Boozer out 6-8 weeks

Every Bulls fan cringed when they heard the news. Carlos Boozer injured his hand during non basketball activities and will not return to the lineup for 6-8 weeks.

While at his home Boozer tripped over a big luggage bag and broke his hand when he braced himself for the fall.

"It was just dark, my doorbell rang and I tripped over a gym bag, tried to brace myself and it popped," Boozer said. "I jumped back up, opened the door and my hand was still a little numb. I'm 265, 5 percent body fat. I'm heavy, man. I guess I had to brace myself and my weight just collapsed the bone. If I had landed with an open hand, I would've been fine. But somehow my right hand got turned over and that's what caused the break."

Losing Boozer for the first 15 games hurts the Bulls badly. It means that Boozer will miss the annual circus trip that has given the Bulls a ton of problems since 1998. After the last few seasons, the Bulls don't want to spend another December trying to make up for a slow start.

I have no doubt that Derrick Rose can keep the team afloat for a little while but it's going to be tough beating the league's best teams consistently without a low post scorer. The one and only positive is that if the Bulls make the playoffs. Boozer will have the freshest legs by about 15 games.

Bulls, Noah finally agree on extension

The Bulls are locking Center Joakim Noah up for the long term with a 5 year extension. The exact value of the contract has not been disclosed but it's believed to be in the 60 million range but is loaded with incentives. According to reports, those incentives are what made Noah agree on the deal.

Bulls fans were beginning to become restless when Noah and his party kept declining offers, however all along Noah said that he had no intention on leaving Chicago, he just wanted more money.

At this morning's practice when asked about his rumored agreement Noah gave the camera a big smile but declined to comment.

Scal signs with Bulls

For the last few years lovable bench warmer Brian Scalabrine has been a fan favorite for the Boston Celtics. Next season he will be suiting up in Chicago playing under coach Thubodeau who was Scal's assistant coach in Boston.

The contract is non guaranteed but he is said to have a very good shot at making the team in training camp.

Scalabrine brings an enthusiastic attitude and a consistent three pointer. Rumors were that the Bulls were looking for a power forward who could shoot from the perimeter and it looks like they got their man.

Rumor: Fernandez to Chicago looking likely

The Portland Trailblazers have been shopping swingman Rudy Fernandez all summer. After getting lowball offers from the Knicks, Lakers, and Celtics they are said to be favoring an offer from the Chicago Bulls. Cap space + a first round pick or James Johnson for Fernandez is the deal that's currently on the table.

Fernandez wants to be traded because he doesn't want to play behind Brandon Roy and play very little minutes. I don't really understand why Chicago would be a better fit for him because they already have a bit of a logjam at the shooting guard position.

The Blazers are reportedly waiting for a better offer to come along but as time keeps going by it looks like this is the best offer they're going to get.

Take A Hint

Hey, guys, it's not the year 2003 anymore.

Tracy McGrady and Shaquille O'neal have been struggling to find a home in the hottest free agency summer in NBA history.

Shaq can't find a home because he still thinks he deserves a contract in the 5-7 million range. Clearly, he's delusional. Several teams are interested in him but two have emerged as the frontrunners. The Boston Celtics and the Atlanta Hawks are both said to be seriously considering the once dominant diesel. If the asking price was a bit lower I think the Celtics would jump on it but it's just too much to justify.

Tracy McGrady is willing to accept 1.35 million and his dream destination is to go to Chicago. The Bulls front office said they would sign him on two conditions: 1. He needs to be healthy and 2. He needs to be willing to accept a bench role. According to numerous reports, his workout went fine, but it was his interview that was a disaster. Apparently T-Mac refused to acknowledge that he would be a limited minutes bench player. Just so you have an idea, these were McGrady's words following his day with the Bulls.

"I'd bring what I know about the game and my athleticism and versatility. Knowing my smarts for the game, leadership, anything I can add to help these guys over the edge. Without me, without Boozer, they were a .500 club. With the guys that they added, and if you add me, I think we'll be 30 points better."

When asked if he would be willing to accept a bench role, the former scoring champion had this to say.

"I won't have a problem, but that's not what I'm really shooting for. Yeah, if I was the player that I was in a Knicks uniform, I would have no problem coming off the bench. But I have worked extremely hard and I'm far from being that player. Trust me. It's up to me in training camp to prove I'm a starter."

Does that sound like someone who's ready to accept playing 7-12 minutes per game?

The Bulls already have the cornerstone's of the franchise in Derrick Rose and Joakim Noah. Adding post scoring threat Carlos Boozer, 3-point marksman Kyle Korver, and defensive specialist Ronnie Brewer puts the Bulls in contention for the Eastern Conference crown. Why would they want to jeopardize the team's success by bringing in someone who could and almost definitely would cause a distraction?

Both of these players need to understand that in order to continue their careers, they will need to sacrifice to do it.

5 Biggest Winners And Losers In Summer 2010

5 Biggest Winners

1. Miami Heat

No surprise here. When you land LeBron James, Chris Bosh, and Mike Miller to go along with Dwyane Wade then you're doing a pretty good job. I'm not ready to crown them king of the NBA (or even the Eastern Conference) quite yet but it's hard to deny that their front office got it done this offseason. The one and only problem is that they now have literally no money to spend. They're going to need to fill out their roster signing guys to the veteran's minimum. That won't be a problem if guys want to go to the Heat but so far that hasn't been the case. As a matter of fact, Matt Barnes and Tracy McGrady both rejected Miami because they would rather beat them.

2. Chicago Bulls

The Bulls struck out on the big 3 of Wade, Bosh, and James but the package of Carlos Boozer, Kyle Korver, Ronnie Brewer, CJ Watson, and Kurt Thomas is a pretty good consolation prize. In my opinion missing out on Wade and James was a blessing in disguise because they would have without a doubt stunted the growth of emerging superstar Derrick Rose. The Bulls are going to make some serious noise this season because now Rose actually has someone to kick the ball out to. Not to mention now they have a legitimate post threat. With their offseason the Bulls catapulted themselves into the top 4 of the Eastern Conference, maybe even top 3.

3. Golden State Warriors

Signing David Lee was a huge move for the Warriors. Putting an inside presence with Stephen Curry and Monta Ellis can only be a good thing. With this signing the Warriors have the potential to contend for the 8th playoff spot but I'd still be shocked if they got it.

4. New York Knicks

Signing Amar'e Stoudemire was a solid move from the Knicks but I think they would have been better off keeping David Lee and trying to get a guard. Stoudemire is better in a fast paced offense and the Knicks don't run a fast paced offense. Signing Stoudemire was a desperation move from the Knicks front office because they missed out on the big 3. Expectations were so high in New York (I don't know why) and striking out in the offseason would have caused a riot outside of Madison Square Garden.

5. Orlando Magic

The Orlando Magic have plateaued. They overachieved one year and made it to the finals and I don't expect them to go back there anytime soon. The front office grabbed Chris Duhon and Quentin Richardson in the offseason but that's really not going to make much of a difference.

5 Biggest Losers

1. New Jersey Nets

It's a really bad time to be a Nets fan right now. To the surprise of nobody they struck out on literally everybody in the offseason. They went hard after the big 3 but I have a hard time believing they had any shot at even one of them, They are no better then they were last season but hopefully Brook Lopez keeps developing into a star center.

2. Cleveland Cavaliers

First off I just want to say that I applaud Dan Gilbert (Cavs' Owner) for calling LeBron out on all of the things I've been complaining about for the last two years. The highlight of Gilbert's angry rant was when he characterized LeBron's leaving Cleveland as "Cowardly betrayel." Anyway, losing LeBron James makes the Cavaliers the second biggest loser of this year's free agency. The LeBron James era is the only bright spot in Cavaliers history and now that it's over, there is little doubt that the franchise is in for another long dark period.

3. Los Angeles Clippers

Much like the Nets, the Clippers missed out on everybody. However the Nets are judged as more of a loser because they cleared out their entire roster in anticipation for this summer. The Clippers were just sort of sitting there hoping someone fell into their lap.

4. New Orleans Hornets

The last thing the Hornets needed this offseason was to have uncertainty surrounding their star player Chris Paul. Why would any free agent come in now, knowing that Chris Paul could be gone at the drop of a hat?

5, Atlanta Hawks

The Hawks absolutely screwed themselves signing Joe Johnson to a max contract. Johnson has two more quality years left at best. That contract is going to haunt them for the next decade unless they're somehow able to trade it. Those 16.4 million dollars (that number will rise by about 1 mil every year) will sit on their books and make every transaction they try to a very complex situation.

Sources: Derrick Rose Has A 3 Pointer Now

For the second half of last season Derrick Rose was borderline unstoppable. He was a matchup nightmare and a bleeding ulcer for all opposing defenses. Unfortunately for them the thorn in their side is only going to start digging in deeper. According to Rose, Russell Westbrook and off-season trainer Rob McClanaghan, Rose has developed a consistent three point jumper that he's comfortable shooting at any time.

Rose came into the league as someone who could get to the basket whenever he wanted. Then defenses started giving him a cushion, it was at that point when Rose started hitting them with his midrange game. If Rose really is able to step behind the three point line and hit with regularity then he will be 100% unstoppable.

In my opinion, the gap between Rose and Dwyane Wade is closing fast. I'm making the prediction right now that by the end of next season Rose will be regarded as the better player. Especially because Wade's production will go down significantly now that he needs to share the ball with Chris Bosh and LeBron James.

Out Of The Discussion

By going to the Miami Heat LeBron James is 100% out of the greatest player ever discussion. Personally I feel that he was never in it but some basketball fans (97% un-educated basketball fans) felt that he was. LeBron flat out ran away from Cleveland because he was scared that he couldn't create a championship team where he was. Michael Jordan, Larry Bird, and Magic Johnson all made dynasties where they were, they didn't need nor want to leave their teams for greener pastures.

Michael Jordan:

Jordan went to an embarrassingly bad franchise in the Chicago Bulls and after several years of playoff failures he won 2 3peats which were separated by a short sabbatical in minor league baseball with the Burmingham Barons. Jordan had Scottie Pippen in each one of those championship seasons but he didn't run off somewhere to get him. Michael Jordan is the greatest of all time simply because once he started his championship run there was absolutely nothing you could do to stop him.

Larry Bird:

With the Bill Russell era long behind them the Celtics were in a horrible drought before Bird came along and pretty much singlehandedly resurrected the franchise. Yes, he did have Kevin McHale and Robert Parish but I contest that it was Bird who made them who they were.

Magic Johnson:

Magic got lucky and went to an already thriving franchise but Magic's competitive nature would never allow him to give up on his own team. As the Lakers floor general, Magic orchestrated the offense beautifully leading his Lakers to 5 world championships in his career.

The point is that all three of these guys have a competitive fire in them that would make it completely impossible to do what LeBron did. The second free agency opened a mysterious package was left on LeBron's door. Inside were the original Air Jordan sneakers and a short and simple question. The inside cover of the shoebox read, " You're a king but can you live up to a legend? Can you take on the greatest challenge in sports; look history in the eyes every night. And refuse to blink? The fans of Chicago have a question for you. Do you dare to fill these shoes?"

Lebron's decision to go to Miami proves that he can't. If he could he would. If Jordan, Magic, or Bird were given a similar challenge I think they would have been salivating at the opportunity. LeBron ran.

Beyond all of the legacy reasons for why LeBron is no longer a candidate for that discussion there are also statistical reasons. Presumably LeBron's PPG are going to go way down in Miami because he can no longer jack up as many shots as he wants. Now he has Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh who also expect to get their shots. Without the legacy and without ridiculous numbers LeBron simply has no chance. Even if he wins 5-7 championships with the Heat (which he won't). It still wouldn't put him in the conversation because he basically had to sell out to get them. Jordan, Magic, and Bird all had good pieces around them but they had to carry their teams. By relieving himself of that duty and honor LeBron relieves himself of any Jordan comparison he ever could have had.

This Is How It Looks Right Now

Free agency has been crazier than anyone ever expected. Right now this is how things seem. Wade and Bosh to Chicago or Miami, LeBron's probably staying in Cleveland, Boozer to Chicago if no Bosh, Amar'e Stoudemire to the Knicks, and contrary to my last report Joe Johnson is still in play.

Up until Friday nobody thought there was even a chance that Dwyane Wade was leaving Miami, not a chance in hell. But after Wade met for the second time in two days with the Chicago Bulls people's eyes were opened. Now it seems that Wade is actually favoring the Bulls over the Miami Heat, the only organization he's ever known. In a video from TMZ Wade is seen with his agent and Chris Bosh outside a Chicago restaurant. Wade's asked a question on how he would help the Chicago Bulls, he doesn't answer the question, but he does give a suggestive smile to the camera. To support the theory of Wade going to the Bulls, a recent twitter update was made by Jason Goff bodes well for the Bulls to say the least, "Sources are telling me Wade-Bosh package imminent in Chicago." Goff is a radio show host in Chicago and many suspect that his sources are deep rooted in the Bulls' organization. Chris Bosh, obviously based on the quote, is also heavily rumored to the Bulls. The general thought is that Wade and Bosh are going together to either the Bulls or the Heat. As a Bulls fan I'm trying to be as unbiased as possible when I say that going to Chicago makes much more sense for both players. For Wade, Chicago features family ties, a chance to have a good relationship with his two sons, a realistic chance to win a championship, and a chance to play for his hometown team. By staying in Miami Wade proves his loyalty and gets to rot with Michael Beasley for the next 6 years. Even if Bosh goes with him to Miami I still think they're not the favorites to win the East next year because the rest of the roster would be full of the Anthony Roberson's of the world. Do you even know who he is? I highly doubt it.

According to several sources, Carlos Boozer is on board if the Bulls want him. Logically thinking, the Bulls are probably waiting to see what happens with Chris Bosh before committing to Boozer. That makes the most sense. If they do miss out on Bosh, Wade, and LeBron, Boozer isn't a bad consolation prize. Especially because he'd likely be joined by Joe Johnson who's refrained from committing to the Hawks because he's still interested in the Bulls and Knicks.

The Knicks are reportedly closing in on a five year deal with Amar'e Stoudemire but in my opinion that has absolutely no effect on anything in free agency or in the East next season. With Stoudemire the Knicks are probably playoff bound but still don't have a legitimate shot at the Eastern Conference crown.

It seems like no matter how these scenarios play out we're headed for a Bulls vs. Heat Eastern Conference Finals next season.

As of right now the water is still, but the big splashes could come any minute.

LeBron And Bosh To Chicago A "Done Deal"

The whispers of LeBron James and Chris Bosh going to Chicago have been getting louder and louder over the past month and now there's been a major advancement in the free agency saga. An unidentified NBA executive said he believes that LeBron James going to the Chicago Bulls is all but official. He also added that there's a great chance Chris Bosh will be going with him.

"I think it's a done deal," the executive claimed.

About three weeks ago World Wide Wes, the owner of LeBron James' agency, came out with his comments.

"We're going to Chicago and Bosh is coming too".

Obviously if Chris Bosh and LeBron James go to Chicago to team up with all star point guard Derrick Rose we're looking at a top contender for the Larry O'Brien Trophy next season. I would take it a step further. If this trio does in fact formulate I think we're looking at the NBA's next great dynasty. The only concern for next season would be the bench because the Bulls have traded basically all of their assets in order to clear up cap space for this summer.

The starting lineup would look like this:

PG-Derrick Rose (All Star)

SG-?????????? (Possibly Luol Deng, though I doubt it)

SF-LeBron James (All Star)

PF-Chris Bosh (All Star)

C-Joakim Noah (All Star Caliber)

Bench

Taj Gibson

Luol Deng

Brad Miller (If he re-signs)

NOBODY ELSE

That's the glaring weakness of this potential team. However my guess is that if the big three of Rose-James-Bosh does in fact develop then players are going to come out of the woodwork to come off the bench for that team. When Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen joined Paul Pierce in Boston in the summer of 2007 James Posey and Eddie House volunteered to go there. The Celtics didn't have to go get them, I think it would be a similar case with the Bulls.

According to multiple sources this Bulls fan fantasy is about to become a reality.

It's Finally Here

Free Agency 2o1o has been the topic of many NBA conversations for two full seasons. A free agency period that features LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Joe Johnson, Chris Bosh, Amar'e Stoudemire, David Lee, Carlos Boozer, and Dirk Nowitzki promises to be the biggest splash, or the biggest letdown in free agent history.

For the biggest name of the summer, LeBron James, the winds are blowing towards Chicago. Every move made this offseason is based off where James will end up. The only teams that are rumored to have a legitimate shot at the two time reigning MVP are the Bulls, Knicks (though many doubt that, including me), and the Heat.

For James the appeal of Chicago is obvious. Play in Michael Jordan's city, play in Michael's house, play for one of the most storied franchises in league history, and get his big market team which so many seem to put an emphasis on. It has been widely speculated that James is scared to play in Jordan's shadow in fear that he will be engulfed and lost in the depths of history. However word from LeBron's camp claims that he would be excited to try and create his own legacy. The only possible deal-breaker with the Bulls is that LeBron will not be able to do what he wants or be a player-coach-GM like he is in Cleveland. Let's be honest, Mike Brown was in the suit but LeBron was running that team. I wouldn't be surprised to find out that LeBron made Brown fetch him Gatorade during practice. In Chicago LeBron would be strictly a player and he would be treated as such. That's the best thing for him, it just depends on how big his ego is.

Going to Miami would unite him with the Eastern Conference's other main superstar Dwyane Wade. To me this is more of a fairy tale scenario and the least likely outcome. Is LeBron really willing to share his stardom with another megastar who is arguably better than him in many regards? I highly doubt it. In Chicago he would be playing alongside Derrick Rose who's unselfish nature would help the relationship. In New York LeBron would be nothing short of Jesus Christ Himself, in popularity at least.

Staying in Cleveland would certainly increase my respect for him but I really think Chicago is sitting pretty in the LeBron James sweepstakes.

Once LeBron is off the market all eyes will be on Wade, assuming that LeBron doesn't go to Miami. Wade is also rumored to Chicago. This next piece of evidence is the most interesting. Someone in Air Jordan's shoe division leaked what Wade's next shoe will be, and it bodes well for the Bulls. The shoe's name is "W3lcome Home" and it has Bulls colors. To the surprise of no one, the rumor mill was spinning fast once this information dropped. The other reason to believe Wade-to-Chicago is a possibility is because last summer he sold his house in Miami and bought another one in Chicago. He already has a house for his mother. Why get another one?

Despite the rumors of what his new shoe foreshadows, there is plenty of evidence to support the theory that Wade is headed back to Miami. "Do I want to leave? Nope. Mmm-hmm. I want to be in Miami." That pretty much defines where his heart is. Clearly he's only going to leave Miami if the front office, otherwise known as Pat Riley, disappoints him again. At the end of the day I think Wade is going to stay in Miami.

Chris Bosh, I'm beginning to sound like a broken record, is also heavily rumored to the Bulls. The dream off-season for the Bulls is landing LeBron James through a routine signing, then pulling off a sign and trade for Bosh. That trade would send Luol Deng and his mammoth of a contract to Toronto which clears up the salary cap space to have both Bosh and LeBron. If he doesn't go to the Bulls there are four other locations that Bosh has indicated interest in. They are New York, Los Angeles, Miami, or going back to Toronto which I just can't see happening. After Chicago, I think Miami is calling his name. The opportunity to play with Wade is something that he just can't pass up, if he does then winning is clearly not his top priority. He and Wade would fit well based on their styles of play and I really can't think of any reason why it couldn't work.

Joe Johnson's stock fell drastically this season. He suffers from something I like to call the Ben Gordon syndrome. That is when a player massively overrates his value and rejects an extension only to be forced to sign a worse deal the following offseason. It happens all of the time and Johnson is the latest case of the illness. My guess is that he ends up in New York because that's what happens to the Knicks. They get good players on the decline of their careers, get nothing out of them and go nowhere. Do Stephon Marbury, Steve Francis, or Penny Hardaway ring a bell? Next in that line of disaster stories is Joe Johnson.

Some people were surprised when Dirk Nowitzki decided to opt out of his last year with the Mavs and test the free agency market. This one is easy to predict, there is no way in hell Mark Cuban lets Dirk leave Dallas. He's the best player in franchise history and his number is destined for the rafters. In situations like that the player usually stays with the franchise and sometimes it works out (Paul Pierce).

Carlos Boozer's free agency stock raised big time this season. Everyone knows he can play but the issue was always his durability. Boozer played in 95% of the games this season which means more dollar signs for the 28 year old, double double machine. Like Bosh, Boozer has an equal chance of landing in Miami. Last summer Boozer turned some Utah fans against him when he characterized Miami as his, "paradise." There is little doubt that if he's given the chance he will end up with the Heat. If he does end up in Miami, it's safe to say the Heat missed out on Bosh and Amar'e Stoudemire. Boozer is third in line behind those two.

After the all star break Amar'e Stoudemire played better than any big man in the league and guaranteed himself a pretty nice contract this summer. I don't think he'll get a max deal unless he goes to the Knicks because no good team is going to pay that type of money for that many years on a guy they can't depend on. Stoudemire is yet another big man rumored to Miami. It seems that no matter what happens the Heat are going to be getting a great big man.

David Lee is by far the most uninteresting and least talented major free agent this summer. It's not a knock on him, it just speaks to how strong this free agent class is. My guess is that he's going to stay in New York. Lee is a talented big man but he's nowhere near good enough to make any demands at this stage in his career. If he's smart he will try to go somewhere with a future, namely anywhere other than New York or New Jersey.

Finally, this is how I see the probabilities of each player.

LeBron James: Chicago Bulls 45%, Cleveland Cavaliers 25%, Miami Heat 15%, New York Knicks 15%

Dwyane Wade: Miami Heat 85%, Chicago Bulls 15%

Chris Bosh: Chicago Bulls 37%, Miami Heat 36%, New York Knicks 14%, Toronto Raptors 13%

Joe Johnson: New York Knicks 30%, Atlanta Hawks 24%, Chicago Bulls 23%, Miami Heat 23%

Carlos Boozer: Miami Heat 50%, Utah Jazz 25%, Chicago Bulls 20%, New York Knicks 5%

Dirk Nowitzki: Dallas Mavericks 100%

Amar'e Stoudemire: Phoenix Suns 47% , Miami Heat 33%, Chicago Bulls 20%

David Lee: New York Knicks 80%, Dallas Mavericks 12% , Chicago Bulls 8%

Let's Put This To Rest Right Now

Kobe is not........no wait.......Kobe is.............I don't know how to say this. Well, there's no way in hell Kobe's better than Jordan.

After securing his fifth championship Thursday night against the Celtics Kobe Bryant pulled within one championship of the immortal Michael Jordan. Needless to say, the conversations on who's better have been firing since the final buzzer sounded. Let me just clear this up.

Michael Jordan is so much better than Kobe Bryant that it's almost comical. Jordan has the upper hand in championships, in classic moments, in scoring, and really any other category you could think of.

1. Jordan has 10 scoring titles, Kobe has 2

2. Jordan has never lost in the Finals, Kobe's lost twice

3. Jordan has 5 MVP awards, Kobe has 2

4. Jordan won a 3peat, RETIRED then came back and won another 3peat. I'm sorry but that's just unfair. Good luck to Kobe trying to do something that could beat that.

5. Jordan has a Defensive Player of the Year Award, Kobe doesn't.

6. Jordan retired for 3 full years, came back on the Wizards at age 40, and was still a scoring force in the league.

7. Kobe got to play with Shaq and still doesn't have as many titles as Jordan.

8. Jordan has 6 Finals MVP trophies, Kobe has 2 (because Shaq facilitated the first three championships Kobe got on his resume)

9. Kobe has been in the league for 13 seasons (as many years as Jordan was in Chicago) and his achievements are nowhere near Jordan's. So unless, in the next two seasons, Kobe manages to win 8 scoring titles, 3 MVPs, a defensive player of the year award, two more championships, win three straight titles....retire....come back and win three more then he is not on Jordan's level.

Kobe is a fantastic player, the best of his time. But in no way, shape, or form does he even approach Jordan's plateau. Sometimes he does things that are Jordanesque but that's considered a big occurrence for him. It's described as Jordanesque because Jordan did it all the time.

In game 6 of the Western Conference finals Kobe went berserk in the final quarter scoring in jaw dropping fashion pouring in 30 points to put away the Phoenix Suns on the road. That was the best playoff game of Kobe's career. In the 1993 NBA finals Jordan averaged 41 a game. Coincidentally that was also against the Suns. And he also beat them in 6 games. The point is that whatever Kobe does, Jordan did it better.

The highest scoring average Kobe's ever had is 35.4 PPG, a pretty amazing number. Jordan's highest average was 37.1, almost two whole points above Kobe. Kobe's best record in a season is 65-17, Jordan's is an NBA record 72-10. In fact, Jordan won over 65 games three times in his career.

Jordan was a better scorer but scoring isn't everything. Let's look at assist numbers. Jordan's career assist average is 5.3 APG, with his highest mark in a season at 8 APG. Kobe's career assist average is 4.7 APG and his best season was 6 APG back in the 04-05 season.

Jordan was a better scorer and was more unselfish but points and assists aren't everything. Let's look at rebounding numbers. Jordan's career rebounding average is 6.2 RPG and his best single season rebounding average was 8 RPG. Kobe's career rebounding average is 5.3 RPG with his best season at 6.9 RPG.

But points, assists, and rebounds aren't everything. Let's look at steals. Jordan's career steals per game (SPG) average is 2.3, Kobe's is 1.5. Jordan's best single season SPG average was 3.2 in the 87-88 season. Kobe's was 2.2 in the o2-03 campaign.

Let's be fair to Kobe. Points per game, assists per game, rebounds per game, and steals per game aren't everything. Let's look at their efficiency. Jordan's career shooting percentage is .497 to Kobe's .455. And best single season? Kobe can't even come close. Jordan's best single season shooting percentage was a whopping .539 in his first championship season back in 90-91. Kobe's was .469 in 01-02.

Well numbers aren't everything. It doesn't matter that Jordan has higher numbers in points per game, assists per game, rebounds per game, steals per game, and shooting percentage. What really needs to be examined are classic moments.

Jordan has his 63 point masterpiece against the Celtics, his two dunk contest duels, the shot over Craig Ehlo to knock the Cavaliers out of the playoffs, his switching from right to left in mid air against the Lakers in the 91 finals, his shrug after hitting his 6th three in the first half of game one in the 92 finals, and the pose after hitting the game clincher of game 6 of the 1998 finals in Utah.

Kobe has his game 6 scoring barrage against the Suns in the 2010 playoffs, his 81 point dismantling of the Toronto Raptors, you're going to be hard pressed to come up with many more after that.

Hopefully you get the point. Jordan is ahead of Kobe in every statistical category, in every award count, and in classic moments. Kobe has had a 13 year career which is as long as Jordan was in Chicago. Kobe's had the time to compile the accolades. They don't add up or really even scratch the surface of Jordan's. If this article doesn't solidify Jordan's dominion over Kobe then I don't know what will.

Tom Thibodeau To Coach Bulls

The long coaching search is over, Tom Thibodeau is the new coach of the Chicago Bulls. According to a report on Bulls.com Thibodeau accepted a three year, 6.5 million dollar contract early Saturday morning.

On June 2nd (a day before game 1 of the NBA Finals) Bulls' VP of Basketball Operations John Paxson and GM Gar Forman flew to Los Angeles to interview Celtics assistant coach and defensive guru Tom Thibodeau. Reports surfaced that both sides came away impressed and that a contract offer was to come in the near future. Jerry Reinsdorf (Owner) spent much of the day on Friday at the Bulls' practice facility to talk more about offering Thibodeau the job. Apparently those conversations went well because he was offered the job early the next morning.

The two elements the Bulls were looking for in a coach was a defensive mindset and the ability to be an effective leader. Thibodeau serves both of those needs and his track record is as impressive as any assistant coach in the league.

Everyone knew this was going to be an active offseason in Chicago and the first move is already out of the way. Next for the Bulls is sign a top tier free agent. Having such a highly respected coach in place can only help.

Does He Want The Big Numbers Or The Big Diamonds?

Right now it looks as if the Bulls are the frontrunners to sign the biggest free agent of the summer, LeBron James. In Cleveland James gets to do whatever he wants, he can decide who the front office goes after, he can dance during the games, and he can basically say that he owns the team regardless of who signs the checks. Well it's become very clear to him that he won't have such freedom in Chicago.

Longtime tyrant owner Jerry Reinsdorf has already laid down rules for James. The Bulls have notified James' agent that he must sign on July 7th, 8th, or 9th. If he doesn't then the Bulls aren't going to spend anymore time going after him in fear that they would miss out on all the other free agents. Also, GM Gar Forman said that no player will decide who fills the Bulls current coaching vacancy. Not even LeBron.

If James does sign in Chicago he will be treated this way for the duration of his tenure. Michael Jordan, the greatest player to ever step on the floor was treated the same as every other player. Jordan tried to get Jerry Krause (former Bulls GM) fired for years but Reinsdorf would never do it. If Jordan can't get his way then LeBron doesn't have a prayer. As great of a player as LeBron is, he's still not even in the same universe as Jordan.

This is good for James. Going to Chicago would give him the best teammates he's ever had and more likely than not he will be getting another premier free agent to go with him. Having Derrick Rose at the helm is a wonderful gift as long as the team plays unselfishly. Mark my words, LeBron will never win a championship until he changes his style of play. I don't mean passing more because he does that already. I mean that he would have to let Rose run the team and James would just play SF. In Cleveland, Mo Williams would bring the ball up the floor, give it to James, and the rest of the team would wait at the three point line. If he plays with someone like Rose that simply can't happen.

The fact that the Bulls are already putting the hammer down on him (compared to Cleveland) is a good sign. It's never a good idea to give any one player too much influence in the front office. Just like I said that LeBron won't win a championship if he plays like he has been, let me also say this. If LeBron goes to Chicago and just plays like a regular SF and lets Rose run the team, he will get his ring next season. If Bosh goes with him then we're going to see the NBA's next great dynasty.

It all depends on what's more important to him. Does he want the big numbers or does he want the big diamonds?

Chris Bosh Free Agency Update

According to a recent report by the Chicago Tribune, Chris Bosh is going to try to follow LeBron James wherever he goes. As reported by his agent, Chris Bosh's five team wish list consists of the Lakers, Bulls, Knicks, Heat, and Raptors. Sense LeBron is almost definitely not going to the Lakers, Raptors, or Heat that means Bosh could be heading the Chicago or New York.

I don't know where Bosh is going but I do know this. If Bosh and LeBron team up with Derrick Rose and Joakim Noah in Chicago it's all over. That team will destroy anything in its path as long as it plays unselfishly. That scenario seems like it has the best chance of materializing because both Bosh and James want to play for a winner, with that in mind it would be flat out insane to go to the Knicks. Why? So they can watch Spike Lee on the sidelines 41 times a year? I don't think so.

I'm sure there's going to be plenty more reports like this in the next few weeks. Some will be legitimate, others will be complete speculation. I'm bracing myself for a free agency frenzy as we all should be. Right now it looks as if Chicago has a great chance of landing both Bosh and James, but that could change any day. No one really knows until the ink is on the paper.

Don't You Dare Complain About That Elbow

LeBron James (especially recently) is often compared to the great Michael Jordan. In game 5 of the Cavs' first round playoff series against the Chicago Bulls LeBron's elbow injury became public. It's important to note that his injury was diagnosed not as a tear or even a sprain, but as only a mild strain.

Great players play better when faced with these types of challenges. This is where we're going to find out if LeBron deserves to be in that elite class with Magic, Jordan and Bird.

In game 5 of the 1997 NBA Finals Jordan battled a vicious flu to torch the Jazz in their own building. "I felt partially paralyzed," Jordan would later say. This guy played through partial paralyzation and LeBron has to deal with the discomfort of a strain. There's a big difference between not being able to see straight (Jordan) and having no physical limitations whatsoever (LeBron).

"The way he looked, there's no way I thought he could even put on his uniform, I'd never seen him like that. He looked bad -- I mean really bad." Those are the words of teammate and friend Scottie Pippen after the game.

With the flu Jordan scored 38 points, had 5 assists and grabbed 7 rebounds. LeBron on the other hand, with a strained elbow, had 24 points, 4 assists, and 7 rebounds. Jordan's handicap was much more serious than LeBron's is and he still put up big numbers on the game's biggest stage.

LeBron is a great player and the scary thing is that he probably hasn't even hit his ceiling yet. My guess is that when it's all said in done LeBron will have numbers that will make our heads spin. But to compare these two players right now is borderline insulting. Jordan was barely able to breath when LeBron felt slight discomfort and Jordan still played much better. That right there is the distinction between being an All-Time Great and being a Basketball Immortal.

If James complains about his elbow after this game, in my mind at least, he's admitting that he's not tough enough or good enough to not make excuses and play. It would also show me that he's scared of the Celtics having lost home court advantage.

I don't know, maybe if LeBron was in the same circumstance as Jordan he would have played just as well. But what I do know is that I saw LeBron grabbing his elbow a ton in his last three playoff games. He's not just grabbing it for a second either, he's craddling it like it has serious damage done to it, basically saying, "Look at me, I'm playing through an injury aren't I special".

No doubt, a strained elbow is extremely uncomfortable and it makes sense that it would effect him to a certain extent. But it's surely not debilitating enough to be considered legitimate excuse for when he shoots poorly.

If James likes to be compared to the greatest player ever he better shut up and play. That's what the great ones do, and if he wants to go down in history as one of the best ever then he has no choice but to win a championship this year with that aggravated elbow.

Where Will Amar'e Stoudemire End Up Going?

It has been a well known fact that in the last few years the Phoenix Suns were open to trading star PF Amar'e Stoudemire. Rumors have surfaced that Stoudemire could be going to the Cavs in exchange for J.J. Hickson, Zydrunas Ilgauskas, and a first round pick. Adding Stoudemire to the Cavs would be downright scary. The league's best record currently resides in Cleveland and adding yet another force down low would only help.

After the story broke about the Cavs and Suns closing in on an agreement, other teams have sweetened their offer. According to Ric Bucher of ESPN the Chicago Bulls have also made an offer for Stoudemire which he believes the Suns will take. The Bulls are offering Kirk Hinrich, Tyrus Thomas, and a first round pick. This would be a blessing for the Bulls for two main reasons. The first is because they can finally get the low post scorer they've been craving for over a decade. The second reason is because Stoudemire's 16 million dollar contract would be coming off the books in the summer of the biggest free agent market in recent history. Basically the Bulls would be renting him for half a season. If he works out, they resign him. If he doesn't they let him walk. Getting Stoudemire is win win situation for Chicago.

The Bulls already have the funds to go after one premier free agent. With this money, the Bulls could offer a maximum contract to two free agents.

My guess is that they would make big offers to both Joe Johnson and Chris Bosh. Joe Johnson has been rumored to be interested in going to the Windy City and at the all star festivities he did little to disprove that theory.

When asked if he was interested in playing alongside fellow All Star Derrick Rose he made the following statement, "He's a great point guard, I think any guy would love to play with him."

Let me tell you what he's really saying: Yes I want to go to Chicago but I can't say that until after the season.

Going after Chris Bosh makes sense because he can run with Rose and he would provide a steady scorer to demand the attention of defenses. If you put Rose, Johnson, and Bosh together with players like Luol Deng and Joakim Noah you're ready to seriously contend for a title.

It's believed that if Stoudemire does in fact move, he's almost definitely going to either Cleveland or Chicago. If I had to guess I would say he's going to Cleveland only because reports are surfacing all over the place that this is almost a done deal. However it makes more sense to accept the Bulls' offer. You get a tough, unselfish, defensive minded PG in Kirk Hinrich. And a big man who fits perfectly in the Suns' running game with Tyrus Thomas. That makes more sense than the Cavs' offer because Ilgauskas sure as hell can't run like he would need to in the Suns' system and JJ Hickson is massively overrated. He's very good, but right now he's getting way more credit than he deserves.

Where he's going is up in the air, but what is certain is that whoever gets Stoudemire is going to be getting a major increase in the odds for a championship....Unless the Nets get him.

A Rose Budding Before Our Eyes

Bulls' guard Derrick Rose showed his NBA potential last season when he won rookie of the year, led his team to the playoffs, and almost knocked off the defending champions in the most thrilling playoff series ever. Right now we're starting to see what Derrick Rose is going to become.

As of now his numbers are 18.6 PPG, 5.8 APG, and 3.5 RPG.

It's important to know how deceiving those numbers are.

If you take out Rose's bad start which was caused by a nagging right ankle injury his numbers are: 20.8 PPG, 6.2 APG, and 3.6 RPG. With those numbers I'm taking out Rose's first ten games. He continued playing limited minutes for a couple more weeks after that. Despite his previously impressive numbers, it's his latest work that's turning heads.

Since December 17th Rose has been starting to put up big time numbers. 24.3 PPG, and 6.5 APG. I fully expect his production to keep rising.

After last season many predicted that Rose had superstar potential, however his slow start this year scared some people off. Many sportswriters went as far as to retract their statements about Rose and several felt as though he may have already reached his potential. Well right now they're eating their words as Rose has carried his Bulls from the bottom of the Eastern Conference back to the playoff picture. It's not just his numbers rising that makes me think he's going to become a superstar. It's his fourth quarter production that is really impressing me.

In the last month Rose has been dominating in the fourth quarter. Even when the Bulls lose Rose still keeps them or gets them in the game. With about 7:00 minutes left defenses start to key in on him, yet he still scores at will. That's what a superstar does. He's making his teammates better and he's beginning to deliver in the clutch as well. He hasn't hit the big buzzer beater yet but he makes game winning or game clinching shots a lot. Sometimes people don't understand that a game winner doesn't necessarily come in the last 4 seconds. Sometimes a game winner is made on the defensive side. Take game 6 of last year's Bulls vs. Celtics playoff series for example. In triple overtime Rose stuffed Rondo's fallaway jumper to force a game seven. That's just as good if not better than a game winning three.

We haven't even reached the halfway point of Rose's sophomore season and he's already in the argument for the top 3 point guards in the league. Chris Paul and Deron Williams are the obvious top two, but who comes next is a heavily debated topic. Those in the conversation are Celtics' point guard Rajon Rondo, Nuggets' point guard Chauncey Billups, Suns' point guard Steve Nash, and of course Bulls' point guard Derrick Rose.

Rondo gets a ton of credit he doesn't deserve. He plays with the best team in the league and some of the league's best shooters. It's a lot easier to get an assist when you're kicking it out to Ray Allen or Eddie House than to John Salmons who's currently shooting 39% from the floor and 35% from the three point line. It's not Rondo's fault that he has such dangerous weapons, it just makes the game much easier for him. When Rose crosses half court he is usually met by a double team. Rondo barely even gets defended. Teams are so concerned with Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, Ray Allen, and whichever sharpshooter is off the bench at that time that Rondo gets open looks all game. That's where his point come from, not from superior scoring ability. If Rondo faced the pressure or had the teammates that Rose has, his numbers would be nowhere near as high as they are.

Chauncey Billups is a great point guard, but he's no longer a player who's going to single handedly carry a team. He's the smartest point guard in the NBA and he ties his Nuggets together. But take away his good teammates and put him on the Hornets and he does nothing.

Steve Nash is starting to deteriorate in heart breaking fashion. All of a sudden he can't run and push the tempo of the game like he used to. For that reason he's not quite at the level of the very top point guards anymore. Don't misunderstand, Nash is still a fantastic point guard, he's just not the best of the best anymore.

Right now the top point guards in the NBA today are as follows.

1. Chris Paul
2. Deron Williams
3. Derrick Rose
4. Rajon Rondo
5. Chauncey Billups
6. Steve Nash
7. Devin Harris/Russell Westbrook

As time goes on Rose is just going to further cement his right to be mentioned with the top tier point guards of the NBA.

Unfortunately we live in a world where Allen Iverson is still voted into the All-Star game so I have completely disregarded the All-Star game as the definition for having an All-Star status. An All-Star is someone who can go toe to toe with anyone else of his position in the league and either hold his own or win. Rose fits that criteria.

I have mentioned numbers a lot, I'm well aware that numbers don't tell the full story and that someone can be a great player without huge numbers. The only reason they're here is to help prove my point of how much and how fast Rose is improving.

I'm sure there will be a few more bumps in the road for Rose on his way to becoming a dominant player but this last month and a half let me see that it's definitely going to happen. Before I was thinking it could happen, now I know it will. Barring some tragic injury I think Rose will be the best point guard in the NBA by his fourth season.

If you disagree with me that Rose is one of the best three point guards in the league then ask yourself this question. At this point in time, what point guard would you rather have?

Vinny Del Negro Will Be Fired By the Season's End

The Bulls fell to 6-9 tonight in Milwaukee. The Bulls are currently on a 5 game losing streak to end their road trip. Although Vinny Del Negro's coaching performances have been unbelievably bad, the biggest problem lies in the actual offensive system.

The Bulls currently run the same offense which they ran in the Kirk Hinrich, Luol Deng, Ben Gordon, and Andres Nocioni era (2004-2008). At that point in time it was effective because it freed up the Bulls' many shooters and created catch and shoot opportunities for Gordon. Now that Gordon is in Detroit, John Salmons has filled in his slot in the offense.

Every single possession the Bulls run the same exact play. John Salmons runs off a double screen at the top of the key and spots up for what is supposed to be a jumper, unfortunately he turns it into an isolation. The Bulls also run a play where Salmons comes from the baseline or Derrick Rose comes from the sideline, in both cases they run their man into two picks. The average basketball fan wouldn't notice this but it's the SAME EXACT PLAY, it's just turned on its side. At this point teams know that it's coming so clearly that they just jump the play causing disarray in the Bulls offense.

For some reason Del Negro can't seem to notice this and I just don't understand why not, the majority of the plays Rose can be found in the corner without a prayer of re-entering the play. That's just unacceptable.

The system needs to be changed to fit Rose better. All season I have been screaming for Del Negro to isolate Rose more because he's flat out unstoppable in an isolation. I can confidently say that because every time they do it Rose scores at will. Tonight Rose had 8 points in the first three quarters because the Bulls ran their regular, predictable offense. But, when Rose was able to create for himself and others in the fourth, he scored 11 points and got the Bulls the lead which was their first lead since being up 2-0.

It's no secret that Rose is the Bulls franchise player, so why not give him complete control of his team?

Rose ate Brandon Jennings alive tonight in all phases of the game. Rose's ankle appears to be back to normal as his lightening quickness has returned. This situation is very simple, if Del Negro doesn't change the offensive system very soon he will out of a job. But judging by Del Negro's demeanor that won't matter. When the game is on the line he seems more concerned about whether or not to put pepperoni's on his pizza than who's going to take the last shot.

Don't get the wrong idea, aside from his horrid offense I think Del Negro is a great coach. His players like him, and he calls great plays out of timeouts as can be seen throughout the Bulls vs Celtics playoff series. This is what makes this situation so hard to understand. Del Negro is clearly a very intelligent basketball mind and has exemplified that all the way back to his playing days. My guess as to why he's not changing the offense is that in the pre-season he thought Salmons would be able to fit in Gordon's slot seamlessly. But now, after realizing that he can't, it's too late to learn a whole new system. Without a doubt trying to institute a new offense on the fly would be much more difficult. But when your team is putting up 92 points a night it's necessary. Del Negro has the offensive weapons at his disposal, if he doesn't use them effectively, someone else will.

LeBron James to Honor Jordan by Giving Up #23, as Well as a Quick Look at Next Summer's Possibilities

Immediately following Thursday's win in Miami, LeBron James made the announcement that he was changing his number from 23 to 6 in honor of Michael Jordan.

“Jordan can’t get the logo, and if he can’t, something has to be done. I feel like no NBA player should wear 23. I’m starting a petition, and I’ve got to get everyone in the NBA to sign it. Now, if I’m not going to wear number 23, then nobody else should be able to wear it.”

Why though? Why change it this late in his career?

It's because James has realized that no matter what he does, 23 will always be Jordan's number. This is an attempt to try to break out of the Jordan shadow and make his own legacy with no ties to anyone else's. If LeBron wants to give up 23 then that's fine but to say that there should be a league wide ban on it is taking it too far. As far as I know the only number in sports which is completely off limits is number 42 in Major League Baseball. When someone breaks down racial barriers, universally retiring their number is justified, but just being the greatest player isn't enough.

In a way, I think LeBron is just creating a diversion from all of the free agent talk that he has been going through in the early weeks of the season. It makes sense, having to hear your best player rumored to every organization under the sun can't be good for team chemistry.

What LeBron doesn't realize is that by saying he's changing from 23 the, "LeBron to Chicago", whispers are going amplify themselves. People are going use their faulted logic and think that he's only changing from 23 because he knows he can't have it in Chicago. This will cause a bigger distraction because Chicago is actually a very possible destination for James (rather than the Knicks, Nets, or Heat). The Bulls have a lot of money to spend, a big market, and with James a team that will seriously contend for a title.

All of these rumors about James to Miami or New York are pipe dreams. If LeBron goes to the Knicks then it should be very obvious to everyone that he wants nothing but money and winning is not a top priority for him which I highly doubt.

As for the Heat, in theory putting James and Wade together sounds like a good idea but on the floor it will be a different story. Both of their styles demand having the ball for the majority of the game and as far as I know only one person can have the ball at a time. A combination of Wade and James would be the biggest disappointment since Steve Francis.

As this season drags on, James' free agent rumors are going to start taking a toll on the Cavs. Don't be surprised to see a schism in the Cavaliers' locker room. If I were LeBron, I would be as silent as humanly possible with the media in the coming weeks.