2014-15 season preview

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By Sam Smith | 10.29.2014 | 9:37 a.m. CT | asksam@bulls.com | @SamSmithHoops

So how good, really, is this season’s Bulls team?

The test begins Wednesday at Madison Square Garden with the opening game against the New York Knicks. Whether it will sustain to a Finals exam in June remains uncertain, of course. Though this team has its most, at least outside, support for ultimate excellence since the 1990s.

Among the five writers making NBA predictions Tuesday for the New York Times, for example, two picked the Bulls as champions and two picked the Cavs. It was hardly a stampede as the ESPN writers generally went with the Spurs and Cavs. But two of the five for Sports Illustrated had the Bulls in the Finals, though losing. Three of the four predictors in the New York Post had the Bulls in the Finals and one for a win. TNT’s Kenny Smith had the Bulls in the Finals. One of five picking for Yahoo had the Bulls winning the title. It’s not like the 90s, but the Bulls do seriously get in the postseason prediction conversation for the first time since 1997. Expectations haven’t been quite like this for almost 20 years.

“It comes down to, I think, your talent, your hunger, your drive, your work ethic, your discipline,” Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau said on the eve of the opener Tuesday after the team’s last full practice in Chicago. “It’s all of the above and throughout the course of the season. You can’t pick and choose when you’re going to work hard. You can’t pick and choose only working hard on the days that you feel good. We’ll see. We’ll see. The games will tell us exactly where we are and whether our approach is the right one or changes need to be made.”

For the coach, it’s always caution. For the players, it’s more excitement and optimism.

“We have a lot of talent and we’ve had a lot of talent in the past,” said Joakim Noah. “A lot of things have to go our way. I love the mentality on this team. We’ve just got to keep grinding. It’s exciting. It starts tomorrow, embarking on a long journey. I couldn’t ask for anything more. We have a lot of new faces and a lot of new players, guys coming back from injuries. Chemistry is probably the most important thing. Chemistry doesn’t happen overnight. You’ve just got to keep working at it, keep understanding where guys want the ball. Play to each other’s strengths and cover our weaknesses, and keep growing as a group, through the good and the bad. That’s exciting.”

One of the early season concerns is the potential absence of Jimmy Butler with a sprained thumb. Thibodeau said Butler didn’t practice Tuesday, so it seems unlikely he’d play Wednesday. But no one has eliminated the possibility.

“I don’t know,” said Butler about the opener. “I feel better. I’ll put some ice on it and see how it feels in the morning. Obviously, everybody knows that I want to play but I don’t want to rush back too early. It’s a little setback. But I’ll be healthy in no time and ready to roll. We just want to prove that we can beat any team, that we’re an elite team in this league. This is the first step. I think we’re up there. You never know what could happen throughout the course of a season, but right now if we’re healthy, why can’t we be the best team in this league?”

It’s all in the doing in contrast to the talking. Here’s a look at the 2014-15 Bulls and perhaps what to expect this season.

Derrick Rose: He really looks back this time. Everyone sure hopes so, and as much around the NBA. It’s been both heartbreaking and ennobling to witness Rose enduring the injuries and disappointments with such grace and aplomb. And now to see him still with so much athletic brilliance is a hope for, obviously, the Bulls, but the NBA, which doesn’t have as many true star players as it would like to believe or the salaries suggest. Rose finished the preseason impressively, scoring 57 points in his last 56 minutes played over two games with dominating speed and leaping ability. Because of the two knee surgeries, fears will remain among fans, perhaps throughout his career. He is the fulcrum. His play supports and enhances everything and everyone. Without Rose, there is no chance for spring. Despite the addition of former All-Star Pau Gasol and young shooters, it was clear in preseason Rose’s scoring remains vital. He needs to be the 20-point per game scorer again for the Bulls offense to function well. He’s not going to be able to do that much less as hoped.  The team must use his speed to play faster and not walk the ball up in half court sets so often. His three-point shooting, much reviled with USA Basketball, was excellent in preseason as his game looks even better. Anyone with wood for knocking?

Joakim Noah: The soul of the team with his leadership, hustle and heartfelt connection to the community may be the biggest question mark of the season. Noah had knee surgery after last season and was slow to recover. Thibodeau references monitoring playing time often and the assumption lately has been he’s referring more to Noah than Rose. But beyond health is the vacillating role for the reigning Defensive Player of the Year and all-NBA first team center. He’s not even a center for the Bulls now. At least not starting. That’s newly acquired Pau Gasol, and it could be an uncertain process for Noah to adjust not only to playing off Gasol, but playing without the ball going through him. Thus far, Thibodeau has tried to establish Gasol in the deep post leaving Noah to the weak side and less ball responsibility. Perhaps at some point they go to more double high post and play off one another. Noah’s game is energy, but last season he was adding some offensive game. It’s questionable when there’s a space for that now the way the offense has functioned. It will be an all season debate about who should start, finish and play together regarding Noah, Gasol and Taj Gibson. Noah is likely more comfortable at center with Gibson since they’ve played together so long. But Gasol comes in as the piece who can perhaps help elevate the Bulls beyond their previous levels. So where does that leave Noah? He will search for that space during the season.

Pau Gasol: Will he be the X-factor or a question about why they needed him? Gasol was the prize of the summer in free agency, spurning more money and more successful teams because he saw great opportunity with the Bulls. In theory with Noah and Gibson, he gives the Bulls as talented a front court as there is in the NBA. Thibodeau spent the preseason games going into Gasol to start games. But Gasol doesn’t have the classic postup big man’s game. He’s highly skilled with a good jump shot and the athletic ability to defend and rebound with his long arms and smooth touch. But he’s not a center who rams his way to position and scores and can be ridden out of the post because of a lack of lower body strength. It’s one reason why the Lakers began to use Andrew Bynum more in the post at one time. So Gasol’s fit will be a work in progress along with his playing time. It’s like when you recruit a big time talent for college. Sure you can make all the promises in the world and once you have him, play him anywhere or bench him. But then what happens the next time you are recruiting? It’s likely the Bulls and Thibodeau made Gasol some sort of assurance about starting or finishing games and a significant role that would serve them badly if they were to renege. It’s likely why Thibodeau has so often spoken of “sacrifice” this preseason without being specific. His hope is probably those three will figure it out without the coach having to make it look like a demotion for someone. Those sorts of issues occur with every team every season. Depth and talent are good problems to have. As long as it works for everyone.

Jimmy Butler: He was having a terrific preseason, if not as a long distance shooter, until the unfortunate minor injury to his thumb. He led the team in shooting at 59 percent, though was one of five on threes, which isn’t classic for the shooting guard position. But his only make won a game at the buzzer. Which is the conundrum as Butler isn’t really a shooting guard. Or perhaps not exactly a small forward, though he can play the positions. But why he is so valuable and irreplaceable to the Bulls is that he’s perhaps the only player on the team who truly can defend both positions and the top scorers at those positions, like LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony. Butler should be back in the next week and perhaps with a new contract extension as he has until Friday to work out a deal with the Bulls or become a restricted free agent. He’s said repeatedly he wants to stay with the Bulls. Butler has become an all-league defender and with his athletic ability in getting to the basket is good enough to start at shooting guard as he works to improve his shot. He’s not a classic drive and kick shooter with Rose, but he’s a valuable starter and essential to defend the top wing players.

Mike Dunleavy: Likely to be the fifth starter, though he’d always been targeted as a reserve. But there was the trade of Luol Deng last season and then Carmelo Anthony electing to remain in New York. Dunleavy is the quintessential team player who’ll move the ball, rebound or shoot as needed. He was the team’s best outside shooter in preseason at 44 percent on threes. There’s been some debate about whether he’d be better coming off the bench, less because he hurts the starters but more because he can help a reserve group that has been inconsistent and enable rookie Doug McDermott to be in a more comfortable situation with the starters. That, too, will likely be an ongoing debate. Meanwhile, the Bulls curiously have become this three-point launching team. Last season they were 28th in three point attempts. But in this preseason they’re an analytics dream team averaging almost 24 threes per game, about a 50 percent increase from last season. And that’s with the shooting guard barely attempting any. Not sure where that is headed.

Taj Gibson: The power forward sixth man became the odd starter out with the acquisition of Gasol. Gibson was to be moving to a starting position with the departure of Carlos Boozer, but he’s had to put that on hold. Gibson remains the consummate team guy, so he’s remained positive about his role. And given Noah’s physical questions and Gasol’s age, there’s a good chance Gibson averages more minutes than either. Gibson was the third leading scorer in preseason after Rose and Butler and has developed the team’s most practiced postup game with his physical play. It’s the element of post play Gasol lacks, though Gibson is much shorter. But Gibson has been in a second unit without many playmakers and thus a more stilted and stagnant game in the preseason. Last season, Thibodeau relied on him in the fourth quarters and, remarkably, Gibson was the team’s best fourth quarter scorer. His role, however, likely will evolve as the pieces fit together and Rose, of course, is there to make the big plays this season.

Kirk Hinrich: He’s become the senior Bull with a run since 2003 except for two seasons wandering the East while the Bulls tried some free agency gymnastics. He’s the team’s handyman playing some point guard to have Rose off the ball and shooting guard with Butler out. There also will be many small defensive lineups when Butler returns with Butler at small forward and Hinrich at shooting guard since Thibodeau is more comfortable with a defensive core and they are his best perimeter defenders. Hinrich’s been more confident with his shot in the preseason after being hesitant last season and comes in healthy. He’s as pugnacious as they come and one of the defenders shooting guards least like to play against.

Doug McDermott: The rookie shooter didn’t get the ball to go down quite enough in preseason. He shot 29 percent on threes and 35 percent overall. But he showed impressive versatility with his rebounding and taking the ball to the basket and getting fouled, rare for rookies. One problem seemed to be an ever changing group he was playing with as Thibodeau both experimented with lineups and limited playing time for some players. It’s why there’s some suggestion McDermott start so he can play with Rose and have more space for shooting with the defense focusing on Rose and Noah. Playing with a second unit without much playmaking, McDermott didn’t get many good shooting opportunities. It’s another of those work in progress things to find how best to use him and with whom. But he showed he’s ready to be a regular NBA rotation player.

Aaron Brooks: The latest in the small guard parade, Brooks is another shoot first, high scoring, good shooting guard who’ll get plenty of time. He shot about 39 percent on threes in the preseason and is deft at creating his own shot. He’s always been a scoring oriented guard, so it’s been difficult for McDermott and Nikola Mirotic to often get in the flow of the game on a unit with him as Gibson also has been scoring oriented in the post. The ball hasn’t moved as well with the second unit, which is why there has been some debate about having Dunleavy there as he’s good at finding space and keeping the offense moving even if he’s not a primary ball handler.

Nikola Mirotic: The European product has proven hesitant thus far, which is hardly a surprise as he works to fit into not only a new team but a new society. He’s clearly highly skilled with a good shot and the ability to put the ball on the floor and make plays, both shooting and passing. But he hasn’t found his place in the game and thus far is passing on shots too often. Thibodeau always says if you pass a good one you settle for a poorer one, though it’s difficult for a young player with so many celebrated veterans on a team with such high expectations. He’ll be a fourth big man, getting some time if players are out or limited in playing time or with fouls. Other times he likely will watch, which isn’t unreasonable as he’s probably more a player as the team transitions to the future as well as trying to succeed in the present.

Tony Snell: The second year guard may get more time now with Jimmy Butler questionable than he does later. Snell with his long arms and quickness may be the best option to help defensively on players like Carmelo Anthony and LeBron James. But Snell had an inconsistent preseason. He shot 20 percent on threes and 29 percent overall after a strong summer league. His playing opportunities were mixed and inconsistent as he seemed at the end of the rotation at times or just out. It probably will remain that way as he’ll be an emergency replacement or defensive specialist. But he’s another future figure given it’s his second season and he didn’t play much as a rookie.

Nazr Mohammed: The veteran rarely played in the preseason in his 17th season at 37. He’ll remain in the emergency replacement role playing occasionally with injuries or sitting out for weeks at a time. But he continues to work hard and keeps himself in good shape and always has proven ready.

Cameron Bairstow: The second round pick also got just a preseason cameo with 14 minutes over two games. He perhaps could spend some time in the D-League to get some playing time as for now the Bulls are well set at the front court positions and with Mohammed in reserve after Mirotic.

E’Twaun Moore: The young guard played two minutes in the preseason and remains in position as well as an emergency fill in. He’s had experience with three NBA seasons and can play both guard positions, so he’ll be valuable as well if needed.

“They’re all the same,” Thibodeau said about the start of another season, which really is not just another. “We’re going to find out (about the team). There’s a lot of work to be done. It’s the start. We’ll see. We’ll see how it unfolds. We have to be ready for everything. We may have some surprises. (Like) anytime someone doesn’t play or is restricted, it’s an opportunity for someone else. I expect whoever is in there to do well and get the job done. We’ve found over the years it’s always worked out. I don’t want to undersell how important Taj Gibson is to our team. He’s had a great camp. He’ll be ready to go. That’s a big plus for us. Kirk has had a very good training camp. We’ve had a number of guys who can get the job done.”

And Wednesday they’ll start being judged.

test-begins-as-bulls-eye-a-finals-exam

Test begins as Bulls eye a Finals exam

By Sam Smith | 10.05.2014 | 5:50 p.m. CT | asksam@bulls.com | @SamSmithHoops

A bit more than five months ago, it was a mournful group of Bulls players, trudging off the United Center court, heads down, hearts sunk, spirits disheveled following a ruinous loss to the Washington Wizards that knocked the Bulls out of the playoffs.

It’s not a totally different group, but it’s a new sporting life force.

“Excited, yeah. Yeah, I’m excited about just playing basketball,” said Derrick Rose, making his first appearance in an NBA game since his knee injury last Nov. 22. “It starts again. Just knowing there are no days off, that it’s a grind; it’s exciting. We know it’s going to be a long season and it should be fun.

“I’ve been doing a great job of pacing the game and pacing myself,” said Rose. “Knowing when to score, knowing when to shoot and getting guys into better rhythm. When you have somebody like Pau (Gasol), you can just let him start off the offense right away from the beginning of games and dictate how the game is going to go and how they’re going to play him. It kind of lets everybody get easy shots.

“When you get someone as talented as he is, he could (dictate) games by himself,” Rose said of Gasol. “Especially by how we’ve been conditioning and running up the floor. Thibs actually put 10 minutes up and we ran the plays for that. So he’s going to be in some shape. It’s only about staying healthy. If we keep him healthy, we know we can have a good year. It’s all about being healthy. We’ve been playing kind of fast. Pau and Jo (Noah) don’t care if me, Jimmy (Butler) or Dun (Mike Dunleavy) push the ball. They just run behind us and don’t complain about touches. Pau, we have to force him to shoot the ball. When you have him and Jo passing the ball like they do and Jimmy cutting and getting in lanes and me pushing the ball, we have a dangerous team.”

Well, they’re all dangerous before any actual games are played.

But this appears to be a nimble and capable Bulls team coming into the preseason games after a positive first week of practice.

It seems everyone has come through healthy and is anxious to go against someone else, even if the results don’t much matter. Though the Bulls did sweep their preseason last year and have won 12 straight in the preseason. And it is the Wizards, who upset the Bulls in last spring’s opening round.

“We haven’t thought about that,” said Rose. “It hasn’t come up yet. That’s something that I think a lot of people didn’t forget about, something still in the back of peoples’ minds. Tomorrow we should be charged.”

But no, it’s not about revenge quite yet.

Even Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau seems to be easing off to open the preseason.

Of course, who wants to acknowledge the pressure of a league best 12-game preseason winning streak?

“You start off the preseason, you probably have two or three, seven or eight-minute segments (for rotations),” Thibodeau said about plans for Monday’s game (7:00 p.m. CT on CSN Chicago).

Predictably, Thibodeau was circumspect about starters even though Noah, Gasol, Dunleavy, Rose and Butler have basically started every scrimmage together. Though given Noah is coming off knee surgery, there always is the possibility of playing time limitations for him as he sat out much of last year’s preseason. Thibodeau said limitations have not been discussed yet and after what Thibodeau said was a poor practice Sunday, the players suggested they were in for a serious shootaround Monday morning.

“Once you start playing the games you learn more,” said Thibodeau as the Bulls open with a back-to-back with Tuesday in Detroit (area). “We have a pretty good idea of what our baseline is now. And then the games will continue to tell us where we are. Then you want to continue to build. I think most teams this time of the year, you see a lot of guys and that’s normal. You’re trying to get a look at your young guys to see where they are. You want your vets to get a little bit of work so they can start building their rhythm together as a team. All those things are important.

“Preseason, it’s hard to make judgments because most teams are playing 12 guys, 10 guys, and then once you get to the regular season you’re looking at eight or nine guys again. So you’re also looking at game planning and things like that, looking at a different intensity level,” said Thibodeau. “You can see he’s (Rose) starting to get more comfortable. And again when you’re out there competing against someone, it’s different than just being in a gym by yourself. That’s probably been the biggest adjustment.

“(The Wizards are) a very talented team,” said Thibodeau. “They added [Paul] Pierce. They’re experienced, their backcourt is very dynamic. You can’t overlook the quality of their bigs up front. We know how good they are. This is the beginning, so it will reveal exactly where we are.’’

Not completely, though there is considerable anticipation given the return of Rose once again. There’s also the addition of one of the top free agents in team history, Gasol. There’s Butler being asked to become that reliable scoring wing player. There are the much anticipated rookies, Doug McDermott and Nikola Mirotic, and the impressive depth with a former league Most Improved off the bench as fourth guard.

It also should be a Bulls offense with more variety than perhaps any time in Thibodeau’s tenure with a seven foot offensive low post threat in Gasol combined with the athletic backcourt of Rose and Butler and perimeter shooting from McDermott and Mirotic. The Bulls have been a slow, low scoring team the last two seasons for obvious reasons with the absence of Rose. But Rose says that will change.

“You won’t have to worry about that,” Rose said of deliberate play. “It depends on the game. I think we can play both sides of that game. Regular season, we can push it. Playoff basketball, we can walk it up, run the set and execute. We’ve got veteran guys on this team and it just takes patience on the offensive end. That’s what we’re learning in camp. But the first five, we’re so great defensively. I think right now it’s kind of scary. We’re in midseason form defensively with the first five.

“Joakim will definitely have to look to score,” said Rose. “Thibs has been putting an emphasis on making sure guys are shooting. Jo, we have to force him to score. Pau, you can tell he’s been scoring ever since he was younger. Jo, he was just a rebounder and energy guy and we forced him to shoot the last couple of years. If anything, I think Pau is going to help Jo’s game out a lot.

“I think I’ve been playing good,” added Rose. “I think actually the way Thibs has been making us run, getting that wind a little more, getting my second wind has been different this year. He’s been making us run a lot more sets with the time running. And we get a lot more plays called (in advance). We haven’t put in that many plays; it’s more like a reaction type offense. You just read what’s going on and follow what you have to do. It might be different this year, but we’re going to look in the post more.

“As far as my game, I think I’m fine,” Rose said. “My nerves have calmed down a little bit more. It will just take game time playing. Push the ball. If they give me an open shot, take the shot. Read the game and see what the game is telling me. I think when I was trying to force things (last year), it made me look bad. So this time just letting the game come to me a little bit more.

“What I went through last year (in his return from surgery) and having a better team, if anything, it should help with my game,” said Rose. ”We can play through Pau in the post. So I don’t have to worry about starting off games the way I used to in the past. Just playing, getting used to running up and down.

”This is my seventh year,” noted Rose, who turned 26 Saturday. “This is the most film I’ve ever watched. The game is just coming to me, slowed down a little more. I know all the plays sets. Like I said, being a student of the game, looking at the game and knowing what’s coming my way; definitely (also) on the defensive end. It’s been smooth.”

And Monday this return seems so much more natural. 

bulls-nimble-and-capable-as-preseason-begins

Bulls nimble and capable as preseason begins

Adam Fluck

As a free agent this past summer, there were other opportunities Kirk Hinrich entertained, some of them more lucrative than what the Bulls were able to offer. 

At the end of the day though, Hinrich came to the conclusion that Chicago was simply a place he wanted to be. 

“I really enjoy my teammates and I’m excited about the season,” said Hinrich this week. “I think we’ve got a great opportunity.” 

As he enters another his 12th NBA season, nine of which have been spent with the Bulls, he does so with a sense of optimism regarding how he’s feeling physically and what the team might accomplish. 

“I was encouraged last year the way I felt and I feel good coming into camp this year,” Hinrich said. “So I’m anticipating to feel good this year and just have to do what it takes to stay that way. 

“I like our talent, I like our mix,” Hinrich added. “We’ve got a good mix of young and veteran guys. But that’s just the starting point. We’ve got to put it together as a group and that’s what he’s been about these first three days [of training camp].” 

Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau has long admired Hinrich’s game, dating back to his time in Boston when he and former Celtics coach Doc Rivers could see his value. 

“The big thing with Kirk is his experience, veteran leadership, ability to hit big shots, ability to play both positions, and the ability to start or come off the bench. He can run the team,” said Thibodeau. “He’s one of those guys that I don’t think you measure him statistically; you go by what he does for the team and how he helps you win. And that’s where he’s invaluable. He’s a big part of this team. 

“I just love his competitive spirit,” Thibodeau added. “To me, he’s going to fight for everything. He’s going to run your team. He’s a great leader.” 

He’s a leader who got to stay in a city he calls home. And he does so with a full house after Hinrich and his wife, Jill, welcomed twins, a boy and a girl, into the world on September 12, joining their two older sisters. 

“I feel truly blessed to have twins,” Hinrich said. “To have one is an amazing feeling, but to have two at the same time is great. I’m on top of the world right now. I feel like I can't lose.”

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Veteran Hinrich happy to be at home

By Sam Smith | 09.30.2014 | 10:15 p.m. CT | asksam@bulls.com | @SamSmithHoops

There were two rookies who could score, one a high draft choice. They were the league’s best rebounding team with one scoring star, a preeminent figure who’d sat out a year. It was a team with its belief and maxim being sacrifice, unselfish play, good team chemistry and hard work combined with depth. It was the formula for a championship.

One might say that could describe the Bulls, who come into the 2014-15 NBA season with the return of former league MVP Derrick Rose leading a deep team of basically hard working role players and two celebrated rookies in college player of the year Doug McDermott and European star Nikola Mirotic.

Can you win a championship also using two rookies in prominent roles?

Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau wondered aloud about that, noting after the team’s first preseason practice Monday it hadn’t been done since the Golden State Warriors’ Jamaal Wilkes and Phil Smith in 1975.

But the scoring star of that 1975 team, Rick Barry, Monday described that title run, which included the crucial Game 7 win over the Bulls in the Western Conference finals, in terms which sound very Bulls 2014-15 like.

“We didn’t accept anyone not giving a great effort,” recalled Barry in a telephone interview from his Bay Area home where he is recovering from a serious summer bicycling accident from which he had a six hour surgery and doesn’t figure to be back on his feet again until December. “We really epitomized what a team was supposed to be like, everybody cheering for one another, no petty jealousies. If a guy played two minutes or 20 minutes, he was going to play just as hard. Guys were rooting for everybody. It was a great experience and probably the most enjoyable team I ever played on as far as the attitude of the players, how everyone got along. We bonded and that was one of the reasons we were able to win. We put the word ‘togetherness’ on our rings.

“You say to have two rookies in that important a role on your team was very unusual?” noted Barry. “They were two very integral parts of our team. Jamaal was a starter and made rookie of the year. Phil just kept getting better and better.

“One of the key ingredients to the success of our team was Clifford Ray, who doesn’t get the credit he deserves,” said Barry of the former Bull who was traded to the Warriors for Nate Thurmond before that season. “Clifford (the veteran role playing big man) had a great relationship with those guys. He called a meeting at the beginning of the season. He was instrumental in getting those guys to understand you have to show up every day, bring your lunch pail with you and be ready to get down to work. We didn’t accept anyone not giving a great effort.”

Sounds like something Joakim Noah might do.

“We busted our hump,” said Barry, the Hall of Famer. “We were one of the better rebounding teams in the league; we made a commitment to defense and came together as a team. The bottom line is you give your best effort and nothing else would be tolerated. Everybody realized depending on how you were performing you might play 10 minutes, 20, 30. Al (coach Attles) had the luxury of feeling confident enough he could go 10 deep. Not many teams go 10 deep.”

It was the advantage in depth, really, that was the difference in that 1975 series, which still haunts Bulls fans and players from that era. The Bulls relied on an iron man starting group that faded at the end of the crucial games. Though the Warriors’ championship was an exception of sorts, it demonstrated such a model is possible. And even if it’s not the ultimate success, young teams with rookies and depth have been to Finals, like the 1978 SuperSonics, the 1986 Rockets and 1995 Magic.

The Bulls opening camp Monday played together their expected starting five of Rose, Jimmy Butler, Mike Dunleavy, Pau Gasol and Joakim Noah.

That group will primarily be supported by Taj Gibson and Kirk Hinrich.

One question that will be crucial this season is whether the Bulls go with a formula emphasizing depth to better prepare for the long season. Such a plan would require the use, certainly, of No. 1 draft pick Doug McDermott and likely European star Nikola Mirotic, who was drafted in 2011 and played in Spain.

“I want to experiment with some things in the preseason just to see how everything fits,” said Thibodeau after the three-hour morning practice. “I do like the versatility of our bigs because I think they can all play with each other. That’s a big plus. What may work best for our team I’m not sure yet. Same thing with our perimeter guys. The one thing we know is Kirk gives us great flexibility. That’s one of the reasons why I think he’s so important for our team. You can play him at the point, you can play him at the two. You can start him or bring him off the bench. That’s critical. Aaron Brooks had a great practice today. He’s been around. Taj played very well. I like that. It gives us quality depth.

“Every team has question marks,” said Thibodeau. “How do you respond to those challenges? With both Doug and Nikola, they both have great attitudes and approaches. Where it goes, I don’t know. I know there’s a steep learning curve. That’s not to say it can’t be done (having two rookies in the regular rotation). You want to see what they can do. You can’t do it at the expense of not winning or losing games. I think it’s important they earn their time. I think they will as we go along. How much I don’t know yet. Whatever Doug and Nikola can give us, to me, is gravy.”

The question is whether like at Thanksgiving the gravy is essential or whether it’s just another stain to try to avoid.

It’s an intriguing question for Thibodeau and the Bulls because of the potential of both McDermott and Mirotic. Both are accomplished three-point shooters. That has been one of the team’s principal weaknesses for years. Last season, the Bulls were last in shooting and scoring and 24th in three-point shooting. The season before the Bulls were 21st in three-point shooting.

And in the early going Monday, the reviews were positive, especially for Mirotic.

“I’m seeing Mirotic, seeing Doug in his environment, just playing, and some of the other guys; we’re really deep,” said Derrick Rose. “He’s (Mirotic) going to surprise people by the way that he puts the ball down. Like if you fly out at him, he’s able to really attack the rim and avoid charges. We saw that today. He did a couple of moves where it was supposed to be a charge, but he pumped his way around the opponent and scored the ball. We already know he can shoot, but he’s good.’’

“I think Doug’s biggest problem right now is just his nerves,” said Rose. “His nerves are up right now. Just playing in his first game or just playing in the preseason is going to calm down his nerves so that he’s more relaxed. The teammates, us as a team, are going to have to really put our hands around him and calm him down because he’s a great player. But nerves have something to do with just coming in and starting your first year.’’

McDermott, who is one of those players Thibodeau will like being anxious to please, laughed that he was so nervous about his first day of camp he set three alarm clocks to not be late.

“I'm really just trying to learn,” said McDermott. “I don't want to get too ahead of myself. I really just want to learn from these veterans and coaches. I think they'll put me in spots where I can become successful. I'll do whatever it takes to earn playing time. I know it's not going to come easy this first year, but I'm going to do everything I can to try to get on the floor. The butterflies came more last night. Once I step on the floor, it's just basketball. Last night, I set like three alarms. I woke up every hour. I just had Thibs' voice in my head. I don't want to miss my first day. I went to bed early, woke up and thought it was time to go, but I looked at my phone and it was like 3:30. Like ‘God, I have to stop this.’ That's part of what's made me good. I'm kind of a perfectionist. I like being on time and that's kind of the Bulls' way, anyway

“The nerves are gone,” added McDermott after the first practice. “I know it's just basketball now and I'm glad we're finally underway. It's crazy being a Midwest kid growing up, watching the Bulls. I have to pinch myself at times. Just driving in, driving by those banners is pretty cool. I'm not going to take it for granted. I know how lucky I am and how blessed I am to be here and just want to make the most of it.”

The Bulls will want to make the most of their talented youngsters. The question is how and when.

“It’s hard sometimes to judge off tape,” Thibodeau said of Mirotic. “I had never seen him play in person. You could see some things. But you don’t see how strong he might be or how lively he might be and how he sees things. To be able to react to things as they’re happening on the floor and his ability to think through things is good. When you have an opportunity to coach him you get a better feel for that.

“So far what I’m seeing from Doug in the USA setting and summer league is his ability to shoot,” said Thibodeau. “I see how people react to his ability to shoot. When you have someone like that, it opens up the floor. And I’m excited about Nikola because we haven’t had a stretch four like that. You have to look at what you have in Joakim, Pau and Taj because you have to make sure they’re getting their minutes. I look at those three guys as starters. You have to divvy up those minutes. That doesn’t leave a lot. There’s a lot that unfolds during the course of a season, whether it’s an injury or foul trouble or whatever you might have. I don’t know. Like with Omer (Asik), I went into the season and didn’t know how good he would be. I played him in the preseason and I loved the way he worked in the preseason, in the summer. He played well and he kept playing. By the end of the season, we had a lot of confidence in him. He was closing games for us. I’m not ruling anything out. You have to base it on performance. You can’t base it on potential. Everyone is evaluated on performance.”

As it will for the entire team, as Thibodeau suggests, which sounds a bit like the way Attles handled it for those title winning Warriors who broke the Bulls hearts.

“You just have to be honest with them,” said Thibodeau. “We always do what’s best for the team. Maybe you’re finishing each game and whatever you need the most, whether you need low post scoring or defense or the combination of the two you may finish with that guy. We have three guys that I know we can finish with. I’m going to ask them all to sacrifice. Some guys are going to have to sacrifice not starting. Some may have to sacrifice not finishing. I think it’s important for everyone to put the team first. Sometimes that means doing what may not necessarily be best for you. But what’s best for the team. That has to come first.”

Like the old saying of what comes first the rookie or the contributor. Can it be both?

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Utilizing depth could involve prominent roles for rookies

sights-and-sounds-from-2014-media-day

Sights and sounds from 2014 Media Day

By Sam Smith | 09.29.2014 | 9:20 a.m. CT | asksam@bulls.com | @SamSmithHoops

That’s right: Just 170 days until the 2015 NBA Playoffs begin.

That’s an exclusive, by the way, reported here first.

But until that time there will be plenty of questions to answer for the Bulls as they open their 2014-15 training camp with media day Monday in the new Advocate Center and around the NBA. Like:

-- Can anyone beat the Cavs? It’s going to be difficult, which is not often what you say about a team coming off a 33-49 season. But the Cavs had a pretty good summer. Yes, it’s the LeBron guy. Sure, the Cavs made the big trade for Kevin Love and they signed up the board of directors of the Retired Players Association in Shawn Marion, Mike Miller, Brendan Haywood and James Jones. With almost half the roster eligible for Medicare, the Cavs are expected to have substantial extra salary cap room with the government program picking up much of the medical expenses. But the big thing is the Big One, the return of LeBron James. There are many formulas for what it takes to win. Having the best player in the league gives you a big head start. It’s not an infallible measure since LeBron’s Heat got two of four. But they didn’t get to the Finals every time. They’ll be favored in the Eastern Conference, but they can be defeated. Kyrie Irving is accustomed to dominating the ball, which James pretty much owns. Love has been among the league’s most disinterested defenders who joins a weak defensive front court. Unlike in Miami, James has done all he can to lower expectations, calling winning in Cleveland a long process, hoping for one title and seeking advice from Earnest Byner and Jose Mesa. We know he thinks otherwise. They’re the favorites, but not by a lot.

-- Is there anyone else in the Eastern Conference with a chance other than the Cavs and Bulls? Yes, but like last season when the consensus was a Heat/Pacers conference finals, it could have gone otherwise but didn’t in the end. The Cavs and Bulls rank above the rest, but the Bulls know about being one injury away from mediocrity. The Heat losing James and the Pacers losing Paul George to injury and Lance Stephenson to free agency fall back. Phil Jackson says the Knicks should be a playoff team, and I agree, though such promises aren’t Zen-like. But the Knicks underachieved so badly last season you’d think Mike Brown coached them. They don’t have to do much to be in the playoffs. With the Nets, it’s sort of a Bulls thing of as long as Brook Lopez is healthy. The Wizards, Hornets (nee Bobcats), Hawks and Raptors all have claim to a top four spot and the 76ers remain open to trading for more guys who cannot play this season. It should be Cavs/Bulls, but it’s worth watching just in case.

-- Will Derrick Rose be healthy? It’s one of the questions you’ll read and hear about in every NBA season preview. No one knows. And there’s no reason he’ll have problems. Rose had a strong summer with health playing for USA Basketball with nine games in just over two weeks and nary an issue. Other than someone giving him 12-inch across balls that wouldn’t fit in the rims.  He’s worked harder than ever on training and conditioning and is seen with ice so often you’d think he’s training for the winter Olympics. Rose will be asked about his knees regularly. The coaching staff and management will constantly be second guessed about whether Rose is playing too much: No back to backs? No four in five nights? Maybe take three weeks off like Tony Parker last season? Why is he playing in the fourth quarter when leading by eight? Shouldn’t Thibs be carrying him to the court? Rose’s knees are strong. He’s more than two years out from the ACL without problems and even if he were to have a meniscus issue again they could always do the quick snip that Dwyane Wade had in college and be back in a few weeks with a long career still ahead. Anyone, obviously, can be injured. But Rose will be asked more than anyone.

-- Who will the Bulls play in the Finals? OK, OK, that Eastern Conference race isn’t going to be easy. But whoever gets to the Finals from the Eastern Conference will find… some team that’s pretty worn out. It should have been the Spurs last season, but they had that redemption thing going. We know they don’t repeat, so who then? The Western Conference is going to be fun to watch if not so much to try to win. You can make a pretty good case for two Eastern teams. You probably can make a title case for nine Western Conference teams. Which means one team that believes it has a chance to win a title will miss the playoffs. I have the nine as the Spurs, Rockets, Grizzlies, Pelicans,  Mavericks, Thunder, Trail Blazers, Clippers and Warriors. The Suns will have a say as well. Maybe the Rockets fall back having over pursued big names for a change and come up empty this time, though experts at the MIT Sloan analytics conference determined statistically that by missing the playoffs the Rockets could conceivably win the title. Maybe the Pelicans can’t come that far, though they have the talent. Hey, and I forgot Kobe. And Boozer upsetting the silence in the Staples Center.  Just Kobe trying to shoot them into the playoffs should be entertaining. Even the bad teams should be fun with Andrew Wiggins in Minnesota, DeMarcus Cousins in Sacramento and Kenneth Faried and the mini gunners in Denver. Imagine playing in a conference in which even the bad teams are trying to win. The 76ers are appalled.

-- How many wins will the Bulls have? It looks like a 60-win team with a healthy Rose, Joakim Noah, Pau Gasol and a host of others. And Tom Thibodeau knows 60. It likely will go down with Wilt’s 100 points as the only unreachable records in NBA history: Thibs in his rookie coaching season won 62 games with Keith Bogans starting all 82 games as his shooting guard. It is the basketball Mendoza line. Heck, Kurt Thomas started almost as many games as Noah. You know no team is going to be more prepared and ready, which gets used against Thibodeau, unfortunately. The notion formerly was you used the regular season to prepare for a title run. Now the consensus seems to be you are best spending the winter in Cancun and showing up in April. The Bulls won’t be doing that. Neither will LeBron or Durant. But make it 59 wins as by the end of the season Thibs begins to understand what Cameron Bairstow is saying.

-- Where is Ray Allen?  Is he going to be the father in the movie this time to Nate Robinson? That’s a must see. Allen is the only big name left and lining up as a potential final piece for a title team. The Bulls, Cavs, Clippers and Spurs all are said to have put in bids with some others not so possibly title bound. The belief seems to be Allen will hang around the first two months, which basically are about overanalyzing teams and doing Christmas promos. Allen then will take a look at who’s in good position around the All-Star break and come aboard for the last 30 games and a playoff run. You figure the way he trains he’ll have taken more shots by February than most everyone, anyway.

-- Where are the windows closing? Well, the Bulls do have Gasol, Kirk Hinrich and Mike Dunleavy in their 30’s and Noah and Taj Gibson turning 30 in 2015. It’s no longer the baby Bulls. Plus, there’s Rose’s injuries. There isn’t a long run there, so the next two seasons are crucial. But the bigger question probably is with the Thunder. There really aren’t many free agents anymore who make a difference. LeBron, Carmelo, Love, Blake Griffin, Chris Paul, Paul George, Stephen Curry, Dwight Howard and James Harden all are signed up. You’re not going anywhere focusing on Marc Gasol or Al Horford. And LaMarcus Aldridge probably will resign. So eight teams saving cap room will have their eyes on Kevin Durant and a bit later Russell Westbrook. The Thunder have been close, and maybe losing Harden cost them a title or two. But if they don’t get there this season, the next season will be all about Durant’s coming free agency and what team he can make into a contender and the New York Post and Daily News recording every time Durant used the word “new” in a conversation is a subliminal message of his desire to sign with the Knicks.

-- Which other teams to watch out for? My favorite is the Pelicans assuming coach Monty Williams is up to the next step. Anthony Davis is on everyone’s Most Improved now after a starring summer with USA Basketball, though he’s proven fragile. It’s the issue with the Pelicans. Teams with poor records tend to be ignored unless they add LeBron James. New Orleans won 34 games last season with basically three quarters of the regulars hurt. But they stole Omer Asik from Houston to enable Davis to stay outside and be that great weak side shot blocker. With Jrue Holiday, Eric Gordon, Tyreke Evans and Ryan Anderson they have perhaps a half dozen players who have been All Stars, played for USA Basketball or can make claims on major NBA awards. In the East, it’s the Hawks with Horford coming back and if Jeff Teague can be the good Jeff Teague more often. The Luol Deng recruitment debacle could hurt attendance, but they were 28th, anyway, before that. The Kings would be interesting if DeMarcus Cousins played like he did for USA Basketball, which was accepting that his teammates weren’t a bunch of Western Kentucky recruits.

-- So which guys should you watch? Rose, of course. LeBron, Durant, Carmelo, Keyser Soze, the usual suspects. It’s a rookie class with some intriguing players and potential stars. Obviously, there’s been attention and interest regarding Andrew Wiggins and Jabari Parker, and the Bucks again become vital viewing, if only to find out whom Jason Kidd is turning on this time. But it’s potentially a rich rookie class with Doug McDermott perhaps in a vital role for a contending Bulls team. It also will be intriguing to watch Dante Exum, Marcus Smart now that Rajon Rondo has balancing issues, Julius Randle learning from Carlos Boozer, Zach LaVine, Elfrid Payton, Aaron Gordon and Shabazz Napier, LeBron James’ formerly favorite point guard. And Luol Deng Hollywood as hell?

-- The NBA Playoffs begin Saturday, April 18. But don’t be in such a hurry. There are plenty of stories to tell.

plenty-of-storylines-as-nba-season-begins

Plenty of storylines as NBA season begins

By Sam Smith | 09.28.2014 | 7:25 a.m. CT | asksam@bulls.com | @SamSmithHoops

Is it time? Has the time come today? Is it time to stop putting it off for another day? Is it time to not care what others say? Has the time come for the Bulls to return to the championship trophy celebration?

No one is supposed to discuss such things almost nine months before it’s possible. But this 2014-15 Bulls season is pregnant with wonderful and lively championship possibilities.

This Bulls team appears to be the strongest since the title years of the 1990’s.

One of the informal NBA formulas for ultimate success is to have two players in the top five at their positions and another in the top 10 and at least one who is a top defender at his position.

There are obvious reservations given the injuries the past two years to Derrick Rose. But if Rose is healthy, he certainly is a top five point guard.

Joakim Noah in being named last season Defensive Player of the Year and All-NBA first team obviously can make the case for being top five at his position. And though Pau Gasol didn’t have a great season, his 2013-14 averages of 17.4 points and 9.7 rebounds would rank him among the top big men in the game. And he just comes out of the FIBA Basketball World Cup being perhaps the most impressive player in the tournament.

Plus, the Bulls put Noah and Jimmy Butler on the all-defensive teams last season with Taj Gibson also a strong contender as Gibson was runner up in the voting for Sixth Man of the Year.

The Bulls have a former league MVP and thus three current or former all-NBA players in the starting lineup assuming Gasol starts, as expected. They bring off the bench the league’s top big man reserve and added this offseason Nikola Mirotic, who was a two-time European winner of the Rising Star award for best young player and Spanish League MVP, Doug McDermott, the consensus national collegiate player of the year and one of the top three-point shooters in NCAA history, and point guard Aaron Brooks, who averaged 19.6 points per game the last time he was a regular starter.

The additions give the Bulls their deepest veteran team in almost two decades.

Plus, the Bulls can claim the top coach in the Eastern Conference in Tom Thibodeau, the only current Eastern Conference coach to be named NBA Coach of the Year.

The Bulls have size and arguably the best frontcourt in the NBA with Noah, Gasol and Gibson. The Bulls have athleticism in Rose and Butler. They have shooting with McDermott and Mike Dunleavy Jr., the latter shooting 40 percent on threes the last four seasons. They have defense with Kirk Hinrich also having been an all-league defender to add to Noah and Butler and Thibodeau regarded as the top defensive coach in the NBA. So why not think of a call to action, that it could be time again?

Here’s a look at the roster for the 2013-14 season. Media day for interviews is Monday. Training camp drills begin Tuesday. The first preseason game is Oct. 6 at the United Center against Washington. The opening game is Oct. 29 against the Knicks in New York.

-- Derrick Rose: Rose’s health, obviously, will be the question hanging over him all season. It was every day with the summer USA Basketball team even as he played five games in six days and looked as fast and athletic as anyone playing. The story line will be ripe with second guessing that either Rose is playing too much or too little, that he could get injured because he’s fatigued or could get injured because he’s not in condition. The first injury was after not playing too much; the second was in a back to back. Rose, to his credit, has gone past all of that even if the media and public has not and likely will not. I was at all the summer games and thought he looked great. The poor shooting was more a function of taking two or three shots per game and basically coming into games to be a facilitator because the other three “point” guards all shot every time they had the ball. You can improve shooting; not speed and athleticism. With the roster depth and addition of an inside player who can score in Gasol, Rose will be asked to do much less offensively. Remember, when he came to the Bulls, he averaged 16.8 points and the notion he could be a league MVP seemed ludicrous because everyone agreed he was not a scorer after averaging 14.9 in college. Rose became a scorer for the Bulls playing with starters like Keith Bogans. And when Noah and Gibson had much less sophisticated games. Rose just being back and being a threat will change how defenses react to the Bulls and, in theory, create shooting opportunities for other players. Yes, Rose remains the fulcrum around which the team thrives and potentially enables the Bulls to turn into title contenders. But we also know no one will be watched as carefully and with as much joy and dread.

-- Joakim Noah: In the best season of his pro career, Noah became the emotional leader of the Bulls. He won the league’s top defensive award and was voted by media the best center. Perhaps no one’s role on the Bulls could change as much this season. In some respects, Taj Gibson might fit better with Pau Gasol. Gasol likely will start at power forward with Noah at center. But Gasol is by far the better offensive player and post player. Much of Noah’s offensive impact last season was as something of a point center with the offense running through him. That changes with the return of Rose and the addition of Gasol. Plus, Noah quietly has been piling up injuries with thumb surgery in 2010, ankle and foot problems and then knee surgery after last season, which prevented him from playing in the summer. He’ll likely come into the season slowly and perhaps more than Rose is a candidate for reduced minutes as he turns 30 this season. Noah seems likely to be more of a defensive specialist this season being able to cover the better offensive player when playing with Gasol and adept in the switching defenses with Gibson that have been so effective under Thibodeau.

-- Pau Gasol: The jewel of the offseason for the Bulls. He’s been overlooked amidst the decline of the Lakers the last two seasons. But he showed in the World Cup games an offensive fluidity and defensive prowess with shot blocking. He was considered the league’s most skilled big man two years ago and could return to that level. He could be the most versatile big man in the Eastern Conference this season. He’s a good passer like Noah, so also could have offense come through him as Noah did last season.  There probably hasn’t been a big man in franchise history with the offensive and defensive versatility.

-- Jimmy Butler: The news question that will follow Butler around throughout October will be whether he signs a long-term extension. If he doesn’t, he’ll become a restricted free agent and the Bulls could match any offer next summer.  If there is a deal, it likely wouldn’t come until the last moments like with Taj Gibson two years ago. It’s a big season for Butler to show whether he can play the shooting guard position. It’s more important now with Rose and Gasol given their passing and presence should open space for shooters. After shooting 38 percent on threes in 2012-13, Butler’s percentage fell to 28 percent last season. But he averaged about 39 minutes per game in a heavy workload, especially after Luol Deng was traded.  So perhaps there were tired legs. He should have more time off this season. Butler was voted a second team all-defensive player and will draw the best opposition offensive player, a vital role previously reserved for Deng.

-- Mike Dunleavy Jr. Pressed into starting duties much more than expected with injuries and then the trade of Deng, Dunleavy probably will start again at small forward. It’s not an ideal role as last season he started his most games in six years. But Dunleavy was sturdy in not missing a game for the first time in six years, averaging more than 30 minutes per game and second to D.J. Augustin in three-point shooting. He’s a good rebounder and passer, though not the ideal defender when Butler has to guard the small forward. Tony Snell could help defensively and it’s possible rookie Doug McDermott at some point moves into a starting role if his shooting remains strong.

-- Taj Gibson: There was speculation in the summer Gibson would be upset not starting with the departure of Carlos Boozer and having his coming out season as Sixth Man runner up. He set or tied career highs in virtually every offensive category. Gibson said there are no personal lineup issues.  Plus, he should even without starting get plenty of playing time with the possibility of Noah easing into the season and a desire not to overwork Gasol at 34. It’s possible even not starting Gibson averages more minutes than either. Gibson finally developed a reliable baseline jump shot last season and should be able to move it farther outside. He’s an excellent interior defender and shot blocker, though not someone to move to small forward even with his defensive versatility.  He should be the top Sixth Man contender this season.

-- Kirk Hinrich: Like Dunleavy, Hinrich became a surprise starter last season. The team did curtail his minutes, but he started more than 60 games despite the expectation of being third guard. His defense remains strong even as he turns 34 this season. After a slow start, Hinrich shot the ball well the second half of the season and gives the team options as Rose will play off the ball with Hinrich at point guard at times as Hinrich can defend the shooting guards.

-- Doug McDermott: The most intriguing of the young players given his shooting prowess. McDermott is a mature rookie who’ll be 23 early in the season. He was one of the best three point shooters in NCAA history and won basically every collegiate honor as a senior. He’ll come off the bench to start as veteran coaches with teams considered contenders generally don’t start rookies. Given Dunleavy is not the ideal starting small forward, that could change later in the season. Even if it doesn’t--coaches like Thibodeau don’t like what appears to be demotions with veterans--McDermott could get more minutes if his shooting remains strong. He should get opportunities playing with Rose, Noah and Gasol and appears to be a competent defender with good size.

-- Nikola Mirotic: With Gasol, Noah and Gibson, there doesn’t appear much playing time for a rookie up front while also adjusting to a new country and language. Mirotic is a power forward, stretch forward big man shooter. He has to play the big men role, so will be behind those three. He has impressive three-point range. So he should at least get some spot minutes as a designated shooter, though this should be more a transition season learning the league and the team.

-- Tony Snell: As a rookie last season, he got some spot starts with the injuries. He was too often tentative, which isn’t unusual for a rookie. He has been determined with an aggressive summer league to be more assertive. He’s got potential as a defender with size and long arms and showed flashes of three-point shooting range, though too often being deferential. Whether he is more aggressive likely will determine whether he has more of a role than he did last season as he can back up both wing positions.

--  Aaron Brooks: Formerly a high scoring point guard for the Rockets, he has become a journeyman and also left the NBA for a year to play in China. He was named the league’s Most Improved Player in 2010 and has averaged almost 20 points in a season. Brooks is smallish at perhaps six feet, but an aggressive offensive player and insurance for Rose, a veteran player who can give Rose time off if there are health concerns or an inclination to rest for the playoffs.

-- Nazr Mohammed: The native Chicago big man returns for a third season with the Bulls. He takes on the quiet, veteran locker room role of providing the correct model and being available in case of injuries. He’s kept himself in good condition and is comfortable with the team’s system.

-- E’twaun Moore: The East Chicago native was an occasional starter because of injuries after being traded to Orlando. He’s played both guard positions at about 6-4 and is further insurance as he shoots the three reasonably well.

-- Cameron Bairstow: The second round pick big man isn’t likely to play much. But he appears to have the ability to develop into a backup big man role.

We’ll all have some better ideas where this can lead 90 games from now.  

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There's no time like the present for the Bulls

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