I mean, who really knows….the Bulls have a lot of talent, they are just mostly young. We have a billion trade assets, but right now aren’t doing anything because the Gordon situation isn’t yet settled. We have a gluttony of guards, but they are all pretty decent guards (even Hughes, who folks hate, has a lot of talent, just doesn’t play team ball and most importantly makes too much money).

Sure we don’t have a natural threat down low, but who knows what strength training would do for Tyrus and mechanics work on Noah could bring….they are young players.

The distraction of Deng AND Gordon’s contracst will be over with (Deng’s for sure, Gordon might have to put up or sit).

The coaching carosel won’t happen next year, and while Vinny’s a rookie coach at all levels, he has some of the best assistants possible at his side. Vinny was a decent player for a guy with limited talents, and it seems often those kinds of guys make for the best coaches (Phil Jackson, etc).....we’ll just have to see.

I think the team will be more focused than last year. Definately improved in talent getting rid of the real cap killer (Big Ben) and getting 1 more than serviceable not a star Gooden and 1 great athlete not a team player (Hughes).

THe guard logjam should it remain will be an issue, but I expect HInrich will be gone by the start or trade deadline.

The rest of the roster is pretty fine, young talented, weak offensively down low, but we have more than enough potential upside weapons.

Burns himself said we’re a hard team to quantify…..who knows what we have. The whole East is pretty much a question mark. I’m not high on the Pacers, I do think the Raptors will drastically improve, and I think the Magic will take a mild step back losing their PG depth and focusing too much on the seriously overpaid Nelson. Kirk whether a Bull or not will at least get back to his 1-4 yr production and be a solid defender again, Noc will be a sparkplug for our team….we’ll be better than we seem on paper because of the athleticism all over this team.

We’re young though, so there are many many questions. Still I predict we’ll at least slide into the playoffs with an 8th seed worst, and a 5th seed best.

So many experts picked them to be contenders, which obviously turned out to be a pretty bad prediction – I think this year they’ll be overly pessimistic about the team. Sure, it’s a possibility they’re horrible if a VDN is on the awful end of rookie coaches and Rose develops incredibly slowly and the guard glut is never resolved, and it seems like Burns’ ranking made those assumptions. On the other hand, all of that could turn out to be a non-issue and the team really bounces back – but who’s really going to take that track outside of hopeful Chicago fans after last year.

Personally, without knowing the final roster or having any idea of what injuries will do to teams this year, I can see anything from 6th to 11th. I think they’re better than the Bobcats, Bucks, Nets, and Knicks for sure.

lets see the opening day roster first.

Season preview time! Keyword search: (“Vinny” or “rookie”) and (“Aldridge” and “Bulls”) and (“Asshole” or “MVN” or “Ballhype”).

”...... But the Knicks have been limited to minor changes in personnel, adding Chris Duhon (formerly of the Bulls)....”

knicks, bobcats, and the heat… im not too sure about that.
and wat a drop for the pistons. wow.

Remember a year ago this time, Bulls were projected to win the East, and went on to have a bum season not even making the playoffs.

Now, this writer says dead last. Therefore anything better is a successful season? I guess?

The team as constructed today, minus Gordon or QO Ben, doesn’t excite me as a fan. Scoring will be a problem, and winning games in the NBA isn’t easy. Paxson needs to make a significant trade, and the coaching situation will be a challenge for better or worst? Time will tell.
I predict firing Paxson will happen sometime within the next 10 months as a means to tell fans we made some mistakes and now we want to make positive changes in another direction.

I think this is a better team than last year if we retain Gordon. On the other hand, you have to figure other teams have improved too.

Every team I can see, except maybe the Nets and the Hawks, have some legitimate reason to expect themselves to be better than they were last year.

Ridnour was the starting PG when Ray Allen had 3 of his best 4 seasons, and as a starter,R.Lewis had all 3 of his best years while Ridnour was at the lead…so,I see Skiles as a proven coach simply out-coaching VDN in head to head competition,and then he does have comparable players on the wing as Ridnour would be used to in Redd and Jefferson…so,I hate to ever admit that Mil. would be better than the Bulls,but they already got rid of a problem by seperating Redd and Mo…so,addittion by subtraction has already started in Milwaukee,and we are still trying to figure out what to do with BG and all the scrub ass big men are going to teams with established low post games…e.g. Elson(Mil.),Powell(Lakers),Ratliff(Philly)…so,because the Bulls won’t do anything until BG is settled,we pretty much know our roster unless we take a chance on Elton Brown as a Big after we settle BG if a smarter team doesn’t make that move first!