Click-a-Bull (Boozer on Winning Championship; Thibodeau on Rose; Rudy F)

Carlos Boozer thinking big

Chicago Bulls power forward Carlos Boozer has lofty expectations for his new team this season.

"A championship," he told ESPNChicago.com on Wednesday night after a Nike House of Hoops event. "I think a realistic goal for us is a championship. I think anything shorter than that we're setting ourselves up to be shorter than what we can reach. I think [we have] potential to be a championship-level team."

One of the reasons Boozer feels so confident is due to the fact that he gets to play with the Bulls' 21-year-old All-Star point guard, Derrick Rose.

"He's tight," Boozer said. "He can play. With our combination of what we have on our team, with myself in the post, with D. Rose at the point guard spot, Joakim [Noah] plugging that middle up, Luol Deng being very versatile on the wing, I think we have a team that can rival anybody. I think we'll be able to compete against every team in the league."

When it comes to Rose's progression specifically, Boozer isn't surprised at all that his new teammate is succeeding under the tutelage of his former college coach at Duke and current Team USA head coach Mike Krzyzewski.

"I think [Rose] went out there and made that team, proved to be the starter for that team," Boozer said. "Coach K loves him, of course, and they've been able to compete and have a chance to win. I think they're a game or two away from winning the gold and hopefully they can bring it back for us."

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Thibodeau says he's not worried Rose is getting burned out

New Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau says he is not concerned that his All-Star guard, Derrick Rose, might be burned out for the start of the NBA season after playing for Team USA this summer.

"He has been terrific," Thibodeau said. "And the way he practices ... I'm real excited. I thought he showed great leadership out there, and their team is playing extremely well right now. … I think being around those types of players and being around that type of competition is great. I think he will take a lot from it."

Joakim Noah also endorses Rose's European experience: "I see Derrick on TV and he looks pretty good," said Noah. "I know that Derrick always works very hard and he is going to be in great game shape. He has a chance to win a medal. He's doing big things ... sometimes you forget he is only 21 years old."

Bulls / Blazers still working on Rudy trade?

Per hoopsworld:

Meanwhile, the Chicago Bulls are continuing their weeks-long pursuit of Fernandez, and do have a first round pick to offer. The Bulls were rumored to be offering James Johnson and a pick back in August, but nothing ever came of that deal. Johnson, a second-year pro out of Wake Forest, would add additional depth at the four spot for Portland. The Blazers, you'll recall, signed restricted free agent Paul Millsap to an offer sheet last summer, only to see it matched by the Utah Jazz. The Blazers added Jeff Pendergraph last season, but would like to have another young prospect at the four behind starter LaMarcus Aldridge.

The closer we get to training camp the less likely it seems that Fernandez will be in a Blazers uniform when he returns from playing overseas. Chicago looks like the early favorite, but the Blazers will likely wait until the last minute to make sure no other suitors step into the conversation.

James Johnson and a 1st makes a lot of sense for the Bulls, does it make sense for Portland? I think it does. It gives them a pick and a prospect, and if they don't like Johnson, then they can just take the pick because we have cap room.

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!)


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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

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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.

Click-a-Bull (Team USA; Center Rankings; Rose on Boozer & Noah; Melo; Trophies; Trade Deng?; Noah Improving)

Why You Should Adopt Team USA for the FIBA World Championships

Somewhere along the way, the Oklahoma City Thunder became every NBA fan’s mistress. We have and hold our respective teams in injury and in health, in good times and bad, until death do us part, but even the truest of die-hards have been known to flirt with League Pass now and again. It’s nothing major. Just to see what else is out there. Just to pass the time when our teams are away on business. It doesn’t mean anything, we tell ourselves.

But it means everything. NBA fans have wandering eyes, and the Thunder ooze sex appeal. We can try our best to explain away the Thunder’s allure, but there is genuine meaning in it.

Kevin Durant is the obvious draw. Not only is he a phenomenal All-World scorer with a rapidly improving all-around game, but his on-court demeanor and obsessive hunger for all things basketball blend together beautifully. His feet are planted firmly on the ground, even as he reaches higher and higher with his trademarked, absurdly long arms. The man simply loves what he does and works hard to improve himself, and that’s endearing. That he happens to already be an incredible player while maintaining that hunger is what elevates him to cult favorite and Wheaties box role model.

Of course, Durant is but one reason why the Thunder have captivated NBA audiences. They’re young and new, and like it or not, hip. They’re athletic and dynamic, from Russell Westbrook’s jams to Serge Ibaka’s swats. Their success is somehow bizarre, improbable, and yet all part of the plan. They’re 50-win underdogs, tightly knit with an old-school, one-goal fabric, but envisioned with modern basketball sensibilities. There is, really and truly, nothing quite like the Thunder.

There’s also nothing quite like Kevin Durant’s other team. The one that won’t make your steadfast commitment as an NBA fan the least bit confusing. The one that’s playing right now, in the stretch of the off-season that’s most barren.

They’re young. They’re athletic. They’re hungry and humble. They’re incredibly talented even if they’re in a bit over their heads. They are wholly committed to playing great defense, and above all, they have Durant to lead them. There is, really and truly, nothing quite like Team USA either, and if one were forced to conjure the most natural team comparison? It just might be Oklahoma City.

Ranking the centers, 11 through 1

7. Joakim Noah(notes), Chicago Bulls (last year: 15th)

Though his fiery personality and, um, unconventional offseason habits are the Houston forward's polar opposite, Noah almost reminds of a 7-foot version of Shane Battier(notes). The ultimate teammate, Noah is constantly barking out the opposing team's play, his position on the help defense side, and he's the first to meet a teammate when things go perfectly, terribly awry, or somewhere in the middle.

He also put together a double-double last season while playing just 30 minutes per game, a fantastic accomplishment, and he's made huge strides in his rebounding since entering the league as a rookie in 2007, topping out with a rebound rate that flew past the 20 percent mark last season.

Derrick Rose: "I'd hate to play against Boozer and Noah"

You must be really excited about next season, right?

Derrick Rose: Oh yeah. We got a new team, great young players. I think now we have a chance to go out there and try to win every game.

Guess you’ve already talked with new coach Tom Thibodeau.

DR: He’s cool. He’s really a basketball coach – always studying, always in the office looking at film, making sure everybody is doing things right, making calls to every player before the season… That’s a good thing.

What does he want from you?

DR: Leadership, playing defense. That’s the main thing, to be really agressive. The city of Chicago will love him, because as long as you’re playing hard and playing agressive, they love that kind of play.

How’s the city after getting Carlos Boozer on board?

DR: It’s a frenzy, man. Everybody just can’t wait for the season to start. Everybody is there kind of bragging a little bit already, that we should have a chance to compete for the title.

NBA Rumors: Carmelo Anthony Can Rival Miami Heat With the Chicago Bulls

With the summer of 2010 winding down and all the big name free agents already finding their homes, NBA fans haven’t been this excited for a season in quite some time.

Sorry, Allen Iverson, you left the title of “big name” back in Denver.

Speaking of things left in Denver, the Mile High City is currently stuck with Carmelo Anthony. While being “stuck” with an All-Star who scores like Don Draper isn’t normally bad, in this case, Anthony has put the Nuggets in quite the bind.

To trade, or not to trade. That, is the question.

Shakespeare was wrong.

Lots of talk around the NBA has been about whether Carmelo Anthony will stay in Denver. According to today’s Denver Post, new vice president of basketball operations Masai Ujiri will do everything in his power to keep him around.

Will that even matter?

Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports reported yesterday that Anthony and his people informed the franchise of his intent to leave and that the team would be better off sending him elsewhere in order to get some value back.

Sadly, the odds of getting equal value for ‘Melo make the odds of the Clippers winning the title seem likely.

Yet the rumors are certainly swirling. The New York Knicks, Houston Rockets, and New Jersey Nets have had their names tied with Carmelo plenty, but considering the 26-year-old forward is likely to leave in a trade, the possibilities are endless.

So let’s propose something that would rock the basketball world.

Carmelo Anthony in Chicago. The return of The Madhouse On Madison.

White Sox toast with a four pack

The Yankees aren’t an easy bunch to intimidate, but the White Sox gave a shot during pregame ceremonies Friday, with a little help from their friends.


Championship trophies from the 1985 Bears, the '90s Bulls, the 2009-10 Blackhawks and the White Sox’s own 2005 hardware, were all on display during a “Gathering of Champions” ceremony. Richard Dent represented the Bears, Mark Buehrle was there for the White Sox and Joel Quenneville was on hand for the Blackhawks.

Scottie Pippen was supposed to be the Bulls’ representative, but he was late leaving those duties to chairman Jerry Reinsdorf. Pippen was later spotted on the suite level just as the game was starting.

The Yankees might have their 27 World Series trophies, including their most recent in 2009, but no city can stake a claim to a title in each of the four major sports in the past 25 years.

Why The 2010 Chicago Bulls Should Trade Luol Deng

In their pursuit of Lebron James Chris Bosh and Dwayne Wade, much talk was going around about Luol Deng going to Portland. Well, Deng's still a Bull, and the Bulls struck out on the big three in free agency.

Though, it's not too late to dump Deng and his bloated contract on some other team. Division rival Indiana comes to mind with shooter Danny Granger. This would be an ideal trade for the Bulls, but I'm not comfortable sending him to a division rival.

Enter Portland, if Deng would go to Portland as reported before the free agent bonanza, the Bulls could take Rudy Fernandez in a trade, but would have to add $10M or so, or else get a third team like the 76ers with Andre Igoudala. Hopefully all the pieces get together to get an unhappy Rudy out of Portland.Rudy Fernandez would likely get the starting job he's looking for in Chicago.

If Igoudala comes to town, he would compete as well for the starting role. He is a local product from Springfield, IL. He has two years completed on a 6 yr./$80M deal. He is more durable than Deng and has a greater upside.

No matter if the Bulls make moves in the off season, or before February, the most important thing after re-signing Joakim Noah is trading Luol Deng.

Joakim Noah work hard, improving jumper, and other random notes

I was talking to a source inside the Bulls organization, and I was told Joakim Noah is living at the Berto Center this summer. He's had an outstanding off-season, and we can expect him to come out really strong this year.

He's still throwing up the sidewinder, but he's knocking it down at an excellent rate, and it may be more of a weapon this year than in the past. We had started to see Noah knock down this mid range jumpers last year, and if he can take one more step forward with it this season then he'll become much more deadly on the court.


Overall, the mood around the team is very positive and everyone is excited for the season. There's no doubt the team is better, and they know it and are ready to prove it on the court.

There's a much better vibe around Thibodeau as head coach than there was around Del Negro. Ever dating back to the initial hire, Del Negro never had the players on his side the way Thibodeau appears to already. Sources had told me even early on in his first season the veterans on the team thought Del Negro was a boob.

Thibodeau commands much more respect, he's simply a much greater basketball mind. I think of all the players on the team right now, Luol Deng stands the most to benefit from the switch and is probably the player most happy to see Del Negro leave (though the departed Gordon/Hinrich also disliked Del Negro).

This season marks the beginning of a new era for the Bulls. New head coach, significant roster turnover in terms of role players, and a new star player added to the team. The talent on the roster now exceeds anything the Bulls have thrown out there since #23 suited up. They bring a post offense, a slashing offense, defensive intensity, and balance to the table.

USA v. Brazil: Derrick Rose Highlights (Reverse Layups!)

Well, I was attempting to post videos here, but both ESPN and NBA.com do not allow any of the highlights to be embedded ... which is so aggravating.

Here's the best I can do: Click here to view the video and pay close attention at the 0:30 mark. You will see a ridiculous drive and scoop from D-Rose.


And for his other awesome reverse layup, I actually got the video to work:





Rose also had another awesome jump-stop-baby-sky-hook-floater-from-the-baseline bucket, but video seems not to exist.

Robbie Gould missed 2 FGs??? I dont believe it.

So all day I've been trying to focus on the positives from the bears 3rd preseason game and unfortunately, I have really struggled. The starting offense and defense played into the 3rd quarter and for the most part it was discouraging for a bears fan. The offense looked out of sync and the defense didnt have a strong performance and Robbie Gould really did miss 2 FGs which i still cant believe. So, here's the good and bad/ugly from the game.

Good

1. The bears have a pass rush and its name is Julius Peppers. He made Levi Brown, the cardinals

OT, look like he was playing for the bears offensive line. He was unblockable and as a result, he

made the rest of the bears D-line better. Tommie Harris also appears healthy and was playing with

some of his old explosion. The D-line had a good game and Peppers looks as good as advertised.

2. You cant run on this team. The bears have been excellent at stopping the run and it was no

different in this game. The defensive line was getting penetration and forcing the running back

to shuffle his feet in the backfield killing any of his momentum. I think the bears will be a top 5

defense at stopping the run this year.

3. The bears have 2 good running backs. Both Taylor and Forte have shown good bursts and

elusiveness this preseason. They both can catch and carry the ball and should have big games this

year.

The Ugly

1. #6 - No one looked worse on the field than Jay. Not only was the offense as a whole confused

but Jay looked like a lost rookie out there. (I was gonna say Dan LeFevour, but he had a really good

game). It was the most inaccurate I have seen Cutler be and he tried to force plays that werent

there. In his midgame interview, he even admitted that he "left a lot of opportunities out on the

field". To be brutally honest, it looked like he was afraid in the pocket. He had happy feet, was

never set when he threw a pass, and wouldnt step up into the pocket when he needed to. He got

sacked 4 times and honestly, I put three of them on Cutler. If he played like this in the regular

season, he would have been benched.

2. The timing offense. The only time that the bears were on the same page about they needed to

get this game over fast. From the 1st play when 2 WRs ran to the same spot, the offense was a

clusterfuck. I actually think the line blocked better but still not good. But the offense routinely had

the playclock down under 5 seconds and Martz has always stressed quick offense so something was

wrong. Cutler even said guys were lined up in the wrong spots on multiple plays. Really?!?!? This

was your regular season preview and you have guys lined up in wrong spots on multiple plays!!

They have 14 days to get on the same page or this is gonna be a long miserable season on offense.

3. Injuries will kill the bears. The bears arent a deep team no matter what Lovie says. Briggs went

out with an ankle injury and you saw a completely different defense without him and Urlacher on

the field. The cardinals(derek anderson & matt leinart) coverted over 40% of their 3rd downs on

the defense. League avg last year was 27%. The cardinals checked the ball down and without those

two guys in the middle of the defense with their speed the cardinals WRs ran for most of the 1st downs.

Lovie's defense requires the LBs to be fast and sure tacklers and without them, it just doesnt work.

I'm praying to the injury god already for briggs and urlachers' health.

There is more that i found ugly from this game (Chris Harris, Tim Hightower says your jock is back

on the field where he juked you out of it. The spot of the 2nd time he did it, not the first) but

dont have the heart to keep tearing apart the bears. The bears play this thursday and the starters

wont be in for more than a series or 2. There are some interesting players to watch though like

the battle for the last RB spot between Garrett Wolfe and Khali Bell, Dan Lefevour and the young

D-line man. Look for my bears season preview to come sometime early next week.

What to watch for

So, the bears' 3rd preseason game happens this saturday and the starters are slated to play into the 3rd quarter against the Cardinals. The teams will actually game plan for the other team which they dont do for the first 2 preseason games. This is pretty much the game that best reflects how the team will play in the season so there are some things that we all should be watching for:

1. Can the O-Line block anyone? - This one is pretty easy to see. As Cutler goes, so goes the bears. Can the O-Line bounce back after a bad half against the Raiders?

2. The timing between Cutler and his WRs - As has been said repeated times over the offseason, Martz's offense is all about the timing between the QB and WR's routes. Martz preaches to throw to a spot on the field because the WR should be there which is really hard to cover if the WR is there. The defenses have always tried to disrupt the WRs and QBs by blitzing or jamming the WRs. Are the bears' WRs good enough to run a precise route and get off a cornerback's jam at the line? Can Culter be under control enough to throw to a spot and trust his WRs? Watch and see how much Cutler has to pump and then pull the ball down because some WR isnt in the right spot? Hopefully not a lot.

3. Don't let up D - The last couple of years the bears' defense has let the opponent convert on too many 3 downs. And on a lot of 3rd down and longs. The Raiders carved up the bears on the third down. Many things can be pointed at as the reason for this trend but most importantly its the safeties and pass rush. I have no doubt that Peppers will get consistent pass rush but what will the other linemen do? And are the bears safeties good enough in coverage to play man and let others blitz and not just drop back in zone coverage? Watch and see if the bears can get off the field on 3rd down.

Positions to Watch - The bears dont have a whole of questions at who is gonna start but they do have some interesting questions as to who will contribute behind the starters.

1. The slot WR - I'm interested in seeing what the bears do here because i dont think there is any question that Hester, Aromashodu and Knox are their best 3 WRs. But, they want to have Olsen on the field a lot and people have been praising Rashied Davis' camp and he has gotten quite a few snaps in the preseason. Who is gonna get snaps as the 3rd WR and how many will they be? This will be the first chance we have to see how Martz will juggle all the players?

2. Left side of the D-line - We know that Tommie Harris and Peppers will start on the right side. Now who will join them? Will it be Mark Anderson or Idonije at the other end (im praying for Izzy)? And who will be in the DT rotation? We know that Anthony Adams will play in run situations because he is solid against the run but who will be the nickle and pash rushing DT next to Harris? Harrison, Melton and Toenia all have a shot to win that job and it should be interesting to watch how they all perform this week. If anyone can make an impact, they will guarantee themselves more snaps and more time come the regular season.

3. The safeties - Like I've said before, I dont think the bears can win with Harris starting at free safety and Danieal Manning at strong safety. It looks like the bears safeties are healthy for the most part and maybe we will see someone else step up and take the free safety spot so that Harris can be moved back to strong. Watch to see on the deep throws to the sidelines and see if how quickly a safety gets there to cover and maybe we will have an answer to the bears safety questions.

4. O-line - Not sure, I need to say much here. They just need to block better because I'm not sure the bears realistically have any other options for players to start on the roster. They must just get better as a unit. Pray for this!

Enjoy the closest thing to real Bears football until September 12th.

Click-a-Bull (Loul Goes Home; Pippen Statue; Power Forward Rankings; D-Rose; Team Flow Charts)

BBS: Must Watch: Luol Deng Goes Home



Bulls to honor Pippen with statue inside United Center

The Chicago Bulls have plans to unveil a bronze statue of Hall of Famer Scottie Pippen that will be displayed permanently in the United Center at some point towards the end of the 2010-11 season.

“Not only is Scottie Pippen one of the greatest players to ever wear a Bulls uniform, but he’s among the best players in history of the league to play the game,” said Bulls Chairman Jerry Reinsdorf. “He had a tremendous impact in bringing six world championships to Chicago and there is no better way to pay tribute to him than with a permanent statue that honors his inspirational career.”

The statue will be crafted by Omri and Julie Rotblatt-Amrany of Highland Park, Ill., who also sculpted the famous Michael Jordan statue which was unveiled in January 1994 in conjunction with Jordan’s No. 23 jersey retirement.

“Words really can’t express my feelings,” Pippen told Bulls.com. “It’s an unbelievable honor and truly amazing. It’s something you dream of as a kid growing up, but you can never foresee those childhood fantasies becoming reality. You see statues of individuals who have done great things and made their mark on history, but as a basketball player, you never really think about arriving at this point. It’s an amazing honor for the Chicago Bulls to do this for me.”

Pippen was informed of the news the same week that he was enshrined in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. In his first year of eligibility, Pippen was inducted on Aug. 13 as an individual player and as a member of the 1992 Dream Team which won the gold medal in the Barcelona Summer Olympics.

Having spent several years away from the game, Pippen said he now has a different, clearer perspective on his career, one that makes honors like the statue all the more meaningful.

“I’m more excited now when I look back at what we were able to accomplish,” Pippen acknowledged. “My playing years went by so fast, but I’m happy I was able to make my mark on the game. It’s hard to take a deep breath and look back on it all. At the same time, you are always trying to get to the next level and accomplish something new. I’m at a point now where I can really appreciate what I did throughout my career. To enjoy those things and reap some of the benefits now is very special to experience.”

While the Bulls retired Pippen’s No. 33 on Dec. 9, 2005, his alma mater, the University of Central Arkansas, didn’t officially lift his jersey to the rafters until Jan. 20 of this year. Between that, the Hall of Fame and his return to the Bulls as team ambassador, it’s been a nostalgic year for Pippen.

Scottie Pippen honored with statue

The Chicago Bulls will unveil a statue of Hall of Famer Scottie Pippen that will be displayed in the United Center at some point during the season.

"Not only is Scottie Pippen one of the greatest players to ever wear a Bulls uniform, but he's among the best players in the history of the league to play the game," Bulls chairman Jerry Reinsdorf said in a statement. "He had a tremendous impact in bringing six world championships to Chicago and there is no better way to pay tribute to him than with a permanent statue that honors his inspirational career."

Pippen was elected to the Hall of Fame on Aug. 13. He won six NBA titles with the Bulls, was named one of the 50 greatest NBA players and made seven All-Star teams.

"Words really can't express my feelings," Pippen told the Bulls website. "It's an unbelievable honor and truly amazing. It's something you dream of as a kid growing up, but you can never foresee those childhood fantasies becoming reality. You see statues of individuals who have done great things and made their mark on history, but as a basketball player, you never really think about arriving at this point. It's an amazing honor for the Chicago Bulls to do this for me."

Omri and Julie Rotblatt-Amrany of Highland Park, Ill., will craft Pippen's statue. They also sculpted the famous Michael Jordan statue that was unveiled in January 1994 as part of Jordan's No. 23 jersey retirement.

Pippen returned to the Bulls in July as a team ambassador.

Ranking the power forwards, 30 through 21

28. Taj Gibson(notes), Chicago Bulls (last year: unranked)

At the bottom of this list, it really came down to, "who would I rather have on my team in 2010-11: Taj Gibson, or [name redacted]?" And Taj kept winning out. It's a giant mea culpa for me, because I didn't even think Taj was the 26th-best player in last year's draft when he was taken at that slot, but his all-around game and defensive work have me on his side as we enter his second season.

Ranking the power forwards, 10 through 1

6. Carlos Boozer(notes), Chicago Bulls (last year: eighth)

It was a weird run for Carlos in Utah. He stabbed a CBA-cheating owner in the back by reneging on an illegal handshake agreement to sign with the Jazz, and then ran injured for a while, drawing the ire of his new team's front office. Then Paul Millsap(notes) popped up, and while Boozer's backup didn't exactly make him redundant, he did allow for the trade rumors that really escalated before Boozer's 2009-10 player option, assumed-but-eventually-declined 2009 free agency and eventual split in 2010.

Yikes. So, it's as if he never was a member of the Jazz. Now he's a Bull, he sets screens, he gathers well and finishes expertly with either hand, and truly comes straight out of central casting for a team like Chicago. Assuming he averages 65 games a season. Anything less, and Chicago will continue to have Jazz-like issues.

Rose is player of the game against Greece

Rose is now Team USA's second starting guard, and he delivered today against Greece coming up with 13 points by hitting six of seven shots including a three. For his efficient offensive efforts, Rose earned the player of the game award.

What impresses me most about Rose and his team USA experience is his improved defense. Coach K has challenged Rose to become a disruptive defender, and given Rose's length and athleticism that's the type of defender he can play in the NBA as well.

Derrick is playing physical, attacking defense. He's generating steals and looks in the open court. I think Rose is going to actually take quite a bit away from his international team experience. Whether he has the endurance to play this same physical attacking defense while carrying the load offensively is another question, but most star players need time off on the defensive end at times while cranking it up when it's most important.

We've now seen that Derrick Rose can ratchet up his defense when needed and that's going to help the Bulls significantly next season.

Also, while the international three is shorter and Rose hasn't drilled tons of them, the extra arc in his jump shot is apparent. He's obviously worked hard on fixing up his form to become a good three point shooter and whether he's all the way there this year or not, the process has begun.

I'm actually starting to get excited about the Worlds.

This is an awesome compilation of player transactions for each team. Interesting to see how the Bulls got to where we are:

NBA Player Movement Flow Charts