Bulls 2010-2011 Season Preview
By Benjy Lipsman in News on Oct 26, 2010 3:20PM
There have been a whole lot of changes for the Bulls since last season drew to a close. Following their second straight 41-41 season under Vinny del Negro, the placeholder coach was sent packing. That he'd performed even that well was rather remarkable, as team management tweaked the roster to maximize salary cap space over fielding a competitive team as the team geared up to court the long list of elite free agents coming on the market. But two years of trading players for expiring contract to amass a war chest of cap room wasn't enough to land one of the top free agents. LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh decided to team up in Miami and the Bulls were forced to turn to Plan B.
The biggest name free agent they signed was former Utah Jazz power forward Carlos Boozer. The Bulls also added Kyle Korver, Keith Bogans, Ronnie Brewer and Kurt Thomas. These moves addressed the long standing needs for scoring in the post and outside shooting. They will team up with star point guard Derrick Rose, Luol Deng and Joakim Noah to form a well rounded core.
The Bulls hired former Celtics assistant coach Tom Thibodeau to replace del Negro; we thought John Paxson should've hired Thibodeau two years ago. Known for his defensive prowess, he has surprised some with his offensive schemes during the preseason.
Departures:
Kirk Hinrich - PG
Brad Miller - C
Flip Murray - SG
Hakim Warrick - PF
Jannero Pargo - SG
Additions:
Carlos Boozer - PF
Kyle Korver - SG
Keith Bogans - SG
Ronnie Brewer - SG
Brian Scalabrine - PF
Kurt Thomas - C
C.J. Watson - PG
Omer Asik - C
Projected Starting Line Up
Derrick Rose - PG
Keith Bogans - SG
Luol Deng - SF
Carlos Boozer - PF
Joakim Noah - C
The final piece of the Bulls starting five was decided on Monday, with Keith Bogans beating out Kyle Korver for the starting shooting guard spot. However, the the Bulls won't get their full projected starting line up on the court together for at least a month, as Boozer is out with a broken hand. By the time he returns, the Bulls will have played their annual "circus trip," which often gives a good indication of the team's true potential. They might be having to dig themselves out of another hole by the time he makes his Bulls debut.
Will two years of delayed gratification pay off for the Bulls? It may be too early to tell, but the team gave up a lot of talent for little in return in hopes of landing one of the game's greats -- we thinking that dumping Hinrich to clear a last bit of cap space was a big mistake, and we fear they gave up on Tyrus Thomas too soon. When the "big three" landed with the Heat, Paxson and Gar Forman did a commendable job of building a solid roster and addressing the team's needs. The Bulls are a better team now than they've been in recent years. They can likely win 50 games. The problem is there are still a bunch of teams ahead of them in the Eastern Conference. Boston is aging, but coming off a Finals appearance. Orlando remains an elite team. And then, of course, there are the Miami Heat.
Even if the Bulls are the favorite to win the Central Division, they still aren't realistic title contenders just yet. Rose believes he's ready to join the ranks of the league's top talent, and he may be. Noah has emerged into one of the best young centers in the game. But the Bulls remain a piece or two away from greatness. Rumors persist that Carmelo Anthony remains in the Bulls' sights, but whether he's the final piece -- especially given the asking price in return -- is debatable. We'd like to see what this team's got before making further big moves.