30 Teams In 30 Days: Chicago Bulls

2007-2008 in Review 

Record: 33-49
Eastern Conference Seed: 11

Summer Of 2008

Key Additions: Vinny Del Negro (via coaching change), Derrick Rose (via draft).

Key Losses: Chris Duhon (via free agency).

Up In the Air: Ben Gordon.

Derek Fisher’s 0.4 shot was lucky, but not quite as lucky as the Chicago Bulls were on May 20, otherwise known as the 2008 NBA Draft Lottery.

The 42-year-old NBA franchise went into the nerve-wracking drawing with a measly 1.7 percent chance of coming away with the top draft pick. However, as history has shown, probabilities and percentages don’t always reveal the outcome.

Chicago proved that point, as they were fortunate enough to acquire the number-one overall selection, with just the ninth-best chances to do so.

With that top pick, they chose hometown point guard Derrick Rose, who helped lead the Memphis Tigers to April’s NCAA championship game as a freshman. If it weren’t for that pesky free-throw line, Rose may very well have come out victorious.

Regardless, his NBA prospects are jaw-dropping, to say the least. His combination of size, speed, quickness, athleticism, and upside was good enough to convince the majority of the basketball world that he was worthy of the top pick. Very seldom does a 19-year-old point guard claim stardom right off the bat, but the sky is the limit for Rose’s ceiling as a basketball player.

Along with the rookie sensation comes first-year head coach Vinny Del Negro, who played 12 NBA seasons with five different organizations. For a long while, former Bulls coach Doug Collins was the speculative answer to Chicago’s coaching search, but a last-minute change of mind led the club in the direction of Del Negro.

The uncertainties surrounding Del Negro’s coaching tactics will not be answered until the season gets underway, but hopefully the Ben Gordon saga will come to a halt in due time. The four-year veteran guard has yet to agree to a contract extension with Chicago, and even went as far as saying “I guess it’s safe to say that I’ve played my last game in a Bulls uniform.”  Stay tuned.

Depth Chart

C: Joakim Noah / Aaron Gray
PF: Drew Gooden / Tyrus Thomas / Cedric Simmons
SF: Luol Deng / Andres Nocioni
SG: Larry Hughes / Thabo Sefolosha
PG: Derrick Rose / Kirk Hinrich

Biggest Strength: Promise

After taking a long, hard look at this roster, I’ve come to the conclusion that the Bulls are absent of a visible number-one strength. Therefore, the only logical alternative is to point to their long-term potential.

From Derrick Rose to Luol Deng, Joakim Noah to Tyrus Thomas, Thabo Sefolosha to [possibly] Ben Gordon, this is a team that is highly capable of becoming an Eastern Conference powerhouse in the future. John Paxson and company have plenty of work to do as far as cleaning up the roster is concerned, but the prospective possibilities are endless.

Biggest Weakness: Offensive Balance

At times, watching the Chicago Bulls on the offensive end is like listening to screeching nails on a chalkboard. They are a team that lives and dies by the jump shot, and they usually die.

Even when the Bulls were an Eastern Conference semifinalist in 2006-07, they were primarily a jump shooting team—the only difference between then and now is that they played harassing defense two years ago. Now, they appear lost at times, and clearly have chemistry issues to work out—another large weakness.

Barring any kind of major trade, Chicago’s offensive troubles are destined to continue this coming season. The talent is there, but the balance is not. Thank God for Derrick Rose—now the Bulls have at least one player that can create off of dribble-penetration.

Outside of that, this is a team severely lacking an interior scoring threat, and their offense’s stagnancy can be utterly appalling. Rose may very well help repair this issue, but expecting a 19-year-old rookie point guard to completely correct it is more than out of the question—unless he grows eight inches overnight and develops a go-to post move similar to Shaquille O’Neal’s “black tornado.”

X-Factor: Tyrus Thomas

When discussing the NBA’s untapped potential, Tyrus Thomas is one of the first names to roll off your tongue. The former number-four overall pick has all of the athletic ability you can ask for in a 22-year-old prospect, but the question remains—will he put it all together?

He’s shown multiple flashes, mainly when he has received major minutes. When playing 30-plus minutes in 2007-08, he tallied averages of 16.9 points, 10.3 rebounds, and two blocks per game, giving Chicago fans something to cheer about and Bulls personnel something to look forward to.

However, there were other times where Thomas looked completely out of place on both ends of the floor, and has been unable to maintain proper mental focus. The immaturity has been apparent, as has the raw talent. It seems as though Thomas has one question to answer in 2009—“boom or bust?”

What to Expect In 2008-09

Chicago Bulls 2008-2009 predictions vary. Some are optimistically booking a playoff berth, some are expecting them to stay on course with last season’s showing, and others believe that they’ll struggle to a greater extent.

That’s where I’m at—“show me first” mode. We’ve discussed the imbalance and the youth, but let’s not forget that Derrick Rose is not the only rookie in Chicago this season. Vinny Del Negro is a rookie head coach, as well.

Color me mistaken if the Bulls put together an impressive resurgence—but until then, I think it’s best for Bulls fans to set low expectations for the upcoming season.

2008-09 Predictions

30-52
Fifth in Central Division
13th in Eastern Conference

Tomorrow: Cleveland Cavaliers