My Team this Year

1. Chicago Bulls
Allow us to introduce: Joakim Noah and Joe Smith.

Dearly departed: P.J. Brown, Malik Allen and Michael Sweetney.
Is that confetti in your hair? The Bulls return 10 players from one of the Eastern Conference's deepest teams, and while you still can call them young, they no longer are inexperienced. With Luol Deng poised for his first All-Star selection after averaging 22.2 points and 8.7 rebounds in last season's playoffs, Chicago could reach the NBA finals for the first time since Michael Jordan left town a decade ago.

How's Cancun in June? Drafting Noah and signing Smith strengthened the frontcourt. Tyrus Thomas' role also should expand. But the Bulls still lack a dependable low-post scorer, and they won't get much help in that area from 33-year-old Ben Wallace, whose production on both ends of the floor declined last season.

In the crosshairs: Deng. Kirk Hinrich. Ben Gordon. Take your pick. Until the Lakers ship Kobe Bryant somewhere other than the Windy City, all three Bulls had better get used to hearing their names in various Hollywood trade reports.