Now that the Bulls are past the easy, non-controversial part of the preseason, trading Eddy Curry, they can concentrate on the real issue facing the team.
“We’re going to have some interesting battles in the backcourt,” Bulls coach Scott Skiles said. “The way Ben [Gordon] worked on his game this summer, he wants something.”
That would be a starting job for the reigning Sixth Man of the Year, the first rookie ever to win that award. Gordon quickly established himself as one of the most exciting scorers in the NBA, and with Curry slated to join the New York Knicks after Monday’s trade, additional scoring will be vital to the Bulls.
Can the Bulls keep Gordon on the bench any longer? But the emergence of Chris Duhon last season as a starter began the team’s winning ways, and Skiles relied on Duhon almost exclusively down the stretch to run the offense. And Kirk Hinrich has been the team’s most reliable player, leading the team in minutes played the last two seasons.
“I assume I’ll be starting at point guard,” said Hinrich, who played more at shooting guard on offense and defense as last season progressed. “But whatever happens, I’ll be ready for whatever.”
“I believe it will all shake out in camp,” Skiles said.
Now that Curry is gone–pending his physical exams with the Knicks, and that is no slam dunk given the circumstances leading to the deal–it, again, will be a wide-open training camp for the Bulls.
Perhaps only one starting position, small forward with Luol Deng, seems assured after just the first full day of practice.
In part, that’s because of the departure of Curry. At 6 feet 11 inches and nearly 300 pounds, the Bulls never had a bigger player than Curry.
Curry is unique in basketball, an athletic big man with soft hands and good footwork who can score. He also left the Bulls no choice. With the team unable to insure his contract because of his heart condition and one prominent expert in the field recommending Curry take more heart tests before being able to play, the Bulls were backed into a corner. Because Curry would not take more tests and would become a free agent after playing this season, the Bulls, in effect, left the issue in someone’s else lap and took what they could get.
It was a pretty good result for the Bulls, who will get a first-round draft pick next season, which should be in the lottery. And, on second thought, Michael Sweetney could be a solid addition in the future without endangering the Bulls’ salary-cap space of more than $20 million next summer.
And, as some sports expert once said, it gives the Bulls deep depth. Who will start remains perhaps the biggest question for training camp.
Not that it matters that much. The starting lineup to open last season, after Antonio Davis and Curry served suspensions for the exhibition season fight with Washington, was Gordon and Hinrich in the backcourt, Curry, Tyson Chandler and Andres Nocioni. Skiles since has admitted that in the 0-9 start he was slow to change the lineup. The one that had the best record was Hinrich and Chris Duhon in the backcourt with Curry, Antonio Davis and Deng. It was 20-12, and Duhon averaged more than 30 minutes per game in the second half.
Without Curry, it figures Chandler would take over at starting center, though that would mean they need a power forward who can score, especially step out and hit a jumper. Newcomer Darius Songaila could fit that requirement. He even could play center with Chandler in his high-energy role off the bench from last season. Harrington would make some sense in the post because he is the only player who is comfortable with his back to the basket. Assuming Davis returns to the Bulls after the trade, it would be 30 days after he clears waivers, already into the regular season.
Sweetney, though smallish for his power forward position at about 6-7, is a good rebounder and 15-foot shooter. He’s not much on defense. Tim Thomas, like Sweetney acquired for Curry, was one of the free agents who rejected the Bulls in the summer of 2000, going to Milwaukee. Thomas is an unusually good shooter for a 6-10 small forward and occasionally a big scorer. But he’s an indifferent defender who could be a big plus if he adapts to Skiles’ coaching.
The biggest fight probably will be in the backcourt, where three starters are fighting for two positions.
“It doesn’t matter to me,” said Duhon, who started every game after the 0-9 start and got a three-year, $9 million contract in the off-season. “I just want to play. If it’s starting, coming off the bench, so be it.”
“I was told by a wise man it’s not who starts but who finishes the game,” Gordon said. “It’s up to the coaching staff to see who they feel gets the team off to a better start.”
“We’ll go through the preseason and see how the chemistry is and what’s best for us,” Hinrich said.
But here’s the conundrum: Duhon runs the team best, at least according to Skiles based on the use of him after the All-Star break last season. Hinrich is the best defender, needed to guard the other’s team’s best guard. Gordon is the best shooter and scorer, an exciting player who probably is closest on the team to being an All-Star. Can the team keep him out of the starting lineup? Who would defend if Hinrich sits and the two small guards play? Who runs the team and sets up the frontcourt without Duhon?
More Top Picks Costway 22783
Gordon’s turnovers per minute ranked only with Curry’s for most on the team, and he and Chandler committed the most fouls per minute, the two areas Skiles said the Bulls most need to improve. But the Bulls also need to improve shooting and scoring and Gordon was the team’s most productive offensive player.
“It’s a challenge always to find the right place for the personnel,” Skiles said. “I feel going in I have a good idea of what each guy can do. But I’m also ready to be surprised. My mind isn’t closed. We’ll take a look at each guy and see what he can do.”
It looks like we all will.
———-