Derrick Rose Will Be One of Few Bulls Still Around When Team Wins Next Title

We want it, and we want it now. That phrase could be said about the NBA season on a whole. It is also a true sentiment of many Bulls fans, drunk on the success of the 2010-2011 team. So close to the NBA Finals, most don't want to wait to fill the needs to take the next step.

Here is a thought many Bulls fans may roll their eyes and heads to the Bulls aren't likely to win the 2012 NBA championship.

Here is another, even bigger revelation: Derrick Rose, and one of the young big men (Joakim Noah or Omer Asik), are likely to be the only key contributors from last season who will still be a part of the organization, if and when it finally wins another title.

What about Luol Deng, Taj Gibson, Ronnie Brewer, hell, even Carlos Boozer?

Let us start with Deng: Gluol has been a very good player for the Chicago Bulls, especially the past two seasons. That said, it is clear, he has reached his ceiling. That isn't a terrible thing, as he is a top five or seven small forward in the NBA.

Deng is a nice role player, but he is paid like a player who should be much closer to Rose in the offensive pecking order. I think everyone knows he's the clear second choice, but everyone also knows, that is a very distant second.

Still, Deng has built a great reputation across the league. So, while I doubt he will ever be capable of truly stepping up in support of Rose in big games against elite talent, he has value. To take the next step, the Bulls need to move Deng in a package or alone for a significant piece. It must be a player who leaves no doubt about offensive support for Rose.

Taj Gibson is the most overrated Bull amongst many of the fan base in the last 10 to 15 years. He is a nice bench player that provides energy and good defense.

Those are nice qualities, but very replaceable, and certainly not enough to threaten to bench Boozer. Especially when you consider the Bulls Achilles' heel is offense, not defense.

Boozer is the only capable low-post threat on the team. Energy only gets you so much; you gotta have some talent to command a double. Gibson does not and never will. The Bulls would be wise to move him while his value is so high.

I'm skipping straight to Ronnie Brewer because none of the other shooting guards are even worth addressing in this regard. Brewer is a great defender with a great attitude and he could possibly remain in a reserved role.

Anyone who thinks he's a starting two guard for this Bulls team is delusional. Keeping Brewer or letting him go in free agency is a wise move to free up cap space.

Boozer is certainly the second best scorer on the team, but he doesn't fit in well with the team's identity. Boozer's lack of defensive intensity will always make him a bit of an outsider and a target for criticism.

Boozer is playing the way he always has: it was good enough to get the big contract, but now, the microscope is on him big time. This ain't Utah and that is a max contract, one he didn't deserve anyway.

He was a reflex signing, one the team made after they struck out on Miami's Big Three. The combination of his age, lack of athleticism and propensity for injury makes it a bad signing. 

He is the best low-post threat the team has, and while he's there, he should be fed the ball, but he puts a ceiling on the team. Boozer is a classic case of how production can be deceiving (see Elton Brand).

Finally, the young big men. Only one will be able to remain if the Bulls want to add to the trophy room. The prospects and trade value they could acquire is too great to resist parting with one of them.

If the Bulls were to trade Noah or Asik and procure a lottery pick in the 2012 Draft out of the deal, it could be huge.

In Noah's case, they would be cutting salary and he has enough value that a team projected for the lottery may go for the deal. Many believe Asik is a strong enough prospect to start anyway.

Though I'm not sold he'll ever be a double figures scorer, he could start on a team with a significant amount offensive talent.

Think about the projected class of wing players in the 2012 Draft. Jeremy Lamb of UConn, Austin Rivers of Duke, Brad Beal of Florida and Harrison Barnes of North Carolina. Barnes is listed as a SF, but he is versatile enough to play the SG.

Miami is going to get better, so coming close last year isn't necessarily an indication of how close the two will be this year. The Bulls should pursue Dwight Howard, but they can't count on landing him as they did with LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh.

The Bulls have the two most important pieces, a superstar and a head coach, but the supporting cast is still being tweaked.