Starting 5

[RA]

With all the moves made in the offseason  I am wondering what the Bulls starting lineup will look like next season.  Here are the 2 most possible in my oppinion.

PG-Kirk Hinrich
SG-Ben Gordon
SF-Lu Deng
PF-Andres Nocioni
C-Ben Wallace
The Bulls now have enough size where they could start with a small lineup and still adjust if it doesnt work some nights.  This lineup would put the best 5 players the bulls have all on the court at the same time, but it would definetly put them at a size mismatch agaisnt however they play.

PG-Kirk Hinrich
SG-Ben Gordon
SF-Lu Deng
PF-P.J. Brown
C-Ben Wallace
More size with this lineup, but Brown is pretty old and I wonder if he can hold up as a starter.

[BlueDemon]

Yeah, I probably see your second lineup as the most probable.  I don't think Brown has to provide big time minutes, though.  Noce would spell both Deng and PJ as a possible 6th man of the year canidate - he really came on big last year with his 3pt shooting and usual playoff toughness.  He's a gamer to be sure.

Looking forward to the season already....

[Millertime31]

Any chance this guy will be the starting power forward?  I think by mid-season, he could be a starter.  Put him in the middle with Wallace and dare anyone to drive the lane.  Especially with a shorter front court, this is a good combination.  

Brown can come in on the nights when Thomas is struggling.  

Second unit:  Duhon, J.R. Smith, Nocioni, Sweetney & Brown.  This is going to be a good year for the Bulls.  Next year when they add another big free agent and possibly draft Oden, it will be insane.

[cucumberjones]

STARTERS
PG Hinrich
SG JR Smith
SF Luol Deng
PF PJ Brown
C Ben Wallace

BENCH
PG Duhon
SG Gordon
SF Andres Nocioni
PF Tyrus Thomas
C Michael Sweetney

[BlueDemon]

STARTERS
PG Hinrich
SG JR Smith
SF Luol Deng
PF PJ Brown
C Ben Wallace

BENCH
PG Duhon
SG Gordon
SF Andres Nocioni
PF Tyrus Thomas
C Michael Sweetney

 :shock: That sound you just heard was Gordon taking his basketball and going home.  At this point, JR Smith still needs to prove he can play under Skiles to earn his minutes.  His suspension last year and span of time he and Scott weren't even talking doesn't bode well.  We'll have to wait and see.  At this point, Smith is probably a 15 minutes a game guy with a chance to elevate his role if he proves he can practice hard and keep the punk attitude to a minimum.  It won't fly with Skiles+Pax.

[smashbrickley]

I know this lineup won't actually happen, but I think it would solve a lot of their problems.

PG: Hinrich
SG: Sefolosha
SF: Deng
PF: Sweetney
C: Wallace

Bench: Duhon, Gordon, Nocioni, Thomas, Brown, Khrypa, Smith

With this starting lineup, the Bulls have their big defense stopper at SG, who can also drive to the basket.  Also, Sweetney provides some post skills for the 20-25 minutes he can play every game.  Coming off the bench you have two high energy guys in Gordon and Nocioni who can give the team some spark.  Also, with this scenario Brown can fill in the minutes Wallace takes off, while Thomas can play around 20 minutes a night at PF to develop.

[cucumberjones]

That is just my lineup prediction by the end of the year. Who knows what it will be like at the start of the season, and who cares. JR Smith is a 30 minute a game guy and a very talented scorer. He is capable of playing defense and if he wants minutes in Chicago, he will HAVE to play defense. It's just my prediction.

[RA]

I am not sure about JR Smith he seems a very likely candidate for the bulls yearly just take your money and leave us alone award.  Previous winners include Eddie Robinson and Tim Thomas.

[Chri§ ßo§h 4]

Yeah Agree. He isn't starting for the Bulls this year.

[vabeachbear]

Am I the only one who thinks its weird that you haven't heard from JR Smith yet. I mean, Big Ben, PJ Brown, Tyson Chanlder all have talked about the trades. No word from JR Smith, no stories in any Chicago papers about him.

I understand that Pax and Skiles can't talk about anything until Wed, but I think its weird that Smith isn't saying anything, and no reporters are chasing him for his comments. Even checked NO papers, nothing.

Something tells me he isn't going to see training camp. Think there might be another deal that no one is talking about. Heard some mention in stories that Pax might not be done yet. Pretty much assume any future deal includes Smith.

I'd actually like them to bring him in and see if they can't get him to play. Always can use someone off the bench who can light it up. Has size at the sg as well.

[BlueDemon]

Am I the only one who thinks its weird that you haven't heard from JR Smith yet. I mean, Big Ben, PJ Brown, Tyson Chanlder all have talked about the trades. No word from JR Smith, no stories in any Chicago papers about him.

I understand that Pax and Skiles can't talk about anything until Wed, but I think its weird that Smith isn't saying anything, and no reporters are chasing him for his comments. Even checked NO papers, nothing.

Something tells me he isn't going to see training camp. Think there might be another deal that no one is talking about. Heard some mention in stories that Pax might not be done yet. Pretty much assume any future deal includes Smith.

I'd actually like them to bring him in and see if they can't get him to play. Always can use someone off the bench who can light it up. Has size at the sg as well.

Actually, I did see a quote in a newspaper (either Chicago or NO based) from Smith's dad saying it looked like exactly the right situation from his son or words to that effect.  Of course he's going to say that, though.

I agree, though, that he's prime trade bait at this point as he doesn't seem to fit the Skiles/Pax mold of hard practice guys who know their role and don't b*tch about playing time.  See: Tim Thomas.

[Spree15V]

Starting 5 will be
Hinrich
Gordon
Deng
Nocioni(will play SF most of game though)
Ben

JR,Brown,Thomas and Duhon wll take care of the bench

[lungi101]

If you guys can remember back to this past seasons trading deadline: J.R. Smith was traded to the spurs, BUT the trade was rescended because it was completed 10 minutes after the trade deadline.

Lets fast forward: Javtoks, who is a slick shooting big man and a property of San Antone, just reached an agreement with a greek team and will not be coming to our shores to play for the spurs this year. Therefore, I would not be surprise if the bulls offer his rights or the rights to Luis Scola (argentinian PF) and package it with a 2nd rounder & cash considerations to pry J.R. from the bulls. If Pax can pull this off, we just have to rename him he Anti-Krause!!!

Here is my lineup if the following things happen: our rookies make strides to be contributing rotation players by mid season, and is on average no more than 2 injuries to our core players through the season.

PG Heinrih, Duhan
SG Gordan, Safalocha
SF Deng, Karyapa
PF Noch, Thomas
C Wallace, Brown

(for those who think brown can start- remember he is OOOLD, and has been asking for a reduction in minutes and role since last year)

[cucumberjones]

I don't know what you just said, but I don't think I agree.

[lakerfanryan8]

why not have brown start? Nocioni is a 3