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Chicago Bulls 2008-09 Season Preview & NBA Predictions

Written September 30, 2008 by Luke Knight

First year coach Vinny Del Negro has a vision for the Chicago Bulls success. In that vision rookie Derrick Rose , last years #1 over-all draft pick, is a star. The Bulls obviously plan to play a fast paced game that relies on ball movement to get open shots. Basically, Derrick Rose has to be the guy that makes everyone else better. Vinny Del Negro’s top two assistants have combined for nearly 1,000 wins in the league. Keep reading to see how we much think first year guys Del Negro and Rose will improve this Chicago Bulls’ team. Head over to BetUS to check out the odds and bet on the Bulls this season.

The Bulls used the first pick of the draft to bring Derrick Rose home to Chicago. Many think that means Kirk Hinrich is on his way out, but Hinrich is very capable of playing the 2 guard, and actually may be more of a true shooting guard instead of a point guard. Hinrich is versatile, and at his best can create his own offense, be a spot-up shooter, and play aggressive defense. Hinrich had a down year in 2007-2008, but many expect he will bounce back, but he has been below 42% shooting in 4 of 5 NBA season. The Bulls have promised to bring Derrick Rose along slowly, but the sooner he is ready the better. Del Negro wants Rose to be the man, so don’t be surprised if Hinrich is shopped around this season or gets moved back to shooting guard.

Ben Gordon has been the leading scorer for the Bulls the last 3 seasons, and everyone expects him to suit up for Chicago this season again. The Bulls also return Larry Hughes, who averaged 12.0 points and shot 39% after arriving from Cleveland. If Derrick Rose blossoms into the star the Bulls think he can be, they will need a solid 3-point shooter to catch some of the passes, and Ben Gordon fills this role the best, but he and the Bulls still haven’t reached an agreement. Thabo Sefolosha also figures to get some playing time at this position. He got off to a slow start last season and in the end lost the confidence of his coach, but he gets a fresh start with Del Negro. He needs to play like he did in 22 games when Gordon was injured if he wants any significant playing time. Sefolosha is the least likely guard to go due to his size in the backcourt. Hughes didn’t play well after joining the Bulls as the numbers indicate, but he runs the floor well, which fits into the style the Bulls want to play with Derrick Rose at the helm.

Luol Deng had an off year last season, but in his defense he was trying to be the post-scorer that the Bulls needed, and lost track of his mid-range jumper which is lights out. Deng also suffered injuries to his back and Achilles last season, but when he played he often played well. Andres Nocioni recovered well last season from a foot injury in 2006-2007. He started out playing well, but hit a shooting lump which saw his shooting percentage drop.

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Drew Gooden averaged 14.0 points and 9.3 rebounds in 18 games with the Bulls. It is no secret that he felt underutilized in Cleveland and expects to play a more important role in Chicago. Gooden will have to get more consistent, there is no doubt about that, but he has shown flashes of being a top scorer and a dangerous post player. Tyrus Thomas has been somewhat of a mystery as he hasn’t developed anywhere near as fast as the Bulls would like. The Bulls have not given up on him though, and hope that Derrick Rose makes him more effective than he has been.

Joakim Noah was entirely too weak to hold his position under the basket and at times last season got pushed around. The upside is that Noah is well aware of this and put strength training as his number 1 goal over the summer. Overall, Noah’s rookie season was a success and he showed he can play at this level. If he puts on some muscle and can hold his own under the basket, he could be a force with his quickness to go along with his 6-11 frame. Aaron Gray could be an effective backup if he loses some weight and gets a little quicker. Gray showed some nice post moves as a rookie. Noah and Gray are both young and have a lot of ways they can improve, so they need to put in the time to improve their weaknesses.

Final Analysis

The Bulls are young and have personnel issues they have yet to work out. This is a team that you don’t know what you’re going to get. Vinny Del Negro is in his first year as a head coach. Derrick Rose is going to be the team’s point guard, but who knows how long it will take to get him to the NBA level. It is generally agreed that at least one of the Bulls’ guards will be dealt this season, but there have been no signs of who that will be. Luol Deng and Drew Gooden both need to be more consistent, and if they are will be solid forwards. Noah and Gray are coming off rookie seasons where they showed flashes of being players in this league, but both need to deal with strength and size issues. Overall, things could come together and make the Bulls a contender for a low playoff spot, but I wouldn’t count on it. Playing in the Central with powers Cleveland and Detroit and Milwaukee and Indiana that gave themselves complete makeovers will be tough with this many question marks. With this many issues, we have the Bulls finishing 5th in Central Division behind the Cavaliers, Pistons, Pacers, and Bucks.

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