The Chicago Bulls came out of the season much faster than anyone expected. A series of unfortunate injuries and questionable decisions, along with questionable refereeing, led to a 4-2 series loss to the Philadelphia 76ers. But after all the excuses are played that in the end it was not enough to proceed. Such ineffective performances included C.J. Watson, Ronnie Brewer who barely played, and Kyle Korver and Carlos Boozer who forgot to show up for the games.
But now that this season is over, it’s never too early to start looking to next year. It’s possible that a lot of the bench players will be leaving next year, John Lucas III has his contract expiring, as well as Mike James’ and Omer Asik’s. Player options also include C.J. Watson, Ronnie Brewer and Kyle Korver. Actually, the biggest player on the team has his contract at the end as well in Brian Scalabrine. Taj Gibson has been playing very well, and with his contract running out next year, he needs to add cap space to sign him.
Speaking of Gibson, the man seems ready to take over the starting job in Chicago, as he is a cheaper option than Carlos Boozer. The amnesty rule has come up in a lot of conversations lately about Boozer, maybe it’s time to use it? Let’s take a look at what could happen next year on the Taurus roster.
C.J. Watson: Watson was a warrior at the right time, filling an excellent job due to the oft-injured Derrick Rose. He averaged 9.7 points per game and 4.1 assists per game. He shot below 40 percent from the field, but we were excused when he shot 39 percent from 3-point range. But Watson was terrible at drinking. He shot 24 percent from the field and 25 percent from deep while occasionally losing on the floor. That story deserves 3.4 million dollars a year. Verdict: Cut
Ronnie Brewer: Brewer’s production has actually dropped significantly as his minutes have gone up since last year. He averaged 6.9 points a game on 43 percent shooting and 1.1 steals a game. He was still a good energy guy, and his 3-point shooting improved, but like Watson, he was terrible in the postseason. He shot 25 percent from the field and averaged 1.6 points per game. I think he should come back. Verdict: Cut
Kyle Korver: Korver was his usual 3 point threat this season, averaging 8.1 points while shooting 44% from 3. He also improved his defense and was less of a weakness. In the postseason, however, Korver only shot 30%. This is enough 5 million a year. Unfortunately, we all have three point threats on the team, and Korver. Judgment: Resign
John Luke III: Sometimes Luke runs the clock and fires a bad shot, or makes a pass. But sometimes it’s great, it’s said that it’s a trigger. Lucas averaged 8.6 points per game in the playoffs on 45% shooting, and 39% from high. He’s not much of a great passer, but if he can keep his salary low, he’ll be good insurance as a 3-point guard. Judgment: Resign
Mike James: Not really around much, so not much to talk about. Verdict: Cut
Brian Scalabrine: This is very painful for me to write. Scalabrinus is a fan favorite, as it should be. But the players are not made. If we can just turn him into an assistant coach, it would be awesome to watch him around. However, it is not worth an average of 1.1 million dollars. Verdict: Cut
Carlos Boozer: Carlos Boozer really had a decent season, averaging 15 points, 8.5 rebounds and even a steal per playing game at any fixed time. It’s great until you realize that Boozer is a 17-and-10 career guy, and he was introduced in Chicago to consistently produce double-doubles. Then, to no one’s surprise, Boozer’s production dipped in the postseason. He shot just 42 percent from the field while scoring 13.5 points a game. Boozer is not worth 13 and a half million dollars. Sentencing: Amnestied
Omer Asik: Asik averaged 3.1 points and 5.3 rebounds a game this year as he continues to lead the bullpen. Not only did he do well, he put a stop to the game in his few minutes, proving to be a defensive force. At a later time Omer appeared and played his heart out to the last end. He played even more defense, averaging 1.7 blocks per game in just 21 minutes. He will be a restricted free agent, so Chicago can make some offers to match, and I just hope that happens. Opinion: Resigned
Now that we’ve taken care of our guys, here’s what the roster looks like today:
Point Guard: Derrick Rose, John Lucas III
Shooting guard: Rip Hamilton, Kyle Korver
Small Forward: Lou Deng, Jimmy Butler
Power Forward: Taj Gibson
Center: Joakim Noah, Omer Asik
So who will join the Bulls next year? Let’s see who I think should be added!
Guards: Kirk Hinrich, free agency formerly of the Atlanta Hawks. Captain Kirk will make him return to the bullpen to start in Rose’s place as Derrick recovers from ACL surgery. A major point guard with a 3 point shot who knows how to run the offense well. He can also score, which is something the Bulls will need in Rose’s absence.
Shooting guard: Doron Lamb, NBA Draft previously Kentucky. Doron is going to come out of college and contribute right away because he can score well, and now he’s used to winning. It’s also incredibly efficient, so it will do well in Chicago.
Power Forward: Brian Cook, Free Agency before the Washington Wizards. Cook will be a cheap option as Taj Gibson’s primary backup. He averaged 5.5 points per game in his career, so he’s more of an offensive threat, which is nice because Taj is more of a defensive player.
Center: Nazr Mohammed, Free Agency before the Oklahoma City Thunder. This is a glimmer of hope, as OKC can keep Nazr, but he is a good veteran and has a defensive presence. He may not have Thomas Kurt as player this year.
So next year’s number may look something like this:
Point Guard: Derrick Rose, Kirk Hinrich, John Lucas III
Shooting guard: Rip Hamilton, Doron Lamb, Kyle Korver
Small Forward: Lou Deng, Jimmy Butler
Power Forward: Taj Gibson, Brian Cook
Center: Joakim Noah, Omer Asik, Nazr Mohammed.
Thoughts? Comments? Questions? Keep me informed!
Source: espn.go.com
