Derrick Rose said it on Thursday. Luol Deng and Ronnie Brewer followed suit on Friday.
We’re good. If somebody wants to come play with us, that’s fine. If not, that’s fine, too. We’ll try to beat you.
Players used the word chemistry so often last season that you half-expected to see Bunsen burners in the Bulls’ locker room or perhaps the periodic table of the elements on the greaseboard.
The point is: As management continues exploring myriad free-agent and trade possibilities, how players will fit into a close-knit group that lost to the Heat in the Eastern Conference finals also is being weighed. In other words, character will count as well as talent.
“You could do a lot of things to make the team better, but I always say it sounds good on paper,” Deng said. “When we walk in the locker room, whoever is there is who you’re going to fight with. But I really feel, especially the way we lost last year, guys we already have are going to come in ready to fight.”
Agents who have spoken to the Bulls say that management has stressed the desire to add serious-minded professionals to the mix. That’s why it’s not surprising the Bulls’ long list of free-agent possibilities contains names like Jason Richardson, Caron Butler, Shane Battier, Josh Howard, Kurt Thomas and Grant Hill, though the latter said on Friday there are “good chances” he’d resign with the Suns as expected.
It’s too early and fluid in the free-agency process to determine which player is their top priority. Plenty of teams are talking to representatives for the same players, gauging the market. But this is for sure: Plenty of representatives are telling the Bulls their clients want to play in Chicago.
“It’s an exciting time to be a part of this team right now,” Deng said. “As hard as we play, a lot of guys want to be a part of it. And a lot of guys want to play with Derrick. I’m sure it won’t be very hard if the guys upstairs want to get guys to come here.”
The Bulls will be a deep team regardless what additions are made. Deng joked that the back-to-back-to-back set of games that all teams will play at least once and up to three times will limit coach Tom Thibodeau’s practice—and running—time.
But the truth is the Bulls should hit the ground running come Dec. 9 and possess the depth needed to navigate a compressed, 66-game schedule.
“The fact we do have our core in place helps,” Thibodeau said. “They know our system. They know our core values. Those won’t change.”
Added Deng: “Most of the guys are familiar with what we do. The way we practice and having the same guys back will help us a lot. We know what practices will be like. We’re not going to spend time trying to fill guys in.”
Of the signed-with-no-strings attached players, all but Carlos Boozer, Kyle Korver and Taj Gibson already have come to Berto. Rookie Jimmy Butler’s signing is a formality. Option decisions are due on John Lucas III, Jannero Pargo and Keith Bogans.
“It’s neat we have a good core group of guys already, Brewer said. “By the end of this weekend, you’re going to have almost everybody back in town working out together. That’s helpful, especially with how quick it’s going to be from training camp to the first game on Christmas. I know Thibs is going to push us pretty hard.”
Sounds like whomever the Bulls add will be able to take it.
Twitter @kcjhoop
