Rosters are starting to take shape, especially for the Chicago Bulls. They traded away Tyrus Thomas, John Salmons and Kirk Hinrich for expiring contracts that are now off the books and future draft picks. The Bulls are starting to build the roster and our only six days into the free agent signing period.

Boozer and Korver are officially signed. Yesterday, the Bulls signed 7 ft center Omer Asik from Turkey. Asik was originally drafted by the Portland Trailblazers in 2008, but was immediately traded to the Bulls. He has been developing for the past two years in Euroleague play. Chicago needs a big man who can defend a Dwight Howard or a Pau Gasol. Asik looks long and lengthy but is a great shot blocker. Maybe he will defend with intimidation as his best aspect; that’s what Ben Wallace did. Scouts seem to think he has solid NBA skills.

“Center seems to be his natural position as he loves playing with his back to the basket possessing a good assortment of moves to get his shot off … He is a tenacious rebounder going for the offensive boards as well as wiping the defensive glass.”

This isn’t saying he will dominate, but he will add depth off the bench. The Bulls have been a team that relies on six to seven players, maybe Tom Thibodeau’s run as head coach will bring in a new era called use the bench.

In other NBA news:

Golden State gets forward David Lee
New York gets forward Anthony Randolph,forward Kelenna Azubuike, forward Ronny Turiaf and a 2010 second-round pick.

Golden State wins the trade. Lee is a great rebounder and can put up 20 to 25 points any night. He is perfect for the run and gun tempo of the Don Nelson’s Warriors. New York got three so-so players. The second round pick will more than likely lead to the same type of player. Randolph is a solid player with upside but he isn’t going to develop into an all-star. He will be a great sixth man or a contributing role player. Warriors get an all-star and the Knicks get three similar players who will not amount to much.

Miami resigned forward Udonis Haslem.

Haslem has been a blue collar player for the Heat since 2002, it only seems right to bring him back to attempt to win another championship. He is a big man who can step out and hit a jumper, rebound and defend in the low post. Heat owner Pat Riley would have been a fool not to bring him back.

Dallas gets center Tyson Chandler and center Alexis Ajinca
Charlotte gets center Erick Dampier, forward Eduardo Najera, guard Matt Carroll and cash considerations.

Dallas wins this trade. Chandler is not offensively gifted but can rebound and block shots on a much higher level than Erick Dampier can. Oh, Dampier can’t shoot a penny in the ocean, Chandler is better in this category too.

Najera is on his last legs and Carroll isn’t an NBA talent. Dallas drops some salary to pick up players they could use, while Charlotte picks up veteran players who will not fit their system.

Derek Fisher stays with the Lakers.

Great move. Fisher kept the Lakers in the playoffs throughout every series. He is tough and the heart of the team.

Most of everything is rumors and hasn’t been set in contract yet.

The Atlanta Hawks are going to send Chris Childress to the Suns. The Suns are also going after Hedu Turkoglu. Childress has played over seas for the past few years, and has become a great player.

Al Jefferson will be a Denver Nugget.

J.J. Redick has been offered a deal from the Bulls but Orlando can keep him if they match the 3 year deal worth $20 million because he is a restricted free agent.

“Big Z”, Zydrunas Ilgauskas, will probably join the Miami Heat. He will follow LeBron, no dobut about it. They play well together and respect each other. They want to win a ring for each other.

Cavaliers have put an offer on the table for Kyle Lowry, but the Redick situation falls on Lowry as well. The Rockets have reportedly matched the contract.

I have no idea why, but the Timberwolves are going after Luke Ridnour. They have seven point guards and are trying to get another, no clue why.

The Bulls didn’t get one of the three big named free agents and the three players signing to another eastern conference team like the Miami Heat was discouraging but I have been awaken by the same people for the discouragement.

At first, the signing of Carlos Boozer didn’t seem like such a good move.  He definitely wasn’t big enough bait for LeBron to come to Chicago and at times he has brittle bones.  But, he when he is healthy, which is more than half of a season, he is a dependable 20 and 10 guy.  Plus, he is an eight year veteran who can mentor Joakim Noah and Taj Gibson. Actually, Boozer is the eldest player on the Bulls; he can give tips to the entire team. Also, he has playoff experience past the first round. After personal debate, I am excited to see Boozer as a Bull.

Reinsdorf has also offered Orlando Magic restricted free agent, J.J. Redick, a three year deal worth $20 million.  He hasn’t proven himself as a great player, so the contract may be a little much.  On the other hand, he has shown progress each of his four seasons in Orlando.  Redick was the only offense the Magic had in a couple of the games against the Boston Celtics in the quarter finals of the playoffs. The Bulls offer is based on potential and the player he could become, it is worth it.  He has shown he can play at the NBA level.

I GIVE THE FRONT OFFICE CREDIT. They are making the best out of a situation that looked like doomsday.  I would much rather have Boozer, Korver and Redick than the three guys that were traded for expiring contracts: Tyrus Thomas, John Salmons and Kirk Hinrich. Boozer is a man, Thomas is a little boy.  Korver is a better three-point shooter than Salmons and is more reliable to hit shots.  On the other Salmons plays better defense and unlike Korver, he can create his own shot.

I love Hinrich.  The Bulls should have traded Luol Deng and kept Hinrich, but he did have an overpaid contract they wanted to get off of the books.  Hinrich is the best backup point guard in the league.  He is a premier perimeter defender, a superb assist man and can he shoot from anywhere on the court.  The problem is, Rose is more valuable and when they traded Hinrich, so was LeBron, Wade or Bosh. Redick is bigger and is a more consistent shooter.  Plus, he has younger legs and still has plenty of upside.

The Bulls are putting together a team instead of relying on one superstar player to take the “team” to the next level.  To win a championship in the NBA, the organization has to have a team, not one guy.  It has been proven over and over again.  LeBron didn’t win in Cleveland because he didn’t have a team around him and didn’t play with what he did have.  The Boston Celtics and the Los Angeles Lakers win because they have role players who know what they have to do on the court.  They perform their jobs well and let the Kobe Bryants, Paul Pierces, Pau Gasols and Kevin Garnetts of the world do what they do.

The Bulls are not at a championship level at the present time but they’re a better team than they were last year.  The summer isn’t over and the Chicago Bulls still have the money to pick up whomever they wish.

I asked the question to you,  who would be a better for the Bulls, Kerr or Paxson.  Kerr dominated Paxson, getting 36 of the 52 votes.  I wonder if Kerr would beat Gar Forman, like he did Paxson. 

Steve Kerr was a back up point guard for the Bulls in the mid-to late 90′s and helped win a few championships with his sniper three point shooting.  Paxson did the same thing in the early 90′s. 

He did make some questionable trades like Shawn Marion to the Miami Heat for Shaquille O’Neal, but he made up for it by getting a second round draf pick, Sasha Pavlovic who is a solid back up player, $500,000 and a soon to retire Ben Wallace when he traded O’Neal to the Cleveland Cavaliers. 

This season, he made room in the team’s payroll to sign one of the big name free agents this summer. Paxson traded away a bad character guy in Tyrus Thomas to the Charlotte Bobcats  for two expiring contracts and a future first round pick.  He then traded John Salmons and a couple of second round picks for two expiring contracts.

10 Two Way Tie Between- Rudy Gay and John Salmons

Salmons was traded away by the Bulls at the February trade deadline in order to dump off contracts.  He went to Milwaukee and helped them earn a six seed in the playoffs.  Before he came they were on the outside looking in.  Rudy Gay is a young talented player with limited leadership skills.  Gay is on the verge of becoming a superstar but needs to play on a team besides the Memphis Grizzlies where he is the main attraction, because he shouldn’t be on any team.  Both players are respectable second options and great role players.

9 Amare Stoudemire

The Suns power forward has little defense but is absolute dynamite on offense.  He can put up 30 points any night but if he is playing someone else who can score in the post, he can give up 30 points any night as well.

8 Joe Johnson

He is one of the best shooters in the game now.  He adds instant offense.  The problem is he choked in the playoffs.  His Atlanta Hawks got swept by the Orlando Magic and he put up little fight.  Johnson showed lack of heart, lack of concern to the fans and a lack of being a go to guy.

7 Carlos Boozer

Boozer is a double-double guy.  He can easily get 10 rebounds and 15-to-20 against anybody.  His defense is average but seems to always be in the right place at the right time for lose balls or blocks.  What he lacks in stats compared to some of the others on the lists, he adds in leadership.

6 Dirk Nowitzki

Dirk is a great player and possibly the best 7 foot shooter ever to grace the NBA.  Again,  he would add instant scoring and knows how to rebound the ball.  He is in the last stage of his career, I give him five productive years.  Also,  he is a second option, not a number one.  If he became a Bull, he would have to realize his position on the team.

5 Ray Allen

Allen is the second best three point shooter in history behind Reggie Miller.  He would be great for the Bull’s offense because he never stops running.  The downfall is, he will be 35 by the time next season starts.

4 Dwyane Wade

He is the second best two guard in the league behind Kobe Bryant.  I love Wade’s game and he brings the most energy to the court out of the ten guys on the court.  He can do everything: score, defend and all the intangibles in the middle.  He moved up the list because of his comments towards the Chicago Bulls.  I don’t think there is any chance he will be a Bull.

3 David Lee-Brad Miller-and a shooter (Kyle Korver, JJ Redick, Mike Miller)

Lee is a solid power forward.  He can score down low, hit a 15 foot jumper and rebound.  He plays solid help defense and again,  is always around the basket for offensive rebounds.  Brad Miller is old and for the most part washed up, but he has veteran leadership and in his old age still put up 10 points and five rebounds as a third stringer.  The Bulls desperately need a shooter.  Korver, Redick and Miller are the best shooters available.  Chicago should combo the three together to make use of their money.

2 Lebron James

James is the most athletic player in the league, no doubt about it.  He puts up video game numbers every night and would bring an incredible level of excitement around the United Center.  I will not be mad if James comes to the Bulls, that is for sure, but I think his superstardom could hurt the team.  Derrick Rose is a great point guard all ready and could develop into one of the best to ever play for the Bulls.  I question if the addition of James would hurt Rose’s development and the Chicago Bulls become the Chicago Lebrons.  He is great, but he has never won a championship.

1 Chris Bosh

From a team perspective, he is the best fit for the Bulls.  We need low post scoring, experience and a second option.   Bosh will give 20-to-22 points a night and could teach Joakiim Noah some post moves.  He isn’t the best defender in the paint, but he is average, enough to get by in the NBA.  His skill set is exactly what the Bulls need.

It might sound silly to say Salmons since the Bulls just sent him to Milwaukee for expiring contracts on the trade deadline, but in Milwaukee he proved can be a scoring option.  In Chicago, he was inconsistent.  He goes to Milwaukee and turned their season around from not making the playoffs to gaining the sixth seed  and scaring the Atlanta Hawks in the first round by forcing a seven game series.

The Bucks did this without center Andrew Bogut, who was a legitimate top three or four center in the league.  Rookie Brandon Jennings had something to do with the Bucks hot streak, but it was Salmon’s performances that had fans saying “Fear the Deer”.

I have said before, Salmons did the same thing to Chicago.  In Sacramento he was inconsistent and not a main player for the Kings who had little to nothing with an injured Kevin Martin.  He gets traded to the Bulls and shines at the end of the season, helping the Bulls make the playoffs and give the Boston Celtics a run for their money.

This year, Chicago played the Sacramento role and Milwaukee took the place of Chicago.

If he can play at the level he has at the end of the last two seasons, for an entire season, he is worth taking him back.  Salmons could be the two guard the Bulls had and now need to get back.  Maybe they made a mistake by dealing him.

In his 30 games for the Bucks he averaged 20 ppg, shot 47% from the field and 87% from the free throw line. During his 51 games with the Bulls he averaged 13 ppg, shot 42% from the field and 79% from the line.

An argument could be made about who is on the Bucks compared to the Bull’s top scores Rose and Deng.  The Bucks have Bogut and Jennings.  Jennings creates his own shot and Bogut is a serious inside scoring presence the Bulls don’t have.  Noah’s name could be thrown in, but he scores off of hustle not set up plays.

Rudy Gay has plenty of potential.  He has averaged 18 ppg, 6 rpg and is 45% from the field in his four seasons in the NBA.  In these four seasons he has only missed 10 games; he can stay healthy.

This season he was ranked third in the NBA in minutes played, 13th in total steals, 15th in field goals made, , 16th in total points and 18th in ppg.

Gay can take it outside, a career 35% three-point shooter, or can cut through the lane and throw it down. Gay isn’t automatic from 3, but can hit when he is on.  His dashing to the basket skills can be compared to Desmond Mason and Darius Miles when they were in their prime.

The problem with picking up Gay is,  he isn’t proven.  As a player, he has never been to the post season.  He can’t be held to full blame because of the Memphis roster, but he is a team captain and is looked to help this team get better.

They do have an up and coming star center in Marc Gasol, guard O.J. Mayo and all-star forward in Zach Randolf.  Gay is the all around most talented (Randolf is one of the best interior scorers in the league) on the team,  but he hasn’t been a leader.

The Bulls need a leader.  Rose and Hinrich try, but they’re not strong leaders.  Deng doesn’t talk or play dedicated like a leader.  Joakim Noah’s play (like Rose) could define him as a leader of the team, but it doesn’t always work.

Maybe the Bulls need a player with a voice, unfortunately, Kevin Garnett isn’t up for grabs.

Also, Gay’s play is similar to Deng.  Gay has a better jump shot but all in all, they play similar styles.  This could cause a problem with the starting line up or could help the team by having a strong scorer come off the bench.

The question is, who would come off the bench?  I’d go with Deng.  Have Rudy start and then interchange them throughout games in the two and three spots.  The Bulls would then have some length.

The reason this is a tie, is because Gay and Salmons are good at what they do, which is opposite of each other.

Salmons is a shooter, Gay is more of an inside banger who occasionally shoots outside.  Gay is a better defender and Salmons is better at running offensive sets.

Gay is a better re-bounder, probably because of size and Salmons is a better set up man, probably because of his better ball handling skills.

Money wise, Salmons is making $5 mill this year and Gay $3 mill.  Both have another possible year on their current contracts offering each another million.

If the Bulls picked one of these guys up, they could still shop for other prominent pieces like true shooters in Kyle Korver, Mike Miller or J.J. Redick.  If the Bulls want to continue to build defense,  Ronnie Brewer is available.

Number ten is a tie between John Salmons and Rudy Gay.  Between these two players, would you rather have Gay come from Memphis or Salmons come back to Chicago?

Click in tomorrow for # 9 of the top 10 summer free agent options for the Chicago Bulls.

EAST

Cleveland Cavaliers VS Chicago Bulls- Cavs in 5

I would love for the Bulls to win more than one game or even take the series, but it will not happen.  Lebron James is just too much for the Bulls to handle.  The Bulls played a great game, but still lost game 2.  Enough said,  I’m going to pout in silence…..

Boston Celtics VS Miami Heat (three old men VS a young superstar)- Boston Celtics (old men) 4-3

This is going to be a great series.  Dwayne Wade is a superstar and will win one or two games by himself.  If he gets any help at all they will win one more and could possibly take the series.  Kevin Garnett is not the same KG we know and love, plus he is out for game two because of his elbow.  The Boston Celtics have a champion swagger.  Paul Pierce will not give up for anybody and Rajon Rondo has become a great basketball player.  I think the Celtics have too much for Wade to win the series.

Atlanta Hawks VS Milwaukee Bucks- Hawks sweep

Atlanta has a balanced scoring attack.  They have perimeter shooters in Mike Bibby and Jamal Crawford.  They have physical players who will take it inside Josh Smith and Marvin Williams.  Plus,  they have the most underrated player in the NBA, Joe Johnson.  He can shoot, defend, rebound and is a good teammate.  Andrew Bogut is out for the Bucks.  With him in the lineup the Bucks could have won a few games, but not without him.  John Salmons and Brandon Jennings won’t give the team enough to get them past the Hawks.

Orlando Magic VS Charlotte Bobcats- Magic sweep

Dwight Howard is a beast.  Charlotte’s Tyson Chandler is not going to contain Howard.  The Magic are the best three point shooting team in the history of the NBA. Enough said.

WEST

LA Lakers VS Oklahoma City Thunder- Lakers in 6

Kobe or Ron Artest against Kevin Durant is the best one-on-one match-up in the first round.  Kobe is a solid defender and Artest is one of the best in the game.  Durant is the best scorer in the game.  This should be fun to watch.  The Lakers are just too good.  They have a great veteran team who are going to teach the young Thunder lessons.  The Thunder are a good team and will find enough scoring to get a couple games, but Kobe and company will win the series.

Denver Nuggets VS Utah Jazz- Nuggets in 6

The Jazz are banged up.  The Nuggets have something to prove.  They were at one time the number two seed in the west but fell to fourth after a bad stretch of loses.  Kenyon Martin is back to add physical inside play.  The Nuggets will miss George Karl but they will find a way to win the series in six games.

Phoenix Suns VS Portland Trailblazers- Suns in 6

I wanted to give the series to Portland, but, I can’t do it with Brandon Roy on the IR.  Roy is the difference maker.  Portland has a good team, but I think Amare Stoudemire and Steve Nash will take care of business.

Dallas Mavericks VS San Antonio Spurs- Dallas in 5

The boring Spurs are done.  They can’t stay healthy and Tim Duncan is not even a shell of his former self.  Dallas is rolling.  Dirk is playing at an MVP level and Jason Kidd is playing like he is 24 instead of 37.  Kidd is still the best passer in the game and can add 15-to-20 points any given night.  Plus, Caron Butler and Brendan Hayword have come from Washington and added key pieces the Mavericks were missing.

The biggest event is the Boston Celtic’s Kevin Garnett getting banned from game two in his team’s series against the Miami Heat.  In game one, teammate Paul Pierce fell to the court and laid in pain.  Miami Heat’s Quentin Richardson stood over him and said some words.  With 40 seconds left in the game, Garnett came to protect Pierce, elbowing Richardson in the face.  KG is not allowed to enter the arena for game two and Richardson has to pay a $25,000 fine.

I like Garnett supporting his wounded teammate.  I like the NBA being the authority they wish to be and give the suspension and the fine.  What was Q doing?  If you knock down somebody and feel proud of it, cool, but it was wrong of him to further humiliate Pierce.  Richardson is a good player but why did he have to be ignorant?  Guess it was his 15 seconds of fame in his first playoff game since 2004 when he was with the Phoenix Suns.

Ron Artest VS Kevin Durant is the must see one-on-one match up in the first round.  Artest is arguably the best man defender in the league.  He is pesky and very seldom leaves his man; seldom as in never.  Durant is the best scorer in the league,  well at least to the points per game stat.  He became the youngest player in NBA history to win the scoring crown by scoring 30 ppg this season.

In game 1, Durant was held way below his averages.  Instead of 30 points, he was held to 24.  Six points isn’t much but he didn’t get those 24 from his scoring ability.  Nine of those points came from his 9-of-11 from the free throw line.  Durant averaged 47% from the field but was 7-of-24 in game one.  Artest and Kobe Bryant blanketed him.  Durant couldn’t even get rebounds, his eight a game, fell to two.  Without Durant, the Thunder are destined to be swept.  Lakers won game one, 87-79.

This is the biggest surprise.  The Portland Trailblazers beat the Suns without Brandon Roy.  With Roy in the lineup, the Blazers have the young talent possessing the ability to beat the Suns.  The Trailblazers should not beat the Suns without him.  Roy brings 22 pppg and 5 rebounds and assists to the box score every game.  The Blazers did not let the loss of their leader effect them.

Andre Miller, not know for his scoring, dropped 31 points and eight assists.  LaMarcus Aldridge added 22 points and Marcus Camby gradded 17 rebounds.  If they continue to play like this,  the Suns may find themselves booted in the first round.  Once Roy was put on the Injured Reserve list,  the Suns were the huge favorite.  They better come to play because Portland is hungry for a playoff series win.

The Orlando Magic beat the Charlotte Bobcats 98-89, not a big surprise.  The thing for me, was Stephen Jackson.  Jackson is known as a pure scorer who lacks dedication.  He hyper extended his knee against the Magic in game one.  Instead of giving up or saying, man, I can’t play.  He said, “No Chance in Hell, I’m not going to play in game two.”

This is awesome for the Bobcats.  He is one of their main leaders.  He has a reputation.  A statement like this, might change the outcome of a few games in the series.  The Magic will still win, but Jackson’s approach could make the series interesting.

Milwaukee Bucks rookie point guard Brandon Jennings is amazing.  In game one against the Atlanta Hawks he dropped 34 points.  The problem is, he didn’t have much help against the balanced attack of the Hawks.  Joe Johnson scored 22, Mike Bibby 19, Jamal Crawford 17, Al Horford 15, and both Josh Smith and Marvin Williams had 12.  John Salmons will have to score more than 16 without Andrew Bogut in the lineup.

One more thing.  The Dallas Mavericks are going to be awfully tough to beat.  Jason Kidd, Caron Butler and Dirk Nowitzki are rolling.  They beat the Spurs only by six, 100-94, but the aging Spurs had no defensive answers for the three stars scoring.

I agree the Bulls fell apart in the second half of the season.  Trades, injuries and a head coach who should have never got the job justify their losing ways. Joakim  Noah was hurt for almost two months, Derrick Rose, Kirk Hinrich and Luol Deng have all missed games.  John Salmons, one of the Bulls top scorers, was traded; same as a key defensive player in Tyrus Thomas.  Enough said,  I get Redmond’s point.

But to blame the NBA and the playoff structure for the Bulls having a chance to get in is crazy.  Eight teams on each conference is perfect.  Some of the most memorable series have been 1 against 8.  Remember the Utah Jazz against the Sacramento Kings, the Miami Heat and the New York Knicks and more recently, the Dallas Mavericks and Golden State Warriors.

The playoff structure works well.  There is no need for tampering.  The games are exciting to watch.  Even if they are blowouts, we get to see the real dominant teams.  No one thought the Orlando Magic were going to make it to the finals last year until they dismantled Philadelphia in the first round and successfully challenged the reigning champions, the Boston Celtics.

I think those series are needed.  One, it prepares the young guys for the harder seven game series they will face later in the playoffs.  The earlier series help gain confidence and exposure to the bigger stage.  This isn’t the regular season anymore, nerves grow.

Plus, why blame the Bulls, or the NBA for that matter, when it is the team’s owner and the general manager who build the roster and the basketball program.  When the Bulls have a horrible team,  I blame Jerry Reinsdorf for spending his money on bad players and John Paxson for making the decision.  Each team can be held accountable for their own actions.

The Bulls shouldn’t get blamed because the Pacers, 76ers, Knicks, Pistons, Wizards and the awful Nets can’t win games.  Shouldn’t it be the 76ers for making the trade for Elton Brand who has been a huge bust.  Washington went through a fire sale. The Pacers have done nothing to help Danny Granger.  Joe Dumars traded their glue player, Chauncey Billups, for the don’t know what is going on Allen Iverson.  The Knicks put Isiah Thomas in charge,  we all know what happened with the situation in New York and the Nets,  no one knows where to start with their problems.

Each team has the same salary cap.  Each team has the opportunity to draft players out of college.  The bad teams have a better chance of landing a better player.  It isn’t the NBA’s fault when a team drafts a bust.

The number eight seed isn’t going to be playing for the NBA Championship anyway but they should be given some props for beating out the other eight teams.  If the eight only wins one game in the first series, oh well, they got things to work on for the future.

None of this is the Bull’s fault.  Does it suck for the Memphis Grizzlies and the Houston Rockets, who have better records than the Bulls but won’t make the playoffs in the Western Conference?  Of course it does.  They could have won more games.  They knew the strength of other teams in the west and didn’t exceed it.

If the Bulls get in, it is because they won more games then the teams below them.  Sure, they didn’t have a great year, but they did what they needed to do to survive.  Sometimes the cookie crumbles in your mouth and sometimes all over your favorite shirt.  This is how the world works, sports included.

John Salmons and Tyrus Thomas were traded for five expiring contracts and a first round draft pick. Plus four preexisting contracts will be expiring as well, including, Brad Miller, the over paid and never played Jerome James, the down and out Lindsey Hunter and Tim Thomas.

The only contracts on Chicago’s pay roll next year is the young talented nucleus of Deng, Rose, Hinrich, Noah, Gibson and Johnson.

The question is, what position will the Bulls shop for? I am hoping for a big man. Noah and Gibson have done their thing all season long, but it will not get them far in the post season if nobody else is added. The Chicago Tribune asked Taj Gibson if he was cool with being a number two forward; he said not a problem.

This is the best attitude Gibson could possibly have. He is right. If Carlos Boozer, Amare Stoudemire, Chris Bosh, Tyson Chandler or a skilled big man comes to Chicago, Gibson is going to learn more about the game. He will lose minutes, but the ones he gets will be more valuable.

There are certain rookies who have the right to be a first year starter, Derrick Rose is one of them. Gibson, however, is the type of player who needs to start his career by coming off of the bench and then work his way into the line up during injuries or in his second or third year, after he shows he can handle the NBA game on a nightly basis.

Right now, Gibson is getting more minutes than he knows what to do with. He is playing well, no doubt, but learning from one of these guys will help him out in the long run. Hopefully, his long run will be with the Bulls and hopefully Bosh can be his mentor.

Would it be better for Gibson to learn on his own or have a veteran teach him a thing or two?

A month ago,  I would have been a genius to be a betting man on some NBA odds.  The Bulls were in sixth place and only two games behind the five seeded Miami Heat.  Derrick Rose had just played in the All-Star game and Joakim Noah was the second leading rebounder in the league behind Dwight Howard.

Then the Bulls fall apart and crush my hopes of high school kids considering me on the same level of brilliance as the guys seen on Sports Center .  Noah missed the first three weeks of March and the tail end of February. Rose and Luol Deng then took turns getting injured and later missed three or four games at the same time.

Chicago went on a ten game losing streak, falling from sixth to ninth real fast.  When Acie Law, Jannero Pargo and Ronald Murray are the Bulls starting backcourt, the odds of winning are not in their favor.

The trades right before the NBA deadline could have been a factor too.  The free agent market for the summer of 2010 is one of the best in the last few years.  Dwayne Wade, Chris Bosh and Lebron James are the three biggest names but other players such as Andre Iguodala, David Lee, Amare Stoudemire, Paul Pierce, Joe Johnson, Dirk Nowitzki, Michael Redd and Manu Ginobilli will all be free agents.

With this said,  the Bulls got rid of two big contracts for expiring ones in attempts to stock up money to pay a major talent.  Hopefully someone will still want to be a Bull after their poor showing at the end of this season.

In the eyes of Bulls management, John Salmons was a bust.  He was very inconsistent.  One night he would score 25 and the next night he would score 5.  The Bulls traded him to the Milwaukee Bucks for the expiring contracts of Hakim Warrick and Joe Alexander.

Salmons is averaging 20 points a game as a Buck and has led them to a 16-4 record.  Before he joined the team, they were not in playoff consideration.   Now the Bucks are in 5th place in the Eastern Conference and are arguably the hottest team in the league.

The Tyrus Thomas trade to the Charlotte Bobcats for Law and Murray.  Although, I don’t think they should start, both of them are quality backup guards.  They both are quick, athletic and can put the ball in the basket.  Plus, the Bobcats gave us a first round pick.  I am more than satisfied with the trade and don’t think it hurt the team at all.

Immediately after the trade, the Bulls won four out of five games and looked as if they were preparing for a deep playoff run.  Then they went on the ten game skid.  They looked horrible.  Even before injuries took Deng and Rose out of the lineup, they still looked like a high school jv team.

They are only half a game behind the Toronto Raptors for the eight spot.  Even if the Bulls make the cut,  the season is still a disappointment.  Last year’s playoff series against the Celtics had them on the up and coming list for this season.  The roster is young and extremely talented.

Chicago shows signs of being a good team but then play garbage ball and act like they don’t want to play.  The Bulls have a solid nucleus (Rose, Noah, Deng, Taj Gibson) to make a deep playoff run.  They could possibly by pass the Raptors and make it, but deep run, it isn’t going to happen.

Being a Chicago fan, I had high hopes but have been let down.  It’s sad to say,  the fifth seed prediction now seems like a dream, when it seemed like a premonition a month ago.