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Over the next few weeks, we'll take a closer look at each player on the Bulls roster and see where they fit in for the future.

Omer Asik

Position: Center | Age: 25 | 2011-12 salary: $1,857,000

Season recap: After such a promising rookie year in the NBA last season, Asik took a step backwards in his progression. He is still a very solid defender, but his offensive game stalled. He struggled to catch the ball in the post and make much of an impact. The Bulls relied on his defensive presence, but they could not go to him as much as Tom Thibodeau would have liked because of his struggles on the offensive end.

Season highlight: Asik's highlight and lowlight of the season probably came in the same game. The highlight was his performance for the first 47:52 of Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals against the Philadelphia 76ers. Starting in place of Joakim Noah, who was out with an ankle injury, Asik scored 10 points, grabbed nine rebounds and played 39 minutes. He was completely exhausted by the end of the game, but he played his heart out.

Season lowlight: Asik struggled to contribute at various points throughout the season, but the final eight seconds of Game 6 will haunt him throughout the summer. He stepped to the line with a chance to give the Bulls a three-point lead and missed both free throws. After Andre Iguodala grabbed the rebound and raced up the floor, Asik raced back but ended up fouling him with 2.2 seconds left. Iguodala ended up making both free throws -- ending the game, and the Bulls' season, in the process.

Notes: The Bulls still believe Asik has a lot of room to grow in his game. The coaches work with him all the time on catching the ball, he just struggles to take what he's learned in practice to the games. Asik is one of the best defenders on the Bulls and is going to be even better, but if he can't improve offensively it won't make much a difference. The good news for the Bulls is that Asik remains durable. He played in every game this season.

Quotes: "I think Omer played a great game," Noah said after Game 6. "I feel like he's someone who works really, really hard and he's my teammate. I hate to see any of my teammates down. When one of us is we're all down. We win together and we lose together. It's all of us."

What's next?: Asik is in the middle of one of the most pressing questions of the Bulls' offseason. Should the organization pay whatever it takes to sign him to an extension? As a restricted free agent, another team can sign Asik to an offer sheet and the Bulls will have a right to match. They want to bring Omer back, but at what price? If the price is too steep and the Bulls decide they don't want to go too deep into the luxury tax, they may decide to let him walk. If they do, the Bulls then get into an even bigger quandary, given the only center on the roster will be Noah.

FINAL GRADES: Regular Season: C-. Postseason: C-.

DEERFIELD, Ill. -- The skies were blue, sun shining, temperature perfect and the day miserable in Chicago, Friday. At least for Chicago Bulls fans who, though not exactly optimistic about the team's playoff chances after Derrick Rose tore his ACL two weeks ago, were left with an aching void after the Bulls were eliminated in the first round by eighth-seed Philadelphia.

The only thing left now, other than the typically frustrating rhythms of Cubs and Sox baseball and football in shorts, is to dwell on the what if's and what-will-be's.

Here are 10 burning Bulls thoughts sure to bug us all summer:

Read the entire story.

Giving the ball to a bad free-throw shooter like Omer Asik with the season on the line Thursday wasn't the only fatal mistake made by the Chicago Bulls in Game 6 of their Eastern Conference quarterfinal series with the Philadelphia 76ers.

After Asik missed his two free throws, Andre Iguodala grabbed the rebound and dribbled the length of the court before being fouled by Asik. He hit two free throws with two seconds left to seal the 79-78 win and 4-2 series clincher.

The reason Iguodala had an uncontested drive was because the Bulls' guards -- C.J. Watson and Ronnie Brewer -- were out of position and Luol Deng didn't stick with his man, Iguodala, after the free throw.

"That's inexcusable," ESPN analyst and former NBA head coach Hubie Brown said Friday. "You always tell your guys when you're on the foul line, look, you're matching up now. If we shoot and miss, you're matched up with the guy next to you.

"The two guys who should have been back were the two guards, however they set up on the foul line area. Everybody matches up and you play the ball. So when Iguodala went and got the rebound, I was shocked that Deng was nowhere in the picture near him."

And Brown was shocked no one picked up Iguodala as he crossed midcourt.

"Anytime during a game when you have a dribbler coming to the top of the circle, you stop the ball by making the ball change direction," Brown said. "You know how many seconds are left because you just had that pause while the guy attempted two foul shots to communicate with one another, a) on the match-ups, b) where you were picking up. Because you could never assume that he was going to make two fouls shots in that situation."

Bulls color analyst Stacey King said stopping a player like Iguodala was a tough task for Asik.

"You've got a free throw shooter that's under 50 percent so you have to play the odds that he's going to miss, although you hope he doesn't," King said on "The Waddle & Silvy Show" on ESPN 1000. "But two guys have got to get back. The guards for the Bulls had to get back on that play.

"And the way Philadelphia was setting it up, they were setting it up so they could get a long pass in case they got the rebound. Because neither team had a timeout. It was a bang-bang play, and they didn't get floor balance back defensively. And on one stopped the ball. They left that to Asik, and that's a tough matchup for a 7-footer, to guard that type of player in Iguodala. But it was just one of those things, a couple of late-game mental lapses down the stretch that hurt them."

The Chicago Bulls' offensive set that ended their season Thursday night continued to have fingers of blame pointed at point guard C.J. Watson for passing to Omer Asik instead of holding onto the ball himself.

Watson is an 81-percent free-throw shooter and passed to Asik, who is a 45-percent free-throw shooter. Asik, who Bulls fans thought was the victim of a flagrant foul, missed both free throws with seven seconds left. Andre Iguodala grabbed the rebound, drove the length of the court and was fouled with two seconds left. He hit both to seal a 79-78 victory to clinch the series 4-2.

"C.J. Watson actually had a pretty good floor game, even though he didn't shoot the ball well (2-of-11)," Jalen Rose said Friday on "Mike & Mike on ESPN Radio." "He had 10 assists, zero turnovers and even threw it to Asik on a pick-and-roll play where Asik got a dunk going down the lane (with 25 seconds left).

"Late in a game, during the middle of a game, at the beginning of a game, when you're the point guard your job is to decipher every situation. So if I'm on a fastbreak I know who's on my right wing. Is he going to go to the basket for a layup or a dunk, is he going to flare off for a three-point shot? Is the guy on my left, is he a finisher, can he make free throws? You have to understand like a quarterback every player's strength and weaknesses."

Rose, a 16-year NBA veteran point guard, believes Asik's limitations at the line should have precluded Watson from making that pass.

"You're an 80 percent free throw shooter. ... he's a 45-percent free-throw shooter," Rose said. "You have to hold onto the basketball, you have to put yourself on the line. Don't put your center in that position ...."

Watson might have been influenced by Asik's effective play seconds earlier.

"I thought he had a clear dunk,” Watson said. "Spencer Hawes came up, I'd been giving it to O the whole night and he's been dunking it so I thought why not give it to him again? I thought it was a flagrant, but it didn't go that way."

ESPN analyst and former head coach Hubie Brown believes Watson didn't work the clock effectively.

"The easiest thing to do is to second-guess him at that time, but as he's coming over (half court) we all know he could have dribbled all the way to the right side of the floor, backed it out before a) he might have been fouled, or b) he makes the pass," Brown said on "Mike & Mike." "You always tell players in this situation anytime a player comes close to you, pass the ball. Remember, you do not want to stop the clock. Because if you stop the clock, you're putting pressure on the guy who has to make the foul shots. But if you pass the ball and you continue to pass it to the free people, the clock continues to run. The clock is your friend when you are ahead.

"In that situation, I think what he saw was the play before that when they called a timeout, set up the pick-and-roll and Asik rolled down the middle, they get it to him and he scores quickly. He probably thought he had the same situation. Unfortunately, he did not have enough space. When he made that play, the defender was able to recover. If he would have continued with one or two more dribbles, and then the defender came to him, then he could have passed the ball and Asik could have made the catch and made the dunk without putting him on the foul line. That was difficult for Asik, because without Asik they never would have been in that situation. He played a magnificent game."

The fact the Bulls' season was in the hands of back-ups Watson, Asik and Taj Gibson, who played for the benched Carlos Boozer, was not lost on Brown.

"And when you think about Chicago, just remember as they're going in the fourth quarter under all of that pressure, you have Gibson and Asik up front, Watson in the backcourt, three backups guys," Brown said. "And there was a lot of pressure on them to execute perfectly."

PHILADELPHIA -- Doug Collins is headed to the second round for the first time since 1989. He's just not sure why.

“I don’t know how we won,” he said after his Philadelphia 76ers’ 79-78 win over Chicago in Game 6 of the first-round series.

The Bulls season ended in a blur of bad decisions and bad luck.

Playing wonderfully, at that point, in relief of an injured Joakim Noah, Omer Asik gave the Bulls a 3-point lead on a surprising dunk off a pick-and-roll with C.J. Watson with 26 seconds left. The Sixers called their last timeout and scored on a Thaddeus Young layup with 12.8 seconds to make it 78-77.

Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau said Philadelphia's Jrue Holiday was trying to foul in the backcourt to stop the clock, but the referees missed it, so Watson pushed the ball and saw Asik in good position and passed to him. It was a brain cramp of epic proportions, but Asik had been having a near-perfect offensive game.

"I thought he had a clear dunk,” Watson said. “Spencer Hawes came up, I'd been giving it to O the whole night and he's been dunking it so I thought why not give it to him again? I thought it was a flagrant, but it didn't go that way."

Hawes practically wrestled Asik to the ground, but it wasn’t called a flagrant. Asik, dripping with sweat after playing the entire second half, missed both free throws. A flagrant would’ve given the Bulls the ball.

“I’ve got to get more clarity on what a flagrant foul is,” Thibodeau said. “Because I don’t understand that. But you know, sometimes that’s the way it goes.”

Thibodeau added: “I don’t want to put it on the officials. It wasn’t the officials. We didn’t do what we should’ve done, which is close out the game.”

The pass was a confusing decision by Watson, who should’ve kept his dribble. He’s an 81 percent free-throw shooter. Asik is a 45 percent free-throw shooter. He was 4-for-5 from the line at that point, but that just augured for a slip-up.

“It’s a bang-bang play,” Thibodeau said. “I thought there might have been a foul in the backcourt with Holliday. They were trying to take the foul, obviously they didn’t see it that way. You’re running the clock down, you can dribble the clock out, they have to foul. They’re out of timeouts, so they have to go the length of the court. It didn’t happen. Hopefully We learn from that. But sometimes that’s what happens in a game.”

Iguodala grabbed the rebound and the Bulls couldn't stop him. He wound up driving the lane on Asik, who put his hands straight-up but was still called for the foul with 2.2 seconds left. Iguodala made both free throws.

With no timeouts, Watson took off and tried a desperation have that hit back iron. That was how the Bulls season ended. No one could've written that script.

DEERFIELD, Ill. -- Chicago Bulls center Joakim Noah shot free throws without a brace on his sprained left ankle at shootaround and is a game-time decision for Game 5 against the Philadelphia 76ers on Tuesday.

Read the entire story.

10: The resurgence of Kyle Korver

He sat out Thursday's regular-season finale because of nagging injuries, but Korver has shot the ball a lot better recently. More importantly, his defense has improved this season, and if he knocks down open jumpers he will stretch the floor for Derrick Rose in crunch time.

9: The rise of Taj

Taj Gibson's defense has gotten even better this season, and he will be called upon to be a closer alongside Omer Asik late in games. He always seems to make one or two highlight plays each night, especially against the Miami Heat.

8. The Bench Mob is rolling

Tom Thibodeau may decide to cut his rotation down much the same way he did last postseason, but if he doesn't, Bulls fans should feel great because their team has the deepest bench in the NBA. C.J. Watson, Ronnie Brewer, Jimmy Butler, John Lucas III, Korver and Gibson have developed into a reliable group of reserves that Thibodeau has more confidence in this season.

7. Noah is primed for a title run

Joakim Noah had a lot of ups and downs this season, but he looks to be mentally ready for the grind that comes in the postseason. He was not happy with how last season finished, and he is motivated to create a different ending this time.

6. Thibs is in control

Now in his second year, Thibodeau knows what he wants from his team, and he learned a lot from the postseason last time. He wants to continue to prove to all the teams that passed him over for head-coaching positions that they made a mistake. The best revenge would be a title.

5. Bulls still feel like underdogs

Thibodeau's team had the best record in the NBA again this season, but he has the players buying into the idea that there are still a lot of people who don't believe they can win. That belief will permeate through the locker room as the postseason drags along and will push his players to play even harder.

4. A year wiser

As a group, the Bulls have matured a lot over the past year. They have gotten even more comfortable playing alongside each other, and they are even more confident when they are on the floor together. That maturity is something that has grown throughout the season, and they feel like it will carry them for the next few months.

3. Don't write off Boozer yet

Carlos Boozer knows that he didn't perform up to his capabilities last season during the playoffs. He heard all the criticism, and it pushed him to come back in even better shape this season. He is the only Bull who started and played in every game this season. He wants to have a big postseason run to prove to everybody who doubted him that he is not a bust.

2. Rip City

The Bulls' biggest flaw last season was that they didn't have a 2-guard who could knock down open shots and take some pressure off Rose. Now they feel like they have that guy with Richard Hamilton, a player who knows what it takes to win a title (having won one in Detroit) and can help show his teammates the way. If he can knock down big shots in the playoffs, nobody will care that he missed most of the season because of injuries.

1. Watching Derrick Rose

Bulls fans should be most excited by the fact that Rose is playing and desperately wants to win a title. He has been hurt, and he's still not close to 100 percent. But he's still the reigning MVP of the league, and he is still better than most of his peers, even when he's not at his best. Rose may not be able to make all the moves he made last season, but as long as he's on the floor the Bulls still have a chance to win a title.

Our panel of experts discusses Luol Deng's sore wrist, the Bulls' trade prospects and Derrick Rose's MVP candidacy.

Fact or fiction: Luol Deng made a mistake by not having surgery immediately after injuring his wrist.

Nick Friedell: Fact. It's admirable Deng decided to postpone the surgery to help the Bulls win a title and play in the Olympics, but if he can't perform up to the same level he did before he tore the ligament, what's the point? Deng's wrist is obviously bothering him, and if he had the surgery right after the injury, there was a chance he would be ready to play at some point in the playoffs. He would have been fine for the Olympics. Now, whenever he takes a fall on the wrist the pain starts all over again. Plus, if he still decides to have the surgery, he would miss at least one month of the beginning of next season. Deng's heart was in the right place, but he might not have been doing the best thing for his team.

Marc Silverman: Fiction. Bottom line: If Luol Deng had surgery, there would be no guarantee that he would've even been available in time for the playoffs. Deng should be applauded for the way he's played through the pain. It's not easy, and there's going to be setbacks along the way -- such as the current situation, when he must rest the wrist and avoid contact. While his points and rebounds are down--Deng has never shot better from distance. When he returned from the injury, he shot 46 percent from 3-point land in February. So far in March that has increased to a white hot 52 percent. Even in "down" games, Deng was able to right the ship by hitting key shots on the road against the Spurs and 76ers. I'm OK with him missing a few games here and there much like an important pitcher who must miss a turn in the rotation. The Bulls aren't winning a title without Deng. Even with a torn ligament in his left wrist, I'm confident he'll provide outstanding defense, clutch shooting and overall smart play.

(Read full post)

In what has become a familiar phrase early this season, Derrick Rose will be a game-time decision against the Cleveland Cavaliers on Friday. Hobbled by an injured big left toe, Rose likely will miss his third straight game and might not be back until Monday against the New Jersey Nets.

Will that be enough rest for the reigning MVP? Or will the Bulls and Rose be dealing with this uncertainty all season? Our 3-on-3 panel weighs in on that and more:

1. Fact or Fiction: Rose’s turf toe will be a problem all season.

Jon Greenberg: Fiction. I don’t have a crystal ball, but while I feel like this injury will reoccur over the remainder of this truncated season, I don’t think it will limit Rose in a way that dramatically affects the Bulls’ season. Rose is mentally tough enough to play through nagging injuries, and given the timing of this toe injury, I’m betting the medical staff and coaches are working on a smart plan. Maybe I’m being optimistic, but I don’t see this injury wilting Rose.

Scoop Jackson: Fact. Probably. Especially, like I mentioned in the Hot Button piece, if it is an extension of a pre-existing problem that hasn’t been disclosed. And the other reason is the high probability of re-injury. Derrick plays at such a controlled-reckless abandon he’s going to block out the injury while playing and leave himself open for something freakish (like another player falling on his leg ... seem familiar?) happening again. It probably won’t be until next season for this problem to totally disappear.

Marc Silverman: Fact. Turf toe is a chronic injury and has limited many big time athletes throughout the years. The Bulls must manage this and not chase regular season wins. The only thing that matters is chasing an NBA title. If they do it the right way, it will affect their seed, but not their postseason. A championship is still possible. The Bulls can navigate and win the East without home court advantage. Remember Joakim Noah's foot problems during the 2009-10 season? After sitting for long stretches, Noah had a great postseason, averaging 15 points and 13 rebounds. Rose can win the postseason MVP award if they manage the injury NOW.

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2. Fact or Fiction: The 76ers will challenge the Bulls as the top Eastern contender to the Heat.

Jon Greenberg: Fiction. Philadelphia’s success is a bit surprising, but they were a very nice team last season, and a well-coached one at that. But I’m just not sure if they have the firepower to be a contender come the playoffs. Going into Wednesday’s game, Lou Williams is leading the team in scoring at 16.2 points per game, and fellow guard Jrue Holiday is second at 15. You need an alpha scorer in the postseason, and really more than one as the Bulls found out against Miami. As one Bull remarked the other day, “Do you think Boston is scared of Philadelphia in the playoffs?”

Scoop Jackson: Fiction. I think the Sixers and the Pacers will be the surprise teams in the East that no one saw coming on Christmas Day when the season began. They’ll be everyone’s “sexy” pick, they’re Vegas gamble. But challenging the Bulls and Heat (and quietly the Hawks) in the East is a whole ‘nother piece. They will win the Atlantic. But that’s like the Broncos winning the AFC West. At the end of it all, we all know who is and will be supreme clientele.

Marc Silverman: Fiction. The 76ers are certainly capable of piling up regular season wins. And Doug Collins always gets the most out of his team. But if the Bulls have a healthy Rose, they will handle Philly in a seven-game series. When it's all said and done, the Pacers and Knicks will be tougher outs in the playoffs.

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3. Fact or Fiction: Omer Asik will turn out to be a more effective center than Joakim Noah.

Jon Greenberg: Fiction. He’s just not athletic enough. Asik might be one of the smartest players in the locker room -- Brian Scalabrine told me he’s off the charts -- but he’s not going to run the floor like Noah in this lifetime. Now, we’re talking center effectiveness though, and Asik’s defense has been arguably better than Noah’s this season. Neither of them can catch very well right now. I think Noah, by virtue of his athleticism, is still ahead of Asik, but the vet needs to keep improving because the young Turk is coming on strong.

Scoop Jackson: Fiction. I don’t see this happening. Once the rumors stop floating around that he’s part of a Dwight Howard package or once Howard actually lands on another team not in Chicago, the Joakim that we once knew and that Charles Barkley (up until Monday) publicly claimed for almost two years was his favorite player in the league will return. It might take until after the trade deadline. It might take him losing his starting position to Asik. But come playoff time, Noah will be not only more effective than Asik, but far more important.

Marc Silverman: Fiction. If this is true, the Bulls are in trouble. Noah, when right, is a much better offensive rebounder than Asik. Noah, when right, has much better hands than Asik. Noah's on-ball defense and free-throw shooting also gives him the advantage. The Bulls' depth is what makes them one of the best teams in the NBA. Noah, Carlos Boozer, Taj Gibson, and Asik should be the Bulls' biggest advantage over any team in the NBA. But Asik, when Noah is right, should provide depth and a big-time trade chip in the future. Noah was on the brink of making the Eastern Conference All-Star team last season before his injury. I'm not convinced that player is gone for good. Nothing against Asik, but I still believe Noah is the better player.

CHICAGO -- Kurt Thomas served as perfect example of just how deep the Bulls were last season. The grizzled veteran rarely played throughout the first three months of the season, but when Joakim Noah went down because of thumb surgery before Christmas, the Bulls dusted off Thomas and he became one of the most dependable starters on the team. He didn't move very fast and he couldn't jump very high, but he got the job done almost every night. He was an insurance policy that Tom Thibodeau happily cashed in when he needed one the most.

Now that Thomas has signed with the Portland Trailblazers, Thibodeau doesn't have the luxury anymore. But that doesn't mean the Bulls still don't have one of the deepest center duos in the league. Noah has shown that, when healthy, he is a double-double machine. He's also a defensive anchor who has the ability to become an All Star if he can stay on the floor and produce. The key for the Bulls is that even if Noah goes down, they have one of the best young backups in the league in Omer Asik. The organization believes that the Turkish center is going to continue his development this season. The coaches believe that Asik, who is already one of the best defenders on the team, will develop to one of the best defensive players in the league. They also believe that Asik will improve his offensive game and will become more confident down low in the post.

Most importantly, they believe Asik is healthy after fracturing his fibula during the Eastern Conference finals last year.

"He says he's pain free," Thibodeau said after Friday night's win over the Indiana Pacers. "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."

That's the same thing Noah is focused on as well. He spent a huge portion of his summer working with his personal trainer and close friend, Alex Perris, trying to remake his body after suffering several injuries last year. Noah obviously took it personally that he couldn't be much of a factor in the postseason because of the injuries and there's no question he feels the pressure that comes with the fact that his five-year, $60 million deal kicks in this season. He wants to prove to everybody that he can be the guy who helps get the Bulls to the next level.

"Losing is always hard," Noah said recently. "And the closer you get to your goal ... the goal is always to win a championship, the goal was to win a championship even threw 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."

What the Bulls need to do as far as their centers are concerned is focus on the positives. Whether they add another big man or not (veteran Joel Pryzbilla's name has popped as a possibility) the Bulls should remember that they have two very good, still young centers in the mix. Most teams would die to have that kind of depth.

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

Omer Asik

Salary: $1.857 million

Role for Bulls in 2011-'12: Asik is expected to improve as the Bulls' backup center. The organization believes he still has a lot of room to improve on the floor and management expects him to make another step in his progression this season. Asik is a large insurance policy the Bulls can cash if Joakim Noah goes down with another injury this year.

What happened this summer?: Asik spent the first portion of the summer recovering from the broken fibula he suffered against the Miami Heat in the Eastern Conference finals. After recovering, the seven-footer played for Team Turkey in the European Championships. In the process, he clearly added some muscle, as evidenced by his bulked up physique.

Best-case scenario: Already considered one of the best defensive players on the team, Asik becomes more of an offensive threat and gives Tom Thibodeau yet another option off the bench.

"He says he's pain free," Thibodeau said after Friday night's win over the Indiana Pacers. "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."

Worst-case scenario: Asik struggles to stay on the floor because of injury issues and continues to have issues with foul trouble. He doesn't improve and loses a lot of the trade value the Bulls believe he has.

Bottom line: Like Taj Gibson, Asik is going to be looking for a contract extension at the end of the season. If he continues to improve and be a defensive force, he will get one. If he develops any kind of offensive game, he will be once of the most valued young trade chips in the league.

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."

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.

PANEVEZYS, Lithuania -- Los Angeles Lakers center Pau Gasol scored 20 points for defending champion Spain, which won its second game in two days at the European Championship by beating Portugal 87-73 on Thursday.

Spain pulled away early in the Group A game against the team that was the last to qualify for the tournament.

Read the entire story.

Over the next few weeks, we'll take a closer look at each player on the Bulls roster and see where they fit in for the future. Let's take a look at a player who made a big impact in his first NBA season ...

Omer Asik

2010-11 salary: $1.721 million

Season recap: Asik struggled at times during the first couple months of the season to find a rhythm and adjust to the NBA game. He spent extra time working at the Berto Center with assistant coaches Ron Adams and Ed Pinckney and head coach Tom Thibodeau, and that extra work paid off. Asik became an important member of the Bench Mob and gained a lot of respect in the locker room because of his work ethic. He became Joakim Noah's main backup by the end of the season and gained valuable experience in the postseason before a fractured fibula end his rookie year prematurely.

Season highlight: In a March 17 game at New Jersey, Asik came in off the bench to score 11 points and grab 16 rebounds. It was a performance that gave him even more confidence and something his teammates and coaches took great pride in. Just two games later, Asik followed that up with a season-high 14 points against the Sacramento Kings.

Season lowlight: Obviously, the season-ending injury was a lowlight for Asik. Aside from that, the only thing he struggled with at times was with the adjustment to a new country and a new league. He looked unsure of himself offensively, and the Bulls know that is something he must work on in the offseason to improve upon. And he must improve from the free throw line, where he shot 50 percent.

Final grades: Regular season -- B | Postseason -- B

“

He's a really bright kid, and he's picked up the game really well. Defensively, I just think he's top of the line. I think he can be as good as any defensive player in this league. And he's getting close to it already.

” -- Bulls assistant coach Ron Adams on Asik's development

Notes: Asik seemed to fit in well with his teammates, and he was a constant source of humor for them because of some of his wardrobe choices. The big key for the the Turkish center is to heal his leg, hit the weights hard in the summer and work on his post moves. For as much as he improved during the year, he still only averaged three points and four rebounds, albeit in limited minutes. Asik has a chance to make a lot of money in his new deal if he can show the league he can be more of a force offensively. He is a good rebounder, he sets good screens, and he has the chance to be a great defender. If he can become a reliable threat offensively he will eventually become a starter -- either for the Bulls or another team.

What's next?: Like Taj Gibson, the Bulls do not want to deal Asik. They see him as a very valuable piece for the future and a guy that will get even better over time. Having said that, if the right deal comes along, especially for a player the Bulls feel can make a difference on the perimeter, they will look long and hard at pulling the trigger. Nobody is quite sure what Asik's ceiling is at the moment but the organization knows that finding talented young big men is always difficult and they certainly won't give him up unless they get a difference maker in return.