Ahhh.... so many votes for Chicago! Sorta reminds me about that qoute from the old days of the Washington Senators, "Washington... first in war, first in peace, and last in the American League".
Geez Joe, you invited me to drop in here just so I could see all the nasty things you're saying about my poor team. I'm hurt.
Actually, I believe the Bulls are finally on their way up from the gutter they've been living in for the last 6 years. Why? New management. Much of the problems of the last 6 years can be traced to Jerry Krause.
Some have said the Bulls are so bad because they refuse to let loose of the purse strings. I have a different take. Krause always felt that he never got the credit he deserved for the glory years. So since the end of the dynasty, Krause's objective was to find that hidden gem, that golden nugget that everyone else overlooked. He was looking for that "home run" sort of draft pick or trade that would prove to the world what an incredible basketball genius he is. Unfortunately, like the home run hitter in baseball who's always swinging for the fences, Krause basically piled up a bunch of strikeouts.
The trade of Brand was prompted more by Krause's search for the next great superstar (Tyson Chandler?) than the Bulls refusal to cough up the bucks to keep him. With that having failed, Krause then looked around for a player already in the league who could blossom into a star if given the opportunity to be "the man" (Jalen Rose?). The Bulls gave up the store to get Rose, a petulant star known for one on one play and poor shot selection.
In short, I believe Krause's ego was the source of MUCH of the problems of the last 6 years. Fortunately, Krause is gone. John Paxson inherited a dismal team though. Curry is skilled but lazy. Chandler has heart and athleticism but little skill. Jamal Crawford didn't give a damn about defense and preferred to stand on the perimeter and take jump shots instead of driving the paint. And Jalen Rose put on his usual petulant, self-serving performance as the "go-to" guy.
Paxson has remade the team in the last 18 months. Only Curry and Chandler are left from the team he inherited. They finally have some guards who'll penetrate in Duhon, Gordon, and to a lesser extent Hinrich. Skiles finally has these guys playing HARD and giving effort on the defensive end. Pax had a GREAT offseason this year acquiring Gordon, Deng, Duhon (2nd round), and Nocioni (undrafted). Duhon's shooting is woeful but the guy does everything else well. Gordon is quickly becoming a go-to guy. Deng has shown great potential at times but continues to be inconsistent.
Do the Bulls re-sign Chandler and Curry? I'm very pessimistic about Curry. I think this guy is gonna be the next Greg Ostertag. He waited until his contract year to FINALLY get into playing shape. Give him a fat contract and I'm convinced he'll go back to being overweight and out of shape, not to mention giving little effort on the court. In several ways, I'd prefer to see the Bulls hold on to the far less talented Chandler. At least he plays with desire. With better hands and a jump shot, Chandler could be dangerous, but I'm not holding my breath on either of those counts. What he is right now is an excellent rebounder and an increasingly good defensive player.
So yeah, the Bulls have easily been the most pathetic team in the league the past 6 years but I believe Paxson and Skiles are finally turning this team around. I do NOT believe they're the worst team in the league at this point. Hope springs eternal, right?
