What is the best Bulls lineup you can assemble with one caveat, no teammates?

[ThreeMileAllan]

I saw this topic on reddit and thought I would bring it to the realgm audience, who tends to skew older, more worldly, and attractive.

My lineup would be

Derrick Rose
Michael Jordan
Jerry Sloan
Elton Brand
Tyson Chandler


Obviously, MJ would get slotted in the SG position, but that immediately removes one of the Bulls greatest centers of all time, Artis Gilmore.

Kind of tough to decide how to fill out the center slot. Also tough to decide between Love and Sloan but I figured I would go with defensive reputation.

Not a lot of shooting in my lineup but I figure maybe I can swap out Lavine for someone and just have some people play out of position.

I love Nate Robinson and I was trying to justify a reason for having him in a lineup but so tough to kick Rose out (unless I loopholed it since they didnt play any games together but even then tough to justify, lmao).



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[ChettheJet]

that's a great question and difficult

Michael
Derrick Rose
Brad Miller
Chet Walker
Reggie Theus

Miller played two stints with the Bulls and really should have been retained
Walker or Bob Love was the choice Chet was more clutch
The choice was David Greenwood or Reggie Theus who with any help could have been huge, had he stuck around for Michael it would have been a show

[CBS7]

that's a great question and difficult

Michael
Derrick Rose
Brad Miller
Chet Walker
Reggie Theus

Miller played two stints with the Bulls and really should have been retained
Walker or Bob Love was the choice Chet was more clutch
The choice was David Greenwood or Reggie Theus who with any help could have been huge, had he stuck around for Michael it would have been a show

Brad Miller played with Rose

[nitetrain8603]

Derrick Rose
Zach LaVine
Michael Jordan
Elton Brand
Tyson Chandler

[NBAnimal]

Rose
MJ
Artest
Lauri
Gilmore

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[CBS7]

Rose
MJ
Artest
Lauri
Gilmore

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Artis played with MJ in 87-88. Actually wasn't aware of that before seeing OP's post.

[dougthonus]

One thing I'd add is that Bob Love seems to be a forgotten guy on these lists potentially. I'd also say Ben Wallace's one year Bulls peak was still better than Tyson Chandler's best season as a Bull and should probably play center.

The other thing is that none of these teams have any three point shooting and wouldn't fit well in the modern NBA. That said, if they grew up in the modern NBA era, they'd have probably worked on that skill more.

Rose/Jordan are absolutes. I think Ben Wallace is my center as noted above.

Then it's a combination of LaVine, Sloan, Love, Walker, Brand, or Artest filling out your final spots. Love and Brand are probably the two best guys left, but it creates too big of a lineup since both are really PFs. That leaves me with either LaVine / Love or Brand / Walker. I'd probably take Brand / Walker of those guys if I assume everyone develops skills needed for this era rather than the era they played in or LaVine / Love if I assume everyone is who they are since LaVine is the only guy on the team that can shoot a 3.

[musiqsoulchild]

If you dropped Rose, this becomes a very interesting exercise ...because the team fits a lot better with Deng at SF. And with MJ, you dont need a PG like Rose. A PG like Norm would make for a much better team fit.

Norm Van Lier
MJ
Luol Deng
Lauri Markannen
Tyson Chandler

I only had Markannen instead of Brand because we need 3 point shooting.

If you wanted to include Artis and there's a STRONG case for that, then you go with this lineup:

Rondo
MJ
Deng
Lauri
Artis

[MrSparkle]

I do see the issues with Rose playing second fiddle to Jordan, but I can't leave him off. Artest and Big Ben united is a laugh. Lauri is soft and unproven for that roster, however his confidence as a floor spacer ought to rise with those teammates - they'd need the 3P shooting (otherwise I'd go with Love).

Rose
Jordan
Artest
Lauri
Ben Wallace

[chicago paxsons]

Tough because the best bulls typical fall in 3 eras, 70s, 90s and 2010-15. I know elton brand isn’t a center but in today’s game he would be fine. We lack 3 point shooting but this team can space the floor and solid defense throughout. Bob boozer is a lesser known guy whose was an all star on the bulls in the late sixties so the front court is pretty solid.

pg - derrick rose
sg - michael jordan
sf - bob love
pf - bob boozer
c - elton brand

[Michael Jackson]

I do see the issues with Rose playing second fiddle to Jordan, but I can't leave him off. Artest and Big Ben united is a laugh. Lauri is soft and unproven for that roster, however his confidence as a floor spacer ought to rise with those teammates - they'd need the 3P shooting (otherwise I'd go with Love).

Rose
Jordan
Artest
Lauri
Ben Wallace

I actually will argue that Rose flourishes on defense with that squad. He could harass the passing lanes as it was but with that squad he would look awesome defensively.


BTW OP really fun topic!

[League Circles]

Lauri would be a good fit at PF for spacing

[HomoSapien]

Everyone is picking Rose and Jordan. To make this more difficult, I'll pick Butler instead and won't pick any players that I never saw play (eliminating Love, Sloan, Van Lier, etc.).


C. B. Wallace
PF. Brand
SF. Butler
SG. Jordan
PG. LaVine

[dougthonus]

If you dropped Rose, this becomes a very interesting exercise ...because the team fits a lot better with Deng at SF. And with MJ, you dont need a PG like Rose. A PG like Norm would make for a much better team fit.

Norm Van Lier
MJ
Luol Deng
Lauri Markannen
Tyson Chandler

I only had Markannen instead of Brand because we need 3 point shooting.

1: You can't have Deng and Chandler.
2: If you get rid of Rose, the obvious move is to add Butler or Noah and not Deng if you're taking a peak player.
3: Lauri is way worse than Brand or Love (though you couldn't have Love and Norm).

[dougthonus]

Everyone is picking Rose and Jordan. To make this more difficult, I'll pick Butler instead and won't pick any players that I never saw play (eliminating Love, Sloan, Van Lier, etc.).


C. B. Wallace
PF. Brand
SF. Butler
SG. Jordan
PG. LaVine

I think the case for Butler is reasonable. I also think the case for Noah is reasonable if we're taking peak player. Especially with Jordan eating up so much offense. I think this team is right up there with anything anyone else came up with.

I will also add for a "only guys I've seen play" list, this probably is as good a team as I could put together too. Only question would be whether you'd put in Rose or Butler on that squad.

[musiqsoulchild]

If you dropped Rose, this becomes a very interesting exercise ...because the team fits a lot better with Deng at SF. And with MJ, you dont need a PG like Rose. A PG like Norm would make for a much better team fit.

Norm Van Lier
MJ
Luol Deng
Lauri Markannen
Tyson Chandler

I only had Markannen instead of Brand because we need 3 point shooting.

1: You can't have Deng and Chandler.
2: If you get rid of Rose, the obvious move is to add Butler or Noah and not Deng if you're taking a peak player.
3: Lauri is way worse than Brand or Love (though you couldn't have Love and Norm).

Total brain fart on Deng and Chandler.

Picked Deng over Jimmy to maximize MJ's usage and fit. If its only talent maximization, then I would have gone with Rose to begin with.

Lauri is the only 3 point shooter of any note on the team.

Honestly MJ makes so many things easy.

[HomoSapien]

Just for fun, a completely different lineup of guys who were never teammates:

C.Gasol
PF.Brand
SF. J.Rose
SG.Jordan
PG.Gordon

[dougthonus]

Picked Deng over Jimmy to maximize MJ's usage and fit. If its only talent maximization, then I would have gone with Rose to begin with.

How does Deng fit better with MJ? Jimmy is better on both ends at more or less everything you can think of. Deng puts way more pressure on MJ with his inability to shoot a 3 or create his own shot, similar to what he did to Rose.

Lauri is the only 3 point shooter of any note on the team.

He's not really good 3 point shooter though. IMO, you're much stronger swapping Norm for Love and LaVine for Lauri.

[dougthonus]

Just for fun, a completely different lineup of guys who were never teammates:

C.Gasol
PF.Brand
SF. J.Rose
SG.Jordan
PG.Gordon

Would swap Jalen Rose for Zach LaVine in that lineup, but it is interesting, not any defense outside of Jordan, but LaVine and Gordon would give you some scary shooting options with Jordan creating space for them.

[musiqsoulchild]

Picked Deng over Jimmy to maximize MJ's usage and fit. If its only talent maximization, then I would have gone with Rose to begin with.

How does Deng fit better with MJ? Jimmy is better on both ends at more or less everything you can think of. Deng puts way more pressure on MJ with his inability to shoot a 3 or create his own shot, similar to what he did to Rose.

Lauri is the only 3 point shooter of any note on the team.

He's not really good 3 point shooter though. IMO, you're much stronger swapping Norm for Love and LaVine for Lauri.

So,

Lavine
MJ
Jimmy
Brand
Artis

I mean sure.

Every team with MJ looks absolutely destructive.