Hey, the Bulls are on today

July 7th, 2008 | Posted by PostmanE

The NBA summer league is not all that important to anyone. I doubt even Derrick Rose and Michael Beasley will deem it important tonight, though maybe they will. Who knows. What I do know is that while most teams sit almost everyone of interest while the most marginal of NBA players get 35 minutes a game, the Bulls are different. They have a new coach with no experience, a team full of young athleticism, and oh yeah, Derrick Rose.

In other words, the Bulls’ summer league is going to be pretty cool.

Today — the game starts at 4 p.m. central, streaming here — I’m predicting four things:

1. Derrick Rose will look every bit as fast as he did in college.
2. Tyrus Thomas will do one amazing thing, and one incredibly stupid thing.
3. Joakim Noah will scream at least five times.
4. Vinny Del Negro won’t even try to call a play.

If those four things happen, we might have Nadal-Federer-level genius at hand. Or not.

Michael Beasley: Sauve comedian or surly looney toon?

June 17th, 2008 | Posted by PostmanR

Initially, when the Bulls lucked into the first pick of the upcoming NBA Draft, I was sign, sealed and delivered on Michael Beasley. I had seen him enough during the college season to know the dude is an absolute beast, but he’s a beast with finesse and can hit the outside shot. He was the inside presence the Bulls had been missing for so long. (And he’s a lefty … just like me!)

But as everyone began to slurp Derrick Rose, it became apparent having a surefire point guard on your squad might be a better move both for the immediate here and now of this team, and in somewhat distant future as well. And don’t forget, Beasley played for and attended 33434334335 different high schools, so he has those dreaded character issues. (BUM BUM BUM.)

But it’s no secret the cat can bring in while talking to the media. To wit from an interview at the Berto Center after working out for the Bulls today:

-Asked about measuring 6-foot-8 at the pre-draft camp rather than his previously listed 6-10: “I’m a little disappointed to find out I’m actually a midget.”

-Asked if he can you succeed at the NBA level like he did in high school and college: “Depends if I like the coach.”

-Asked what he knew about other Bulls players: “They got one Jayhawk that I’ll have to work really hard to get along with.”

-Asked if he saw Bulls GM John Paxson play: “I’m not that old.”

[ … ]

What everyone really wants to know is whether the possible No. 1 pick in the 2008 NBA Draft has the potential to dress up in leather and be a fixture at Chicago’s Excalibur nightclub just as another Bulls power forward once did. (He even has a subtle Rodman look, doesn’t he?) They want to know if “personality” really means “mischievous.” They wonder if “curious” means “bound for trouble.”

[ … ]

That’s one interpretation. One scout recently said of Beasley, “If you look into his eyes, you’ll see Looney Toons playing inside his head.”

Whether or not the Bulls select Beasley come draft day, I’m definitely going to be following this guy’s career closely. If nothing else, he makes for perfect Free Darko fodder.

Doug Collins is just as slow as you remember

May 30th, 2008 | Posted by PostmanE

No, not mentally slow. By all accounts, Dougie Fresh — that nickname’s not good enough, either; I’ll keep working on this — is a pretty brilliant basketball mind with the communicative ability to match. Dougie’s slowness is his coaching style, his pace, which John Hollinger calls out today. For fans of uptempo basketball, this is a bad sign:

Collins might be the most extreme slow-pace coach in the past quarter century. I’m amazed nobody has brought this up yet — the guy makes Jeff Van Gundy look like Paul Westhead. His Bulls were the league’s slowest-paced team in 1986-87 and 1987-88, even with Michael Jordan at the peak of his athleticism. Scottie Pippen became a starter in 1988-89, yet Collins had the Bulls playing at the third-slowest pace in the NBA. His Pistons, with a young Grant Hill, were the league’s second-slowest team in both seasons Collins coached in Detroit. And his Wizards were 26th and 27th out of 29 teams in his two years at the helm in Washington.

Exciting! If the Bulls take Derrick Rose, and unless Joey Dorsey’s peerless reportage proves true, they will, the Bulls absolutely should not be slowing down the pace. They should be running at every possible opportunity: Rose utilizing his high dribble stride to get into space; Ben Gordon spotting up in the corner; Tyrus Thomas filling free throw-line extended; Joakim Noah sprinting to the block to collect the mess. Wow. Dear God that sounds awesome. Excuse me for a minute.

/wipes sweat off brow, collects self

Anyway. If the Bulls take Rose, the slowest coach in the past 20 years is not what they need. They need Mike D’Antoni. D’oh.

Fuck. Ing. Awe. Some.

May 20th, 2008 | Posted by PostmanE

Every time the Bulls have a year that’s totally indefensible in every single regard, they turn around and win the fucking lottery …

… and TOTALLY REDEEM THEMSELVES.

No. 1 overall pick. Let the Michael Beasley-Derrick Rose debate begin, though, given the Bulls current lineup, it’s hard to see how Rose would benefit them more than Beasley. Hinrich is just fine, and this team has needed a frontcourt scorer since whenever. And now one just landed in their laps. Hell. Yes.

Update: OK, so now that I’ve had a little time to calm down and think about this — and be sufficiently upbraided by two of my closest friends, who took offense not only to my preference for Michael Beasley but for the swear word in the headline (my apologies, you fucking douchebags) — I realize I may have jumped the gun declaring Beasley the newest Bull. I do think the Bulls have the chance to benefit more marginally from drafting Beasley, given Hinrich’s contract. But Derrick Rose’s ability to become an all-NBA point guard shouldn’t be denied. His ceiling is Chris Paul, and we’ve seen the way Paul has taken David West and Tyson Chandler and some other dudes to the cusp of playoff greatness. Rose could be that.

I’d be just as happy with Beasley as I would be with Rose, both in the short term and over the long haul. Anyway, this is an excellent problem to have.

Update No. 2: BlogaBull’s Beasley-or-Rose poll is, after 583 votes, 71 percent in favor of Derrick Rose. Not nearly as 50-50 as I would have assumed.

Michael Beasley rolls with 4 cell phones

March 11th, 2008 | Posted by PostmanR

It’s that time of year again when every top college recruit in the country says they’re staying (see: O.J. Mayo)  or claims they don’t know what they’re doing yet (see: Michael Beasley). We love college! We’re staying! (Yes, sure you do, Greg Oden and Kevin Durant.) Beasley, numbers wise at a staggering 26 and 12 per, is the top freshman in the land and the Washington Times (via TBL) ran one of those, “everyone is asking me if I’m going pro” profiles today. Tucked at the beginning of the piece is this little bit of info as he was prepping for a “Best Damn Sports Show” appearance:

A minor problem could turn into a major malfunction if college basketball’s best freshman can’t hear the questions from a panel that includes former NBA point guard Gary Payton.

As technicians work to fix the audio, the familiar cell phone buzz emanates from the right pocket of Beasley’s black Adidas pants.

“All cell phones off please,” the camerawoman says.

Out of Beasley’s pockets come four devices: an iPhone, a T-Mobile Sidekick, a Verizon LG phone and a Sprint BlackBerry. The static disappears, and he conducts the interview.

Oh come on now, of course those aren’t all his. He was holding them for a friend. And even if they were all his — all top of the line cell phones, might I add — of course he’s paying for them all. This is college basketball, after all. Nothing to see here. Move along.