If you can keep 5 current Bulls who would they be?

[JackFinn]

The answer to this question depends on who we're getting/drafting with the trading/dumping of the other 10 players.

[DanTown8587]

if you made me pick 5
Deng, Noah, Hinrich, Thabo, Thomas

But anyone out is fine, no "cant trade guys"

[Shill]

Deng
Thomas
Noah
Sefolosha
Gray

[antemiogordon]

so far I'd go with

1. LD
2. Gordon
3. Chapu
4. Gray
5. Noah

[Rerisen]

Gordon
Deng
Noc
Tyrus
Noah

Actually, we should try starting that lineup.

[suckfish]

If you can keep 6 current Bulls who would they be?

In no particular order: Deng, Gordon, Tyrus, Noah, Thabo, Gray.

I value young promising C's pretty high these days.

[Bull Shak]

Gordon, Deng, Noah, Thabo, Gray.

[BillyDW]

Deng, Tyrus, Noah, Thabo, & between BG or Aaron Gray for the last spot.

I can't believe what I'm reading.

[Wiener Neustadt]

Deng, Gordon, Noah, Tyrus & Thabo.

i go along with you.
i wouldnt mind taking gray at number 6.

[Moon]

Deng, Noah,Nocioni,Gray,Gordon would be the 5 i'd like to keep, although if the price was right I'd trade Gordon, Gray & Nocioni.

Noah and Deng would have to net a superstar for me to trade them. They have too much potential to let go for anything less.

[DuckIII]

I'm with most everyone else. In order:

Deng
Noah
Gordon
Thomas
Thabo

I'm not in a huge hurry to trade Hinrich, but he misses the cut. Same with Gray. You'd think Hinrich, Chapu, Smith, Duhon, draft picks and scraps would yield something good in trade.

[Bulls_MIT]

Noc
Gordon
Noah
Thabo
Smith

[NLK]

Noc, Tyrus, Noah, Thabo, and Gordon. All else is very very tradeble.

[musiqsoulchild]

Deng
Noah
Tyrus
Thabo
And Wallace's monster conract.

I am a big believer in that FA class.

I think BG/Kirk/Nocioni can all be traded for draft picks / expiring contracts as well.

[SuburbanOasis]

I feel like 5 players makes this too easy.

But...

Gordon/Deng/Noce/Noah/Gray

As much as I like Hinrich, upgrading on him would be fairly simple with either a play making PG or a scoring SG. His replacement could be so many different types of player that it shouldn't be difficult to find in the draft or FA.

Gordon is at the very least a top 3 sixth man in the league, and at most a several time all-star down the line.

Noce is gritty and what this team is about. I think he sets a lot of the tone for our toughness (when we have it). Not to mention he can play multiple positions for stretches and can hit the 3.

Deng is a top 2 player on this team with Gordon. He has an all around game, and with a play making PG or any player who could create their own shot his own game will elevate significantly.

Noah/Gray both have a ton of upside. Gray may never be a starting caliber big man, but he can still come in and give you 10-20 minutes a game depending on the team you are playing and score a little in the post. If he ever gets his footwork nailed down he could pick up a few fouls on opposing defenses and score 13+ points in limited minutes. Noah works hard as crazy as he is. He does all the little things you need on a good team, and may have some ability to score a ways down the line if he works at it.

Thabo/Tyrus both have upside but both have shown me things that scare me about keeping them. Tyrus fades in and out of games too easily and doesn't appear to be disciplined enough to get bigger and improve his game. Thabo doesn't seem strong mentally. I understand Skiles is a tough coach, but folding in games under any kind of pressure scares me from a personnel stand point. I want my players to be able to deal with anything.

[Wingy]

Luol, Noah, Tyrus, Thabo and in a personal split decision/by the ever so tiniest of margins...Kirk.

I think it's easier to pickup a backcourt scorer than it is to find a player willing to guard the hell out of either backcourt position. Plus, if it's "building and keeping only 5 current Bulls", I think BG would fetch back a better asset than Kirk with scoring being sexier than defense. I mean, I bet Isiah would give us a 1st round pick and the Garden for BG.

[Cliff Levingston]

1. Deng - Pretty obviously, is our best all-around player and still very young.

2. Gordon - People aren't too high on him but his scoring ability is unquestionable and Cliff Levingston thinks a different offensive scheme could help him succeed a little more.

3. Tyrus - Still raw; needs to be coached up and be given plenty of playing time, but his athleticism and talent are undeniable, ICLO. Give him a couple years to find his NBA game and he has a shot at being a dynamic NBA player.

4. Noah - Our work horse in the middle who plays with all the energy you could possibly ask for at all times. Give him some time to add a little more bulk and refine his game to the NBA and he'll be every bit as valuable/good as Marcus Camby, ICLO.

5. Thabo - He's far from perfect but his recent play had renewed the belief that he can play the SG position and become an elite defender due to his length and good quickness. His offense needs some work but Cliff Levingston would be willing to give him time (needs to attack the basket more).

As said, Cliff Levingston would start the 5 above guys if he had the choice.

Hinrich misses the cut because Cliff Levingston thinks he's best suited for the 2 (playing off the ball) but he definitely doesn't have good size for the position and can't get into the lane and finish.

Nocioni quite easily misses the cut. People overrate him because he hustles, overlooking the fact that he constantly breaks out of the offense, chucks long jumpers when he should be (and can) attack the rim, and is terrible at helping off his man and recovering defensively. Furthermore, he doesn't have a true effective position (too slow for the 3, too small for the 4).

Cliff Levingston can't believe Aaron Gray would be on some people's lists. He's got some good low post skills but is slow as molasses, horrible on defense and once guys figure him out, he won't be all that effective offensively. He's a backup center at best which is pretty good considering his draft position.

Obviously Ben Wallace would only be on the list for his expiring contract in 2010. Smith is a nice player but older and really not as good as he's been for us lately (he's coming back down to earth). Duhon sucks. The rest of the guys are pretty inconsequential.

[JeremyB0001]

I'm not in a huge hurry to trade Hinrich, but he misses the cut. Same with Gray. You'd think Hinrich, Chapu, Smith, Duhon, draft picks and scraps would yield something good in trade.

Wow. That's truly interesting spin on this thread. It seems like most would also be alright with dealing such a package and you have to figure that even if those players have seen their value drop considerably, it could bring us back a solid one or two with size.

[Red Larrivee]

1. Ben Gordon
2. Luol Deng
3. Andres Nocioni
4. Joe Smith
5. Joakim Noah

The rest can kick rocks.

And I only keep Joe Smith because he's a vet who has his head on right, and could be a good roleplayer for a win-now situation, and he'll come cheap when his 2 years is up.

[DuckIII]

1. Ben Gordon
2. Luol Deng
3. Andres Nocioni
4. Joe Smith
5. Joakim Noah

The rest can kick rocks.

And I only keep Joe Smith because he's a vet who has his head on right, and could be a good roleplayer for a win-now situation, and he'll come cheap when his 2 years is up.

Wow. If you were essentially starting the team over with 5 players, you'd include a soon-to-be 33 year old role player with 1 year left on his contract over a rapidly blossoming second-year wing defender and a second-year, raw, freak athlete power forward - both of which are on rookie scale contracts with team options for 3 more seasons?

You are certainly going "outside the box" with that one.