By Sam Amico

CHICAGO'S YOUNG GUNS

By the end of the season, Eddy Curry could be the second-best center in the NBA.

True, that says a lot about the sad state of NBA centers -- but I think it says even more about Curry and the rest of the young and talented Chicago Bulls.

I guess I should start by saying that I made fun of Bulls general manager Jerry Krause last summer, when he drafted Curry and Tyson Chandler, both of whom entered the draft right out of high school.

I should probably add that I ripped Krause for trading Elton Brand to the Los Angeles Clippers for the No. 2 pick, used to draft Chandler.

And I should probably throw in the fact that I said the Bulls would win nine games last season. Actually, I didn't just say it -- I put it in print.

And while the Bulls did occasionally look foolish while plodding their way to a 21-61 record, they also showed lots of promise. That's particularly true of Curry and Chandler, as each made dramatic improvements as the season progressed.

Heck, Chandler even swatted one of Shaquille O'Neal's shots into the second row -- and how many rookies (or veterans) can make that claim?

So the truth is, I was wrong about the Bulls. Dead wrong.

And the truth is, you have to like what Krause and his staff have done this offseason.

First, they drafted point guard Jay Williams out of Duke with the No. 2 pick. Then they signed small forward Donyell Marshall away from Utah.

And perhaps most impressively, the Bulls just left everyone else alone. That means they're going to be patient and let talented youngsters such as Curry, Chandler, Jamal Crawford, Trenton Hassell and rookie Roger Mason Jr. develop under second-year coach Bill Cartwright -- and around the team's best player, Jalen Rose.

Rose had developed a reputation as a me-first kind of athlete. He was known as a guy who refused to stay within the offense, and a player who was a great example of why some people were turning against pro basketball.

Then he came to Chicago.

Today, Rose seems to have matured enough to not only want to win, but to help the younger players develop -- even if it means sacrificing his own stats. Oddly enough, it's that type of team play that has many experts saying that Rose will be wearing an All-Star jersey at midseason.

Obviously, the Bulls have their weaknesses.

Just last season, we witnessed how frustrating rookie point guards can be, as Indiana's Jamal Tinsley and San Antonio's Tony Parker were very good -- but maddeningly inconsistent.

Plus, while I now believe Curry and Chandler will develop into true superstars, and even become special enough to carry the league beyond Kobe and Shaq, they're still VERY young. And other than Eddie Robinson, Marcus Fizer and journeyman Corie Blount -- none of whom can be counted on regularly -- Curry and Chandler have no help off the bench. And I mean none.

Finally, you must consider that Crawford is coming off knee surgery that kept him out for the majority of last season, and that Mason and Hassell still lack big-game experience.

So the bottom line on the Bulls is they are an immensely talented and young team, the type of team you don't want to play if your season is on the line. While the Bulls probably won't make the playoffs, they could win 30-35 games.

Best of all, they'll be fun to watch and give fans a glimpse into the future -- which I think could consist of their first title without someone who wears No. 23.

And whoever thought I would say that about a team with Eddy Curry at center? Not me, that's for sure.

But today, I am saying it and believing it.

PLEASE, PLEASE BUY MY PREVIEW!

Before I go any further, I wanted to take a moment to shamelessly promote my 2002-03 Pro Basketball Report season preview. The PDF-style magazine will be delivered to your e-mail two weeks before the season in the middle of October, and will consist of the following:

-- In-depth previews and analysis of all 29 NBA teams.

-- A review of the 2002 NBA draft, and a preview of the 2003 draft.

-- An editorial about the upcoming season by yours truly.

-- A report on minor leagues such as the NBDL and CBA.

-- Features, trivia, schedules, rosters, and more.

Also, I'll be sending out a special e-mail in September asking subscribers to this newsletter for their thoughts on the upcoming season. I'll print the responses in the 2002-03 Pro Basketball Report preview.

The preview costs just $3.50, and you can order it by sending a check or money order to:

Pro Basketball Report

PO Box 4022

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And now, on with the show ...

YOUR JORDAN E-MAILS

Last week, I wrote about Michael Jordan, which is a lot like saying Elvis just entered the building. In other words, I never get a bigger response than I do when ol' MJ is mentioned.

I read all of the e-mails, and greatly appreciate your feedback. Here is just a sample of what I received:

FROM JIM LOGAN

I'm all in favor of Jordan returning for another year. The Wizards are so young and have been so lousy, that his presence and experience can only help. Although you believe they will get to the playoffs, I think they are still very short on talent. The youngsters may get them to the postseason in years to come, but right now they don't have much except Michael.

(Thanks, Jim. But I don't think the Wizards are short on talent -- just experience. And in the Eastern Conference, I contest that EVERYONE has a shot at the playoffs).

FROM JOEL WALKOWSKI

I am sick of all the media attention that Michael Jordan gets. If the NBA ever wants to get beyond The Michael Jordan Years, it needs to start doing a better job of promoting the young players. People say that players like Kobe Bryant, Tim Duncan, Tracy McGrady, Dirk Nowitzki, Paul Pierce and a host of other can't carry the league. Well, they haven't gotten a chance! MJ gets too much buzz for everything he does just because he's more media friendly. Plus, Karl Malone (who is Jordan's age) had a better season on a better team -- and he wasn't crammed down our throats like a certain someone was last year.

(Joel, first of all, I think the league IS trying to promote its young starts -- but these guys ain't Michael Jordan, and the buying public knows it. Now, do the youngsters have a shot to do what Michael did for the league? Absolutely. And I agree with you when you say that the focus should be less on Jordan and more on the NBA as a whole. But the media follows Jordan so much because the fans pretty much demand it. Reality is, as long as Jordan is on the court, he will always be pro basketball's leading man -- right or wrong).

FROM DAVE LESETEN

I can't imagine how anyone who truly loves the game wouldn't want to see Jordan playing forever. Even though he wasn't flying through the air and dunking on 7-foot-0 clods last season, he still played like every minute and every play mattered. My favorite part of last season was watching the rest of the Wizards learn from him. The reason they played .600 ball was because Jordan taught them how to -- and I'll take a fired up Brendan Haywood, Popeye Jones and Tyrone Nesby over an apathetic rest-of-the-NBA any day.

(Dave, I agree. It was really something to see the Wizards open at 2-9 and then go on a magical winning streak. It was also something to watch Jordan -- who in his prime taught youngsters to win with flair -- teaching the Wizards how to win via fundamentals).

Finally, we'll talk about MJ a little more next week, with comments from Barry Olsan, Matthew Foster and a few others on the way.

THIS WEEK'S QUESTION

My question to you this time: Who's better, the Lakers' Kobe Bryant or Orlando's Tracy McGrady? Would McGrady have won three championships next to Shaq, just as Bryant has done? Or would the Magic be much better with Kobe in the lineup? Send comments to amicoreport@hotmail.com, and as usual, I'll print the best replies.

SHORT SHOTS

-- Isn't is great that the Denver Nuggets brought back Doug Moe as a consultant? Moe defined the coaching profession in the 1980s, sporting messy hair, ugly ties, and an exasperated look. He also stressed great ball movement and strong shooting, something that's desperately needed in today's NBA.

-- A very underrated move by San Antonio to sign free agent center Kevin Willis as David Robinson's backup. Willis may be 40, but thanks to his disciplined offseason training program, he could probably play for another four years.

-- The Washington Post reports that the Wizards are having talks with Utah free agent Bryon Russell. Meanwhile, Wizards forward Popeye Jones recently paid a visit to Seattle. Jones is also a free agent.

-- Speaking of the Sonics, the team brought in Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to work a mini-camp with big men Jerome James, Calvin Booth and Vitaly Potapenko. It's no secret that Kareem wants to become a head coach in the NBA, as he's stated publicly numerous times.

-- Television coverage of the World Championships begins Aug. 29, when the United States plays Algeria on TNT. The U.S. will play Germany the next night on ESPN2 at 9, and Yao Ming and China the night after that (9, TNT). As I said last week, wake me up when Coach George Karl's gang plays Yugoslavia.

QUESTIONS & ANSWERS

FROM JASON PATTON

Q: How do you feel about the Toronto Raptors? Do you think Vince Carter will rebound from his knee injury and silence the critics, or will he and the team have another disappointing year?

A: Dear Jason, how interesting that you asked. A few weeks ago, I predicted that Vince and the Raptors would indeed be back, and that Carter would have the type of season that would quiet the skeptics. It all led to the following e-mail. ...

FROM DEREK McKAY

Q: You wrote that you liked "the fact that the Raptors improved the team by doing nothing" this offseason? But how can you feel that the team has improved after it lost Keon Clark (to Sacramento) and Chris Childs (to New Jersey)?

A: Dear Derek, you're right -- Clark and Childs were two very productive players for the Raptors. But like I said, I think Carter will be more determined than ever (read: he'll play defense), that Lindsey Hunter will easily fill Childs' backup role, and that rookie Chris Jeffries and second-year man Michael Bradley will contribute this season. Also, let's not forget about Antonio Davis and Mo Peterson, two talented veterans.

FROM KELLY CLARK

Q: I was wondering what you're thoughts are about Calvin Booth's impact in Seattle if he can stay healthy. The Sonics have so many scorers, it seems that if Cal could block shots, rebound and run the floor, they could be very good. What do you think?

A: Dear Kelly, you should be an NBA general manager, because that's exactly what the Sonics were thinking when they signed Booth last summer. You're right -- if he stays healthy, this team is a lot better.

FROM SAM PACE

Q: What moves are left for the Philadelphia 76ers? Are they really going into the season with Todd McCullough and Derrick Coleman sharing time at center? Will they play a lot of zone to hide forward Keith Van Horn?

A: Dear Sam, my guess is the Sixers will enter next season with the roster as it is. Coleman is now out until at least November with a shoulder injury, and he probably will play next to McCullough at power forward. As for Van Horn, he has a lot to prove, and this would be a good season to do it, as Allen Iverson has made it known he is on Van Horn's side. I don't know about zones -- but as it stands, I think the Sixers are clearly one of the top three teams in the East.

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HAVE A GREAT DAY!