Watching Derrick Rose throughout
the NCAA Tournament, I was convinced he had to be the first pick in the draft
regardless of who had the number one pick. Rose is a special talent, not only
gifted with superior physical attributes, but also a cool demeanor on and off
the court. Conversely, Michael Beasley is an athletic beast, and much more
outspoken then his counterpart Derrick Rose. As I look deeper by putting the Bulls pick in context
with their roster, picking Beasley is the right move.
The Bulls are in desperate need of
a low post scorer, and Beasley fills that hole. This argument has already been
thrown around already, so I want go into it.
Watching the Bulls last year, was
like watching 12 men in study hall. The team is soft. The roster is filled with
great guys, but the nice guys don’t always win. There most outspoken personality is Joker Noah, who the Bulls are praying will no longer run his mouth. Beasley has arrogance and an
attitude that the Bulls desperately need. Beasley is a “no more BS” guy, and doesn’t
mind speaking his mind, ala Kevin Garnett. On the other hand, Rose is player
who will lead by example. There is no doubt in my mind that Rose will be a
tremendous leader in this league, but the Bulls desperately need some more attitude
to be contenders.
People forget that many “experts”
picked the Bulls to go to the conference finals and even the NBA finals last
year. The year before that, the Bulls showed they were only a couple of steps
away from being title contenders. Keep in mind Kirk Hienrich was the point guard
of this team, and even regarded as the cornerstone of the Bulls organization.
Do you really think the Bulls are ready to throw away Hienrich? Yes, he played
terrible last year, but the season was filled with miscommunication between the
players and the coach. I agree Rose is heads and a shoulder above Hienrich, but
a team doesn’t win if it’s not balanced one through five. That brings us to the
possibility of trading Hienrich. Looking at Paxons trading record, I wouldn’t count
on him bringing in to much in return. Be honest with yourself, the man brought
in one of the worst NBA contracts ever put together in Larry Hughes’s 18
million dollars a year laundry service. Hienrich is a guy that gets the job done, and has proven to be a floor leader.
With Five minutes left to go and
the Bulls down 7, who can the Bulls rely on to shoulder the load and bring home
a victory. Don’t expect Rose to be that guy. He is strictly a pass first guy,
and has mentioned many times he prefers to pass the ball more than he shoots.
There is no guarantee that Beasley will be that guy, but it remains a fact that
the Bulls need a go to guy in the fourth quarter. There is a better chance of
Beasley assuming that role, as opposed to Rose. Sorry Bulls fan, Rose is special
but he’s not going to be your savior.
Look there is a great chance that
everything I mention will be disproved. There’s no doubt that Rose will be a
superstar for years to come, but the Bulls desperately need a scorer more than
a facilitator. Beasley adds much needed attitude to this team, and don’t forget
Hienrich can still play ball at a high level.
First things first...Hinrich...not Hienrich
Following this, hinrich, though he can dish the ball, is not the right fit for the bulls. In no way am i saying he is a bad player, for he is one of my favorites on the bulls, but we bull fans need to see someone completely unselfish and willing to give up the ball rather than set themselves up. Alas, Derrick Rose. He is a pass first pg who comes around once in a blue moon. He is strong and has a 40 in verticle, not to mention probably already one of the fastest players in the league. With these kind of physical attributes, he is able to drive into the lane and crash defenders to set up shots for any of the bulls magnificent shooters, aka Ben Gordon, Leul Deng, Andres Nocioni, Larry Hughes, etc. By doing this, you somewhat eliminate the need for a dynamic front court presence. Though you did rightfully float the idea of a trade with Hinrich, we wont see any movement of him for a few days. A few possible trades...
Sean Marion-Kirk Hinrich/Tyrus Thomas
Carmelo Anthony-Kirk Hinrich/Tyrus Thomas/Gordon
Elton Brand-Kirk Hinrich/Tyrus Thomas/Gordon/Contract Fillers