<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Big deals, and bigger expectations Bulls? Nocioni, Smith aim high this season By K.C. Johnson Tribune staff reporter July 18, 2007, 10:38 PM CDT Ten pounds lighter and $37.5 million richer, Andres Nocioni has the same desire and, finally, a pain-free right foot. "I'm the old 'Noce,' " he said. Undaunted by playoff failures with previous teams and $10 million richer, Joe Smith has a post-up game and a healthy appreciation for the Bulls' tradition. "It would be nice to add something to it," he said. The old and the new Bulls made the rounds Wednesday at the Berto Center, where optimism reigned as soon as both players' physicals ended and ink on their restricted and unrestricted free-agent contracts dried. "I'm very positive about our depth," general manager John Paxson said. "Adding Joe gives us another quality vet. Having Andres back healthy helps. "Just look at our front line. With Ben [Wallace] and Joe and Tyrus [Thomas] and Joakim [Noah], we have versatility. You can slide Noce there in small lineups. We still have Viktor [Khryapa] in the mix, who didn't play much but is a guy I like a lot. I feel we have a lot of good players on our team." They need to be because barring unforeseen developments on the trade front, the 2007-08 Bulls team is set. Noah, Aaron Gray and JamesOn Curry will sign their rookie contracts later this week. That means the roster breaks down as Kirk Hinrich, Ben Gordon, Chris Duhon, Thabo Sefolosha, Adrian Griffin and Curry at guard; Luol Deng, Thomas, Noah, Smith, Khryapa and Nocioni at forward; and Wallace and Gray at center. "My intention right now is to stay with 14 roster spots filled and maybe go into the season that way," Paxson said. Nocioni, who returned to Argentina later Wednesday, is merely hoping to enter the season healthy. After wearing a walking boot for several weeks following the season, Nocioni, who missed 28 games with plantar fasciitis, has resumed running and shooting. "My foot is much better," Nocioni said. "Believe me, I'm a new guy. I'm better than ever. I'm practicing the last week and right now I don't have any pain. I feel normal. I hope it's done because it was frustrating last year."</div> Source: Chicago Tribune
We do have a powerful team that has great blending potential. However, basketball teams are like soup because the flavors have to settle in before the soup is at its prime. It may take awhile into the season to really notice the potential, but it is there nonetheless. We have potential.
