Based on what we’ve seen in the first two Chicago Bulls preseason games, it appears we have a probably starting lineup in place. By looking at the starting fives that Coach Tom Thibodeau has used in both preseason tilts, and given how the minutes were allocated in those two games, it’s safe to assume that the Chicago Bulls depth chart looks like this:
The 1: Derrick Rose, Aaron Brooks, E’Twaun Moore, Ben Hansbrough
The 2: Jimmy Butler, Kirk Hinrich, E’Twaun Moore, Kim English
The 3: Mike Dunleavy, Doug McDermott, Tony Snell
The 4: Pau Gasol, Taj Gibson, Nikola Mirotic, Cameron Bairstow, Solomon Jones
The 5: Joakim Noah, Nazr Mohammed
So who stays?
4 guards (Rose, Brooks, Hinrich, Butler), 5 forwards (Gasol, Gibson, McDermott, Dunleavy, Mirotic), 1 center (Noah) are locks. So that’s 10, who gets the last two spots?
Well, Centers are going to the way of fax machines and video rental stores so maybe Mohammed is in the mix, but maybe not. I don’t think Jones, Hansbrough and English really have a chance of sticking. So that leaves Cameron Bairstow, Moore, Mohammed, Snell to battle it out.
E’Twaun has a chance because he can play either guard position. It’s probably the only reason he has a chance. I don’t even need to bring up the health of Derrick Rose the past two years. Given what we’ve seen there, you can never have too many backup point guards. Of course, Moore would be the 12th man at best, as he has yet to record even a stat in the Chicago Bulls preseason thus far.
Snell is a first round pick so they’re not going to give up on him just yet. Plus that would mean one forward and one guard round out the roster. Sorry Bairstow I don’t think it’s going to work out. I also think it’s the end of the line for the 37-year-old former Kentucky Wildcats big man.
Have a debate in the comments section Chicago Bulls fans
Paul M. Banks owns, operates and very often writes The Sports Bank.net ,which is partners with Fox Sports. Read his features stories in the Chicago Tribune RedEye edition. Listen to him on 1620 The Zone. Follow him on Twitter (@paulmbanks). His work has been featured in hundreds of media outlets including The Washington Post and ESPN 2