Chicago Bulls' Storylines for the Approaching 2010-11 NBA Season
As the NBA season draws nearer, the excitement regarding the 2010 Chicago Bulls continues to build.
The hype began with the productive offseason the Bulls managed despite not landing LeBron James, Chris Bosh, or Dwyane Wade.
Derrick Rose won a gold medal at the FIBA World Championships today, and the Bulls also find themselves at the heart of the Carmelo Anthony trade talk.
Here are five reasons why Bulls fans cannot wait for the 2010-11 NBA season to get underway.
Free Agency 2010
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Yes, the Bulls did not land any of the three big names on the free agent market, but instead bolstered a roster that is budding with young talent.
By acquiring Carlos Boozer, Kyle Korver, Ronnie Brewer, C.J. Watson, Kurt Thomas, and Keith Bogans, the Chicago Bulls added balance and experience to a young team that is trying to work its way towards the top of the Eastern Conference.
Carlos Boozer and Kurt Thomas help solidify a post which features two of the better young big men in the league in Joakim Noah and Taj Gibson. Boozer brings his ability to score and rebound to a city that hasn’t seen a player of his caliber play the power-forward position since Elton Brand. Thomas brings veteran experience and a hard-nosed mentality, which he should be able to instill in Noah, Gibson, and Turkish center Omar Asik.
Kyle Korver, Ronnie Brewer, C.J. Watson, and Keith Bogans come to Chicago to add depth to a backcourt that traded away one of its leaders and better shooters, Kirk Hinrich, this offseason. The Bulls have also been hurting for shooters like Korver and Bogans since Ben Gordon left for the Detroit Pistons in 2009.
Third Season for Derrick Rose
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Derrick Rose and Team USA won the gold medal at the FIBA World Championships today in what figures to be another reason why Derrick Rose will take his game to the next level in 2010.
Already showing signs of becoming one of the best point guards in the NBA after just two seasons, Rose has now showcased his talents on the international level.
His maturity and progression as a player, combined with the new additions to the team, will enable him to show why he is one of the best point guards in the NBA.
He now has a power forward to run the pick and roll with, shooters to pass it to on the wings, and more big bodies down low to allow for him to penetrate in the paint more often.
The Miami Heat
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Although the main talk in the Eastern Conference has been about the Miami Heat and rightfully so, there is reason to believe that the Bulls will be legitimate contenders in the Eastern Conference as well.
The Miami Heat have taken all of the hype away from any Eastern Conference team. Experts are raving about how good the Heat are going to be. While that may be true, there are still other contenders in the Eastern Conference, and the Chicago Bulls are definitely one of them.
The Bulls, just like every other Eastern Conference team, will now be able to fly under the radar. They also will more than likely be one of the teams in the Eastern Conference that will present a challenge to the Heat.
New Head Coach
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Tom Thibodeau brings his long and prestigious resume to Chicago to help the Bulls return to their winning ways.
Although he has been an assistant his entire career, Thibodeau has been to the NBA Finals several times and turned multiple NBA teams into excellent defending squads while he was in charge of their defenses.
Thibodeau has a vast amount of experience and should be able to instill his wisdom on his new team. Somewhat of a fun fact that Thibodeau has going for him, especially given the way free agency unfolded, is that he knocked LeBron James out of the playoffs twice while he was with the Boston Celtics.
Although LeBron has new and better running mates, Thibodeau should not be doubted when it comes to chalking up a defensive scheme.
Carmelo Anthony Trade Rumors
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Although Bulls fans have been disappointed in the past with premier free agents choosing other cities over Chicago to continue their NBA careers, the latest trade rumors regarding Carmelo Anthony gives Bulls fans that false sense of hope to acquire a superstar again.
The questions that Bull fans will think of are endless: What if the Nuggets find the Bulls as the only viable trade partner? What if Carmelo demands a trade to the Bulls? What if the Bulls decide to part with key players to obtain Carmelo?
The list of hypothetical "'Melo to Chicago” questions goes on.
In all reality, though, Carmelo Anthony wearing a Bulls' uniform just does not seem likely, the idea of it will stay in the back of Bull fans' minds until Anthony’s future is decided. There are different scenarios that could result with Carmelo landing in the Windy City, but they just do not seem likely.
