Bulls Work Out Former Syracuse Guard Jonny Flynn

Guard would be steal for Bulls

By EAMONN BRENNAN

Updated 2:30 PM CST, Wed, May 27, 2009

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The Bulls have a bit of a conundrum facing them in the 2009 NBA Draft. After last year's almost-impossible landing of the No. 1 overall pick, and the subsequent selection of Derrick Rose, the Bulls are a good, young team without any huge holes. They're also not quite there yet, either. Because of a solid playoff push, they're not in the lottery and have little they'd seem able to trade to acquire, say, Blake Griffin, the one sure thing in this year's draft.

So what do the Bulls do? Do they select a guard or a big man? Do they focus on shooting or defense? Do they attempt to find a backup for Derrick Rose? The next Ben Gordon? It's hard to plot a strategy in what is so clearly a middle ground.

What the Bulls have done, however, is workout Syracuse guard Jonny Flynn, according to K.C. Johnson of the Tribune. Flynn is a great player. He's tough, scrappy, skilled from the point position, and his leadership in Syracuse's deep tournament run in 2008-09 was truly impressive. The problem is that most draft projections have Flynn being selected somewhere in the lottery; he's rarely listed below the No. 10 overall pick. Perhaps the fact that the Bulls are working him out means his status has slipped in league circles. If so, it'd be a steal.

The Bulls have also apparently worked out athletic wing types, specifically Chase Budinger, and there might lie the answer to the Bulls' "needs." With the exception of Tyrus Thomas, whose shot has improved but who is still very much a post player, the Bulls are a little unathletic on the wing. Budinger's probably not the answer. But a player like him -- Earl Clark, maybe? -- could be an interesting addition to a team without a clear draft blueprint.

Eamonn Brennan is a Chicago-based writer, editor and blogger. You can also read him at Yahoo! Sports, Mouthpiece Sports Blog, and Inside The Hall, or at his personal site, eamonnbrennan.com. Follow him on Twitter.