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Maybe we should have foreseen a mini-collapse because the formula of "young players + swirling trade rumors" is a recipe for disaster. (Note: I'm one of the idiots who ignored this possibility and picked the Bulls to sneak into the Finals, although I didn't anticipate Luol Deng and Ben Gordon consulting with Emeka Okafor before passing up lucrative extensions, causing much of the uncertainty we're seeing right now.) But nobody could have predicted the Bulls would implode this quickly, or that Chicago's fans would chant Kobe's name during home games and destroy the team's collective confidence in the process. If you watched the blowout loss to Toronto, then you know how dangerous this situation has become. The Bulls had about as much energy and vigor as the bank hostages right after they were released in "Inside Man." By the third quarter, the Chicago crowd was chanting for Kobe -- shades of the Hickory High crowd chanting for Jimmy Chitwood, only GM John Paxson never grabbed a microphone and yelled, "This is your team!" After the game, T.J. Ford even asked a reporter, "What's going on with that team?"
Here's the short answer: Scott Skiles has done a dreadful job of coaching them so far. Let's see, Gordon is the best sixth man in the league, Ty Thomas provides instant energy off the bench … and Skiles is starting both of them??? Whaaaaaaat??? I'm with Sam Smith here -- why not start Ben Wallace, Joe Smith, Andres Nocioni, Deng and Kirk Hinrich, then bring the energy/pace-changing guys (Gordon, Thomas, Thabo Sefolosha and Jo Noah) off the bench? Or would that make too much sense? Once Skiles figures out the minutes, they'll be fine. If he can't figure it out, he'll be gone.
Here's the long answer: Paxson should have kept Tyson Chandler instead of signing Wallace; he should have made sure they had enough contracts to make a run at Kevin Garnett if he ever became available (seriously, how did the Bulls screw that up???); and he never should have even returned Mitch Kupchak's phone calls if he honestly felt Deng was untouchable. How the hell are you getting Kobe without giving up Deng? You think Lakers fans would be excited to pay $500 a ticket to see Gordon and Thomas? More importantly, how is Deng untouchable? What am I missing here? He's a very good young player. I like him a lot … but Kobe Bryant is on the table!!!! He's the best player in the league! I can't stop using exclamation points!!!!
Reason No. 12,359 why I love the NBA: Seeing how the Chandler/Wallace thing worked out. To be honest, I just love being right. It happens so rarely. We've reached the point where Joe Dumars should send Christmas gifts to the Paxson family every year with a card that reads, "Thank you for having two sons who allowed me to control the Central Division for most of this decade."
Here's the short answer: Scott Skiles has done a dreadful job of coaching them so far. Let's see, Gordon is the best sixth man in the league, Ty Thomas provides instant energy off the bench … and Skiles is starting both of them??? Whaaaaaaat??? I'm with Sam Smith here -- why not start Ben Wallace, Joe Smith, Andres Nocioni, Deng and Kirk Hinrich, then bring the energy/pace-changing guys (Gordon, Thomas, Thabo Sefolosha and Jo Noah) off the bench? Or would that make too much sense? Once Skiles figures out the minutes, they'll be fine. If he can't figure it out, he'll be gone.
Here's the long answer: Paxson should have kept Tyson Chandler instead of signing Wallace; he should have made sure they had enough contracts to make a run at Kevin Garnett if he ever became available (seriously, how did the Bulls screw that up???); and he never should have even returned Mitch Kupchak's phone calls if he honestly felt Deng was untouchable. How the hell are you getting Kobe without giving up Deng? You think Lakers fans would be excited to pay $500 a ticket to see Gordon and Thomas? More importantly, how is Deng untouchable? What am I missing here? He's a very good young player. I like him a lot … but Kobe Bryant is on the table!!!! He's the best player in the league! I can't stop using exclamation points!!!!
Reason No. 12,359 why I love the NBA: Seeing how the Chandler/Wallace thing worked out. To be honest, I just love being right. It happens so rarely. We've reached the point where Joe Dumars should send Christmas gifts to the Paxson family every year with a card that reads, "Thank you for having two sons who allowed me to control the Central Division for most of this decade."
What an excellent write up and summary.