Here's more ammunition for Bulls fans upset that the team only has 13 players on the roster: Forbes Magazine released its annual NBA team valuations today and the Bulls rank third behind the Los Angeles Lakers and New York Knicks.
At a time when Forbes said team values declined for the first time since it began tracking finances 11 years ago, the Bulls' value increased 2 percent to $511 million. The Lakers were valued at $607 million and the Knicks placed at $586 million.
Forbes said the average team value dropped 4 percent to $367 million.
Bulls fans have been critical of Chairman Jerry Reinsdorf for
claiming he won't pay the league's punitive luxury tax for a non-title
team and also for carrying just 13 players this season.
Bulls officials say the latter is as much a basketball as business decision. The Bulls, who are roughly $1 million under the luxury-tax threshold, are keeping financial and roster flexibility available in case a trade presents itself in which the Bulls would be able to take back more players and salary than they send out.
Alternatively, the Bulls expect to have ample salary-cap space next summer to pursue what most league observers call the best free-agent class in history.
Bulls officials say the latter is as much a basketball as business decision. The Bulls, who are roughly $1 million under the luxury-tax threshold, are keeping financial and roster flexibility available in case a trade presents itself in which the Bulls would be able to take back more players and salary than they send out.
Alternatively, the Bulls expect to have ample salary-cap space next summer to pursue what most league observers call the best free-agent class in history.
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It's the old Cub scenario.
If you blindly support a team . . . despite their record. . . you will get nothing more than a serviceable team. . . just good enough to keep the fans packing the place, but no way built for any type of championship.
I remember walking up, before the Jordan era, and buying seats in the mezzanine for 9 dollars.
KC, this has to be addressed more. The Bulls have had one good team in the last decade, they currently seem to be going backwards, and yet they've been top three in Operating Income each of the past six seasons.
The fans keep filling the stadium year after disappointing year, and they deserve better. I get the feeling Reinsdorf doesn't really care about winning. If he did, he'd spend some of that $50 million of operating income pouring in every year on player extensions and a proven coach.
Does this mean Ron Mercer and Eddie Robinson are coming back?