Top ten Derrick Rose, Chicago Bulls questions this season

NBA season tips off Wednesday, Oct. 29, at 8 p.m. ET for the Chicago Bulls and the returning Derrick Rose when they visit the New York Knicks and Carmelo Anthony, “the one that got away.” As the season is about to commence, ESPN had their lead team of commentators, Mark Jackson and Jeff Van Gundy, on conference call to preview the upcoming season with the media.

The very first question was about Derrick Rose. The second was on the Bulls chances in the East. So let’s get this party started.

(transcript: ESPN PR)

1. Is Derrick Rose back to being Derrick Rose again finally?

Jackson: “I think for the first time in a long time, Derrick Rose looked like himself and obviously everybody was aware it was going to take some time. But he’s an explosive talent. He is a tremendous weapon.”

Van Gundy: “I think anybody who is expecting Rose to consistently be what he was the other night against Cleveland, I think doesn’t understand how hard it is in the NBA to regain your edge. I think when you are basically out two, two and a half years, it’s not easy, even when you’re as talented as Rose. And so that consistency of play, of recreating great habits on the floor, that will be difficult and it will be challenging.”

2. Who finishes games?

Van Gundy: “I think Tom’s going to have a challenge to try to decide who he’s going to finish with, because Gibson, as Mark was talking about, is versatile defensively. There are going to be difficult choices down the stretch of every game. Which pairing do you finish with?”

3. Who starts at the three? Greg McDermott or Mike Dunleavy?

Van Gundy: “perimeter wise, my one question is how are they going to hold up on the perimeter at the two and three? [Jimmy] Butler is, to me, is the one guy who is a starter. I think everybody else would be better served coming off the bench.”

4. What’s the overall ceiling on this year? Basic expectations for the season?

Van Gundy: “LeBron and [Kevin] Love and [Kyrie] Irving will be in the Eastern Conference Finals. I think Chicago will find their way there if their two and three hold up and if Derrick Rose is Derrick Rose again…barring major injury, I can’t see Chicago or Cleveland not finding their way to the Eastern Conference Finals.”

5. What if they can somehow upset Lebron in the conference finals, any chance of winning it all?

Jackson: “The West is loaded. The West does have talented great basketball teams. But I’m not going to go that far to say that Cleveland or Chicago cannot beat the representative in the Western Conference.”

6. Will the newly enhanced front court live up to the hype?

Jackson: “I think adding Pau Gasol makes a difference. You have two big guys in Gasol and [Joakim] Noah, that can make plays at the pinch post area, read off of each other, tremendous size, tremendous skill and the underrated fact that they’ve added shooting. And I just love Taj Gibson as that back-up big guy who can impact the game from the post, get to the line and defend at a high level.”

7. What is the team’s most obvious weakness?

Van Gundy: “they’re really going to have to piecemeal their two and three positions. To me, I think they’re very top heavy in the front court and particularly when you think of them matching up with Cleveland, who is your other defender against James other than Butler?”

For these last three Bulls questions, just click on the question where highlighted to explore that issue in detail and find an answer.

8. Who will get that final roster spot in the front court?

9. Will they carry five guards? Where does E’Twaun Moore fit in?

10. How will the roster shake out as the season starts?

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