New coach, old questions for Bulls as training camp opens

CHICAGO — The Chicago Bulls have a new coach and the same old questions as the NBA season draws closer.

 

Most of the group is back from a team that won 50 games but was ousted in six games by the Cleveland Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference semifinals. The Bulls will conduct their first training-camp practices Tuesday under new coach Fred Hoiberg, who replaces Tom Thibodeau.

 

On Monday (Tuesday in Manila), general manager Gar Forman praised Hoiberg for building relationships with the players.

 

"You can see the players responding to it," Forman said. "And I think the players are as excited as we are about everything Fred's going to bring to the table."

 

Under the defensive-minded Thibodeau, the Bulls were one of the Eastern Conference's elite teams but never reached the NBA Finals. With Derrick Rose struggling to stay healthy, Chicago couldn't match its strong regular seasons with similar playoff results and some thought Thibodeau's emphasis on regular-season wins took a toll as the postseason wore on.

 

Hoiberg will be asked to reverse the playoff disappointment with a stable roster, despite being in the same conference as LeBron James and the Cavaliers. He inherits a roster with Rose, Jimmy Butler, Pau Gasol, Joakim Noah and a veteran group that's done everything except go all the way.

 

The 35-year-old Gasol is coming off a tremendous summer, leading Spain to the title at the European basketball championship. He won the tournament's Most Valuable Player award after leading all scorers with 25.6 points per game.

 

"It's a great opportunity, obviously, with the group we have here, with the veterans, with the young group that I think has a tremendous upside and try to mesh all that talent," Hoiberg said. "You don't walk into many of these situations to have a team that can compete at the highest level."

 

Though Rose is entering camp after a summer of training instead of rehab, Chicago has its share of health-related questions. Mike Dunleavy underwent back surgery Friday and was expected to miss 8-10 weeks and Taj Gibson underwent left ankle surgery in June and is hoping to be back for the start of the season.

 

Rose, who underwent surgery on a torn right meniscus in February, said it felt good to be working out in Los Angeles over the summer. He also scoffs at people who doubt how good he is, that he won't be able to match what he did when he won the 2010-2011 Most Valuable Player award.

 

"I can't get caught up into that. I know I'm great," Rose said.