then never really the same. Also expected Kira to take steps forward but he ended up tearing his ACL. So after we got cock slapped with all that, we decided to start looking towards the future and looking for flip opportunities. Extremely happy with all the moves that transpired, Bulls org was able to add a ton of value to the organization throughout the year in RJ Barrett, Wendell Carter, and multiple future 1st round picks.
I don't give a damn how much you say you enjoyed it, I know it’s hard for a competitive guy like you to grind out a rebuild. Realistically how long do you see this thing continuing? And yes I know you gotta feel it out and shit but don’t bullshit me how long do you think this goes if you had to guess?
Chuck: I have no idea. This all depends on the steps some of our key players take. One thing I know for sure is that I won't be making any moves unless I'm adding value to the franchise. There is no owner above me demanding wins or expecting this to be complete by a certain deadline. As an armchair GM, I have the luxury to sit here and shoot for the stars even if it means not being as competitive as possible in the short term. I've observed other GM's operate as if they have to win in a certain window, whether it's because of resign schedules, age, or they just want it bad. Good recipe to make bad moves. I rebuilt this team with 0 resign problems and grabbed guys that I believe will increase in value over time The wins will take care of themselves as long I continue to add value. But if you really need a guess, I think we'll be champs in 2025 or 26? Trust me, it is excruciating to sit here and make smart moves that appreciate over going for it, but all that matters is I win in the end. It also helps that we love talkkkking shit. Mf's out here flexing having more wins in a season but send 1sts for Dillon Brooks. You know what I'm sayin ; ). Add value to the franchise in transactions (draft, trades), stay patient and make minimal knee jerk reaction moves, and stay active/win the moves on the margins and we will be back on top.
RJ, Kuminga, Wendell. All special in their own way. Who are you most excited to watch this year and why?
Chuck: Probably most excited for RJ. He catches a lot of flak for not being an uber efficient superstar at 21 years old so we are excited for the year 4 jump. As a rebuilder, it's all about flashes and when he puts it together for games, it really does feel sustainable over the course of a season when he's in his prime. After having to play in lineups with Elfrid Payton, a center that cannot shoot, and Julius Randle, it is going to be glorious times even just having a guy like Brunson out there to set him up from time to time. The eventual Dono trade will no doubt take some usage away but should result in a jump in efficiency. Wendell All Star Campaign has been underway since last year. We love Dell and it's truly amazing how this guy went from a non aggressive, passive patty cake (thanks Boylen) to a demon. NBA fans in the trenches following closely know about Dell, and he's comin. Kuminga is a building block and obviously has sky high potential. Love his fit in that Warriors system slashing off those shooters. Another young guy, just looking for flashes. Good sign that he was able to have positive moments making the correct reads handling the ball in SL as well.
Jeremy Sochan eh? What made you so confident to give up a guy like Zinger who has proven capable of being a mid 30 point per guy still in his prime? Also was he always your guy? If he was taken do you still trade Zinger for that pick?
Chuck: Zinger was always going to be dealt for a piece that I believe can become a top 50 dynasty asset. I love KP but he is no longer a top 50 asset going forward. He has a ton of value to a team that is trying to win now imo however and it is insane that the market was so dry for him. Yeah he might (will) miss a couple weeks over the course of a season, but if you have the depth/team to get to the playoffs anyway and he's available providing top 10/20 value? It's a piece that can take you over the top. He just no had no business being on my team anymore as we won't have the depth/team to really maximize his value. Zinger was always going for that pick, we had some talks with him in other deals throughout the offseason but it became very clear that we needed to be aggressive on draft night. We were also able to complete this deal prior to FA and use the cap to sign Al Horford. Dude should be a fine stop gap to replace the production and on a 12M deal, has awesome odds to be flipped for positive value as he'll be able to really help a team out for the stretch run or I can hold him and have a 25/26 fp guy for 12M until he retires. Sochan was always a favorite of ours leading up to the draft, 19 years old, best defender in the class, plus stl/blk numbers and can rebound. What makes him special though is his ability to handle and facilitate a bit. College hoops are crowded af so we expect the spacing of the NBA to allow him to really show off his playmaking. Shot is a work in progress for sure but if it can just get close to average, we really feel like we have a guy that can become a top 50 asset and score around 30 fp in a couple years. Also love the landing spot, SA needs a forward with Jeremy's skillset in the worst way and he should have every opportunity this year to show flashes.
Gotta talk about Jaden and Kira.. First Jaden.. remind me of what made you so fond of him and are you expecting production anytime soon? With Kira what are your hopes and expectations for him in his first season back?
Chuck: With Springer, he produced some very nice numbers in the SEC and has an NBA build. We saw creation upside, finishing, and touch that was very advanced for his age. However, we always expected this to be a project pick. When you draft a rookie to a Doc Rivers coached team supposedly competing for a championship, you do not expect production right away. Jaden is one of our more prized young pieces and the breakout is probably another year or so away. While the on the surface numbers shooting wise haven't been good, his mechanics look more fluid, he's starting to look more athletic and bouncy on the court (had a bum ankle at Ten), and overall we do see progress. KIRA. Kira is my baby bro and was probably my favorite young piece to watch last year prior to going down. I cannot believe we were able to acquire a Dallas Mavericks drafted player. We loved Kira in the draft, we loved the flashes Kira showed in his rookie year, and we love KFH. That being said, it was weird start to last year for Kira, team started 1-13 (everyone was shitting the bed), 1st year coach still figuring it out and playing Sato/Temple over him at times. Then he really started to turn it on and produce and we can't have nice things so he blew out his knee. Honestly not expecting a ton this year, ACL's are tough and I think Kelle took 16 months to return? Couple that with the fact that the Pels have solid depth options and it's a good thing we aren't competing or expecting production this year. Just want him to get fully healthy and if he has some flashes, great. I'll always be obsessed with the potential he has and see him as a future starting PG. He can fill it up with stls and dimes and I believe he has workable shooting mechanics.
You guys signed Jabari Walker to the largest UDFA deal in league history. What do you see in him?
Chuck: Yeah I mean Jabari was another guy that was one of our targets in the draft. Summer League doesn't mean a lot but when you see him out there confirming prior beliefs you had before the draft, why not take a shot. He can move and guard 3/4/5 and can shoot so I'm pretty confident he should be able to fill a role in the NBA eventually. Portland also has done a nice job with Nas Little so that was another contributing factor. Biggest thing is the rebound rate being absurd however, we love his per minute production in here if he can hold down a rotation spot. Dude's like Alize Johnson but can stroke it.
Blake Wesley is a __ (fill in the blank)
Chuck: Steal in the 20's. As the OG BBall Dynasty 26 Maxey lover, I cannot help but see the similarities in their games (and draft position). Another 19 yr old, if Wesley went back to school, I suspect he could have possibly gone in the lotto next year. Blake has some raw ass tools that allow him to get to places other guards just can't get (except Maxey). He needs to work on his finishing but he has good touch and we believe with some added strength, he'll figure it out. Blake can fill it up from outside as well, off the dribble, off the catch, we have confidence in him being a solid scorer at the NBA level. His playmaking isn't all the way there yet but he showed signs of improvement at SL, and once again, because of his speed and athletic tools, he can get to spots and make passes other guards can't. Also super pumped DJ got moved. If you held our draft after that transaction, Blake goes higher imo. Hoping for some flashes this year since he should get some looks.
If you could eliminate one GM/Franchise in the playoffs this year who would you choose and why?
Chuck: None. I don't care about other GM's lmao I wanna beat team 1 as bad I want to beat team 30.
Chuck: Honestly, I quite enjoyed it. I didn't even start the year planning on rebuilding. I expected a core of Jrue/KP/Holmes and some depth to be able to grab a 6-8 seed and then maybe use some picks to upgrade. We had some pretty weird injury luck, KP did his thing where he misses big chunks, Jrue was out at some key moments, Richaun got his eyes poked out and was out for covid and then never really the same. Also expected Kira to take steps forward but he ended up tearing his ACL. So after we got cock slapped with all that, we decided to start looking towards the future and looking for flip opportunities. Extremely happy with all the moves that transpired, Bulls org was able to add a ton of value to the organization throughout the year in RJ Barrett, Wendell Carter, and multiple future 1st round picks.
I don't give a damn how much you say you enjoyed it, I know it’s hard for a competitive guy like you to grind out a rebuild. Realistically how long do you see this thing continuing? And yes I know you gotta feel it out and shit but don’t bullshit me how long do you think this goes if you had to guess?
Chuck: I have no idea. This all depends on the steps some of our key players take. One thing I know for sure is that I won't be making any moves unless I'm adding value to the franchise. There is no owner above me demanding wins or expecting this to be complete by a certain deadline. As an armchair GM, I have the luxury to sit here and shoot for the stars even if it means not being as competitive as possible in the short term. I've observed other GM's operate as if they have to win in a certain window, whether it's because of resign schedules, age, or they just want it bad. Good recipe to make bad moves. I rebuilt this team with 0 resign problems and grabbed guys that I believe will increase in value over time The wins will take care of themselves as long I continue to add value. But if you really need a guess, I think we'll be champs in 2025 or 26? Trust me, it is excruciating to sit here and make smart moves that appreciate over going for it, but all that matters is I win in the end. It also helps that we love talkkkking shit. Mf's out here flexing having more wins in a season but send 1sts for Dillon Brooks. You know what I'm sayin ; ). Add value to the franchise in transactions (draft, trades), stay patient and make minimal knee jerk reaction moves, and stay active/win the moves on the margins and we will be back on top.
RJ, Kuminga, Wendell. All special in their own way. Who are you most excited to watch this year and why?
Chuck: Probably most excited for RJ. He catches a lot of flak for not being an uber efficient superstar at 21 years old so we are excited for the year 4 jump. As a rebuilder, it's all about flashes and when he puts it together for games, it really does feel sustainable over the course of a season when he's in his prime. After having to play in lineups with Elfrid Payton, a center that cannot shoot, and Julius Randle, it is going to be glorious times even just having a guy like Brunson out there to set him up from time to time. The eventual Dono trade will no doubt take some usage away but should result in a jump in efficiency. Wendell All Star Campaign has been underway since last year. We love Dell and it's truly amazing how this guy went from a non aggressive, passive patty cake (thanks Boylen) to a demon. NBA fans in the trenches following closely know about Dell, and he's comin. Kuminga is a building block and obviously has sky high potential. Love his fit in that Warriors system slashing off those shooters. Another young guy, just looking for flashes. Good sign that he was able to have positive moments making the correct reads handling the ball in SL as well.
Jeremy Sochan eh? What made you so confident to give up a guy like Zinger who has proven capable of being a mid 30 point per guy still in his prime? Also was he always your guy? If he was taken do you still trade Zinger for that pick?
Chuck: Zinger was always going to be dealt for a piece that I believe can become a top 50 dynasty asset. I love KP but he is no longer a top 50 asset going forward. He has a ton of value to a team that is trying to win now imo however and it is insane that the market was so dry for him. Yeah he might (will) miss a couple weeks over the course of a season, but if you have the depth/team to get to the playoffs anyway and he's available providing top 10/20 value? It's a piece that can take you over the top. He just no had no business being on my team anymore as we won't have the depth/team to really maximize his value. Zinger was always going for that pick, we had some talks with him in other deals throughout the offseason but it became very clear that we needed to be aggressive on draft night. We were also able to complete this deal prior to FA and use the cap to sign Al Horford. Dude should be a fine stop gap to replace the production and on a 12M deal, has awesome odds to be flipped for positive value as he'll be able to really help a team out for the stretch run or I can hold him and have a 25/26 fp guy for 12M until he retires. Sochan was always a favorite of ours leading up to the draft, 19 years old, best defender in the class, plus stl/blk numbers and can rebound. What makes him special though is his ability to handle and facilitate a bit. College hoops are crowded af so we expect the spacing of the NBA to allow him to really show off his playmaking. Shot is a work in progress for sure but if it can just get close to average, we really feel like we have a guy that can become a top 50 asset and score around 30 fp in a couple years. Also love the landing spot, SA needs a forward with Jeremy's skillset in the worst way and he should have every opportunity this year to show flashes.
Gotta talk about Jaden and Kira.. First Jaden.. remind me of what made you so fond of him and are you expecting production anytime soon? With Kira what are your hopes and expectations for him in his first season back?
Chuck: With Springer, he produced some very nice numbers in the SEC and has an NBA build. We saw creation upside, finishing, and touch that was very advanced for his age. However, we always expected this to be a project pick. When you draft a rookie to a Doc Rivers coached team supposedly competing for a championship, you do not expect production right away. Jaden is one of our more prized young pieces and the breakout is probably another year or so away. While the on the surface numbers shooting wise haven't been good, his mechanics look more fluid, he's starting to look more athletic and bouncy on the court (had a bum ankle at Ten), and overall we do see progress. KIRA. Kira is my baby bro and was probably my favorite young piece to watch last year prior to going down. I cannot believe we were able to acquire a Dallas Mavericks drafted player. We loved Kira in the draft, we loved the flashes Kira showed in his rookie year, and we love KFH. That being said, it was weird start to last year for Kira, team started 1-13 (everyone was shitting the bed), 1st year coach still figuring it out and playing Sato/Temple over him at times. Then he really started to turn it on and produce and we can't have nice things so he blew out his knee. Honestly not expecting a ton this year, ACL's are tough and I think Kelle took 16 months to return? Couple that with the fact that the Pels have solid depth options and it's a good thing we aren't competing or expecting production this year. Just want him to get fully healthy and if he has some flashes, great. I'll always be obsessed with the potential he has and see him as a future starting PG. He can fill it up with stls and dimes and I believe he has workable shooting mechanics.
You guys signed Jabari Walker to the largest UDFA deal in league history. What do you see in him?
Chuck: Yeah I mean Jabari was another guy that was one of our targets in the draft. Summer League doesn't mean a lot but when you see him out there confirming prior beliefs you had before the draft, why not take a shot. He can move and guard 3/4/5 and can shoot so I'm pretty confident he should be able to fill a role in the NBA eventually. Portland also has done a nice job with Nas Little so that was another contributing factor. Biggest thing is the rebound rate being absurd however, we love his per minute production in here if he can hold down a rotation spot. Dude's like Alize Johnson but can stroke it.
Blake Wesley is a __ (fill in the blank)
Chuck: Steal in the 20's. As the OG BBall Dynasty 26 Maxey lover, I cannot help but see the similarities in their games (and draft position). Another 19 yr old, if Wesley went back to school, I suspect he could have possibly gone in the lotto next year. Blake has some raw ass tools that allow him to get to places other guards just can't get (except Maxey). He needs to work on his finishing but he has good touch and we believe with some added strength, he'll figure it out. Blake can fill it up from outside as well, off the dribble, off the catch, we have confidence in him being a solid scorer at the NBA level. His playmaking isn't all the way there yet but he showed signs of improvement at SL, and once again, because of his speed and athletic tools, he can get to spots and make passes other guards can't. Also super pumped DJ got moved. If you held our draft after that transaction, Blake goes higher imo. Hoping for some flashes this year since he should get some looks.
If you could eliminate one GM/Franchise in the playoffs this year who would you choose and why?
Chuck: None. I don't care about other GM's lmao I wanna beat team 1 as bad I want to beat team 30.