Chicago Bulls Blog – Page 32 – NBA Blog

Joakim Noah declines to discuss alleged recruitment of Melo

Here’s ESPN Chicago reporting on the topic of Joakim Noah allegedly telling Carmelo Anthony to come join the Bulls after his time with the Knicks wraps up:

Joakim Noah does not want to address the “gossip” surrounding a conversation he reportedly had All-Star Weekend with New York Knicks star Carmelo Anthony.

“You want me to address that?” Noah said at Friday’s shootaround in response to a question about an ESPN.com report Thursday that said he told Anthony he could win a championship if he signed with the Bulls as a free agent after the season. “I don’t feel like addressing it. I really have nothing to say about it.”

Noah was asked if the reported recruiting pitch for Anthony had, in fact, happened, and he didn’t deny the conversation took place.

“Doesn’t matter,” Noah said. “What does that have to do with our team right now? It doesn’t matter.”

Joakim Noah reportedly wants Carmelo Anthony in Chicago

Here’s ESPN New York summarizing a report that Bulls center Joakim Noah wants Carmelo Anthony in Chicago. It’s way too early in 2014 to take any off-season free agency reports too seriously, but it’s fun to at least consider the possibilities:

Is Carmelo Anthony recruita-Bull?

ESPN’s Chris Broussard reports that Chicago center Joakim Noah tried to sell Carmelo on the idea of joining the Bulls in free agency, citing a source with knowledge of the conversation.

Broussard reports that Noah told Anthony over All-Star weekend, “Look, you could go to Los Angeles but … if you want to win a ring, come to Chicago.”

Anthony didn’t offer any guarantees, Broussard reports.

But he did say that he admires how “hard” Noah and the Bulls play and how “hungry” they are. Anthony also added that Derrick Rose is his son’s favorite player. Read into that what you will.

Bulls sign Jimmer Fredette

The Chicago Bulls announced today the team has signed free agent guard Jimmer Fredette for the remainder of the season.

“We are very excited to add a player like Jimmer to our roster,” said Chicago Bulls General Manager Gar Forman. “We’ve followed him closely throughout his collegiate and professional career, and believe he’ll be the type of player that will fit in with our group and be an asset to the team.”

Fredette (6-2, 195) is currently in his third year in the NBA and spent two-plus seasons playing for the Sacramento Kings. He appeared in 41 games this year with the Kings and averaged 5.9 ppg, 1.5 apg, 1.1 rpg in 11.3 mpg, and shot .475 from the field, .493 from downtown and .895 from the free throw line. Fredette was drafted by the Milwaukee Bucks with the 10th pick in the 2011 NBA Draft (his draft rights were traded by the Bucks to the Sacramento Kings in a three-team deal with the Charlotte Bobcats).

In two-plus seasons with the Kings, Fredette played in 171 regular season games (seven starts) and averaged 7.0 ppg, 1.5 apg and 1.1 rpg in 15.0 mpg, and shot .416 from the field, .402 from behind the arc and .855 from the free throw line.

Fredette will wear No. 32 and will be available for Chicago’s game today versus New York.

Chicago’s roster now stands at 13 players.

Jimmer Fredette likely joining Bulls

The Chicago Bulls and former BYU sensation Jimmer Fredette have tentatively agreed to a contract after he parted with the Sacramento Kings earlier in the week, a person familiar with the situation said Saturday.

The person spoke on the condition of anonymity because the deal has not been announced.

The sharp-shooting guard was bought out by the Kings on Thursday and cleared waivers on Saturday. Now, he’s getting a second chance with the Bulls.

Fredette is averaging just 5.9 points and 11.3 minutes in his third season. But the Bulls are hoping “Jimmermania” will take off in Chicago after staying grounded with the Kings – or that he will at least give them the outside touch they were seeking.

— Associated Press

Fredette, 25, is regarded as a high character person and good teammate, unassuming though confident and someone who should be able to fit in with a welcoming and unselfish Bulls group. His ability to stretch the floor and open the court, theoretically, should be helpful. The larger question would be how long he could play given the defensive questions and whether his playing would inhibit the development of rookie Tony Snell, who has been improving with regular playing time recently.

Those questions will surface as Fredette works his way in with the team, though this late in the season the Bulls rarely scrimmage. So it would be a slower process than earlier in the season, though that is similar for all the buyout players joining teams late, like Glen Davis, Caron Butler and Danny Granger.

Fredette because of his shooting seem as good a fit as any for the Bulls needs.

— Bulls.com Blog

Bulls interested in Caron Butler

Here’s the Chicago Tribune reporting on Caron Butler, who has not had particularly good seasons these last few years, but is still probably worthy of being in a good team’s rotation:

The Bulls continue to cast a wide net in the stronger-than-usual pool of bought-out and waived players and have contacted the representatives for Caron Butler, who completed his buyout from the Bucks.

The Bulls hope to sign a 13th player to a prorated portion of the veteran’s minimum contract for the stretch run. They also are one of five teams in play for Danny Granger, although several reports have him leaning towards the Clippers or Spurs.

Yahoo Sports reported Butler, who averaged 11 points per game this season in 34 games with the Bucks, is strongly considering returning to the Heat.

Derrick Rose health update: he is now able to run again

Injured Chicago Bulls star Derrick Rose has started running, although coach Tom Thibodeau says he’s nowhere near ready to practice.

The former MVP point guard tore the meniscus in his right knee at Portland in November and was ruled out for the remainder of the season by the Bulls. He sat out last year while recovering from surgery to repair a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee.

— Associated Press

Bulls sign Jarvis Varnado to 10-day contract

The Chicago Bulls announced today the team has signed free agent forward Jarvis Varnado (Vur-NAR-doe) to a 10-day contract.

Varnado (6-9, 230) is currently in his second year in the NBA. After being drafted by the Miami Heat in the second round (41st pick) of the 2010 NBA Draft, Varnado played overseas for two seasons. During the 2012-13 season, Varnado played for the Miami Heat, Boston Celtics and Sioux Falls Skyforce of the NBA D-League. This season, Varnado has appeared in 22 games (all starts) with the Iowa Energy of the NBA D-League, and has averaged 14.1 ppg, 11.0 rpg, 4.68 bpg and 0.8 apg in 31.1 mpg.

In one season in the NBA, Varnado played in 13 regular season games and averaged 0.6 ppg and 0.7 rpg in 4.5 mpg, and shot .429 from the field and .500 from the free-throw line. In two seasons in the NBA D-League, Varnado has appeared in 45 regular season games (44 starts) and averaged 14.3 ppg, 10.4 rpg, 4.00 bpg, and 0.9 apg in 31.1 mpg, and shot .539 from the floor and .622 from the charity stripe.

Chicago’s roster now stands at 13 players.

Derrick Rose not thinking about returning this season

Here’s ESPN Chicago with quotes from Bulls guard Derrick Rose confirming what was already assumed to be the case, which is that nobody should expect to see him in action this season:

Derrick Rose says he isn’t thinking about a possible return this season and is just focusing on his rehab as he makes his way back from a torn medial meniscus in his right knee suffered on Nov. 22.

Speaking to reporters for the first time in about two months at a Bulls’ charity event, Rose acknowledged that he hasn’t started running yet, but is staying in good spirits.

“I haven’t even had a chance to think about it, to tell you the truth,” Rose said of a possible return this season. “I’m just worrying about my next stage in this process and that’s running right now. I’m on the Alter-G right now running on that and hopefully be running without it pretty soon.”

After having surgery in late November, Rose was ruled out for the rest of the season by the Bulls. In his initial news conference after the injury he said he wouldn’t rule out a possible return for the playoffs, but he seemed to back off those comments Tuesday night. When asked why he was keeping the door open on a return if the organization already ruled him out, Rose hinted that he was still a long way from playing in games.

Should Taj Gibson start ahead of Carlos Boozer for Bulls?

Here’s the Arlington Heights Daily Herald reporting on the Bulls frontcourt rotation. It’s assumed Carlos Boozer will continue to start ahead of Taj Gibson. But for fun, ponder another possibility:

Carlos Boozer said Wednesday he expects to play against Brooklyn, the Bulls’ last game before the all-star break. He’s missed the past three contests with a left calf strain.

“I think I will (play),” Boozer said before the “Evening with the Bulls” fundraiser at the United Center. “The break will be good for it. (But) if I’m healthy, I want to play.”

A better question is will he be the starter when he’s healthy again. Taj Gibson averaged 22.7 points, 10.3 rebounds and 4 assists during the past three games, while the Bulls had two of their highest-scoring first quarters of the season in the past two outings against Atlanta and L.A. Lakers.

Asked if Boozer is still the starter, coach Tom Thibodeau gave a straight answer, with a qualifier.

“Yeah. Again I have to know what the minutes restrictions are,” Thibodeau said.

Carlos Boozer wants more 4th quarter minutes

With a 23-24 record, the Chicago Bulls are treading water in the Eastern conference. If the regular season ended today, they’d be the 6th seed. Even with Derrick Rose out, more was expected. And forward Carlos Boozer, averaging a modest 14.7 points on 45.3% shooting along with a very solid 8.5 rebounds per game, expected more in the way of minutes in fourth quarters. Here’s the Chicago Sun-Times reporting:

Tom Thibodeau often talks about the many distractions that can hit an NBA team.

One slammed into the Bulls head on Monday. All 6-foot-9, 266 pounds of it.

Upset with being in his warmups and a towel on his head far too often in the fourth quarter of games, especially as of late, Carlos Boozer sent a very direct message to Thibodeau.

“Nah, I think I should be out there, but it’s his choice, he makes the decisions out there, so I play, I don’t coach. He coaches. So he decides that,’’ Boozer said before the 99-70 blowout loss to Sacramento. “But honestly, he’s been doing that a lot since I’ve been here, not putting me in the fourth quarter. Sometimes we win, more times than not we don’t, but that’s his choice.’’