The kids can’t play–not yet, anyway.
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However unripe they were when picked, almost to a man these Bulls have the look of players who could develop into stars. They may turn out to be busts–the development of players as they adjust to the rigors (and riches) of NBA basketball is one of the most difficult things to predict in sports–but general manager Jerry Krause clearly drafted them with a future championship and not mere proficiency in mind. For example, in this year’s college draft he traded Texas center Chris Mihm, almost certain to be a solid if unspectacular pro, for Crawford, who could turn out to be something spectacular. (Crawford has the long arms Krause has always looked for–it’s a trait shared by last year’s rookies, Artest and Elton Brand.) Look up and down the Bulls roster. If they get half of these youngsters to develop to their full potential–beginning with Brand, Artest, Crawford, and this year’s top pick, Marcus Fizer–they can start thinking about how to fill key holes and become a serious playoff contender. None of that thinking, however, bodes well for this season.
Optimistic fans expected this to be the year the Bulls moved to that next level of filling holes and contending. But Krause, for one reason or another, was rejected during the summer by the big-name free agents, who for the most part used the Bulls simply to leverage better deals elsewhere. The only player Krause came up with was Ron Mercer, who in three NBA seasons has become a poster child for the difficulty of developing in the pros. Mercer came out of a championship program at Kentucky with a big name, but developed a reputation for selfish play with the Boston Celtics. He moved on to Denver and Orlando last season and threatened to decline in status from potential star to NBA journeyman before signing a multiyear deal with the Bulls, who needed somebody to put the ball in the hoop and keep fans in their seats while the young talent was getting seasoned. As I watched Crawford and even Artest look befuddled last week, I found myself wishing Mercer had their self-awareness. Instead, he appeared exasperated at everyone else, even while being outscored 18-10 last Friday by his opposite number, Kendall Gill of the New Jersey Nets. After the season-opening loss to the Sacramento Kings, he was quoted as saying, “It’s going to be a long season.” Not just for you, buddy.
One of the pleasures offered even by bad teams is watching young players develop, as with Brian Urlacher on the Bears, Magglio Ordoñez on those “Kids Can Play” White Sox, and, well, going back to Jeremy Roenick, the last young player worth following on the Blackhawks. But basketball, being more of a team game, is distinctly less pleasurable along those lines. Brand, Fizer, Artest, El-Amin, Guyton, Crawford, Tarlac, for all their potential, are mismatched parts, a Frankenstein’s monster of NBA talent.
