Why Mullens makes Sense.
by Bullsfanla on Jun 16, 2009 1:04 PM CDT
Email
Print
The worst kept secrets are usually the truth. I scratched by bald head a few times when I heard the news that we had offered BJ Mullens a guarantee with our 16 pick. What about Hansbourgh? What about Blair? Weren't these guys better fits for us and fit that Paxson pedigree?
Mullens is a true center standing over 7 feet tall and tipping the scales at 258. He is said to be an elite athlete for a big man with a strong NBA body. He’s an explosive leaper with big hands and long arms. He runs the floor well and isn’t afraid to finish at the basket with either hand. He has a post game and a jump shot range of up to 15 feet. The knock on the kid is he is said to be very raw and has a limited basketball IQ. He lacks aggression and takes plays off. He needs to improve on his focus, defensive discipline and better rebounding.
What I take from the scouting report is a talented kid that just doesn’t get how good he can be and what it takes to reach his maximum potential. So why would we take that leap of faith at number 16? I think the positive out weights they negative, He definitely fits our need of a big man that can score and give us a presents offensively inside. He won’t need to play big minutes for us next season, splitting time with Noah and Miller. I also think that Noah and Miller can be a positive influence on him, challenging him in practice every day, helping him learn. I think by playing limited minutes the first year, he can contribute some points off the bench while we bring him along at a pace of maybe 10 to 15 minutes a game.
Hopefully by the trade deadline he is good enough to replace Miller, making Miller a valuable trade piece. If not we hope that by playoff time he’s ready to take Brad’s minutes and we don’t have to resign Miller next off season.
I think Hansbourgh will be gone by 16 and Blair’s knees plus my doubts on what shape he can keep himself in make Mullens a very safe pick.
Your thoughts
FanPosts are user-created posts from the BlogABull community, and are to be treated as the opinions and views of that particular user, not that of the blogger or blog community as a whole.
40 comments
|
0 recs |
Do you like this story?
Comments
I think I speak for a few people here
when I say, I think the kid can develop, but not with the coaches in place in Chicago. Neither the motivators nor the teachers are in place on this staff. And if he’s left on his own to ‘develop,’ he obviously won’t reach his potential because he lacks the drive. And if he all ready thinks his game is on par with a KG or Dirk, what’s going to make him work hard? He’s a guy that belongs with Jerry Sloan…
If he never gets better than Bynum is right now,
I’d be satisfied with him at 16. To me, Bynum is the prototypical uber-talented tremendous upside potential big guy who will probably never totally put it together because of limited poise and basketball IQ. As has been said, the chances of getting a cornerstone starter at 16 are nil. Having an inconsistent but potentially game-changing big man at that spot would be AOK.
I'd rather have someone who is consistent from Day 1 and contributes to a winning team
DeJuan Blair may not dramatically improve as a player, but he will always be a tough rebounder. Relying on BJ Mullens to stay motivated and for the coaches to mange his minutes properly is a recipe for disaster. Tyrus Thomas is still struggling to find a role on this team, I really don’t wish that kind of frustration on us and another young player.
That Steve Nash is exactly the same as Kirk Hinrich, but worse.
by NBA Observer on Apr 8, 2009 12:23 PM CDT
by Ozzie Montana on Jun 16, 2009 1:33 PM CDT up reply actions
If Blair's knees weren't an issue, #16 would be a no-brainer
But for me, who cares if Blair can contribute from Day 1? I want someone who will be there 2-3 years from now when we’re ready to make a deep playoff run.
Yeah, I agree.
As long as he’s not a potential headcase- which he’s not- I don’t see a problem taking a change on an athletic 7-footer at 16.
Agreeance.
I’m with you in my priorities, Ozzie, and I’d probably take Hansbrough over Mullens because he’s a sure thing (though with a lower ceiling). If healthy, Blair is also a sure thing (and better than Hansbrough I’d wager). The problem is that it’s a roll of the dice. If you’re going to roll the dice anyway, I’d rather go for the higher upside.
With Blair
We are hoping he stays in shape and his knees don’t give. Plus migdet big man don’t thrive to well if they don’t have a big man beside them. Think Malik Rose without Tim Duncan. I think Mullens is a great pick at 16 and does fit our needs. I think your crazy if you say at 16 we’re getting a guy that can start for us now or come off the bench and give us big minutes. I also think next year is going to be a very rocky year for us, Ben looks like he is gone, so we’re looking at Salmons and Deng trying to mess together with our returning starters. Plus the Kirk situation is still unresolved and I really don’t think we’re getting Bosh or Amare. Unless Tyrus or Noah become 15 and 10 guys I can see us not making the playoffs. So I think the 16 pick should be about filling a hole now but making sure that hole filler has upside. Mullens is that guy.
I agree
If you can’t excel in college, not even a starter, it tell you that he will be far from contributing in the NBA. We already have two projects in TT and Noah. A skilled (not just athletic) player is going to succeed. I would take a chance on Blair and Hanborough(sp?) and skip the unproven talents.
Noah is not a project. He's already a very solid starter.
"Tact is the art of making a point without making an enemy." --Newton
by fundamentallysound on Jun 19, 2009 5:01 PM CDT up reply actions
How high?
My question is how much weed would 3 headed monster of Noah-Miller-Mullens smoke over a course of 1 season?
Mullins seems like the pick for the Bulls.
You might be able to move Tyrus at the 3. That could be a big line up for the Bulls and athletic. If he can score down low as they say he can. You need something to offset Noah and Tyrus. Although Tyrus’s jumper has become fairly consistent he’s not really a three point shooter although he made some 3’s last season.
Rose
Salmons
Thomas
Noah
Mullins
This five would get crushed
You couldn’t spread the floor and you’d have two suspect jump shooters in Noah and Mullens. You’d be asking Rose to create everything.
Chris Paul has shooters to find. Rose has to have shooters too.
Mullens is a real project just like DeAndre Jordan. Jordan did pretty well playing for a bad team with lots of injuries. But he’s still got a long way to go to be effective. I really don’t see Mullens as any different than Jordan.
12/31: Fire Vinny Del Negro.
by NBA Observer on Jun 16, 2009 2:15 PM CDT up reply actions
Agreed
The Bulls don’t have time to sit around and wait for Mullens to develop like they’ve been waiting for Tyrus.
Rumor has it Alex Brown keeps Chris Simms' right index finger in his back pocket for good luck.
In NBA 2K9 I scred 48 points with Jordan
He’s the next Shawn Kemp!
-I was wrong about Pau Gasol. I have been shamed. :(
Of course , this lineup gets crushed next year,
but drafting Mullens is about establishing a player development pipeline, which, heretofore, the Bulls haven’t had. Think San Antonio and Utah for example.
Mullens seems like
a 7ft white version of tyrus thomas…..
On Behalf of Sue, Wjb, majoyenrac, Bullshooter and all the other Hinrich fans...Ill keep the Hinrich Hope coming...There will be light!
White?
People should remember that while they have the right to their opinion, they are not entitled to be taken seriously. --Bruce Bartlett
I don't know whether it's the resorting to race to discern a difference...
…or the offensively-gifted yet raw player who’s shown little to know defensive enthusiasm being compared to Tyrus Thomas, but gosh.
Now, if you said the “opposite” of Tyrus Thomas, you might make sense.
People should remember that while they have the right to their opinion, they are not entitled to be taken seriously. --Bruce Bartlett
i meant in terms of
extremely high cieling, but an extremely low floor, a guy who is gonna be drafted for his physical abilities and what he could potentially do wiht thos physical gifts as opposed to his actual basketball game. By the way its NO not KNOW……
On Behalf of Sue, Wjb, majoyenrac, Bullshooter and all the other Hinrich fans...Ill keep the Hinrich Hope coming...There will be light!
by piccolomair on Jun 16, 2009 10:02 PM CDT up reply actions
But Thomas had TONS more production in college, so it's still not relevant.
People should remember that while they have the right to their opinion, they are not entitled to be taken seriously. --Bruce Bartlett
actually
that statement has no relevence…..if im comparing the two players’ physical gifts to each other and how those gifts give each player a tremendous upside, and that upside is the main luring factor for drafting them, then actual production in college doesnt matter (i,e. Tyrus who had “TONS more production in college” still looks lost in the nba, despite whatever his production you would think that he wasnt drafted in what he was already capable of doing, but what he would be capable of doing. Hence Bj Mullens is being looked at the same way.)
On Behalf of Sue, Wjb, majoyenrac, Bullshooter and all the other Hinrich fans...Ill keep the Hinrich Hope coming...There will be light!
by piccolomair on Jun 17, 2009 12:47 PM CDT up reply actions
The Bulls need a real big man coach.
by Lester A. Wiltfong Jr. on Jun 16, 2009 2:54 PM CDT reply actions
I like Mullens.
He’d make a great offensive backup for Chris Bosh. BOSH LEBRON ROSE Chicago Bulls 2011 Champs!!!!
"You never got me down, Ray. Ya hear me? Never got me down."
-Jake Lamotta
by The Red Menace on Jun 16, 2009 3:29 PM CDT up reply actions
so Sam Smith IS a member of blogabull!
:P
Ben Gordon: Where Cojones Happen. - Gene Wojciechowski
by chibullsfan03 on Jun 17, 2009 12:12 AM CDT up reply actions
ummm...
“What I take from the scouting report is a talented kid that just doesn’t get how good he can be and what it takes to reach his maximum potential. So why would we take that leap of faith at number 16? I think the positive out weights they negative, He definitely fits our need of a big man that can score and give us a presents offensively inside.”
…Eddy Curry??
http://awsomepeoplesearch.com/
Ummm No
Easy Eddy wasn’t as polished on the offensive ends as Mullens is suppose to be. Plus we took Eddy at 3 the year he came out and this kid will go 16. Major difference in pressure and what we’re going to suspect from his output early on. Eddy also was always a big kid with a border line weight problem and Mullens doesn’t have those issues.
No interest in defense? Poor rebounder? Turnover prone and terrible passer?
And he’s not like Eddy? Eddy was at least as polished as Mullens offensively. Eddy could score from Day 1 in the NBA, he just couldn’t do anything else.
Look, at get this much potential at 16
in a crappy draft is terrific. If Blair isn’t there, he’s a terrific option. If Blair is, I still go with him, because I think he can contribute immediately.
The poster formerly known as Freethefro.
Have any of you seen Mullins play?
I saw at least seven or eight Ohio State games this year and am absolutely terrified of the Bulls picking Mullins. He has absolutely no idea what he is doing on the court. His “polished” offensive game is completely non-existent. He does have great hands and can catch and finish but has no polished post game. What scares me most is that Mullins is probably the worst rebounding big man I have ever seen. He has no idea how to box out or position properly. He is a top flight athlete who could turn it around but with the Bulls history of failing to develop big men, I highly doubt he will pan out with us. The only reason I would take him is too package him off in a trade to a team that may find his upside tantalizing.
by smashbrickley on Jun 16, 2009 5:35 PM CDT reply actions 1 recs
A worse rebounder than Eddy Curry?
Q- What does Eddy Curry need to do to rebound better?
A- Scott →Jump
Yes
He is a worse rebounder than Curry. Curry didn’t rebound because he was lazy and couldn’t jump. Mullins is trying, he just has no basketball instincts at all. The worst part is that I don’t know which of those things is worse in the long run.
by smashbrickley on Jun 16, 2009 5:58 PM CDT up reply actions
Yes and I agree with everything you said.
I watched a handful of OSU games this year and was wondering what everyone saw in Mullens. He is a 7 foot waste of space. He is a bad big man that played in the Big Ten, which does not exactly have many solid big men these days. The most notable last 2 big men have come in the past two years from OSU, and they have not exactly panned out so far. Granted, Oden has dealt with injuries and probably figures to be a solid starter. Koufus sucks and that was easy to see once he laced it up with the pros.
I do not want Mullens with the Bulls, and I do not want to draft him based on the potential and his size. He cannot contribute right away and we need someone that is ready to give their all from day 1. Showing up needing to be taught to rebound and run back every possession is not the right direction with our draft picks.
Send Mullens to Des Moines for a year.
"Whoever was responsible for pulling that offer [to Ben Gordon] off the table...bring him before me and I'll punch him right in the face " - Frederick Pfeiffer
by Granny Waiters on Jun 16, 2009 9:29 PM CDT up reply actions
If he's still there bulls should take him
If he does develop he’s right there at the beginning of Rose’s prime, and would easily be considered a steal. Don’t worry about Basketball IQ and drive, this guy is 20 no matter what he’ll learn more about the game we have a full roster of players that are from competitive colleges it’ll rub off on him. His drive will improve after he gets into the league and see what it takes to succeed. And what do you expect from a 16th pick usually a role player, so I don’t mind forgoing a potential role player on a team full of role players for a potential key player. Honestly he shouldn’t be available at 16 off of his body alone, the NBA tends to over think these things we ALL remember who were drafted (and traded) before Amare. But I do feel the bulls should pay close attention to his drive because that’s not teachable, and if they do draft him who here can develop him? Right now the bulls should be worrying about our coaching and development staff more than anything. Patrick Chewing as been amazing with Howard, but do you want him coaching the whole team? will he come as an assistant?
Comments For This Post Are Closed
Secondary Sidebar
User Tools
FanPosts
Community blog posts and discussion.
Recommended FanPosts
Recent FanPosts
In Association With
Ball Don't Lie - NBA - Yahoo! Sport
- Days of NBA Lives: Wherein Roy Hibbert tap-dances to Maine
- Grizzlies Valentine’s Day cards are the key to love
- Kevin Love would like the NBA to take the MLB’s approach on All-Star games
- Kobe Bryant fires a few hilarious salvos at Jeremy Lin
- Brandon Jennings states the obvious regarding his 2014 free agency, everyone goes nuts
Certain photos copyright © 2012 by Associated Press or Getty Images. Any commercial use or distribution without the express written consent of Associated Press and Getty Images is strictly prohibited.
