Now that Big Ben is gone, I expect Noah and Tyrus, as well as Gray, to get a lot more minutes. Hughes looks like he might be our starter now at SG with Thabo coming off the bench. And now, with Gordon, Kirk, and Lu all healthy, we seem to have some scoring that we can count on. Here's what I think the depth chart looks like now:

PG - Hinrich, Duhon
SG - Hughes, Gordon, Sefalosha
SF - Deng, Nocioni, Brown?, Nichols
PF - Gooden, Thomas, Simmons?
C - Noah, Gray

I've got to say, that looks like a pretty good scoring lineup. Hughes and Gordon can light it up, though both can be pretty selfish at times. Gooden is not a bad player down low, and this allows the young guys to get some more minutes. We don't lose much defense, but we definitely add some scoring.

I'm loving this trade! Simmons and Thomas are the freakish athletes and how the hell did Cleveland give us Gooden for Wallace? O well this is so awesome cuz he's reunited with Kirk which can mean good things! I don't know who should start, Hughes or Thabo but Hughes can really light it up with the best of them while playing some very good defense.

I think I pretty much agree with that rotation you've got up there. Noah starting makes us a better team.

i dont think hughes will be starting, thabo has been playing good as of late.

My preferred starting lineup, though I still don't like it that much b/c of the logjam:

PG- Hinrich/Gordon/Duhon
SG- Hughes/Thabo
SF- Deng/Nocioni
PF- Gooden/Thomas
C- Noah/Gray

The guard problem is bad. We have too many good ones that deserve playing time, but won't be able to give it to them all.

next year

3 guard rotation with kirk, hughes, and thabo. Now you always have a big guard, always have a good scorer out there.

Let Duhon's contract expire and sign and trade BG.

NEXT YEAR
Kirk/hughes/JamesOn(?)
Thabo/hughes
Deng/Noc
Gooden/TT
Noah/Grey

I like.

The rest of this year....
we have a pretty severe log jam

I'd be willing to bet Duhon gets his minutes cut down quite a bit throughout the remainder of the season. Hughes, Kirk, and Thabo can all handle the ball well, besides Du gives us nothing.. I think Tyrus' minutes go up now that big ben is finally out of here. There may be hope for this team.

Let's not get carried away here. Tyrus playing 20 minutes a game is NOT going to save this season. Neither is the arrival of Cedric Simmons.

"There may be hope for this team" is not equal to "This season is saved". Getting TT 20 minutes a game may not save this season, but it may save next season.

the guard overstock will be settled during the draft for sure

when we trade some to move up and get beasley!

I'd like to start off by saying I am so happy. I haven't been this happy since the Bulls beat the Heat in the playoffs.

Here is what the rotation will look like

Noah/Gray(unfortunately)/Tyrus
Gooden/Tyrus/Nocioni/Simmons (he's hardly play but I hope he does)
Deng/Nocioni/Hughes
Gordon/Hughes/Thabo/Brown (I'd like him to play every now and then but he probably won't play much)
Kirk/Thabo/Duhon

I really think Gordon should go back to starting. With Gooden here, who is the best post threat we've had in a few years, I think you have to play Gordon and see what he can do in that lineup. Of course when we play a Kobe, or another great SG, we might have to start Hughes or Thabo.

I hope this team gets along. I really want Gordon to be used and not become disgruntled. If we lose Gordon for nothing I'll be pissed. I'd much rather trade Hughes/Brown for another center during the offseason. As for Cedric Simmons, I really liked him in college and coming into the draft I thought he had some good potential. He's still very young and I hope he gets a chance to develop with the Bulls. He could become a serviceable/good big in the league.

Either way, I think this trade made us better. However, I wish we would have signed another center.

I think Simmons can play some Center because he's bulky enough to bang with the big guys. Now I'm not saying he can play 10+ minutes there but I think he can play maybe 5-8 minutes in a stretch against a team that we can take advantage of their lack of athleticism.

Noah may not have the strength to handle that position through 82 games but there is only 29 left. He will be fine. Gray more than likely will be his backup and then Simmons will spot them both minutes perhaps at times.

At power forward, Gooden will start obviously with Tyrus as his primary backup. He's an excellent offensive rebounder and he can score with his back to the basket. I hope he shaved that awful beard and that thing off the back of his head! Gooden is also capable of hitting the mid range J so we don't really lose anything with Joe Smith now gone besides his heart warming smile (Gosh I'll miss that)..

Actually, I really am gonna miss Smith. I really liked having him on our team. I was sad to hear we traded him b/c in a season full of lows, he was a bright spot. However, it'll be nice getting the young guys more playing time.

I agree, I loved having Joe Smith on this team but I guess he just had to go :[

i iked joe smith too, im going to miss that smile, he was always smiling about something