I think I’ve read about 20 articles about the newest Bull so far. All the ones evaluating the signing have betrayed giddiness at the Bulls’ defense next year, or dismay that their offense will remain deficient. The ones not primarily concerned with the signing (ie, the ones where the reasons for Ben deciding to leave Detroit are discussed — reasons he himself has not given) mostly consider Ben’s decision a betrayal.
Here’s the thing: Ben didn’t owe the Pistons sh*t. So what if they rescued him from Orlando and made him a starter, setting him down the path that led to superstardom? When teams trade players, they’re quick to remind us that basketball is a business, meaning you play your tush off and you get paid in return. That’s exactly what Ben did. After his contract expires, he doesn’t owe them any more than they owe him — nothing.
As for the signing itself, I’m on the fence right now. The pros are: * Clearly, by signing Ben away, the Bulls have weakened the Pistons. * They’ve also strengthened their own defense, though many experts have rightly pointed out this was never their problem. * Moreover, they’ve improved the average quality of their players. Henry Abbott makes a great point that the great equaliser in the NBA is not salary cap space, but rather roster spots. There’s no doubt that Ben is better than Tyson right now, so as long as they get rid of Tyson, the Bulls are better off. This holds even if they hadn’t signed Ben and instead signed two mediocre talents — there would be definite talent dilution. * In addition, if Tyson is exchanged for P. J. Brown and J. R. Smith, the Bulls will have another high-quality big man — and one with an expiring $8-million salary — and a young swigman, which addresses another of their needs. * Also, Ben’s signing makes Chicago a plausible contender and, with the Spurs as a prominent example, we’ve seen this makes a franchise more likely to attract quality veterans in free-agency. And we’re not talking Gary Payton-esque end-of-the-line veterans, but those who actually have some kick left in them, ala Michael Finley. * Finally, two words: veteran leadership. We all saw how much the Bulls missed Antonio Davis, even though he wasn’t their most productive player. And with Tyrus Thomas being drafted, do not underestimate how important this is — Ben gives him an immediate role model.
The cons are obvious: * The Bulls have tied up cap space to a player who is 32 years old and clearly declined last year * The Bulls have tied up cap space to a player who’s style of play is being actively undermined by the league’s rule changes * The Bulls have tied up cap space to a player who has no clue on offense and is in denial about that fact * The Bulls likely won’t be able to address their real needs because of all the cap space they’ve tied up
I think, on the whole, this will turn out well for the Bulls as long as Ben’s healthy. They’ve got a college-style offense where the guards dominate the ball, so post production was always going to be a tricky proposition. In addition, the fact of the matter is that it is time the Bulls started using their tradeable pieces to put a contender together. With the spectre of cap space and the ‘wait till next year’ mantra, there was never any urgency to unclog the backcourt or realise that Tyson and Sweetney aren’t panning out — now, suddenly, that’s the only way the team can make real improvements.
What intrigues me is how the Bulls are going to rev up their offense. From 1 to 5, we don’t have a single player other than Noce that I would think we could throw the ball to and expect a couple of points. That’s not to put Hinrich or Gordon down — those guys can certainly score the ball, but their efficiency leaves much to be desired. Deng is sublime, but he’s an unselfish player and may never average more than 17ppg. And since we’re not going to get a Kobe or a LeBron in free agency, you have to wonder where we might find that sort of productivity. It’s possible Thabo or Khryapa will develop into excellent 2-guards, or that Tyrus (who certainly seems to have the mentality) will become that, but that likely involves waiting several years. (To be perfectly honest, I wouldn’t expect Thabo or Tyrus to become unstoppable scorers — they’re both noted for their defense, not their offensive skills or even instincts.)
If available, Corey Maggette might be just what we need. He’s an athlete, plays defense, is religious in his approach to the game, and is probably the only non-untouchable (double negatives!) who has enough offense to be a real finisher for the Bulls. Plus, he has size, and so can play the 3 in a pinch (which could give you Gordon, Maggette and Noce all on at the same time — <drool />).
Other options? I used to be very high on Desmond Mason, but he hasn’t progressed the way I thought he would. Eddie Jones still seems serviceable. Quentin Richardson might also work since he can shoot, but he’s undersized and doesn’t play defense (plus the Knicks aren’t talking to the Bulls after the Curry disaster). Richard Jefferson and Jason Richardson are clearly untouchable, though I’m not sure either would fit properly with the Bulls. Marquis Daniels is repeatedly mentioned, but I don’t see what use he’d be to us: his utility lies entirely in the fact that he’s a good enough ballhandler to play the point, which just so happens to be our strongest position. He’s not enough of a slasher or a shooter to be ‘The Man’ on the Bulls.
Word.
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