And with the #9 pick in the draft.......the Bulls select Joakim Noah.
Once again, Paxson has gone with a true winner and an uptempo energy player that fits perfectly into Scott Skiles system and style, and once again the Bulls are still left with no offensive low post presence. Yes, Noah did average 12 points per game last season for a very balanced Florida attack, but his scoring was more from drive and dish opportunities and offensive put-backs than great low post moves.
So one must ask the question.........If the Bulls missing link is a low-post scorer, how will they fill this void to get to the next level?
It's not the Noah was a 'bad' selection. I don't believe that Spencer Hawes was ready, and a trade up to pick Yi would not have been the answer either. Based on the player's available at #9, Noah was not a bad choice. But, the Bulls need help now! Every championship team needs some kind of low post presence. They may be able to sneak out of the East with more experience, but they will be in severe trouble against any Western Conference champion.
So who is the Bulls answer?...............well apparently it is.......drumroll.........Joe Smith?
Yes, the Bulls did need a veteran leader to help young players like Noah and Thomas. But Joe Smith? A player muddled with incosistencies who has switched teams 8 different times in only 12 years in the league. With this move, the Bulls have simply replaced P.J. Brown with a player, a few years younger, that will exactly fill his role as a jump-shooting starting power forward who will play minimal minutes and add no low post scoring.
This move effectively does nothing for the Bull's title hopes this upcoming year. Once again, they will decide their fate on jump-shooters and gained experience from the year before. I'm not asking Paxson to 'give their team away' just to add a low post scorer, but the Bulls WILL NOT win a title with their current group. Will Paxson realize this too late?
