Chicago sports radio is predictably on fire right now with the news that hometown hero Dwyane Wade is going to stay with the Heat, and that he’s taking Chris Bosh with him. Couple that with the fact that it looks like the Bulls are a long shot to land the services of LeBron James, and Bulls fans are understandably panicked.
They can still improve their pitch to LeBron, but they need to move quickly. Here’s how they do it.
1. Sign Carlos Boozer (or David Lee). Boozer would be a very nice fit alongside Joakim Noah because he can score in the post and Noah can cover for Boozer’s lack of defensive. This is move #1 because the Bulls need to make this signing anyway to improve the roster. If Boozer wants the max, Lee would be a good backup plan. He’s not a good post scorer, but he can hit open jumpers and that would be appealing to both Derrick Rose and LeBron, if he were to come to Chicago. Lee is also younger and more durable.
2. Quickly work out an extension with Noah. The Bulls are known around a league as a franchise that has never paid the luxury tax, so if they were able lock up Noah long term, LeBron’s camp would take it as a sign that ownership will be willing to spend to win.
3. Ask LeBron for another meeting. Explain how the Boozer/Lee signing and the Noah extension makes Chicago the most attractive place to play. Ask LeBron if he really wants to face a loaded Miami team, the Magic, or the Celtics with the current roster in Cleveland. Underline how he’ll be the leader in Chicago, while the perception will be that he followed Wade and Bosh to Miami.
If LeBron decides to stay in Cleveland or bolt to Miami or some other team…
4. Go out and get drunk, or do whatever someone does when they lose the love of their life. Get over it.
5. Wake up, drink a big glass of water and pop a couple of ibuprofen. Use the remaining cap space to sign a good shooting guard, like Ray Allen or Mike Miller, either guy would be a good fit in a lineup with Rose, Deng, Boozer and Noah. That lineup needs shooting and Allen/Miller can provide it. Kyle Korver or J.J. Redick are also options, though they will have trouble defending starter-caliber shooting guards.
The point is, all is not lost. The Bulls still might have a chance to sign LeBron, but they need to bring in a PF like Boozer or Lee and extend Noah so that he knows that the Bulls clearly have the best supporting cast this side of South Florida.
If they miss out on LeBron, they can still together a very nice lineup building around Rose, Boozer and Noah.
Step off the edge, Bulls fans. There are still a few balls in the air.
