Derrick Rose is the Chicago Bulls’ greatest asset. That’s not an opinion, it’s a fact. But believe me, I’ve came across some who believe the Bulls are better off without him. Yeah, if there was ever a time to call someone basketball stupid, that is that time.
I don’t have to waste our time by explaining to you all, my readers, why Rose is the Bulls’ greatest asset. You are all smart. I know that because you’re reading my article right now. I will, however, provide you with a simple statistic: the Bulls’ winning percentage is 20 points higher when Rose is in the lineup. Haters and naysayers, put that in your pipe and smoke it!
Now that we’ve got that settled, what is the Bulls’ next best asset? The answer is versatility. Versatility is what separates the Bulls from other teams with more talent. And I hate to break it to some of you, but there are a few.
Bulls fans have been praying for a 1A-type player with no avail. And please don’t insult my intelligence by claiming Jimmy Butler as that guy, because he is not. Versatility is this team’s 1A.
The Bulls are a matchup nightmare for the other teams in this league. Their forwards and centers can get out and run and their guards will actively join in on the glass. Pick your poison, NBA.
This season, the Bulls will be able to match any style of basketball the opposing teams will throw at them. They will also use their versatility to force the opponent to play basketball the way Thibs and the crew see fit. Considering they have at least 6 guys on the roster that can play multiple positions, this will be easy.
I’ll start with Deng and Dunleavy. Both of these guys, although not the most athletic, are very versatile. They both have the ability to bring the ball up the floor and initiate (not run) the offense. At times, these two highly intelligent forwards can play 2-3 positions. Although Deng is defensively on another level, Dunleavy is a more-than-willing defender.
Butler and Gibson are two of the most versatile players on the team. Both of these talented young men can start at two positions and, sometimes, play three different positions depending on the matchups. What I love about these two is their ability to defend the multiple positions they can play.
Rose and Hinrich will showcase their ability to play multiple positions on a nightly basis. Thibs loves to play Hinrich at the 1, giving Rose a chance to move without the ball in order to get him open on the wing for one-on-one situations. Hinrich will also spend a lot of time at the 2.
And we can’t forget about Tony Snell. No one is certain how much we’ll see this rookie on the court, but at the college level he was able to bring the ball up the floor and play multiple positions. I am a fan of Snell see here Tony Snell bleeds Bulls basketball and believe that in the future we’ll see him playing both the 2 and the 3 on a regular basis.
Starting to catch my drift?
Of course I would love to see a trade for a huge free agent as the Bulls’ 1A next to Derrick Rose, but that’s unlikely to happen. We’ll all just have to settle on the Bulls’ versatility as that 1A the team has been searching for.
Will is co-host of Bulls Zone, a weekly Bulls Podcast. Follow him on Twitter @BullsZonewill
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