Chicago Bulls

#1 Derrick Rose: This was pretty obvious despite Rose missing the entire season, which I am not bitter about. Once Rose returns he may not be the same player driving inside but his jump shot was really underrated before the injury and he could turn his quickness and dribbling ability into a +20ppg season when he returns, he could also add a few more assists. I definitely see Derrick Rose not only returning, but also becoming a better player all together. Will Rose be back for the 2013 - 2014 NBA season? I don't think this should even be a question honestly, but just to answer this question adequately, yes. #2 Joakim Noah: Noah is one of the most underrated star players in the league, he was once again cheated out of the defensive player of the year award and barely made the first all-defensive team. Marc Gasol is most certainly worthy of this award but without Joakim Noah the Bulls defense is deprived of all stability inside the paint, and even outside. Without Marc Gasol I don't think the Grizzlies would have as much problems with Zach Randolph and Ed Davis there. But to state the obvious, Joakim Noah is most definitely the Bulls second best player and I am a little weary of saying "second" because Noah could possibly be the best player on this team, especially after seeing what he did this year. Will Noah be back for the 2013 - 2014 NBA season? Noah is one of the most underrated centers in the league, you could possibly put him in the discussion of being in the top three best centers in the NBA. The odds of Noah being traded is very little, so will he be back? Yes. #3 Luol Deng: Deng is not the most athletic player out there, that is pretty obvious. He is a few milliseconds away from being as athletic as Dirk Nowitzki. Of course I am over exaggerating the whole athleticism thing, and Deng is still the Bulls third best player. He is one of the very few that can stay in front of Carmelo Anthony as well as LeBron James. His defensive ability and his ability to hit the 3pt shot consistently is what made Deng the sixth-highest paid SF in the National Basketball Association. Will Deng be back for the 2013 - 2014 NBA season? It wouldn't surprise me if the Bulls traded him considering he is in his contract year, although there are very few teams willing to trade for Deng. While one of them being the Bulls rival, Cleveland Cavaliers. Overall, the odds say that Deng will be back next year. #4 Carlos Boozer: This #4 spot was split between Boozer and Taj; Taj would have been my decision last year but Taj had taken a step back this season (I will explain in #5). Boozer has impressed me, Boozer finally stepped up in the playoffs and did not disappear when the Bulls needed him the most. Unfortunately he decided to step up during a season that was supposed to be a scrub of a year (technically speaking). But just to mention, Boozer still makes those little idiotic mistakes that could possibly cost them the game. Will Boozer be back for the 2013 - 2014 NBA season? Most likely, the only way Boozer would not return is if the Bulls had the hots for a certain player in free agency and decided to either amnesty him or trade him for a cheaper player or 2nd round pick to a team with some extra cap space. His offense and durability alone will be enough to entice teams. #5 Taj Gibson: Like I said in Boozer's paragraph, Taj took a pretty big step back this season. Taj really shined with a fresh seven footer playing next to him last year. Asik has obviously showed what type of player he is over in Houston and showed what he can do for the rest of his team. With the next best option being Nazr, Taj will not be the same player as before. Especially since the only other options are playing next to a tired Joakim Noah, a inefficient-Boozer and a creepy PF that stays behind the arc 90% of the time. Sorry Taj, I hope the Bulls front office can find you another buddy this off-season. Will Taj be back for the 2013 - 2014 NBA se

November 17, 2012; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Chicago Bulls small forward Luol Deng (9) shoots a basket against the Los Angeles Clippers during the first half at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports Coming into the 2012-13 season, Luol Deng showed his endurance by standing by his decision to not undergo surgery on his left wrist. Despite that choice, he showed he could still be efficient and handle heavy minutes. For the second season in a row, Deng led the league in minutes played per game at 38.7. Coach Tom Thibodeau went with Deng for as long as he could because he continued to be consistent and reliable on both ends of the court. With averages of 16.3 points (team high), 6.3 rebounds, 3.0 assists, and 1.1 steals for the regular season, it’s no wonder why Deng would be relied on so heavily. Not to mention that he also remained one of the team’s best defenders. Honestly, there is not much to say of Deng. He did exactly what was expected of him and was voted as a reserve on the Eastern Conference All-Star team for the second year in a row. Along with that, Deng also acted as a good mentor for the up and coming Jimmy Butler. And because of Butler’s breakout season, Deng’s play may have been overlooked. This is not to say that Deng did not perform well, but he had his flaws. For one, Deng’s field goal percentage was 42.6%. While it is not a horrible number, it certainly could be better, especially for Deng. Though, it is likely that this could have been as a result of never undergoing surgery on his wrist. Last season, his field goal percentage was 41.2%, which is understandable with the wrist injury. But with all of the time that has passed, it appears that Deng’s shooting has not been able to improve too much. Apr 25, 2013; Chicago, IL, USA; Chicago Bulls small forward Luol Deng (9) dribbles the ball against Brooklyn Nets small forward Gerald Wallace (45) in the second half during game three of the first round of the 2013 NBA playoffs at the United Center. Chicago defeats Brooklyn 79-76. Mandatory Credit: Mike DiNovo-USA TODAY Sports During the playoffs, Deng’s field goal percentage took even more of a hit. In the five games, he shot 38.1% but still managed to average 13.8 points. On the bright side, he averaged 7.6 rebounds (second best on the team), 3.8 assists, 1.0 steal, and made Brooklyn’s Gerald Wallace work on the defensive end. Deng continued to show that he knows how make an impact and do whatever is necessary to help his team win. Sadly, Deng was only able to play in five playoff games because of spinal meningitis. Initially, Deng was out due to flu-like symptoms. It was then discovered that he went to the hospital to undergo a spinal tap to test for spinal meningitis, suffered complications, and ended up in the emergency room for an extended period of time. As a result, he lost 15 pounds and was never able to do much activity at all. However, Deng made sure to support his fellow teammates even while in the hospital. So proud of my team man, this bed might be good luck after all. #SeeRed #Holdat instagram.com/p/Y_kt7YmvOM/ — Luol Deng (@LuolDeng9) May 7, 2013 Deng posted the tweet after the Bulls’ win to open the Eastern Conference semifinals against the Miami Heat. Unfortunately, they were unable to achieve anymore wins following that. It is just too bad Chicago was not able to have Deng suit up and play for them. Even with the decrease in points, Deng’s presence surely would have been beneficial, as he has continually proved to be an efficient, reliable player. Final Grade: A-

root against everyone (actually I found myself rooting for the Pacers fairly easily in game 1...) root against everyone (actually I found myself rooting for the Pacers fairly easily in game 1...)

CHICAGO -- If there's one figure floating around Gar Forman's head these days, it must be $20 million. That's the amount of money under the salary cap the Bulls will have to spend next summer when the contracts of Luol Deng and Kirk Hinrich come off the books and the amnesty tag is likely used on Carlos Boozer. That's the rough estimate that salary-cap guru Larry Coon has come up with given the Bulls already have a little over $42 million tied up in Derrick Rose, Joakim Noah, Taj Gibson, Jimmy Butler and Marquis Teague and the figure for the cap is expected to be around $62 million.

Nick Friedell looks at each player on the Chicago Bulls roster and how they fit in for the future. Nazr Mohammed 2012-13 salary: $854,389,00 | Age: 35 | Season stats: 2.6 ppg, 3.1 rpg Season recap: Mohammed rarely played in the first three months of the season but managed to provide some minutes for Tom Thibodeau with some solid play down the stretch and into the postseason. Season highlight: Numbers-wise, Mohammed had a solid game on April 12 in a loss to the Toronto Raptors, scoring 16 points with 13 rebounds.

CHICAGO -- Chicago Bulls forward Luol Deng will not have surgery to repair a torn ligament in his left wrist this summer, according to a league source. Deng, who originally tore the ligament in a game on Jan. 21, 2012, against the Charlotte Bobcats, decided against having the surgery back then so that he could continue helping the Bulls push towards the playoffs. He decided against having the surgery after last season because he wanted to play for Team Great Britain in the London Olympics.

The worst kept secret among sports fans is that the offseason can often times be more fun than the actual season, but all signs point to a relatively quiet summer for our Chicago Bulls. This is a change of pace from what we're used to; frankly, it might be a welcome one. The memory of the summer of 2010 and all that came with it remains fresh. I will never forget the immortal World Wide Wes convincing this entire city LeBron James was about to be a member of the Bulls, when he told the universe "We're Going to Chicago, And Chris Bosh Is Coming, Too". Then there was D. Rose's preference to play with Joe Johnson and Carlos Boozer over James/Wade/Bosh, the hilariously doomed Power Point presentation to LeBron, and the eventual settling for Carlos Boozer as the big piece and Kyle Korver, C.J. Watson and Ronnie Brewer as the complimentary parts. The next summer was lockout shortened and distinct by only one move: the Bulls mercifully replacing Keith Bogans at starting shooting guard with Richard Hamilton, a move that, as we all know, didn't exactly work out like planned. We spent last summer reading about Kirk Hinrich's cul-de-sac and his Dominick's rewards card, fretting over Nate Robinson and exhibiting cautious optimism about the signing of Marco Belinelli. Coming into this offseason, the Bulls face few questions. They have $73 million already committed to eight players; worrisome because last season's salary cap was set at $58 million with the tax line drawn at $70.3 million. We all know the Bulls just paid the luxury tax for the first time in franchise history and we know the new CBA has made penalty for doing so more punitive -- not just the dreaded repeater tax that keeps Jerry Reinsdorf up at night but also by limiting exceptions used to sign free agents and make trades. The one thing the Bulls really have to do this offseason is rework the bench; namely find a backup center more capable than Nazr Mohammed and a backup wing who can provide some offensive firepower. It would be great to have either one or both of Marco and Nate back, but early indications seem to be that both are likely to sign elsewhere. Gar Foreman and John Paxson have proved to be adept at replenishing the bench in the past and we should trust them to do so again. The core of the team remains the same: Derrick Rose returns as the point guard and primary scorer, Jimmy Butler steps into the shooting guard slot, Luol Deng is the small forward, Carlos Boozer and Taj Gibson share power forward duties, Joakim Noah holds down the middle. There is one drastic move the Bulls could make to shake things up, though. They could trade Luol Deng. This has become a topic of conversation for the second straight year, spurred on by the development of Butler and the Bulls' current cap situation. Deng is slated to become a free agent after next season and his expiring contract (combined with All-Star level play) is thought to be of interest to some teams. My question: how does trading Luol Deng at all make any sense for the Bulls from a basketball perspective? If you're trading Luol Deng, you want a draft pick back. This is easy because rookies do not make any money. It is cheap labor. Look no further than the $1.1 million Butler is slated to earn next year in his third season. The ideal trade for Chicago would be Deng for a high draft pick and a competent veteran who can match salaries; remember, the Bulls also have Kyle Korver's trade exception of $5 million should they choose to.....hahaha.....take on more salary. Problem is, you don't want anyone from this draft class. The two names who might be intriguing are Indiana's Victor Oladipo and UNLV's Anthony Bennett, but it's unlikely someone in position to grab the former would be willing to trade him for Deng, while the latter is more of a four than a three. The Bulls already have their power forward of the future and he's currently winning MVPs in Spain. What other deals for Deng are out there that would make sens

Sam Smith opens his mailbag to respond to the latest round of emails from his readers

So everybody always has their "sleeper pick" in the draft. Like a good plumber, or lawyer, or car guy...everyone has that one guy in the draft that no one either knows much about or just doesnt generate enough buzz (usually for good reasons) but its the guy you want your team (or even just SOME team) to draft, a guy who can potentially validate whatever basketball knowledge you think you may have.... James Southerland is my guy, my sleeper pick, the guy I want the bulls to draft. Who is he? James Southerland is a 6'8 forward from syracuse who has just finished his senior year. Hes certainly one of the older potential rooks, already at age 23, and was considered to be M.C-W's assist guy (the guy who gave M.C-W the most assists by converting his passes into buckets). His senior year was by far his best year, he averaged 13.3 pts , 5.2 rebounds, 1.5 blocks, and an assist per game all while shooting at 45% from the field (39.8% from 3pt land) in just under 30 minutes a night. This has been his breakout year, as in the previous year he only averaged about 16 minutes a night, and his freshman year he averaged half that.Hes a solid athlete (more on that later) and tested alright despite having 8%body fat (221lbs) What is he good at? Shooting. By far the thing Southerland excels at is shooting the long ball. Hes got very good length at 6'8 and as you can see from the videos below, has a very high and fairly quick release. Hes mostly known for his ability to catch and shoot, but hes got good feet and was known in his senior year to come off screens and knock down the midrange jumper as well as the 3 ball. He was one of the better defenders in the Syracuses zone heavy defense, though its hard for scouts to predict how that translates to the nba. For what its worth he scored the second highest lane agility test for a sf, at 10.9 seconds, which isnt extremely awesome, but it just means he has the tools to be a solid defender (also has a wingspan of 7'1 and a standing reach of 8'10) What is he Bad at? While hes no slouch of an athlete, the 8% body fat is sort of a flag. Hes also extremely streaky, sometimes he looked like a stud who cant miss, and sometimes he has no idea how to find the bottom of the net. Hes a shooter through and throughout, and regardless of whether hes hitting or missing, he has the confidence and desire to shoot, shoot and shoot some more. Many scouts wonder if hes a good defender or not because his teams played heavy zone. They also wonder if he would have the speed needed to be considered a sf in the nba, since in college he was used as a pf quite often. How does he fit with the bulls? As a bench sf, i think southerland fits a niche that the bulls have been missing since korver was let go. A sf shooting specialist. I honestly think that after Crabbe, Southerland is the best for that niche. He has a fairly high floor, and if he can shed some of that body fat and continue to increase his speed, thibs can make him a good 3 and d guy. He is probably never going to be a star, but if he can be the specialist that we thought cook could be (which i feel is a real possibility) i think he can be a great rotation player on a very small rookie contract for the next few years. Where do you think he will be drafted? I think he might go earlier than the bulls pick in the second round, i say he goes somewhere around the 47th pick overall (give or take 2). Link Dump: NBADraft.net profile DraftExpress profile One Mans Opinion Highlights against Louisville Trying to keep his team in the game 1 Trying to keep his team in the game pt 2 (both of these combined show that he has a desire to win) General Highlight reel (check out that stroke) So what do you guys think, and what are your sleeper picks in this upcoming draft? So everybody always has their "sleeper pick" in the draft. Like a good plumber, or lawyer, or car guy...everyone has that one guy in the draft that no one either knows much about o

Nick Friedell looks at each player on the Chicago Bulls roster and how they fit in for the future. Carlos Boozer 2012-13 salary: $15,000,000 | Age: 31 | Season stats: 16.2 ppg, 9.8 rpg Season recap: Boozer was solid for the Bulls throughout most of the season, averaging 16.2 points and 9.8 rebounds a contest in 79 games. He stayed on the floor and was a consistent option for coach Tom Thibodeau. He looked most comfortable on the nights when he was the first scoring option and delivered numbers for a team that was missing offense without Derrick Rose.