Fixing the Bulls - the Backcourt

Tuesday, we started with an introduction of what the Bulls needed to do this off-season to make a jump to the upper echelon of NBA teams. Yesterday, we dealt with the frontcourt. Today, I address the backcourt.

The Bulls backcourt is truly the nucleus of the team. Kirk Hinrich, Ben Gordon, and Luol Deng (I consider him backcourt because he isn’t a real banger) are three guys who form a solid core that is, at times, spectacular. Hinrich is a tenacious defender with a solid jumper and he knows how to run a team. Gordon definitely has scoring ability and I think that it’s pretty obvious that he’s a clutch player. Deng is on the verge of becoming a superstar. Right now, however, only Deng has the potential to be a cornerstone player. Neither Gordon nor Hinrich is a true lead guard who can always be counted on to get a shot; and in a perfect world, they’d be able to work off of a dominant big man who can find them either cutting to the basket or spotting up for three (this brings us back to our first problem). Furthermore, you can’t seriously expect to contend for a title when it’s a necessity that these 3 each score around 20 to have a chance to win.

Defensively, Hinrich is great, Deng is adequate, and Gordon is generally atrocious. Against teams with big guards (like the Pistons), the Bulls are at a distinct disadvantage. Gordon’s struggles force Hinrich to stick the bigger guard, which in turn can wear Hinrich out to the point where he is a non-factor offensively. Thabo Sefolosha has the ability to be a shut-down defender (and contribute some on offense), but his spotty playing time this past season didn’t do a whole lot for his development. I can see Thabo developing a game akin to a better Doug Christie – a tough defender who can score if needed. Ultimately, Sefolosha might not be a starter but his development will be important if the Bulls hope to contend.

For the Bulls to be successful next season, Sefolosha’s development is key. He provides a defender that can man up on bigger guards, which allows Hinrich or Gordon to focus their energies on chasing point guards rather than physically confronting twos. And while I like Gordon, I think he’s the most tradable of the bunch. He’s a proven scorer, but not much else. If there are any serious trade talks that call for Gordon (without Deng), I think Paxson has to seriously consider it.