Click-a-Bull (AudiBull; Rose Commercial; Bulls/Heat; Bulls Beat Nuggets; Bill Walton/Maurice Lucas)

AudiBull (Podcast) Episode 1 Links / iTunes

Also, it's looking like "BBS: AudiBull, Episode 2" will be airing Sunday at 4pm. Be sure to tune in at CraicBackLive (and check out there other shows (about college football / NFL).









TBJ: Video: Bulls turn their Heat on






Bulls frontcourt dictates game, Melo more than 'Meh'lo but Bulls come back in 4th

Great win for the Bulls Monday night. Banking any before the circus trip is big, but especially against a quality opponent like the Nuggets.

Several swings throughout the game, but this time the 2nd quarter was not only not abysmal (and Scal didn't play at all!), but the Bulls actually won it. And the second half saw the Bulls lose and gain back the lead based on whether Carmelo Anthony was on the floor or not.

And in a close contest in the 4th, when the Nuggets tried to go small, they learned the tough yet should-be-obvious lesson: you cannot go small against Joakim Noah. He's too quick himself for you to use speed to an advantage, and then his power can overwhelm a poor (really poor) man's pseudo-center in Al Harrington. In one sequence Noah blocked Harrington's shot, and then on the other end he was able to get an offensive rebound (one of his 19 total rebounds on the night) and draw a foul. I'm guessing that George Karl had a minutes cap on Nene which was why he felt forced to go this route, but it bode well for the Bulls chances down the stretch, between Noah's dominance and Rose always being a threat late, even if he had a poor shooting night overall. Rose hit some huge baskets and the Bulls were able to keep the lead for good.

Liked how the Bulls were very willing to run, especially off turnovers, and while it forced some TOs of their own it was an exciting watch, and seemingly good for Rose to get used to.

Not technically Bulls' related, but worth reading:


The Greatest Trailblazer Ever Maurice Lucas, 1952-2010
BY BILL WALTON

What do we do now ???

What can you say ???

Now that he’s gone and you realize that nothing’s going to bring him back.

Where do we go from here ???

Maurice Lucas was a proud, fierce and independent man. He lived in a world that did not encourage or value his greatest traits and strengths.

The nicest thing that can ever be said of someone is that they make other people better. No one ever made me better than Big Luke.

He was simply better than perfect on all fronts.

Big Luke was a towering, statuesque pillar of supreme principle where loyalty, commitment and leadership were a way of life---not just words of convenience.
Loyalty—the human attribute that enables people to achieve extraordinary things because we care. Maurice cared—about everything. He cared about right and wrong. He cared about truth and justice. He cared about his family, friends and teammates. And he was always willing to do something about it.

Commitment—the willingness and persistence to stick to what matters most. Maurice was ever so determined to make things come out right; he would do, and ultimately did, anything to ensure our success---at every turn.

Leadership---the ability to do what others can’t, or won’t do, themselves--- by pulling the team together, by defining the terms of the conflict, by leading the relentless offensive attack and by hitting first.

Maurice and I became teammates more than 36 years ago---the summer of 1976. It was in Portland, Oregon, for an NBA expansion franchise that had never done anything.

In our first meeting he told me we were going to win the NBA Championship—that season. He was right. He was always right.

In our very first game together, an NBA exhibition game in Portland against the Lakers of Kareem, Lucius Allen, Don Chaney, Kermit Washington and Coach Jerry West, with the game and everything else on the line--- the ball, our dreams and chances were rolling towards the out of bounds corner on the way to the Blazer locker room. With the clock ticking down, Maurice fought his way through countlessplayers—from both sides. After shaking everybody off and now with ball in hand and in complete control but with scant time to close the deal, Maurice drove the ball straight to the rim along the right baseline. The mighty Kareem came over to deny Maurice. They both rose higher than humanly possible and Kareem had all visible angles covered perfectly. But somehow, someway Maurice was able to contort his body around Kareem, glide under the basket and surface on the far side while still ascending. Big Luke threw down the most incredible reverse slam dunk right in Kareem’s face for the game winner at the buzzer. Maurice flung both arms and clenched fists in the air in the classic Muhammad Ali victory pose. And things were never the same again.

Click-a-Bull (Noah-for-Melo?; Ranking Noah; MJ Breaks Backboard; J is for Jordans; MJ scores 19 in 6 mins; Noah-USA?)

BBS Post: Click-a-Bull (Noah-for-Melo Debate)



Top 50: Joakim Noah, no. 43

Oh man, I can hear it now…

Dude, no way Joakim Noah is better than Ray Allen, Gilbert Arenas, Lamar Odom, OJ Mayo, John Wall, Al Horford and Jason Kidd?! Four of those guys are effing All-Stars for crying out loud!! No way!!

It happens every year. Somebody gets ranked too high, too low, or in some cases, gets omitted altogether, and people freak out. So working under the assumption thatJoakim Noah people will have something to say about Joakim being ranked No. 43 in SLAMonline’s Top 50 (because someone almost assuredly will), this is my rebuttal…

Opinions are like a-holes: Everybody’s got one.

SLAM: For Old Time’s Sake: MJ Breaks Backboard








We Reminisce: Michael Jordan scores 19 points in 6 minutes




The NBA, A-through-Z: Jordans

"J" is for "Jordans."

By the time I decided that I wanted a pair of Air Jordans -- "Jordans," in the parlance I grew up with -- I knew more about Michael Jordan than any 8-year-old on the planet. This kid was well-versed.

But, for whatever reason, those things never struck me as something to wear, despite my obsession with the best player on my favorite team.

Keep in mind, that in second grade I was given an after-school talking-to because my teacher caught me actually attempting to write a Michael Jordan 1987-88-era biography in my sticky-bound three-ring notebook during her lectures on proper nouns. I was a freak, and a Bulls supporter nonpareil.

That summer, and I know it's a bit weird, I endlessly rode my bike to stake out Dave Corzine's parents' house, waiting for his black Porsche 911 Turbo to find its way back home, wondering if I'd get another chance to say "yo" to him. I had missed a few months earlier when walking home from school one day -- again, this is no joke -- he jogged quickly past me before I ran home to get my Converse Larry Bird-stamped basketball for him to sign. One time, after spotting the Porsche, I ran home and wrote him a quick letter asking him, among other things, if he was worried about his starting job due to the drafting of Will Perdue a month prior. When he read it aloud after I handed it to him ... let's just say he was far from bemused.

USA Basketball reached out to Joakim Noah, but he wants to play for France

With the thin front line USA Basketball this summer -- a lot of top names said no then Amar'e Stoudemire, Brook Lopez and David Lee couldn't play -- Jerry Colangelo was calling everyone and anyone. JaVale McGee got multiple chances to make the team. Lamar Odom was the starting center. They were looking around.

That included a call to Joakim Noah. But Noah said no, he wants to play for France, according to an interview in a French paper (translated by Hoopsnotes).

"Cameroon (where his great-father is born) and Sweden (land of his mother) also called me," Joakim Noah said to the Journal du Dimanche. "I was pleased to be contacted by Team USA, which searched valid centers. It could have given me the possibility to play with great players. But I repeat it: I want to play with France, it's my dream."

"That would make my great-mother really happy and I want my family to be proud. This summer, I was in a difficult situation. But I'm coming next year and I will use my blue jersey."

Click-a-Bull (Noah-for-Melo Debate)

Would you deal Joakim Noah for Carmelo Anthony?

Carmelo Anthony is on the market, and indications are that the Bulls are high on his list. That means the Bulls have an opportunity to get their first real top five NBA player since Michael Jordan.

They have been on the lookout for some time. Remember when Kobe Bryant and the Lakers had their detente a few years ago? Chicago was the team vying for Bryant's services. They flirted with Grant Hill and Tracy McGrady in their primes, too. Then, of course, the Bulls were serious finalists in this summer's hunt for LeBron James and Dwyane Wade.

The city loves basketball, and they have had excellent attendance and TV ratings, even without a Jordan-type figure. This team hardly needs salvation.

But Bulls owner Jerry Reinsdorf has to remember how amazing business was back when there was a superstar in the building.

Now he could have another.

Those with knowledge of the talks say the Bulls would love to have Anthony. But the Nuggets want the conversation to begin with Joakim Noah.

Word is that a package of Noah and Deng would get the deal done. If that's the case, the Bulls are a turning point in their franchise history, with a tough decision to make. Some of the considerations:

Trade Noah

* If you want a superstar, you have to give up something.
* Noah is a promising young big man, but by almost any metric Carmelo Anthony's production is vastly superior. Many have called Anthony the best pure scorer in the NBA.

Pippen: Carmelo Anthony a gamble

Hall of Famer Scottie Pippen said he would not trade Bulls center Joakim Noah for Carmelo Anthony, and that acquiring the Denver Nuggets star would be a "huge gamble" for Chicago.

ESPNChicago.com reported earlier this month that the Bulls were having internal discussions about whether to include Noah as part of a potential trade package to land Anthony. The Nuggets offered Anthony a three-year, $65 million extension through 2014, but numerous sources told ESPN.com that Denver officials have in recent days let other teams know for the first time that they will listen to pitches after previously resisting such discussions.

"I would definitely think about it very hard," Pippen said Tuesday on "The Waddle & Silvy Show" on ESPN 1000. "But I don't know ... if I'm a GM, I don't know that I could pull the trigger based on Carmelo's ... sort of what he's doing now. Based on his reputation, I'd probably have to stay with Joakim because you know that this kid is going to come out and play night in and night out. There's no excuses. He's a great teammate. That's what you want."

My first take on the issue from a couple weeks ago:
Carmelo to Bulls? ... Confessions of a "Melo Lover"

I will say it up front: I love Carmelo Anthony. I have loved him since he lead Syracuse to the NCAA championship with a 20/10 in the title game. I love that he is with Jordan Brand. I love that he can straight up score the basketball. But I don't think I would love Melo in a Bulls uniform ...

And my updated thoughts after I heard the Noah + Deng for Melo rumors: Melo to Bulls? ... Updated Thoughts

This morning I woke up to rumors swirling that Melo wanted to be traded to the Bulls (or Knicks). Then I heard rumors that the Bulls were looking at Melo for Luol Deng and Taj Gibson. So what did I do? I played devil's advocate, and made the argument that the trade would not help the Bulls. In reality, I would make that trade in a heart-beat. I realize that it's only an offensive upgrade at small forward (and a clear defensive downgrade), plus we're giving up our (potentially much-needed) depth at power forward by including Taj. Oh well, it's Carmelo Anthony! As DC pointed out in the comments on today's earlier post, Melo is the go-to scoring option that the Bulls have lacked since 1998. Make that trade!

Then later this afternoon, there were rumors that the trade was not Deng + Taj for Melo, but instead it was Deng and Noah for Melo, and I was no longer playing devil's advocate. I hated the thought of including Noah. Even if that's the only way to shed Deng's terrible contract, I don't want any part of giving up our young center. Especially not to make a one-sided upgrade at small forward. Substituting Melo for Deng + Noah might make us the worst defensive team in the league, even with Thibodeau coaching the Bulls. It seems like a bad idea no matter how you look at it.

But then I read this: Bulls offered Noah 60 million?

My final thought on the issue: Trading Deng (a Top 10 small forward) for Melo (a top 3 small forward and top 12 player overall) makes sense. But throwing in a top 10 center, and arguably could be a top 5 center after this season, seems crazy. Even trading Noah straight up for Melo makes sense, assuming we could flip Deng for some average-to-above-average big. But that combo is a lot to give up for Melo. Yes, it makes us a better team offensively, but it hurts in every other area of the game.

That means 3 of our starting 5 (Rose, Melo, Boozer) are just terrible on defense, and they have no center behind them to help cover their mistakes. And here's the trade-off we're getting offensively: Last season Melo scored 28.2ppg on 21 shots per game. Noah + Deng is 28.3 ppg on 22.3 shots per game. Now I realize it's very different to have Melo putting up 21 shots because he is a go-to scorer that can get buckets whenever you need them, but the 28ppg he scores is not very efficient, and not a big upgrade from what we get out of Noah + Deng. And that's a comparison of what Melo does well, so it doesn't consider the points Deng + Noah save on the defensive end compared to the points Melo + no center give up.

All that being said, if Noah really is demanding a 5-year extension for $70-75 million, I would make this trade. I'd rather be locked into 3 big contracts of Rose/Boozer/Melo than Rose/Boozer/Noah ... but either of those trios is still not enough to get a championship. I prefer to keep Noah (for a reasonable contract), but if we're paying max or near-max money and locking in our roster, I'd rather pay that money to Melo than Noah. Strictly on court, I think Deng + Noah for Melo is a bad trade, but considering the prospective salaries/contracts of each player involved, you have to get the best possible player when your paying max or near-max money. Paying a lesser player near-max money is the type of move that can cripple a franchise for years.

Click-a-Bull (MJ's Greatest Moments; Noah For Melo?; CJ Watson / Floyd Mayweather)

NEW NBA 2K11 COMMERCIAL - MJ'S GREATEST MOMENTS






Dump Noah for Melo? Chicago wise to back off that idea

If the Chicago Bulls really want to hold internal, high-level discussions about the possibility of trading Joakim Noah, they might want to work from a list of possible acquisitions that looks something like this:

1. Dwight Howard
2. LeBron James
3. Kevin Durant
4. Dwyane Wade
5. Kobe Bryant
6. Dirk Nowitzki
7. Andrew Bogut
8. Brook Lopez?
9. Uh, we're thinking...

The list, depending on your perspective of the Bulls' needs and Noah's value, might be toyed with some, adding or dropping a few names near the top. But the point is, Carmelo Anthony isn't on my list of players for whom the Bulls should swap out Noah. And fortunately for the Bulls and their fans, he does not seem to be on the Chicago front office's list, either.

Read my thoughts on the possible Noah-for-Melo trade here: Melo to Bulls? ... Updated Thoughts

This morning I woke up to rumors swirling that Melo wanted to be traded to the Bulls (or Knicks). Then I heard rumors that the Bulls were looking at Melo for Luol Deng and Taj Gibson. So what did I do? I played devil's advocate, and made the argument that the trade would not help the Bulls. In reality, I would make that trade in a heart-beat. I realize that it's only an offensive upgrade at small forward (and a clear defensive downgrade), plus we're giving up our (potentially much-needed) depth at power forward by including Taj. Oh well, it's Carmelo Anthony! As DC pointed out in the comments on today's earlier post, Melo is the go-to scoring option that the Bulls have lacked since 1998. Make that trade!

Then later this afternoon, there were rumors that the trade was not Deng + Taj for Melo, but instead it was Deng and Noah for Melo, and I was no longer playing devil's advocate. I hated the thought of including Noah. Even if that's the only way to shed Deng's terrible contract, I don't want any part of giving up our young center. Especially not to make a one-sided upgrade at small forward. Substituting Melo for Deng + Noah might make us the worst defensive team in the league, even with Thibodeau coaching the Bulls. It seems like a bad idea no matter how you look at it.

Bulls guard C.J. Watson's name surfaces in police report for Floyd Mayweather Jr.'s arrest

Chicago Bulls guard C.J. Watson apparently triggered a violent argument last week between boxer Floyd Mayweather Jr. and the mother of three of his children that resulted in Mayweather's arrest, TMZ reports.

Mayweather confronted Josie Harris in her Las Vegas home, grabbing her phone and reading her text messages. According to the police report, he yelled, "are you having sex with C.J.?" She replied, "yes." The boxer then began pulling her hair and hitting her, the report stated. Mayweather also said he would make Watson and Harris "disappear," the report alleges.

Melo to Bulls? ... Updated Thoughts

This morning I woke up to rumors swirling that Melo wanted to be traded to the Bulls (or Knicks). Then I heard rumors that the Bulls were looking at Melo for Luol Deng and Taj Gibson. So what did I do? I played devil's advocate, and made the argument that the trade would not help the Bulls. In reality, I would make that trade in a heart-beat. I realize that it's only an offensive upgrade at small forward (and a clear defensive downgrade), plus we're giving up our (potentially much-needed) depth at power forward by including Taj. Oh well, it's Carmelo Anthony! As DC pointed out in the comments on today's earlier post, Melo is the go-to scoring option that the Bulls have lacked since 1998. Make that trade!

Then later this afternoon, there were rumors that the trade was not Deng + Taj for Melo, but instead it was Deng and Noah for Melo, and I was no longer playing devil's advocate. I hated the thought of including Noah. Even if that's the only way to shed Deng's terrible contract, I don't want any part of giving up our young center. Especially not to make a one-sided upgrade at small forward. Substituting Melo for Deng + Noah might make us the worst defensive team in the league, even with Thibodeau coaching the Bulls. It seems like a bad idea no matter how you look at it.

But then I read this: Bulls offered Noah 60 million?

Per Alex Kennedy's twitter:

The Chicago Bulls offered Joakim Noah a five-year, $60 million extension two weeks ago. Hard to believe that they're ready to move him now.

Well that's a sobering thought for anyone who thought Noah would come cheaply. That's more than I'd offer this season, it could be the max contract next season, and depending how the cap rules change that's not such a hot deal.

This is part of the reason I'm willing to part with Noah for Melo, even though I absolutely love him as a player, when his extension kicks in, he's going to be very highly played for a guy who's relatively limited offensively and isn't a shut down defender.

So if Noah was offered $60M, and presumably did not accept, he is clearly looking to be paid MORE THAN that on the open market. I love Noah, just read my season preview from last season:

I have never had a bigger swing on any athlete (except daily with BG for the last 2 years). I hated JoaNoah at Florida. I convinced myself to give him a chance when the Bulls drafted him. He started to grow on me, then last season I started to like him. A young, energetic center who can play D, grab boards and doesn't care about offensive stats ... what's not to like? Then came the Celtics series, and the steal. If it didn't happen before that, that was the moment when JoaNoah entered Bulls lore and became a true Bull in the eyes of Bulls fans. He went from being some guy we didn't really understand, to "our guy". And for all that, at some point he became the most un-tradeable Bull not named D-Rose.

But I love him slightly less at more than $12M per year. Actually, significantly less. I'm not saying that I want to make the trade of Deng/Noah for Melo, but it is worth considering. Paying Noah all that money (and owing Rose am extension at some point in the next 2 years) would really handcuff the Bulls. We would have a very solid core, but we would be locked in. And would it be enough to compete for a title?? If the choice is paying all that money for a top 10-12 CENTER, or paying it to a top 10-12 OVERALL TALENT in the NBA, I think the choice is harder than it originally seemed.



Let me know what you think in the comments: Should the Bulls really consider Deng + Noah for Melo?!

Carmelo to Bulls? ... Confessions of a "Melo Lover"

I will say it up front: I love Carmelo Anthony. I have loved him since he lead Syracuse to the NCAA championship with a 20/10 in the title game. I love that he is with Jordan Brand. I love that he can straight up score the basketball. But I don't think I would love Melo in a Bulls uniform ...

If the title and tone of this post seem familiar, it's because I wrote the exact opposite piece about LeBron a few months ago:

As a die-hard NBA fan, I watch a lot of basketball. I recognize talent, and it's obvious that LeBron is the best player in the Association. (I might technically argue that Kobe is a better basketball player and LeBron is the best athlete playing basketball, but that's not the point.) LeBron is awesome. I went to game 3 of the Bulls/Cavs series a couple weeks ago, and it was incredible. I hated every single second of it, but LeBron was ridiculous. Just so we're clear, I get it: he's great. So would I want the best player on my team? Seems dumb to say no. But I hate him so much, how can I possibly say yes?


I will cheer for the Bulls. I will hope they win every game, just like I do now and always have. But I will never love LeBron the way I love those 1990s Bulls players: MJ, Pippen, BJ Armstrong, Jud Buechler, Horace, Rodman, Will Perdue, Craig Hodges, Cliff Levingston (the list goes on and on ...) and current Bulls D-Rose and JoaNoah. I will never love LeBron like that. He will never be included in my list of "Top 10 Favorite Bulls' Players" (or even my 'Top 25'). I hate him enough that I can be sure of that.

Now the rumors are swirling that Melo wants to be traded to the Bulls:

Carmelo Anthony(notes) still hopes to persuade the Denver Nuggets to trade him, preferably to either the Chicago Bulls or New York Knicks, an NBA source with knowledge of Anthony’s wishes told Yahoo! Sports.

The Knicks have limited assets to offer the Nuggets, which makes the Bulls a more appealing potential trade partner. The Bulls can offer a replacement small forward in Luol Deng(notes), as well as two young forwards in James Johnson(notes) and Taj Gibson(notes). New York officials would like to make a run at signing Anthony next summer if he were to opt to become a free agent. The Knicks will have salary-cap room with Eddy Curry’s(notes) contract expiring after the season.

At first glance, I wouldn't hesitate ... we have make that trade. Deng has a terrible contract, and the other 2 players aren't even starters. But then I got to thinking about everything I've been reading over the last few months ...

Is Deng's contract really that bad? I hate to admit it, but no, it's not:

Now let’s take a quick peek at the comparitive 2010-11 salaries of Dwyer’s top eight SFs (from ShamSports): LeBron ($14,500,000), Durant ($6,053,663 from his rookie contract but jumping to $13,603,750 in 2011-12), ‘Melo ($17,149,243), Wallace ($10,500,000), Iggy ($12,345,250), Granger ($10,973,202), Pierce ($13,876,321) and Deng ($11,345,000).

This biggest knock against Deng is his supposedly cap-killing contract. And yet based on Dwyer’s rankings, Deng’s pay is roughly commensurate with his standing among the league’s elite small forwards.

And is Melo really as good as we think he is? I hate to admit it, but no, he's not:

Of course, whether he actually is on that level is another question. The “is Melo an elite player?” debate was widely discussed throughout the blogosphere over the past few weeks. (We miss you, NBA. Please grab this stupid summer thing by the nose and banish it forever). Statistical master wizard (it’s when you’re too masterful to be just a wizard, but too wizardy to be just a master) Tom Haberstroh pointed out over at ESPN Insider that Melo’s greatest skill – scoring the basketball – is overblown because of his less-than-stellar efficiency at doing so.

“Let’s first talk about Anthony’s shot volume. It’s not exactly a secret that ‘Melo likes to shoot the rock, but his propensity to launch shots may raise some eyebrows. This past season, no player in the NBA took more shots per minute than Anthony — not Kobe, not LeBron, not even scoring champ Kevin Durant.

[Note to readers: be sure to click on both of the above links for a great breakdown of both Deng (from 'By The Horns') and Melo (from 'Both Teams Played Hard'). Both posts are must-read when you are considering this trade.]


So now the trade seems less like the obvious, no-doubter that I first thought it was. And that's just considering that maybe Deng isn't so bad after-all. Then we have to consider that we're also including our backup PF, a second-year player who put up a steady 9/7.5 his rookie year. I'm not trying to imply that Deng and Taj should be untouchable ... they definitely should not be that. But I think the Bulls made some legit improvements in the past two months, and I don't think Melo is the missing piece that gets us from contender to NBA championship. I would rather let this team go into the season as is and see what happens, rather than salvaging part of the young core for a player that might not be the missing piece.



I could be wrong, I am the same person who hated the Taj pick because I was certain Ty Thomas was our PF of the future. But coming from someone that loves Melo, and has openly hated on Deng and his contract, maybe my hesitation actually means something this time.

Click-a-Bull (Boozer; Rose; Noah; Melo) + Bears (Cutler) + WhiteSox (Manny)

Big batch of links from yesterday: Click-a-Bull (Team USA; Center Rankings; Rose on Boozer & Noah; Melo; Trophies; Trade Deng?; Noah Improving)

And don't miss D-Rose highlights from Monday morning against Brazil: USA v. Brazil: Derrick Rose Highlights (Reverse Layups!)


-----------------------


One on One with Carlos Boozer

Why the Chicago Bulls? What made you choose them over other teams?

CB:

They had everything in place and have championship DNA. They got a lot of young players like Derrick Rose, Joakim Noah, Luol Deng and, for me, it was the perfect fit. I was contemplating other teams and also thought of staying in Utah, but I was overwhelmed by Chicago’s professionalism and how bad they wanted to win again, and not just one championship but multiple championships. They want to get back to that, and I’m looking forward to being a part of it.

Fast Breaks: USA-Slovenia

A star is born. A Derrick Rose-shaped star. Watching international opponents chase Rose in the open floor is like watching a Volvo try to keep pace with a Ferrari. With the U.S. defending the three-point line well (Slovenia connected on 20.8 percent of their threes) Rose was a monster in transition, scoring seven points and dishing out five assists, several of which went towards the U.S.' 20 fast break points. In the halfcourt Rose and Russell Westbrook assaulted the rim almost at will; their speed and power with the ball completely overwhelmed Slovenia's guards and their strength enabled them to overpower the big men at the rim.

Bright future keeps Rose cruising along in career

Derrick Rose hasn't hit many speed bumps in a professional career that began as 2008's No. 1 pick. And this summer has been even better.

Chicago's front office flanked Rose with their best team since that statue outside the United Center roamed the United Center. He's finishing up the offseason as a starter for the U.S. team at the FIBA World Championships.

Rose is living right, right now.

The waters were somewhat murkier a year ago.

Sanctions had devastated the University of Memphis, Rose's one-and-done college of choice. And though he was never publicly named in the NCAA findings last August that stripped the Tigers of their magical (at the time) run to the 2008 title game, Rose's reputation and image didn't go unscathed.

He was the focal point of an eligibility mess that dated back to his days as a Chicago high school phenom. Rose didn't address the matter much at the time or since, other than maintain his innocence. University officials at Memphis, including the athletic director, backed Rose.

The NCAA's investigation had dogged Rose for most of his first season, but not enough to derail a Rookie of the Year campaign. Another minor headache arose last June when a photo surfaced from Rose's time at Memphis of him apparently flashing gang signs. Rose quickly apologized, hammering home his "anti-gang, anti-drug, and anti-violence" stance.

Rose navigated through the negative headlines with the same poise and assuredness that splits a backcourt trap. He remained focused on his job, giving critics little else to chew on and foes plenty to worry about. By not completely acknowledging what happened at Memphis, it could be argued that Rose ducked responsibility and essentially got off scot-free.

For Rose, it was about moving forward. The Bulls were his priority, and he took on last season determined to stay on course. An ankle injury that wiped out his preseason didn't derail Rose for long. He took command of the team, earning his first All-Star nod and took his game to a higher plane in the playoffs.

Yahoo: Joakim Noah is cool with just about everything

 


Bulls discussing Melo with Nuggets [as are a variety of others]

Per Jon Rothstein (MSG) twitter:

#Nets look like favorites now but are fighting including lopez...Harris, Favors, and picks are package

#Nuggets would prob. want Kaman and Eric Gordon from #Clippers 4 Melo....that deal would make LAC much worse

#Nuggets discussions w Chicago involves a package of Luol Deng and Taj Gibson

--------------------------





Jay Cutler & Kristin Cavallari Dating?

There's a rumor going around today that Chicago Bears quarterback Jay Cutler is dating Thigh of the Week alum, Kristin Cavallari. Even if they're not officially "dating", they were reportedly seen making out like crazy at a club in Chicago last night:

Manny unlikely to be the solution

Adding Ramirez is a low-risk move, but the Sox have too many other problems




I wish I could be in Cleveland to see Manny Ramirez's debut in a White Sox uniform and watch his new team struggle to handle his old team, the lowly Indians.

But I watched Monday's game in my basement, where I plan to catch Ramirez's planned debut as well. It really does emulate the "When do the Buckeyes play?" crowd at Progressive Field, seeing as I'm here by myself.

I filed a more optimistic column as the Sox headed into the bottom of the ninth before Bobby Jenks gave up three runs to send the game into extras Monday.

But there's no reason to think this team is just one hitter away from catching the Twins and making noise in October.

Random thoughts from the draft lottery ...

- Is Mike Dunleavy potentially dumb enough to trade the #1 pick and a terrible contract (Zach Randolph maybe?) to the Bulls for Kirk, TT, Noah, BG (sign-and-trade) and a future #1?? Paxson better be on the phone.

- How fun are the team-who-shall-not-be-named going to be to watch for the next few years? Young core of Durant, Westbrook, Jeff Green and Ricky Rubio ... I might sign up for league pass just to see them play. (Random side note: I am looking to get 100 level seats for a couple games next year (maybe $100-$150 seats), and this is likely to be the first game I try to get ... does anyone want to go with me??)

- So glad D'Antoni cannot get Rubio.

- Not lottery related, but Melo looked ultra good last night. He's so very under-rated. If LeBron (the athletically-gifted-man-child-freak) did not exist, people would talk about Melo as the prototype player to build a team around.




The D-Rose draft lottery from a different perspective -

As soon as they announced the pick, and you knew you the Bulls had won, is there a particular moment that stands out in your mind, considering that you had been the city's good luck charm?

Steve Schanwald: (Laughs) It was one of the most memorable moments of my 30-year career in the industry. It was beyond belief. If I was gonna beat the odds though, it might have been a little bit better if I had beat the odds in the state of Illinois' lotto drawing, personally. But, no, it was a real thrill and of course, it was national TV, and I remember my cell phone, which was in my pocket, was just exploding, 'cause it was on vibrate, with texts and e-mails. All I could think of was Andy Warhol's famous 1968 quote about everybody in the world is gonna be famous for 15 minutes, and I think that was my 15 minutes.

I was surrounded by microphones, which, of course, you see on TV all the time, but you never think you're gonna be in a situation where there are cameras and microphones in your face, and people firing questions at you. It was quite an exhilarating feeling. [The Lottery win] was a break that at the time the Bulls organization desperately needed.

You might have seen the Internet coverage after the fact -- Everybody was wondering, "Who is this guy from the Bulls," considering that you were sitting up on a stage with celebrities and several former players. Were you looking around at any point going, "Wow!"

SS: Well, yeah. There's no question about it. It was like the multiple choice answers were, "Giraffe, elephant, rhinoceros, mouse" and I was the mouse. (Laughs) And, of course, everybody -- all my friends and family from around the country were watching and of course [Doris Burke] is going down the line and she introduces Jay-Z ... Dwyane Wade was down in front of me; she introduces all these guys, and she gets to me, and she introduces me as "Stan Schanwald" and not Steve Schanwald, and all I could do was say, "That's the story of my life right there." My moment on TV, on national TV ... it's bad enough that I'm in the shadow of Jay-Z but then she calls me Stan.

So they got it down to the top three, and the top three were me and Dwyane Wade (Miami) and Fred Hoiberg (Minnesota) ... and I told the floor producer, I said, "Please make sure you tell Doris that in the highly unlikely event we win this thing, please don't have her come up to me and call me Stan again. Once was enough." So I saw him kind of talking to her, and she was feverishly changing whatever card was given to her. So, it was typical.

***** UPDATE *****

This isn't the trade I had in mind for the Bulls -

LA's other team managed to keep itself in the news by winning the Griffin sweepstakes, but now attention immediately turns to how they'll juggle the frontcourt. The obvious solution would be to trade Randolph, but he has two years and $33 million left on his deal and he's one of the league's most difficult personalities. That shrivels the market for him to just a few teams, even if the Clippers are willing to take back bad contracts in return. (A lot of clubs won't touch the guy at any price.)

But it's hard to imagine the Clips playing Randolph and Griffin together, since both are natural power forwards and Randolph won't do jack on defense. So trading one of the other frontcourt players (Camby or Kaman, most likely) doesn't really solve the problem -- it has to be Randolph. One would also have to think the Clippers are desperate to provide a better role model for Griffin than Z-Bo, a gifted post scorer on the court but a scoundrel off it.

So where they can possibly offload Randolph? A few places, actually. A deal with Milwaukee for Richard Jefferson would work, providing the Bucks more post scoring and a replacement for likely goner Charlie Villanueva. However, the Bucks supposedly deep-sixed a deal for Randolph when he was a Knick and might turn their noses up at this idea too.

A few other partners come to mind. Golden State could even out its roster at a stroke by sending Jamal Crawford and Corey Maggette to the Clips, and we know they won't ask Zach to play any D. Memphis is desperate for a power forward and could do a deal for Marko Jaric, Darko Milicic and the Grizzlies' pick at No. 27. And Chicago, which really needs a post scorer to get to the next level, could make it work for Brad Miller and Tim Thomas … a deal that doesn't really solve the Clippers' frontcourt logjam, but does achieve the aim of ridding the team of Randolph.

All of this gets back to one simple NBA truth -- there is no such thing as an untradable contract. Every player has his price, and it's tough for the Clippers to make a deal that replaces Randolph's production because so many teams see him as radioactive. But if the Clips lower the bar to just clearing the deck for Griffin, they can make it work.