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CHICAGO -- Gar Forman knows how to work a room, but he's got nothing on his wife Leslie.

Forman, the Chicago Bulls general manager and reigning NBA executive of the year alongside Miami's Pat Riley, has spent decades working in basketball as a coach, scout or executive. But even he would admit he doesn't hold a candle to the bubbly personality his wife exudes on a daily basis. Leslie Forman has become a fixture at Bulls games, chatting up fans, players, even Derrick Rose's mom Brenda.

She has also become more of a force within the community relations arm of the Bulls organization, the Chicago Bulls Charities. As usual, she bounced around the halls at the United Center on Tuesday as the Bulls hosted their annual charity benefit, just one of many new endeavors she's undertaken in recent months, alongside another new and more public face to the re-formatted organization, Nancy Reinsdorf, the wife of President and COO, Michael Reinsdorf.

Back in January, the Formans, along with John Lucas III, Jimmy Butler and other Bulls personnel, spent an evening at Mercy Home, described by the organization as a place which "gives children who have suffered abuse, neglect, poverty and even abandonment the opportunity to rebuild their lives and the encouragement to realize their dreams."

The Bulls caravan made a special appearance for "Hoops to Homework" night, an NBA draft-like event in which kids from the home who kept their grades up throughout the year were drafted onto teams and played against each other throughout the rest of the season. Forman, Lucas and Butler were among some who made speeches, but it was Leslie Forman, playing the role of cheerleader, who had the crowd energized before the festivities.

"She's got a lot of coaching in her background," Forman quipped. "Her dad was a longtime coach. I guess that's where it comes from."

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DEERFIELD, Ill -- Jimmy Butler knew what was coming.

After spending so much time talking about his beloved Marquette basketball team over the past few weeks, the proud alum knew what he was in for after the Golden Eagles' lost to Joakim Noah's Florida Gators in the NCAA Tournament Friday night.

"I knew I was going to hear it this morning," Butler said after Friday's practice. "I didn't know as soon as I walked into the door everybody was going to give it to me this morning."

The easy-going rookie tried to take it in stride, though. He actually spent Thursday night watching the game at Noah's house with teammates Ronnie Brewer and John Lucas III. The trash talk was, needless to say, abundant.

"It was tough," Butler said. "They play hard, they were making their shots ... it didn't help that I had Jo in my ear, in my face, doing his pistols when he didn't make any shots. But I guess that's what we got here."

For Noah, the loquacious Florida alum loved the fact that his old team was able to pull out the win.

"It's great, man," Noah said. "Really proud of the Gators. It was a great team effort, [Thursday]. I watched the game with Jimmy. I've never seen a guy with such an emotional ... his ups and downs [Thursday] were unbelievable. I was trying to stay steady, focused on the game. He was distraught after the game and I let him know about it ... We're family, but it was definitely tough for Little Jimmy [Thursday]."

Noah acknowledged that there was some kind of wager on the game, but he wasn't spilling on what was won, or in Butler's case, lost.

"It's more than just the wagers," Noah said. "Especially for Jimmy. He played with those guys so not being able to be there, in the fire, I'm sure that's tough. But being an old Gator boy, I just want to say I'm very proud of those young guys. They played their hearts out and made an old Gator very proud."

CHICAGO -- Derrick Rose scored 32 points and made several jaw-dropping plays in the Chicago Bulls' 104-99 win over the New York Knicks on Monday, but he believes that it was another pair of teammates who really changed the game on Monday night -- Taj Gibson and rookie Jimmy Butler.

"They're the reason why we won this game," Rose said.

Gibson played his best game of the season against the Knicks, scoring 15 points and pulling down 13 rebounds, while Butler may have played the best game of his young career. The Marquette alum played 29 minutes, scoring eight points and grabbing two rebounds, much to the delight of his teammates.

"Jimmy was great," Bulls center Joakim Noah said. "Great energy as well. We really needed his energy. There was a lot of loose balls out there that he got to for us. Those are things you might not see in a stat line, but he affected the game tonight and I'm proud of the rookie."

Bulls head coach Tom Thibodeau was proud of both men, but he noted just how important Gibson's play was throughout the game. The third-year forward racked up eight offensive rebounds and continually kept possessions alive. Gibson's performance is one of the biggest reasons why the Bulls were able to create such a huge advantage on the glass. They outrebounded the Knicks 56-38.

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When Carmelo Anthony talks dominated the digital airwaves last winter, it was widely speculated that Melo's departure could mean the Denver Nuggets' demise. Nuggets GM Masai Ujiri proved to be a hard bargainer, however, and despite having only one real option as a trading partner, he managed to bring in four quality players along with draft picks in the deal. And not only did Denver not fall out of the playoff race, they have played better since the trade, slowed only recently by a massive slate of injuries.

Just days after Anthony was shipped to New York, the Utah Jazz traded Deron Williams, their own discontented superstar, to New Jersey. Utah hasn't been quite as successful as Denver, but despite a haul heavier on youth and draft picks, the Jazz aren't far behind the Nuggets, and are squarely in the playoff picture out West.

Trading a superstar, in other words, is by no means a death sentence -- not even in the short run. But it's not always a winning move, either. New Orleans went from a No. 7 seed in the playoffs to a 4-23 start after sending Chris Paul to Los Angeles. While it's true that the Hornets are the unluckiest team in the NBA so far (defined by TeamRankings.com's NBA luck rankings, which compare expected wins to actual wins), they've also gotten almost no production from Eric Gordon, Chris Kaman or Al-Farouq Aminu. If Denver and Utah "won" their respective superstar trades, New Orleans definitely lost.

There's one more superstar domino to fall, though. Dwight Howard is on the market, and moving him could change the future of many NBA franchises.

MILWAUKEE -- The memories came flooding back to Jimmy Butler the moment the former Marquette star set foot in the Al McGuire Center with the rest of his Chicago Bulls' teammates.

"It's crazy being back in here," Butler said before the Bulls' shootaround Saturday morning. "Knowing that I'm playing for a different team, but still practicing. I love Marquette. This is my foundation for the most part. So being back in the Al McGuire Center, knowing what I went through on this very floor with [Marquette coach] Buzz Williams, it feels good to be back here and get some work done this morning."

Butler, whom the Bulls selected with the 30th pick in this past June's NBA draft, is riding high for his homecoming. The rookie forward is coming off his best game as a pro; he scored seven points and made several key defensive plays while matched up against Carmelo Anthony in Chicago's win against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden on Thursday.

Butler's early success reinforces how much his time at Marquette meant to him.

"I think NBA wasn't an option when I stepped through these doors for the first time," Butler admitted. "And when [Marquette coach] Buzz [Williams] started to coach me I was like, 'Wow, the NBA can't be like this. It's got to be way harder.' I had a difficult time when I first got here. You can ask anybody. But I think as time went on, as I got used to the college game, as I got used to being coached like that, and got used to the defensive mentality, I think I started to come around. Day by day, month by month, year by year, until I was ready whenever June came."

Butler's solid performance against the Knicks may have earned him more playing time given in Tom Thibodeau's rotation, which is thin with ' forward Luol Deng (wrist) and guard Rip Hamilton (groin/thigh) dealing with persistent injuries. Thibodeau said that Butler has a ways to go, but he sees some similarities between the rookie's game and Deng's.

"There are similarities in the sense [both] are very serious," Thibodeau said. "Great attitude, great approach. I think Jimmy's just going to get better and better. But he's in the first phase of his career. Lu's been at it for eight years now. But Jimmy will get better and better. We're very confident in his ability. And you can see it from game to game. He learns, he's more confident. And we need everybody. I think he's done a great job for us."

Thibodeau has praised Butler's work ethic from the start of training camp. With that, he and his players don't seem surprised by the rookie's recent success.

"We need everybody and when one guy goes out, the next guy steps up," Thibodeau said. "And he has to be ready and he has to perform. We're very pleased with his progress, where he is, who he is. His makeup's not going to change, that's who he is. We feel very good about him. We're hopeful to get Lu back when we do. Lu's going to go back to the role that he was in. And everyone has to stay ready."

That shouldn't be a problem for Butler, especially given the defensive principles that he says Williams instilled in him during his time at Marquette.

"This is definitely where it started," Butler said. "Buzz is like a version of Thibs to me. They know what they're doing. They study the game. And defense really does win championships. So they live off of that, they thrive off of that. Both my college teams (Butler attended Tyler Junior College before going to Marquette) thrived off of defense. This team thrives off of defense. Defense was a mentality whenever I got here."

On Saturday morning, Butler's mentality was all about rolling with the good-natured verbal jabs from his teammates. They were giving him a hard time about being back on campus.

"It doesn't help that you come in here and you see my picture on the wall," Butler said with a laugh. "So they got a kick out of that. Marquette, they always show love to all their former players. NBA, not NBA, it doesn't matter. You play here, everybody loves you. But I definitely took a lot [of crap] from them this morning. Just about being back at Milwaukee, the Bradley Center ... but those are my guys. That's what they're supposed to do."

NEW YORK -- The irony was not lost on Luol Deng.

As he walked past rookie Jimmy Butler in the visitors' locker room, he couldn't help but crack a smile. The rookie swingman had just polished off the best game of his young career. He scored seven points in 21 minutes of play. He played solid defense against New York Knicks' star Carmelo Anthony and even managed to knock down a huge basket with 1:29 left in the fourth quarter that gave the Bulls a much-needed cushion. The fact that he did all of this on the big basketball stage at Madison Square Garden was lost on no one. That's why Deng and his teammates were so happy for the easygoing Marquette alum.

"Jimmy!, Jimmy!," Deng chanted as he ducked out to go see some of his friends.

The adulation that comes when a young player actually contributes to a victory is something Butler could get used to.

"It felt good," Butler said. "I think it felt even better to know that the coaching staff believed in me and my teammates believed in me to take on a matchup like that, so that definitely boosted my confidence and I just went out there and played hard."

Deng wasn't the only player or coach singing Butler's praises after the game. It's clear that the rookie's performance had an impact on Thibodeau.

"We've liked him from the start," Thibodeau said. "We love his attitude and approach and the way he works every day, his demeanor. And we know he's going to get better and better. The hard thing for him is right now, we're not practicing. He's doing a lot of individual work with the assistant coaches. ... We have a lot of confidence in his ability and he's already got a defensive mindset. As he gets to learn the league and the tendencies of the players and the teams, he's only going to get better and better. But he's got a very serious approach to the game. I thought he made a lot of big plays down the stretch for us."

That fact that Butler was able to come up big in such a crucial spot did not surprise his teammates.

"I'm not surprised," Bulls point guard Derrick Rose said. "Coach loves him as a player. He comes in, does his work. He's very professional. Doesn't bother the team. He's a great rookie."

He's a rookie who figures to find some more time in the rotation now -- especially since Deng (wrist) is hurting and Rip Hamilton (thigh/groin) could be out for a while. The key for Butler, as he readily admits, is confidence. That confidence was on display in a major way thanks to his clutch jumper.

The rookie praised Deng for his guidance before the moment found him.

"When I walked over to the bench, Lu was like, 'Shoot the ball!'," Butler said. "[My teammates] were like, 'If you're open, shoot it.' So I took two jump shots right after [he said that]. I turned and I was open, I missed the first one. [Carlos Boozer] got the rebound. I go back over to the bench and Lu was like, 'See, good things happen when you shoot the ball. You miss and [we] got the offensive rebound and two points.'

"And then the next play, I looked down at the bench before [I shot] and was like, 'OK, listen to Lu.' I came off of [the screen] in one dribble and pulled up which is a type of shot I love to take. I think that fits within my game."

As long as Butler keeps playing the same way, Thibodeau is going to have no trouble finding minutes for him. The Bulls really like the way he's worked in practice, and they believe he can become a consistent rotational player down the line. That time came even sooner than expected on Thursday night.

"I think he played great," Bulls center Joakim Noah said. "He played [with] a lot of heart out there. He really affected the game in a lot of ways. His defense was great, and he hit a big jump shot at the end. I'm real happy for the rook."

CHICAGO -- Taj Gibson scored 12 points, grabbed nine rebounds and blocked two shots during the Chicago Bulls' first preseason game against the Indiana Pacers on Friday. The fact that he accomplished all of that in just 26 minutes off the bench is even more impressive.

In many ways, Gibson is the perfect example of the depth that Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau has to work with this season. There are plenty of teams in this league that would love to have Gibson in their starting lineup. On the Bulls, Gibson is just another piece that Thibodeau can stick in the game when he needs a spark.

With Gibson, Luol Deng, Carlos Boozer, and Jimmy Butler filling time at the three and four spots this season, and the rest of the roster looking solid, the Bulls would appear to have an embarrassment of riches.

Gibson has proven to be extremely durable during his short professional career, having missed just two games in two seasons. If Boozer goes down again because of an injury, Gibson can slide back into the starting role he had throughout most of his rookie season. If Boozer stays healthy and finds a defensive rhythm with Joakim Noah in the post, the Bulls figure to have one of the most potent forward-center combos in the league.

That's probably the best thing the Bulls have going for them with this group. Outside of the rookie Butler, Gibson, Deng and Boozer are known quantities. Gibson is a durable, hard-nosed defender who appears to have improved his offensive game in the offseason. Recently, he showed several moves in the post that should give Bulls fans reason to smile this year.

Boozer has shown in years past that when he's healthy he can be dangerous. If Boozer stays healthy, he believes he'll be an All Star once again this season. Yes, he has major issues defensively, but he dropped at least 20 pounds over the summer and early reports have him at least trying a little harder on that end of the floor. If he stays in shape, he can average 20 points and 10 rebounds this year. If he gets hurt again, all of Chicago will turn on him completely.

Deng proved to be the Bulls' ironman last season, starting every game. He was so solid both offensively and defensively that fans seemed to forget that he struggled with injuries again the past two years. With an incredibly hectic schedule on the horizon, Deng is trying to keep a positive attitude because he knows how important he was to the Bulls' success last season. After all, it was Derrick Rose who repeatedly said that Deng was actually the Bulls' MVP a year ago.

"I think [the schedule is] a positive," Deng said recently. "A lot of people look at it in a bad way, but it's less practices for Thibs. Less practices, less running. It's definitely going to be something different, but I really think we're going to be prepared. I really think we're going to benefit from it. With the team we have, our bench is great. We'll use them well."

Speaking of that bench, Butler figures to be the guy spending a lot of time there in the beginning. The Bulls like what they have seen early out of Butler, but Thibodeau doesn't sound ready to give him a regular rotation spot just yet. The veteran coach is content to allow Butler to grow into his role throughout the year, although Thibodeau did acknowledge that if Butler earns the right to play, he will play in games. Either way, the Bulls figure to be in good shape heading into the season with this group, because there is talent everywhere you look.

DEERFIELD, Ill. -- The reality of where Rip Hamilton is at in his career right now has hit him recently.

"I'm kind of like the Old G right now," Hamilton said with a laugh after Sunday's practice. "And it's kind of crazy because time flies when you're playing basketball and you're having fun. I didn't realize that until Luol [Deng] said, 'Yeah, I remember coming to watch you play when you were 14 when I played for the Wizards. And Derrick [Rose] was saying, 'I remember being at your house when I was in 11th grade.' So it's different and that kind of wakes you up and you say, 'Man, I've been here for a long time,' but it's fun, it's exciting because you got an opportunity to win."

At 33, Hamilton isn't exactly an old man, but on this season's Bulls roster he might as well be. Now that Kurt Thomas and Keith Bogans have moved on, Hamilton is the oldest player on the roster. He's also the newest, having just signed his contract Wednesday.The veteran shooter seems to be fitting in nicely with his younger teammates. He's already pick up on the fact that the Bulls are a tight group that is only concerned about winning.

"When you love each other and you love your teammates, you don't think about anything else but winning," he said, when asked if having too much depth could cause problems sometimes on teams. "So if you're cheering for your guy, you know that you're on a string, you're only as good as your teammate, then not at all."

That type of attitude will sit well with coach Tom Thibodeau.

"I think each day he gets more and more comfortable," Bulls head coach Tom Thibodeau said. "He's been around. He's a pro's pro. He comes into work, he gets here early. He's studying hard. So he's doing fine so far."

Hamilton is supposed to be the piece the Bulls needed at the two guard position this season. His new teammates and coaches believe he can fill that role quickly.

"I think his experience, he played with Chauncey [Billups] for a long time," Thibodeau said. "And Chauncey's a great pick and roll player, post up player. I think talented players always figure out how to play with each other. That's never a problem. The thing that I like is, Rip's very unselfish. I think he fits in very well from that standpoint."

Thibodeau admitted that he used to have problems devising game plans to stop Hamilton as an assistant. It's clear that he believes Hamilton hasn't lost a step.

"With a scorer like that, it's very difficult to stop him individually," Thibodeau said. "What you're trying to do is make him work for his points. We always [tried to] trap his pick and rolls and his catch and shoot plays. And just try not to give him any clean looks when he can get into rhythm. But he's hard to guard because of the way he moves without the ball. And I don't know if we had much success against him. He's a great player. With great players, you just got to try to make them work for those points."

Speaking of working for points, Bulls rookie Jimmy Butler did exactly that during Friday night's first preseason game against the Indiana Pacers. The Marquette alum scored eight of them and gained a lot of praise in the process.

"He's worked very hard. He's studied hard. He's prepared himself well thus far," Thibodeau said after the game. "Now he has to show that he can do it over the course of the season. But I think he's got the right attitude and the right approach and that's the first step."

For his part, Butler seems like the type of player who will fit into Thibodeau's system. He plays hard and doesn't show any signs of being afraid on the floor. If he keeps that up over the course of the shortened season, he will find a way to crack the rotation.

"I'm encouraged by him," Thibodeau said after Sunday's practice. "And if the opportunity comes where he has to play, he's going to play. He's done a good job thus far."

It's clear that his teammates are encouraged by his play as well.

Carlos Boozer said last week. "Jimmy's a hard worker. And I'm an early bird, I get to the gym mad early, always an hour and a half, two hours before practice starts and he's here before me which is very impressive. And he stays late. You can see him over there shooting jumpers right now. Good rookie, great mentality."

As we get set for the Bulls season, let's take a closer look at each player on the projected roster.

Jimmy Butler

Salary: $1.02 million

Role for Bulls in 2011-12: There really isn't that much pressure on Butler this season. Thibodeau has already admitted that it will be tough for Butler to crack the rotation in the beginning of the year because the lockout stopped him from learning the system this summer. The Bulls are high on the Marquette alum though, and he seems like the kind of player they're always looking for.

What happened this summer?: Butler spent time back in his home state of Texas and also trained at the IMG Academy in Florida. He said he talked to Derrick Rose and various other teammates throughout the summer.

Best-case scenario: Butler plays every night like he did during Friday night's preseason opener in Indiana. He was 3-for-3 from the field, scored eight points and played with the type of aggression Thibodeau likes to see. If he can break into the rotation and become a functioning member of the Bench Mob, Thibodeau will be very pleased. "I told you he's great, man," Rose said after Friday night's game. "He's a great addition to our team. With him being so young and understanding the game. And he has a lot of confidence, quiet confidence. Where when he's out there, he's always doing something good. He can defend. Plays smart, man, especially being a rookie. He's one of the pieces I think coach is going to use a lot."

Worst-case scenario: Butler doesn't adapt well to the speed of the NBA game and struggles to find a niche on the team. He gets frustrated with a lack of minutes and doesn't grow as much in his first year as the Bulls want him to in his first season.

Bottom line: All Butler needs to do this season is learn. If he can produce solid minutes throughout the season, that would be an added bonus for the Bulls.

INDIANAPOLIS -- Bulls rookie Jimmy Butler admitted that he was nervous before the start of Friday's game.

Why wouldn't he be? He was playing in his first NBA game. After he banked in his first shot, though, everything changed.

"Those guys told me to calm down and do what I've been doing for however many years now and that's play basketball," he said after Friday night's win over the Pacers. "They wanted me to be successful and I felt like I did all right."

Butler certainly did, scoring eight points, going 3-for-3 from the field and showing the type of intensity that the Bulls love to see.

"I told you he's great, man," Bulls point guard Derrick Rose said. "He's a great addition to our team. With him being so young and understanding the game. And he has a lot of confidence, quiet confidence. Where when he's out there, he's always doing something good. He can defend. Plays smart, man, especially being a rookie. He's one of the pieces I think Coach is going to use a lot."

That's fine by Butler, although he admitted he was still trying to get used to the fast-paced action in the game.

"Everything about the game surprised me, man," he said. "You can get away with stuff in college by being more athletic, or your length. At this level, everybody can do everything. It was definitely a learning experience for me out there."

Now that he's learned a little more, Butler feels like he's part of the club, like he belongs in the league.

"I definitely think so," he said. "That first jumper, off the glass, I didn't call it, so I don't know. After that, I think my nerves started to calm. After my first defensive trip, I was like, "All right, maybe I do belong here."

Brewer will play any role: If Ronnie Brewer is frustrated with the addition of Rip Hamilton, he isn't showing it publicly. The veteran guard said all the right things on Friday morning when it came to adding a new teammate who will probably take up some of his minutes this year.

"I think it's great for this team," Brewer said of the Hamilton acquisition. "It adds another weapon. It does a lot for this offense. [He] moves well without the basketball. [Has a] great mid-range game. Great leadership, and he's won championships. That's something that guys on this team are chasing to get. [With] the addition of him., he knows what it takes to get there. [Brian Scalabrine], Coach Thibs, those are the only guys who have experienced winning a championship. That's what we're trying to do. He practiced [Thursday]. We've been pushing each other hard in practice and working together to try and get better, so I like it."

So has Thibodeau talked to Brewer about continuing to start, like he did Friday night, and have Hamilton come off the bench?

"Honestly, I haven't really talked to him about it," Brewer said. "My whole viewpoint of the whole thing is wherever they have me coming in -- I worked hard in the summer to improve and get better, so if I'm starting [or] coming off the bench. I want to be better than I was last year. And that's my main focus, to help the team out. At the end of the day, we're all in it to win, win games. If it means him starting is going to give us a better chance to win the championship, I'm all about it. If it means for me to start and set the tempo and have Rip and Kyle come off the bench, I'm fine with that too. Whatever my roll is on this team, I'm willing to take it in stride."

The last word: "Turnovers," he said. "We can deal with missed shots. That's going to happen in a game, but turnovers, that's something that we've definitely got to change and it starts with me. A perfect game with me is no turnovers. I don't care about any other stat other than turnovers." - Rose, on what he feels like his team must clean up in the next week.

Part II: "It seems like we've played them 20 times," he said. "Doesn't it seem like we've played them a lot over the last 12-16 months or something?" - Carlos Boozer on playing Indiana again.

INDIANAPOLIS -- Tom Thibodeau wanted his team to turn the page Friday night. He wanted his players to stop thinking about all they had accomplished last season and start anew in Friday's preseason opener against the Indiana Pacers.

"Your first game, you've got to establish who you are," Thibodeau said after the Bulls defeated the Pacers 95-86. "And so, what our identity is, is not going to be based on what happened last year. We have to re-establish who we are this year. This is the first step."

To that point, let's take a quick look at how each one of Thibodeau's players performed after more than six months off from NBA action:

Derrick Rose: The reigning MVP did not come out of the gate the way he wanted to and he knows it. Rose had 16 points, but he turned the ball over six times.

"I think I had like three or four turnovers, a charge, travel, like some high school turnovers," Rose said. "But I know that comes with being excited. Just being out there, just seeing everything. But I know my game is going to come back to me since I've been working so hard this summer."

Luol Deng: The Bulls' ironman played a team-high 32 minutes and scored 16 points, but he had five turnovers as well. Overall, Deng looked to be in solid shape and picked up right where he left off last year.

Joakim Noah: Noah looked winded at times, but that won't bother Thibodeau as much, given that Noah appears to be 100 percent healthy. He was rusty, but he still had 10 points, eight rebounds.

Carlos Boozer: Not a good start for the power forward who has lots to prove this season. He was just 3-for-10 from the field, but what has to be even more disconcerting is that his defensive rotations were still not up to par. He looks to be in better shape, but there's no question Thibodeau would like to see him run the floor more.

"I did like the way he and Ronnie were playing off each other," Thibodeau said. "I thought his floor game was very good. I thought he had some bunnies that he normally makes that he didn't make. Some good, some bad, we just got to keep building."

For his part, Boozer said he felt fine physically, admitting to some rust like the rest of his teammates.

"I felt great," Boozer said. "No aches, no pains. Felt great. Felt great to be playing."

Ronnie Brewer: Thibodeau decided to go with Brewer after deciding before the game that he didn't want to play newly acquired Rip Hamilton. Brewer played OK at times, but looked frustrated at various points throughout the game.

Taj Gibson: The fourth-year forward clearly improved his game this summer. He scored 12 points and has obviously developed some low-post moves to go with his solid defense.

Gibson learned an important lesson during his hours working in the gym during the lockout.

"I just want to be patient," Gibson said. "Even if it's not going your way, just have patience, push through. Try to rebound, try to play solid defense. And the main thing is to just have confidence. I got more and more confidence as the game went on. And my teammates were finding me."

C.J. Watson: Since Rose got into foul trouble early, Watson was pressed into action sooner than usual. He got hot from the field, scoring 15 points and going 3-for-3 from behind the arc. Thibodeau was pleased Watson got some minutes with the first team.

Kyle Korver: Only took three shots in 26 minutes. The good news for Thibodeau is he appears to be in good shape and appears to be a little more active on defense.

Jimmy Butler: Everyone sung the praises of the rookie after the game. Why not? He was 3-for-3 from the field, had eight points and was also very active on the defensive end.

"You've got to remember, he practices against Luol every day," Boozer said of Butler. "Luol's one of the best three men in the league. If he can compete against him every day, I don't think he's going to be too scared of too many people in the NBA."

Omer Asik: The Turkish center picked up five fouls in 18 minutes. He told Thibodeau he felt good, though.

"He says he's pain free," Thibodeau said. "He's not in great shape yet. And normally he is in great shape. That's who he is. He's a great worker, but he had to stay off the foot for a while. He says physically he feels fine. He just has to get his conditioning up."

DEERFIELD, Ill. -- Jimmy Butler didn't hesitate on Tuesday morning when asked whether the biggest difficulty as an NBA rookie was mental or physical.

"Definitely mental," the new Chicago Bulls guard said. "Physical also, but there's so much to learn and you have to know and you have to build on top of it each and every day. Mentally, it is mind-boggling, but physically it's a wear and tear. You've got to take care of your body like coach said, like my teammates said, take care of your body. So that's what I'm going to do now."

Butler knows he also must endure the rookie hazing that every player goes through in the early part of his career.

"I am a rookie," he said. "I hear you've got to do it. Might as well man up and do it, not fight it. They say if you fight it that makes it worse. As much as I don't want to do it, I'm looking forward to it."

So are his teammates.

"He'll get doughnuts, he'll get the bags," Carlos Boozer said. "We haven't had a road trip yet, the same stuff everybody else went to. We're not going to punish him too much because we've got a young squad and we're close like brothers. But don't worry, we've got some stuff up our sleeves. We got a couple of pink backpacks he might have to rock around. We'll see what we can do for him. Make his rookie year memorable."

While Butler may have to endure some hazing, he is also clearly making an impression on some of the veterans.

"I like Jimmy," Boozer said. "Jimmy's a hard worker. And I'm an early bird, I get to the gym mad early, always an hour and a half, two hours before practice starts and he's here before me which is very impressive. And he stays late. You can see him over there shooting jumpers right now. Good rookie, great mentality."

DEERFIELD, Ill. -- Joakim Noah doesn't take losing well. That doesn't make him all that much different from most NBA players, it's just that he seems to take it more personally.

After Saturday's practice, he was asked to compare his feelings between the playoff loss of 2009 when the Bulls were dropped out of the Eastern Conference quarterfinals by the Boston Celtics and in 2011 when they fell to the Miami Heat in the Eastern Conference finals.

"Losing is always hard," Noah said. "And the closer you get to your goal ... the goal is always to win a championship, the goal was to win a championship even three years ago. Even though we probably had less of a chance. You go into a season believing you're going to win the championship. [Bulls head coach Tom Thibodeau] always says that. Now, who's willing to do all the things that have to be done to win? I think that maybe two years ago I really didn't know what that meant. As you grow and get experience, you start realizing, this is what we need to do."

Noah even experienced defeat over the summer in the European Championships when his French team lost the championship to Spain.

""Of course, beating Spain in the championship would have been great, but we definitely lost to a better team. That's the truth,” Noah said. “We lost to a better team. They had a lot of experience. They'd been playing together for a long time. But there was definitely positives out of it as well. We qualified for the Olympics. People in France were very proud of that team. Just the way we competed, people were proud of that. And we get to represent France for the Olympics and that's a big deal. French basketball is probably the fifth or sixth [most popular] sport out there. We just gave it a little light and people are happy about that."

Obviously, Noah is also glad to finally be in training camp after such a prolonged lockout.

"It's great," he said. "It feels so good to be back. We're a very hungry group. It's exciting to be just competing against one another. I think we kind of know what Thibs is asking, what he wants. We have our defensive principles, those aren't going to change too much. It's just exciting to be reunited and working."

Noah seems convinced that his team can take the next step in its development this season.

"We've experienced a lot when you talk about what we did last year," he said. "Coach always talks about going through the fire together and I think we did that last year, and I think it's going to help us. You learn from your experiences, good and bad, and that's what makes your unit stronger. At the same time, last year was last year. We're just staying focused on a good training camp and that's really it."

Brewer impresses Noah: Ronnie Brewer has been open about his desire to earn the starting two-guard spot during training camp and it's clear that he has impressed at least one of his teammates recently.

"I think Ronnie's playing really well right now," Noah said. "Carlos [Boozer] is looking really good, I think he's slimmed down a lot, lost like 15 pounds or something."

Noah believes his teammates have come back in pretty good shape -- and with a purpose.

"When you lose the way we lost in the playoffs last year, it just makes you hungry to work on your game and we all know what's at stake here," Noah said. "We just want to get better as a group and see how far we can take this."

Noah also praised the work ethic of Bulls rookie Jimmy Butler.

"He's a hungry kid," Noah said. "Very, very attentive. His defensive principles are really good for a rookie. When I was a rookie, I was completely lost out there. I had no idea what was going on. Everything was just so, so new to me. But he picks things up really, really fast and it's such a big learning curve. But, you see him right there, he's the last one in the gym, just trying to learn. That's a positive."

Bulls not affected by Paul decision: It felt like most NBA fans were up in arms Thursday night when word started trickling out that Commissioner David Stern had nixed the Chris Paul-to-the-Los Angeles Lakers trade. For their part, the Bulls didn't seem to care much about what had happened.

"That's all part of what goes on in the league," Thibodeau said. "Sometimes things work out, sometimes they don't. All I know is, for us, we have to play against him whether he's in New Orleans or some place else. He's a great player and that's about it, I really haven't thought about it that much."

Same goes for Noah.

"To be honest, I don't care," he said. "That has nothing to do with us, so whatever they do, they do. As long as it doesn't affect the Bulls, I don't really care."

The last word: Thibodeau, on the tempo of Saturday's practice, just the second of the Bulls' young season.

"It was pretty good in terms of energy. Still, [we've got] a long way to go. A little bit better. It moved a little bit better today than it did [Friday]. But defensively, there's a lot of things we have to clean up."

DEERFIELD, Ill. -- Chicago Bulls rookie Jimmy Butler might have been the happiest person in the Berto Center on Tuesday afternoon. After five long months of waiting, the Marquette alum can finally begin his professional career.

"It was definitely tough," Butler said Tuesday afternoon.

The realization that he was no longer in college started to hit home these past few months, but it took on a whole new meaning on Tuesday.

"I could kind of look [and say] 'OK, I know these plays. I know what to expect. I know what I'm getting myself into [at Marquette]," he said. "I have no idea what I'm getting myself into right now to tell you the truth. All I can do is ask [fellow Marquette alums] Wesley Matthews, Steve Novak, [and new teammate Derrick Rose]. So they keep me up to par on what I need to know, basic things to get off to a good start. I think that really did help, but as of me knowing, I have no idea as of right now what this is going to be like."

Butler said he spent some time meeting fellow Bulls Joakim Noah, Ronnie Brewer and Keith Bogans (who was working out with his old teammates despite not knowing whether or not the Bulls will pick up his option in the next few days.

"I'm extremely happy to be here," Butler said. "This is always a dream and I'm know I'm going to have to work so it's not a doubt in my mind and I'm willing to do that, but I'm glad I get to be here and workout and be around my future teammates, so it feels good to be here."

Before the lockout began on July 1, Butler said he sought advice from the Bulls coaching staff before he left for the summer.

"They were just telling me to stay in shape and be ready," he said. "And just pay attention to a lot of different things. But for the most part, work out, stay in the gym and do what I've been doing. Get better, obviously, and I know that. They gave me certain things to work on, but at the same time stick with what got me to this point."

Butler has been in Florida training at the IMG Academy, trying to prepare for the road ahead, but he realizes that Bulls head coach Tom Thibodeau is going to conduct drills and practices much differently than what he's grown accustomed to over the summer. He's ready for the challenge.

"My expectations are to play hard and win," Butler said. "I'm not a real big 'self' guy. Never have been, never will be. I think at the end of the day, the team is the only thing that matters."

That kind of attitude will be music to Thibodeau's ears. The veteran coach actually had a piece of advice for his new rookie during their brief chat on Tuesday.

"Be ready," Butler said of Thibodeau's message. And be ready to work."

CHICAGO -- A handshake deal is in place. The NBA lockout will most likely be over in the next few days.

Now what?

As far as the Chicago Bulls are concerned, here are 10 of the most pressing questions the team must answer heading into the beginning of the new season.

1. Who is the 2?: The question that just won't go away for the Bulls and their fans. In order for the Bulls to get past the Miami Heat in the Eastern Conference this season, they've got to bring in a scorer to take some pressure off of Derrick Rose. Jason Richardson is one of many possibilities that Bulls fans have bounced around for months. Will the Bulls have enough money to attract a bigger name? Will Kyle Korver or Ronnie Brewer be given another chance to start? Is there a trade they can make that will upgrade the position? All questions the team must answer before the Christmas Day opener. If Keith Bogans starts another season as the starting two guard for the Bulls, general manager Gar Forman knows he’s going to face more criticism than ever.

2. Another year of Bogans?: The Bulls still have to decide whether or not to pick up Bogan’s option for next season. Coach Tom Thibodeau likes him, but he is not a difference maker. He would be a nice fit at as a reserve who gives a spark off the bench, but not as a starter who gets 15-20 minutes a game.

3. When does Rose get his extension?: More of a formality than anything else, Rose should get his extension once training camp begins. He's the cornerstone of the Bulls and the front office knows it.

4. Amnesty Boozer?: As soon as rumors of an amnesty clause started leaking out during the labor negotiations, plenty of Bulls fans wanted the team to let go of its biggest free agent acquisition last summer, Carlos Boozer. The veteran power forward isn't going anywhere though. The Bulls believe Boozer can still be a difference maker and an All-Star if he stays healthy. For argument's sake, even if the Bulls were to drop Boozer and the almost $60 million he is still owed over four years, there's no guarantee they would have enough to go after another big name given the way the new salary cap structure is expected to look.

5. Howard to Chicago?: Orlando Magic center Dwight Howard doesn't sound like a man who wants to spend the rest of his playing days in Central Florida. The speculation about his next move will be constant throughout the new year and that speculation will lead a lot of people to mention Chicago as a potential destination. The Bulls would love to have Howard and would be willing to part with anyone on the roster not named Derrick Rose to get him. But there are a few problems. First, Magic GM Otis Smith has repeatedly said he won't trade Howard. Secondly, if Smith were to deal Howard, why would he trade him within the Eastern Conference so that the young big man could crush his old team for years to come? The odds of Howard coming to the Bulls are slim.

6. How good can Butler be?: Marquette product Jimmy Butler has kind of gotten lost in the lockout shuffle. Aside from the initial meet-and-greet with team personnel after the draft, Butler hasn't gotten much time to learn Thibodeau's system. That is going to hurt him once training camp begins and it will be hard for him to crack the rotation early on. Unlike many teams, the Bulls roster is already in place for the most part. They will return almost all of the same starters and reserves. Butler is going to have to spend a lot of extra time in the Berto Center with Thibodeau in order to find minutes.

7. What kind of shape will the players be in?: Bulls players have spent time working out on their own most of the summer with their personal trainers. Some guys trained together for a few days at a time (Rose and Joakim Noah in Santa Monica to name one pair), but the team never came together as a whole like a couple other teams tried to do. Given that the Bulls roster will look mostly the same as it did last season, that lack of practice together shouldn't be much of an issue. The bigger question for the Bulls is how seriously did they take their offseason conditioning? The answer will be easy to see early in camp.

8. Can Noah shake "injury-prone" tag?: One of the players who has trained hard over the past couple of seasons is Noah. He spent a portion of the summer playing for Team France in the European Championships and spent a majority of the other free time working with his trainer Alex Paras. Noah's problem over the past two seasons is that he just can't stay healthy. He missed large chunks of both seasons because of plantar fasciitis, a torn thumb ligament and ankle issues. Team France actually sent him home before the European Championships began because of questions they had about his ankle. If Noah can stay healthy, plenty of people around the league believe he can become an All-Star. If he gets hurt again during this condensed season, he may not be able to shake the "injury-prone" tag.

9. How much better can Asik be?: The Bulls love Omer Asik. They believe he can be a top-tier center in the NBA for a long time to come and that's why they didn't want to give him up in a trade last winter. Assistant coach Ron Adams went as far to say last season that he believes Asik can be the best defensive player in the league. In the meantime, the Bulls are hoping Asik takes another leap in his progression this season, especially on the offensive end. He looked uncomfortable in the post at times last year and the Bulls need him to continue to learn and get better. If he does, he not only helps the team as insurance policy in case of another Noah injury, he becomes an even bigger trade chip down the line.

10. How will players respond to the second year of Thibodeau?: As a group, the players generally seemed to respect Thibodeau last season. It was evident in the way they played night after night, on the way to an NBA leading 62 regular-season wins. Now that the honeymoon period has worn off, it will be interesting to see how the players respond. Thibodeau is very demanding and will not give his players an inch when he feels they aren't focused. Will the players' focus continue to be laser sharp? Or will it start to waver ever so slightly? Thibodeau has been around the league for a long time so you'd think he would know when to pull his foot off the gas a little bit, especially in an upcoming season which is sure to see back-to-back games jammed together. Still, Thibodeau's hard-charging attitude and his players' reaction towards it is worth keeping an eye on.