The Bulls preseason has been a slow and not altogether reliable process. We've been learning, in tiny fragments, how Vinny Del Negro will preside over this young Bulls team, but we still don't know how the lineup will look, how Del Negro will use his talent, and how the team will react to the supposed "growth" they'll need to undertake.
We also don't know how good the Bulls No. 1 draft pick, Derrick Rose, will be. Is he the next coming of Chris Paul? Or merely a more athletic Andre Miller? Do we have an answer yet?
Not definitively. But anyone who saw Rose's 30 point, seven assist effort in 37 minutes last night against the Mavericks can rightfully air on the side of "Chris Paul Resurrection Theater." Rose was more than awesome; last night, he was the future.
So here's a simple plea for Vinny Del Negro: Please, start this kid. Immediately. Right now. And forever.
He's an All-Star in the making, and future All-Stars shouldn't be coming off the bench in deference to the likes of Kirk Hinrich and Larry Hughes. It's not how it should be working. Last year, former Bulls coach Scott Skiles would have used last night's performance as reason to keep Rose off the bench. Maybe he prefers it, Skiles would be thinking. Maybe it keeps him hungry.
Please, Vinny. Do not fall for that. It's Larry Hughes. With all due respect, Larry Hughes is horrible. You acquired him for Ben Wallace. Remember how bad he was? Hughes is like that, except he thinks he should be shooting all the time.
Whatever Rose's growing pains or faults, he is, without question, the best player the Bulls have. He's that good already. And at the very least -- the very least! -- he should be in the lineup.Make it happen, Vincenzo. Bulls fans will thank you.
