Maybe John Paxson knows what he's doing after all.
After being blessed with an impossible first pick in the 2008 NBA draft, Paxson listened to the fans and gave them what they wanted: Derrick Rose. The 6'3, 19 year old guard from Memphis was a godsend to windy city fans wounded from the disaster that was last season, and apprehensive over the idea of new coach, Vinny Del Negro. Rose, a hometown kid ready to fill the long half-empty position of point guard, tantalized Bulls fans with visions of the next Chris Paul or Deron Williams.
The decision to choose Rose over the no. 2 prospect, Kansas' Michael Beasly. (who now belongs to the Miami Heat) was both conservative and pragamatic. Paxson looked past what many experts declared instant success in Beasley in order to develop the talent in a player whose position is highly regarded in today's fast-paced style.
Why not go big?
Michael Beasley certainly would not have been a bad choice by any means. At first glance, he seems to fill the need the Bulls have for a big man scorer, one that neither Tyrus Thomas nor Joakim Noah seem capable of doing at this point. However, he is a bit undersized at the power forward position and plays more like Drew Gooden than a true post up forward. Beasley is credited for his abundant strength however, and would be a valuable asset to any team in the league.
Looking Ahead
Point guards, like quarterbacks in football, are the best players to build franchises around. Their main purpose is to distribute the ball and spread the floor to create offense. A respectable point guard is essential to the Bulls' success and Derrick Rose must be ready to play that role and become the type of point guard that makes his teammates better.
Many players on the Bulls should be happy to have a fresh start with Rose. Ben Gordon is undoubtedly drooling over the shot opportunites he will get from Rose's drive-and-kick plays, and Thomas and Noah will greatly benefit with low-post feeds. Being the athletic big men they are, it will be interesting to see them interact with rose in fast breaks, as Rose is known to create such opportunities out of nowhere.
Patience
A dangerous misconception for Bulls fans would be to expect Rose to be at the top of his game in his first season. Rose is a project point guard with plenty of raw talent, but needs to tweak his game a bit in order to adapt from college to the pro style of play. He also should seek to improve his jump shot, as that has been noted as a slight weakness. That isn't to say Rose will never be a great point guard, or even that his development will take very long. He has the great opportunity to learn the game and mesh with other young players, as long as Paxson continues to make wise choices with inevitable upcoming roster changes.
More Choices for Paxson
It was all anyone heard about the Bulls after last season's trade with Cleveland: too many guards. The deal that sent Ben Wallace and Joe Smith to the Cavs for Lary Hughes, Drew Gooden, and filler guards created a log-jam at the postition. John Paxson will have to send some players out to make room for Derrick Rose next season, and this is where things get scary.
Chris Duhon is widely believed to be on his way out, a shame becasue he shows promise, but not a huge loss. After that, no one is certain whose heads will roll. Ideally, Larry Hughes would be shipped out because, he does not produce as much as the other guards and is seen at times to be a sore in the locker room. He would be a difficult trade to make however, for the same previous reasons. Kirk Hinrich is another point guard being left out in the cold, but he has proved his worth since his rookie season offering balanced offense and stellar defense, even if he had a slump last season. Ben Gordon should not be traded, as he provides more offensive firepower than anyone else on the squad, and don't expect Paxson to offer up his favorite son-Thabo Sefolosha, the lanky, defensive minded guard. At least one of these players will not be seen next October however, and should only one go, expect to see Tyrus Thomas, Drew Gooden, or Andres Nocioni follow them out the door.
The End Justifies the Means
The decision of which players to let go will define John Paxson for fickle Bulls fans, at least for this season. At this moment, neither he nor the basketball pundits seem to be sure which moves to make. In the end, the decision will hopefully best suit the Bulls' new direction, the winning direction that is.
