NBA Notes: Luol Deng is a Link to the Past

Let's take a moment to remember Chicago basketball in the years before Derrick Rose took the helm.

The Ben Gordon-Kirk Hinrich Bulls have almost moved on completely. There is only one player left from those early days: Luol Deng. When he is gone, their will be no trace.

The preceding Bulls teams were so bad and nondescript that they threatened to change the entire legacy of the franchise. That is clearly saying something, considering that the Michael Jordan-led teams had not too long before won an incredible six championships. Oh yes, we definitely had some suffering to endure in the aftermath.

But then (and not a moment too soon) our spirits were lifted by a blue-collar, hardworking group that had a seemingly unlimited upside. Suddenly, it seemed as if we could possibly become a team of destiny once again.