Team Outlook: Chicago is coming off a successful post-trade-deadline rally and a great 7-game series against the defending champions. 2008 #1 pick Derrick Rose appears to be the team's first true star player since MJ, and there is some good talent around him in Joakim Noah, John Salmons, Kirk Hinrich and Luol Deng who will return next season to counterbalance the likely loss of free agent Ben Gordon. While the media (and many fans) continue to call for major trades, I think the team is on solid ground without moving anyone.
Draft Needs: Chicago only played 7 players down the strech in 2009. Among them, Gordon is an unrestricted free agent, and Brad Miller will not be able to play extended minutes due to age. The Bulls' two draft picks (#'s 16 & 26 overall) will be needed to provide depth immediately to help return the team to the playoffs. Expect Chicago to select a big man with one pick and a guard with the other. The depth of guards being much stronger this year, it is likely they will pick the big man at #16 and the guard here at #27. John Paxson has shown a dedication to prioritizing players from top-performing programs, so don't be shocked to see more players with Final Four experience selected this year.
Possible Picks: Wayne Ellington (UNC), Nick Calathes (FL), Darren Collison (UCLA), Derrick Brown (Xavier), Danny Green (UNC)
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