HoopsHype.com Rumors

While the Bulls have always been privately confident that Mirotic would come to Chicago next summer, even they don't know for sure. First, they would have to negotiate a buyout with Real Madrid. If they get past that complicated step, the most interesting portion of the negotiations will begin. As Forman stated, Mirotic could be signed for an exception or any available cap space. What if the Bulls offer him the midlevel exception at $5 million a year and he says no? What if he wants more and says that he will stay in Europe if he doesn't get the deal he is seeking? The Bulls believe that Mirotic could develop into a star at the 4, but how much cap space are they willing to give toward his future? The 22-year-old would appear to have most of the leverage in this negotiation. ESPN.com

Chicago Bulls, Real Madrid, Nikola Mirotic 

Aggrey Sam: As he indicated at the Berto the day after the Bulls' season ended, Taj will be at USA Basketball mini-camp, according to a source... Twitter @CSNBullsInsider

Chicago Bulls, USA Basketball, Team USA, Taj Gibson 

Aggrey Sam: ...Jimmy is still under consideration, the same person told me. Camp takes place late July in Vegas, right after summer league. Twitter @CSNBullsInsider

Chicago Bulls, USA Basketball, Team USA, Jimmy Butler 

After playing a second consecutive season with torn ligaments in his left wrist, Luol Deng doesn’t plan to have any procedure to repair the wrist, a league source told RealGM. Deng made his second straight All-Star team this season for the Chicago Bulls, averaging 16.5 points, 6.3 rebounds and three assists in 75 games. He decided to bypass surgery after last summer’s Olympics and played all season with his wrist taped. Instead of undergoing surgery, Deng will rest his wrist. He also dealt with a fractured thumb earlier in the season. RealGM

Chicago Bulls, Luol Deng, Injuries 

KC Johnson: Nate Robinson will be a guest studio analyst on NBA TV tonight at 6pm CT. Twitter @KCJHoop

Chicago Bulls, Nate Robinson, Media 

Bulls Head Athletic Trainer Fred Tedeschi has been named the recipient of the 2012-13 Joe O’Toole NBA Athletic Trainer of the Year. It marks the second time Tedeschi won the award – he also claimed it in 2007 – which is voted on by the National Basketball Athletic Trainers Association, comprised of head and assistant athletic trainers from the NBA’s 30 teams. NBA.com

Chicago Bulls, Fred Tedeschi 

Where, oh where, could Hinkie have been? I have a hunch. Perhaps Hinkie was paying a visit to Indianapolis, a short trip from Chicago, where he spent the weekend watching the draft Combine. Pacers associate head coach Brian Shaw was helping his team prepare for the Eastern Conference Finals - but Shaw is a wanted man in the industry right now. Finding time to have a conversation with him is crucial, given that there are five known NBA head-coaching vacancies. CSNPhilly.com

Chicago Bulls, Indiana Pacers, Draft, Coaching, Brian Shaw 

Bulls Head Athletic Trainer Fred Tedeschi has been named the recipient of the 2012-2013 Joe O’Toole NBA Athletic Trainer of the Year. It marks the second time Tedeschi won the award – he also claimed it in 2007 – which is voted on by the National Basketball Athletic Trainers Association, comprised of head and assistant athletic trainers from the NBA’s 30 teams. NBA.com

Chicago Bulls, Fred Tedeschi 

Phil Jackson said Wednesday that critics of Derrick Rose should back off the Chicago Bulls star, who missed the entire 2012-13 season after undergoing ACL surgery on May 12, 2012. "Leave him alone," Jackson said on "Mike & Mike in the Morning" on ESPN Radio. "This is a guy who hopefully ... still has another 10 years to play. Let's not put him in under duress that may not be the right time. He needs to have a training camp and go through the process of gearing up for another season the right way." ESPN.com

Chicago Bulls, Phil Jackson, Derrick Rose, Injuries 

Jackson said he would be open to taking a front office position in the NBA but is not actively pursuing that either as he considers offers that come his way. Jackson is currently working as an adviser to Detroit Pistons owner Tom Gores as he tries to find a new coach for his team. "I don't feel the ultimate urge to go back and be in management either. Mentoring is something that I feel is good. I'm doing pro-bono work for the Detroit owner and the Pistons organization, which is almost a conflict of interest when you think of the Bulls and Pistons in the '90s and the rivalry that we had. But they have a young owner that wants to do something different." ESPN.com

Chicago Bulls, Detroit Pistons, Phil Jackson, Coaching 

Joakim Noah: That Gilbert family is really something... Twitter @JoakimNoah

Chicago Bulls, Cleveland Cavaliers, Draft, Dan Gilbert, Joakim Noah 

A week later, Stern met with union head Larry Fleisher and made a deal. “He does it all by himself,” Reinsdorf said. “I never really enjoy being part of the industry in basketball, because I had no influence. Nothing to say about anything. “You go to NBA meetings and David Stern tells you what to do.” Sports Business Daily

Chicago Bulls, Jerry Reinsdorf, David Stern 

Reinsdorf says he is on better terms with the league these days. The family succession plan calls for the Reinsdorfs to retain their stake in the Bulls, while selling the White Sox. Michael Reinsdorf will take his father’s place. Jerry Reinsdorf said he doesn’t think there’s any baggage left from his disputes with the league. “David and I patched things up,” Reinsdorf said. “We get along real well now. But I act sort of irreverent to him. I think I’m the only guy who busts his balls from time to time.” Stern laughed when told of Reinsdorf’s assessment. “Actually, he’s quite wrong — he has much company in that respect,” Stern said. “His fellow owners have also broken the code, because they know I enjoy it. It makes me better to spar. “We enjoy a good poke back and forth, and we also have a good friendship and we share good memories of very good years.” Sports Business Daily

Chicago Bulls, Jerry Reinsdorf, David Stern 

If the Suns hadn’t been in the Finals, and Jerry Colangelo hadn’t attended that game, who knows whether he would have warmed up to an idea that led to the expansion Diamondbacks? Michael Jordan’s 55 points led to a Bulls victory in Game 4 and left the Suns on the brink of vacation. An incident during the game left Colangelo with a double-dose of ill feelings. He was sitting with his son, Bryan, when he heard a commotion behind him where his wife, Joanie, and mother were. “What’s going on?” Colangelo asked. “The guy behind us told your mom to shut up and sit down,” Joanie said. Arizona Republic

Charlotte Bobcats, Chicago Bulls, Phoenix Suns, Toronto Raptors, Michael Jordan, Jerry Colangelo, Bryan Colangelo 

The man who once wanted no part of playing center continues to embrace it and thrive — outplaying Chicago’s Joakim Noah, ranking among the playoff leaders in blocked shots, and raising his rebounding numbers from the regular season, when he averaged a career-low 6.8. All the while, he causes fits for opposing teams by drawing centers out to the perimeter, then sinking silky jumpers over their outstretched arms. “He is our most important player for a reason,” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. “We’ve said that for three seasons. He allows everything to work on both ends of the court.” Miami Herald

Chicago Bulls, Miami Heat, Erik Spoelstra, Joakim Noah 

"You have to look at all the aspects of what we're doing, where we are salary-cap wise, what the market calls for," Bulls head coach Tom Thibodeau said. Nate had a great year. So we'll evaluate it moving forward. "The thing is about Nate, and again I thought he had a very good year, but in the last month and a half I thought he and Kirk played extremely well together, and Nate was more at the two. I like that versatility, so I wouldn't rule anything out," he continued, implying that Robinson could play off the ball more alongside Rose, who has enough size to defend some shooting guards, or off the bench in tandem with Hinrich. "He's going to have opportunities, so a lot of it is going to be fit and what the market calls for." CSN Chicago

Chicago Bulls, Nate Robinson 

If it was up to Robinson, though, the little man with the big heart would be back in the Windy City. "I would love to. Honestly, I really would, but knowing the guys we have here, I know it's probably limited space for me. But we'll see how it goes. Talk to my agent and stuff like that and figure out what's the best plan for me," the loquacious speedster said. "I love this team, I love these guys and if I could stay here, it would be wonderful." CSN Chicago

Chicago Bulls, Nate Robinson 

Jupiter socialite Filomena Tobias – aka the Miami Heat’s middle finger lady – came out of her self-imposed silence before tonight’s Heat-Bulls playoff game! Through Anthony Barbuto, her lawyer, Tobias acknowledged that her flipping the bird at former University of Florida star and Chicago Bulls center Joakim Noah was indeed ill-mannered – but she maintains she didn’t deserve the media dredging up her past, especially her third husband’s mysterious death. “Ms. Tobias has been a devoted Miami Heat fan for as long as she can remember, and like many other devoted fans, she unfortunately allowed her passion for the team to disregard proper fan etiquette. She is only human, and her emotions got the best of her,” Barbuto wrote after consulting with Tobias. “She offers her genuine apologies to anyone she has offended, and she requests that her privacy, as well as the privacy of her family, be respected at this time.” gossipextra.com

Chicago Bulls, Miami Heat, Joakim Noah, Filomena Tobias 

Bradley Beal: Hey @Derrick Rose would hate for u to think I meant any disrespect. Only u know when u r ready to play! Can't wait to see u back out there next yr! Twitter @RealDealBeal23

Chicago Bulls, Washington Wizards, Derrick Rose, Bradley Beal 

When asked how he’d feel if a Wizards teammate made the same decision, Beal had to admit he’d lose some respect for that player. “A little bit. Yeah, I would,” he said. “The type of player (Derrick Rose) is, and the mentality and competitiveness that he has, I think he would have gave it a go. I don’t know what was holding him back. I think he’s scared it’s probably going to happen again and he won’t be the same. But you’re never the same after an injury. But you just have to fight through it and do something else to be able to impact the game. I’m not sure what it is he has to do. I really can’t speak for him.” Washington Post

Chicago Bulls, Washington Wizards, Derrick Rose, Injuries, Bradley Beal