Chicago Bulls Blog – Page 54 – NBA Blog

C.J. Watson to sign with Nets

The Brooklyn Nets have made an agreement in principle on a contract with guard C.J. Watson, Nets General Manager Billy King announced tonight.

“We are very pleased to add a veteran with the savvy and experience of C.J. Watson to our roster,” said King. “C.J. has the ability to be productive in a variety of roles, and he will add quality and versatility to our backcourt rotation.”

Watson played in 49 games for Chicago in 2011-12, making 25 starts. The 6-2 guard averaged 9.7 points and a career-high 4.1 assists in 23.7 minutes per game for the Bulls. As a starter, Watson posted averages of 11.3 points and 4.6 assists in 29.2 minutes per game. In the 2012 postseason, Watson started five of the Bulls’ six playoff games and averaged 7.3 points and 5.5 assists in 27.3 minutes per game.

After going undrafted out of the University of Tennessee in 2006, Watson was signed by the Golden State Warriors as a free agent call-up from the Rio Grande Valley Vipers of the NBA Development League in January of 2008. After two and a half seasons with the Warriors, Watson was traded to Chicago prior to the 2010-11 season. Over five NBA seasons, Watson holds career averages of 7.8 points and 2.6 assists in 305 games. Watson has made postseason appearances in each of his two seasons with the Bulls. In 22 career playoff games, he has averaged 4.3 points and 2.9 assists in 13.6 minutes per game.

Bulls are sending Kyle Korver to Hawks

Though details had to be finalized and Kyle Korver had to pass a physical, the Bulls agreed in principle to trade the 3-point specialist to the Hawks via the Timberwolves on Friday, two sources with knowledge of the talks said.

There were late indications the three-team deal could fall apart, though that didn’t stop Korver from scheduling a flight from his offseason training base in California to Atlanta for the physical, the sources said.

The deal would take the Bulls off the hook for the $500,000 guarantee of Korver’s $5 million non-guaranteed salary for 2012-13 and slide him into the Hawks’ traded-player exception, acquired in the Joe Johnson deal with the Nets.

— Reported by K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune

Clippers sign Jamal Crawford

The Los Angeles Clippers today signed free agent guard Jamal Crawford. Per team policy, terms of the deal were not announced.

A 12-year NBA veteran, Crawford tallied 13.9 points, 3.2 assists, 2.0 rebounds and 26.9 minutes in 60 games played for the Portland Trail Blazers last season. Crawford also connected on 38 percent of his field goals, 31 percent of his three-point field goal attempts and 93 percent of his free throws on the year. Crawford finished the season ranked first in the NBA in free throw percentage.

Named the NBA’s Sixth Man of the Year in 2009-10 while with the Atlanta Hawks, Crawford has averaged 15.3 points, 3.9 assists, 2.6 rebounds and 31.8 minutes over his career. He turned out his most productive NBA season in 2007-08 while with the New York Knicks, tallying 20.6 points, 5.0 assists, 2.6 rebounds and 39.9 minutes in 80 games played.

The eighth overall selection in the 2000 NBA Draft by the Cleveland Cavaliers, Crawford was part of a draft day trade that sent him to the Chicago Bulls in exchange for the draft rights to Chris Mihm. After four seasons in Chicago, Crawford was traded to the New York Knicks, where he remained until being traded to the Golden State Warriors in 2008. Crawford was traded to the Atlanta Hawks prior to the start of the 2009 season, remaining there until signing with Portland as a free agent prior to the start of last season.

Bulls declining option on Ronnie Brewer

The Chicago Bulls will not pick up the $4.37 million option on Ronnie Brewer for the 2012-13 season, Brewer told “The Carmen, Jurko & Harry Show” on ESPN 1000 on Tuesday.

Brewer, who becomes an unrestricted free agent, indicated that a new deal could be negotiated at some point, but it’s uncertain if the Bulls will bring back Brewer with 2011 draft pick Jimmy Butler in line for more playing time.

— Reported by ESPN Chicago

Bulls decline to pick up C.J. Watson option

The deadline for Bulls options on Ronnie Brewer’s $4.37 million and C.J. Watson’s $3.2 million salaries has arrived. A decision on Kyle Korver’s $5 million option is due by Sunday.

In the wake of Kirk Hinrich’s signing, Watson’s camp already has been told his option won’t be picked up. Brewer long has been considered the most expendable of the three because Jimmy Butler, last year’s first-round pick, will assume his role.

Because of his shooting specialty, Korver has a slim chance to return and hasn’t been told definitively either way. Sources said the Bulls are exploring sign-and-trade possibilities for all three players in an attempt to avoid losing assets for nothing.

— Reported by K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune

Kirk Hinrich will return to Chicago Bulls

The Bulls have made their first move in the NBA’s free-agency period by bringing back a familiar face: Kirk Hinrich. As first reported by the Chicago Tribune, the veteran guard agreed to a two-year, $6-million contract, a source confirmed to CSNChicago.com.

The deal is believed to be the “mini” mid-level exception, according to the same source, which is earmarked for teams up against the salary cap. While Hinrich drew interest from several other NBA teams, including the nearby division rival Milwaukee Bucks, ultimately returning to the franchise that drafted him and being able to live with his family in his north-suburban home he has resided in during offseasons since being traded from the Bulls in the summer of 2010 was a deciding factor.

Hinrich, who is capable of playing both guard positions and is regarded as a strong defender, will likely start the season as the Bulls’ starting point guard as Derrick Rose recovers from ACL surgery.

— Reported by Aggrey Sam of CSN Chicago

Injured Joakim Noah off French Olympic team

Chicago Bulls center Joakim Noah will not play for France at the London Olympics because of the left ankle injury he sustained during the NBA playoffs. Noah told L’Equipe he was “absolutely not ready. Not ready to run, not ready to jump.”

The 12 players who will represent France are to be announced Thursday.

Noah severely sprained his left ankle in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference quarterfinals against the Philadelphia 76ers in early May. He has been rehabbing outside of Los Angeles with his personal trainer Alex Perris, but the pair did not feel comfortable with the idea of playing on an ankle that is still not 100 percent.

“Now that the Olympics are out of the picture, it gives his ankle more time to heal naturally,” Perris said in a text message to ESPNChicago.com. “We will be training in New York City and Los Angeles, focusing on speed, explosion and power.”

— Reported by Nick Friedell of ESPN Chicago

Bulls reach out to Derek Fisher, Brandon Roy

In their quest to find a veteran point guard, the Chicago Bulls have been in contact with Derek Fisher, and they’ve also contacted shooting guard Brandon Roy, according to sources with knowledge of the situation.

It was widely assumed that Fisher would quietly re-sign with the Oklahoma City Thunder after essentially choosing them over several contenders following a midseason trade from the Los Angeles Lakers and buyout from the Houston Rockets.

Fisher, 37, is also on the radar for the Miami Heat, Dallas Mavericks and Thunder. All three teams pursued him in March after he negotiated a buyout from the Rockets. Fisher gave up the final year and $3.4 million of his previous contract as part of his buyout from Houston. He signed for the remainder of the Thunder’s $2.3 million midlevel exception, essentially a pro-rated $1.9 million.

— Reported by Ramona Shelburne and Nick Friedell of ESPN.com

Michael Jordan’s son Marcus arrested

Omaha police arrested the youngest son of NBA legend Michael Jordan early Sunday after being called to the Embassy Suites in the Old Market for a disturbance.

Officer Jacob Bettin, a police spokesman, said Marcus J. Jordan, 21, of Chicago, was booked in the Douglas County Department of Corrections for resisting arrest, disorderly conduct and obstructing. A staff member at the jail said Sunday afternoon that Jordan was no longer in custody.

Bettin said a uniformed off-duty police officer approached Jordan outside the hotel at 555 S. 10th St. about 2:10 a.m. The officer, who was working as security for the hotel, reported that Jordan was arguing with two females in the driveway of the hotel and appeared to be very intoxicated.

— Reported by Kevin Cole of the Omaha World-Herald

Chicago Bulls, Tom Thibodeau must still work for extension agreement

With the draft completed, the Bulls will shift their focus to the next big issues on their docket.

Free agency opens Sunday. And while Tom Thibodeau’s contract extension talks have been ongoing for awhile, significant work remains, according to sources with knowledge of the discussions.

While one source warned the lack of a deal is typical for this stage of negotiations, it’s impossible not to see parallels with the Scott Skiles’ situation from June 2005. Thibodeau’s option for 2012-13 has been picked up. However, after progress on an extension preceding last season, the two sides lately have stalled on contract length and value.

Currently hurting Thibodeau is the fact the big-money era for NBA coaches has calmed a bit and the Bulls remain feeling a bit burned after signing Skiles to a three-year, $13.25 million extension, which came on top of his option being exercised.

— Reported by K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune