The AP reports:

LeBron James may persuade NBA players to give up their No. 23s, but a leaguewide retirement of Michael Jordan’s number seems unlikely.

James said on Thursday that he is considering switching his number next season and wants other players to do the same in honor of Jordan, the Hall of Famer who is often regarded as the league’s best player ever.

Major League Baseball retired Jackie Robinson’s No. 42 and the NHL did the same with Wayne Gretzky’s No. 99, but that hasn’t been done in the NBA. Spokesman Tim Frank said on Saturday that ”retiring a player’s number is a decision that has been made by the teams” and not the league.

Brian Windhorst of the Cleveland Plain Dealer reports:

Basking in the glow of a victory over the Heat, Cavs superstar LeBron James looked over at his idol sitting in the stands at AmericanAirlines Arena on Thursday night and made a command decision.

Out of respect to Michael Jordan, who sat courtside and watched James score 34 points, James said he is planning on switching his number after this season from No. 23 to No. 6. It just sort of came out, but it was obvious he’s been thinking about it for a while.

And James wants to lead a movement to get every player who wears No. 23 in the league to give it up as a tribute to Jordan.

It sounds like LeBron is still merely thinking of doing it, so it isn’t guaranteed to happen. And as for the move, I’m not sure how I feel about it. I’m as big a Jordan fan as anyone else, and I definitely think of Jordan when I hear “23,” but years more of LeBron would also make me think of him, too. And I’m not sure that would diminish any aspect of Michael Jordan. It would just diminish the number.

Thing is, I’ve never been a big jersey number guy. Others care about it more. So to me it’s no huge deal.

And, of course, LeBron switching numbers would also result in a lot more new jersey sales. But let’s not think about that right now.

Chicago Bulls forward Tyrus Thomas suffered a fractured radius of his left forearm during a weight training session this morning at practice. X-rays confirmed the injury and he will undergo surgery tomorrow.  The surgery will be performed at Rush, by team physicians Dr. Brian Cole and Dr. John Fernandez, and assisted by Dr. Mark Cohen.

Thomas is expected to be out four to six weeks.  In four games (three starts) this season, the Louisiana State product has averaged 8.3 ppg, 5.3 rpg and 1.75 bpg in 21.0 mpg.

Currently in his fourth year with the Bulls, Thomas has appeared in 229 games (95 starts) and posted averages of 7.7 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 0.9 apg, 1.34 bpg and 0.82 spg in 19.9 mpg.

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How important are a team’s captains? In most cases the title doesn’t mean much. Players who haev leadership qualities tend to rise up and motivate others whether they’re a captain or not.

Bulls.com reports:

Luol Deng, Kirk Hinrich and Lindsey Hunter have been named team captions for the 2009-10 season. The players voted over the weekend and an announcement was made on Monday.

Of the three, Deng is the only projected starter. He was also a captain last season. Hinrich, however, has been elected captain in six of his seven NBA seasons.

In his 17th season as a pro, not much is expected of Hunter from a statistical standpoint, but his contributions to the team are significant, serving as a mentor for Derrick Rose and the team’s other young players.

Star point guard Derrick Rose wasn’t named a captain. He isn’t very vocal so that’s not too surprising. I bet next year he becomes one, though.

The Chicago Bulls announced today the team has picked up the options for the 2010-11 season for guard Derrick Rose and forward/center Joakim Noah. By exercising the respective player options, both players will be under contract with the Bulls for the 2010-11 season.

Rose, appeared in 81 games (80 starts) last year en route to being selected the 2008-09 T-Mobile NBA Rookie of the Year.  On the season, he averaged 16.8 ppg, a team-high 6.3 apg and 3.9 rpg in 37.0 mpg. The Chicago native shot .475 from the field and .788 from the free throw line.  He finished the 2008-09 campaign in the top three in several categories all-time among Bulls rookies, including total points (third with 1,361), scoring average (third) and assists (third with 512).  Rose was the first selection in NBA Draft 2008.

In two seasons with Chicago, Noah (6-11, 232) has appeared in 154 games (86 starts) and averaged 6.7 ppg, 6.6 rpg, 1.2 apg and 1.13 bpg in 22.5 mpg; he has shot .520 from the field and .684 from the line.  The Bulls selected Noah in the first round (ninth overall) in NBA Draft 2007.

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K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune reports: Taj Gibson is averaging 13.7 points on 53.6 percent shooting and also has matched up against the Jazz’s Carlos Boozer. In his matchup against the Bucks’ Thomas, the veteran forward pump-faked Gibson into an early foul, after which Gibson punched the stanchion in disgust. “You can’t take this job for granted,” Gibson said. “You have to take advantage of every chance you get. That’s why I watch so much film, which is fun for me. “One thing about me is I’m a gym rat. From the time I came, I told (general manager) Gar (Forman) that I love playing basketball. I’m going go to do whatever it takes to be the best player I can be.” Gibson earned Pac-10 defensive player of the year honors at USC, so his ability to consistently sink the midrange jumper has surprised some. Gibson isn’t one of them.

The AP reports: Rookie James Johnson sank a fade-away jump shot from the baseline at the buzzer Tuesday to give the Chicago Bulls a 102-101 win over the Utah Jazz in an NBA preseason game. Johnson, who finished with 18 points, got the rebound after teammate Derrick Byars missed a 3-point attempt from the top of the key… Luol Deng, who was raised in London after his family fled war-torn Sudan, impressed early and finished with 18 points at sold-out O2 Arena. He left the game in the third quarter and didn’t return. Jannero Pargo scored 16 points for the Bulls. Paul Milsap led the Jazz with 18 points, and Deron Williams and Wesley Matthews had 16 each.

Good NBA seats are expensive. Fans shelling out big money to sit near the court should expect a good view of the action.

But what about when players get off the bench and remain standing for a while? On the one hand, it’s nice to see guys cheer their teammates. On the other, these giants prevent fans from seeing what they paid to see.

The Cavs are one team with players who remained standing a lot, and now the league office has reportedly taken action.

Brian Windhorst of the Cleveland Plain Dealer reports:

The NBA has issued a memo to its teams directing players on the bench to remain seated during games. Game officials will be keeping a closer eye and will issue faster warnings and possible technical fouls if not followed. Players are permitted to cheer, but standing during regular-game action and blocking the fans’ views apparently isn’t going to be allowed.

That goes for Tuesday night’s first preseason game at The Q, where the Cavs will host the Charlotte Bobcats in the first of eight practice games before the season opener.

The Cavs weren’t exactly thrilled that their custom has been legislated.

“It is hard to take that out of the game,” LeBron James said. “Part of the game is emotions, your teammates are all you have. That was part of the reason we played great basketball, because we cheered each other.”

I support the league protecting the paying fan’s view.

The AP reports: Rookie Taj Gibson had 19 points and nine rebounds to help the Chicago Bulls beat the Indiana Pacers 104-95 on Friday night in the preseason opener for both teams. Derrick Rose added 17 points, and Luol Deng and John Salmons had 15 each for the Bulls. Danny Granger led the Pacers with 27 points in 26 minutes. Luther Head scored 14 points, and Brandon Rush scored all 13 of his points in the second half for Indiana. Chicago’s Tyrus Thomas left the game in the third quarter because of a concussion.

Chicago Bulls center Brad Miller’s NBA career has tapered off in recent seasons, but his celebrity status just got a boost in the world of people who love the great outdoors.

K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune reports:

Miller got to travel the world filming footage for “Country Boys Outdoors,” a new TV show he’s co-hosting that premieres on The Sportsman’s Channel this month.

A self-described “hick” from Kendallville, Ind., who long has been passionate about hunting and fishing, Miller found himself chuckling over his good fortune when he, say, hunted red stagg or rabbits in New Zealand.

“We’ve been filming stuff for over three years,” Miller said.

That’s eight less than the number of seasons the wily veteran has played after leaving Purdue as an undrafted free agent.

“Obviously, you approach the offseasons a little differently now because you’re looking more just to stay healthy,” Miller said. “You don’t recover as much as the young guys. So a lot more Advil, more time icing and just maintaining your body. Or hunting.”

Nothing beats a summer spent doing what you love and getting paid in the process. Dude is lucky.

Chicago Bulls  center Aaron Gray developed lower leg pain over the last two days.  He was examined by team physician Dr. Brian Cole of Midwest Orthopedics at Rush University Medical Center and it was determined that he has a stress fracture of his left fibula.  The diagnosis was confirmed by MRI.  He is likely out 6-8 weeks.

The 7-0, 270-pound Gray is entering his third NBA season, playing each year with the Bulls.

New Detroit Pistons guard Ben Gordon was a big part of the Bulls, on offense at least. Will Chicago miss him? Yes, but John Salmons is more than capable of easing the pain.

John Jackson of the Chicago Sun-Times reports:

The reason no one is sweating the loss of Gordon is the presence of Salmons.

Though he played almost exclusively at small forward since bring acquired from the Sacramento Kings in February last season because of the injury to Deng, Salmons actually has spent most of his career playing shooting guard.

He probably won’t lead the team in scoring like Gordon, but Salmons is more of an all-around player and at 6-6 gives the Bulls more size in the backcourt than they’ve had in years.

”[Salmons] gives you a little more versatility,” coach Vinny Del Negro said. ”We’ll have to wait and see how all that pans out, but you like that length.

Both the Bulls and Pistons will be fun to watch early on in the season as they adjust to summer roster changes.

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The Chicago Bulls today re-signed center Aaron Gray. Per team policy, terms of the contract were not disclosed.

Chicago drafted the 7-0, 270-pound center with the 49th selection in NBA Draft 2007.  During his two seasons with the Bulls, he has appeared in 117 games (19 starts), and averaged 3.9 ppg and 3.3 rpg in 11.4 mpg.

InsideHoops.com editor says: Big backup center who can fall into people, take up space, raise his arms, etc.

If there’s one former professional basketball player you’d want to give advice to children, naturally the first name on everyone’s list would be… Dennis Rodman.

Jason Stromberg of Forum Publishing Group reports:

Dennis Rodman says he hasn’t picked up a basketball in forever and insists the game isn’t what drives him anymore.

“I want to reach out to today’s children, because nowadays it’s hard to do such a thing,” said the former rebounding king and five-time NBA champion. “Look at the world we live in. It’s so fast-paced with all the electronics. I want to make it a better place.”

A seven-time first-team All-Defensive selection, Rodman was at the Ocean Manor Resort Hotel, 4040 Galt Ocean Drive in Fort Lauderdale, last Wednesday for an appearance on the Jeff DeForrest sports talk show on WWNN 1470 AM. He was on hand to help promote the You –Me –BBQ & Tennessee charity event to benefit the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

“My advice for kids is to understand the difference between good and bad and learn from it,” he said. “You try and reach out to as many as you can. A lot of the kids look at me as a cartoon character, someone who is witty and funny. I love that, but I also want them to see me as a beneficial person, someone who isn’t bad and is doing as many positive things as possible.”

Rodman may be a cartoon character, but if he says positive stuff to the kids that’s all that matters. I just hope they didn’t see him on The Apprentice.

Jerry Krause is sticking to his principals on an issue he cares about.

Mike McGraw of the Arlington Heights Daily Herald reports:

Former Bulls general manager Jerry Krause says there’s a simple reason why he’s not in Springfield, Mass., this weekend for Michael Jordan’s enshrinement in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.

Krause is sending a Tex message.

Years ago, Krause made a vow never to return to the Hall of Fame unless Winter - a longtime Bulls assistant and creator of the triangle offense - was voted in.

“I would be a heck of a hypocrite if I went back on my word not to walk into that building,” Krause said Friday on WSCR’s Danny Mac Show.

“Many years ago I was on the Hall of Fame committee for five years. I resigned in a very public manner for a reason. The reason was because Tex Winter was not on the ballot one year. The committee had no say in who was on the ballot. The committee had no meetings. It was all done by mail and you did not know who the other committee members were.”

I’d say Tex Winter definitely deserves to be in the Hall of Fame more than a few others who have been inducted over the last four or five years.

The AP reports: From the coach who cut him to the players who disrespected him, Michael Jordan never forgot a slight. Not even on the night he was enshrined in the Naismith Memorial Hall of Fame. Jordan’s thank you list went well beyond friends and family, including any doubters who provided him the inspiration to become a better player — perhaps the greatest one ever. “You guys, I must say thank you very much for giving me that motivation that I definitely needed,” Jordan said.

The AP continues: Jordan cried before beginning his acceptance speech, then entertained the crowd with memories of any slights that sent him on his way to basketball’s birthplace: –The coach who cut him from the varsity as a North Carolina schoolboy. “I wanted to make sure you understood: You made a mistake, dude.” …  –Isiah Thomas, who allegedly orchestrated a “freezeout” of Jordan in his first All-Star game. “I wanted to prove to you, Magic (Johnson), Larry (Bird), George (Gervin), everybody that I deserved (to be there) just as much as anybody else, and I hope over the period of my career I’ve done that without a doubt.” … –Knicks coach Jeff Van Gundy — Jordan called him Pat Riley’s “little guy” — who accused Jordan of “conning” players by acting friendly toward them, then attacking them in games.

Yahoo reports: Jordan wandered through an unfocused and uninspired speech at Symphony Hall, disparaging people who had little to do with his career, like Jeff Van Gundy and Bryon Russell. He ignored people who had so much to do with it, like his personal trainer, Tim Grover. This had been a moving and inspirational night for the NBA – one of its best ceremonies ever – and five minutes into Jordan’s speech it began to spiral into something else. Something unworthy of Jordan’s stature, something beneath him. Jordan spent more time pointlessly admonishing Van Gundy and Russell for crossing him with taunts a dozen years ago than he did singling out his three children. When he finally acknowledged his family, Jordan blurted, in part, to them, “I wouldn’t want to be you guys.”

Yahoo continues: No one ever feels sorry for Isiah Thomas, but Jordan tsk-tsked him and George Gervin and Magic Johnson for the 1985 All-Star game “freeze-out.” Jordan was a rookie, and the older stars decided to isolate him. It was a long time ago, and he obliterated them all for six NBA championships and five MVP trophies. Isiah and the Ice Man looked stunned, as intimidated 50 feet from the stage, as they might have been on the basketball court. The cheering and laughter egged Jordan on, but this was no public service for him. Just because he was smiling didn’t mean this speech hadn’t dissolved into a downright vicious volley.

Michael O’Brien of the Chicago Sun-Times reports: Bulls guard Derrick Rose’s college career at Memphis officially was erased from the record books Thursday. The NCAA Committee on Infractions concluded that a player on the 2007-08 team was ineligible to compete because of an invalidated SAT score. According to the NCAA, the athlete played for the Tigers only in the 2007-08 season and the 2008 NCAA tournament. Only one player — Rose — fits that description. The committee also found that Memphis provided a player’s brother with $1,713.85 in impermissible benefits. That person is believed to be Rose’s older brother Reggie. As a result of the infractions, Memphis will forfeit all 38 victories and its Final Four appearance. The school is on probation until Aug. 19, 2012, and must return all the money it received from appearing in the NCAA tournament. “I know I didn’t do anything wrong,” Rose said two weeks ago at his basketball camp in Deerfield.

Shannon Ryan of the Chicago Tribune reports: The Educational Testing Service’s cancellation of the player’s test score fit into the NCAA’s “strict liability” category and the infractions committee did not need to investigate further because it meant Rose already was ineligible before the season began. The NCAA attempted to contact Rose twice to attain proof he took the exam, according to the report, but he didn’t respond. The Memphis men’s basketball team also received punishment for failure to monitor itself because a player’s relative — thought to be Rose’s brother Reggie — received free accommodations and travel on several occasions. Memphis lost in the national championship game to Kansas and the Bulls made Rose the first overall pick in the NBA draft in 2008 after his freshman season. He was named the NBA’s rookie of the year.

Detroit Pistons President of Basketball Operations Joe Dumars announced today that the club has signed free agent center Ben Wallace.  Per team policy, terms of the contract were not disclosed.

“We are pleased to announce Ben Wallace’s return to the Pistons organization,” said Dumars.  “Ben played an integral part in the success of the franchise from 2001-2006 and we feel there is a role for him on our team this season.  His size and experience will provide depth in the front court while his work ethic and commitment to winning will help our club throughout the year.”

Wallace, 34, has NBA career averages of 6.2 points, 10.3 rebounds, 2.2 blocks and 30.9 minutes in 903 games (785 starts) with Washington, Orlando, Detroit, Chicago and Cleveland.  The 13-year veteran played in Detroit from 2000 to 2006 where he was named NBA Defensive Player of the Year and an NBA All-Star four times.  Wallace was an All-NBA Second Team selection three times (2003, 2004, 2006), All-NBA Third Team selection twice (2002 and 2005) and an NBA All-Defensive First Team selection five times (2002, 2003, 2004, 2005 and 2006).  The Pistons made the playoffs in five of the six years he was in Detroit, winning Eastern Conference Championships in 2004 and 2005 and the NBA Championship in 2004.  Wallace is the franchise’s all-time leader in regular-season and playoff blocks (1,297 and 215, respectively) and ranks first among all-time playoff leaders in rebounds (1,237).  He holds franchise single-game records for blocks in a game (10 – twice), defensive rebounds in a quarter (10) and blocks in a quarter (6).  During the 2006-07 season, he became just the fifth player in NBA history to record 100 blocks and 100 steals for seven consecutive seasons joining Hakeem Olajuwon (12 times), Julius Erving (seven times), Sam Lacey (seven times) and David Robinson (seven times).  Wallace ranks fifth among active players in career blocks with 1,948 and led the NBA in blocks during the 2001-02 season (3.48 bpg).

Originally acquired by the Pistons along with Chucky Atkins in exchange for Grant Hill as part of a sign-and-trade deal with Orlando (8/3/00), Wallace signed with Chicago as a free agent on July 13, 2006.  He was traded by Chicago to Cleveland as part of a three-team trade on February 21, 2008.

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The Arlington Heights Daily Herald (Mike McGraw) reports (via blog): Ben Wallace agreed to rejoin the Pistons this week, returning three years after signing the $60 million free-agent deal with the Bulls. This would have been Wallace’s final season with that contract, but he agreed to a buyout with Phoenix. I doubt if Wallace ever wanted to leave Detroit in the first place, but he was encouraged by relatives to take the bigger payday. Once he got here, I think Wallace tried his best, but he was clearly uncomfortable in the spotlight. Then he just couldn’t keep up the pace of being a high-energy, undersized center and his body broke down. Wallace doesn’t figure to spend much time on the court this season. Will his mentoring help turn Charlie Villanueva and Chris Wilcox into all-stars? I doubt the Bulls should be worried.

The Chicago Bulls announced today that the team has waived forward Linton Johnson III and guard DeMarcus Nelson.

Johnson (6-8, 205), signed a 10-day contact with Chicago on Mar. 11, 2009 and was re-signed to a second 10-day contract on Mar. 20, 2009.  Johnson was then signed for the remainder of the season on Apr. 7, 2009.  In his second stint with the Bulls, Johnson appeared in eight games and averaged 1.1 ppg and 1.0 rpg in 5.0 mpg.

Nelson (6-4, 200), was acquired by the Bulls as a free agent on Apr. 4, 2009.  As a Bull, Nelson posted one DNP-CD and appeared on the inactive list twice.