The 2006 Chicago Bulls

The Chicago Bulls are hoping that their group of young stars in the making step up in 2006 to take over the Central Division lead from the Pistons. One move that bodes well for them was the acquisition of Pistons center Ben Wallace through free agency, giving Coach Scott Skiles a reliable big man and leaving the Pistons concerned about their interior. The Bulls also drafted well, getting big shooting guard Thabo Sefolosha and promising young forward Tyrus Thomas. The key for the Bulls will be how well the young group meshes around Wallace in the middle and whether they can repeat their upstart efforts in 2005.

Front Court- The front court of the Bulls will revolve around new acquisition and perennial Defensive Player of the Year candidate Ben Wallace. Wallace is 32, but has a spring in his step and can still swat away all comers. Wallace will have a plethora of talent around him, though Skiles has to determine which lineup works best. The acquisition of veteran power forward P.J. Brown gives them a good option alongside Wallace in the paint, though it seems more likely that Brown will come off the bench as a sixth man. The lineup that worked by most accounts included forwards Luol Deng and Andres Nociani, who can score off the dribble and provide enough rebounding not to be liabilities. If Deng and Nociani can be consistent performers, they will stay in the starting lineup all season long. Wallace, Deng, and Nociani will likely turn into a match up headache for most teams and will allow the back court to put up some shots.

Back Court- Point guard Kirk Hinrich and shooting guard Ben Gordon are young players who are not even close to their prime. This is bad news for Eastern Conference teams and the rest of the NBA because Gordon and Hinrich led the team in scoring and provide good defense and passing. Hinrich is turning into one of the better point guards in the NBA and Gordon will be a prolific scorer over his career. Look for a lot of passing to the interior and kicking out for open shots. Wallace, not the most potent offensive threat, is still good enough to pass it back out and draw in some defense from the three point line.

Bench- The Bulls bench is outstanding and if they can maintain this type of depth for the next decade, more championships are in the future. Forward P.J. Brown is hard working player on the interior who can score and rebound, giving Chicago depth at a position they have been woeful at over the last five years. Point guard Chris Duhon is a solid back up to Hinrich who can distribute and push it up the floor when needed. Rookies Thabo Sefolosha and Tyrus Thomas will get in the mix, with Skiles able to go slow with both while they develop. If both can give play well in the minutes they do get, look for the Bulls to quickly move up the Eastern Conference ladder.

Intangibles- General manager John Paxson, a legend in his own right during the Bulls' incredible run in the 1990s, has made a name for himself as an excellent evaluator of talent. Paxson has brought in corner stone pieces like guards Kirk Hinrich and Ben Gordon, along with a veteran like Wallace, to make for a dynamic and exciting team to watch. On the bench, Coach Skiles is fiery and has a good rapport with his players, giving the Bulls a good chemistry for the next few years. Skiles is capable of getting role players to step up big and with more talent on his squad in 2006, Bulls fans are going to continue flocking back to Bulls games. The United Center should rock again, with the same spirit as the Bulls teams of Jordan, Pippen and Paxson.

2006 NBA Projection- The Chicago Bulls have a ways to go to be a championship contender, if only because they still have a lot of youth on this roster. With winners like Wallace and Brown coming into the franchise, the Bulls will mature quickly and will be able to narrowly bounce the Pistons from their spot at the top of the Central Division. Expect 50-53 wins from the Bulls.