Perhaps we should be looking at other positions for defense. If we can't get a good a enough defensive center we still need defense at the back-up 4 and other positions. One of my problems with getting a max contract PG over a non-existent good defensive center (unless we get Dalembert) is because Chris Paul is a move that wouldn't surprise me if it only made us significantly better. Significantly better doesn't equate to a championship. We could make the Finals, we can wins games in the Finals, that doesn't mean we'll win it all. We have to build a team that's ready for any team in our way. The Grizzlies are a match-up problem for any team. Yes, we beat them in the regular season, but they're getting better, and just imagine when Rudy Gay comes back (and they did do good when he played with that team, so it wasn't a case of they were better without him).
The Mavs didn't win a championship for many years, they also didn't have the center. Also, who beat the Mavs in 2008? That's right, the same team that had Chandler, the Hornets. CP3, Chandler, West, and Peja, and being a defensive team, took the Spurs to game 7 in the next round. That's with one superstar. The problem they had the next year was they played a team with depth on both side of the floor and the Hornets had nobody aside from Paul to handle the ball enough. The Nuggets lost the next round, and to who? The Lakers, another deep team that cause match-up problems on both sides of the floor on the perimeter and frontcourt. Kobe is great, he also had significant help on both sides of floor.
Which duo is better, CP3 and David West or Melo and Stoudemire? It's debatable because of positions. We do have two superstars regardless. The two superstars we do have aren't that good/consistent on defense. What they bring is offense. Offense that makes the opposing teams plan for two superstars.
nuckles has pointed out the annual increases in salaries of Melo and STAT, and that's why he thinks we should go after Chris Paul because we're not (unless we get Dalembert) getting a good defensive center. Well, no matter what, having a lot of cap room won't disappear. Losing a lot in cap space? Yeah. Not being able to spend a lot? I highly doubt that, especially since we wouldn't be waiting that long to round our roster. Billups I'm guessing won't cost that much either. Billups, another guy the defense will have to work hard against.
The Bulls don't need another superstar. They just need a shooting guard defenders have to plan for and who can handle the ball, somebody who doesn't pass off quickly such as Korver. If the Bulls got Joe Johnson and he played average with them too, it still would have helped because they can't leave him open and he can handle the ball good enough. Simple as that. We have several guys who can do that, and have the money for more guys who can handle the ball and be good enough in other areas offensively, and get good defenders.
Here's what we should do in my opinion:
1. Go after a good defensive center and who's not a liability on offense like Jeffries. Our amount of options aren't great, it doesn't mean we don't go for it first. We have to. If we get Dalembert our worry for match-ups would be greatly reduced because when we face a team such as the Lakers, we're gonna need somebody to protect the paint. Defending Bynum and Pau isn't easy. In case you didn't know, they play on the floor at the same time. Dalembert would also help out on offense and open up things a little more.
Now for the plans in case we don't get a good enough defensive center. We might be able to get at least one of these players that I mention specifically if we get Dalembert. Have to mention it in case anybody would misunderstand me if I didn't mention it because of our cap with Billups' current contract.
2. Go after the best defenders available. We have only two positions set, our starting SF and our starting PF. Don't panic if we spend more than the minimum on defenders, we have two superstar scorers. Defense creates offense, and offense creates defense. Chuck Hayes, Reggie Evans, and Shane Battier would be our starters and bench. Hayes and Battier bring a little something on offense, Hayes' free throw shooting even shot up! Oh, and we we have Turiaf. What about the scoring on our bench? Well, here's number 3 on that:
3. For one Melo or Stoudemire will be on the floor at all times. A little worried there's not enough offense on the bench? Well since Hayes, Evans, Battier or whoever the best defenders we get are, it'll leave us some room for money to spend on offense. Imagine us getting significant players on defense, and still being able to get a player or two who will will make defenders be cautious and even worried that even though they realize they have two superstars (and even Billups) to deal with, they'll have to deal with MORE solid/good scorers who can HANDLE THE BALL WELL. I'd spend several million on Beno Udrih if he became available and we got a few good enough defenders if we have the cap space.
In short, getting the best defenders available along with getting players who can get defenders to be hesitant to double team our superstars (Billups helps us out with that now, let's add on to it), we could become a GREAT team.