The Best Free-Agent Signing This Summer

I'll admit it:  this is the worst time of year to talk about basketball and it's very difficult to find pegs for me to blog about right now.  I didn't express much interest in the Summer League and the schedule release is a non-story for me.  I'd rather recap those games when they're about to happen since a lot will change between now and then.  That said, I wasn't about to let August escape without at least one post from me, so here it is.

Recently, the Tribune sports writing staff underwent several changes.  The Bulls beat was relatively unaffected, which makes me glad that K.C. Johnson will remain the head man at the paper.  When running down the Bulls writers in a staff e-mail, editor Mike Kellams mentioned the team acquiring their top free agent this summer in Derrick Rose.  Now, that doesn't sound like it makes a lot of sense considering Rose has been around for a few years, but considering how much the makeup of the team has changed since the ACL tear, it's not so farfetched.

That statement can also be magnified because the only free-agent acquisition the Bulls have made (so far) is Mike Dunleavy Jr.  The rest are their two draft picks and the re-signing of Nazr Mohammed.  When you count Rose, these faces are more or less replacing the players that walked away from the team for greener pastures these past couple of months.  None however are bigger that the former MVP and it could be argued he's the biggest addition to any NBA team this offseason.

We saw during last year's playoffs what this group is capable of even when stripped down to the bare essentials.  No, they didn't have the horses to get past Miami, but neither did anyone else, though the Spurs were one rebound away from doing so.  At the very least, with a healthy Rose back in the mix, they could challenge the Pacers for supremacy in the Central once more.  In fact, the whole division is stronger than it was a year ago, so this will be a perfect test for Rose.  Also consider that the Heat have won their last two championships while Rose was out of action.  If he thinks he's the best player in the NBA, he'll do all he can to unleash a one-man wrecking crew on the back-to-back world champions.  It might not be enough, but LeBron and company better recognize that their usually tough tests against the Bulls are about to become even tougher to pass and no grading curve will help them.

If you think it's been a slow summer to be a Bulls fan, just remember that they don't need to be exciting right now.  Come late October, it'll be a whole different story.  Rose will be back to what he was and we won't be able to contain our excitement in what we'll be watching.

100 Percent Rosey, Except Maybe for Holmes

The announcement made by Derrick Rose himself that he's 100 percent ready for training camp should have just made a tiny blip on the radar of the sports world, just the latest in a long line of non-news after his ACL tear.  However, even this couldn't slip by without causing a bit of a rift.  Why anything is still causing people to be upset about this ordeal is beyond me.

While listening to Laurence Holmes on 670 The Score last night, he didn't take too kindly to this story.  It wasn't because of what Rose said, but whom he said it to.  As you may know, Rose has been in Europe recently to work some events for Adidas.  Yesterday, he spoke to reporters in Madrid about his readiness for the upcoming season.  It doesn't seem so bad, but Holmes wasn't happy about the former MVP attempting to perform damage control in another country instead of here in Chicago, where it's most needed.  He further criticized Rose for not sitting down with reporters from local media outlets to answer tough questions and choosing softer ones posed by the Bulls' website instead.  Even Kobe Bryant still talks to L.A. reporters before anyone from elsewhere, he said.

Laurence, I understand that a local athlete should ideally put the local media first, but last time I checked, there was no rule saying one absolutely had to.  No matter who Rose breaks this news to, it's going to be made public.  I'd rather know the face of the franchise is good to play than who he chooses to take questions from.  Quite frankly, I wouldn't blame Rose if he was skeptical about answering questions from a local reporter right now.  He was the target of much undeserved criticism last year, especially towards the end, for merely leaving open the possibility that he might play.    Those same people might forget all of it if he starts tearing it up again, but right now, he's not exactly as loved in Chicago as Jonathan Toews hoisting the Stanley Cup.

All these tough questions would bring right now are more reasons for a certain group of people to get back on their soapboxes and declare Rose a terrible excuse for a man, even suggesting the Bulls trade him merely for the sake of getting him out of town, roots be damned.  What you're doing, Holmes, is giving the wrong crowd more reason to continue this unwarranted bounty against someone who couldn't have had a higher approval rating around here before all this happened.  I've seen some goofy things in my 17 years as a Bulls fan, but nothing quite like their best player getting reviled when his only mistake was not telling anyone he would miss the entire season.  Not talking to Chicago reporters rubs you the wrong way?  What are we coming to?  I can't wait for the preseason to start so we can see Rose in action and all this nonsense can be put to bed.

Granted, I haven't been around as long as the majority of sports fans out there and maybe I'll learn a few more things when I take Sports Reporting with Melissa Isaacson in DePaul's graduate journalism program this fall, but how could anyone not be taken aback by this?  When Rose merely wants to lay low in Chicago until the start of training camp, you're still getting upset by his actions?  The city needs to be a little warmer to him and it has to start now.  I'm not saying he'll become permanently distrustful to the fan base, but every media tidbit that paints Rose in a negative light is pushing him closer to a pariah status.  He's only 24.  Why do you insist on putting this much pressure on him over something so silly?  He's gonna play.  Be happy about that.  Holmes, you and everyone else need to take these things in stride more.

Rip It Up

Lost in the bigger headlines of Mike Dunleavy Jr.'s signing becoming official and the Bulls having to pay their first luxury tax in franchise history, the story of Rip Hamilton being waived seems small in comparison.  That doesn't mean it's any less important though.  In fact, it brings closure to one of the more disappointing Bulls tenures of the past few years.  The 78 games he played in over two years don't even cover a full season.  His team averages of 10.5 points and 2.6 assists were all right, but not enough to contribute to a team trying to win a championship.  Derrick Rose's ACL tear changed those expectations, but even when they were lowered, he still found himself in the doghouse by the time it was over, playing in just four of the 12 playoff games for the Bulls this past season.

I said upon his arrival this was a low-risk, high-reward move for the Bulls due to Hamilton's age.  He wasn't going to give you what helped the Pistons win the 2004 championship, but if he did enough, it might help push the Bulls past Miami.  Those low expectations turned out to be justified.  He made a few notable contributions in the regular season, but was a non-factor in the little postseason success the Bulls had during his tenure.  This year, as Ray Allen did enough to help Miami repeat as champions and Jimmy Butler emerged, it only supported the idea that Hamilton has not aged well enough to keep up with one of the best shooters in NBA history or retain a starting job over a young, upstart player.  There was really no reason to keep him around.  It only cost the Bulls a cool million to buy out his contract, so we can't call him a major bust.  Instead, they'll settle for buying a used product with shoddy results.

At 35, Hamilton might still be of service to an NBA team.  If he's hoping to sign with a contender however, he didn't do himself any favors recently.  To earn one last ring before hanging it up, he'll have to accept a role almost similar to Juwan Howard in Miami these past two years:  hanging out on the bench either in warmups or a suit.  More likely, he could sign with a younger team just looking for a veteran presence, not a playoff piece.  Then of course, you have to consider that this may be the end of the line for him.  His 9.8 scoring average this past season was his lowest since his rookie year.  Rather than wait for the bottom to fall out completely, other teams may pass or he could just simply retire.  Whatever happens, I wish him luck and hope he's happy with whatever comes his way.

Now that the Bulls have bid an aging two-guard farewell, let's see how they approach the remainder of the offseason.  They've already signed their two draft picks, so is there any money left for another veteran that could give solid minutes?  There might be, but don't be surprised if this is it either.  You just never know where the free agency period can go and that's what makes it entertaining.

Selfish Recovery

It seems like every time I post about Derrick Rose these days, I'm recycling things I've previously said.  Then again, Rose himself has been rather quiet on his progress throughout most of his rehab.  That changed yesterday when Rose revealed in an interview yesterday what we all should have been thinking this entire past season.  He had to be "selfish" while rehabbing his knee, worrying only about his own well-being.  Though unselfish by nature, he had to change some of his character so that he could get back to what made him so special as a basketball player.

Do you really need anymore convincing that Rose was doing the right thing as to taking the entire past year off?  I really don't understand of the persona the people in this social media era have taken on.  Just because you can get instantaneous information these days doesn't mean you're entitled to it.  Even people who are arrested have the right to remain silent, so why couldn't the fans or media extend the same to Rose?  Yes, he probably should have said early on he didn't plan on playing this season, but there's nothing that says he was required to.  Next time you have to handle to a delicate situation, just remember what Rose had to go through.

I'll keep my thoughts at that since I have a party to prepare for.  Happy 4th of July, everyone!

Adams Out, Dunleavy In, Mohammed Back

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.

Snell of Success and Gator Aid

As I previewed this draft, I mentioned how the lesson taught to everyone these past NBA Finals is that you need good shooters to win a title.  Tom Thibodeau agreed, so that's the direction the Bulls went in during Thursday's draft.  Some proven talent and veteran leadership from a winning program proved to be what the Bulls pursued and got.  Hopefully, they'll eventually be part of a core that helped the team win another championship.

In my preview, I mentioned that if the Bulls wanted to try for a shooter and Sergey Karasev was off the board, they should go for Tony Snell, the junior from New Mexico.  Sure enough, Karasev went to Cleveland just before the Bulls were set to pick, so Snell became their selection instead.  Snell's main selling point is his smooth-to-a-fault shooting stroke, something the Bulls kind of got with Marco Belinelli, but haven't truly possessed since Kyle Korver.  This pick also means they don't need Belinelli anymore.  Instead, they've found a cheaper, younger player who could become the rare rookie that makes an immediate impact in Thibodeau's system.  When he gets into games, they'll have to do everything in their power to create open looks for him. 

As every basketball fan should know, an explosive dunk can only be rivaled by a hot shooter from downtown when it comes to energizing the crowd.  From now on, Snell will be the player to do that.  More importantly, he will provide a big boost in offense to a team that was severely lacking in scoring at times last year.  Thibodeau's strict defensive philosophy will only take the Bulls so far if the other end isn't producing.  I know Thibodeau's stance on playing rookies, but he would be crazy to sit Snell on the bench regularly.  Here's hoping he has a great preseason so it won't even become a question.

The rookie more likely to be riding the bench this year is Erik Murphy, who just finished his senior season at Florida.  In fact, don't be surprised if he's not even on the roster come Opening Night.  He has connections in Finland, which could mean he plays overseas this year instead of the NBA.  On the other hand, it's been rare for the Bulls not to sign even second-round picks in the last decade, so my money is on him playing here.

A 6-10 power forward with a great 3-point shot, comparisons to Dirk Nowitzki come to mind.  He has also shown to improve as a rebounder and defender after building up his playing weight to 240.  Since the Bulls already drafted a shooter in Snell and have an All-Star defender and rebounder in Joakim Noah, Murphy is more likely to see the floor during garbage minutes, at least during his first season.  In the meantime, he can work on his weaknesses, which include a lack of speed for NBA players at his position and being weak as a defender and rebounder despite building his strength.  At the very least, he'll get to observe firsthand what it takes to become a tenured, productive player in this league.  If he's lucky, he'll be able to do the same.  You can only do so much with your body though.

Now that the Bulls have their young players in place, it's time to move on to free agency.  Will Nazr Mohammed return like many local sportswriters believe he will?  What new faces will we have to get accustomed to?  I'll be on top of it throughout July.  Until then, keep working on that shot.

Tonight's Draft Pick Not Obvious

Even the most prominent Bulls experts don't seem to have a clue as to who the team will select in tonight's draft.  All we know for sure is that whoever it is will likely not be in the green room as it's not very common for those invited to share the stage with David Stern to still be without a team by the 20th pick.  Still, it's worth considering those who have been connected to the team both locally and nationally.  Let's take a look at six players who are likely to be available and/or could give the Bulls another important piece for the future.

Sergey Karasev - G/F (Russia):  He's projected as a late lottery pick in some mock drafts, so don't put money on him being there for the taking.  But if he is, he could eventually develop into the role of spot shooter off the bench that has been filled by Marco Belinelli and Kyle Korver the past three seasons.  It would be better than overpaying for another veteran free agent.  Although Tom Thibodeau doesn't like inserting rookies into the rotation, there's a small chance he could make an exception if he starts hitting from anywhere on the floor.  He needs to get stronger, which only supports Thibodeau's reluctance to play rookies.

Tim Hardaway Jr. - G (Michigan):  The son of the crossover specialist, Hardaway has a chance to compliment Jimmy Butler as a young player who can explode towards the basket thanks to his athleticism and improved shooting.  He reminds me of a smaller and less athletic Tyrus Thomas minus the shooting.  He doesn't have the most meat on his bones and is not as quick as other players in the league.  That will have to come over time, as will finding a way to balance his explosiveness and pure ability to score.  His rookie year will be nothing short of a learning experience in finding how to get the most out of his game.

Tony Snell - G/F (New Mexico):  Since Karasev is likely to be off the board by the time the Bulls get to pick, Snell is the next best thing they can hope for if they want to go young on the shooting front.  He has a smooth stroke and if you leave him open, you can forget about getting back because he's just going to knock it down anyway.  If the NBA Finals reminded us of anything, it's that you need somebody who can shoot well if you want to go all the way.  That smoothness could pose some problems however if the Bulls urgently need a big shot with the clock ticking down.  He'll have to play with a chip on his shoulder to succeed in this league or he'll bounce around for a few years before his playing days come to an end.

Gorgui Dieng - C (Louisville):  He's the player most commonly thought to be taken by the Bulls.  He represents the big-man need for the Bulls and comes from a national champion, a trend the team loves to follow.  Drafting Dieng might lessen the chances of Nazr Mohammed's return from a depth standpoint alone.  Besides that, his solid defensive presence would fit right into Thibodeau's system.  As a backup to Joakim Noah, opponents wouldn't catch a break from the frequent blocked shots bound to occur.  Like Mohammed, he also doesn't have the strongest offensive game, which could be why he's not a lottery pick.  Regardless, that defense and winning background fits perfectly on this team, so if it were up to me, he'd be the one the Bulls take.

Mason Plumlee - F (Duke):  The Bulls could always use someone to do the dirty things on the court much like Kurt Thomas did and Plumlee fits that description.  His four years at Duke and ability to get rebounds make him a tempting pick for this team.  He should only be considered if the Bulls aren't looking for an offensive big man and at 6-11, Plumlee doesn't quite fit that mold.  If he's drafted by the team, he's likely to be behind Taj Gibson on the depth chart as a power forward.  Don't look for him to play much this first year however.

Allen Crabbe - G (California):  He represents the shooter the Bulls are looking for:  good range, consistent motion and solid production.  Don't expect all of those to come right away however.  He is often a catch-and-shoot type of player, so if he has difficulty getting open, that could limit what he's able to bring to the team.  If the Bulls are looking to take a shooter for their first pick, they'll have to realize that nothing will come easily for him right away.  Once he improves on creating his own shot however, he could be very dangerous.  But again, here's a rookie Thibodeau will be lucky to give heavy minutes to.

So whether it's one of the above players or somebody else, the Bulls have some intriguing decisions to make if they want their next draft move to put them back in the championship discussion.  I'll be paying attention to what that is tonight and hope to have a post about it tomorrow, if not Saturday.  Why the possible delay?  Because a championship parade in Chicago is enough to take me away from my laptop for several hours.  Hope you understand.