Camp Stories: Central
The last time Chicago Bulls fans saw their team in the playoffs, Michael Jordan was leaping in celebration in front of a stunned Delta Center crowd as Chicago beat the Jazz and sealed its sixth championship in eight seasons.
It's been a long, dreary six years since that epic conclusion to Jordan's Bulls career. Since then, the franchise has been searching for the right plan to revive the glory of a bygone era.
John Paxson, who enters his second season as the Bulls' general manager, faces a dilemma that many of his colleagues also will encounter as high school players continue to flock to the NBA: what to do with unproven yet promising talent.
There is no doubting the potential of Tyson Chandler and Eddy Curry. Chandler is a high flyer who runs like a deer and has the length and body type of Kevin Garnett. Curry is a legitimate center who moves well, has a soft touch and can dominate the low post. The thought of the two of them thriving together on the front line is tantalizing.
The problem for Paxson is that each becomes a restricted free agent at the end of the season, and in their first three seasons, neither has shown the necessary development or leadership to lead the Bulls out of the lottery. Chandler has had back problems and has struggled to find an offensive game; Curry has been overweight and lackadaisical defensively.
But Paxson must constantly remind himself that these two youngsters are barely old enough to order a drink. They still are extremely young and eventually could fulfill the promise that so many people see in them. But Paxson may have to make a major financial decision on each of them before he truly knows what he has. There is risk either way. He could give them long-term contracts and watch them become busts, or he could trade them away only to see them develop into stars.
Not every high schooler who enters the league becomes an instant star, like Garnett or Kobe Bryant. But Portland gave up on Jermaine O'Neal too early, and now he's one of the top players in the league with the Pacers. Paxson, like other GMs around the league, is wary of giving up too soon on his young studs. At the same time, sooner or later they have to start showing some development and maturity.
In a Central Division that boasts battle-tested veteran teams in Indiana and Detroit, Chicago's young crew most likely will continue to struggle while it learns. But the potential is there.
Chandler and Curry are joined by terrific second-year guard Kirk Hinrich and rookies Ben Gordon, Luol Deng and Andres Nocioni, a tough Argentinean. Paxson must decide if this group eventually will figure out how to win. This season should go a long way in helping him come to a determination one way or the other.
KERR'S THREE POINTS
1. Antonio McDyess signed a three-year deal with the Detroit Pistons to fortify an already strong defensive front line, and if he stays healthy, he'll be a huge addition to the club. He is very good defensively and has the maturity to slide right into a complementary role on a championship team. The Pistons are scary defensively – they're quick, deep and relentless. McDyess makes them even scarier.
2. Luke Jackson could play a big role in the Cleveland Cavaliers' plans. The rookie swingman from Oregon is big, physical and an excellent shooter and scorer. As LeBron James continues to improve, he'll need teammates like Jackson to help open up the floor and keep defenses honest. Jackson's foot speed is deceptive, and he has a nasty streak about him that Cavaliers fans will love. Keep an eye on him.
3. It remains to be seen whether T.J. Ford will return from a scary neck injury that ended his rookie season prematurely and threatened his career. The lightning-quick point guard is a one-man press break, and the Milwaukee Bucks really missed him in the playoffs trying to deal with the Pistons' pressure defense. Milwaukee was the surprise team of the East a year ago, and it will be difficult for Terry Porter's squad to duplicate last season's effort without a healthy Ford.
