"Don't be too timid and squeamish about your actions. All life is an experiment. The more experiments you make the better."
--Ralph Waldo Emerson--
"Far better is it to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs, even though checkered by failure ... than to rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy nor suffer much, because they live in a gray twilight that knows not victory nor defeat."
--Theodore Roosevelt--
Okay. I am going to go in a different direction than what I usually write about on my blog. I am going to write about sports. Sorry. I can't help it. I am a second generation Bulls fan and like most Bulls fans I am completely on board with the dream of landing either Dwyane Wade or LeBron James (although I would prefer Wade). Conventional wisdoms says that the key to getting either one is by landing Chris Bosh. I think the opposite may be true if the only way to get Bosh is through a sign and trade deal.
If the number one factor for Wade or James is the desire to win then the allure of the Bulls is Derrick Rose and Joakim Noah. The Bulls were a good defensive team last year in large part due to Noah's physical play and shot blocking ability. That is why the Bulls are better off signing Carlos Boozer than they would be if they worked out a deal to get Chris Bosh, because getting Bosh means saying good bye to Noah and possible Taj Gibson. I know. I know. Most of you out there are probably thinking that I am either ignorant, stupid, or both. While that may very well be true, there is a method to my apparent madness.
Seven beats five. Five beats three. You need a complete team to win. Noah is not a star but he fits the needs of the Bulls. Most teams that win championships have three characteristics. They usually have a superstar/star combo, they have a good supporting cast, and they play good team defense. The Bulls have the star, the beginnings of a good supporting cast, and they have a good defense. Noah is a big part of that defense. Now they just need the superstar. They do not need to subtract in order to add. Bosh is a good defensive player but he is not interested in playing physical. Although basketball is not hockey, every team that fancies themselves as a championship contender will have to be prepared to play physical during the playoffs. I am not sure Bosh is equipped for that job. Noah is ready, willing and able.
Ultimately, it would be a big gamble to go after Boozer instead of pursuing a trade to get Bosh, but it could be worth it. It is not about whether Bosh is a better power forward than Boozer because in almost every category such as health, age, length, scoring, rebounding, blocked shots, etc. Bosh is better than Boozer (although I could argue that Boozer is a more physical player with more recent playoff experience). The real question is whether Bosh and two minimum salary players at the center and backup power forward positions are better than Boozer, Noah, and maybe Gibson. I would say no ( like Niemi). The Bulls may be able to get Boozer at a good enough price to go after a good shooting guard that can come off of the bench.
There is an old saying that "if you want the fruit off of a tree, you must go out on a limb." Maybe it is time that the Bulls really do something daring and who knows what kind of fruit it might bring. I am particularly fond of the NBA Championship flavor myself.
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