| 30 Teams, 30 Days: Chicago Draft Preview Authored by Christopher Reina - June 4, 2007 - 3:45 pm
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Draft Picks: 9th, 49th, 51st,
What they do well
The Bulls have excellent depth and balance and under Scott Skiles, they play as hard on a Sunday afternoon in December against the Hawks as they do on a Thursday night in May in Detroit.
Luol Deng and Ben Gordon are fringe All-Stars, while Kirk Hinrich is a solid third or fourth option. Ty Thomas can be expected to have a huge improvement over his rookie season next year and Ben Wallace shouldn’t experience much of a drop from his 2006-2007 productivity and could even settle in during his second season in Chicago.
Where do they need improvement?
The Bulls do not have a franchise player and since the Knicks didn't completely tank this season, they will draft 8th.
Would Eddy Curry and Tyson Chandler have developed as well they did in 2006-2007 if they had remained in Chicago? It is tough to tell, but they clearly are what the Bulls need, even if they aren't exactly what the franchise has in mind from a character perspective.
Because the Bulls were unable to pull off a blockbuster for a superstar (re: Kevin Garnett), Paxson's margin for error has decreased significantly. In order for them to be anything more than a perennial playoff team, their parts must maximize each other in the way that Joe Dumars' 2004 Pistons were able to accomplish.
Who they should target?
Joakim Noah, Florida:
Noah's upside to be a great player is less than other players that will still be available here, but the potential for him to immediately become a contributing factor for a team with designs of reaching the Finals is higher than any player in the draft not named Oden or Durant. He has a nice low post game, is physically ready right now and can change games in subtle ways that other rookies will be unable to.
Being drafted by Chicago will ensure an effective career for Noah, while a destination such as Charlotte would significantly decrease that likelihood.
Spencer Hawes, Washington:
If the Bulls were in a position to wait on talent to develop, then Hawes would definitely be the choice. They really can't afford to be patient, particularly at this position of need.
Picks since 2000
The Chicago front office has a very clear notion of what they want from a ballplayer, as every pick since the Curry-Chandler draft have been high character players that love to play both sides of the floor. Even a player like Gordon, who would set a gold standard in this category for other franchises, appears to fall short of what the Bulls desire.
2006
Tyrus Thomas, 4th
Thabo Sefolosha, 13th
2005
None
2004
Ben Gordon, 3rd
Luol Deng, 7th
Chris Duhon, 38th
2003
Kirk Hinrich, 7th
Mario Austin, 36th
Tommy Smith, 53rd
2002
Jay Williams, 2nd
Roger Mason, Jr., 31st
Lonny Baxter, 44th
2001
Tyson Chandler, 2nd
Eddy Curry, 4th
Trenton Hassell, 30th
Sean Lampley, 45th
2000
Jamal Crawford, 8th
Dailibor Begaric, 24th
A.J. Guyton, 32nd
Jake Voskuhl, 33rd
Khalid El-Amin, 34th |
