By Philip Kay

As we complete the first week of free agency, we still have nearly as much uncertainty as we did in the first week. The big three are still out there, while backup options such as Amar’e Stoudemire and Joe Johnson have made commitments elsewhere. If Lebron James, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh choose to go somewhere other than Chicago, the Bulls would likely be left with Carlos Boozer and someone like J.J. Redick or Anthony Morrow. There is a huge dropoff in talent, but the worse case scenario does not mean failure.

Carlos Boozer, a 28 year old power forward out of Duke, is considered to be injury prone and simply isn’t regarded as a marquee free agent by many. Though he has been plagued by injuries in his 8 year NBA career, 3 out of his last 4 seasons he has managed to stay relatively healthy. Dwyane Wade, for example, has missed a large number of games in 3 out of his 7 NBA seasons, yet the idea of him being injury prone seems to be forgotten by many.

Skill wise, Boozer is one of the best rebounders in the game. He averages double digit rebounds for his career and finished as the 5th best rebounder this past season.  In his introductory news conference, coach Tom Thibodeau stressed the importance of rebounding and with Noah and Boozer as your starting bigs, there’s little chance they lose the rebounding battle against their opponents. Boozer is also a terrific low post player, which the Bulls have been lacking for many many years. He shoots 54% from the floor for his career and averaged 56%  just last season, ranking 6th for the 2009-2010 season. Every point guard needs his big man, and this would give Derrick Rose one of the best in the league. Boozer is also a decent mid-range shooter allowing him and Rose to run the pick and pop at times.

Adding someone like J.J. Redick, Anthony Morrow, Ray Allen or Kyle Korver would also be great help for Derrick Rose. Since the departure of Ben Gordon, Derrick Rose hasn’t had a reliable 3 point shooter to play with and signing one of the top shooter in the league would help spread the floor for him and prevent teams from packing it in inside. Althought it’ll be nice to have Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh, or Lebron James, having Carlos Boozer and a sharp shooter isn’t too bad itself. All we can do now is wait and see what goes down.

By James Lauren

Okay, so a few days ago we had Lebron and Bosh coming to the Bulls as a done deal, now they’re headed to Miami.  We’re also 100% sure that we’re 50% sure Lebron is staying in Cleveland.  Which crazy rumor will be next?  As much as Tech is plugged in, even he admits its impossible for any person to say who is going where as “fact”, its just ridiculous to claim at this point!  I doubt the players have even made a decision on where to go, yet everyone wants to put their say as to what is “going to happen”.  Every sports writer wants the right to say they had the first hand scoop.  The problem is, we wont know for certain until Thursday and beyond, and for many NBA fans, like myself, the rumors can be torturous!  We have endless scenarios pulling us in a thousand directions, one day we have Lebron, the next day he’s playing for Miami, New York, Cleveland etc…  Nobody knows for sure what will happen, but one thing is certain… the Bulls need to put their very best foot forward.. and quickly. 

 Tech has indicated to me, and as many would assume, the Bulls will meet with Bosh and Joe Johnson in the early stages of July 1st.  It hasn’t been discussed much but they plan to meet with Amare Stoudemire early on as well.  The Bulls hope is to have one of the three committed before meeting with LeBron.  The Bulls are fairly confident they can get a committment out of Joe Johnson, with Bosh being the main prize and Amare the wild card.

 The Bulls need to read the situation very carefully.  If you get an “eh” response out of Bosh but hold on hope that he may agree and wait for him, there is a big chance you could lose out on Johnson and Amare, say to the Knicks.  With that said, I dont think the Bulls should screw around with those who are not committed from the get go.  You run the risk of losing out on all the free agents in waiting.  The Bulls have worked long and hard to clear cap space, so secure a player.  If Bosh doesn’t commit on Wednesday night or early Friday morning forget about him.  Take the sure bet in Joe Johnson (or Amare if he were to agree) and move on to Lebron. 

 Bottom line, and I stress, take the first commitment you can get and run with it.  By doing so you have secured at least one piece with the first part of the cap space, with the other part of the cap space secured for Lebron.  As much as it’s rumored that the big FA’s want to see where LeBron will go, the $$$ signs can quickly change their perspective. 

Come Wednesday night at 9:00 p.m. pacific time, mayhem will break lose and the game will begin.  A game in which the most aggressive team wins.  The Bulls cannot sit back and play chess with several scenarios… they must assure commitment from a player early on, either being Bosh (best case), Joe Johnson, Amare Stoudemire.. heck, even Boozer or David Lee, get somebody secured!  Then meet with LeBron… hope for LeBron… and pray for LeBron.

1.Washington Wizards- John Wall

2.Philadelphia 76ers- Evan Turner

3.New Jersey Nets- Derrick Favors

4.Minnesota T-Wolves- Wes Johnson

5.Sacramento Kings- DeMarcus Cousins

6.Golden State Warriors- Ekpe Udoh

7.Detroit Pistons- Ed Davis

8.L.A. Clippers- Al Farouq Aminu

9.Utah Jazz- Cole Aldrich

10.Indiana Pacers- Greg Monroe

11.New Orleans Hornets- Xavier Henry

12.Memphis Grizzlies- Paul George

13.Toronto Raptors- Patrick Patterson

14.Houston Rockets- Hassan Whiteside

15.Milwaukee Bucks- Larry Sanders

16.Minnesota T-Wolves- Gordon Hayward

17.Chicago Bulls- Elliott Williams

18.Oklahoma City Thunder- Daniel Orton

19.Boston Celtics- Dominique Jones

20.San Antonio Spurs- Luke Babbitt

21.Oklahoma City Thunder- Avery Bradley

22.Portland Trail Blazers- Kevin Seraphin

23.Minnesota T-Wolves Solomon Alibi

24.Atlanta Hawks- Eric Bledsoe

25.Memphis Grizzlies- Jordan Crawford

26.Oklahoma City Thunder- James Anderson

27.New Jersey Nets- Lance Stephenson

28.Memphis Grizzlies- Armon Johnson

29.Orlando Magic- Quincy Pondexter

30.Washington Wizards- Damion James

Philip Kay

Rumor press has added two bloggers to the site.  Each are passionate Chicago Bulls fans and excellent writers who are eager to contribute their opinions on the Bulls.  Philip Kay is a regular on basketballboards.net and Realgm and is a well respected message board poster.  James Lauren was a writer for NBA Sports Talk and is an accomplished blogger.  See about Tech for further information. 

The search for a new Chicago Bulls head coach could continue to be a long, drawn out process.  For the time being, it seems former New Jersey Nets head coach, Lawrence Frank, has emerged as the front runner.  Bulls management seems to love Frank’s past experience, personality and X’s and O’s ability to coach.  Frank spent 6-plus seasons with the Nets.  In addition, if Frank were to be hired it is likely he would look to bring Bill Cartwright back as an assistant coach.  Cartwright is currently an assistant with the Phoenix Suns and former head coach of the Bulls.  Cartwright also was an assistant under Frank in New Jersey.  The idea of bringing Cartwright back as an assistant appeals to Bulls management.

Bringing in Frank seems like a risky move for the Bulls.  Although Frank would bring a better in-game, X and O type of coaching, he doesn’t seem to be the type who would draw high level free agents.  The Bulls need someone with more of a face, a charismatic figure that can act as a spokesperson for the team.  Possibly more of a “players coach”, who has coaching experience and can relate to the players.  The list of coaches available are thin, but candidates such as Doug Collins, Mo Cheeks and Byron Scott seem like more viable options.

Lebron Talk:  No doubt, the Bulls number 1 free agent target will be LeBron James.  On July 1st, the organization will make an all out push to grab the reigning MVP of the league, but they will not wait forever.  The organization fears LeBron will drag on the process of deciding where to go.  Rumor has it LeBron will toy with several teams and will wait long past July 1st before deciding ultimately where to go, while other top free agents sign with teams. This could ultimately leave the Bulls with nothing, and LeBron could very easily resign with Cleveland.  I’ve been told the Bulls will give LeBron a short window to sign with the Bulls, otherwise the team will quickly turn its attention to Chris Bosh, Dwyane Wade or Joe Johnson to secure a top player.

So John Salmons is gone, likely for Hakim Warrick and Joe Alexander, and I have to admit I’m a bit torn.  It was necessary in the sense that we needed to dump his contract to assure we have enough cap space to sign a big free agent this off season.  On the other hand, even though he was having a down year, Salmons was still one of our better offensive players for a team that desperately needs scoring.  But more scoring could be on the way!

Here are some trades the Bulls have discussed and will continue to offer.  The Bulls are willing to trade Brad Miller, Tyus Thomas and Jerome James in exchange for Tracy McGrady.  In addition, the Bulls have asked that the Rockets release Miller in order for him to return to the Bulls.  The Bulls are unwilling to add any picks or other considerations for a trade that helps them in no way financially for 2010.  Its basically a trade to give away Tyrus and to add a scoring punch in McGrady.  If the Rockets continue to play hardball, they will likely work out something with the Knicks or nothing at all.

If a Tyrus to Rockets deal falls through, the Bulls will likely trade him to the Knicks for Al Harrington.  This would be a move, again, to add more scoring punch with the loss of Salmons.  If for some reason the Knicks change their mind on trading Harrington or if he is packaged in a Rockets deal, there is a strong chance Tyrus stays for the remainder of the season.

Lastly, Chris Bosh for Deng and Noah was offered by the Bulls and is still on the table, however, its the Raptors who are reluctant.  The Raptors were intrigued by the idea and do fear they will lose Bosh for nothing this off season, but seem unwilling to make such a huge splash and are highly attached to their franchise player.  They’re reluctant to make such a drastic change, trade the face of their franchise and disrupt the chemistry of a playoff team.   It’s an interesting proposal but seems too large scale for each team to handle.  We will see though.

UPDATE 2.17.10 - T-mac headed to the Kings.  Look for Al Harrington-Thomas trade now.

By Victor Bellan

In a shocking discovery, the Bulls and Raptors have engaged in talks that would send Chris Bosh to the Bulls before Thursday’s trade deadline.  The Bulls would send Luol Deng and Joakim Noah to the Raptors for Bosh.  Personally, I’m surprised by this.  The idea of giving up Noah with the possibility of Bosh leaving after the season seems like a high risk.  In addition, Noah is enjoying a breakout season and I’m surprised they’re willing to trade him.  On the other hand, it does clear Luol Deng’s large contract and gives the Bulls a better chance at resigning Bosh at the end of the season.  If the trade goes down, it would make it one of the biggest mid-season blockbusters of all time.  Update: Tuesday, Feb. 16, 4:00 central time.

In smaller news, Tyrus Thomas is likely to be traded.  Big surprise right?  Thomas’ has been discussed in almost a dozen different scenarios and is almost certain to be moved by Thursday.  If Al Harrington is not part of a T-Mac deal, look for a Tyrus-Harrington swap (and salaries to make it match) to go down. 

By Victor Bellan

Look for the Chicago Bulls to make a strong push for Carlos Boozer. Reports have indicated the Bulls are interested in trading for the Utah Jazz power forward and there is a lot of truth to it. General Manager Gar Forman has already had discussions with the Jazz about sending Boozer to Chicago and talks could heat up even more in the coming weeks. The Bulls are looking to send Tyrus Thomas and most likely Jerome James to the Jazz for Boozer, the problem is the Jazz are talking to several other teams and may wait to find a better deal. Either way, the Bulls will at least make a strong effort at trying to get Boozer in Chicago.

Trading for Boozer would be a huge lift for the Bulls. The front office has really felt the pressure from the media and the fans after losing Ben Gordon. Acquiring Boozer would take some of the pain and focus off losing Gordon. Boozer would also add the low post scoring threat the Bulls desperately need, so long as he stays healthy. Plus, they would only be losing Tyrus Thomas, whom they have been trying to deal all summer anyway. It will be interesting to see how this plays out in the coming weeks.

AI Talk: Reports earlier last week suggested the Bulls may sign-and-trade Ben Gordon to the Pistons in exchange for a re-signed Allen Iverson on a 1 year deal. Although it seems like a crazy idea, the possibility was actually discussed briefly within the Bulls organization. However the Bulls fear Iverson would not respect Vinny Del Negro, would take the ball out of Derrick Rose’s hands, as well as possibly corrupt the team’s chemistry. So obviously, this idea is highly unlikely.

Pargo to Bulls?: It’s well documented that the Bulls could sign Jannero Pargo. The Bulls are ready to sign, but Pargo is still deciding between Chicago and New Orleans.

Update 7.8.2009 - Bulls sign Pargo to 1 year, 2 million dollar deal

There is a possibility Shaquille O’Neal could be in a Chicago Bulls uniform next season. In a rather surprising discovery, the Phoenix Suns and Bulls plan on engaging in trade talks that could send the future hall of fame center to Chicago, as soon as teams are allowed to talk after the playoffs. Suns GM Steve Kerr is looking to deal Shaq and is said to be interested in Luol Deng. The Suns would like to move the aging center mainly because he has slowed the up-tempo Suns down drastically. They feel Deng could bring some young, athletic energy back to the team. The Suns also feel Deng could still live up to his potential and contract if he can stay healthy.

The Bulls apparently will listen to the potential idea at the very least. However, Chicago fears that O’Neal will slow down the Bulls young, up-tempo style of play (with the Bulls already having a slow moving, aging center on the team in Brad Miller). On the other hand, the Bulls would love to get rid of Luol Deng’s huge contract, especially with the emergence of John Salmons and with their hopes to resign Ben Gordon. In addition, Shaq’s contract expires at the end of next season, freeing up even more money for 2010. The Bulls also feel Shaq could be a good influence on the young big men and could fit temporarily for one season as a low post presence. The trade would likely be O’Neal for Deng, Tim Thomas and Jerome James (assuming James exercises his player option) Look for the Suns and Bulls to at least toy around with the idea.

If those talks do not work out, the Bulls, as we all know, will likely target the Clippers Chris Kaman or Marcus Camby in exchange for Kirk Hinrich. It seems more likely that the Bulls would be interested in Camby with his contact expiring after next season. It will be interesting to see what direction the Bulls go once the off season begins, stay tuned.

The Bulls have just completed a second trade in as many days sending Larry Hughes to the New York Knicks in exchange for Tim Thomas, Jerome James and Anthony Roberson. It will be interesting to see what the Bulls do with Thomas, being that last time he was in Chicago the team released him after playing just 3 games. More trades could come.

Update: The Bulls have traded Thabo Sefolosha to Oklahoma City for one of the Thunder’s five first-round picks in the next two drafts. The full roster now stands at 13.