8 Explosive Guards To Pair in the Backcourt with Chicago Bulls' Derrick Rose

The Chicago Bulls need to find a player to pair alongside Derrick Rose in the backcourt for the future if the club is hopes to ascertain its championship aspirations.

There was a clear void at the team's shooting guard spot last season, and Chicago fell short in the postseason as a result.

With little doubt that the club will look to address the issue once transactions can resume after the lockout, here are eight guys that would give the team an argument for most explosive guard pairing in the league.

8. Shannon Brown

Brown opted out of the second season of his contract with the Lakers, and is set to test the market as a free agent.

Although he's been seated behind Kobe Bryant in Los Angeles, Brown's athleticism and potential have been on full display for a while.

He's just 25 years old, and adding him to the perimeter attack could bode well for the future of the team given his emphasis at the offensive end.

7. J.R. Smith

Smith has been in and out of the doghouse in Denver for quite some time, and his exodus from the team seems like a foregone conclusion at this point.

Despite the off-court baggage that comes attached to Smith, his game serves to complement the Bulls with exactly what they need: a shooter on the perimeter capable of providing instant offense.

Rose and Smith would give Chicago one of the most insanely athletic guard pairings in recent memory, and it would be extraordinarily fun to watch on a nightly basis.

6. Jamal Crawford

Crawford's name often gets lost in the mix of viable targets at the 2-guard position for the upcoming offseason, but he certainly shouldn't be overlooked by Chicago.

He's played for four teams in his career, and it might make sense for the Bulls to bring Crawford back to Chicago where it all started in an effort to get them over the hump.

He's going to need to improve on his shot selection to appease Tom Thibodeau, but there's no doubt that he's got the skills that the team could sorely use moving forward.

5. Courtney Lee

When the Rockets acquired Lee from New Jersey, the idea was that the shooting guard may have finally found a home after landing on his third team in as many seasons.

However, when starter Kevin Martin tied a career high by playing in 80 games last season, it really put the damper on Lee's outlook as he was relegated to the minutes of a role player off the bench.

Lee is a player that has really received a bad rap since missing an easy layup in the 2008 finals during his rookie season with the Magic, but perhaps Chicago's winning atmosphere is the welcomed change that he needs to finally blossom into his fullest potential.

4. O.J. Mayo

Mayo was nearly dealt to the Pacers at the trade deadline during the 2010-11 season, so it's clear that he's very available for the right price.

The notion of Mayo heading to Chicago is not a new one, as many had suggested that would be an appropriate landing spot for him since his demotion from the starting lineup.

There is very real potential in Mayo's game to score 20-plus points on a nightly basis, and it will be interesting to see if landing a new spot expedites his evolution should he find himself with a new club.

3. Arron Afflalo

Afflalo's name continues to fly under the radar, but that's largely a result of the expectation that he'll be back in Denver more so than a knock on his abilities.

The UCLA product broke out in a big way for the Nuggets last season, and he really established himself as a solid starting shooting guard on any competitive squad.

With the ability to contribute at both ends of the floor, Afflalo will likely sign a contract that will prove to be a major value in the long run, as he only stands to improve with experience.

2. Nick Young

There seems to be a mutual interest between Young and the Wizards regarding his return to the team, but with Jordan Crawford waiting in the wings, that's not a slam dunk to happen.

Young quickly established himself as a very legitimate scoring option last year by averaging 17.4 points per game, and his athleticism was on full display with a series of highlight-reel dunks throughout the campaign.

If Young and the Wizards are unable to work out a new pact, it wouldn't surprise me to see the Bulls take a long and hard look at the product of USC.

1. Jason Richardson

Richardson has said that he's willing to take less money to join a title competitor, and the Chicago Bulls fall directly into that category.

Granted, he's not what he once was athletically now that he's 30 years old, but Richardson is still very productive at this stage in his career, and his veteran presence would mesh perfectly on a team that's looking to get to the championship round sooner rather than later.

He can score from both the perimeter and from around the rim, and his ability to do either would give Derrick Rose yet another weapon that he didn't have last season in his record-setting MVP campaign.