Chicago Bulls Blog – Page 72 – NBA Blog

Michael Jordan thinks Derrick Rose deserves 2010-11 NBA MVP

K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune reports:

Michael Jordan receives massive standing ovations whenever he returns to the United Center, as he will Saturday night for the 20th anniversary celebration of the Bulls’ first NBA championship in a ceremony with former broadcaster Jim Durham as host.

But there might be a few extra decibels involved given what His Airness said about Derrick Rose in a rare interview Wednesday night.

“MVP of the season,” the Bobcats owner said Wednesday night after the Bulls downed his team 101-84. “He deserves it. He’s playing that well, without a doubt.”

Then Jordan offered that sly smile.

“And if he doesn’t get it, now he will see how I felt a lot of those years,” the Bulls’ Hall of Famer said…

“I wish man,” Rose said. “It’s great that he said that. It’s an honor. I’m speechless. But I’m just trying to keep winning. The award will come if we keep winning. I’m just trying to play hard and aggressive and with an edge.”

Bulls sign Rasual Butler

By Jeff Lenchiner

The top teams in the NBA have been adding the best available free agents these last few days, and the trend continued Thursday as the Chicago Bulls signed free agent guard/forward Rasual Butler. In accordance with team policy, terms of the contract were not announced.

Butler (6-7, 215) is currently in his ninth year in the NBA. Drafted by the Miami Heat with the 53rd pick in the 2002 NBA Draft, Butler has played for Heat, the New Orleans/Oklahoma City Hornets and the Los Angeles Clippers. He appeared in 41 games (two starts) this year with the Clippers, and averaged 5.0 ppg, 1.9 rpg and 0.7 apg in 18.1 mpg.

In eight-plus seasons in the NBA, he has played in 598 regular season games (249 starts) and averaged 8.6 ppg, 2.6 rpg and 0.9 apg in 24.1 mpg, and shot .401 from the field, .361 from behind the arc and .751 from the line. The 31-year old Butler has also made three trips (27 games, six starts) to the NBA playoffs, where he has averaged 4.8 ppg, 1.6 rpg, 14.7 mpg, .407 field goal shooting, .414 from downtown and .833 from the free throw line.

Chicago’s roster now stands at 13 players.

With a 41-18 record, the Bulls are currently the third seed in the Eastern conference.

Derrick Rose reveals off-season pitch to LeBron

Every team in the league wanted to sign LeBron James this past summer. Chicago Bulls start Derrick Rose, being sane, wanted King James to join his squad and reportedly reached out to make his feelings known.

ESPNChicago reports:

Amid all the hoopla surrounding teams’ recruiting pitches to the most heralded free agent class in NBA history this summer, the Chicago Bulls’ Derrick Rose took a low-key approach in his wooing of LeBron James.

Rose sent James a text, the contents of which to this point were unknown. In a Sports Illustrated article out this week, Rose remembers the message reading: “I’m just hitting you up to kill all the rumors that I don’t want to play with you. I’d like to play with you. I just want to win.”

LeBron, of course, wound up joining Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh on the Miami Heat. And I highly doubt that D-Rose ever thought to himself that having LeBron on the Bulls would in any way wind up being a bad thing.

Clippers waive Rasual Butler

The Los Angeles Clippers today waived guard/forward Rasual Butler.

In 41 games played this season, Butler averaged 5.0 points, 1.9 rebounds and 18.1 minutes per game.

Reports suggest he may sign with the Bulls after clearing waivers.

Bulls trade James Johnson to Raptors

The Toronto Raptors announced Tuesday they have acquired forward James Johnson from the Chicago Bulls in exchange for a 2011 first-round draft pick. The Raptors received the pick from the Miami Heat this past July (Bosh sign and trade).

“James Johnson is a strong, athletic and versatile small forward that we have had our eye on dating back to the 2009 NBA Draft,” said Raptors President and General Manager Bryan Colangelo.

Johnson, 6-foot-9, 245 pounds was a first-round selection by the Bulls (16th overall) in the 2009 NBA Draft. He has appeared in 78 games (with 11 starts), averaging 3.8 points, 1.9 rebounds and 11.3 minutes. He posted a career-best 20 points in a career-high 43 minutes at Miami on March 12, 2010.

Johnson saw action in eight games recently with the Iowa Energy in the NBA D-League. He averaged 19.3 points, 8.9 rebounds, 4.3 assists and 2.5 blocks in 32.1 minutes.

A product of Wake Forest, Johnson averaged 14.8 points, 8.3 rebounds and 1.4 blocks in 61 collegiate games with the Demon Deacons. He earned Freshman All-American honours and was runner-up for the Atlantic Coast Conference Rookie of the Year in 2008.

The Raptors are in Charlotte tonight to face the Bobcats before returning home to play host to Chicago on Wednesday. Game time is 7 p.m. ET (Sportsnet One/Sportsnet Radio The FAN 590).

Johnson is expected to arrive in Toronto on Wednesday.

Read fan reaction and discuss your own opinion in this forum topic.

D-Rose excited for All-Star

Nick Friedell of ESPN reports:

Chicago Bulls point guard Derrick Rose knows there are pundits out there who still doubt how good his team can be. As an All-Star starter and one of the leading candidates for the NBA MVP award, Rose knows that he will have even higher profile when he walks into the Eastern Conference locker room for the first time during All-Star weekend in Los Angeles.

“Teams know other teams in the league who are good,” Rose said after shootaround before the Bulls play the Spurs on Thursday night. “You know when other teams are ballin’. Like we know the Spurs are a very good team tonight. And you kind of get that respect around the league, even though with some media we’re under the radar as being an OK team even though our record is more than OK. Other players around the league know. That’s the fun thing about it.”

Rose knows that his team has opened up eyes all over the league this year with their play, and he realizes that while the task of climbing to the top of the Eastern Conference is difficult, it’s rewarding to be mentioned alongside the Miami Heat and Boston Celtics.

Joakim Noah will return soon for Bulls

By Jeff Lenchiner

The Chicago Bulls, boasting a 35-16 record, are having a pretty great seeason considering they’ve only enjoyed the services of starting center Joakim Noah for 24 games.

Noah isn’t ready to ball just yet but may be back in action right after NBA All-Star weekend.

According to John Jackson of the Chicago Sun-Times reports (via blog):

Joakim Noah cleared another hurdle in his recovery from surgery to repair a torn ligament in his right thumb. The 6-11 center has begun participating in half-court contact drills during practice and remains on schedule to return to the active roster immediately following the All-Star break.

“He hasn’t been cleared yet to do the (full-court) scrimmaging part, which will be the next step for him,” Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau said. “What (trainer) Fred (Tedeschi) has laid out is a plan for progression. (Noah) is cleared for contact and the next phase will be total contact.”

That final phase could come as early as Monday when the Bulls return to the Berto Center for their first practice following the nearly two-week road trip that wraps up tonight against the New Orleans Hornets.

In the games he did play earlier in the season, Noah averaged 14.0 points, 11.7 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 1.2 steals and 1.6 blocks per outing.

Michael Jordan suits up for practice with his Bobcats

The AP reports:

Short on players for practice, the Charlotte Bobcats found an extra body in the front office: Michael Jordan.

The Hall of Famer and Bobcats owner suited up for Thursday’s workout, participating in a full-court scrimmage and showing a few of the old moves that helped make him a six-time NBA champion.

“He’s Mike. He’s been kicking our (butts). He still has it,” forward Gerald Wallace said. “He doesn’t have this quickness, but he can score, he’s a shooter. The last thing to ever go is your jump shot and he has that.”

Jordan, who turns 48 next week, has been spending more time at practices and shootarounds, getting on the floor and doing some teaching. Thursday’s practice was his most involved yet.

“He’s holding these guys accountable and it’s great. I love him out here,” coach Paul Silas said. “He’s teaching them how to protect the basketball, how to play hard on defense, how to talk. It’s a good thing.”

LaMarcus Aldridge scores 42 in win over Bulls

The AP reports:

LaMarcus Aldridge scored so easily against Chicago that he allowed himself a broad smile and a few high-fives from teammates before the game was even over.

“It was fun,” he said after putting up a career-high 42 points Monday night in the Portland Trail Blazers’ 109-103 victory over the Bulls.

So was there a little I-told-you-so feeling after not being selected for the All-Star game? No, Aldridge insisted.

“Me getting 42 tonight isn’t going to change their mind, so what is it going to do for me?” he said. “I thought tonight I just came out and got those easy dunks early and that was my big thing that got me going.”

Derrick Rose had 36 points for the Bulls, who lost their second straight.

Real Housewives of Miami will include wife of Scottie Pippen

There seem to be about a million “Real Housewives of…” shows on Bravo, so naturally the people need more. And they will get it, now down in Miami, Florida.

Ann Oldenburg of USA Today reports:

Bravo is gearing up for a new city, new cast and new drama with the newest player in its Real Housewives franchise: sizzling Miami. The Real Housewives of Miami follows six of the “most connected and influential women of Miami as they live their lives to the fullest in this sunny city where the party never stops,” according to a release from the network.

The cast includes Larsa Pippen, wife of NBA superstar Scottie Pippen, whom Bravo describes as a “snarky Lebanese beauty” who “shares the unofficial title of Hottest NBA Wife” with her friend and fellow cast member Cristy Rice. The series will make its debut at 10 p.m. ET/PT on Feb. 22, bumping Season 4 of The Real Housewives of New York to later this spring. So yes, you’ll have to wait until then to catch up with the Countess.

And, E! reports:

Larsa, described as a “snarky Lebanese beauty,” has four young kids with the Chicago Bulls superstar. Her recently divorced pal Cristy is a Miami native with three kids who runs her own clothing store.

The basketball fan crowd and Real Housewives fan crowd isn’t necessarily the same core audience, but I’m sure some of you out there will tune in.

Larsa Pippen (below):

Christy Rice (below)