In What Direction Are the Bulls Headed?

[jax98]

They need to trade for a superstar. They missed out on Garnett, Kobe, Gasol and who knows who else. They are going nowhere with their current roster, and if they stay the course they'll be in rebuilding Plan G.

I don't know if you can say we're going nowhere considering we're the youngest team and our starting PF/C combo are aged 21 and 23 respectively. A lot of our future succes depends on Joakim Noah & Tyrus Thomas. Since they have played very well in extended minutes, I think it's worth a try to see what they can do full-time along with established players such as Kirk Hinrich, Ben Gordon & Luol Deng.

Don't forget 23-year old Thabo Sefolosha has been coming into his own over the past 20 games. He's finally showed why we picked him.

Despite our record, we have still seen some nice upside for a lot of our young players. Even Aaron Gray has proven to be a keeper.

A look at the players we will trying to keep:

- Kirk Hinrich (27)
- Ben Gordon (24)
- Luol Deng (22)
- Tyrus Thomas (21)
- Joakim Noah (23)
- Aaron Gray (23)
- Thabo Sefolosha (23)

That's an average age of 23.2. I'd say that deserves a chance. Especially since Ben Wallace was a huge reason for our struggles.

An overall picture of our situation would obviously also include a rookie from the upcoming draft.

[boogydown]

They need to trade for a superstar. They missed out on Garnett, Kobe, Gasol and who knows who else. They are going nowhere with their current roster, and if they stay the course they'll be in rebuilding Plan G.

Gasol is not a superstar.

[coldfish]

The team isn't as bad as its record appears.

It can' be overstated how badly Wallace hurt the Bulls and many fans have been saying it for quite some time. The coaching also sucks.

IMO, Chicago needs to get a real coach and then use the players properly. That should pump up the trade values some. Chicago now has some big contracts to move as filler, so look for them to be active in the trade market.

Last note, some people have reported that the Bulls are now the youngest team in the NBA. People act like they have a bunch of 30 year olds. That's not the case. No one on the team is 30 or older right now.

[TheKingOfVa360]

They need a superstar player, as was echoed above me.

The team, at one point in time, was a team FULL of role players, basically.

They don't have that 1 player that can consistently take a game/series over, night in and night out.

But, right now, they are a mess, or so it seems....

I agree, a team full of mid level players. No one on that team has star written over them. The GM and fans overrate their players. They need to try to sign and trade Deng or Gordon and rebuild through the draft.

[Flash3]

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I agree, a team full of mid level players. No one on that team has star written over them. The GM and fans overrate their players. They need to try to sign and trade Deng or Gordon and rebuild through the draft.

Deng & Gordon are their building blocks, they need to build around them, not trade them.

[Scalabrine]

they're like a hamster running on that wheel. if they give ben 10+ million i'm gonna laff

Anyways, I made a thread on this in the beggining of the season, Paxson has done a bad job with the team considering the assets he was given, I also said Skiles was doing a bad job getting to the players and then said at least one of them needs to go. Paxson fired Skiles and now they still arent very good. Paxson was handed a team with great young talent high draft picks and a good future and he has pretty much taken two steps forward and three steps back. I think his days are numbered, because now Ben and Deng dont want to be their and he already traded Tyson Chandler for Ben Wallace who in turn became Larry Hughes. He should have antied up to get one of the Lakers last off season (Pau or Kobe)

[CBS7]

The problem is that they didn't get Kobe when they had the chance b/c the GM loves Deng too much...a borderline all star at best.

False.

[CBS7]

We've been playing much better since the Wallace trade. I know we are just 1-2, but against 3 WC playoff teams, and we had a shot to win late in both the losses.

This team is playing better. Hinrich is looking more like a real PG (14 and 10 assists in the two full games he played, he was ejected early last night vs Dallas), Gordon is having a great stretch of games, besides the stinker he laid in Houston, Deng is still working his way back from injury, Tyrus keeps getting better and better, soon a lot of people are going to be saying "I can't believe we kept calling him the next Swift", Noah has had his ups and downs, Sefolosha looks like he can become a quality player in this league, and so on. This team, and by that I mean with more or less the same players, can become contenders soon if everything goes right.

[RoyceDa59]

The Bulls had their chance at becoming a great team for many years to come when they drafted Lamarcus Aldridge. Had they resigned Chandler instead of going after Big Ben, and not traded Aldridge for Thomas, there line up would be as follows,

PG Hinrich / Duhon
SG Gordon / Sefolosha
SF Deng / Nocioni
PF Aldridge / Smith
Cc Chandler / Noah

They'd be one of the best young teams in the NBA.

[TheCardinal20]

The team has a very bright future, outside of this year's debacle, they should be a playoff team for the next decade. Not sure if they have what it takes to win the title down the road, but they have young pieces every team in the league would love to have.

Noah has basketball instincts/height that you can't teach, 10 and 10 per in his prime is almost a given....I love the way he passes/dribbles/hustles/etc...it's no surprise his college team won two titles.

Thomas is simply a freak... that rebound and coast to coast lay-up was a joy to watch...His numbers are impossible to project, but they should be eye-popping if he continues to work hard. In terms of athletic ability, not many are on his level. His dribbling is excellent for a big, and his passing is coming along. It's all about confidence with this guy from I've seen, and most 20 year olds don't acquire this over-night. I'm almost certain Ty Thomas will be a better player than Lamarcus within 3 years.

Deng is limited athletically, but he is a winner, let him get healthy, and he'll be fine. Never going to be a super-star, most will probably think of him in the way that we think of Shane Battier.

Gordon, when on, is about as dangerous a shooter as you will find in the league. Would be much better if he were option #2...

Hinrich plays defense with the best of them, and I think he will excel in a running system.

Thabo is a joy to watch, he plays hard, can guard three position, hell maybe five, ask Dampier Think Doug Christie...

Gooden/Hughes/Gray/Duhon/Nocioni all have positives that out-weigh their negatives.

I'm optimistic that this team will be a force in the East for quite some time without a trade, probably never topping LeBron and Dwight without some serious luck, but a force...

This is the youngest team in the league, patience is needed, unless some idiot GM wants to dump a star in their lap...

[Dancing Raddish]

Where are they going you ask? No where soon.

[CBS7]

The Bulls had their chance at becoming a great team for many years to come when they drafted Lamarcus Aldridge. Had they resigned Chandler instead of going after Big Ben, and not traded Aldridge for Thomas, there line up would be as follows,

PG Hinrich / Duhon
SG Gordon / Sefolosha
SF Deng / Nocioni
PF Aldridge / Smith
Cc Chandler / Noah

They'd be one of the best young teams in the NBA.

It has been said 900 times.

Chandler had a terrible year the year before and probably wouldn't be as good as he is now if he stayed in Chicago. He wouldn't have Chris Paul and he did clash with Skiles.

I wouldn't be surprised if Thomas turns out better then Aldridge. Every facet of his game is improving. His passing, rebounding, defense, ballhandling, his overall offense, his FT shooting, and his IQ. His fouls/TOs are down a whole lot from his rookie year. He hit five consecutive jumpers the other day vs Denver and had some nice post moves vs Houston.

He's a stat stuffer and has the potential to average 9-11 rpg, 3-4 apg, 2.5-3 bpg, and 1.5-2 spg. How good he will be offensively though, I don't know.

IMO, how good the Bulls will be in the future depends on the development of Tyrus and Noah. If Hinrich, Gordon, and Deng can return to 06-07 form and build on that, while Sefolosha keeps doing what he's been doing the past month or so, while TT/Noah reach their potential, the Bulls could make some noise.

[TheKingOfVa360]

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Deng & Gordon are their building blocks, they need to build around them, not trade them.

They aren't building block quality players, they are mid range players who will probably never make an all-star game. That's the main problem right there.

[CBS7]

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They aren't building block quality players, they are mid range players who will probably never make an all-star game. That's the main problem right there.

That isn't fair. I guarantee at least one of them will make at least one in their careers.

They were both pretty close last year, and at ages 22 and 24, I think its safe to say the door hasn't closed on them.

[Flash3]

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They aren't building block quality players, they are mid range players who will probably never make an all-star game. That's the main problem right there.

It took Caron Butler quite some time before he was named to his 1st ASG.

Deng, if moreso than Gordon, IS a building block.

[andrewww]

wow ppl here are seriously overrating the bulls' future a lot. i dont care if your team is 'young' so to speak. you can have a team full of young players but if no one on the team has a realistic shot at being a true building block for a legit contender, then it doesnt matter how much youth you may have. imo deng and gordon will never be building blocks..you can have them as 3rd or 4th options on a legit contender, but if those are your two best players then you have problems.

even when they had a good record last yr, i never bought into their team philosophy because theyre fundamentally flawed (no inside scoring and full of role players). theyre finally being exposed this yr, and if they happen to land a TRUE building block in this yrs draft, then they have a chance at improving. but for some posters to say that the bulls are likely to be guaranteed playoff spots and/or really bright future..id have to disagree.

[Yankee]

The Bulls looks like they wants to run like GS but the tallent level and esperience are not comparable. Theie defense are both evenly sh itty

[CBS7]

The Bulls are 10th in FG% defense. The Warriors are way down at 24th.

[Linguistik]

Tyrus Thomas will be the best Bulls player next year....

IF he gets playing time that is.

[Jemini80]

If Noah or TT can develop an above average post game, then they just need to surround them with a slasher at SF (a player like Deng, but that will cost less than Deng does) and 3 point shooters at the guard position. Gordon is a good shooter, but streaky shooters are unreliable, they should try to move him for a more efficient shooter.