http://articles.chicagotribune.com/...130519_1_taj-gibson-coach-tom-thibodeau-bulls May 18, 2013|By K.C. Johnson, Chicago Tribune reporter Regardless of what happens this summer, the Bulls' biggest offseason addition will be the youngest most valuable player in NBA history. Thanks to a provision in the new collective bargaining agreement named after him, Derrick Rose, who is scheduled to return after missing the 2012-13 season following knee surgery, will make $17,632,688 in 2013-14. Don't blame him; all he did was outperform his rookie scale contract, prompting the rule. Add in Carlos Boozer and his $15.3 million contract, Luol Deng and his $14.2 salary and Joakim Noah with his $11.1 million deal and there's the Bulls' core. No wonder Jimmy Butler and his $1,112,880 rookie contract salary are such eye-openers, both on the court and in the Bulls' financial picture. The other signed players are Taj Gibson at $7.5 million, Kirk Hinrich at just over $4 million and Marquis Teague at just over $1 million. That's $72,044,288 committed to eight players, putting the Bulls in luxury tax territory for the second straight season. Translated: The search for the new Nate Robinson — a veteran who will sign for the minimum and catch lightning in a bottle — has begun in earnest. But seriously, unless the Bulls surprisingly deal Deng — an option considered only because of Butler's emergence — what you see is what you get. The Bulls are counting on Rose to return to form and better injury luck to challenge for the Eastern Conference championship. After all, they battled the Heat in 2011 before losing Omer Asik to a fractured fibula. They were on a collision course for a rematch in 2012 when Rose went down and Noah followed with a grotesquely sprained ankle. And they played the Heat competitively in three of five games this postseason despite being without Rose, Deng and Hinrich. "If everyone comes back healthy, I think we have the possibility of being very good," coach Tom Thibodeau said. "We'll have quality depth. We're hopeful to add to our team. We have to add the right type of guys. But we can't hope for it. We have to put the work in." The Bulls own the 20th pick in draft, which won't yield an impact player initially and could be a big man. They have a trade exception from the Kyle Korver deal that likely will go unused. And they could dangle Richard Hamilton in trade talks near draft time given that, with only a $1 million buyout of a team option, he's close to an expiring contact for a team looking to save money. But unless Deng is dealt, this should be a quiet summer, filled with veteran minimum signings. The Bulls also could choose to use the taxpayer exception of roughly $3.2 million. However, it could go unused to mitigate the luxury tax hit and preserve one of management's favorite sayings of "future flexibility."
Well, you didn't really expect K.C. to write an article banging the drum for a Deng-for-Tyreke Evans deal, didya?
Why exactly would the Bulls issue press passes to guys giving them unfavorable press? Not good for Business or the Bottom Line.
Suuuuure. You get to interview Rose if he has time after doing the other interviews. Or I'll return your call in a few hours.
I would rather trade Hinrich and keep Nate and Marco, but that won't happen. For one thing I doubt anyone will take him and besides, the Bulls FO loves him. Kirk has been injured a lot the last 3 seasons. We could trade Deng, but for what? He is a two-time all-star. Deng and Butler on the floor at the same time can defend James and Wade pretty well.
