Neil Limper: I understand all the talk about trades and going into the luxury tax and fans not wanting to “run in back.” Myself, I say why not run it back! You have a premium modern day NBA player in Zach LaVine, a more than solid center in Vučević, DeMar, Caruso, and good young developing talent in Williams & White. Add a little shooting and a vet point guard (both probably harder than I make it sound) and you are going to compete (again). If they choose to trade a significant player, it has to be DeMar, love the guy, but he slows the team down. Regardless, I enjoy watching this team. We always have a chance to win; seems to me much better than a lot of the other options.
Sam: Now if they can only keep everyone, eh? I think the general community point isn’t illogical, that you were 40-42 and missed the playoffs after having a losing record following Ball’s initial injury and a 4-1 loss in the playoffs. That’s not a small sample. But another issue is you can get worse. This is not a great free agent class. And even though I don’t know the details of the new collective bargaining agreement released this week, it seems like teams are mostly rushing to retain their own players with several of the opt out free agents expected to return on longer deals if at less annual play. So that also limits the field. Then there was the Bradley Beal trade which seemed to signal that if a team is taking on one of your high salaries, they are going to consider that the equivalent of giving you a player or a high draft pick, so the returns on trades may not be as bountiful. So even if the Bulls are not trying to run it back, they may be better off doing so given some of the alternatives. And I do believe they will find a new starting point guard in some way, which could as you note change the current dynamic dramatically. So true even with the losing record last season, there were an unusual number of games that went the other way in the last seconds, so maybe some of those DeMar shots go in more often in odd numbered years. I agree with you that whatever the flaws of this current Bulls team, they do play hard and compete, and they don’t quit on games. It is some wishful thinking to say Vučević and DeRozan into their 30s will get better, and there are concerns if they bring it all back with how Patrick Williams finds his place and what’s the place for Coby White. Which is why I’m still intrigued about Karnišovas’ declaration following the draft about not judging them yet. He seemed to suggest there was more than our eyes can see. And he didn’t seem about to walk back what he was saying. They could run it back, but not yet.
Jo Morrison: Tyus Jones has such a freaky high basketball IQ and might enjoy being saved from the cellar. He could start. Seth Curry not only a point guard but he’s a tremendous shooter. The need for a point guard to provide leader ship and direction I keep reading about some very special options. What about Derrick Rose for the emotional factor also? And it would liven up the fan support and a breath of fresh air even if he doesn’t play much. He’s part of our history and would be a good mentor like Haslem in Miami.
Sam: Rose’s release from his team option with the Knicks has generated a large number of readers questions/requests, and I like the Haslem comparison and agree with you. Haslem never plays; Derrick even if he didn’t play the second half of last season has shown he has enough left and especially for a team like the Bulls with offensive deficiencies off the bench. He could provide a boost. No one is saying he’s the point guard answer or even the backup, though I believe he could do that in spots. I doubt there’s a huge contract out there for him 15 years later, so I could see him with a veteran minimum deal. You’re saying he couldn’t contribute what Derrick Jones Jr. did? Javonte Green? Patrick Beverley in the end? Rose got his three-point shooting over 40 percent the two seasons before this past one when he wasn’t playing. This is a player not only admired by fans, but all the kids coming into the NBA now. He was a hero to so many with his understated class (no All-Star game dancing) and youngest ever MVP. Rose highlights still dominate YouTube. I hear the kids watch that. True? And we know from fan reaction in even cynical New York, Rose may be the most popular player in the NBA. It seems to me, at least based on my mail, it would put a smile on the faces of a lot of Bulls fans to add some Rose color to a sometimes plain roster.
Scott Lucas: Obviously there’s a hole at PG to fill, which always seems to be the problem position for the Bulls. There was a lot of speculation of a LaVine trade, particularly to Portland, but it seems there wasn’t a great market for him and Portland indicated they weren’t interested. They now post-draft have a gluttony of guards on their roster with Lillard, Simons, Sharpe and now Scoot Henderson. Assuming they don’t go into full rebuild mode and trade Lillard, it seems they’re not going to have enough playing time to go around for that quartet and could use some help on the wing. Do you think a Simons for DeRozan trade would make sense? I know DeRozan is in the final year of his deal while Simons has two more after this one, so maybe throw them back their protected pick to make it work? If they do go the rebuild route that pick is never conveying anyways, so why not entice them to keep going for it?
Sam: Lillard remains the big mystery, though it seems to me once they picked Henderson that was the signal to Lillard it’s time to leave. For now, he doesn’t seem to be picking upon it. I also never get this worry teams supposedly have about making sure the guy is happy with the trade. What, he’s not playing for the $45 million this season going up to $63 million in four years? No free agents ever are coming to Portland unless you overpay them, anyway, so why worry about word getting around you are not so nice to Damian Lillard. After all, how many parades did he lead for you? The route for Portland, especially with Henderson — who I think could be great even if shooting seems an issue for now — is youth. I’d heard they could have gotten lottery six and 11 from Orlando and I can’t believe they didn't take that. I guess Lillard could insist he can’t be far away from the Nike factory store and the half price socks. But I’d certainly trade him, and his value seems like it’s only going down from here. After all, he’s 33 and has missed 77 games due to injuries the last two seasons. As for the Bulls, everything I hear about DeRozan is they consider him almost untouchable given also his working relationship with the young players. If I could trade him, I’d probably look at maybe Toronto, where he loved and they loved him, in a sign-and-trade for Fred VanVleet because, as you note, there’s that point guard issue. Though it sounds like the the Van is loading for Houston.
James Wallace: Sanogo seems like a good signing. With him at power forward and Vučević at high post could work. Sanogo has a big body to block lanes and prevent some easy baskets. Phillips seems to be another option at power forward or small forward. Might help the running style Donavan says he likes with his ability to quickly turn rebounds into fast break attacks. I imagine they will still try to sign a PG. But these two picks could give the Bulls better defense, better ball movement, quicker attack, and some playmaking from the wings.
Sam: In 2025? I saw that report on Adama Sanogo for a two-way G League deal, though I can’t recall if the Bulls have confirmed. I believe there are three two-way spots this season, so they also have some G League decisions to make with maybe six guys I’ve heard mentioned with two-way deals. But with the Bulls promising free agency action — and I believe them about free agency being the productive priority — I don’t expect the two draft night additions to have any regular season role with the team. They both sound like good future prospects who need G League experience for most of the season. Since also the Bulls have to see what they have in Dalen Terry, who rarely played last season, and deserves a serious look.
Tom Golden: Do you think it would be worth going into the tax for Middleton?
Sam: There’s a lot of confusion about what “going into the tax” means. It doesn’t mean you have some unlimited amount to spend like in baseball where a team like the Mets can just continue to buy players. The NBA is a salary cap league with a “soft” cap, which means there are exceptions to exceed the salary cap. But to go after a free agent, a team has to be that much money below the salary cap. I think the cap for next season is about $135 million. With Vooch’s contract and not including Coby White, Ayo, Beverley, Andre Drummond’s opt in/out and Javonte Green, the Bulls are at about $135 million already committed. Going “into the tax” for the Bulls means resigning some of the players on last year's roster and using the exception to add a player or players for $12.5 million. Though trades are possible to add players. On one level, I’m not even interested in Middleton since he’s had knee issues for almost two years and looks like he’s slowed considerably. I’d guess he opted out of $40 million because the Bucks must have made him a promise on a long-term deal. And that’s understandable because Giannis probably wants him back and the way last season finished, they have to be panicking that another bad season or personnel losses and Giannis has had enough cheese. Hey, if Aaron Rodgers could go. Giannis has a player option opt-out after next season. If I were a team, that’s the summer I’d be looking at and looking to start clearing my books.
Jonpaul Gauthier: Is there anyway the Bulls can run this back again? We’ve see enough of this group and they aren’t good enough to compete. Why is it so hard to admit it’s over and restart for this organization?
Sam: Let’s take a breath. We all knew whatever they were doing given the trade it had to include Vučević given how much they gave up in trade. But they said wait for free agency and don’t overreact for now, so let’s give them that. Plenty of time to overreact.
Corey Pratt: How do you feel and think about the Bulls bringing Vooch back at the reported three years/$60 million and pretty much running it back with this roster.
Sam: I do believe there will be some additions with the salary cap exceptions, and I’m still not convinced they won’t make a significant trade. But there’s no way of knowing since that stuff for all the planning usually comes up at the last minute when one team decides it will give more or the other will take less or someone surprising throws in a bid. That’s why even if the Bulls situation looks static, there’s still electricity in the air starting Friday. As for Vučević, management has made it pretty clear and they’ve been consistent that they intended to extend his contract and bring him back unless he decided he wanted to move on. The only place I could have seen him going was Orlando since he actually cried during his Bulls introductory media conference about leaving there, and I believe still has a home there. But for now, Orlando is clearly going a different direction, so Vučević more likely was limited. And the Bulls didn’t want to take any chances especially given all they’d put into the trade. In this NBA where the mid-level exception is $12.5 million, paying the reported amount seems like a very good deal for a player who played all 82 games and averaged a double-double. I don’t see how you do much better. Now it will be interesting to see if they use him more to play through (I think there’s a chance if I stop mentioning I’d like to see that).
Joe Lambert: I understand Zach is going to garner the largest return but there’s a reason for that. He’s easily the best player on the team and his loyalty while helping us rebuild through the dark years (Jim Boylen shudders) should be paid back in kind. As much as I love DeRozan, I can’t help but feel like we should trade him and ideally Lonzo (even though I love him when healthy) to get what pieces we can. Definitively make Zach Batman, re-sign Vooch to be his Nightwing and young Patrick Williams can be the Robin developing to take over the team someday.
Sam: I’d love to know who you have as Alfred. Though I guess we understand LeBron is the Joker. We should get a better idea of what Bulls Gotham will look like next season once this free agency crusade to weed out the talent naysayers plays out. So check the skies, the signal….OK, OK, enough.
Ben Yodel: I loosely follow euro ball and it seems Nikola Mirotić may be at an impasse although signed to 2025. If we could wiggle him loose I’m feeling he could be a nice add. Thoughts?
Sam: Thanks; haven’t had any thoughts about him in awhile. Yes, I read he’s had some falling out with Barcelona, which I don’t fully understand because it may be my favorite city I’ve ever been in. He’s 32 now, and never really much liked the NBA. He was angry a lot those last few seasons with the Bulls, though a lot of people were the way things were going. I assume he has a burgeoning family now and is negotiating.
Adam Groner: I hope the Bulls trade DeMar, move PAW to the three and sign Trey Lyles or Rui Hachimura along with Cory Joseph or Monte Morris (like you suggested). Or something like that. Look at how big the Nuggets are. And how big the Celtics, Bucks, etc. I had argued in a previous Ask Sam email in this thread that the Bulls should put PAW at the 3 when he was drafted. Mostly, I just want the Bulls to build a real, non-gimmick team to see if Zach, Vooch, and PAW can compete. I’m sure you’re getting emails from Bulls fans saying trade Zach and keep DeMar. I don’t get that at all. I assume the Bulls will probably keep them both.
Sam: Fans seem split on a trade, and management still seems against trading either. The size thing gets overlooked amidst all the talk of the need for shooting and a point guard, but the point, as it were, is valid. The Celtics seem to agree with the Porziņģis addition. The Heat going small did make it to the Finals, and I think Bulls fans would take that. But Miami did have a lot of shooting; a lot. And eventually size did matter. There’s a lot of agreement of Williams being at the wing position — much of it from Williams — so that’s maybe the biggest question in this Bulls free agency. If they are going to do that, then what are they going to do to do that? Of course, if they state it that way in my best Pennsylvania Dutch sentence no one will have any idea what they are talking about and it will be a lonely offseason.
Mike Sutera: Got the best landing spot for Rose, but I doubt he would want to do it: San Antonio. Great mentorship and possibly a future job in the organization.
Sam: They may lead the league in mentors, especially for tall people. Seriously, how do you get David Robinson, Tim Duncan and now Wembanyama. I know the NBA sucked them dry when they let them into the league in the 1976 merger and they had to have George Karl and Larry Kenon on the playing roster, but enough with the payback. Plus, no one even still wants Texas to be a state. And they don’t even want to be, either, with the regular succession talk from the latest politician seeing out the red meat. If anyone thinks the lottery is fixed, this should be enough proof that it’s not.
Rocky Rosado: One guy I wanted the bulls to target with the Full MLE was Naz Reid. Post All-Star, he averaged 16 points and six rebounds in only 20 minutes per game while shooting 56% from the field and 38% from 3. As a full-time starter, he could produce more efficiently than Vučević, while having much more upside. I'd much rather target him than re-sign Vučević. I think if Drummond opts in, I believe Reid, Drummond, Sanogo can hold down the center position.
Sam: Well, no Naz. He re-upped with the Timberwolves, which makes you wonder about Karl-Anthony Towns. I’m not privy to internal Timber-sations, but I’ve got to believe with Naz it went something like, wink, wink, if you sign we’ll be creating playing room for you. There’s been a lot of speculation about Towns back home to the Knicks, or somewhere. It seems unlikely they move Gobert as much as they paid for him, and Towns is badly underutilized trying to find a spot to play off Gobert as Towns changes the game. There’s more to go on there, also, you presume.
Ry Williams: They need to cut Pat Williams’ safety net altogether. I feel he needs to be forced into having to be more assertive. Trade LaVine, trade DeRozan while he still has value, get picks for a legit rebuild, and make it Pat's team. If it succeeds, great, we have a clear path with a clear leader. But even if it fails... Put it this way, we just finished a mostly healthy season and finished 10th, and it is believed by many that LaVine (though I love him) will not be the best player on a championship team. At worst we get picks and assets for the future. I really like DeRozan and LaVine, but the key for me, even going into last year, was for Williams to stop being passive and to become a serious threat like Harden did in OKC. To me that is the only way we make a leap, and I'm not sure he will make it as a third option.
Sam: I agree Williams may be the big mystery player for the upcoming season. He becomes extension eligible and has stated he wants to play wing, so that suggests he may be ready to embrace that assertiveness everyone keeps calling for. And maybe enhance his rebounding. It’s been for me one of the biggest questions for the summer, both to find a point guard and shooting and either or not to make a commitment to Williams, which I believe management wants to do as they’ve supposedly had him the most hands off in any trade talks. So can he become that and find his space with that run it back thinking? It doesn't seem so, which is why I still believe there could be change to come.
Pete Zievers: Chris Paul to the Warriors? I don't think that he's going to make a big difference there. He's a decent shooter and I'd bet there's not much of a period of adjustment for him. It looks to me like a step down in responsibility for him relative to the last few jobs he's had. If Green walks, that's important glue that's missing. Also, it's not the same bunch of players you had at the start of their run, and no scheme runs itself. Still, they eyeball test shows that their offense is still functioning pretty good. So, why Chris Paul?
Sam: When you have Steph Curry, you still are a contender, so I get that part of Paul being interested in the Warriors. Though I thought he’d make more sense and have more of a role with the Lakers. But I also don’t quite get it. Talk about small ball. With all the ego there, it sounds like a lineup of Paul, Curry, Thompson, Wiggins and Green, the latter who did opt out and supposedly was seeing Damian Lillard this week. I still think Green returns to the Warriors. He probably doesn’t see it this way, but without Curry and Thompson he reminds me more of Ed Nealy. Dame would be surprised. I know that so called Warriors champion lineup was called the Death Lineup, but this one at this size seems a bit like a death wish. We’ll see if they’ll fool us again.
Art Alenik: I understand that Vasilje Micić is in OKC and wants to play in the NBA this year. Any chance the Bulls can get him from OKC? What do you think it would take? His PG stats are not incredible and he’s no spring chicken (29), but he does shoot 46% from three-point land. How about Dennis Schroeder? He seems get-able, but do we want him? Have you heard of Onuralp Bitim? Another European who’s 6-foot-5 and shoots 41% from beyond the arc.
Sam: I guess they really do need a point guard with the rumors now from media in Turkey. I’ve gotten a few questions about this Micić guy, whom I vaguely recall being drafted and traded and from some national teams, though I wouldn’t know him from Erdogan. If there’s something to it, we may have to move Windy City to Istanbul as now this Bitim guy supposedly is a Bulls G Leaguer, too. I know I've never heard of him and haven’t heard anything from the Bulls about him. Could Turkish media be unreliable? Micić may be a good player, but 29 and never having played in the NBA, that doesn’t sound like a plan. Schroder? Yes, I like him. I believe I was suggesting him when Atlanta was moving him to OKC in ’18. Not the greatest three-point threat, but can defend and run a team. And Donovan has coached him — along with most of the other point guards in the league. The Bulls could do worse.
Brian Tucker: Bring Derrick home!
Bring Derrick home!
Bring Derrick home!
The chant will continue…
The questions are: what does he have left? Will he be rusty for sitting most of the year? Or will he be well rested and refreshed? What would/should he cost?
Sam: I’m going with rested and refreshed. The Bulls have a lot of defense; it’s a scoring league. I believe Derrick still can score. Though the way some of these latest transactions have occurred around the league, I could see Rose taking a last shot for a title with a team like the Suns, who are trying to fill out their bench with veterans (tryouts for Stanley Johnson and Jabari Parker?). Maybe a renaissance in the Phoenix heat like with the ling injured Grant Hill. Or maybe the Lakers back with LeBron. Or the Bucks, who likely also are looking for some minimum veterans with some personnel changes. New Bucks coach Adrian Griffin was an assistant for Thibs when Rose played and was bad enough as a Bulls player the season before Rose was drafted to help the Bulls get in position to draft Rose.
Ryan Carpel: I think Bulls should absolutely sign Derrick Rose to a two-year deal with an opt-out option after year one. I believe he has two stellar seasons left in him. Last year probably aids next year tremendously since he wasn't played. I really think with him, White and Ayo we'd go far in playoffs.
Sam: From your lips to Arturas’ ears?
Stephen Zwick: Orlando seems to have an excess of young PG's with Fultz (25), Anthony (23) and Suggs (22)....and then they went and drafted another PG in Anthony Black (19). What would it take to pry away one of these young players from Orlando or another team?
Sam: Vučević? Nah, I’ve mentioned them and Washington (Tyus Jones, Monte Morris, Avdija can handle some, Kendrick Nunn and Delon Wright) as teams who’ll likely be moving guards. The problem the Bulls have is teams doing these kinds of moves are either rebuilding or have a solid rotation and are looking for draft picks. The Bulls are light on draft picks to convey for the next few years. Free agency and an exception might be the route.
Jason Czarnecki: What is the identity the Bulls want?
Sam: Other than being in Paris for Fashion Week again like last season? The coach has made it reasonably clear without ever saying so, though his substitution patterns and rotation seem to make to obvious, he wants a transition team, one that excels on defense first to cause turnovers and get in transition, pressure, as he likes to say, the point of attack, which is why they value Alex Caruso so much and Patrick Beverley was a good addition late in the season. Like when Lonzo Ball was healthy. But without Ball and his three-point threat, there wasn’t enough offense, and it often slowed down too much for his liking. It’s why even more than shooting I believe they prioritize a point guard who will fit their profile. Yes, the problem is finding one to trust. After all, it took a major free agency investment to get Ball after various less successful experiments. It needs to be a blend given DeRozan and Vučević seem to be anchors of the rotation.
Parker Lerdal: Will Mo Bamba sign for the bulls for off-season this summer? Or stay in LA?
Sam: That one was curious; I saw a story saying he wanted to be traded to the Bulls. I didn’t see where it said anywhere the Bulls were interested. They certainly weren’t before since they passed over him in his 2018 draft to select Wendell Carter Jr., though that was the prior management.
Rui Dias: What do you say about that top-five list that Jeanie Buss rolled out?
1 - Kobe
2 - Kareem
3 - LeBron
4 - Magic
5 - Phil Jackson
What're your top-five Lakers of all time?
Sam: Well, this is a Bulls website. Maybe the Phil Jackson connection? Phil’s probably not in my top five Lakers. Of course, I wasn’t dating him. Though many have said Phil could whisper sweet nothings. Having seen Baylor and West in their primes, which apparently Jeanie hasn’t, I’d have it Magic, Kareem, West/Baylor (no separating them), Kobe and George Mikan. Sorry Shaq, but Mikan won five titles with the Lakers (plus two before the NBA merger) as the player then regarded as the greatest in the history of the game and whom they literally changed the rules to combat by widening the lane from six to 12 feet because no one could stop him.
Brodie Larsh: I saw this question being passed around on the internet; Who wins...
Team A:
Hinrich, Jordan, DeRozan, Kukoč and Noah
Vs.
Team B:
Rose, LaVine, Butler, Pippen, Rodman.
Sam: Jordan never loses, right? So A. B is a poor shooting team as entertaining in transition as it could be. Also really small with Rodman and Pippen up front. Mike remains undefeated!
Celeste Navarro: Jerseys that should be retired for the Bulls but aren’t:
1. Dennis Rodman - He was an integral part of the 90’s Bulls. I feel like if you retire both Jordan and Pippen, you should consider retiring Rodman too. He also continues to show love for Chicago and the fans.
2. Derrick Rose - The “Hometown Kid”; Chicago’s very own. He has so much passion for the city and gave everything he could to the Bulls. I was devastated to see him leave, but I hope he can finish his career with us.
3. Joakim Noah - Another great player of the 2010 Bulls who continues to show love to the city and organization as an ambassador. He’s said that “Chicago has given [him] everything he could ask for and more.”
4. DeMar DeRozan - I like him on the team and admire both his ability and accomplishments with this franchise. He receives “MVP” chants regularly throughout the United Center and has expressed his appreciation for the city of Chicago.
5. Zach LaVine - He’s spent the last six years with us, which makes me extremely happy as a fan of his. I love his game and the gratitude he gives the fans and Chicago as a whole. I do agree that he can be overlooked and unappreciated, but he’s certainly admired by many.
Sam: That is very generous of you, though you do need more than two seasons (DeMar) or three (Rodman) to be a franchise legend. If Derrick can return to the Bulls and put in a decent season, I can see him eventually getting the honor. The Bulls have been pretty stingy about this kind of thing, which is laudable in some respects since we tend to have lowered the bar on ultimate honors. I know a lot of fans want to see a Rodman banner because of the 1996-98 titles, but three seasons isn’t enough for me, especially when he was injured or suspended for 45 games those first two seasons. If you’re looking at a third of a Big Three for titles, you’d have to go with Horace Grant before Rodman for his role with the 1991-93 Bulls. But if it’s Bulls history, the most deserving are Chet Walker and Artis Gilmore, who were multiple All-Stars with the Bulls and enshrined in the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame, and Norm Van Lier, the latter who not only was a multiple-time All-Star with the Bulls but eight times all-defense. The Bulls have a glorious franchise history much beyond just the 1990s titles.
AJ Gonzales: You’ve been covering the Bulls for quite some time, which leads me to ask: what’s your favorite memory from covering the team? Or, what event is most memorable to you?
Sam: This is always a difficult question for me because I don’t see the games as a fan, which is hard for people to understand because I have been at all these great moments, every championship series, Jordan’s winning Cleveland shot, his most points ever, and various NBA highlights like the Lakers finally winning the title in Boston Garden, Shaq and Kobe’s titles, Hakeem’s, Duncan’s, Isiah’s; heck, I wrote about Magic’s high school McDonald’s All-American game when I still was a government reporter in Washington. But the point was I was working. Great job, I acknowledge that. Better than most everyone’s else’s, and I’m fortunate to have so often stumbled into the right place at the right time. But whenever it’s a job, well, it’s a job. And if you’re a journalist — and most everyone else does, actually, given that humanity is predictable — you root for yourself. So while I was pleased for people I got to know when they had success, I mostly rooted for the better story for me no matter the team. I rooted for shorter series sometimes to get home sooner, for certain cities where I liked the weather, food, history or golf (off day). I rooted for a quicker lead I needed on deadline. And always against overtime. So what I most remember are the people, the circumstances and the relationships, talking with Johnny Bach about World War II and the Pacific Theater since he was in the convoy heading to Japan for the atomic bomb followup, to Tex Winter as he explained his triple post book to me and outlined the concepts he developed during games at USC with teammates Alex Hannum and Bill Sharman, spending an evening traveling around Portland with Jerry Krause (yes, we once were OK) where Jerry proudly showed me his hangouts when he ran a minor league team there. I’ve been to Phil Jackson’s place in Montana and got his guided tour of Flathead Lake identifying all the flora and fauna, sat with Michael Jordan and my late colleague, Lacy Banks, in a road hotel talking basketball (I believe driver George Koehler and I are the only ones who were at Jordan’s three first games in ’84, ’95 and ’01 in Washington and lasts in ’93, ‘98 and ’03 in Philadelphia with the Wizards. I checked; unlike the sneakers, there’s no money in that). Athletes are different even if they don’t look like it. I met Steve Kerr to play golf and the first hole is a short uphill par 4 maybe 340 yards, water at about 225 yards, treelined and narrow with out of bounds the whole way on the right side. Steve’s late and walks straight from his car to the first tee; hasn’t played in months. Better layup, I suggest. He smiles, pulls out a driver and is about 20 yards in front of the green. Pro athletes aren’t like us. Michael didn’t hang out with his teammates even after the drug guys were gone around 1988. So I get invited to tag along to the movies. We get there and I wonder what we're seeing. “Chuckie.” Geez, and they screamed in horror for just about the entire time, laughing and hitting one another and hiding under a seat occasionally. They were not playoffs or titles, but the in-season rivalry games between Jordan and Isiah and Jordan and Dominique were spectacles. Dinners with Bill Cartwright and hours passing before we talked basketball, golfing with Scottie Pippen and it was like he was on a transition fast break driving the cart and jumping out to hit the ball so fast we played 18 holes in less than an hour, at Isiah Thomas’ home where his wife made us tacos, to a White Sox game with baseball fan Joe Dumars, running into Pat Riley in the hotel lobby and sitting for an hour or so; same with Jerry West, lunch with Kobe, a museum visit with Ron Adams, a Broadway show with Adrian Griffin, buckets of pasta with Thibs, cocktails with Wayne Embry and Oscar Robertson. Magic Johnson’s pregames were the most democracy I’ve witnessed. Everyone’s voice mattered. And, also yes, the tears and liquid soaked locker room in the old LA Forum for the first Bulls title in 1991 after seeing the struggles and disappointments for so long and that joy and relief. I guess I was a fan that night.
Ask Sam will resume in October.
Got a question for Sam?
Submit your question to Sam at asksam@bulls.com
The contents of this page have not been reviewed or endorsed by the Chicago Bulls. All opinions expressed by Sam Smith are solely his own and do not reflect the opinions of the Chicago Bulls or its Basketball Operations staff, parent company, partners, or sponsors. His sources are not known to the Bulls and he has no special access to information beyond the access and privileges that go along with being an NBA accredited member of the media.