The team has shown me a lot (especially offensively) while Rose has been out. So much so that I’m glad we kept the team intact past the trading deadline. With that said I believe the biggest adjustment that needs to be made now is with Derrick Rose. Derrick needs trust his guys more. I love how the ball is moving around, everyone touching the ball. Even Boozer seems more confident. As much as I love Rose and his game some of the players (Boozer especially) play with [their] hands in [their] pockets and eyes in the stands when Rose has the ball. Rose is a dominant player who can score at will. I just have nightmares of how the Heat (particularly James) took Rose and the Bulls out of the playoffs. It’s heartbreaking knowing if the Boozers the Korvers and others played better the outcome would have been different. I just don’t want to live and die with Rose alone. Armando Zepeda
Do you see any parallels between this years Bulls squad and the 1989-90 team who lost to the Pistons in the ECFs for the 2nd straight year? Did the 1989-90 Bulls make any significant moves in the off-season that lead to their first championship year? This year's squad is on the verge, much like that 89-90 team, but something's missing, and maybe studying that period of time could serve as a template for the team moving forward. Eta Talem
Any chance the Bulls would claim Greg Oden this summer? His salary is down to $1.5 million so even if he doesn't ever play again, isn't it worth the gamble if he does for the end of next or the 2013-14 season as a cheap big man for the bench if we lose Omer? Joe Guest
After watching the games against Toronto and Denver this week, it hit me that despite the Bulls' league leading records the last two seasons, their lineup doesn't exactly strike fear into opposing teams when they roll into town like the great teams of MJ, Bird, or Magic's did. Instead, Coach Thibs and his staff and players have exerted 110% of their talent through their dedication to a team game while other teams are playing at 85% of their level. It's a lot like that sophomore kid pulled up to varsity who's playing all out in the team practice scrimmage while the seniors are going through the motions. When the state tournament starts however, they lock down and the kid can barely keep up. On a talent and athletic standpoint, where do the Bulls rank? Are there seven or eight teams' lineups who GMs around the league would pick over ours in a tight playoff series when you only expect to play seven or eight guys major minutes? Ed Holden
The Bulls players did not match to Denver. It is very clear that the Bulls are a very average team offensively without Rose. Any reason you know why the Bulls did not get Leandro Barbosa? Did they try hard enough? It seems that the Bulls should be a better choice than Pacers for Barbosa. Debang Liu
Do you think Mike Brown is in way over his head with the Lakers? It seems that unless Lakers have a good run this year and next, he'd be gone. Besides Riley and Jackson, the other coaches (Rambis, Magic Johnson, Rudy Tomjanovich, Del Harris, Mike Brown, etc.) between the 80s Showtime and Jackson's 5 rings had never won anything, and it seems the bar was set too high with those two. Abram G. Bachtiar
I've read several emails to you from people complaining about how D-Rose complained about not getting foul calls. However, it seems to me that in the NBA, the referees tend to give the squeaky wheel the grease more times than not — as it is not uncommon to see Wade, LeBron, Kobe, etc. all barking at the referees during the game and in turn getting to the line quite often. Phil Jackson used to regularly call out the referees to the media and many times it seemed to work. D-Rose does not get enough free throws considering how often he drives to the hoop and handles the bal — and in comparison with other elite stars. Do you think the referees will respond and will call more fouls on those defending Rose if he continues to be more aggressive at complaining about the lack of foul calls? Curtis Marquardt
The +/- stat seems pretty strange on a game to game basis, but taken on a fifty or so game basis, it should be some what indicative. The Bulls with their winning record have only Scalabrine with a negative stat, so I left him and James out. I prorated the rest of them to a 24.2 minute per game number for an easy comparison.
Average plus number per 24.2 min per game:
To me, the most surprising number seems to indicate things do not improve as much as one thinks with Brewer in the game. Jim Hunter
Although I'm sure you were assured there'd be no math in your questions, I have one about the luxury tax and the league's plan to revenue share. As I understand it, if a team goes over the luxury tax limit, they have to pay an extra dollar (or more, depending on how far over they go) for every dollar spent. That money then goes into a pool that's distributed to the teams who didn't pay the luxury tax (most likely, small market teams). In addition, due to revenue sharing, the profitable teams (like the Bulls) will have to contribute a portion of their profits into a pool that's distributed to the unprofitable teams (again, most likely, the smaller markets). So, my question is, wouldn't it make more sense for a team to pay the luxury tax, lower their profits, and keep their players, instead of losing them and just giving money away? Let's say the Bulls are right below the luxury tax line. Taj Gibson is a free agent and some team offers him $10 million. If the Bulls match the offer, they'll have to pay at least $10 million in taxes on top of the $10 million they're paying Taj money that will go to a non-luxury-tax-paying team like Charlotte. The other option is to let Taj go and avoid the luxury tax. However, then the Bulls are more profitable (having saved Taj's $10 million salary and $10 million tax hit), so through revenue sharing more of the Bulls' money will go to a less-well-off team like Charlotte. Given those choices, if the Bulls have to pay out either way, isn't it better to keep Taj, lower their profits by $20 million, pay the luxury tax, and then pay less revenue sharing money out, rather than lose Taj, be more profitable, but give those profits to another team? Chris Feldman
The Bulls may not need Hamilton next year. The Bulls have a top five shooting guard in Rose, similar to M. Ellis. Why can't the Bulls move Rose over the to 2 spot, and acquire a point guard? Better yet, the Bulls need to start Watson at the point and Rose and the 2. This will give Rose more space to work with, and increase the Bulls offence effiency. Rose is 6'3 and strong enough to handle Wade, Harden, Westbrook and others. Have the Bulls considered this? Larry Pilarski
Do you have any explanation for why the NBA's top scoring teams are in the West and the top defensive teams are typically in the East? You have referenced this idea a couple of times when discussing Mike D’Antoni’s system, and how East teams had difficulty with the Suns. There certainly have been individual teams that are exceptions to the trend such as those championship Spurs teams who were usually at the top in most defensive categories each year. I noticed though, in general the Eastern and Western Conferences have had their identities for quite some time. Does this have to do with attitudes of their cities populations? There is certainly more of a blue collar attitude in the cities on the northeast Atlantic coast as well in the Great Lakes area, while the West has this “Wild West” wild and free mentality. Does it go back to the 80s when the “Showtime” Lakers were all about the fast break, while the Celtics and especially the Pistons played a more rugged half court style? Did the rest of the conference at the time just try to follow suit of their best teams and the trend has just continued to the present day?
John Swank
Is the dirty little secret that the Bulls defense has not been shutting down teams in the same manner as before the All-Star break? There have been a lot of 100+ point games recently and it must be troubling for Thibs as the playoffs near.
Dan Hughes
What are your thoughts on KG? He is a free agent next season and although there have been some tension between him and the Bulls I feel he would be a solid addition. He is putting up the same stats as Booz right now but he is also a better defender (even at his age). I know he loves Boston but I got to think if he did decide to leave he would go to Chicago where he could be reunited with coach Thibs (who he respects). Now I know Chicago can't give him big money because of the cap but he has made a lot of money in his career already. Jason Chavez
Has Thibs ever explained to you on the record or off the record why he likes to use Noah exclusively at the free throw line as the release when Rose gets trapped? I assume he has a well thought out basketball reason for everything, and sometimes Noah is super effective there. Other times not so much. I don't really see why he wouldn't use Deng, CJ, or even Boozer there. Guys that can knock down that free throw line extended jump shot. Michael Koltun
I’m not thrilled in your available 2 guard candidates. I’ve heard Detroit is looking to get younger and think about the future. Would they be willing to part with Prince? He just turned 32, but could have a few good years considering that he does not rely on athletic ability and quickness. His salary is not too bad at $6.3 M for 3 years after this season, but the Bulls would have to give up close to $6M to match salary and I think Detroit would be looking for a pick or two. Perhaps expiring salaries would be more meaningful given their awful salary structure? Deng on Wade and Prince on James seems intriguing given their size and length. They can play off along the perimeter (forcing longer jumpers) and eliminate any kind of post play from those two. If Hamilton is healthy, he can guard Wade quite well. Bob Mestjian
I am a certified LeBron hater. I've heard the media (ESPN) pose the question: Is LeBron having the best season ever? I realize he is having a great season, but best EVER? I finally figured out why they feel that way. It's because he's on track to have the highest PER ever for a season. The value they (ESPN) apply to that stat, "PER", is overblown. Our eyes can see who's the best. The stats don't tell the whole story. It's obvious the PER equation doesn't include performance in the last 30 seconds of the game! Victor Devaldivielso
What would be the all-time Bulls roster in your opinion? For a full 12-man I say it would be Rose, Jordan, Pippen, Rodman and Artis Gilmore with Jerry Sloan, Norm Van Lier, Deng, Bob Love and Noah with Kirk Hinrich and Scal as 11th and 12th man. Although Scal isn't a all-time great he would add some personality to the team. Maybe Stacey King instead of Scal if need. Both would add a little something. What do you think? Alex Pauley
Centers are a rare commodity so the unproven guys get way overpaid. What is Asik going to get offered this summer and do you see any way the Bulls hang on to him? Could you see a scenario this summer where the Bulls trade Noah and pieces for a premier guard then pay Asik to start? Would this put the Bulls too much into the luxury tax? Some ideas:
Noah, Watson for D-Williams
Noah for Iguodala
Noah for Kevin Martin
Zach Hunter
We all know the two top power forwards in the league right now are Blake and Love. There's always a debate who would you take for your team, who’s better, etc. You really can't go bad with either choice however if you switched places and Love was on the Clipers and Griffin was on the Timberwolves is it insane to think the Clips would be serious contenders and the Wolves would not be as good as they are now? Love is just so polished offensively right now and can carry a team on his back. Griffin on the other hand has to be force fed the ball where he is comfortable; he can't hit the J or his free throws and I don't think he plays with that hardcore intensity for a full 48 minutes. What do you think? Mike Sutera
Doesn't Boozer need to start getting more credit for his role in the "chemistry" that everyone says is the key to this team? I have a hard time believing that if Carmelo had come back in the day we'd be talking about what a great locker room they have. I've never read any quotes from Boozer that sounded selfish. Not a lot of guys who make that much money manage to never say the wrong thing. (Even Rose had the slip-up that had people freaking out about whether "he's changed") Boozer may not have been the best player the Bulls were going after, but I think he was the best high-profile teammate, a perfect fit for their system and a great locker room guy. Those are the things we say the Bulls are great at, and I think its time Boozer got more credit for that. Zac Stringham
Can we just call Thibs the best coach in the NBA, hands down? Seriously, I know guys like Collins and Skiles specialize in getting their teams to overachieve, but this is epic right? I was so PO'ed this year when they brought Lucas back because I thought he was garbage. But Thibs knows his guys and knows how to get them to be more than they are. In this world of instant info. and plugged in players (woe is me Miami), this is unheard of. Brad Ruey
I just read your weekly Q&A from Friday March 23, and here is a kid that was devastated after losing a regular season game to the Heat, as if he let down the whole city. He put the blame on himself after losing to the Heat in the playoffs, when he carried the team all season. How dare can anyone question his integrity and perseverance. Argie Grigorakos
The defensive player of the year award always seems to go a big man. The only perimeter defenders I hear get talked about today are Artest, Tony Allen, and Deng. Who do you feel are some of the best perimeter defenders in the league? Zach Kritzer
Given the outstanding play of C.J. Watson and Lucas III and the team’s comfort with them, how about trading D-Rose for D-Howard? Yes, yes, I know: I must be nuts. Joe Lavely