Say it With Me: Vinny…Del…Negro

Signs your favorite team has made an awful decision:

1) When my first memory upon hearing Vinny Del Negro is him running off the court with Mr. Mickey Mouse voice Avery Johnson in the 1996 movie, Eddie, starring Whoopi Goldberg.
2) When the coach you just hired has yet to hold the title of: Head coach, assistant coach, advanced scout or even video dude.
3) When your new coach spent just one year as the Phoenix Suns director of player personnel in 2006 and one more glorious year as the assistant general manager the next season.
4) When you would rather think about who The Mole is than your new coach.
5) When your organization announces the hiring of your new coach and its Vinny Del Negro.

Is this for real? Did the Chicago Bulls really just hire Vinny Del Negro???

I can hear it now, the Bulls P.A. announcer on opening night saying, “And the Bulls are coached by…who? This guy? Vinny Del Negro? Bring back Skiles!”

The Bulls gave Del Negro a 2-year deal worth $2 million annually. If that doesn’t scream confidence, I don’t know what does.

Remember the scene in “The Office” when Dwight is trying describe a marijuana user? He lists the qualities of a user and mentions “slow moving” and “shows a lack of motivation?” Well, he might as well been describing this organization.

They were too lazy and too slow to sign Mike D’Antoni, even though they wanted him to take the team to the next level, but then they don’t make an offer, assuming he’ll just wait it out and not be wowed by a lucrative offer from say, oh, the New York Knicks. Then reports leaked that General Manager John Paxson was very interested in hiring former Bulls coach and current TNT analyst Doug Collins. That led to this: “His feeling was, ‘I could never fire you. I care about you too much,’ Collins said about Bulls Owner Jerry Reinsdorf. And I said, ‘Well, Jerry, then we can't get into a job where that is even a thought.’”

So let me get this straight — Reinsdorf didn’t want to have to fire Collins in the future because the two enjoy long walks on the beach, but it was A-OK to can Skiles last Christmas Eve?

Pardon my tears.

The Bulls could have waited one more week and tried to hire respected Celtics assistant coach Tom Thibodeau who is in his 19th year of coaching in the NBA. Now Chicago must surround Del Negro with good assistant coaches, and word is former Orlando Magic coach Brian Hill will be in the running. With or without experienced assistant coaches, the fact remains that Del Negro has never drawn up a play, called a timeout or even worn a suit to a game.

Despite the recent success of first-year head coaches with no coaching experience (Larry Bird and Doc Rivers), if someone told me a week ago that Vinny Del Negro would be coaching an NBA team this year I would have laughed in that person’s face. Funny how things work.

If I can take any piece of positive energy from this debacle it’s this: Steve Kerr, Del Negro’s former boss said, “"The only reason I didn't consider him is he didn't have coaching experience and I felt that was important for a veteran team. We don't have a young team like the Bulls. He was really impressive in the interview process.” Unfortunately, when the only positive thing I can come up with is that he was a good interviewer, this can’t be good.

Prior to this summer I trusted Paxson. His great mind for the game and dedication to winning were obvious from the get-go. But this is getting ridiculous. Why don’t we just tell Jerry Krause to come back and tear apart another team? Or, just bring back Dalibor Bagaric, for old times sake. That’s pretty much what Paxson is doing — sending this team in the wrong direction.

If the drawn-out and laughable coaching search is any sign of what is to come on draft night, don’t get too attached to Rose or Beasley.

-Pros

Beasley or Rose? Let the debate begin!

With the Bulls set to introduce (hopefully, for the third time!) their new head coach, current Phoenix Suns assistant general manager Vinny Del Negro, the talk in Chicago will quickly and smoothly transition to the focus of the off-season, the NBA Draft. Both of us take a moment to look at the likely top two picks in this year’s draft, Kansas State forward Michael Beasley and Memphis point guard Derrick Rose and who we each feel would fit better with this current Bulls team. Please feel free to share your thoughts!


Pros on Beasley:

Last year hurt.

Never in recent memory has an NBA team been so promising and come up so short. Experts had Chicago in the Eastern Conference Finals and they failed to play a game in the postseason. The Bulls finished 33-49, their worst season since 2003-04. They finished fourth in the Central Division, behind the Indiana Pacers. Blah.

On Christmas Eve, General Manager John Paxson and the Bulls got with the holiday spirit and fired head coach Scott Skiles, ultimately ending the season before the new year. Interim head coach Jim Boylan had no chance, let’s be honest.

Going into the off-season, there were countless questions surrounding next year’s team. Who’s the new coach? What do you do with Ben Gordon and Luol Deng, both of whom turned down five-year contract extensions worth $50 million last fall.

But never in general manager John Paxson’s wildest dreams did he think he’d have to answer this question: Rose or Beasley?

For as great of a situation Paxson is in, he better pull the string on the right guy or Chicago fans may stop showing up to the United Center, especially after the organization’s failure to land former Phoenix Suns head coach Mike D’Antoni and TNT analyst and former Bulls head coach Doug Collins.

So who do the Bulls pick? When the Bulls landed the number one selection this question began to fuel much debate. People were genuinely considering both players, but most of the media and most Chicagoans are rooting for Rose. Why? He’s the hometown kid, he’s faster than any point guard in the league, he’s a leader and he could be a franchise player for the next 12 years. Rose’s excitement and ability to entertain fans has blocked out the common sense that comes with drafting former Kansas State standout Michael Beasley.

Since the departure of, dare I say, the formidable Eddy Curry after the 2005 season, Chicago has lacked any type of low-post presence on the offensive end. The one-dimensional product is one of the main reasons the Bulls floundered this past year because when your guys stop hitting jump shots in an offense based around hitting jump shots, you’re in big trouble. This has been the Bulls biggest problem and drafting Derrick Rose doesn’t solve it.

Beasley is everything the Bulls need — a proven scorer that can put the ball in the basket against double or triple teams. He’s a beast on the boards and someone who can change the game from the paint. Beasley averaged 26.2 points per game and 12.4 rebounds per game during his freshmen year. Both sets of numbers beat Kevin Durant’s output at Texas.
And Beasley showed up when it mattered, too. Against Kansas on March 1 he scored 39 points and grabbed 11 rebounds. His most impressive statistic, however, was his four-for-seven showing from behind the arc. On the year, Beasley shot 38 percent from behind the arc, not to mention 77 percent from the charity stripe and 53 percent from the field.

He’s listed as 6’10” on ESPN.com but was measured at 6’8” with shoes at Orlando’s pre-draft camp, which brought concern to some experts. At 6’8”, he can still play power forward. Elton Brand is 6’8” — enough said.

I hate to bring this up, but when looking at Beasley’s negatives, which are few and far between, everyone seems to point to his “character issues.” People feel he’s immature, mainly because when you watch him play he plays with such ease. That easiness translates to laziness, which translates to not caring which translates to character issues. Until he punches someone or says something stupid in the media, this issue should be negated.

When it’s all said and done, Chicago will draft Rose. But whether that’s the right decision won’t be known for a couple years.


Goop on Rose:

Forgot for a moment that Memphis point guard Derrick Rose is from Chicago. Forget all the talk that is about the sexy “hometown kid” and the “feel-good story” it would be if the Chicago Bulls drafted Rose with the first overall pick.

If you can somehow bag up all that commotion and throw it in the Chicago River, you have without a doubt the player the Bulls should draft and make the face of its franchise for years to come in Derrick Rose. Mr. John Paxson, you cannot, I repeat, CANNOT mess this up!

I’ve always been a believer in taking “the best player on the board” over “taking a player to fit a need.” This holds true more so for teams with a high pick and are able to land superstar talent before the inevitable drop-off in every draft occurs. Any player can fit in with a team no matter the current roster, but it’s up to management and the coaching staff to find that fit and make it a winning formula. With that said, I do believe Rose is the better overall talent and has that greatness factor tied closely with him.

Rose has shown throughout his brief basketball career that he is all about winning, no mater his personal glory. If basketball fans don’t believe in the kid’s raw athletic talent and his scoring ability, take a look at some of his highlights before he began playing at Memphis. Rose got to campus and realized that with the abundance of talent surrounding him, it made more sense for him to serve as the primary set-up guy than to score 25 points a game, something coach John Calipari insists Rose could have done easily. Rose started the season off slowly as he immediately became a starter on a team loaded with veterans. However, he quickly showed down the stretch of the regular season and in the NCAA Tournament that he can take over games himself if need be.

The point guard position is slowly redefining the NBA, like it or not. What used to be a big man league has evolved into a league favoring guard play and dribble-drive penetration. Not every player in the league is Kobe Bryant, able to score whenever and wherever he wants. What teams do need are players that can create shots for others in the most opportunistic ways possible. We’ve seen this with Kobe, which has elevated him to MVP status. We’ve seen this with Steve Nash, a two time MVP winner for the Phoenix Suns. And most recently, we’ve seen it with the two young, star point guards in Deron Williams of the Utah Jazz and Chris Paul of the New Orleans Hornets.

Some people argue that Beasley can have the same effect on his teammates in the NBA as Rose. What exactly points to that? We don’t know how Beasley will respond to NBA double-teams which most likely will include players significantly bigger AND stronger than him. His passing ability is something rarely talked about and something he rarely showcased as a Wildcat. Big men don’t automatically have that effect on a team. A special point guard? A different story.
Rose is the leader the Bulls need and have lacked. One just needs to look at this past season, loaded with off-the-court problems and countless immature acts to understand what this team truly needs. Kirk Hinrich has used up his time as a Chicago Bull and is better fit for another team. By adding Rose to this team, the production of Luol Deng, Joakim Noah, Tyrus Thomas, Drew Gooden, and maybe even Ben Gordon automatically improves.

The moment the Bulls lucked into the first pick, I wanted Rose. Nothing has changed since and nothing will change between now and the draft. Some people say the Bulls have won regardless but I don’t buy that. Franchises are built around number one picks so one cannot take this lightly. Set yourself up for years of greatness or a retreat back to the cellar. Which will it be Paxson?

Welcome!

Another summer of fun is on tap for everyone. We're back for more action, dabbling into more topics than ever before. Dare we broaden our horizons? Don't doubt us, enjoy!

-Goop n' Pros