# Why are we being avoided?



## thebizkit69u (Feb 12, 2003)

Good article on NBA.com sharing some of our concerns about why nobody wants to come here.



> In the Great Mating Dance between NBA teams and current or soon-to-be free agents (or even just foot-stomping trade-demanders), the Bulls ought to be the guys who are flashing their 62 victories from last season, flaunting their Coach of the Year (Tom Thibodeau) and dazzling prospective acquisitions with their defending Most Valuable Player (Derrick Rose). Yet they get as much action as a guy with a cold sore.
> 
> Howard could do much worse than to seek out a pairing with Rose. But the next time he or any other NBA superstar demands a trade to Chicago or, as a free agent, targets the Windy City as his preferred destination will be the first.
> 
> http://www.nba.com/2011/news/features/steve_aschburner/12/13/chicago-free-agents/index.html?ls=iref:nbahpt1


Its still a mystery.


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## PD (Sep 10, 2004)

It is indeed odd. I would think coming to Chicago was Howard's best bet to get a trade immediately and winning. The Bulls have enough assets to trade for him and still contending. I could see us winning the championship this year with Howard being on the team. It is a big market with a lot of history. Mostly importantly, there is Rose, who is only 23 years old.


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## thebizkit69u (Feb 12, 2003)

PD said:


> It is indeed odd. I would think coming to Chicago was Howard's best bet to get a trade immediately and winning. The Bulls have enough assets to trade for him and still contending. I could see us winning the championship this year with Howard being on the team. It is a big market with a lot of history. Mostly importantly, there is Rose, who is only 23 years old.


I don't know man, the NBA makes no sense to me these past couple of years. I look back at the 90's where it almost seemed like everyone wanted to win so damn bad to now guy's just playing with their buddies and picking up fat checks. Sounds great if you are one of those players but fans are getting screwed. 

I'm telling you, one of these day's even Rookies are going to start demanding to play in specific cities. Its a joke how these guy's are running things.


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## giusd (Apr 17, 2003)

D. Howard has many times said he does not want to play in a cold weather city? New York can get cold-ish but not nearly as cold as chicago!!


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## PD (Sep 10, 2004)

thebizkit69u said:


> I don't know man, the NBA makes no sense to me these past couple of years. I look back at the 90's where it almost seemed like everyone wanted to win so damn bad to now guy's just playing with their buddies and picking up fat checks. Sounds great if you are one of those players but fans are getting screwed.
> 
> I'm telling you, one of these day's even Rookies are going to start demanding to play in specific cities. Its a joke how these guy's are running things.


The definition of competition has changed since the 90s. Superstars back then wanted their own team. They wanted to be the best player on their teams. Now, guys don't want to do that anymore. Thats why I don't want Miami to win any championships. I want to see teams like Dallas, Chicago, and to an extent OKC win it all. James will never be one of the most respected players in history in my book. As cocky as Kobe is over the years, he wants to beat his competitors. Luckily, we have Rose, who wants this team to be his.


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## bullsger (Jan 14, 2003)

thebizkit69u said:


> I don't know man, the NBA makes no sense to me these past couple of years. I look back at the 90's where it almost seemed like everyone wanted to win so damn bad to now guy's just playing with their buddies and picking up fat checks. Sounds great if you are one of those players but fans are getting screwed.
> 
> I'm telling you, one of these day's even Rookies are going to start demanding to play in specific cities. Its a joke how these guy's are running things.


I really don't understand these trade demands from players. A trade demand like this from Howard is totally unfair to the Magic. 
Most contracts are just too long. Signing a 5-year contract to get the maximum and demanding a trade after 2 years? There should be some contract clauses like this:

Player A with 5 year-contract and 10 million $ a year. Gets a trade after demanding it.
New team paying 8 million to the Player A and 2 million to the old team.


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## roux (Jun 20, 2006)

if it makes you feel any better you could be the t-wolves or the bucks when it comes to free agency... but this is weird, outside of maybe the thunder no team in the league has a better youth foundation than the bulls right now yet nobody really wants to go there. Tmac didnt want to come here when you guys were willing to give him everything but the sears tower... it is truely bizzare considering the tradition and the market size


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## jnrjr79 (Apr 18, 2003)

thebizkit69u said:


> I don't know man, the NBA makes no sense to me these past couple of years. I look back at the 90's where it almost seemed like everyone wanted to win so damn bad to now guy's just playing with their buddies and picking up fat checks. Sounds great if you are one of those players but fans are getting screwed.
> 
> I'm telling you, one of these day's even Rookies are going to start demanding to play in specific cities. Its a joke how these guy's are running things.


All the "desirable" cities, at least off the top of my head, seem to offer at least one of the following:

1) Warm weather
2) Media/cultural hub
3) No state income taxes

NY has #2. LA has nos. 1 and 2. Dallas has #1 (And how are state income taxes in TX? I would imagine low, but don't know.). NJ has #2. Miami has nos. 1 and 3. 

Chicago is a big market and is great for endorsement purposes for that reason. However, while certainly a global city, it does lack some of the media opportunities that are centered in NY or L.A. Some of these guys I think view themselves as larger entertainment "brands," rather than simply basketball players who may also earn income from endorsements. Some of these guys may view themselves as stars on planes other than just the court. Further, we've seen some of them have girlfriends/wives who fancy themselves actresses or singers who may have more opportunities in NY or L.A. 

Dallas, Miami, etc. offer warm weather, which some players seem to covet. FL teams have the massive advantage when it comes to taxes as well.

Could these factors really be it?


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## thebizkit69u (Feb 12, 2003)

jnrjr79 said:


> All the "desirable" cities, at least off the top of my head, seem to offer at least one of the following:
> 
> 1) Warm weather
> 2) Media/cultural hub
> ...


What happened to the KG's of the world, HE WAS HAPPY in Minny until there was absolutely no chance to win a title, did he demand to go to NY or Florida.. NOPE he went to bean town to win a title.

Tim Duncan, one of the greatest players in the history of the NBA has spent his entire career in San Antonio and has shown no interest in leaving. 

JORDAN the greatest ever built an empire that NO OTHER PLAYER will ever match and he did it in CHICAGO. 

Kevin Durant a pros pro doesn't give a crap about the endorsements or the big city lights and hes in a tiny market. 

I have alway's gone by what Dwight say's, he wants to win a title yet his demands show the complete opposite. NO ONE IN THEIR RIGHT MIND would choose NJ over Chicago if that person truly wants to win a title. 

I miss the 90's, I miss the Reggie Millers and John Stockton's of the world, guys who made Indiana and Utah relevant..


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## Ragingbull33 (Apr 10, 2005)

thebizkit69u said:


> I don't know man, the NBA makes no sense to me these past couple of years. I look back at the 90's where it almost seemed like everyone wanted to win so damn bad to now guy's just playing with their buddies and picking up fat checks. Sounds great if you are one of those players but fans are getting screwed.
> 
> I'm telling you, one of these day's even Rookies are going to start demanding to play in specific cities. Its a joke how these guy's are running things.


If you think about society today (trophies for 10th place, lack of morals, dispose-ability, desire for everything to be easy) then it makes perfect sense.

Lebron's best move was to sign with the Bulls, Howard's best move was to get traded to the Bulls. They may be great athletes, but that's all.


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## Firefight (Jul 2, 2010)

First, NY weather sucks just as much as Chicago, so that's not valid...

BUT, why is everyone so bent up on this? Why can't it be simple. I look at this if I was in Dwight's position. (or any other FA) Personally, I hate L.A. There is nothing I like about that city. Been there twice and it has been twice too many. If I had the chance to "pick" my destination as a player, L.A. would not be on my list. Some others might love it, some hate it... to wach his own. Who cares if DH12 doesn't want to come to Chicago. Sucks as a Bulls fan... but to think of all these reasons between Media, and Weather, and this and that... keep it simple... Dude doesn't like Chicago.


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## SWIFTSLICK (Aug 22, 2009)

thebizkit69u said:


> Good article on NBA.com sharing some of our concerns about why nobody wants to come here.
> 
> 
> 
> Its still a mystery.


Is it a mystery? Or is Dwight Howard just the Alpha Dog, Lebron James couldn't be? If you look at the teams he wants to be traded to they either have vets that will wear down in a few years (Lakers, Dallas) or don't have a face of the franchise (ahem, Nets). Deron Williams is going to walk without D12 on the team (probably to LA). Dwight would take over that team as the franchise player they've sought forever(D-Will would be his "Lil' Buddy"). 

Derrick Rose is the un-questioned Alpha Male in Chicago. He owns the city. My guess is Dwight Howard doesn't want to play second banana. And if he does, he probably doesn't want to do it for long. Maybe just long enough to get his first ring.


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## SWIFTSLICK (Aug 22, 2009)

Firefight said:


> First, NY weather sucks just as much as Chicago, so that's not valid...
> 
> BUT, why is everyone so bent up on this? Why can't it be simple. I look at this if I was in Dwight's position. (or any other FA) Personally, I hate L.A. There is nothing I like about that city. Been there twice and it has been twice too many. If I had the chance to "pick" my destination as a player, L.A. would not be on my list. Some others might love it, some hate it... to wach his own. Who cares if DH12 doesn't want to come to Chicago. Sucks as a Bulls fan... but to think of all these reasons between Media, and Weather, and this and that... keep it simple... Dude doesn't like Chicago.


Couldn't it just be what every NBA Superstar has? Ego. Derrick Rose is Chicago. Dwight Howard would be attaching himself to D.Rose's star. Maybe he doesn't want to do that. Maybe he's more like a Young Shaq than we thought (only stronger and willing to play in shape).


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## mvP to the Wee (Jul 14, 2007)

I wonder if Adidas has anything to do with it. This may sound silly, but with Rose in Chicago, Adidas already controls the Chicago market. Adding Howard won't do much. Moving Howard to New York or LA will let them be introduced to a whole new market to sell Howard as well as their own product.


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## jnrjr79 (Apr 18, 2003)

thebizkit69u said:


> What happened to the KG's of the world, HE WAS HAPPY in Minny until there was absolutely no chance to win a title, did he demand to go to NY or Florida.. NOPE he went to bean town to win a title.
> 
> Tim Duncan, one of the greatest players in the history of the NBA has spent his entire career in San Antonio and has shown no interest in leaving.
> 
> ...


Agreed wholeheartedly. It says something (bad) about today's current NBA talent that, in some cases at least, star players don't seem to have that overriding competitive juice in them.


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## bullsger (Jan 14, 2003)

SWIFTSLICK said:


> Couldn't it just be what every NBA Superstar has? Ego. Derrick Rose is Chicago. Dwight Howard would be attaching himself to D.Rose's star. Maybe he doesn't want to do that. Maybe he's more like a Young Shaq than we thought (only stronger and willing to play in shape).


Maybe it is this. Maybe not. Who knows?


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## thebizkit69u (Feb 12, 2003)

jnrjr79 said:


> Agreed wholeheartedly. It says something (bad) about today's current NBA talent that, in some cases at least, star players don't seem to have that overriding competitive juice in them.


The Bulls might have to start changing the way they look at adding new players, maybe free agency is not the way to go but it looks like they are going to have to outsmart everyone else and be big players via trade. They are going to have to look for fringe good players who might turn out good ( Aaron Afflalo), or go for a talented young guy like Paul George who has upside in hopes that he turns into a superstar. 

As for the Adidas theory, I honestly would not be surprised at all if this was true. It's so damn sad and disappointing to see what happened to these NBA players.


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## taco_daddy (Jun 13, 2004)

People are crying that players are soft and want alliances and easy championships instead of banging it out as alpha dogs against all the other superstars in the league and it's :whofarted to me. If Lebron played the alpha male role we think he should, he still wouldn't have come to Chicago to join Rose, he would have stayed in Cleveland. If Howard was to be that alpha male, he wouldn't do it here, he'd stay in Orlando. What are you guys complaining about? Rose is being the alpha male. If Lebron, Wade, and/or Howard came here then Rose wouldn't be the alpha male and we'd have the sissy soft teams getting easy championships you guys are complaining about. Instead of burying our heads in the sand crying, let's jump on Rose's back and ride the wave to a championship. I'm detecting too much defeatest attitude all up and through this thread.


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