New Season, Lower Expectations

The Bulls officially kick off the 2012-13 campaign with Media Day at the Berto Center tomorrow.  Their first team practice will take place on Tuesday, followed by two-a-days Wednesday and Thursday.  And that's just the beginning of what promises to be a tumultuous season.

This won't be so much a transition year as it will be a rehabilitation year.  Thanks to Derrick Rose's ACL recovery and a completely new bench minus Taj Gibson and Jimmy Butler, this year's Bulls will will be different from the group we've been accustomed to for the past two seasons.  They're not expected to contend for the championship.  This summer, Miami got stronger with the addition of Ray Allen, the Lakers received the services of Dwight Howard and Steve Nash and Oklahoma City looks stacked from top to bottom.  That makes the title a tall order until Rose is completely healthy, which isn't expected to be the case until next season.  That's a tough pill to swallow, but if you're planning around a recent MVP who still has years left in the league, you have to make sacrifices.  In the Bulls' case, it's the coming season.

The new bench will look to Taj Gibson for leadership.  It's a given by now that were it not for Carlos Boozer, Gibson would be starting at the four.  Add that to his familiarity with Tom Thibodeau's system and that makes him a natural.  Even Kirk Hinrich, who provided decent numbers for the Bulls for seven years before being shipped to Washington, will have to learn under a coach unfamiliar to him.  Don't be shocked to see him in a different role from what he was used to during his first stint here once Rose comes back.  Keep in mind that there's a lot of talent surrounding him now, so he may not be relied on as heavily in clutch situations.  Until then, he'll return to his former role as starting point guard.  Anything he's able to provide for this club will be huge and he's a frontrunner for the second best player on the bench when that time comes sometime after the All-Star break.

All the talk about Luol Deng's wrist appears to have disappeared after he got through the Olympics unharmed and then continued to work out elsewhere.  Reports indicate that it's no longer a major issue and in fact, he's ready to assume the leadership role in Rose's absence.  If that wrist gets worked on, it won't be until next offseason at the earliest and even then, it might be just to rid himself of discomfort.  Props to the Bulls' longest tenured player for recognizing the team needs him and willing to do whatever it takes to help them win.  An All-Star nod this year would be the ultimate testament to what he truly means to this organization.

The Bulls are still the team to beat in the Central with the Pacers the only other potential threat in that division.  However, we all know a divisional crown only assures home-court advantage in the first round of the playoffs.  Any after that depends on where you're seeded.  What really matters is what you can do in the postseason.  Unless a not entirely healthy Rose catches fire at the right time, we probably won't see this club make it out of the East.  Then again, we've seen surprises in the NBA before.  Can the Bulls be among the feel-good stories of the league over the past decade?  We'll know soon enough, but for now, let's watch the preseason unfold.

Rose-y Pizza and Other Tidbits

As I explained in my last post, my lack of updating this blog recently can be attributed to the fact that not much significant news breaks in the NBA over the summer, especially after all the player movement period has passed.  That said, a few things have come to light over the past week.

The item creating the most headlines is that Derrick Rose has become an equity partner in Giordano's Pizza.  By appearing in the chain's ads among other things, Rose will help it expand its popularity beyond the Chicagoland area.  In the picture above, he's filming a commercial for them.  As for Rose himself,, this is an opportunity for him to cash in on his fame and make even more money beyond his contracts with the Bulls and Adidas.  It could also lead him on a path for what to do with his life after his playing days are over.  We saw Michael Jordan invest in various business ventures when he played for the Bulls.  We just didn't know how far it would take him.  I'm not saying Rose will buy the Bulls one day as MJ purchased the Bobcats, but this will really get him thinking about what he wants to do later on.

Don't forget he also has a kid on the way.  While he most certainly has enough money to support the child, it never hurts to have a little extra.  You don't want him to join the ranks of professional athletes who have blown all their money from their playing days on various things.  Sadly, that list is longer than we'd like it to be.

Along the lines of contracts, the Bulls have resumed talks to extend Tom Thibodeau's beyond this coming season.  His option has been picked up for 2012-13, but that's as long as his tenure is currently supposed to run.  It would be nice if Gar Foreman could get this down quickly and painlessly.  Hopefully, it'll be out of the way before the season tips off.

Let's face it.  We know the Bulls are in for a year rougher compared to the past two seasons.  A disgruntled head coach, who also happens to be one of the best in the league, is the last thing they should have to worry about in a season likely to be filled with turmoil as Derrick Rose works to return from injury before getting his game back.  Thibs has most definitely earned the right to coach in Chicago for the long run and I have little doubt both sides will agree to a new deal soon.

There is also no doubt that Brian Scalabrine's playing days are numbered as well as his time in Chicago.  He declined the opportunity to become a Bulls assistant coach for the coming year and will instead showcase his broadcasting talents as a color commentator for the Celtics.  Whether or not he becomes as colorful as Stacey King remains to be seen, but we know he'll be loved over there.

Let's face it.  While I'm sure he would have been a nice addition to the Bulls' coaching staff, Scalabrine's actual responsibilities would have risked being trumped by who he is made out to be.  We know he's popular for reasons we may never fully understand, so maybe his duties would best be served where he can serve as a cult hero in the proper capacity.  And even though his popularity soared here, he truly belongs to Boston.  They always cheered him whenever the Bulls came to town and he even won a title with them (though he sat on the bench that entire Finals).

Hopefully, he'll be recognized in some way when the Celtics come to the United Center next season (a video tribute perhaps), but that's about the best we can hope for as far as the Bulls doing something to honor him.  I wish him well and hope his popularity continues to soar.