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Derrick Rose is licking his chops right about now.

News surfaced late Friday afternoon that Atlanta point guard Kirk Hinrich is doubtful after undergoing an MRI on his leg on Friday. Hinrich injured his hamstring in Atlanta’s Game 6 win over the Orlando Magic on Tuesday.

Not only is Hinrich doubtful for the Hawks, but he’s doubtful for the entire series with the Bulls after landing awkwardly against the Magic. It won’t hurt them too much offensively, but Hinrich’s injury could be critical for the Hawks.

Hinrich began the season with the Washington Wizards, after being dealt by these Chicago Bulls for a draft pick to free up some salary. He was shipped to the Hawks in June.

Atlanta was heading into the series with Chicago confident, much of that due to the defensive ability of the former Bull Hinrich, who, even Rose has said, guards him tougher than most guys in the league. With Hinrich out, it begs the question as to just who will defend Derrick Rose in this series for Atlanta.

Jamal Crawford could take his place to guard Rose, as could Joe Johnson. But no matter who the Hawks are able to put on the MVP candidate, it’s clear that Hinrich would have been the best option to give Atlanta any hopes of slowing down Chicago’s star point guard.

It’s certainly an emotional letdown for the Hawks, and is going to make life very difficult as they try to stop Rose, who averaged over 27 points in the opening series against the physical Indiana Pacers.

The Bulls have went through bad trades, bad drafts and a list of coaches longer than the brattiest little kid’s Christmas wish novels…they have developed from lists.

Finally, one last time, they have made some moves and decisions to prove Chicago has a winning mindset instead of simply only being an organization in the NBA.

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It starts with Derrick Rose, who is a top MVP candidate and is leading the Bulls to the top of the Eastern Conference with a 21-10 record as he is eighth in the NBA in scoring and assists with 24 points and eight assists per game.

The Bulls  have won 12 of their last 14 games and have done so in every aspect of the game from shooting, defense, managing turnovers and rebounding.

The above is a statement of gratitude to the Chicago Bulls front office for its will and completion of getting players and coaches the team needs to win.

Tyrus Thomas, John Salmons and Kirk Hinrich were all traded because they didn’t fit in the puzzle. Thomas had problems with authority and couldn’t put productive games back to back. Salmons played great at the end of the 2008-09 season when the Bulls traded for him at the deadline, but as last season went on he too became inconsistent and wasn’t reliable for anything except 12-to-15 shot attempts a game. Hinrich, one of my favorite Bulls, will be missed but he was overpaid and with Rose playing at the level he does, there was no longer a need for him on the team.

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The three of them were traded for expiring contracts which gave Chicago enough money to get the type of players they needed: an inside presence in Carlos Boozer, a shooter in Kyle Korver and perimeter defense in Ronnie Brewer and Keith Bogans.

Sure, the Bulls wanted to get one of the bigger names in the summer’s free agency circus but they didn’t land a LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Amare Stoudemire or Chris Bosh. Instead of giving up, they got an all-star caliber player in Boozer and continued to shop for role players to help the team to get out of the bottom of the playoff bracket.

The Chicago roster can not be spoken about without the mention of the two big men who put fear in opposing offenses.

Joakim Noah, who I was upset with the Bulls for drafting, has proved to the world he is a top center in the league. Noah is averaging a double-double for the season with 14 points and 11 rebounds a game and bothers every teams inside scorer with his great defense. I forgot to mention he is averaging two blocks a game.

During last year’s rookie season, Taj Gibson showed he could be a force on the court as he was a steal with the 26th pick in the 2009 draft. This season he is coming off the bench to score eight points and grab five rebounds  game. But when Boozer missed 15 games because of a broken hand and Noah first had surgery on his thumb, he put up starter numbers in starter minutes including four double-doubles and has season highs of 18 points and 18 rebounds. He also averages a block and a half a game.

Last season’s coach Vinny Del Negro didn’t do anything for the Bulls except upset fans and players on the team. He led the squad to another 41-41 record and an early departure from the playoffs. He might not have had a championship roster but he didn’t play his cards right to win games when he had the chance to.

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With that said, the Bulls hired Boston Celtics assistant coach and defensive mastermind Tom Thibodeau to teach the Bulls how to play the game. Thankfully, it seems to be working out as Joakim Noah said he is learning more about the game than he ever has on the Bulls-Nets broadcast. Thibs has brought a defensive emphasis and cohesiveness to a team based around young players.

For the first time since the championship run with Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen and Phil Jackson, the Bulls are towards the top of the conference and are being looked at as a contender. Chicago may not make it to the Eastern Conference Finals, but they will make it past the first round and will give whichever team its playing a run for its money.

2010 has been successful for the Chicago Bulls and should be the gateway for a great 2011.

Now, the poll could be swayed by recent Bullshome posts and sports analysists around the world saying this might evolve into a three-way trade involving Deng, Iguoldala and Denver Nuggets super star Carmello Anthony. In these mock trades, Melo comes to Chicago, Deng and a first round draft pick goes to Philadelphia and Iguodala, and a few of the Bulls bench players go to Denver.

With this said, the poll would be influenced because every basketball fan knows how good of a player Anthony is.

But for the sake of this post, we will pretend none of this three-way trade nonsense has ever been discussed and talk only about a trade between Chicago And Philadelphia.

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I have discussed this trade rumor before and said Iguodala would be better to have as a Bull than Deng. Iguodala has done more with un-affective point guards while Deng has been spoon fed by Kirk Hinrich and Derrick Rose, he is more dynamic and an on the court leader.

Since then, Deng scored a career high 40 points Nov.1 against the Portland Trailblazers and has been a solid all-around contributor for the Bulls. Remember, the first two games of the season he looked as if he had never played the game of basketball before.

Still, Deng should not be a Bull anymore if a team wants him. Philadelphia coach Doug Collins has been a Deng supporter since the forward’s days at Duke. While Iguodala has been vocal on his unhappiness in Philadelphia, Collins has been just as vocal about having Deng on his team. This means he still has value.

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The Bulls should get rid of him while he has value because if teams see his peak of 40 points followed by numerous 15 point games with only a few rebounds here and there, they will be stuck with him.

Honestly, is Deng going to have another game such as he did against the Trailblazers…No. Deng is being passed up by every other player on the starting lineup when it comes to offensive options except for Keith Bogans. Rose is number one, Carlos Boozer will be number two when he gets back, then Joakim Noah, who has developed a mid-range game and Taj Gibson, who is more consistent than Deng.

Deng’s time in Chicago has become stagnant and it’s time for him to go for the Bulls to blossom to new heights. Sometimes the old pedals have to fall off the flower for it to fully bloom.

Bullshome can’t speak for the voters, WHY did you decide he should leave?

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Chad Ford placed the Bulls as the fourth best team in summer roster management with a B-. His number one teams are dead on, but the Bulls should be number three.

Chicago was given a B+, after the Miami Heat an A+, Washington Wizards an A and the Indiana Pacers an A-. In all fairness, the other three teams did a great job of building their roster, but the Bulls deserve to be in the A range. The Pacers made moves, but not moves that will take them from the bottom to the top of the eastern conference such as Chicago has done.

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Indiana was part of a four team trade in which they released veteran forward Troy Murphy and signed much needed point guard Darren Collison. As a rookie last season, he led the New Orleans Hornets while Chris Paul was injured. The Pacers haven’t had a legitimate point guard in sometime, so great move, but other than that they didn’t do anything. James Posey is washed up, who is Paul George and Lance Stephenson is a second round draft pick who has potential to be a solid NBA player but could be a bust also.

The Bulls signed Carlos Boozer, a top free agent in one of the best free agent classes in NBA history. Then they signed three point marksmen Kyle Korver and defensive specialist Ronnie Brewer. Before the free agent market opened everyone from Chicago’s Sam Smith to ESPN’s Chris Ford and Chris Broussard said the Bulls need an inside scoring presence and shooters. They achieved these two goals and strengthened the defense with Brewer and hired a life long defensive assistant coach Tom Thibodeau as the head coach.

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How does a Collison, a second year guard, Roy Hibbert, and up and coming center and Danny Granger become a better starting lineup than Derrick Rose, Carlos Boozer and Joakim Noah/ Luol Deng? The Pacers have a team for the future while the Bulls are building a team for the now and future. Chicago also made the cap room to sign players while Indiana simply made draft selections and one trade. The Bulls put more effort into building a better team. This is deserving of at least an A- spot.

Plus, I’d put other teams ahead of the Pacers such as the Milwaukee Bucks, who signed veteran leadership like Corey Maggette and resigned last year’s offering from the Bulls, John Salmons. The Bucks are the only team in the central division who will give the Bulls any kind of competition.

There is no doubt in anyone’s mind the Miami Heat are the number one on this list. Team president Pat Riley picked up arguably the best player in the league and a legitimate top 15 guy in LeBron James and Chris Bosh. Oh, plus they resigned Dwyane Wade, one of the top five players in the NBA and the man who has kept Miami a playoff team despite not having any pieces around him.

John Wall brings the Washington Wizards from one of the worst teams in the NBA to at least a playoff bubble team. If they fail to play at a high level, at least he brings media coverage and a positive story to the Wizards who have been circled with controversy the last few years. Also, they got the best backup point guard in the league, Kirk Hinrich. Washington is bringing in new guys who are talented and have the right attitude to turn the franchise around. Ford put the Wizards at number two with an A level, solid choice.

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At least they can be a playoff team this season, not like the Pacers, who will not make it for at least two more seasons. However, the Bulls do have a better lineup with more depth and talent.

WHAT GRADE WOULD YOU GIVE THE BULLS AND HOW DO YOU RANK THEIR OFF-SEASON MOVES COMPARED TO OTHER EASTERN CONFERENCE TEAMS?

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Jerry Reinsdorf, Gar Forman or John Paxson, whoever is involved, MAKE THIS DEAL HAPPEN. If the Bulls front office wants the team to return to greatness, a deal for Carmello Anthony should be a simple decision like firing Vinny Del Negro was.

The Bulls have a few players they could get rid of to sign Melo. James Johnson will never be more than a seventh or eighth man off the bench, move him. Luol Deng is consistently a big number guy for the Bulls, but he fails in comparison to Anthony on every level: scoring, rebounding and helping his team play better. The only category Deng may be better is defense, but Melo picked his defensive game up last season and looked committed to advancing his skills.

Deng and Johnson wouldn’t be enough for the Nuggets to agree on a trade. Instead of adding in Taj Gibson, who is a great back up big man behind Carlos Boozer and Joakim Noah, put in a first round draft pick. The Bulls will not make the lottery this year, so they’ll have a pick in the late 20′s. Sometimes a team gets lucky, but for the most part the players who will be selected at this stage of the draft are role players, sometimes minimal role players. This means the Bulls would only give up Johnson, a role player who really didn’t prove anything as a rookie, a late first round draft pick who would be a player based only off of potential, and Deng, a legit starter.

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For Melo, sign the deal already. We are talking about one of the NBA’s elite scorers who brings it every night. He takes it to the hoop, he knocks down treys, he rebounds and he is great in the open court whether he is creating for himself or others. Maybe, I understated this, not great but fantastic. Melo is hands down one of the top five players in the league. Why wouldn’t the Bulls want to get him?

Everyone saw the determination the front office had in efforts to sign LeBron James, Dwyane Wade or Chris Bosh this past year. Kirk Hinrich, John Salmons and Tyrus Thomas were traded for expiring contracts. Hinrich had been the heart and sole of the Bulls for at least the past five seasons, while Salmons and Thomas played key roles. Salmons was usually the second or third leading scorer and Thomas was the inside stopper. If the Bulls will trade away big pieces of the team for hope, why not trade two small pieces (Johnson and draft pick) and a equal piece ( Deng) to get Melo?

The Bulls gave the three of them up in hopes of signing one of the big three players. None of them came, but they picked up players needed to play well with Rose, Noah and Deng. If Melo comes, the starting lineup will look like this:Rose, Ronnie Brewer, Carmelo Anthony, Carlos Boozer and Joakim Noah, while the back up list includes names such as Kyle Korver and Taj Gibson.

The Nuggets are going to lose the entire core of their team. Chauncey Billups, Kenyon Martin and Carmello Anthony are all in the market after this season. Instead of simply losing Melo, the Nuggets should trade him to Chicago in order to make sure they get something in return. If Melo hasn’t signed the three year $65 million contract extention the Nuggets offered a few months ago, he is not going to stay in Denver. This is the biggest offer he is going to see.

Once again Bulls front office, make this deal HAPPEN.

If Melo is in a Bulls jersey, the United Center is sold out every game, the team never falls under .500 and a deep run in the playoffs is a certainty. I’m not saying these things might take place, they will be a reality.

Since the 1998-1999 season, Chicago has seen a mass amount of players come and go. Some were drafted then traded to get a veteran who could help the team. The veteran retired after a season or two or moved on after failing to bring the bulls to a winning season. We all know how the roster played musical names in the early 2000′s.

Even though the team went through a long rebuilding period, there was still enough solid players to form a top ten, especially since the team has been to the playoffs five of the last six years.

This top 10 includes Bulls players from the 1998-1999 season to the 2009-2010 season. I would like to consider Carlos Boozer  or Kyle Korver, but they haven’t played a game as a Bull.  With this said, lets get to the Top 10 Bulls After Jordan and Pippen Left.

Honorable Mention: Eddy Curry, John Salmons, Tyson Chandler and if he would not have been on his motorcycle, Jay Williams.

10:  JAMAL CRAWFORD 2000-2004

Crawford played with the Bulls for his first four years in the league. He battled Williams and other point guards for minutes, but he used his minutes to his advantage to market himself for other teams. During his final season as a Bull, 2003-2004, he averaged 17 points and five assists a game while leading all Bulls in points.

9: Brad Miller 2000-2002 and 2008-2010

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Miller has had two stints with the Bulls, both were for a season and a half. He brought much needed toughness  and a soft scoring touch to the Bulls front court. In the playoffs two seasons ago, he hit a couple of big threes to extend the epic first round series against the Boston Celtics.

8: Ron Artest 1999-2002

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Before he was fighting in Detroit or winning championships with the Lakers, Artest was the backbone of the Chicago Bulls defense. He led the team in steals for three consecutive series.

7: Elton Brand 1999-2001

Brand only played for the Bulls two years, 1999-2000 and 2000-2001. As a rookie, he led the Bulls with 20 points a game and 10 rebounds. To this day, he is the only big man Chicago could rely on for points in the paint.

6: Joakim Noah 2007-present

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Noah is the new version of Dennis Rodman. He devotes his body to getting rebounds and diving on the court for loose balls.  He has led the team in boards two of his three seasons,  second in his rookie season, and led the NBA for more than half of the 2009-2010 season as he averaged a double-double with 10 points and 11 rebounds a game.

5: Luol Deng 2004-present

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Deng has averaged double digits points per game in each of his six seasons as a Bull. He has also grabbed five or more rebounds a game including seven per contest in the 2009-2010 season. He has been the x-factor for the Bulls and a reliable second or third option during his entire stay.

4: Jalen Rose  2001-2004

Rose was the first star to play for the Bulls after Jordan and Pippen left. He had been in Reggie Miller’s shadow in Indiana for his entire career before he came to Chicago. In his two full seasons, he led the team with 23 and 22 points a game. He also averaged five assist and grabbed four rebounds a game.

3: Kirk Hinrich 2003-2010

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Hinrich is the longest tenure player since the post Jordan/Pippen era. He led the team in assists for five consecutive years and scored in the top four on the team for five years. During his stay in Chicago, he was the best perimeter defender on the team and one of the best shooters.

2: Ben Gordon 2004-2009

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Gordon led the Bulls in scoring in each of the five years he was on the team. He was the go to guy and the only premier shooter the Bulls have had.  If he wasn’t on the team, the Bulls would have never pushed the Celtics two years ago, because he was the fire power matching up against Boston’s Ray Allen.

1: Derrick Rose 2008-present

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In two seasons, Rose has done more than any other Bull has since 1998. He won the rookie of the year award and was the first player from Chicago named to NBA all-star team since Jordan in 1998. Derrick is the first franchise player, someone they can build a team around, the Bulls  have had in this time period. He doesn’t only put up stats and bring home awards but he is also the first sign of hope to returning the Bulls as an elite team in the NBA.

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Coming out of Kansas University, he was selected with the seventh overall pick in the 2003 season and then played seven seasons in Chicago. While other players selected the same year as him, Linton Johnson and Ronald Dupree,  and many after, Tyrus Thomas at the top of the list, did nothing to help the Bulls, Hinrich was an every game contributor who made the team better.

He was the best perimeter defender on the Bulls roster since Scottie Pippen. Ron Artest was a Bull in-between, but as a Bull, he didn’t do what he has as a Rocket or a Laker.

He led the team in assists and steals for multiple seasons. Hinrich was also a consistent shooter from anywhere on the court. He was behind only Ben Gordon for the most points scored by a Bull for three consecutive years.

In 2008, a player landed in Chicago named Derrick Rose. Rose is more athletic, a better play maker and an all around better basketball player. If the Bulls would have had a true shooting guard, instead of having to start Hinrich, he could have won the sixth man of the year award. If he isn’t a starting point guard, he is one of the best back ups in the league.

In American society, everything circles around money. The Bulls had previously agreed to give Hinrich a nifty penny which included $9 million for the 2010-2011 season.  The front office didn’t want to pay him that big of a contract to be a role player, understandable, when this summer’s free agency had plenty of talent.

It’s unfortunate the NBA is ruled by money, but it is.

BullsHome.com wanted to let fans know how important Hinrich has been to the team for the last seven seasons. We hope him the best in the future.

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In the deal, the Warriors will get a second round draft pick in the 2011 draft.  Watson will be Derrick Rose’s backup.  If need be, he can also play the two guard role and sub in for Ronnie Brewer.

Watson will begin his fourth season in the NBA.  He dramatically improved his stats year to year while with the Warriors.  Last year in 65 games, he averaged 27 minutes, 10 points, three rebounds and three assist.

Watson has potential to be a solid backup point guard. In Golden State, he was behind Monta Ellis and Stephen Curry in the rotation.  When he was in the game, he didn’t handle the ball much.  If he shows he can handle it, Watson will be the primary ball handler with the second team.

This is another smart move by the Bulls.  They needed a backup for Rose that they didn’t have to pay $9 million dollars, which they would have had to do with Kirk Hinrich.  Watson is worth a second round pick and will probably get a slightly above league minimum from the Bulls.  The deal works out for both squads.

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Brewer has signed a three year deal with the Bulls for $12.5 million.

He began last season with the Jazz, then was handed over to Memphis where he only played five games, so in my book he is coming from the Jazz.

Brewer has only been in the league four seasons. He is youthful and still productive.  It’s satisfying that the Bulls are going after young talent instead of veterans who are past their prime.  He isn’t a dynamic scorer but will add 10 to 15 points a game.  With Boozer and Derrick Rose getting most the looks, his scoring average will work well with the Bulls.

The best part about Brewer is he can defend.  Head Coach Tom Thibodeau had to have something to do with this signing because Brewer will definitely help out his defensive traps and zones.

Brewer is an athletic 6’7, 227 pound guard who will get in a players face.  The Bulls traded their premier defender, Kirk Hinrich, so Brewer is much needed.

Oh, did I mention he is a legitimate shooting guard.  The Bulls haven’t had one of those since Ben Gordon left after the 2008-2009 season.  This past season, Hinrich played the two guard role, but he is a pure point guard. The Bulls are finally figuring out how to form a roster.

This is a good move for the Bulls roster and their check book.  They didn’t over pay him such as they did with Boozer. Brewer brings youth, a shooting guard, strong defensive skill set and he has experience playing with two other new Bulls.

Rosters are starting to take shape, especially for the Chicago Bulls. They traded away Tyrus Thomas, John Salmons and Kirk Hinrich for expiring contracts that are now off the books and future draft picks. The Bulls are starting to build the roster and our only six days into the free agent signing period.

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Boozer and Korver are officially signed. Yesterday, the Bulls signed 7 ft center Omer Asik from Turkey. Asik was originally drafted by the Portland Trailblazers in 2008, but was immediately traded to the Bulls. He has been developing for the past two years in Euroleague play. Chicago needs a big man who can defend a Dwight Howard or a Pau Gasol. Asik looks long and lengthy but is a great shot blocker. Maybe he will defend with intimidation as his best aspect; that’s what Ben Wallace did. Scouts seem to think he has solid NBA skills.

“Center seems to be his natural position as he loves playing with his back to the basket possessing a good assortment of moves to get his shot off … He is a tenacious rebounder going for the offensive boards as well as wiping the defensive glass.”

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This isn’t saying he will dominate, but he will add depth off the bench. The Bulls have been a team that relies on six to seven players, maybe Tom Thibodeau’s run as head coach will bring in a new era called use the bench.

In other NBA news:

Golden State gets forward David Lee
New York gets forward Anthony Randolph,forward Kelenna Azubuike, forward Ronny Turiaf and a 2010 second-round pick.

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Golden State wins the trade. Lee is a great rebounder and can put up 20 to 25 points any night. He is perfect for the run and gun tempo of the Don Nelson’s Warriors. New York got three so-so players. The second round pick will more than likely lead to the same type of player. Randolph is a solid player with upside but he isn’t going to develop into an all-star. He will be a great sixth man or a contributing role player. Warriors get an all-star and the Knicks get three similar players who will not amount to much.

Miami resigned forward Udonis Haslem.

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Haslem has been a blue collar player for the Heat since 2002, it only seems right to bring him back to attempt to win another championship. He is a big man who can step out and hit a jumper, rebound and defend in the low post. Heat owner Pat Riley would have been a fool not to bring him back.

Dallas gets center Tyson Chandler and center Alexis Ajinca
Charlotte gets center Erick Dampier, forward Eduardo Najera, guard Matt Carroll and cash considerations.

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Dallas wins this trade. Chandler is not offensively gifted but can rebound and block shots on a much higher level than Erick Dampier can. Oh, Dampier can’t shoot a penny in the ocean, Chandler is better in this category too.

Najera is on his last legs and Carroll isn’t an NBA talent. Dallas drops some salary to pick up players they could use, while Charlotte picks up veteran players who will not fit their system.

Derek Fisher stays with the Lakers.

Great move. Fisher kept the Lakers in the playoffs throughout every series. He is tough and the heart of the team.

Most of everything is rumors and hasn’t been set in contract yet.

The Atlanta Hawks are going to send Chris Childress to the Suns. The Suns are also going after Hedu Turkoglu. Childress has played over seas for the past few years, and has become a great player.

Al Jefferson will be a Denver Nugget.

J.J. Redick has been offered a deal from the Bulls but Orlando can keep him if they match the 3 year deal worth $20 million because he is a restricted free agent.

“Big Z”, Zydrunas Ilgauskas, will probably join the Miami Heat. He will follow LeBron, no dobut about it. They play well together and respect each other. They want to win a ring for each other.

Cavaliers have put an offer on the table for Kyle Lowry, but the Redick situation falls on Lowry as well. The Rockets have reportedly matched the contract.

I have no idea why, but the Timberwolves are going after Luke Ridnour. They have seven point guards and are trying to get another, no clue why.