Chicago Bulls Blog – Page 77 – NBA Blog

Bulls sign Ronnie Brewer

The Chicago Bulls announced today the team has signed free agent guard Ronnie Brewer. In accordance with team policy, terms of the contract were not announced.

“We’re very happy to add a player of Ronnie’s ability to our team. He brings great versatility on both ends of the floor and will be an excellent addition to our backcourt,” said Chicago Bulls General Manager Gar Forman.

Brewer (6-7, 236), a four-year NBA veteran, comes to the Bulls after spending last season with both the Utah Jazz and Memphis Grizzlies. Drafted out of Arkansas in the first round of the 2006 NBA Draft (14th overall) by the Utah Jazz, Brewer spent three-plus seasons with the Jazz before being dealt to the Grizzlies at last season’s trade deadline.

Last season with the Jazz, Brewer appeared in 53 games (all starts) and averaged 9.5 ppg, 3.4 rpg, 2.8 apg and 1.60 spg in 31.4 mpg. He shot .495 from the field and .633 from the line. He was limited to only five games with the Grizzlies due to a partially torn right hamstring.

A native of Fayetteville, Ark., the 25-year old Brewer has played in a career 271 regular season games (223 starts) and posted averages of 10.3 ppg, 2.9 rpg, 1.8 apg, 1.46 spg, 26.2 mpg, .521 field goal shooting, .234 three-point shooting and .707 from the line. During the 2008-09 campaign, he posted career highs in points per game (13.7) and rebounds per game (3.7), while ranking first in the NBA in steals-per-turnover ratio (1.87) and seventh in field goal percentage (.558). He also ranked in the NBA’s Top 10 in total steals during the 2008-09 and 2007-08 seasons. In his four seasons in the NBA, his teams have advanced to the playoffs three times, where he has appeared in 25 games (17 starts) and averaged 7.7 ppg, 2.7 rpg, 1.4 apg, 20.1 mpg and shot .490 from the field and .685 from the line.

Brad Miller joining Rockets

With center Yao Ming suffering injuries on a regular basis, the Houston Rockets are always in need of a good backup at the five-spot.

Finally, mission accomplished. The AP reports:

Free agent center Brad Miller has agreed to a three-year, $15 million contract with the Houston Rockets.

The 7-foot Miller averaged 8.8 points and 4.9 rebounds for Chicago last season. Miller played in Sacramento from 2003-09, including three seasons playing for current Houston coach Rick Adelman.

Agent Mark Bartelstein said in a phone interview on Saturday that reuniting with Adelman was a major factor in Miller’s decision.

“Coach Adelman was a huge part of it,” Bartelstein said. “He had a great time playing for him, and he thinks he’s a great, great coach.”

Miller does not have a lot left in the tank, but as a primary backup center only needed to play limited minutes he’s as good as it gets.

Magic match Bulls offer, retain J.J. Redick

The Orlando Magic have exercised its right of first refusal and retained restricted free agent guard J.J. Redick, General Manager Otis Smith announced today. Per team policy, terms of the deal are not disclosed. Orlando had seven days to match an offer sheet made to Redick by Chicago on July 9.

“J.J. (Redick) is a valuable part of our organization, both on the court and in our community,” said Smith. “He has worked extremely hard during his four seasons with us and improved every year. We’re happy that J.J. will be back to help us reach our ultimate goal.”

Redick (#7, 6’4”, 190, 6/24/84) played in all 82 games last season with Orlando, averaging a career-high 9.6 ppg., 1.9 rpg. and 1.9 apg. in 22.0 minpg. He made nine starts, averaging 13.0 ppg., 2.9 apg. and 2.7 rpg. in 35.1 minpg. during that span. Redick led the Magic in both three-point shooting (.405, 111-274) and free throw shooting (.860, 191-222), ranking 17th in the NBA in both categories. He also appeared in all 14 playoff games, averaging 7.5 ppg., 1.7 rpg. and 1.4 apg. in 19.2 minpg.

Originally selected in the first round (11th overall) by Orlando in the 2006 NBA Draft, Redick has appeared in 222 career NBA regular season games, all with the Magic, averaging 7.0 ppg., 1.5 rpg. and 1.3 apg. in 17.2 minpg. He has shot .392 (233-594) from three-point range and .863 (353-409) from the free throw line. Redick has also played in 33 career playoff outings, averaging 6.2 ppg., 1.6 apg. and 1.3 rpg. in 18.7 minpg.

Wade still shocked Heat landed LeBron

Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald reports:

“I hit up LeBron [on Tuesday] night and I told him I’m looking at ESPN and I see his name scroll on the bottom and it says ‘Miami Heat forward LeBron James.’

“I just said, ‘Man, it’s crazy.’ And he said, ‘Yeah, I just saw the same thing.’ ”

Behind his cool countenance, Wade feels every bit as exhilarated as the most fanatical of Heat fans. And he’s intoxicated by the possibilities of what this threesome can achieve.

“It’s beyond exciting,” he said. “I don’t think we even really know how excited we’re going to be.”

Bulls name Scottie Pippen team ambassador

The Chicago Bulls are pleased to announce that Bulls legend and Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Famer Scottie Pippen has agreed to rejoin the organization as an ambassador.

In this capacity, Pippen will attend a majority of Bulls home games and spend time with Bulls fans and sponsors. Additionally, he will also participate in a variety of team related events throughout the year.

“We are pleased to welcome Scottie Pippen back into the Bulls family,” said Bulls Chairman Jerry Reinsdorf. “Scottie is obviously one of the greatest and most popular Bulls players of all time and we are so proud of his accomplishments and his upcoming induction to the Basketball Hall of Fame.”

“It’s great to be back with the organization,” said Pippen. “To be part of the Bulls family again means a lot to me. I am really looking forward to being more involved in the community and working with kids. That is an area in which you can never do enough.”

Pippen was a seven-time NBA All-Star (1990, 1992-97) and a member of six NBA championship teams with the Chicago Bulls (1991-93, 1996-98). He was a three-time All-NBA first team honoree and was voted to the NBA All-Defensive first team from 1992-99. Pippen won two Olympic gold medals as a member of the 1992 USA Basketball “Dream Team” and returned to help lead the USA to gold at the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta. He also won NBA All-Star MVP honors in 1994. Pippen will be inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame at a ceremony on August 13, 2010 in Springfield, MA.

James Johnson trims down

K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune reports:

Between the full beard he has added and the 25 pounds he has lost, James Johnson looks like a completely different person this summer.

Johnson’s game, though, looks quite similar from his rookie season, which is to say impressive flashes of athleticism followed by moments of painful decision-making.

This is a critical season for Johnson, who kept a remarkably upbeat attitude throughout all the trials and tribulations he faced. Even when LeBron James posterized him with a dunk in the Bulls- Cavaliers playoff series, creating a replay that led James’ “The Decision” special, Johnson eagerly guarded James some more.

Bulls sign Omer Asik

The Chicago Bulls announced today the team has signed center Omer Asik (O-mair A-sheek). In accordance with team policy, terms of the contract were not announced.

Asik, 24, is a two-time Turkish League All-Star (2007, 2008), and has spent the last five seasons in the Turkish Basketball League, both with Fenerbahce Ulker (2005-06 & 2007-2010) and Alpella (2006-07).

During the 2009-10 season, Asik appeared in nine Turkish League games and seven Euroleague contests with Fenerbahce Ulker, before suffering a season-ending collarbone injury. In nine Turkish League contests, he averaged 10.8 ppg, 6.2 rpg and 1.55 bpg in 20.2 mpg, while shooting .613 from the floor. In Euroleague action, he posted 8.9 ppg, 6.0 rpg, 1.43 bpg and shot .658 from the field in seven appearances. He currently holds the Euroleague Top 16 record for most blocked shots in a game with 19 rejections.

Originally drafted by the Portland Trail Blazers in the second round (36th overall) of the 2008 NBA Draft, the Bulls acquired Asik’s draft rights in a draft-night deal. Chicago traded its 39th selection in the Draft, Sonny Weems, to the Denver Nuggets, and also traded to Denver, the New York Knicks’ 2009 regular second-round pick (acquired from New York in a trade on Oct. 4 2005), and Chicago’s 2010 regular second-round pick. Denver, in turn, traded its 2009 regular second round draft choice to Portland, which then traded its 36th pick (Asik) to the Bulls.

The 7-0, 255-pound Asik is a native of Bursa, Turkey and is a member of the Turkish National Team.

Bulls sign Kyle Korver

The Chicago Bulls announced today the team has signed free agent forward Kyle Korver. In accordance with team policy, terms of the contract were not announced.

“We are pleased to welcome Kyle to the Bulls. He will be a great addition to our team and he will provide another dimension to our offense,” said Chicago Bulls General Manager Gar Forman.

Korver (6-7, 212), a seven-year veteran of the NBA, spent the last two-plus seasons with the Utah Jazz. He broke into the league with the Philadelphia 76ers in 2003, where he played for four-plus seasons after being drafted in the second round of the 2003 NBA Draft (51st overall).

Last season with the Jazz, the Pella, Iowa native appeared in 52 games and averaged 7.2 ppg, 2.1 rpg and 1.7 apg in 18.3 mpg. He shot a career-best .493 from the field, a career-high .536 (first in the NBA) from behind the arc and .796 from the line. Korver’s long-range accuracy last season set an NBA record for highest three-point shooting percentage in a season, eclipsing former Bull Steve Kerr’s mark of .524 (89-170 3FG) set in 1994-95.

For his career, the 29-year old Korver has played in 517 regular season games (103 starts) and posted averages of 9.9 ppg, 3.0 rpg, 1.6 apg, 25.0 mpg, .431 field goal shooting, .410 three-point shooting and .879 from the line. His teams have advanced to the postseason four times, where he has played in 32 NBA playoff games (seven starts) and averaged 8.0 ppg, 1.9 rpg, 1.3 apg, 23.4 mpg and shot .423 from the field, .369 from downtown and .884 from the line.

Cavaliers will not push tampering charge

Marc Stein of ESPN reports:

The Cleveland Cavaliers have no plans to push for an NBA probe into the circumstances that led to LeBron James joining Team USA colleagues Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh in Miami, according to sources with knowledge of the team’s thinking.

NBA commissioner David Stern said Sunday that the league would investigate the Heat’s signings of James and Bosh for any illegal negotiating or planning before free agency officially started if the Cavaliers or Toronto Raptors make that request.

Reached Sunday by ESPN.com, Stern said: “Whenever a team lodges a tampering charge, it is investigated.”

The Cavaliers declined official comment Sunday, but one source briefed on Cleveland’s intentions told ESPN.com that — in the wake of owner Dan Gilbert’s vitriolic open letter to Cavs fans that slammed James for leaving his home-state team — the organization wants to try to keep the focus from here on its post-James future as much as possible.

Bulls have no negative words for LeBron

John Jackson of the Chicago Sun-Times reports:

Like other teams in other cities, the Bulls went all-in to try to get LeBron James and suffered a major setback when James decided to join the Miami Heat to form the Bigger Three with Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh.

But unlike some of those other spurned teams — especially the Cleveland Cavaliers — the Bulls had no harsh words for James and offered no regrets about any decision they made in the free-agent process.

”In our dealings with [James], he was terrific,” general manager Gar Forman said. ”He was professional, we really enjoyed the time we had to spend with him and there was nothing [negative].”