Chicago Bulls Draft Review: Frontline Addressed Early And Often

Heading into the draft process, Wake Forest forward James Johnson thought the Chicago Bulls to be a team he could potentially win a title with.

"If I’m available at 16 and they want me, I would love to play here. You see the six trophies and everyone’s name on the banners, like Jordan, Pippen, Paxson and Armstrong, and hopefully some day we could hang a few with James Johnson and Derrick Rose on them."

With the Cleveland Cavs and Orlando Magic adding Shaquille O'Neal and Vince Carter respectively, the road to the Finals in the Eastern Conference will not be easy, but the Bulls put together a great run toward the end of last season, and fans have reason to believe this team can at least compete in the East.

With the 16th overall pick in the 2009 NBA Draft the Bulls selected Wake Forest power forward James Johnson.

Looking at his statistics, Johnson does not really "wow" in any particular area.  He is a very effective shooter, basically from anywhere on the floor.  His 6'9" 245 pound frame allow him to be effective against skinnier forwards in the paint, and his great athleticism makes him a mismatch against smaller forwards.

As a sophomore at Wake Forest, Johnson averaged 15 points and 8.5 rebounds per game, shooting 54.2 percent from the floor. 

Here is how NBA.com scouts the new Bulls' forward:

"Strong, fluid and athletic wing with a versatile skill-set. Handles the ball well and can shoot from distance. Sees the floor and will make the extra pass. Rebounds at a solid clip."

One thing the Bulls' young big men have failed to do the past couple of years is pass well out of the post, and if Johnson can provide that, the Chicago offense will be even more effective.

As a rookie with the Bulls, I think Johnson will average around 12 points and eight rebounds per game.  He is not going to get a ton of minutes as it stands with players like Tyrus Thomas and Luol Deng still on the roster, but as a first round pick he should get his fair share.

Speaking of Thomas, if he had any doubts about his future with the Bulls with the selection of Johnson, those doubts grew a little bit with their next selection.

With the 26th pick in the draft, many expected the Bulls to go with a foreign player to stash away overseas for a year or two and save some cap space, but the Bulls went in a completely different direction by selecting USC power forward Taj Gibson.

Gibson left USC after his junior season, and in his time with the Trojans he really stood out as a defender despite shooting 62.9 percent from the floor.

In three seasons, Gibson became USC's all time leader with 253 blocked shots, which also ranks third all time in the Pacific 10 conference.

Here is how NBA.com scouts the former USC star:  "Long and athletic big man who can block a lot of shots in the lane. Efficient scorer on the offensive end with a developing inside-out game."

The Bulls did not address the possible departure of Ben Gordon, so apparently they have someone in mind via free agency or trade, or they are comfortable with Kirk Hinrich and John Salmons splitting time at the two guard, and Luol Deng as the three.

Regardless, it would appear that Tyrus Thomas has become expendable, and there are also rumors swirling that team captain Kirk Hinrich, thea team's best defender, is also on the trading block.

I would contend that Hinrich is going nowhere, especially after the Bulls passed on a guard in the draft.  Thomas could very well be gone though with the selections of Johnson and Gibson.

Here is a projected look at the 2009 Bulls' depth chart, assuming Ben Gordon leaves via free agency.

Starters                         Backup                         Role Players

PG-Derrick Rose         Kirk Hinrich                   DeMarcus Nelson

SG-John Salmons       Kirk Hinrich                   Anthony Roberson

SF-Luol Deng            James Johnson (R)         Tim Thomas

PF-Tyrus Thomas      James Johnson (R)         Taj Gibson (R)

C-Joakim Noah         Brad Miller                    Aaron Gray

There is no doubt the Bulls will be looking to make more moves this offseason, but for now this rough outline of a depth chart looks very solid, definitely playoff caliber.