Chicago Bulls Basketball Preview: 2008-2009 Season

Can the Bulls Rebound to Make the Playoffs?

When the Chicago Bulls picked Derrick Rose first in the 2008 NBA Draft, they created a nice problem for themselves. The Bulls have too many guards and can now shop either Hinrich or Gordon to gauge their market value.

Derrick Rose could be the next great point guard in the NBA. It's hard to guarantee such success, but Rose has the athleticism, competitive fire, heart, smarts, leadership and attitude to make an impact on the NBA very quickly. His shooting can use some work, and he'll have to learn to play in the NBA, but Rose will not take long to turn the Chicago Bulls into his team.

As of right now, and assuming he remains with the team, Kirk Hinrich should probably still be considered the starter at point guard. How long that will last depends on the Chicago Bulls and point guard of the future Derrick Rose. Hinrich provides the Bulls with the ability to play either guard spot both offensively and defensively. However, Hinrich's play took a major and unexpected drop this past season. If he remains on the Chicago Bulls, Kirk Hinrich will need to improve his game for the Bulls to be successful.

Ben Gordon is an undersized shooting guard who can score in bunches. It would seem that Gordon is the logical choice for the Chicago Bulls to trade (although Hinrich may have more value). He is a restricted free agent whom the Bulls could sign and trade. Gordon is a creative scorer, but does not play good defense. He's also on the short side for a shooting guard.

Larry Hughes provides the Chicago Bulls with some size in the backcourt and a proven ability to score, although his scoring has dropped off a little recently. Hughes would also be a candidate for a trade, but no team is going to want to pick up his contract. For now, Hughes is a starter. But, if the Bulls keep Hinrich, they may eventually move Hinrich to shooting guard, which would make for a smaller backcourt.

Sefolosha took a step forward in his second season with the Bulls. Like Hughes, Sefolosha is a taller guard (6'7''). He also plays tough defense and is turning into a decent scorer. He'll continue to provide the Chicago Bulls with minutes off of the bench.

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