Chicago Bulls: NBA Draft Team Needs

2007-08 Record: 33-49; 4^th Central

Draft Picks: 1, 39

Key Free Agents

F Luol Deng (restricted)

G Ben Gordon (restricted)

G Chris Duhon

How they got here and what they need

Coming off of another playoff run with this young roster, the Bulls were thought to be a player in the East heading into the 2007-08 season. But the players essentially tuned out head coach Scott Skiles and the acquisition of Ben Wallace turned into one of the worst in recent free agent history. Still without a low post threat to relieve some of the scoring pressures on Kirk Hinrich, Luol Deng and Ben Gordon, the Bulls struggled to the point of no return, ending with the firing of Skiles and the departure of interim head coach Jim Boylan. Now Vinny Del Negro takes over in his first head coaching gig at any level, and there are some needs.

Most importantly, there the absence of a back to the basket scorer, a man who can demand double teams and as a result set up open looks for the guards. But with the race for the top pick being between two players who aren't going to provide that (Michael Beasley can score to his back to the basket, but he will not be a forward who simply stays on the block), I doubt they head in that direction. Either Gordon or Chris Duhon (or maybe even both) will be allowed to leave this off-season, meaning that they'll need another body in the backcourt. And without a true point guard who can lead a franchise to a title on the roster right now, Memphis PG Derrick Rose may be the better option in this slot.

Who they take

I say at this point that the Bulls bring the hometown kid back to the Windy City and select Rose with the first pick. With Del Negro and GM John Paxson both playing guard in the NBA for years, Derrick will have a couple references to turn to while learning how to run a team at the NBA level.

Draft History (since 2000)

• - 2000: Marcus Fizer (4^th); Dalibor Bagaric (24^th); AJ Guyton (32^nd); Jake Voskuhl (33^rd); Khalid El-Amin (34^th)
• - 2001: Eddy Curry (4^th); Trenton Hassell (30^th); Sean Lampley (45^th)
• - 2002: Jay Williams (2^nd); Roger Mason (31^st)
• - 2003: Kirk Hinrich (7^th); Mario Austin (36^th); Matt Bonner (45^th)
• - 2004: Ben Gordon (3^rd); Luol Deng (7^th); Chris Duhon (39^th)
• - 2005: No picks
• - 2006: Tyrus Thomas (4^th); Thabo Sefalosha (13^th)
• - 2007: Joakim Noah (7^th); Aaron Gray (49^th); JamesOn Curry (51^st)