How much longer should the Bulls wait on Thomas, Noah?
A former Bulls player in town for a visit last weekend said he'd watched a number of the team's games on television and couldn't figure out why they're just a game below .500 at 11-12.
In other words, the Bulls have often looked bad, but they have the record of a playoff contender, despite a rough early schedule.
It's easy to see why someone would get that impression. Kirk Hinrich is out until mid-February with a thumb injury. Luol Deng (14.1 points, 4.8 rebounds) has started slowly. Andres Nocioni is shooting 38 percent from the field.
But most of all, the Bulls have gotten nothing close to consistent contributions from young big men Tyrus Thomas and Joakim Noah. Even Drew Gooden has been good only about half the time.
The positives are easy to explain, as well. The most obvious is the arrival of budding superstar Derrick Rose. But Ben Gordon (20.9 ppg), the player they didn't re-sign last summer, has been very good. Guard Larry Hughes (12.9 ppg, .442 field goal percentage) has resembled a polished veteran, a nice jump from last season's description as the only guy they could get in return for Ben Wallace.
Therein lies the dilemma for general manager John Paxson. The Bulls might have the potential to qualify as a dangerous playoff team with the addition of a steady veteran big man.
The top three spots in the East have already been taken by Boston, Cleveland and Orlando. Atlanta should grab the No. 4 seed, but you never know if the Hawks will deliver on their potential. Beyond that, everything is wide open, especially with the Pistons going just 9-9 with Allen Iverson in the lineup.
Watch the Bulls get pounded inside by Hakim Warrick and Darko Milicic at Memphis on Friday, and the Thomas-Noah experiment seems to be a lost cause. One night later, though, the Bulls' tandem combined for 23 points, 13 rebounds and 5 blocks in a 113-104 win over New Jersey.
The Nets game was one of those rare dates this season when both Thomas and Noah played to their potential. Thomas tossed down 3 alley-oop dunks and protected the basket well in the fourth quarter. With the Bulls up by 1, he rejected a Brook Lopez hook shot with 5:52 remaining.
Noah can block shots, but his best attribute is lateral quickness, which allows him to help defensively and slide into offensive rebounds.
Option 1 for the Bulls is to stay patient with the current roster, hoping there could still be a nice payoff from the two former SEC stars.
Option 2 is to do whatever it takes to add a decent big man such as the Clippers' Marcus Camby or Sacramento's Brad Miller. An Internet report this week claimed the Bulls are willing to part with Thomas, Hughes and Thabo Sefolosha, but don't believe it. Everyone on the roster is very available with the exception of one player, and I won't insult anyone's intelligence by stating the name.
Realistically, Gordon would have to approve any deal, so he's probably off limits. Deng figures to be an unpopular trade piece because of his new $71 million contract. Paxson said he wouldn't trade Hinrich since Gordon can leave as a free agent next summer. But if the right deal comes along, maybe Hughes and Sefolosha at shooting guard isn't such a bad scenario.
Option 3 is to rely on a proven defensive big man already on the roster, Michael Ruffin. The problem is, Ruffin has been out with ankle and Achilles injuries since the second day of training camp, but he returned to practice last week and believes he'll be in game shape soon.
Take your pick.