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| Results 1 - 10 for C3's Sports[definition]. |
Ben Gordon
Chicago Bulls Notes - Saturday, October 15, 2005 - ![]() 2004-05 Record: 47-35 2005-06 Projected Record: 45-37 Key Additions: Tim Thomas (Knicks), Michael Sweetney (Knicks), Jermaine Jackson (Knicks), Darius Songaila (Kings), Malik Allen (Bobcats), Eddie Basden (Undrafted FA). Key Losses: Eddy Curry (Knicks) Projected Starters: Chris Duhon PG 6-1 185 8/31/82 Duke '04, Kirk Hinrich G 6-3 190 1/2/81 Kansas '03, Luol Deng SF 6-8 220 4/16/85 Duke '04, Darius Songaila PF 6-9 250 2/14/78 Wake Forest '02, Tyson Chandler FC 7-1 230 10/2/82 Dominguez HS '01 Reserves: Malik Allen PF 6-10 250 6/27/78 Villanova '01, Eddie Basden G 6-5 215 2/15/83 Charlotte '05, Antonio Davis FC 6-9 245 10/31/68 UTEP '90, Ben Gordon 6-3 200 4/4/83 Connecticut '04, Othella Harrington PF 6-9 240 1/31/74 Georgetown '96, Andres Nocioni SF 6-7 220 11/30/79 Argentina '04, Jannero Pargo PG 6-1 175 9/22/79 Arkansas '02, Eric Piatkowski GF 6-7 215 9/30/70 Nebraska '94, Jared Reiner C 6-11 255 4/8/82 Iowa '04, Michael Sweetney PF 6-8 270 10/25/82 Georgetown '02, Tim Thomas F 6-10 240 2/26/77 Villanova '97 ast year, the Chicago Bulls were one of the NBA's most pleasantly unexpected surprises. This team has spent the majority of its post-MJ rebuilding phase buried in the cellar, but thanks to some terrific draft picks the past two seasons and the (relative) maturation of their Baby Bulls into adolescents, Chicago is back on the basketball radar. Most of the key players from last season's fourth seed squad are back. The trio of Chris Duhon, Kirk Hinrich, and Ben Gordon will log the majority of the time at the guard spots. Last year, the Bulls saw major success when they started Duhon at the point and allowed Hinrich to play off the ball, with the electrifying Gordon coming in when the team needed a scoring boost. During the last three minutes of a game, Hinrich would move to point and Gordon would nail almost every big jumper he took. Unless head coach Scott Skiles sees any reason to mess with that formula, expect to see Chicago employ the same strategy this season. By the way, the average age of these three guards is 23. If they can improve their shooting percentages, they're going to be good for a long time. Sharing time at the small forward spot will be Luol Deng and Andres Nocioni. Had Deng been healthy for their playoff series against the Washington Wizards, that series might've turned out differently. He's one of the most versatile young forwards in basketball who rarely makes a bad decision with the basketball. Nocioni brings loads of big-game experience, having been a member of Argentina's top-notch national team for years. Starting for the Bulls in the post will be the lone remaining Adolescent Bull, Tyson Chandler. Chandler, after signing a six-year, $60-plus million contract extension in the off-season, will be expected to raise his offensive game to the level of his shot-blocking and rebounding skills. Few players have his combination of size and athleticism. In short, he's a freak of nature. Eddy Curry, on the other hand, is not too pleased with the Bulls' front office. He was looking for an extension similar to Chandler's, but his reluctance to submit to the Bulls' request for a DNA test and his inability to get his heart insured have made for some turbulent, sometimes acrimonious contract negotiations. After pursuing nearly every angle to try and lock up a long-term contract, the Bulls dealt Curry (along with Antonio Davis, but the Knicks are expected to waive him and Davis is expected to rejoin the roster) to the New York Knicks in exchange for Tim Thomas, Michael Sweetney, Jermaine Jackson and draft picks. Curry then agreed to a 6-year, $55 million contract, pending his completion of a lengthy physical. This will likely turn out to be one of John Paxson's best moves as Bulls General Manager. Chicago won't have to play the 2005-06 season with Curry looming as a potentially malignant distraction. Plus, paying a petulant center who only intermittently plays hard, won't rebound, and is a magnet for dumb fouls $55 million is not exactly a sound financial investment. He's as skilled as any center on the offensive end and he's still very young, but with the money Chicago will save and the trouble they'll avoid, this was clearly the right move. The Bulls add Michael Sweetney (2005-06 salary: $2.1 million), who'll share minutes at the 4-spot with Darius Songaila. Sweetney is a hard-nosed, blue-collar power forward who'll excel at everything Curry didn't (or wouldn't) do. Thomas is in the last year of his ghastly contract, giving Chicago another $13 million to play with in the off-season. On the court, Thomas will fill in at both forward spots and provide athleticism and depth. With Curry suiting up for the Knicks, Skiles is expected to move Chandler to center and let the aforementioned Songaila take the lion's share of the minutes. Songaila will prove to be a valuable asset to this squad, with his endless hustle and terrific work ethic. Sweetney, Antonio Davis (if he's re-added to the roster) and former Bobcat Malik Allen will also see ample amounts of playing time down low. Jannero Pargo and Eddie Basden will likely round out the playing rotation. Pargo has bounced around the league for a few years and is a solid #3 point guard. Basden, an undrafted rookie out of Charlotte, could develop into a Bruce Bowen-like defensive stopper. The Bulls might not match the 47 wins they put up last season, because they're not going to sneak up on anyone this year. But their extremely talented and young nucleus will be extremely entertaining to watch and could make a repeat appearance in the postseason. ![]() ![]() |
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