It was a brilliantly sunny day Friday, but few Bulls players or coaches wore sunglasses as they talked outside the Berto Center.
There was reflection, though, as the Bulls looked to a future that didn’t include a Game 7 against the Pistons on Monday night.
In lieu of practice, the Bulls offered perspective on lessons learned from an incremental step forward for the organization and the ability to improve from within.
“I think it’s a reasonable assumption that if we didn’t do anything and brought everybody back the exact same way, we’d be better,” coach Scott Skiles said.
Change is almost inevitable with the contracts of P.J. Brown, Michael Sweetney and Malik Allen expiring, Andres Nocioni set to be a restricted free agent and trade possibilities to ponder once Tuesday’s NBA draft lottery sets the Bulls’ first-round pick.
But with the organization winning a first-round playoff series for the first time since the dynasty days, the bitter loss to the Pistons will serve as motivation for the players who return in 2007-08.
“We feel like our main guys have gotten a lot better and will continue to get better,” Skiles said. “When you’re thinking about adding something, you never really know if that is already here and just not quite ready yet. That’s where the tough judgments come in.
“Our two leading scorers [Ben Gordon and Luol Deng] are very young players. The way our young guys work, and then you factor in Tyrus [Thomas] and Thabo [Sefolosha]. We feel like both were way better at the end of the season than the beginning. And both those guys like to play. When you have guys who work like that, you have to assume Lu and BG will get better.”
Mindful of the team’s need for an interior scorer, Skiles talked about Deng and Thomas growing more adept in that department. In other words, no matter what off-season moves are made, Skiles and general manager John Paxson again are counting on improvement from within.
“I’m just going to get myself ready for next year, and I’m assuming everybody else is going to do the same,” guard Kirk Hinrich said. “There is valuable experience gained in these playoffs. Obviously, we’d like to learn while we win. But at the same time, we made some big steps and we’ll be ready for next year.”
Gordon, Deng and Hinrich — considered the Bulls’ core — all set career highs in scoring average and shooting percentage. They also advanced into the second round after back-to-back, first-round playoff exits.
“I learned a lot,” Gordon said. “Just playing against those guys who are more experienced like Rip [Richard Hamilton] and Chauncey [Billups].
“Pax told us pretty much what he tells us all the time. It was a good year. We made a step in the right direction. But our goal is to always get better.”
Though physical toughness likely will be addressed in the off-season, Skiles has no problem with his team’s overall growth and mental fortitude. The annual extended trip to make way for the circus in November always seems to bury the Bulls.
But Skiles pointed to the team rebounding from that 3-9 start with eight new faces and the historic first-round sweep of the defending NBA champion Heat after a dismal, seed-dropping, regular-season-ending loss to the Nets as signs of mental toughness.
“Guys showed up and played hard every night,” Ben Wallace observed. “Even though we had a pretty decent season, everybody feels like they can get better in certain areas. Hopefully, they intend to keep this group together.”
The chapter on the 2006-07 Bulls has been written. It’s time to turn the page.
“I’m proud of our product,” Skiles said. “Our guys try to play the right way. I think you could make a case we play as hard as anybody night in and night out. I think you could make a case we play together as well as anybody night in and night out.
“We have guys with good hearts who are trying to do the right thing. I don’t know if pride is what I feel about that. It’s just true, and I’m glad to be a part of that with these guys.”
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kcjohnson@tribune.com
