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TODAY'S ISSUE:

WHICH BIG MAN SHOULD THE BULLS PURSUE IN THE OFFSEASON: DIRK NOWITZKI OR CHRIS BOSH?

NOWITZKI PLAYING NEXT TO ROSE? LOOK OUT, CAVS

By Mike North

Dan, Dirk Nowitzki is a Dallas Maverick now and may always be. But when the huge crop of free agents comes up in the summer of 2010, will he be one of them? I say, why wait? Dallas might sign him and then trade him. The Bulls have the players to give, for sure, including my all-time favorite, Luol Deng. Mavericks owner Mark Cuban has no future hope of challenging the elite teams in the West with guys like Jason Kidd and Eric Dampier not getting any younger.

With Nowitzki, the Bulls would have a lineup that could compete with LeBron James and the Cavaliers: Derrick Rose at point guard, John Salmons at shooting guard, Nowitzki, Joakim Noah and Tyrus Thomas in the frontcourt. Then you would have Kirk Hinrich, Brad Miller and hopefully Ben Gordon coming off the bench. Nowitzki would add a minimum of four assists more per game for Rose.

Now, Chris Bosh would be nice, but he's no Nowitzki. Besides, are you going to give Bosh big money when he's at home watching the playoffs instead of playing in them?

No, my money is with the German. He's a 25-point, nine-rebound-a-night guy who has Dallas in the playoffs. On top of that, he's the NBA's fourth-leading scorer. He gets the tag of all offense, no defense. Could he be better defensively? Sure, but he's no slouch. He guards some very good players on a nightly basis.

Nowitzki on one wing and Salmons on the other, with the athletic low-post men, would be the be-all and end-all for Rose. The floor would be so wide open, and Nowitzki can still run out effectively on breaks.

Now, I know we still have a big playoff run left in us this year, and my man John Paxson is wondering: Why bring this up now? But why not? Next year will soon be here, so let's get Dirk Nowitzki and challenge Cleveland for years to come. And I'm right.

BULLS WOULD GET MORE SHELF LIFE WITH BOSH, 25

By Dan Jiggetts

Mike, let me begin by saying that the Bulls would do well to acquire either Chris Bosh of Toronto or Dirk Nowitzki of Dallas. Both are high-quality, All-Star big men. Both can become free agents in 2010 but might be available by trade before then.

But there's one major difference between Bosh and Nowitzki that can't be ignored, and that is Father Time. Nowitzki has been in the NBA for 10 years and will be 31 in June. Bosh, on the other hand, has been in the league only five years and just turned 25, so he should have his best years in front of him.

For the big men in the game, it can take longer to fully develop. Bosh is ahead of schedule. If you are in the market for a prototypical, old-time NBA big man, then Bosh is not your guy. He is not a classic, back-to-the-basket, low-block forward/center, but in today's game, who is?

What you will get with both of these players is a 6-10- to 7-footer who can play on the perimeter, but Nowitzki has shown the ability to drive to the basket, which is a nice complement to his above-average outside shooting. I write that not to diminish Bosh's abilities to get down and dirty, but only to be fair to Dirk.

Now let's get to the numbers, where I think my argument on youth and the future really gets its legs. Bosh is a four-time All-Star who averaged about 23 points and 10 rebounds per game while shooting 49 percent from the field. Each year, his stats have improved. Nowitzki averaged 26 points per game but just over eight boards while shooting 48 percent from the field at age 30.

The deciding factor in me taking Bosh over Nowitzki is age. Brad Miller is in the autumn of his career and contract. The Bulls will need another big man who can shoot from the outside and pass the ball to complement of young talent still under contract.

I say get Bosh. I know I'm right.

WHO'S RIGHT?

Jiggetts or North? Who's right on this issue? What do you think? Vote and comment at www.suntimes.com/sports