Lots of news has broken for the Bulls in the last 48 hours, so I'll do my best to keep it all in perspective.
First, in what may suggest a struggle between Gar Forman and Tom Thibodeau, Forman chose not to renew the contract of top assistant coach Ron Adams. Now, I don't call myself an expert as to how much assistant coaches affect the overall play of an NBA team, but it's a little surprising to suggest that one of the most successful staffs in the league would have this kind of turnover after a successful three-year run. Thibodeau held Adams in high regard, so it seems like a big deal that the general manager would overrule his head coach like this.
We may never know the real reason behind this and Forman insists this won't affect his relationship with Thibodeau. Still, you have to wonder if it won't cause any issues down the line. No GM/coach combo has ever had an entirely smooth sailing tenure and this appears to be the first time Forman and Thibodeau have disagreed on something that received so much media attention. They can't stay away from issues that may or may not threaten to tear them apart, so this has to be a learning experience for both of them. The Bulls need both of these men if they want to make a serious run at a championship, so they'll have to keep the friction to a minimum. If you can find anyone available who would be better at these respective jobs, let me know so I can make a case for them.
Although free agents can't officially sign until July 10, the Bulls wasted no time adding a new face on the first day of negotiations. Mike Dunleavy Jr., a former national champion with Duke and son of the man who coached against the Bulls in the 1991 Finals, verbally agreed to a two-year, $6 million contract. Most recently of the Milwaukee Bucks, Dunleavy has also spent his 11-year career with Indiana and Golden State. Take a look at the shooting guard's numbers and you'll see why this eliminates any remaining chance of Marco Belinelli returning.
Last season, Dunleavy averaged 10.5 points per game, shot 44 percent from the field and a career-high 43 percent from three-point land. That was only 1.4 points below his career scoring average, par from the field and well above his long-distance percentage. It would be unrealistic to ask Tony Snell to carry the role of primary long-ball bench shooter, especially in Thibodeau's system, so a seasoned veteran had to do. True that Dunleavy, who will be 33 when the season begins, isn't getting any younger, but the fact that he can still put up solid numbers that would mainly be expected of someone five years his junior is impressive. What's more, the Bulls can go the entire next offseason without worrying about the expiring contract of their three-point specialist. Next offseason wasn't what they had in mind last year, but with Derrick Rose returning, they want a familiar cast of characters to see if they can win together. And of course, you wonder how Stacey King will label Dunleavy. Kyle Korver was the Hot Sauce, Belinelli was the Spicy Italian Meatball. What will be the new veteran's moniker from the colorful announcer?
Confirming what so many people thought, especially in the local media, Nazr Mohammed made it known via Twitter today that he will return to the Bulls for a second season. Mohammed, whose season highlight came when he shoved LeBron James during a playoff game at the United Center, never really considered playing anywhere else. He averaged 2.6 points and 3.1 rebounds last year, but he was never really brought on for his ability to do either of those things. Rather, he did a lot of the little things late in the season and especially in the playoffs, which showed everyone he could still help out a contender. Look for him to act in a similar role as his Bulls tenure continues. Joakim Noah and another big man whom the Bulls have not yet found will continue to provide contributions in the box score. Mohammed will just keep doing what he's paid to do, which is make life easier for the rest of his teammates on the floor.
Look at all the activity that's been had in such a short period of time. Keep it moving, gentlemen. We want to see another winner here in Chicago.
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