When the Chicago Bulls drafted Michael Jordan in 1984 they hit the jackpot. On his way to becoming the best player in basketball history, Jordan led the Bulls to six championships as the team became one of the biggest money makers in all of sports. It wouldn't be far fetched to say that the Bulls were the best professional sports team of the 90's, however things have taken a serious nose dive since Jordan's departure from the team.
When Jordan retired for a second time in 1998, the Bulls dynasty was dismantled, and they looked to rebuild the team through youth. After five or so miserable years following the Jordan era, the 'Baby Bulls' seemed like they were on the way back to the top. They had a good nucleus of young players who led the team to three straight playoff appearances from 2005 to 2007. Going into this season, most fans considered them a major force in the East, while some 'experts' even had them making the Finals. Something happened however, and everything once again unraveled on the Chicago Bulls. This season the Bulls have been highly inconsistent. They fired their coach, traded away their most recognizable player, and will be headed to the lottery with a record that currently stands at 15 games under .500.
So what happened? Well, I think it's easy to say that the Bulls management has done a horrible job. They've drafted poorly, have been unable to attract big name free agents, and have been unwilling to pull the trigger on blockbuster trades. Let's take a look back at some of the horrendous mistakes the Bulls have made over the last ten years.
-Here's a list of players the Bulls have picked in the first round since 1999: Elton Brand, Ron Artest, Marcus Fizer, Tyson Chandler, Eddy Curry, Jay Williams, Kirk Hinrich, Ben Gordon, Lamarcus Aldridge, and Joakim Noah.
Not horrible picks, with the exception of Marcus Fizer, but can anyone else see the problem here? Only three out of those ten picks remain in a Bulls uniform. The best of the bunch is Elton Brand who was traded to the Clippers for the second overall pick in the 2001 draft. That pick turned out to be Tyson Chandler who was traded a few year later for P.J. Brown, J.R. Smith and cap space. Brand has gone on to be one of the best big men in the NBA, and Chandler has developed into a great asset for the Hornets, as a tough defender and one of the leagues best rebounders. Artest has had his issues, but the Bulls dumped him before he developed into a ferocious defender who can score from almost anywhere on the court. We can't fault the Bulls for what happened to Jay Williams when he suffered a career ending motorcycle accident, but you can fault them for trading Lamarcus Aldridge for Tyrus Thomas. Aldridge appears to be on his way to a great career. He's shown leadership for a young team and is averaging close to 18 points a game, and seven boards. Meanwhile, Thomas is averaging six points a game, and doing a great job of looking like a stereotypical spoiled athlete.
So, what do the Bulls have to show from ten years of early draft picks? Well, Kirk Hinrich who's proving he doesn't have what is takes to play the point for a good team, Ben Gordon who can't play defense, and may have already plateaued, and Joakim Noah, who's to early to judge, but so far this season he's been benched for acting like a punk.
To add insult to injury here's a list of players that the Bulls passed on in the 2001 NBA draft when they selected Eddy Curry fourth overall: Jason Richardson, Shane Battier, Joe Johnson, Richard Jefferson, Gerald Wallace, and Tony Parker. Ouch!
-So, if you can't get it done in the draft, then there's always free agency, right? Wrong! The summer of 2000 was one of the richest free agent pools ever with the likes of Tim Duncan, Tracy McGrady, Grant Hill, and Eddie Jones up for grabs. The Bulls had targeted each of these players, but were unsuccessful, either because their purse strings were too tight, or because the players just didn't want to play there. So instead of nailing down a franchise player they ended up signing Brad Miller and Ron Mercer. The Bulls decided to stay away from any major free agents the next few years while their young talent developed. It took a few more years for the Bulls to make any type of 'splash' in the free agent market, until they signed four time defensive player of the year Ben Wallace to a four year, $60 million dollar contract. The Bulls were criticized for paying this much money to a guy who is offensively challenged. The critics were right. Wallace was a flop, as his skills disappeared, he quarrelled with the coach over a headband, and was traded in February.
-With all their young talent, and early draft picks the Bulls have constantly come up in trade rumours. For years, they were the likely destination for the likes of Kevin Garnett, Pau Gasol, and Jermaine O'Neil. The teams went back and fourth with trade packages, but the Bulls were unwilling to deal. This summer, it was all but assured Kobe Bryant was on his way to the windy city, but once again, the Bulls couldn't get it done. Blockbuster trades became a trend in the NBA this season, and the Bulls were no where close to obtaining a game changing player. It appears that the Bulls won't have a chance to deal for a franchise player anytime soon, as their young talent hasn't turned out to be as talented as they'd hope.
What else is there left for these Bulls to do? The draft hasn't worked, they couldn't nail down any stud free agents, and they've been too scared to pull the trigger on a major deal. Sure, they've been dealt their fair share of bad luck, but management has done a pathetic job building this once great team. They should start by firing their GM John Paxson. Sitting back and waiting for young talent to develop has grown old in Chicago. It's not working, and it's time to try something new. And if all else fails, I hear Scottie Pippen is looking for work.
-Joe Osborne
