Chicago Bulls Blog – Page 38 – NBA Blog

Joakim Noah will play fewer minutes for Bulls next season

Joakim Noah will continue to be a focal point for the Chicago Bulls but he will not be logging as many minutes as he did last season, coach Tom Thibodeau said Thursday.

“Jo’s minutes will come down,” Thibodeau said during the Las Vegas Summer League. “We got strung out there because Kirk [Hinrich] got hurt. We had to really run our offense through Jo. But the second half of the season we got his minutes down which was probably a good number for him. Luol [Deng] may come down a couple minutes but when you look at small forwards in this league, they all play those type of minutes.

“For us how he and our team matches up with LeBron [James] with Paul George and Kevin Durant, those guys are all in the 37-38 minute area. But I do feel really good about our depth so I think that’s going to be a big plus. Our bench is going to be one of our strengths next season. We’re going to look to take advantage of that.”

Reported by Nick Friedell of ESPN Chicago

Coach Thibodeau impressed by development of Marquis Teague

Chicago Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau is impressed with the development of second-year guard Marquis Teague, who has been a Summer League standout in Las Vegas.

“The biggest thing is his preparation,” Thibodeau told ESPNChicago.com on Thursday. “I’m very excited about the way he came back after the season was over. The way he worked to get ready to play in the summer league this year was entirely different than his rookie year and that’s understandable when you have a 19-year-old kid coming in.

“I don’t think he really understood what he was going to be facing. After going through the league for a year, he went home, got a couple weeks off and then he went right into the gym, put a lot of work in and it showed.”

Reported by ESPN Chicago

Yes, Derrick Rose should be ready for next season

The wait for Chicago Bulls star guard Derrick Rose to return dragged on and on last season. And then never actually happened. But unless something goes wrong, look for D-Rose to be an actual basketball player again in 2013-14.

As soon as Derrick Rose made the strategic, long-term decision to sit out all of last season after left knee surgery, the plan shifted to next season.

And that plan, for now, is for the Bulls to use training camp and exhibition games to ease Rose back. And then, barring an unforeseen setback, it’s all systems go for the yet-to-be-announced season opener.

“The benefit is the additional months that he has had to prepare for next season,” coach Tom Thibodeau said. “But that also adds to the time in which he hasn’t played.

“There’s nothing you can do to simulate the intensity of an NBA game. Even the preseason isn’t quite what the regular season is. He needs to get his timing back. So it will be a step-by-step process (in the preseason). We won’t know until he gets out there. But he’s healthy.”

Reported by K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune

Hopefully Rose is still as athletic and explosive as he was before. He may not be right away, but if all goes well he’ll look like himself as time goes on.

Chicago Bulls re-sign center Nazr Mohammed

The Chicago Bulls announced today the team has re-signed center Nazr Mohammed (NAH-zee).

Little is expected from Mohammed on the Bulls, other than

Last season with the Bulls, Mohammed saw action in 63 games (12 starts) and averaged 2.6 ppg, 3.1 rpg and 0.50 bpg in 11.0 mpg. He also tallied 3.8 ppg, 2.7 rpg and 0.58 bpg in Chicago’s 12 playoff contests.

A 16-year veteran of the NBA, Mohammed has also played with the Oklahoma City Thunder (2010-12), the Charlotte Bobcats (2007-10), the Detroit Pistons (2006-08), the San Antonio Spurs (2004-06), the New York Knicks (2003-05), the Atlanta Hawks (2000-04) and the Philadelphia 76ers (1998-01). In 897 career games, he has posted averages of 6.3 ppg, 5.0 rpg and 0.67 bpg in 16.9 mpg. He owns career shooting averages of .488 from the field and .642 from the line.

Chicago Bulls sign Mike Dunleavy

The Chicago Bulls announced today the team has signed free agent guard/forward Mike Dunleavy.

“We are extremely excited to add Mike to our team,” said Bulls General Manager Gar Forman. “He was a priority for us from the second free agency began and we feel he will be a terrific fit for us, both on and off the floor.”

Dunleavy (6-9, 230), an 11-year NBA veteran, most recently played with the Milwaukee Bucks during the 2012-13 season. Last year with the Bucks, he appeared in 75 games (three starts) and averaged 10.5 ppg, 3.9 rpg, 1.9 apg and 0.52 spg in 25.9 mpg. He also shot .442 from the field, .428 from downtown (eighth in the NBA) and .820 from the line.

In addition to playing the last two seasons in Milwaukee, the 32-year old Dunleavy has also played for the Indiana Pacers (2007-11) and the Golden State Warriors (2002-07). In 757 career games (429 starts), Dunleavy has posted averages of 11.9 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 2.4 apg and 0.78 spg in 28.2 mpg. He holds career shooting averages of .444 from the field, .372 from behind the arc and .799 from the line. For his career, he ranks 76th in NBA history with 982 three-point field goals made.

Originally selected by the Golden State Warriors in the first round (third overall) of the 2002 NBA Draft, Dunleavy’s teams have advanced to the postseason two times. In nine playoff games, he has produced 8.2 ppg, 2.4 rpg, 1.8 apg and 0.67 spg in 18.1 mpg. He also owns postseason shooting averages of .480 from the field, .385 from downtown and .762 from the free throw line.

Dunleavy will wear No. 34 with the Bulls

Bulls cut ties with lead assistant coach Ron Adams

In a surprising move, the Bulls will not renew the contract of lead assistant coach Ron Adams.

Adams, in his second stint with the Bulls, came to Chicago following a successful run as Scott Brooks’ lead assistant in Oklahoma City. A longtime friend of Tom Thibodeau’s, Adams left the Thunder to be closer to his family, who remained in the Chicago area for school reasons following Adams’ first stint with the Bulls under Scott Skiles.

According to sources, general manager Gar Forman made the decision, not Thibodeau. Forman informed Adams on Friday.

Reported by K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune

Malibu fight involving Scottie Pippen being investigated

Former Chicago Bulls star Scottie Pippen was involved in a fight outside of a well-known sushi eatery in Malibu over the weekend that landed one man in the hospital, authorities said.

The altercation occurred about 6:30 p.m. Sunday in the parking lot of Nobu restaurant, said Steve Whitmore, a spokesman for the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. There was an argument between Pippen and the man, who was taken to a hospital with unspecified injuries, Whitmore said. His condition was not immediately available.

Investigators were interviewing several witnesses who apparently saw what transpired and criminal charges could be filed, Whitmore said. It wasn’t known if Pippen has spoken with authorities.

Reported by the Associated Press

Nate Robinson would welcome a return to Knicks

Nate Robinson, who will be an unrestricted free agent come July 1, would be open to returning to the Knicks, according to his agent, Aaron Goodwin.

“Nate’s first thought would be to remain with the Bulls, but if the Knicks’ opportunity presented itself, I am sure he would appreciate an opportunity to play in New York again,” he told ESPNNewYork.com.

Robinson started his NBA career in New York, where he played four-and-a-half seasons before being traded to the Celtics in Feb. 2010. During his time with the Knicks, he averaged 12.5 points, 2.8 assists and nearly one steal in about 25 minutes per game.

Since then, Robinson has played for the Celtics, Thunder and Warriors, and he just wrapped up his first stint in Chicago, where he became one of the top playoff performers.

Reported by Jared Zwerling of ESPN New York

Nate Robinson would welcome a return to New York Knicks

Nate Robinson, who will be an unrestricted free agent come July 1, would be open to returning to the Knicks, according to his agent, Aaron Goodwin.

Since then, Robinson has played for the Celtics, Thunder and Warriors, and he just wrapped up his first stint in Chicago, where he became one of the top playoff performers.

Reported by Jared Zwerling of ESPN New York

First choice for North Korea trip was Michael Jordan, not Dennis Rodman

Offended by criticism that Dennis Rodman’s basketball diplomacy was a marketing gimmick for their season finale on North Korea, the creators of “Vice,” a new HBO newsmagazine with a penchant for daredevilish themes, said Wednesday that Mr. Rodman had improved the program but was not even their first choice.

At a preview screening of the finale, the creators said they would have preferred to have recruited another former N.B.A. star, Michael Jordan, whose autograph adorns a basketball presented to Kim Jong-il, the father of North Korea’s current leader, Kim Jong-un, by Secretary of State Madeleine K. Albright during her visit to North Korea in 2000 — when relations were comparatively warmer than they are now.

“Jordan wasn’t interested,” said Shane Smith, the founder and chief executive of the Vice Media Group, the HBO partner that conceived the North Korea trip and helped persuade the authorities there to permit it.

However, Mr. Smith said, Mr. Rodman’s ready acceptance of the idea turned out to be a blessing. “It fit right into our wheelhouse, because it’s absurd,” Mr. Smith said.

Reported by Rick Gladstone of the New York Times