The Ship's Captain Returns

Sometime in high school, I was presented with this Kirk Hinrich jersey as a gift from my relatives.  I cherished it because he was my favorite Bull and probably the most loved among the fan base at a time when the team was just becoming somewhat relevant again.  I wore it to a game in 2007 and then didn't set foot in the United Center for the Bulls again until the home opener of the 2010-11 season.  By then, the jersey had become a nostaligia item as Hinrich was traded during the previous offseason to create cap space for the impending free-agent signings.  Gone, but not even close to forgotten.

After two years with Washington and Atlanta, Hinrich was due to hit the market again.  During the season, rumors circulated that Captain Kirk would be interested in a Chicago return.  When Derrick Rose tore his ACL, the drum beat a little louder.  Now, the fans are getting their wish.  By verbally agreeing to a 2-year deal worth around $6 million, Hinrich has put the jersey back into my circulation of clothing.

While he's certainly a little older and in turn, slower, Hinrich provides the stability the Bulls will need at the point until Rose returns.  Once that happens, he can easily switch over to the two as he did during Rose's first two seasons.  With Rip Hamilton around, he'll probably be relegated to the bench once Rose does come back.  In the meantime, this short-term problem has been solved.  I'm not saying he'll be anywhere near the talent level of a former MVP.  After all, he's never been more than a slightly above-average player.  At 31, his ceiling has just about been hit.  Still, I'm fairly confident he still possesses the leadership skills and hard work ethic everyone in Chicago embraced him for during his first tenure.  If he plays up to that form, the Bulls will win a lot of games. 

Plus, I'm interested in how he works with this group of guys.  Only Rose, Luol Deng, Joakim Noah and Taj Gibson remain from the last Bulls team he played for.  They'll have to fill the others in on the way he runs an offense.  Is he the answer to getting past Miami?  Absolutely not.  But if you enjoy watching basketball and a team looking to pull off the unthinkable given their circumstances, Hinirch and the Bulls are for you.

Of course, there's a flip side for some of the players.  With this move, C.J. Watson's option will likely be declined, allowing him to explore the market.  John Lucas III has been inquired about his services by numerous teams, including the Heat.  With three point guards now under contract, there's no need for a surplus. 

There are also the decisions of whether to exercise the options of Ronnie Brewer and Kyle Korver.  The more immediate pressing issue is Omer Asik's future.  Gar Foreman wants him back, but is he going to pony up the dough for the contract offer which I think is more than he's worth?  All these questions will be answered throughout the summer and I'll continue to offer my insight on all of them.  In the meantime, welcome back, Kirk.

Omer Will He Be?

I've often been told by certain people I strikingly resemble Omer Asik.  He's a restricted free agent, so the Bulls still control his fate.  But weekend events are going to, as my good friend and 670 The Score producer Nick Shepkowski told me, make it "tough to keep your much taller twin around."  The Houston Rockets have signed Asik to an offer sheet worth three years and $25.1 million.  Once free agents are allowed to sign with new teams on July 11, the Bulls will have three days to decide whether or not they want to match that.  If they don't, Omer joins Hakeem and Yao in the long line of Rockets centers.

As you might imagine, I like Omer.  Not because he looks a bit like me, but because I admire his grittiness and hard work he brings to the floor game in and game out.  The Turkish Hammer is usually good for one two-handed slam every 48 minutes.  Beyond that, his offensive skills are limited.  The biggest evidence of such is the two missed free throws at the end of the game that knocked the Bulls out of the playoffs.  He can rebound and block shots, often doing so with authority.  He just about embodies everything Tom Thibodeau preaches and the type of player the Bulls have come to embrace ever since John Paxson joined the front office.

However, professional basketball is a business.  As such, personal feelings have to be set aside.  Averaging  3.1 points and 5.3 boards per game over an average of 14.7 minutes is decent for a bench player, but those numbers aren't worth $25.1 million.  Frankly, I'm shocked anyone would offer him that money, but sometimes, a team badly needs a cog in the middle to play lockdown defense when asked.  The Bulls are trying to remain a championship contender.  If they match this, it'll cripple their chances to land a decent free agent.  It'd be best if they just let their backup center walk.  Both parties will benefit in their own way.

Shepkowski believes if this change happens, one of C.J. Watson, Kyle Korver and Ronnie Brewer is likely to stay.  Losing Asik would certainly free up a bit of cap space to sign one of them for a year or two.  My money's on Brewer as a defensive specialist, but I wouldn't be surprised if Korver returned instead.  I know I've been hard on him for his postseason disappearing act, but some offense needs to come from the bench in the interim.  Who knows?  Maybe he finally gets it together with the stakes raised next year.  While C.J. Watson has made hiis desire to return to the Bulls clear, I still think he's the least likely of the trio to wear a Bulls uniform in the fall.  Somebody needs to fill that one position while Derrick Rose recovers and he's not it.  Let him start on a rebuilding team or maybe even one in the middle of the pack, but not the top playoff seed in the East two years running.

In their mission to solve that temporary starting point guard dilemma, the Bulls have reached out to Derek Fisher and Brandon Roy, even though the latter is actually a shooting guard and more likely a candidate for the team's leading sixth man.  While the reasonable choice is Fisher, Roy could be intriguing in that the potential is there for a player who just couldn't stay healthy in Portland and finally had to retire thanks to a bad knee.  Both players could serve a purpose here, but it may not mean a thing if they re-sign Asik for the price Houston is offering.  He certainly has intangibles you just can't find in other players out there, but you have to focus on overall improvement if you're Gar Foreman.  Sometimes, that means letting your own go.  It may not be easy, but if there's a better option out there, you have to make sacrifices.  You want to win it all?  Don't let personal feelings get in the way of your job.  I trust Foreman won't.

Omer, you've had a great two years here and won't be forgotten around these parts anytime soon, but if there's a better opportunity out there, you go for it.  I know you're ready to make more money in this league, so don't let us force you to stay.  It's all business and there's no way to fault you for that.

In-Teague-ing Pick

I'm glad I didn't blog about the premature reports yesterday that the Bulls were planning to draft Tyshawn Taylor at No. 29.  That would have looked foolish.  I already jumped the gun on Twitter.  No way I wanted to do it twice.

The Bulls passed on Taylor, who stayed on the board until well into the second round.  Instead, they selected one of the one-year Kentucky wonders that won a national title, Marquis Teague.  Yes, he's the younger brother of Jeff Teague, the Atlanta point guard who showed flashes of greatness in last year's playoffs against the Bulls.  Marquis also plays the point, making it more likely C.J. Watson's on his way out.  We already learned in this year's postseaon that Watson's not the answer to back-up point.  Even if the same can't be said for Teague, I'd rather watch a rookie learn the ranks than an underperforming veteran.

Teague is athletic, quick with the first step and facilitates offenses effectively.  If he gets close to the rim, he'll finish.  While he has trouble with defenders on him, he certainly has potential to improve on that with his quarterbacking skills.  Nowadays, he's more scorer than playmaker, which is what he'll have to become if he's to have a long career in the league.

What role Teague plays this season remains to be seen.  If he's not ready to start in Derrick Rose's absence, the Bulls still need a veteran point guard.  Regardless, when Rose is healthy again, he could develop into a very reliable second man.  He'll hold down the fort as best he can until his future mentor comes back.  That alone will be interesting to watch.

This pick could also be telling of Rose's mentoring skills.  We know he's a natural leader on the floor, but how is he at teaching younger players the basics of being an NBA player?  Like Teague, Rose left college after only one year, meaning at the very least, they share similar backgrounds of younger days.  Of course, Teague won the national title whereas Rose came up a game short.  The major difference though is that Teague doesn't have the expectations Rose had coming out and Teague most certainly isn't being touted as a future MVP, at least not at this age.  That said, it'll be up to Rose to show him the ropes.  Since he's not in playing shape right now, the best he can offer is advice from the sidelines.

Teague, like everyone else, will have to go with the assumption that Rose might not play at all next season.  It'll be a tough challenge for him and he's likely to come under a lot of scrutiny in his rookie year.  If he plays enough, those expectations might soar a bit and folks in turn will waste no time criticizing him if he's not respectable.  I apologize in advance for any such things coming from me in the future, but I'll try to be as gentile as possible.

Welcome to Chicago, Marquis.  Hope you enjoy the great tradition this team has and you're watching every championship film from the '90s in your free time.

Nothing Certain - Not Even Deng

In less than 24 hours, we'll know what the Bulls have done for the 2012 NBA Draft.  Will they keep their lone pick and hope things work out that way next season?  Will they trade Luol Deng to get higher on the board?  Will something below the radar unfold?  In any case, there are a lot of questions surrounding tomorrow night and whatever happens will most certainly be debated.

What appears to be the final mock draft on NBADraft.net has the Bulls using the 29th pick to take Baylor freshman Quincy Miller, who's 6-10, but listed as small forward.  That's what Jimmy Butler plays.  But with so much uncertainty surrounding this year's class after Anthony Davis, you could really throw darts at potential late first-rounders/early second-rounders and pick whatever they hit.  Will Barton of Memphis has reportedly worked out with the Bulls a couple of times, but his draft stock might be rising, making people question if he'll still be available that late.  Without a second-round pick to look forward to, the Bulls get only one shot at a player who, at least for the near future, will be nothing more than a role player on a championship contender.  I'm glad I'm not Gar Foreman because I might be losing sleep tonight over all this pressure otherwise.

As for Deng, the Bulls reportedly told him he will not be traded.  Don't be so sure about that however.  In addition to Deng stating he wouldn't be surprised if he got shipped, tensions ran a bit high during his final meeting with the team before taking off for the British national team.  Personnel would still rather he skip the Olympics and get his wrist worked on, but everyone who follows this team knows that's not happening.  Deng has shown no signs of changing his mind and he apparently has a cult following in his country.  From what I understand, he's been printed on currency, so to not participate in these games would be a disgrace.  Yes, he's a Bulls player professionally, but he's a Brit at heart, especially after they sheltered his family after fleeing war-torn Sudan.  If the Bulls trade him, it'd better be in order to improve the club, not over a stupid issue like this.  Just look at that smile in the above picture.  You really want to deny him this opportunity?  Smooth.

The Bulls need to do something to stay competitive in the East until Derrick Rose heals and Deng recovers from surgery (if he chooses to get it after the Olympics).  Tomorrow night's pick won't be the final piece needed to get over the hump, but let's hope whoever it is will play a viable part in the future of this club.  Good luck, Gar and John.

Cautiously Optimistic

How happy should Bulls fans be right now?  After various speculation on the state of Derrick Rose from a lot of progress to none whatsoever, Dr. Brian Cole, who performed the surgery on Rose, said last year's MVP is in fact "ahead of schedule".  He recently had an appointment in Alabama with a therapist who works with famed surgeon Dr. James Andrews.

While it's encouraging to hear this news, I'm just hoping that there's no stretching of the truth involved here.  Given the seriousness of an ACL tear and the fact that everybody who follows basketball really wants Rose to have a speedy recovery, this type of hope is easy to dish out.  How many times in the past have we heard about athletes' recoveries from serious injuries and said athlete later had some sort of setback?  I won't name specific examples, but I've learned in my time following sports that you have to be skeptical sometimes when dealing with stories about sensitive subjects. 

Bulls fans are still smarting from the image they had to endure at the end of Game 1.  As much as I'd love to talk about how great it is that Rose is "ahead of schedule", one has to keep in mind that even if he suits up at some point next season, he's not going to be the same player until at least the season after.  Basketball, and sports in general, really, is as much mental as it is physical.  When he starts driving to the hoop at times, don't think what happened won't be in the back of his mind.  Heck, it might even be in the forefront.  We all know he wants to come back quickly, but it'll likely take a whole offseason to shed whatever issues he feels is burning inside him from this devastating blow.

Also, remember that his girlfriend is expecting, so entering fatherhood in his early '20s will be be yet another challenge he'll have to face.  You need to provide for your newborn while simultaneously trying to return to work.  That's a life situation, not a basketball one.  Still, he's shown his maturity, so I have every confidence he'll manage.

It's going to be an interesting ride for Rose.  He must continue his rehab if the Bulls are to contend for a title again in the near future.  We might find out more about what the team in general has to do if Miami clinches the title tonight, but that's for another post.  Saddle up, Bulls fans.  This'll be quite a roller coaster for No. 1.

Moving On Down

Yes, I had this post title recently, but the one noticeable difference is I didn't add a question mark to the end.  That's because the news became official earlier this week that the Bulls will be moving out of the Berto Center practice facility in Deerfield in the next couple of years.  The franchise will purely be part of Chicago as that's where the new digs will be.  There's a strong chance it will be on the Near West Side as part of a new entertainment and retail complex.  Did I mention that the United Center won't be far away either?  The move comes for the aforementioned economic reasons as well as the elimination of the grueling travel time between the current location and the game arena?

While the Bulls are looking toward the future and vibrant opportunities on the horizon, there's also a feeling of sadness as they prepare to leave the northern suburbs.  A great facility that ranks up there with the top ones in the NBA is about to be sold.  It's helped to put the town on the map.  Michael Jordan announced his first retirement there in 1993, followed by a media frenzy in the days leading up to his 1995 comeback.  Few bad things have been uttered about the place.  But there's the saying that all good things must come to an end.  I just don't think Deerfield residents didn't think it would come anytime soon.  And maybe the Berto Center wore out its welcome earlier than even the Bulls themselves projected.  They'll still have fond memories of the building and whoever buys it will most certainly keep up, running and vibrant.  It still looks like it has a lot of years of usefulness left.  There'll just be new occupants.  Yeah, it may not be a glamorous one, but as long as it generates some green for the local economy, everything will be fine.

Enjoy the next couple of years, Deerfield.  You'll want to savor every moment you have left with this franchise.

Barnes About It?

NBADraft.net's mock draft currently has the Bulls taking Vanderbilt shooting guard John Jenkins with the 29th pick.  Picking another Jimmy Butler-type player wouldn't hurt at all and Jenkins might get more chances than Butler did this past year if Rip Hamilton has to sit more for whatever reason.  But what if the Bulls could do better?  There are rumors floating about that they might.

Word has it the Charlotte Bobcats may try to trade the No. 2 pick in a draft that doesn't have many sure things after Anthony Davis.  That shouldn't be too surprising.  Michael Jordan has a relatively poor history of evaluating young talent (Kwame Brown) and No. 2 is never a guaranteed success (Darko Milicic).  At the same time, the Bulls recognize that Harrison Barnes will be taken early, so their only option in this case is to trade up.  Should the Bobcats concede their pick, the two clubs could have a match.  The Bulls would have some high potential added to their lineup, one that could pick up a bit of the slack left by whoever on the current roster departs, and Charlotte would be free to explore the market for a veteran that bests fits their needs.

Trading Luol Deng is the only way to virtually guarantee this scenario plays out.  That would only make the weakened roster worse.  With already lower expectations thanks to Derrick Rose's indefinite absence, you don't want to send a message that you've not only give up on next season, but put yourself in trouble for the distant future.  The small forwards in this year's free agent class don't include the second star the Bulls need to put them over the top (Gerald Wallace, Grant Hill, etc.).  With Carlos Boozer not likely to be amnestied, they need to fill that 3-spot somehow.  Dumping salary seems like a good idea, but sometimes, you have to consider other factors such as the above.  That said, Deng will be in a Bulls uniform next season.

So if the Bulls are to have a shot at Barnes, they'll need to get creative.  I'm not a GM, so I'm not going to list off every possible scenario that would make this possible.  Instead, we'll just have to pray that some sort of miracle will rain down.  I'll be happy with whoever the Bulls get late in the first round, but wouldn't it be great to find another player from a longtime winning college program?  That's part of the foundation of the current squad.  We like what this team is capable of when completely healthy.  Adding to it would help immensely.