Teams typically have 1st options, 2nd options, 3rd options, etc. Assuming Rose is back, healthy and effective, what to you think the option precedence should be on the Bulls? I think the team is designed to have the following. Rose: 1st Gasol: 2nd Butler: 3rd Mirotic: ? (wild-card) Where does Mirotic fall and if he should be 1st option, 2nd option or 3rd option, which mvp/all-star level vet gets bumped?
There's a meaning to the word "rotation." We saw the rotation last game, which won the game 103-91, a 12 point victory that wasn't in doubt after 3 quarters. Mirotic is slated to get maybe 16 minutes a game, as long as nobody ahead of him is hurt.
I think Mirotic is our X-factor guy right now, moreso than someone who's slated to get X amount of shots per game.
Good question and I think both Denny and rosenthall gave good answers. A healthy DRose is certainly the #1 option. Gasol and Butler are clearly ahead of Mirotic in the pecking order, though I'm not sure how often we'll see Mirotic in with these 3. The thing is, when Brooks is in, Brooks is the #1 or #2 option. As a result, Brooks's ascendancy over Hinrich at backup PG is not good news for Mirotic fans. The question that is begged is whether Mirotic as a 4th offensive option is worth playing (or playing much). I've become a big Mirotic fan, but if Rose and Butler are going to be consistently taking the ball strong to the basket, I want some offensive rebounders in there to scoop up the easy pickins that typically follow in a penetrator's wake.
Yah, I don't really think Mirotic with Rose-Gasol-Butler makes a lot of sense. I like to have a Noah or Gibson in there for the reasons you stated. That's also why I don't mind Dunleavy with that lineup as a guy who doesn't need the ball much but hits 3s at a high rate to create space and does everything else decent. Mirotic isn't a great spot up 3 point shooter. He's most effective as a scorer, getting the rock, pump faking, taking it to the hole, getting to the line. He can hit the three but he's not great at it and is a high usage player. Given the roster makeup, he's a 2nd unit guy if Rose is playing at a high level. If the org didn't sign Gasol in the off-season, I think Mirotic would look quite nice at the starting 4 on this team. But, we have Gasol and he's too good to bench... or maybe the team would be better with Mirotic in that spot but I just can't see them benching Gasol.
The fact that none of us can rank the scoring options on the roster with any certainty is a sign that this team isn't a true contender, right?
If Rose can play like the old Rose, its Rose #1, Gasol #2, Butler #3 and Mirotic as the wildcard guy off the bench, IMO. (along with Brooks) All the uncertainty has to do with Rose, as usual. If Rose can play like at least like all-star Rose and Noah can play his usual game and Taj is healthy, then the Bulls are a title contender, IMO, no doubt. Its them and the Cavs in the East.
In Rose, Gasol, and Jimmy, you have 3 all star caliber players. One a former MVP, 2 made all star team this season. I'd call that a really good big 3. It sure looks like the scoring options are: 1. Rose (16 FGA in 27 minutes) 2. Gasol (17 FGA in 36 minutes) 3. Jimmy (14 FGA in 35 minutes) Brooks was #4. And it's great to have Niko, just in case Thibs thinks we're in a desperate situation.
Now that's dark side stuff. I'm still waiting for someone to give a different ranking than Rose, Gasol, Butler. Looks like ALL of us can rank them. The unanimity is impressive, particularly for this group. Now if you want to talk about what fans' ability to rank a team's scoring options has to do with whether a team is a true contender, that might be illuminating.