I’m not a particurly huge Jalen Rose backer, but his All-Star snub is one
of the biggest screw jobs in recent times. How this guy isn’t an All Star
is beyond me.

The reason SURELY can’t really be that there isn’t room for him as some
are saying. How about letting Vince “I’ve Started 10 Games All Year” Carter
sit this one out? Maybe Zydrunas Ilguaskaldjfeyechart should be ommitted
simply for playing for the Cavs (still in single digit wins by the way).
OR, how about removing the most blatant misplaced All-Star: Brad Miller.

Allow me to preface this by saying that “B-mill” was one of my favorite
Bulls up until last year’s trade. So I’ve nothing against him personally.
(In fact I am wishing almost on a daily basis that he still wore the red and
white.) However, he is NOT an All-Star. It’s been said that he was named
to the team just to “replace” Ron Artest so the East’s best team had two
representatives. What kind of rule is that? If a team doesn’t have two
available All-Stars, don’t send two to the game. (Just like Randy Winn
shouldn’t make the mid-summer classic only because he sucked a little bit
less than every other Devil Ray.)

If Brad Miller is an All-Star this year, then he was an All-Star last
year. His numbers are so similar it’s unbelievable. Check last year’s
numbers in the first half (with the Bulls) compared to his numbers for the
Pacers this year: PPG: 12.7/13.7, REB: 8.4/8.4, BLK: 0.6/0.7, STEALS:
1.1/0.7, TO: 1.5/1.6, and ASST: 2.1/2.8. In no category is there a
difference even worth noting.

What IS worth noting, however, is that last year HE WASN’T EVEN ON THE ALL
STAR BALLOT! Now suddenly he is an All Star because his team is in first??
How much worse off are the Pacers if they don’t have Brad Miller in the
lineup? The team is so loaded with efficient players that he may not even
go missed.

But the Bulls without Jalen? Ouch. I know the Bulls aren’t challenging
any single season win records this year, but the fact that they are in the
middle of the pack this year is quite a story. The Bulls are 17-26 this
year. Last year they won their 17th game with 50 losses already under their
belt. And I’m pretty sure the turnaround isn’t thanks to Tyson, Curry,
Hassell, Crawford or Jay. Donyell Marshall has been a great addition, but I
think it’s obvious any success the Bulls have had this year is due to Marcus
Fizer, and most importantly Jalen Rose. I realize Brad Miller is a center,
and the East is thin in the middle. But they’re not sending their best
players. It’s as simple as that.

Jalen will never be a “shooter,” but he is a scorer. And slowly but
surely he is learning how to be a leader. This was evidenced last week on
national TV against the Wiz. His shot was nowhere to be found that night,
but he spread the ball around and made some terrific passes. He ended up
with 9 assists, and the Bulls wound up with an impressive win in front of
the entire nation. This is the fist time he’s had his “own” team, and he’s
continually developing into “the man.”

He’s on pace for career highs in minutes, scoring, and free throw shooting
percentage. He’s 8th in the NBA at 23 points a game, and absolutely
carrying a team to what could be between 30 and 38 victories (depending
whether or not they learn how to win on the road). His job isn’t an easy
one, as he’s trying to guide a roster featuring NINE players with less than
three years experience!

Speaking of which, if the Bulls don’t make a trade real soon, this is
going to get real messy. Okay, Jamal Crawford just had his chance to prove
himself with Jay out of the way, and he was clearly outplayed by Rick
Brunson. Jamal will NEVER flourish in a Bulls uniform, and Jay will NEVER
operate properly until Jamal is gone. I think this is becoming so very
clear.

Even if they were both playing lights out, how would that be a good
situation? The point guard position is not the kind of place where you want
a platoon system. Keep one of the young studs, and give him his 40 minutes
a night to get things sorted out. Currently it is a lose, lose, lose
situation. Jay loses, Jamal loses, and the Bulls are definitely losing.

That leaves the Bulls two guys they MUST trade. The first is Jamal Crawford
(who WILL eventually make a good guard in this league), and the second is
that lottery pick that they’re bound to have again. I can’t think of one
good reason to add another rookie to the squad. There is absolutely no room
and no time to develop yet another youngster alongside the other nine. The
Bulls had best not go into the draft still holding that pick.

What they do need is another veteran, and one who is a real shooter. The
Bulls have a very good looking lineup, but they lack that one guy who can
truly shoot the ball. They are loaded with scorers, but to a man they are
all streaky shooters. And the backcourt is particularly void of someone who
can shoot. They’re getting nothing out of the shooting guard spot. Hassell
and Hoiberg are combining to put up an astronomical 8.5 points per game.

The mission in simple. Package Crawford and your draft pick, and get a
veteran who can play in the backcourt and make the outside shot. For some
reason the name Nick Van Exel comes to mind. A point guard, yes, but Don
Nelson uses him in the backcort along side Stevie Nash on a regular basis.
I don’t know if NVE is a pure shooter. But it seems like everytime I turn
on a Mavs game Van Exel is filling it up from crazy deep and everywhere
else. Heck, the dude shoots free throws from the 3-point line.

This is a guy that has been “the man,” and is now a veteran role player.
Just last year he was averaging over 21 points for Denver. Now he is
learning how to win in Dallas. But he is still very explosive at 31 years
old, and is somewhat overshadowed by their Big Three. He could backup Jay
if need be, and he could also play alongside Williams and show Hassell the
bench. I am getting excited about a lineup that would include Rose, Fizer,
Marshall, Van Exel, and Jay Williams.

Jamal and a draft pick sounds a little pricey for a utility guard. But
with Crawford struggling, it’s going to be hard to find a sweet deal. It’s
almost like a Todd Hundley situation. It’s more about what you’re ridding
yourself of than what you’re getting.

If not Nicky, then someone. This is not working and there is absolutely
no reason to experiment any longer.