Evidently the regular season already started. So I guess its time I wrote a season preview for the team. So without further ado , I give you the "Controlled Chaos Bulls". Why Controlled Chaos? Well, let me explain. First, like Scott Skiles, Vinny "never coached" Of Black, will tinker with the Bulls lineup like a shady mechanic on your 1987 Honda. Secondly, Derrick Rose is going to push the tempo, create offense, and dish out assists in what will look like a chaotic offense, but is actually quite well controlled. Now that I've explained my theme, lets look at the Bulls in further detail.
1. We have zero idea what Vinny Of Black will be like a coach. He's never coached before. I don't even think he's coached his son's (if he has one) Bitty Basketball team. Either he's good or terrible. Time will tell. I sort of like the high risk that Paxson took on Del Negro, but this has the potential to back fire if things get off to a terrible start.
2. As I said before, with a crowded back-court and an unsure front line, Coach Of Black will rotate the starting lineup a few times this year. I'm not a big fan of this idea, because players need a set rotation. People need expectations in order to meet their expectations. As we experienced in the Skiles' era, its hard to be consistent when you play 30 minutes one night, and 5 minutes the next night.
3. We still don't know who these Bulls are. Are they a dominate defensive team? Or are they they a fast-breaking full court team? I have no idea. I don't think Vinny Of Black knows for sure either.
4. The Bulls have a very deep bench. In their first game, they had Hinrich, Nocioni, Ben Gordon, and Noah come off the bench (you could also add Larry Hughes to that once he's healthy). That's either a testament to how deep your team is, or how bad your first unit is. In the end, a deep bench might actually get the Bulls into the playoffs. The Bulls' bench is their biggest competitive advantage this year.
5. The Bulls will struggle early on because of the new coaches, new players and lack of identity. Hopefully, they'll be able to forge some kind of identity by the end of the year.
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Bulls Team:
Physical: B (I like the tandem of Gooden and Ty Thomas as our front court. But they lack the elite size to block teams from driving the lane. With Hinrich, Gordon and Rose playing significant minutes in the back court, we've also got a smallish back court. On the plus side, we're much more athletic with Rose and Thomas playing more minutes.
Mental: B- (I want to give this team a higher score, but last year's dismal performance by Hinrich, Gordon and Deng showed that they may not have the mental fortitude to lead the team during challenging times. On the other hand, Rose's addition alone should improve this grade.)
Potential: Above Average (Rose and Ty Thomas are full of potential. Deng looks more solid so far this year. Plus, the inclusion of Rose seems to have set a fire under Hinrich and Gordon. They can no longer believe that they are the best guards on the team. They've got to step up, or "Bermuda" aka Rose will take all the fame and minutes.
Overall Grade: B (I really think this team has a chance at the post-season. They will struggle early on because of all the changes. But, they have a good mix of youth and veteran players to make it as the 6-8 seeded playoff team.)
Record: 43-39
Fan Level : Hopeful (At the very least, the glass is more half-full simply because of Derrik "the Bermuda" Rose. It will be exciting to watch a very talented, athletic, and highly motivated player blossom).
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