How Rip Hamilton Will Help the Bulls Contend for a Title

Richard Hamilton has always been a solid player.  Averaging 20 points a game over the course of his nine year career, Rip has proven that he can be a consistent contributor on a championship-caliber team. 

Despite being the leader of a so-called mutiny against John Kuester, coach of the Detroit Pistons, Rip has been known as a good teammate and has never been an issue with management. 

To be fair to Rip, the Pistons were a disorganized group of bozos last season, featuring has-beens like Tracy McGrady and Ben Wallace, along with overpaid, under-performing players Ben Gordon and Charlie Villanueva.  He did not handle himself in the best manner, but there was not much he could do.

Keith Bogans drew the ire of bulls fans throughout the season, despite, honestly, not having that bad of a season.  He hit 38 percent of his three-point attempts last season, which is actually higher then his career rate of 35 percent.

The problem Bulls fans had was that he was wide open on nearly all of his attempts, and couldn't even hit half of his shots.  His defender could consistently leave him to cover a driving Derrick Rose without fear of Rose hitting the open Bogans for a three-point shot. 

That is where Rip Hamilton comes into play.  Rip might not be the best three-point shooter, but he can consistently hit the open 15-footer, or take the ball off the dribble and take it to the hole.  Even if Hamilton averages 14 points a game again, which is what he was at last season (a career low outside of his rookie season), that would still be 10 more then Bogans' four points a game. 

Those 10 points could be the difference between the Bulls beating the Miami Heat, or losing by five points or less every game, like in the Eastern Conference finals last season.  Rip's defense might not be at the level of Bogans', but he is a hard worker, and with Tom Thibodeau's defensive genius at work, he will be more than up to the task.

Rip has already said that he is willing to do whatever he is asked to do with the Bulls, whether that is coming off the bench behind Bulls' current two-guard Ronnie Brewer or starting next to the league's defending MVP. 

One issue that may come up is the issue of Rip's headband.  Chicago already has had to deal with one former Pistons' headband in Ben Wallace.  After signing the free agent a couple years ago, the Bulls had to figure out what to do about his headband, which went against team rules that state no player may wear a headband. 

Eventually, Wallace lost the fight and didn't wear the headband, but Rip states he needs it to go with his face mask, so he may be allowed to wear his. 

With this new signing, the Bulls should be able to rip through the league, and be prepared to take on Miami for a spot in the finals.