Running with the Bulls

Derrick Rose has a sore back, which is what happens when you have to carry the entire team on your back EVERY DAMN NIGHT.

Mr. Pringles, meet Mr. D'Antoni.

Beyond watching the progression of Derrick Rose, several other story lines for the Bulls should emerge this season: 

How about an All Star player this year?

It's been NINE years since a Chicago Bull played in an NBA All-Star game.  That player was Michael Jordan.  That stat alone should tell you how the team's been doing for the last decade.

Will Paxson finally make the "package of youth" for a proven All-Star trade?

The Bulls need to clear up the logjam in the backcourt and find a legitimate All-Star.  If one doesn't emerge from within the roster, then it's time to go find one.  The annual assemblage of youth through the draft cannot continue. 

Will a consistent starting lineup emerge? 

Due to Larry Hughes' injury and the lack of a true center, the lineups may be juggled nightly depending upon the matchups.  Aaron Gray fills up the middle, but he fits VDN's offensive philosophy as well as Shaq works in Phoenix.  Tyrus Thomas could average a double-double if he starts at power forward.  But this would require moving Drew Gooden to the center position, where his size and propensity for 18-foot jumpers is less than ideal.

Can Vinnie Del Negro coach? 

He's surrounded by experienced assistants, but is he going to be the one...more

For a coach who tosses compliments around like manhole covers, it was pleasant to hear Scott Skiles give his thoughts on Derrick Rose.

"The guy's a star.  He's beyond quick and fast, and he's so powerful. He can go to the rim and finish. He has unique shots in the paint that he makes — floaters, runners. And that doesn't even mention that he sees the floor and passes the ball. He's going to be very hard to handle."

Sadly, Skiles never had the opportunity to use the word "star" to categorize any of the Bulls players he coached during his 4 years in Chicago.

The consensus opinion is that the Bulls will use the preseason to determine their back court rotation.  Unless coach Vinnie Del Negro employs a 4-guard offense, there won't be enough minutes for the abundance of guards currently on the roster (Rose, Hinrich, Gordon, Sefolosha, and Hughes).  Someone is going to lose major minutes and someone else is headed for the trading block.

But screw the preseason.  After two games, we've seen enough.  This is at best a .500 ball club, so it's time to employ the playground pickup strategy:

VDN:  "Derrick, you're starting at point guard.  Who do you want to play with?"

Rose:  "Thabo."

VDN:  "Great.  Thabo, you're starting at 2.  Gordon, you're sixth man.  Hinrich and Hughes, have you ever noticed how nice these cushioned folding chairs are?"

Problem solved.  Up next:  Finding a pair of scissors for Nocioni.

It’s been a while, amigos.  We’re talking correspondence levels of Jim Anchower proportions.   Did I miss anything?  Besides an epic collapse in Cubbie land and the inevitable playoff ouster of the Sox, is it really that tough being a Chicago sports fan? 

Well, put down the torches and pitchforks fellow natives because another glorious season of Bulls basketball is upon us!  Compared to the 162 baseball games played this year by  the Cubs and Sox, respectively,  it will only take the Bulls 82 games before ripping your heart out and handing it to you.

When we last left our lovable Bulls, they were staring at the 153^rd rebuilding strategy since the departure of his Airness.  This summer, we welcomed new head coach Vinnie Del Negro and number one draft pick (no pressure) Derrick Rose to the fold.   

Annually, the Bulls roster provides a vast assortment of young, talented players, a logjam in the backcourt, and the lack of a true All-Star.  This year is no exception.

The Bulls are already two games into the pre-season and winless.  Not that wins and losses matter at this point, but the Vinnie Del Negro era could...more

For those of us who can't get enough NBA basketball, the Orlando Summer league kicks off today. Few, if any, of these games will be televised, but an online video stream available from the Orlando Magic website.

Today, we get an early glimpse of Derrick Rose and Michael Beasley as the Bulls play the Miami Heat this evening. Tyrus Thomas and Joakim Noah also join the Bulls squad, so there should be a steady stream of dunks from these two, assisted by Mr. Rose.

Boy, wouldn't it be great if the Bulls had someone on their roster capable of being named to the Olympic squad? Or even someone worth traveling with Team USA as the number 1 alternate? Yeah, that would be nice.

To summarize, Tyson Chandler now lives happily in New Orleans dunking alley-oop passes from MVP candidate Chris Paul. And the man Chandler was traded for, PJ "The Tin Man" Brown just got himself an NBA Championship ring with the Boston Celtics...

At the 2008 NBA Draft, the Bulls did what any team with the 1st pick should do - select the best player, regardless of need. That player would be Memphis point guard Derrick Rose, a local product of Chicago.

Any possibility the Bulls might have opted for Kansas St. scoring machine Michael Beasley ended when his pre-draft height measurements came in at 6'7 feet (Marcus Pfizer, anyone?).

Still, Beasley supporters may point out that Derrick Rose will be too distracted in his hometown to focus his professional basketball career. Yes, the onus will be on the Bulls team management to guide Rose through his rookie year. However, there is a potentially great story line that could play out here: Local kid gets drafted by his hometown team and leads the city to a championship.

Michael Jordan was from North Carolina and quickly became Chicago's adopted son. But this city will always revere players with Chicago roots. Just ask Kevin Garnett or Dwayne Wade. And the feeling is mutual. Garnett was giving shout-outs to Chicago immediately after winning the NBA championship as a Boston Celtic.

Do I think Derrick Rose can lead the Bulls to an NBA...more

Behold the wisdom of Doug Collins as he rationalizes why the Bulls head coach position no longer appeals to him:

"The feeling now is more, 'Should I do this?' Once I got to that point, it meant no. I always make decisions yes is yes, no is no and maybe is no."

No worries, Paxson has moved on and today signed another scrappy former NBA guard to coach the Bulls. Welcome to the franchise Vinnie Del Negro!

Vinnie will actually get to coach this team for a full season, which is contrary to rumors that Paxson would hire Chuck Person, Dwane Casey, AND Del Negro to all serve as head coach. Under this scenario, each coach would run the team for 27.333 games, thereby giving Paxson time to evaluate each candidate during the regular season.

While Doug Collins has the inside track to someday, somewhere, be named the Bulls next head coach, that hasn't stopped the Bulls from continuing to interview other candidates.

Chuck Person, the man who once punted a basketball into the rafters during a Pacers - Bulls game, just completed his second interview with Bulls GM John Paxson. As a player, Person was an avid shooter and borderline black hole (throw the ball to him, and it's not coming back). When a reporter asked him once about his teammates getting the ball to him, he declared, "I'm open as soon as a I step off the team bus." Thanks, Chuck. How would you like to coach an NBA franchise?

When the Bulls cast a coaching net so wide that it includes disparate personalities from Doug Collins to Chuck Person to (insert random assistant coach's name here), the perception is that the franchise is a rudderless ship. Not a good sign.

Paxson, I hear John Wooden is available.

All signs point to Doug Collins being named head coach of the Chicago Bulls in the near future. After John Paxson interviewed just about every assistant coach, cheerleader, and ball boy in the NBA, he appears to have finally settled on a familar friend.

A fiery and emotional coach, Collins was fired from his first stint as the Bulls head coach over "philosophical differences." He just couldn't get a team with Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, and Horace Grant deep into the playoffs. Phil Jackson, then an assistant, took over and the rest was history.

Collins has been known to turn a team around quickly, but the stress of game losses and underperforming players always takes a heavy toll upon him. Hopefully, Paxson brings in some quality assistant coaches such as Jeff Hornacek or Brian Shaw to aid Collins in turning around this franchise.

I don't expect Collins to last more than three years here, and his potential successor should be on staff in the event that he resigns or is fired (again).

Number 1: Hire a real head coach

Eric Snow, Elston Turner, Tyrone Corbin, Jeff Bzdelik, Kurt Rambis, Brian Shaw... are we expected to take these coaching candidates seriously?

Number 2: Draft Derrick Rose

Joakim Noah doesn't need anyone else to smoke weed with. He needs a pure point guard who can run an offense, defend, and get his head above the rim. Michael Beasley scored a ton in college, but he's a tweener with a potential attitude problems (the last thing the Bulls need).

So to help Paxson remember this lengthy list of tasks, I'm recommending he use a To-Do Tattoo. He simply draws on himself with a sharpie.

If Mike D'Antoni resigns from his position as head coach of the Phoenix Suns, he immediately becomes the Bulls best choice to fill their own head coaching vacancy. The Bulls would be foolish not to snatch him off the market asap.

In Phoenix, D'Antoni coaches an open, high-scoring brand of offense that would fill the Bulls requisite for new philosphical approach to basketball from its coaching staff. D'Antoni is an underrated X's and O's coach who would easily hold his own in the Eastern Conference.

Defense isn't a top priority if Phoenix, but the Bulls didn't take it too seriously this year either. A new offense would invigorate and re-engage the Bulls players.

With the youngest roster in the league, full of fresh legs, why not get out and run? Kirk Hinrich can run up and down like he did at Kansas. Ben Gordon won't have to work as hard for shots as he did in the half-court offense. Larry Hughes becomes more of a slasher (his best skill) instead of a jump shooter. Big men Tyrus Thomas and Joakim Noah can run out and attack the rim.

If anything, D'Antoni's system...more