Chicago Bulls News: Are Gasol And Mirotic The Missing Pieces To A Deep Playoff Squad?

There was a sad atmosphere all over the Windy City when the latest Chicago Bulls news revealed that their most priced target for this year's free agency, Carmelo Anthony, has decided to stay in New York where he grew up. 

But like many professional ball clubs in the NBA, the Bulls are ready for their Plan Bs, and that includes premier frontman Pau Gasol, whom they signed after the Spanish-born player opted out of his contract with the Lakers. 

At age 34, Gasol isn't the offensive double-double threat he was during his prime with the Los Angeles Lakers, where he won two championships alongside Kobe Bryant. However, he is still a capable scorer and rebounder when the team needed him most especially during the stretch after Bryant was out for the season. 

The Spaniard still averaged 17.4 points and 9.7 boards per contest in his 2013-14 campaign, and with this new Bulls squad, Gasol would not be pressured to do almost everything. 

With Derrick Rose on board, Chicago is suddenly one of the favorite teams to advance deep in the Playoffs. The former MVP can shoot, drive or facilitate the offense to Gasol's delight. His new team also has an elite defensive center and rebounder in Joakim Noah who averaged 12 points, 11 rebounds, 1.5 blocks and 1.2 steals per game. He is also a good distributor of the ball from the post as he averaged more than 5 assists per game last season.

Meanwhile, controversial Euro-star Nikola Mirotic has also been signed by the Bulls, and though he has been putting up stellar numbers in the Euro league, it would still be different playing in the biggest stage of all - the NBA. 

As a stretch forward, Mirotic has a consistent shooting touch outside the arc that will certainly be a weapon for Chicago's bench, which ranked 23rd in three point shooting last season. Being able to spread the floor will enable the Bulls' guards to penetrate, or its forwards and center to operate easily inside. 

With Gasol adding height in Chicago's front line, and Mirotic expected to be an outside scorer, expect the Bulls to make some noise coming into the 2014-15 NBA season.