Chicago Bulls Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Free Agent Notes: Nash, Watson, Dalembert

By Luke Adams | at June 21, 2012 9:54 am

So far this morning, we've heard that Mo Williams could end up testing free agency and that Chauncey Billups is looking forward to hitting the open market. Let's check in on a few more potential free agents, including a Rocket, a Bull, and a two-time MVP….

Odds & Ends: Lakers, Hawks, Rose

By Ryan Raroque | at June 19, 2012 7:37 pm

Dave McMenamin of ESPN Los Angeles looked at some specific names that could surface on the Lakers' radar if Ramon Sessions is not on the roster next season, mentioning Aaron Brooks, Raymond Felton, and Kirk Hinrich as guards who could be available for the team's mini mid-level exception. You can read more of tonight's miscellaneous links here, including rumblings about Atlanta's offseason activity, a minor update on Derrick Rose, and an in-depth look at Charlotte's new head coach…

0 comments Atlanta Hawks Boston Celtics Charlotte Hornets Chicago Bulls Dallas Mavericks Los Angeles Lakers Aaron Brooks Alonzo Gee Chauncey Billups Derrick Rose Jamal Crawford Josh Smith Kirk Hinrich Lamar Odom Marvin Williams Mike Dunlap Omer Asik Ramon Sessions Ray Allen Raymond Felton

Jason Kidd Open To Nets Return

By Zachary Links | at June 18, 2012 9:38 pm

Free agent Jason Kidd says that he would be open to returning to the Nets this summer, writes Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News. The future Hall of Famer says that he likes owner Mikhail Prokhorov and the idea of playing in Brooklyn, but added that Deron Williams being there "is the key."

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Draft Updates: Monday

By Luke Adams | at June 18, 2012 4:23 pm

Earlier this morning, we unveiled the first version of our 2012 mock draft, projecting every pick from No. 1 (Anthony Davis) to No. 30 (Quincy Miller). We'll publish one more mock next week, before draft day, and until then, we'll be keeping tabs on all the latest draft-related news and rumors. Here are today's updates, with the newest items added at the top throughout the day….

The Pistons have a big workout scheduled for next Monday, with Jared Sullinger, Tyler Zeller, Meyers Leonard, John Henson, Terrence Jones, and Perry Jones III expected to attend, tweets ESPN.com's Chad Ford.
Harrison Barnes and a pair of possible second-round candidates will work out for the Wizards tomorrow, the team announced.

Earlier updates:

Spanish point guard Josep Franch will stay in the draft, tweets Jonathan Givony of DraftExpress.com.
Renardo Sidney is "getting trashed" by a number of teams and there's a good chance he'll go undrafted despite his talent, tweets says Scott Howard-Cooper of NBA.com (via Twitter).
The Bucks are considering John Henson with their first pick and will work him out tomorrow, according to Gery Woelfel of the Racine Journal Times (on Twitter).
Czech wing Tomas Satoransky has decided to remain in the draft pool, tweets Chad Ford of ESPN.com. Satoransky now projects as an early second-round pick, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports (via Twitter).
In an Insider piece at ESPN.com, John Hollinger looks for potential sleepers and busts in the draft, using PER projections.
A pair of local products were among the six prospects the Pacers worked out today, as Mike Wells of the Indianapolis Star writes.
The Knicks will work out six players tomorrow, including Jordan Taylor, tweets Jared Zwerling of ESPNNewYork.com.
Joffrey Lauvergne (France, 1991) has pulled out of draft consideration, tweets Jonathan Givony of DraftExpress.com. Maximilian Kleber (Germany, 1992) has also withdrawn, Givony adds in a separate tweet.
Nemanja Nedovic (Serbia, born in 1991) and Sertac Sanli (Turkey, 1991) have both withdrawn from the draft, tweets Jonathan Givony of DraftExpress.com.
International prospect Mindaugas Kupsas has withdrawn from draft consideration, according to Emiliano Carchia of Sportando. The 1991-born Lithuanian big man will spend the season overseas.
We rounded up a few draft updates from ESPN.com's Chad Ford in a separate post.
The Bulls may be open to moving Luol Deng for a package that includes a lottery pick, according to Mike McGraw of the Daily Herald. McGraw cites sources saying Chicago is considering such a move and points to concerns about the luxury tax and about Deng's decision to postpone wrist surgery until after the Olympics. Still, this seems like a long shot to me.
A report yesterday suggested the Thunder would look to trade its first-round pick, but Steve Kyler of HoopsWorld is hearing that's not the case (Twitter link). Kyler hears from Thunder sources that there's plenty of late-first-round talent that the team likes (Twitter link).
Speaking to Mary Schmitt Boyer of the Cleveland Plain Dealer, agent Mark Bartelstein passes along a glowing report of Bradley Beal's weekend workout for the Cavaliers.
Perry Jones III and Jared Sullinger are working out for the Hornets this morning, tweets Jim Eichenhofer of Hornets.com.
Bucks.com has profiles for the four prospects working out for the Bucks today.

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0 comments 2012 NBA Draft Chicago Bulls Cleveland Cavaliers Detroit Pistons Indiana Pacers Milwaukee Bucks New Orleans Pelicans New York Knicks Oklahoma City Thunder Washington Wizards Bradley Beal Harrison Barnes Jared Sullinger Joffrey Lauvergne John Henson Jordan Taylor Josep Franch Luol Deng Maximilian Kleber Meyers Leonard Mindaugas Kupsas Nemanja Nedovic Perry Jones III Renardo Sidney Sertac Sanli Terrence Jones Tomas Satoransky Tyler Zeller

Celtics Eyeing Omer Asik

By Luke Adams | at June 18, 2012 12:44 pm

We're still not entirely sure whether the Celtics will look to re-sign most of their own free agents this summer or whether more significant changes are in store, but Sam Smith of Bulls.com suggests one potential target for Boston. According to Smith, the Celtics are considering making a "strong offer" to restricted free agent Omer Asik.

5 comments Boston Celtics Chicago Bulls Omer Asik

Odds & Ends: Crawford, Warriors, Seattle, Bulls

By Daniel Seco | at June 15, 2012 10:18 pm

The Lakers made history on this day 11 years ago when they beat the Sixers 108-96 to claim the NBA championship with the highest playoff winning percentage of all time at 93.8%, according to Hoopedia. Led by Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant, Los Angeles went 15-1 in the playoffs by sweeping the Trail Blazers, Kings and Spurs before losing just once to Philadelphia. Let's take a look around the league to catch up on the latest news and stories making headlines…

0 comments Boston Celtics Chicago Bulls City of Seattle Golden State Warriors Oklahoma City Thunder Derek Fisher Jamal Crawford Ray Allen

Amico On Bulls, Sloan, Blazers, Crawford

By Luke Adams | at June 15, 2012 3:51 pm

Within the last week, both Sam Smith of Bulls.com and Bradford Doolittle of ESPN.com concocted trade scenarios in which the Bulls acquire Tyreke Evans from the Kings, increasing speculation about such a deal. But Sam Amico of FOX Sports Ohio hears from multiple sources that there's nothing to the idea, and that it's not something that's being discussed by the two teams. That tidbit comes from Amico's Thursday column, and he's back with another piece today, so let's take a look at the highlights:

2 comments 2012 NBA Draft Chicago Bulls Cleveland Cavaliers Los Angeles Clippers Miami Heat New York Knicks Portland Trail Blazers Sacramento Kings Austin Rivers Dion Waiters Jamal Crawford Jeremy Lamb Jerry Sloan Tyreke Evans

Offseason Outlook: Chicago Bulls

By Luke Adams | at June 15, 2012 2:44 pm

Guaranteed Contracts

Derrick Rose ($15,506,632)
Carlos Boozer ($15,000,000)
Luol Deng ($13,305,000)
Joakim Noah ($11,300,000)
Richard Hamilton ($5,000,000)
Taj Gibson ($2,155,811)
Jimmy Butler ($1,066,920)

Options

None

Non-Guaranteed Contracts

Kyle Korver ($5,000,000; partially guaranteed for $500,000)
Ronnie Brewer ($4,370,000; partially guaranteed for $333,333)
C.J. Watson ($3,200,000)

Free Agents (Cap Holds)

Omer Asik ($2,414,750)
Mike James ($854,389)
John Lucas ($854,389)
Brian Scalabrine ($854,389)

Draft Picks

1st Round (29th overall)

Cap Outlook

Guaranteed Salary: $64,167,696
Non-Guaranteed Salary, Cap Holds: $16,714,584
Total (not including draft picks): $80,882,280

2011/12 was a "What if?" season for the Chicago Bulls, who very well could be playing for the NBA title right now if it weren't for injuries to Derrick Rose and Joakim Noah early in the playoffs. Rose is expected to miss a good chunk of next season as well, but there's enough talent on the roster that the team should stay afloat without him, and could make a second-half run when he returns.

Before the Bulls take the floor in the fall though, a number of roster decisions face the team. Kyle Korver, Ronnie Brewer, and C.J. Watson all have non-guaranteed contracts for next season — Korver and Brewer have modest partial guarantees, but cutting all three players would still save the Bulls nearly $12MM.

I expect the Bulls to release at least one or two of the guys on non-guaranteed deals, but there's no real urgency to cut that salary. Chicago isn't in position to create room under the cap, and re-signing restricted free agent Omer Asik and filling out the roster will probably take the club into the luxury tax anyway. Replacing someone like Watson or Brewer with a lower-cost alternative, either through the draft or free agency, could be prudent, but that decision shouldn't affect the team's ability to spend elsewhere.

If they're a taxpaying team, the Bulls will only have the $3MM mini mid-level exception, along with minimum-salary exceptions, to spend in free agency. Steve Nash and Jason Kidd are rumored targets for Chicago, but I'm not sure how realistic that is. Nash, in particular, seems unlikely to choose a destination where he could only earn $3MM annually and a franchise point guard is already in place. Kidd might be a stronger fit though, and the Bulls could also kick the tires on guys like Raymond Felton, Chauncey Billups, and Kirk Hinrich.

Of course, Chicago doesn't necessarily have to allocate that mini mid-level to a point guard acquisition, but it seems like the most logical choice. Assuming the team re-signs Asik, which GM Gar Forman has suggested will happen, the Bulls are in good shape with Noah, Asik, Taj Gibson, and Carlos Boozer up front. With Luol Deng on the wing and Richard Hamilton at the two, the Bulls' biggest hole is at the point. The team will be targeting a player that can carry a heavy load early in the season, then settle into a smaller role when Rose gets healthy.

The Bulls also hold the 29th pick in a deep draft, and while they probably won't find their point guard answer at that spot, there should be plenty of intriguing two guards available. Given Hamilton's health issues this year, adding a scorer to back him up makes some sense. John Jenkins, Doron Lamb, and Jared Cunningham could be among the Bulls' possibilities at No. 29.

While some Bulls fans may be expecting the team to use its amnesty provision on Boozer or to explore a blockbuster trade involving Noah or Deng, I think it's unlikely Chicago does anything too drastic this summer. The Bulls finished the regular season tied for the NBA's best record in a year when Rose never seemed completely healthy. There's no reason to believe the team as constructed, with perhaps a few small tweaks, can't be a title contender with better luck on the injury front.

Rose's ACL surgery was certainly bad news in the short term, but as Forman has said before, it shouldn't affect Chicago's long-term plans. I expect the Bulls to exercise patience this offseason, rather than desperately looking for any quick fixes.

Storytellers Contracts and Sham Sports were used in the creation of this post.

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Bulls GM Talks Draft, Rose, Asik, Mirotic

By Luke Adams | at June 15, 2012 9:36 am

Despite an early and disappointing end to this year's season, Bulls GM Gar Forman remains optimistic about his team's long-term future. Forman appeared on BullsTV this week to answer fans' questions, and opened up a little on a few topics, including his plans for the draft, Derrick Rose's rehab, and the futures of a couple young big men. Here are some of the highlights from the GM, courtesy of Adam Fluck at Bulls.com….

On the draft and the Bulls' lone pick at No. 29:

"We feel pretty good about where we’re at with No. 29. It’s a deep draft and we’ll be able to address a need with our pick and get a player that’s going to fit into our team, both from a culture standpoint and from a strategic standpoint…. As always, we’re not looking at specific needs. We’ll draft who we feel is the best player available."

On Rose's recovery from ACL surgery:

"He’s been diligent in his rehab, he’s made tremendous progress, and the surgery, obviously, was a huge success. The biggest thing that’s been encouraging about Derrick has been his mentality towards the rehab. He’s working each and every day, putting a lot of effort into it, and we’re optimistic that if he continues to make the type of progress that he has, that we’ll see Derrick back on the floor at some point next season."

On restricted free agent Omer Asik:

"Omer is very, very important to us. We see him as a key piece of our team moving forward. We think he’s shown the potential to continue to improve. We’re looking forward to getting a chance to sit down with him on July 1st. But it’s certainly our intention to have Omer Asik in a Chicago Bulls uniform long term."

On 21-year-old Nikola Mirotic, whose NBA rights the Bulls hold:

"He’ll remain under contract with [Euroleague's] Real Madrid for the next couple years. But it’s certainly our goal and our expectation that Nikola will be in a Chicago Bulls uniform somewhere down the line. We’ll continue to monitor his progress and feel really good about the development that’s taking place…. He’s seeing major minutes for Real Madrid. When he does come over, we think he’s really got a chance to be a key piece to what we’re trying to put together."

On the team's long-term outlook:

"We’ve hit a bump in the road. We’re going to take a step back short term. But long term, we’re in as good of position as we feel we’ve ever been in. We’ve got some quality young players and we’ve got some assets on the horizon. We don’t have a lot of financial flexibility right now, but we will in the future."

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Draft Updates: Thursday

By Luke Adams | at June 14, 2012 8:46 pm

The countdown until the 2012 draft is down to two weeks, and this week has been heavy on workouts and trade speculation. We'll track the latest news and rumors on both fronts, along with a handful of other draft-related items, right here. New updates will be added to the top of the page throughout the day….

According to their official website, the Pacers will work out Evan Fournier, Ashton Gibbs, Travis Hyman, John Jenkins, Josh Owens, and Tony Wroten Jr. on Friday.