Good idea putting your best player on the bench

If Vinny DelNegro is experimenting with his lineups he should probably try putting his best player in them. Just a thought.

And why not put a rookie out there the entire time? While I've been a proponent of Derrick Rose for months, telling the wishy-washy bunch that he was the better pick over Michael Beasley. But let's be clear: He might have been the bigger risk.

So, here we have a team with a slew of guards that don't gel and don't seem to want to gel, and we have a potential super star waiting on the bench. Vinny, here's your sign.

His development is so critical at this juncture, Rose should be sucking up every minute he can. I'm not sure what to make of the rest of this team at this point.

• I'm probably going to be suckered into believing Tyrus Thomas is a basketball player just because he lifted weights in the off-season. I know a lot of us are looking at him during the game, thinking "Potential, my ass."

He still looks like a volleyball player who is learning the game. And yes, for all his freakish athleticism, he doesn't move very fluidly. His lateral steps are careful and somewhat slow. It's probably among the top reasons he doesn't play very good defense consistently--that, and an undeserved sense of entitlement.

Don't players realize their in the NBA?

It's nice that Aaron Gray is a little thinner. Now, if we can make him a better player, then we've really got something.

• While we can only take so much from preseason games, here is something I'm really holding my breath for: A pick and roll play, where Rose slides through the lane and lobs a ball a foot above the rim where only Thomas' hand can pound it down.

It's Paul-Chandler-esque, and it's called a dream.

Look for Vinny to plug Rose back into the lineup. Also, I'm still not sure what to make of Thabo Sefalosha. I thought he was regressing into his second year, and showed a little life when the rest of the team didn't have a pulse last season.

• He's smooth, but weak. Smart, yet timid. He has a great basketball body, but is not overwhelmingly athletic. His shot has gotten better, which is an upgrade from bad. He's not an exciting passer and doesn't seem to attack star players on defense.
• But he's an excellent rebounder for a guard and can handle the ball with some decency. He's best when the running break--a trait he no doubt picked up in Europe. His play is a good fit in this system, but when does accumulate minutes?

They've got Larry Hughes, a bench player who believes he's the best on the team. Good for us, he'll have company if Rose continues to sit next to him.