“There’s just something about putting Gasol with Noah. They both have championship mentalities and passion and history and really it’s in their DNA, both of those guys… It’s that passion factor. Gasol shows up when a team is in it for the right reasons. And Noah exemplifies that.” – ESPN’s Tom Penn

All Bulls fans, including myself, were heartbroken when Carmelo Anthony resigned with the Knicks. But what the Bulls did as a backup plan is nothing to be mad about. The additions of Paul Gasol, Nikola Mirotic, Doug McDermott, and a healthy Derrick Rose are very solid consolation prizes. Chicago fans shouldn’t be hanging their head after the bench just got that much deeper.

It’d be pretty hard to find a Bulls fan saddened by Carlos Boozer’s departure. While Gasol wasn’t the free agent target we set our sights on, he’s an upgrade over Boozer. Yes, he’s aging. And no, he’s not a lockdown defender. The Bulls knew they weren’t getting the 2009 NBA Champion version of Gasol when they signed him. But what they are getting is a 7-footer who brings a versatile offensive game to the Chicago frontcourt.

Replacing Boozer

Let’s look at Gasol as Boozer’s replacement first. As I said, defense isn’t Gasol’s strong suit. But it’d be hard to be worse than Boozer was. Bulls fans were frequently criticizing Boozer’s effort on the defensive end. That won’t happen with Gasol. He plays hard. His age, 34, will make him slower than a lot of the power forwards and centers he’s going to be matched up against. But with Thibodeau at the coaching helm, I think he forces Gasol to play even harder than usual.

Pick-and-roll defense is where opponents can attack Gasol. If Gasol and Rose, or whoever is guarding the ball, switch off the screen, Gasol stands little to no chance of sticking with quick guards. And he doesn’t always do a great job of stepping out and hedging the ball handler if his teammate goes under the screen.

It will be crucial for Gasol to hold his own against big men backing him down. He’s much skinnier than many of the power forwards he’ll be matched up against. Gasol isn’t necessarily a physical specimen, which hurts him at times. Lucky for Gasol, and Bulls fans, the reigning NBA Defensive Player of the Year is only a few feet away for help defense.

Standing 7-feet tall, Gasol is three inches taller than the 6-foot-9 Boozer. What Gasol lacks in quickness and strength he makes up for in height. He’ll be a better rim protector than the shorter Boozer was thanks to his height, which will allow him to contest shots more than Boozer could.

With Gasol in the mix, the Bulls now start a 7-footer next to the 6-foot-11 Joakim Noah. Size was a needed upgrade. The Bulls can now reap the benefits of their height in the rebounding, rim protecting, and scoring categories.

Scoring

The Bulls finally have shooting on their roster. Mike Dunleavy and McDermott are legitimate three point threats. Noah has been consistently improving his midrange jumpshot over the past few years, which is now forcing defenders to respect him from 15 feet. Gasol adds another mid-range threat. He’s not going to step out and knock down threes. But he is a consistent shooter from 15 feet, which pulls defenders out of the lane to contest.

Gasol is versatile on the offensive end. He’s a huge compliment to Rose in high-low scoring schemes. While the pick-and-roll is Gasol’s demise defensively, he can excel in it offensively. He’s a dual threat as he’s mobile enough to cut to the rim, and he’s a good enough shooter to pop out off the screen.

His skill set as a big man gives the Bulls another scoring option offensviely. Gasol is a legitimate second or third scorer on the floor thanks to his set of post moves that allow him to score from the block. Scoring has been the Bulls weakness in the past couple years, but that seems to be turning around.

Passing

Gasol and Noah are two of the best passing big men in the NBA, and are now members of the same frontcourt. Both of the big men pose scoring threats, but their passing ability makes them much tougher to guard. One second you’re chest to back with them, and the next second they make a beautiful no look pass to a cutting Rose or Jimmy Butler. Being a solid and willing passer makes the offense more complex. It allows for more ball movement and open looks. Defenders will have to sag down on Gasol and Noah, which will open up the perimeter for the Bulls’ new and improved shooting core.

Experience

As a seasoned veteran, Gasol can be a mentor to many of the young Bulls. Especially Mirotic, a fellow Spaniard. The most important aspects of Gasol’s experience, though, are his two NBA Finals rings. If they can stay healthy, the Bulls are title contenders. They’ll need a leader in the playoff stretch that has been there before, and Gasol gives them just that. Many of the players on the Bulls current roster have playoff experience, but none have made the deep runs that Gasol has.

Another key aspect of Gasol’s attitude is his decision to sign with Chicago. He took less money, and passed up an opportunity to sign with the championship-contending Spurs and Thunder. It’s obvious that he wanted to be a Bull.

Pairing With Noah

A lot of the reasons have been touched on briefly, but Noah and Gasol are a great duo. Having a 7-foot power forward and a 6-foot-11 center creates problems for teams on both ends of the floor. Offensively, Noah and Gasol can both step out and knock down midrange jumpers. That threat alone opens up the paint. Each big man can run the pick-and-roll with Rose, as well. Defensively, Noah picks up a lot of Gasol’s slack. But you can’t teach size.

Having two bigs that can pass is huge for the Bulls. It’s one of the best ways to move the ball. As defenders sag down to help, the perimeter opens up for kick-outs, where Dunleavy and McBuckets will be ready.

And then there’s the passion referenced in Tom Penn’s opening quote. It’d be hard to argue for a player more passionate and intense than Noah. Gasol isn’t on Noah’s intensity level, but he plays inspired. With Noah as a teammate, and Thibs as coach, I think Bulls fans see an emotional Gasol this year.