With close to $30 million in cap space for the summer of '14, the Bulls will be in the market to again try to land LeBron James. If they can't sign James, keep an eye on Paul George. The electric Pacer swingman will be a restricted free agent in a loaded market.

If you mention the words “Bulls 2014 plan” to any die hard Chicago hoops fan, you’ll get an eye roll that’s only matched by the ignorance of LeBron James when he says he doesn’t flop. Fans hate having to swallow their pride and endure seasons with zero hope of winning a championship, but the good news for Bulls fans is they only need to suffer through one more such season.

It’s been easy to mock the free agency plan that the Bulls have never publicly mentioned because of their less than stellar free agent pursuits in the post Jordan era. I’ll never forget how devastated I was when the Bulls came up virtually empty in the epic free agent class of 2000 when they whiffed badly and embarrassed themselves by failing to attract Tracy McGrady, Tim Duncan, Grant Hill or Eddie Jones to Chicago. The T-Mac pursuit stung like a bitch because it was long assumed he would pick Chicago.

Then, there was free agency 2010 that left the Bulls with Carlos Boozer and handful of themselves after failing to convince LeBron, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh to come to Chicago.

Fans understandably have been and remain skeptical that going the cap space route is the best way to raise a 7th banner at the U.C. I hear you, I really do.

But unless a Kevin Love trade materializes, there’s no other way than to tread water again in ’13-’14, hope D Rose regains his MVP form after the inevitable early struggles, watch Joakim Noah continue to ascend into one of the best winning players in the game, see Jimmy Butler grow with Rose & take another leap and make a valiant playoff run that will undoubtedly by James’ Heat.

But if you can stomach that kind of season, the rewards can be worth the wait and previous failed free agency ventures. Here’s what the Bulls will for sure have going for them as they prepare to battle the Lakers, Magic and other teams for free agent talent…

Rose will regain his standing as one of the five best and most valuable players in the league. He’ll endure the pain & discomfort that he desperately tried to avoid by refusing to come back this season, but figure by Christmas he’ll be dominating and reminding everyone who the best point guard in the association is. What’s almost as important as his health, is whether or not he’ll change his stance on recruiting free agents to Chicago. If you want to win championships, Derrick, you better realize you can’t do it alone.

The Bulls will amnesty Carlos Boozer and the final year of his deal that will save $16.8 million. Boozer had a solid season and played his heart out in game 5 vs the Heat. But unless he’s traded this summer, we’ll only be subjected to his lazy defensive rotations & refusal to dunk in traffic for one more season.

Luol Deng’s $14.3 million deal will come off the books to give the Bulls even more cap room. By amnestying Boozer and letting Deng’s deal expire, the Bulls will be looking at having around $30 million in cap space to chase a max free agent and a 2nd tier player.

Oh, and don’t forget Kirk Hinrich’s two-year mid level exception deal will also be off the Bulls’ hands.

They’ll have two 1st round picks. No, they won’t be lottery picks, but the Bulls have shown an ability to find talent (Omer Asik, Taj Gibson and Jimmy Butler) well outside the lottery the past several years.

Euro sensation Nikola Mirotic who was drafted a few spots ahead of Butler in ’11(not a bad draft, huh?) could be headed to Chicago. The Bulls love this kid’s talent and he’ll immediately add a space the floor shooter that Thibs clamored for after the game 5 loss to the Heat. Is he the next Dirk Nowitzki? Probably not, but what I do know is he’d be a high lottery pick if he was coming out in this year’s draft.

They’ll open their new practice facility right by the U.C. that kills the nonsense of players driving from the north burbs to games. New facilities are always an easy way to appeal to players around the league. The new digs can only add to the Bulls’ cache.

The Bulls likely will have 7-8 players locked up for the ’14-’15 season that will eat up somewhere around $46.3 million in cap space. Those players are Rose, Noah, Gibson, Butler, Teague, their ’13 1st rounder and the two ’14 1st round picks. That doesn’t include Mirotic, and it’s unlikely the Bulls will use all of those picks. Drafting another European player and stashing him is entirely possible.

And who knows, it’s possible Gibson is traded by next July to create even more cap space. If GarPax thinks they can snag two players in free agency, I doubt they’d hesitate to move Gibson. So who will they chase?

Having max cap space in the summer LeBron can become a free agent is your first move. Whether he shows interest in you or not, you need a place at the table to at least be in the discussion. With Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh also likely opting out next summer, James is likely to look around and flirt a little. Why wouldn’t he? Wade is breaking down by the quarter and the game’s best player might need to leave Miami if he wants to continue to rattle off rings.

You start with James and go from there. The Bulls felt like they were close in ’10, and they’ll be even more desirable this time around. Will James really go back to Cleveland? I don’t see it with Mike Brown back coaching and Dan Gilbert still running the show. James is trend setter, and I doubt he’ll want to go back and try to rewrite his history there.

What about L.A.? Would you hitch your wagon and title hopes to Dwight Howard? I wouldn’t.

I want no part of Wade’s decrepit carcass, just like I wouldn’t go near Paul Pierce, Dirk or even Kobe. I mentioned the Kobe idea a while back, but that was before he shredded his Achilles.

Rudy Gay? Not for the max and he’ll get it from some dumb ass GM. Bosh? Sure, but only if he was part of a LeBron combo package. But that’s not happening because I can already see the Rockets throwing a max offer to him should the Big 3 break up. What about Zach Randolph? Z-Bo will be 33 heading into a new contract and as lethal as he is, I don’t want to tie myself to an aging player.

Carmelo? I doubt he leaves New York, especially if they find a way to snag Chris Paul this summer. If he did get tired of his one man show on Broadway, I’d kick the tires. He’d be a perfect compliment to Rose. That’s highly doubtful, however. I can’t imagine Melo wanting to sacrifice himself on a nightly basis playing for Thibs.

LeBron or bust you say? Not really.

There are a couple of interesting restricted free agents that I’d love to see in red.

One, is DeMarcus Cousins. I know, Boogie is borderline insane and someone that doesn’t fit the Bulls’ mold. But if he’s ever going to “get it,” it would be with Rose, Noah and Thibs. This kid needs a winning environment and structure. The Bulls have both. The situation with the Kings is a mess, so it’s possible that a team will be able to steal Cousins in a trade this summer or at the deadline next February. I know what you’re thinking… “Can Noah and Cousins play together?” Yes. Noah’s versatile enough to slide over and guard athletic stretch 4′s. And on the offensive end, he doesn’t need the ball in his hands or plays run for him, so Boogie would have plenty of room to abuse guys in the post.

The ultimate prize outside of LeBron, is Pacers swingman Paul George. The 23-year-old is breaking out in front of the basketball world in these playoffs and finished the regular season averaging 17.4 ppg, 7.6 boards, 4.1 dimes and 1.7 steals. He’s elevated his game in the playoffs, and has been a better player than Melo in their 2nd round series.

He’s still evolving as an offensive player, but he’s not afraid to guard the opposing team’s best player, he wants, takes and makes money time shots, is insanely athletic, has a nice stroke from 3, can beat you off the dribble, finish at or above the rim with ease and isn’t anywhere near the pinnacle of his talents. He’s an ascending player that the Pacers would be insane to let get away form them, but strange things happen in NBA free agency.

What if he doesn’t sign an extension with the Pacers before next summer? What if he desires a bigger market? What if he wants to pair up with another star to get past LeBron? All of these things are in play, and the Bulls will have the cap space to front load a deal or structure it in a way that would make life miserable for Indy.

The chances of this happening are slim to none, but George is becoming one of the best young players in the league. And if you do convince him to come to Chicago, a sign and trade can always be worked out.

This is a total pipe dream, of course, but why not think & dream big right now? If the Bulls are, there’s no reason to ignore the possibilities. They’re set up to make a splash and are in better position than they ever have been. And hey, it sure as hell beats talking about D Rose’s knee, doesn’t it?

@Loustradamus1

Kevin Love's frustration with the Timberwolves has raised speculation that he's on the market. If available, the Bulls have the assets to make a deal.

Now that the grind it out until we collapse ’13 Bulls season is over, the focus should immediately turn to the future of the franchise. The development of Joakim Noah into a top 20 player in basketball was vital, just as the eye opening play of Jimmy Butler was. In those two players, the Bulls have locked in starters that should be just reaching their athletic primes in the next couple of years. The foot concerns for Noah seemingly will always linger, but whatever treatment he received during the playoffs worked wonders.

It’s safe to assume (at least, it better be) that Derrick Rose will start next season without complications in a knee that allowed him to make his teammates look like D-League amateurs the past three months in practice. But the goal remains to construct a roster that can not only compete with the Heat, but beat them 4 times in 7 games. Nothing else matters. You’re either trying to beat the best team in the league, or you’re spinning you’re wheels in NBA hell. Everything else is irrelevant.

But if you’re still furious at Rose, or how the season ended vs the Heat, you better practice some of Noah’s Zen and chill out for another year. The Bulls are all in on 2014 free agency, so anyone looking for a splashy or savvy free agent move shouldn’t waste their time. They’re in the luxury tax and will likely watch Nate Robinson and Marco Belinelli sign more lucrative deals elsewhere. It was fun watching those two blossom into dependable players under Thibs, but maintaining flexibility for ’14 is imperative.

But there is one potential blockbuster move to be made this summer if it becomes available.

Kevin Love is miffed and frustrated with the Timberwolves, and is likely to seek a new home before his player option at $16.7 million in ’15.

In short, Love is annoyed that the Wolves saved their max deal for Ricky Rubio (his deal also expires in ’15) and not him. And for whatever reason, T-Wolves owner Glen Taylor couldn’t wait to spew verbal diarrhea about Love not being a star. What kind of owner would bash his best player like that? And the Bulls are the ones with the bad reputation? Please.

Love’s situation might not be as volatile now that David Kahn finally got whacked by Taylor and Flip Saunders is in charge. However, once the owner makes a statement like that, it’s just a matter of time.

Enter the Bulls, who are sitting on a collection of assets that would ease the burden of the Wolves losing their best player since Kevin Garnett.

They have Luol Deng’s expiring contract that the Wolves can use to tell their fans they’ll have money to spend on a prime free agent in ’14. Nobody in their right mind would choose to go there as a free agent despite the opportunity to play with Rubio, but teams crave those expiring deals.

The Bulls would obviously like to involve Carlos Boozer into any deal, but it’s doubtful at best that the Wolves would take on Boozer’s remaining two years at $15.3 & $16.8 million. Could the Bulls peddle Booz to another team after a healthy season and solid playoff run? It’s the NBA, so any deal is tradeable.

The Bulls are also have Butler (who I doubt they’d want to give up), the Bobcats 1st round pick (top-10 protected in ’14, top-eight protected in ’15 and unprotected in ’16), two 1st rounders in ’14, Nikola Mirotic (who they love) and Taj Gibson who could fill the void left by Love if the Bulls ship Boozer to a 3rd team.

If I’m the Bulls and I know the Wolves are sweating the Love situation out, I’m low balling the shit out of them and see if they crack.

I’d throw them Boozer or Gibson, Deng’s expiring $14.3 million deal, one of their 1st rounders in ’14 and the Bobcats pick.

I’m not including Mirotic because he might not want to go to Minnesota. Who can blame him? Plus, it’s far from a guarantee that he’ll even come to the Bulls next summer. That could kill some of his immediate trade value should Saunders want to act quickly if Love lets him know he doesn’t want to stay in Minnesota long term.

I’m not giving up Jimmy Butler and Deng in the same deal. Sorry. The Bulls would be devoid of talent on the wing to match up with LeBron and Wade, so that’s a non starter. And how can you not be impressed with Butler right now? He started cashing 3′s at a higher rate despite playing 48 minutes a night, finished tough shots at the rim in traffic and even displayed a Euro step that is still getting D Wade foul calls.

Is a Deng, Boozer or Taj, a 1st rounder in ’14 and the Bobcats pick enough to entice the Wolves? Probably not, but we’re dealing with a young executive that will feel the pressure to of an owner that wants to build the franchise around Rubio. Why start with a loaded offer? You gauge the Wolves’ interest around draft time and go from there. If Saunders doesn’t want to make a deal right away, you wait them out until next year’s trade deadline when Deng’s expiring deal (if he’s not dealt before then) becomes even more valuable.

And don’t forget, Love has openly talked about appreciating the way the Thibs Bulls play and has said that Rose is the best player he’s ever played with. I’m sure he’d like to return to L.A., but playing with Rose & Noah on a legitimate contender to could be enough for Love to demand that a deal happens sooner rather than later.

@Loustradamus1

The fact that Jonathan Toews hasn't started lighting it up should petrify the Red Wings.

It’s easy to get nostalgic and want to reminisce about past battles when two legendary rivals get set to meet in the playoffs, but this year’s Blackhawks Red Wings series shouldn’t be about history when the puck drops for game 1. The Hawks have bigger goals in mind, and the series with the Wings is just another step towards hoisting the Cup again. When you beat a quality team four times in a season including a 7-1 drubbing on the road, the focus should be on dispatching the lesser team as quickly as possible.

I get it, three of the four games between the two clubs went to overtime and the Wings out shot the Hawks on average 31.5 to 28.5 shots per game, but there’s no doubt who is the superior team in this series. The Wings are a skill team that can’t out skill the Blackhawks. Plain and simple.

The Wings are a 7th seed for a reason and even though they just upset the 2nd seeded Ducks, they’ll struggle to keep up with a Hawks team that’s deeper than they are. Pavel Datsyuk and Henrik Zetterberg are battles tested players that have turned it up a notch for the playoffs, and this is a team that loves close games (they won three in overtime vs the Ducks).

But… The Wings only went 1-15 on the power play vs the Hawks this season, and the Hawks have been perfect on the PK so far in the playoffs. If the Wings can’t take advantage of Hawks penalties (they’re power play efficiency is only 24%), they’ll get beaten like a drum.

The Hawks are also better in net, as Corey Crawford proved in the Wild series. The Hawks goalie posted a 4-0-1 record with a 1.32 GAA and a .950 save percentage while making 132 saves. Crawford’s getting hot at money time and has played as well as he ever has. Who knows, maybe it’s because there aren’t shootouts in the playoffs?

The scary thing for the Wings, is that Jonathan Toews has yet to get hot putting the puck in the net. Patrick Sharp and Marian Hossa have carried the load, but this team will be downright lethal if 19 gets on a streak in this series.

This series will come down to whether or not the Hawks play the puck possession game and display their ridiculous overall talent. The Hawks are deeper, younger, faster and have the better goalie. Other than that, the Wings are in awesome shape.

This series isn’t past memories and players that will be shown at a nauseating level throughout. The good news for the Hawks, is they’re certified. They might have been overwhelmed playing the Wings in ’09 when they were making their first playoff run, but this is mature team that’s been through too many wars to concern themselves with a past era. They know the Wings are just next in line and a team that’s standing in their way towards another Cup.

History doesn’t matter in this series, all that counts is the Hawks elevating their game from round 1 and sending an inferior opponent home for the summer. Hawks in 5 because talent always prevails when it matters most.

@Loustradamus1

If Jim Hendry was still running the Cubs, Anthony Rizzo would have a new deal with a full no-trade clause.

If you’ve been smartly avoiding the often unwatchable product that is Cubs baseball, good for you. With the NBA & NHL playoffs in full swing, there’s very little reason to sit through a Cubs game right now. Yes, they’ve actually looked like a Major League Baseball team as of late, but fans like me will stay away to avoid aggravation until Matt Garza’s arm is reattached and he can hopefully build up his trade value. You owe us at least a few good starts, Garza.

But the Cubs did make noise that matters, if you can believe that. No, I’m not talking about taking a series from the Nationals, but locking up 1st baseman Anthony Rizzo to a 7-year $41 million deal that will keep the franchise cornerstone in Chicago through 2021 should they exercise two team options at the end of the deal. Rizzo will receive a $2 million signing bonus and a $750,000 salary in 2013, overriding the $498,000 he agreed to last March. He’ll earn $1.25 million in ’14, $5 million in both ’15 and ’16, $7 million in ’17 and 2018 and $11 million in ’19. The Cubs hold a $14.5 million option for ’20 with a $2 million buyout. If that’s exercised, the Cubs have a $14.5 million option for ’21 with a $2 million buyout.

The only Cubs news that is relevant to me this year is anything pertaining to the future. Rizzo’s signing to a deal that will hopefully be a steal in years to come is a win for the Theo regime. Why? Well, first of all, it doesn’t give Rizzo the Jim Hendry Special… AKA a no-trade clause. That’s huge because if Rizzo somehow doesn’t continue to make jumps in production, they aren’t tied to him like they have been by so many of Hendry’s iron clad deals.

But this contract (much like the one given to Starlin Castro) is part of a plan that envisions Rizzo being a middle of the order slugger and leader of this massive rebuilding project. As talented as he is, his chilled out demeanor and approach to the game fits what the Cubs need in young players.

They need guys that aren’t rattled by high expectations, a big market and the 100+ year bullshit that will accompany this team when they do become a contender in the next few years. GM Jed Hoyer agrees…

“We’ve known Anthony for a long time,” Hoyer said. “Theo, Jason (McLeod) and I have spent a lot of time with this guy and feel like we know him really well. Ultimately you want to build your team around people you trust, people you believe in, and I think today is a really good example that we believe in Anthony.

“We think he’s going to be a very big part of our future here in Chicago and we’re excited to get a deal done. ”

Having battled battled Hodgkins lymphoma early in his career, you can’t blame Rizzo for seeking out long term security even if he outplays his contract eventually. If that occurs, it’ll be a solid problem for the Cubs to deal with.

“‘I’ve had this game taken away from me,” Rizzo said, “Not being able to play the game has made me appreciate it a lot more.”

“I knew for a little while now this was getting done,” he said. “The last couple days have been so nice to play baseball. I feel like I’m playing Little League now.”

Riddle me this… Would you rather have Rizzo at 7-years & $41 million, or Albert Pujols’ remains at 9-years and $228 million? It’s Rizzo, and it’s not even close. With the pressure off and money in the bank, the 23-year old’s recent performance at the plate (.280 average with a .352 on-base percentage, 9 home runs and 28 RBIs) is likely only a sign of greater things to come.

@Loustradamus1

By refusing to follow doctors orders and finish his rehab, Derrick Rose has turned a routine comeback into a complete circus & has tarnished his once stellar reputation.

It should have never come to this. All Derrick Rose had to do was continue to listen to his doctors like he had throughout his entire rehab process and there wouldn’t be the noise. You’ve heard it, the verbal diarrhea that’s been spewed from every conceivable direction since it’s become common knowledge that Rose has been medically cleared (and instructed) to return to the court to do what he does best… play basketball. But Rose, his brother Reggie and his bitter and pain in the ass agent B.J. Armstrong decided it was a good time to stop listening to the doctors that aided Rose’s recovery the past year.

Instead of returning to action in March like he was supposed to, Rose thought it was a genius idea to sit out the season and come back next season where he is hoping for a miracle. That miracle is that he will wake up one day this summer after another pointless day of shooting floaters off his surgically repaired knee and magically feel 110%.

Rose wants to skip the most important step in ACL recovery, and the people he’s listening to are aiding the idiocy while actually hindering his long term prognosis. Where can I sign up for that kind of representation?

Now instead of getting over the mental hurdles that follow every professional athlete coming back from this injury, Rose keeps shooting jumpers and floaters before his battered and beaten down teammates go to war against the best basketball team in the world. I’m actually shocked that his hamstrings aren’t “on fire” after he works himself into a lather. I mean, how does he have the muscle memory to complete those rigorous workouts a year into rehab?

Make no mistake, this isn’t about some ill-fated attempt to beat the Heat. I was all for Rose taking his time in his comeback, but to openly ignore doctors is ignorant and a slap in the face to an organization that has done nothing but bend over backwards for it’s superstar.

Now, for no good reason, the Bulls organization is being questioned and portrayed as a bunch of maniacal drill sergeants that want to rush Rose back on to the court to make a playoff run that they know isn’t possible with this roster. Totally. That theory makes sense when you consider this same organization knew it would take a step back this season.

Gone are the majority of the “vaunted” Bench Mob that people wanted tried to label as the Bulls’ 2nd star. The Bulls aren’t stupid, they purposely let Omer Asik, Kyle Korver, Ronnie Brewer and C.J. Watson walk out the door because this was supposed to be a tread water season until Rose returned. Gar Forman and John Paxson said as much from as early as last summer.

The goal of this season was to get Rose back, let him get comfortable playing games and go into the summer with a clear head knowing that his knee was structurally sound and was ready to attack his summer workouts in L.A.

That’s all the Bulls wanted. This season and next was about maintaining flexibility and putting themselves in position to make another run at LeBron James next July with the cap space they’ll have by Luol Deng & Kirk Hinrich’s contracts coming off the books and amnestying Carlos Boozer.

But for no good reason, the Bulls organization is being thrown under the bus by imbeciles everywhere. It’s as if people don’t realize that they have $95 million invested in Rose, and is everything to their future. Here’s some education for the no-minds that want to criticize this franchise…

They paid for Bill Cartwright to travel around the world to see the best doctors to help fix his vocal cords. They paid the remainder of Jay Williams’ contract even though they didn’t have to after he stupidly wrecked his body in a motor cycle accident. They created a job for Randy Brown after they learned he was out on his ass selling his championship rings. They created an ambassador role for Scottie Pippen because he, of course, needed money. Sure, Pip, sit courtside and get drunk during games. Oh, and we’ll pay you for it too.

There are countless other examples, of course, but people don’t want to remember those right now because it ruins the narrative that they ruin their players and get them injured. Some have ripped them when news of Deng’s illness and spinal tap resulted in the all-star forward losing 15 pounds. “See, the Bulls’ doctors are incompetent!”

Yeah, because why would they care about a $72 million investment and one of the best people that’s ever come through this organization? A player mind you, that has a very valuable expiring contract this summer, and one that is still in his prime at 28 should they decide to bring him back next summer.

All the Bulls organization wants out of this entire fiasco is Derrick Rose to get back healthy and help them win another championship. If they’re dumbfounded as to why their franchise player won’t play after being cleared for two months and dominating his teammates in practice, how can anyone question it?

Anyone who can blindly stand behind Rose because he’s from Chicago and is the team’s first all world player since MJ left Utah in a state of depression after the game 6 clincher in ’98 is as clueless as Rose’s reps.

There’s no debate here. Rose is supposed to be playing, but he refuses to do so. If I was Dr. Cole, I’d tell Rose to operate on himself next time. That, or have Reggie or B.J. do the next surgery if God forbid there is one. And if “only God knows” when he’ll return to the court, why not schedule a surgery with him if you need another one?

For those that say Rose is a different kind of athlete and we don’t know what he’s going through, that’s why we listen to doctors. They know what we’re supposed to do and that’s why we go to them. Rose didn’t suffer a Marcus Lattimore type injury. ACL surgeries like Rose had are commonplace now and even MJ’s trainer Tim Grover believes Rose should be playing.

And… If Rose didn’t trust the Bulls’ doctors, why hasn’t he sought out a 2nd opinion on the knee? If he was concerned, why not try to rectify the issue? Oh, that’s right, it’s because Rose knows what he’s supposed to do, but just won’t do it. Why not get another doctor to look at the knee and MRI’s and let it be known that there might be an issue?

You know the answer to that question… It’s because any doctor worth a fuck would say the exact same thing the Bulls have told him… Get on the court and play!

This circus never had to overshadow a team that’s showing more courage, heart and desire than any other team in sports right now. The focus should be on Joakim Noah playing through Plantar Fasciitis and becoming a folk hero, Luol Deng reaffirming his toughness to the Twitter ass clowns, Nate Robinson throwing up on the bench and returning to the game and Taj Gibson fighting his own flu symptoms.

But instead, the focus is on the healthiest player on the roster refusing to do his job. It should be insulting to any Bulls fan, or anyone with a pulse that understands the difference between right and wrong.

@LouieLayups

There isn't another coach in the NBA that's more overlooked than Tom Thibodeau. If he isn't the coach of the year, then nobody is. How many other coaches could lead their team to 45 wins and a playoff series win without their best player?

More random thoughts as I sit here still dumbfounded that the Bulls beat the Heat in game 1…

That sound you hear is all of the NBA writers frantically trying to get their award ballots back to make the logical and only choice for the coach of the year award. While so many of those “experts” want to preach about the genius of “Spo” and other quality coaches, Thibs has out performed them all this season. Yes, even the always entertaining Gregg Popovich. Have guys like Mark Jackson and Lionel Hollins worked wonders? Of course, but no other coach has faced this much adversity this season.

Thibs didn’t utter a word when the Bulls wisely severed ties with the still over valued “Bench Mob.” He has maintained a next man up philosophy even as his roster erodes by the game. Oh, Kirk Hinrich’s out again? Fine, we’ll just let Nate Robinson run the show tonight. And no Luol Deng tonight? That’s fine, we’ll just throw Jimmy Butler out there to play the entire game so the basketball world can see how much he’s developed under Thibs’ masterful tutelage. Thibs’ “Do. Your. Job” line is equaled only be his famous “We have more than enough to win with.” As fans you get sick of hearing it, but you start to believe him when he pulls off a first round series win against a healthier, more talented and more expensive Nets team.

Based on talent alone, the Bulls should have lost to that bum ass Nets squad in 5. Instead, Thibs ran circles around P.J. Carlesimo like Steph Curry does to poor saps trying to chase him for 48 minutes. Thibs has been underappreciated by the national media since he got the Bulls job, but he’s finally starting to get the recognition he deserves.

Has he gotten coach of the year love, however? Of course not. People somehow take this guy for granted because the Bulls just keep winning. You’d think that would enhance his standing among the voters, but people have come to assume the Bulls will battle and fight until their told to go home because the arena is closing for the night.

But with a series win under his belt without his best player, and a game 1 win over the Heat, Thibs is finally earning the respect from people from outside of Chicago. With Pop and Doc Rivers, Thibs is one of the association’s three best coaches. Is he maddening at times during the regular season with how many minutes he plays Deng and Noah? Of course, but that’s his only blemish.

The Bulls are constantly prepared and despite being out-manned from a physical standpoint on most nights, they’re a defensive machine that plays elite defense without top flight athletes. They never mail in games (which is an NBA staple) and they play for each other and display a selflessness that’s a rarity in a me first league.

Just imagine what Thibs would do with a loaded roster? Let’s say the Bulls can find a way to pry Kevin Love away from Minnesota this summer and maintain cap flexibility for the summer of ’14 to make another run at LeBron. How untouchable would Thibs’ squad be then? Nobody does more with less, and it’s downright scary to think about how insanely good the Bulls would be with a star laden team.

For now, however, the Bulls ridiculous performance in the playoffs can be attributed to heart, passion, preparation, brass balls and the leadership of a coaching maniac that’s making many of his counterparts look like low paid interns.

@LouieLayups

Even on one leg, Joakim Noah is becoming one of the most versatile and dependable big men in basketball.

A few random thoughts on Joakim Noah as I try and figure out how the Bulls took game 1 from the Heat…

This was going to start out as another ode to the heart, determination, talent and will to win of Joakim Noah, but it’s pretty hard to ignore what the Bulls did just accomplish. Look, if the Heat take the next 4 games, I won’t be one bit surprised, but that doesn’t mean Bulls fans can’t continue to revel in the brass balls this team is displaying, especially their heart & soul.

The skill and leadership that Noah showed in game 7 vs the Nets (24 points with 14 rebounds and six blocks) and in game one vs the Heat is something to behold. In a league where coddled & entitled superstars refuse to get back on defense, bitch to officials for 48 minutes and pick and choose their spots (Oh, hey, Dwyane Wade!), Jo Noah is giving fans an old school tough as nails effort one one foot. What he’s also doing, is giving fans their money’s worth every single night. As an NBA junkie that’s watched hundreds of lazy dogs over the years, watching Noah leave it all on the court is the stuff you’ll remember years from now when he’s hopefully having his #13 retired at the U.C.

This season has been nothing but bad news for the Bulls, and it doesn’t look like it’s going to get better. The Derrick Rose saga should have been put to bed weeks ago (I told you he wasn’t coming back this year), but it’s the other injuries that would cripple the majority of teams in the sport.

Kirk Hinrich battled every injury imaginable this season, and now is dealing with a debilitating calf injury. His availability for this Heat series is in question, just as Luol Deng’s is. Deng tweeted a picture of him in a hospital bed Monday night, so he might be done for this series as well.

But Noah refuses to let his team (yeah, I went there) wilt under the pressure. It would have been easy once they learned that Rose is refusing to finish his rehab and play to just say screw it, we’ll go after it next year. Hell, I was one of those guys saying all season they should have used this year as a get everybody healthy for ’13-14 year.

Noah won’t have any of it. Noah thoroughly outplayed Brook Lopez in game 7, and somehow still had the energy to grab offensive rebounds, make pinpoint passes as the point center and go coast to coast for driving layups vs the Heat. How he’s doing this on his bad foot is remarkable.

When you put what Noah’s doing compared to what Dwight Howard pulled most of this season, it makes D-12 look pathetic.

“We’re a team of fighters,” Noah said after the Bulls lost Game 6 to the Nets. “We’re going to go into a hostile environment in Brooklyn and we’re going to win.”

I didn’t believe him. Shame on me, but who could have seen him putting together one of the greatest performances in Bulls playoff history? Yes, Keem’s game 7 masterpiece that included an array of offensive moves and lefty hooks was something only seen in NBA2K if juiced his attributes. And don’t let me forget his brilliant defensive rotations that should be used as an instructional video. This, of course, was on the Nets home floor against an expensive fraud of a team that collectively embarrassed themselves like Howard and the dog ass Clippers did this season.

Noah wasn’t sure he could play in the Nets series, now he’s suddenly playing 40+ minutes a night as the Bulls have become every underdog’s favorite sports story. That’s why no matter what happens the rest of the Heat series, the Bulls have already won.

This group of battered and emotionally spent players have earned the respect of every NBA observer that doesn’t have his or her head stuck up LeBron’s ass. The goal for the team with the 3rd most titles in league history remains adding more banners to the U.C., but Bulls fans should absolutely be thrilled they root for a team with this much passion and love for each other. They’ve faced more adversity than any team in basketball this season, but their mental toughness is unmatched in this sport right now. Guess what? Other teams know it too, that’s why they hate playing them. It doesn’t matter who isn’t playing, the Bulls will make you earn everything you get. And if you can’t appreciate the leadership and work that Jo Noah’s putting in right now, then you just don’t love the game of basketball.

@LouieLayups

Can Robert Guerrero (31-1-1, 18 KOs) finally give Floyd Mayweather (43-0, 26 KOs) his first defeat? If he does, he'll give the sport much needed mainstream juice.

We’ve reached the point in Floyd Mayweather’s career (43-0, 26 KOs) where he hand picks suckers looking for a payday, just so he can breathe easy & sleep anxiety free with Ms. Jackson every night. Now that the leader of TMT (that’s the Money Team apparently) has a shiny new 6-fight 30 month deal with Showtime that could net him $250 million, the pressure’s off the pound for pound king. Floyd knows the Manny Pacquiao fight has lost it’s luster and will never happen, so all he has to do is train like a maniac, fight lesser opponents to school for 12 rounds and maintain that 0 in his loss column. That’s it. As much of a sham as boxing has become, Mayweather is the biggest culprit. Why? Because he knows he can pick and choose no drama fights with zero repercussions. Floyd’s methods of picking fighters to “battle” is a bigger travesty than the bums Mick hand picked for Rocky to dismantle in his 10 title defenses after beating Apollo Creed.

But here we are at fight night (Showtime PPV, 8 p.m. Chi City time) and it’s still a big deal for fight fanatics because well… Who else do you want to see throw hammers these days? Robert Guerrero is a solid fighter with a legitimate resume. He’s a grind it out physical fighter that’s put together two impressive fights in the past year…

Guerrero (31-1) shot up two weight classes to take on undefeated welterweight Selcuk Aydin who had knocked out two of his last three opponents. Guerrero won a unanimous decision despite taking some quality shots in the process. Then, Guerrero took on Andre Berto, a two-time welterweight titleholder and Guerrero dropped him twice en route to another one-sided decision.

With those performances juicing up his resume, Guerrero deserves this opportunity…

“We’re going to go after him the whole fight,” Guerrero said. “Whether the fight ends early or if it goes 12 rounds, we’re going to go after him the whole fight.”

Nobody wants to see that happen more than me. I’ve seen enough of Floyd shielding his face and slowly but surely dissecting his opponents with surgical precision. It’s impressive, but that doesn’t mean it won’t put you to sleep. It’s about time he gets tested both physically and mentally. At 36 and after a year off, perhaps this is the moment where his age starts to show and he loses some of that world class speed. I wouldn’t bet on it, however.

Yes, Guerrero’s a southpaw and Mayweather has struggled with that style in the past (the Zab Judah fight immediately comes to mind), but Guerrero will prove to be too slow and eventually wear down from the beating Floyd will give him. Guerrero might start fast and end rounds with a flurry to try and steal points, but he’s just not in Floyd’s class. Unfortunately. I’ll say Mayweather by an 8th round stoppage, unless he wants to punish him for his old man talking shit about being a woman beater the other day. If that’s the case, Floyd will sit back, pick his spots and win a convincing decision.

If you’re an idiot like me, you’ll drop the $70 bones, watch this destruction in an annoyed mood and hate yourself afterwards for planning a Saturday night around it. Floyd’s fight are notorious for bringing out those emotions. And as this ass kicking is going down, you’ll probably start to think about another potential super fight that Floyd will run like a scared little bitch from… A potential blockbuster with the 42-0-1 Saul “Canelo” Alvarez.

@LouieLayups

You have to wonder if the '12 season was Peyton Manning's last best shot at another Super Bowl. The Broncos are as good as anyone in the AFC, but getting homefield advantage again is far from certain.

Denver Broncos

The fax machine blunder that resulted in the loss of Elvis Dumervil overshadowed the signing of Wes Welker. Yes, the addition of the best slot receiver in football will make Peyton Manning’s desires of throwing nothing but 8 yard passes a reality, but losing Dumervil is a killer. Not only did Denver lose an edge rusher that was a perfect compliment to Von Miller, they took a brutal cap hit as well. How unexpected was that loss? Well, the re-tooling world champion Ravens carved out space to sign the still effective 29-year old pass rusher to a $35 million contract with $12 million guaranteed & $8.5 million guaranteed for ’13.

The Broncos were lucky that Sylvester Williams slid to them in the draft and he’ll bolster the D line in need of a playmaker. The Shaun Phillips signing adds depth, but the Dumervil botch job will haunt this defense.

And as good as Welker is in his role, he lives for dropping critical passes in big moments, and they will make Manning extra whiny. Peyton can’t wait to start throwing his arms up in the air when things go bad, and a big Welker drop in a playoff game would add to the pressure of Peyton desperately trying to reach one more Super Bowl.

Kansas City Chiefs

There hasn’t been a more impressive “on paper” team this offseason than the Chiefs. This team had talent last year and was picked by many to make the playoffs…. 6 Pro Bowl caliber players helped fuel the hype. But 2 wins later brought in a new regime led by Andy Reid. Reid and GM John Dorsey knew what anyone that desired a QB in the ’13 draft knew… We better look at Alex Smith.

Smith is a perfect fit for Reid’s offense, and will play with talented players on that offense. Bringing Dwayne Bowe back was a big first step, and he’ll give Smith the outside threat he needs. Smith will love Anthony Fasano and when he does take a shot deep (Smith loves picking his spots to take a shot downfield), Donnie Avery is a nice speedster to look to. Eric Fisher has a ton of upside (you’d hope so in a #1 overall pick), but this team needs to figure out the Branden Albert situation. And soon. This franchise has made good strides, and they don’t need a distraction as training camp looms.

Sean Smith gives the Chiefs a big bodied corner that’s all the rage these days, and Mike DeVito will also help bolster the defense. It’s early, but I’m leaning towards picking the Chiefs to win this division in ’13.

San Diego Chargers

The Chargers turned in their draft card with D.J. Fluker’s name on it quicker than pass rushers got to Philip Rivers last season. I like Fluker, even if he projects to a right tackle at the NFL level. For a line this atrocious, they need all the help they can get. If you’ve been reading any of my work this offseason, you know how I’d never go near that NotreDame linebacker I refuse to name, but I did like the Keenan Allen pick on draft weekend. If Allen can get his knee right (PCL injuries are tricky and always linger), he can be an Anquan Boldin type of player. He’s that talented. That being said, there’s just not enough juice at the skill positions to challenge the Chiefs & Broncos in this division.

There’s also not enough juice in the defensive backfield with the exception of Eric Weddle. The good news for the Chargers, however, if that Norv Turner’s gone. And even though there’s a ton of work to be done with this roster, that’s a hell of a start.

Oakland Raiders

The Raiders are still a mess, but Reggie McKenzie is slowly digging them out of the ditch Al Davis put them in. When McKenzie got to Oakland, he knew he had two years of cap hell to work through, very few high draft picks, no quarterback of the future and a disaster of a roster that needed an overhaul.

Luckily for Raider fans, this team is well on their way to relevancy again, even it means another year of misery and a top 5 pick in ’14. Raiders fans shouldn’t be shortsighted, however. Next year’s QB crop dwarfs this year’s, so the opportunity will be there to draft a young signal caller that this team can build around. Tyler Wilson is an intriguing prospect, but he’s not Teddy Bridgewater, Tajh Boyd or Brett Hundley.

Houston CB D.J. Hayden was the guy the Raiders wanted (he could be the best corner from the ’13 draft class), and their trade back from 3 allowed them scoop up offensive tackle Menelik Watson, who may end up being good enough to be their left tackle. This team won’t be making a playoff run this season, but McKenzie is starting to put together a real team… For once. And come next offseason, this franchise will not only have a top pick, they’ll be loaded with cap space to add to their more talent to their roster.

@LouieLayups

Instead of pimping his success, Niners QB Colin Kaepernick took only a week off after the Super Bowl. His work ethic will elevate him to become one of the NFL's best players in '13.

Since football season never ends, I’m doing a division by division post draft analysis that will either get you juiced for the start of the ’13 season, or reinforce just how abysmal your team is. The NFC West is going first because it’s become the most compelling and quite possibly the best division in football. You know how loaded the Niners are and how talented the Seahawks have become, but the Rams are becoming a story and will be a bitch to deal with. Even the normally bum ass Cardinals are making noise and finally have a quarterback that the other 52 guys in the locker room don’t laugh at on a consistent basis.

San Francisco 49ers

The NFC champs didn’t rest on their success of the past two seasons. Instead, they’ve loaded up even more this offseason to remain the top dog in the conference and make another push for the franchise’s 6th Super Bowl championship. The Seahawks trade for Percy Harvin? Fine, the Niners go out and give up a 6th round pick for Anquan Boldin. They plugged the few holes they have on the roster with a stellar draft that was led by LSU safety Eric Reid. The athletic and physically superior Reid immediately fills the void at free safety that was opened when Dashon Goldson went to Tampa.

They lost Ricky Jean-Francois and Isaac Sopoaga in free agency, but they brought in Glenn Dorsey and drafted three rookies: DT Tank Carradine, D lineman Quinton Dial and OLB/DE Corey Lemonier. All are younger, cheaper and more versatile. TE Vance McDonald, WR Quinton Patton and RB Marcus Lattimore (if he recovers from that devastating injury) will prove to be draft steals at where they were picked. Oh, and the Nnamdi Asomugha signing will prove to be a savvy one at a measly $1.35 million for one year.

But as GM Trent Baalke said, “this team works” and “we want guys that are committed.” Nobody personifies the team first mantra more than Colin Kaepernick. It would have been easy for a young superstar QB to live the life after last season’s success, but Kaepernick instead worked his ass off two weeks after the Super Bowl. His work ethic is paying off on his teammates with last year’s 1st round pick A.J. Jenkins following his lead to build a rapport with his QB during offseason workouts in Atlanta. This team is loaded. And yes… The rich got filthy rich.

Seattle Seahawks

If Pete Carroll didn’t mismanage the clock at the end of the 1st half in the Divisional Playoff, the Hawks might have been in the NFC Championship Game. The Percy Harvin trade for a 1st rounder was a ballsy one considering his knack for getting hurt, but he shouldn’t be the malcontent he was in Minnesota with that hefty contract. Michael Bennett and Cliff Avril add to already impressive pass rush and should give them plenty of depth up front.

If Wilson makes a jump in year two and the secondary remains as lethal as it was last season (with this pass rush, why wouldn’t it be?), this team could be in the Super Bowl.

St. Louis Rams

Tight end Jared Cook is an emerging talent that should put up solid numbers if Sam Bradford stays healthy. That’s always an iffy proposition with his shoulder history, but stealing Jake Long away from Miami was a solid move. Long has injury questions himself, his signing was worth the risk for a team desperately trying to catch the 49ers & Seahawks.

I love what the Rams did in the draft. Tavon Austin has the ability to make DB’s look stupid on that turf, and Alec Ogletree could be a star if he follows Jeff Fisher’s lead. Losing Steven Jackson and Danny Amendola will hurt this team initially, but Austin and late round pick Stedman Bailey should fill that void. And look out for former Vandy running back, Zac Stacy.

This team could compete for a wild card spot this season, but their success will ride on the health of Bradford. No matter what happens in ’13, Fisher has the Rams on the uptick.

Arizona Cardinals

New coach Bruce Arians and GM Steve Keim have a steep climb ahead of them in this division, but the days of trotting out nonfunctional QB’s is over with. Carson Palmer isn’t the QB of the future, but he’s a hell of a lot better than John Skelton. Palmer will make Larry Fitzgerald somewhat sane again, and the pick of Jonathan Cooper will instantly upgrade their porous offensive line. Is it enough to keep Palmer upright so he avoids his classic pick 6′s? Probably not, and that will be again be their ultimate downfall.

I was high on Kevin Minter during the draft process, and he’ll add speed to the defense, but they over drafted Tyrann Mathieu. And why is he playing safety again? He’ll have a support system with Patrick Peterson, but playing him anywhere but the slot is a mistake. There’s a ton of work left to be done before this team competes for a division title, but they’re finally elevating themselves from the bum show level.

@LouieLayups