Decisions, Decisions

Imagine being responsible for assembling the club that had the top record in its conference two years in a row.  Then, your best player and top-energy guy each go down in the first round of the playoffs.  You lose said round in six games and are faced with that "best player" as well as your other All-Star missing the start of next season.  Welcome to the worlds of Gar Forman and John Paxson. 

This will undoubtedly be the most challenging offseason for the duo since they began to split front-office duties.  While the Bulls' eliminators, the 76ers, look to upset the veteran Boston Celtics in the conference semifinals, Forman and Paxson are faced with some tough calls on what to do with this roster that has been together for the past two years.  They're on the hook for some big salaries for next year, so a big acquistion via free agency is out of the question.  They'll have to settle for mid-level talent in the market, but that means parting ways with some of the supporting cast.  With them unlikely to amnesty Carlos Boozer as they've so frequently been called to do, the Bench Mob will have to change faces instead.

There's no reason for Brian Scalabrine to stay, so let's assume he's gone.  However, the same can't be said for the expiring contracts of Ronnie Brewer, Kyle Korver and C.J. Watson.  Arguments can be made for both sides of their futures with the team, so let's break them down:

• Brewer - He's the ultimate defensive specialist on the team and he did an admirable job filling in for Rip Hamilton when he was recovering from the various injuries he suffered during the regular season.  I'd say he's the most likely of this trio to return, but the fact that Tom Thibodeau didn't even call for him in Game 3 against Philly makes me wonder where exactly he sits with the coaching staff. 
• Korver - One of the best pure shooters in the league and among the league leaders in three-point shooting this year.  He still doesn't impress me in the postseason though.  He did virtually nothing after Derrick Rose went down in Game 1.  It can be argued that Rose's absence had a detrimental affect on his ability to get open, but even so, he still has to find a way to create his own shot.  Last year, I don't remember anyone talking about the relationship between him and Rose when he disappeared during the Atlanta series and never found his stride again.  Yes, Rose was heavily guarded against Miami, but he was his usual self in the previous round, which I think moots this argument.  Even during the regular season, Korver would disappear at times, making him as effective as LeBron James in the fourth quarter.  All of these are reasons why Brewer has been the backup starting two-guard and not him.  We might see him back next year, but those same reasons are why I wouldn't be too sad if he wasn't.
• Watson - Like alcohol, Watson is good when taken in moderation, but not heavily.  We all learned this when he was unceremoniously cast into the role of starting point guard for a playoff team.  His shots came up short more frequently and all you needed to know about his late-game decisions came at the end of the series-clinching game.  Like Korver, there are reasons he's not thought of as a regular starter.  With Rose not likely to play until after the New Year at the earliest, or maybe at all, the Bulls can't afford to have such ineffectiveness start games for such an extended period of time.  If he hangs around next year, please keep him with the Bench Mob where he belongs.  Otherwise, see ya, C.J.

Rose and Luol Deng will be watching the first part of next season from the bench as they recover from their respective surgeries.  Assuming Brewer returns, he can probably hold down the fort at small forward until Deng returns.  As stated already, point guard is a different story.  Looking at this year's free agents, there's some help available.  The main requirement is that you start to begin the year and accept a reduced role on the bench when Rose returns.  Steve Nash is a good idea, but he might be out of the price range and even at his age, he can still start all year for most other teams in the league.  Andre Miller is more affordable, but will his abilities be wasted on the bench later on?  Also available is Kirk Hinrich, which I find to be the most realistic goal.  He's expressed a desire to return, still owns property in Chicago and remains a fan favorite here.  Given his humbleness, he'd probably accept a reduced rate to return.  For me, it'd be an excuse to fish my Hinirch jersey out of my closet.

Of course, there remains the question of whether the Bulls can pony up the dough or even make a trade for that second primary scorer they so desperately need.  For the second postseason in a row, that glaring hole was exposed.  Everyone who could make the biggest possible difference is too expensive (Garnett, Duncan, Allen, etc.), so however the front office is able to swing a deal for one that could at least approach that need, they'll have to do so carefully.  It'll be tricky, but if they play the right cards, they could strike gold somewhere.

Let this offseason be the ultimate judge of Forman/Paxson's capabilities.  They've built a winner already.  Now how do they improve that to build a champion?  If not a champion, how do they remain competitive with what they'll have next year?  Stay tuned because I'll be covering it every step of the way.