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DEERFIELD, Ill. -- Chicago Bulls guard Ronnie Brewer (sore hamstring) will make his preseason debut Tuesday against the Toronto Raptors.

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DEERFIELD, Ill. -- For the second day in a row, Chicago Bulls guard Ronnie Brewer (sore hamstring) was able to practice without any restrictions. Bulls head coach Tom Thibodeau is hopeful that the 25 year-old will be able to play on Tuesday night when the Bulls face the Raptors in a preseason contest.

"We'll see how the shootaround goes [Tuesday]," Thibodeau said. "If he keeps making progress and he doesn't have any setbacks, we'll get a look at it right before the game."

Brewer, who signed with the Bulls this summer as a free agent, is still understandably rusty considering he had been held out of contact drills since training camp started about two weeks ago.

"He's got to get his timing back," Thibodeau said. "But he was very active, ran the floor well, was cutting great, multiple efforts, pretty good defensively, overall."

Thibodeau also noted that backup point guard C.J. Watson (sore quad) practiced for the second day in a row and will "definitely" play against the Raptors.

CHICAGO -- For the first time since training camp opened almost two weeks ago, Chicago Bulls guard Ronnie Brewer practiced without any restrictions.

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DEERFIELD, Ill. -- Like many other teams around the league, the Bulls are dealing with some bumps and bruises as the preseason schedule gets rolling. Let's take a look at a few injuries they're dealing with.

Ronnie Brewer: (sore right hamstring) Brewer is not going to play Thursday in Dallas and may not play Friday at home against Washington either.

Carlos Boozer: (broken right pinky) He was at practice stretching with his teammates and shooting left handed on Wednesday. He reiterated that his surgery was a success, but will not travel with the team to Dallas.

Taj Gibson: (back) Gibson's back started to spasm during Tuesday's game against Milwaukee, but he was at practice on Wednesday and expects to play against the Mavs.

Derrick Rose: (finger) Rose was wearing a small black wrap around the ring and pinky fingers on his right hand during practice on Wednesday. He appeared to be fine and will play Thursday.

Bulls waive Richard: Chris Richard was released on Wednesday morning which leaves the Bulls with 16 players on the current roster.

"Right now, we’re trying to pare down," Thibodeau said after practice. "Because we have so many new guys, we want to get more reps for the guys who are here. He did a fine job and was professional. We wish him well."

Thibs commitment to defense: Thibodeau mentioned several times after Tuesday night's game that he wasn't exactly pleased with his team's effort on the defensive end of the floor. When asked what he thought the team had to focus on to improve, the new coach responded this way:

"Work, commitment, doing it day after day. We have some parts of it down OK. We have to become more of a multiple effort team and sustain it for 48 minutes. It’s a one-point game with a couple minutes to go. We have to close out better than we did. We don’t want anybody taking any plays off. When you’re out there, you’re expected to play both ends."

MILWAUKEE -- Omer Asik is no longer going to be a gigantic question mark on the Bulls' radar after this preseason ends.

During the next few weeks of exhibition games, the Turkish big man is going to find out very quickly whether he is ready to play in the NBA or not. Bulls head coach Tom Thibodeau is going to make sure Asik sees a lot of action, including serving as the center in a lineup with Joakim Noah as power forward.

"Any time you have two seven-footers it gives you an opportunity to shut the lane down. And I also want to see if Jo can play with Kurt [Thomas]. Kurt's different, he's more of a body position guy. He's a great low-post defender and he can also step away from the basket and add some shooting to us."

Thibodeau believes that Asik has a chance to step in and contribute right away.

"The big advantage I thought we had was he was here in the summer, so we had a chance to work with him and observe him then and then he came back [from the World Championships] in September and get some practices in and get some practices in there. We had an opportunity to sort get a feel for him and also get him started on our system. Now I want to see if he can do it against NBA-caliber players. I thought he played very, very well internationally, but now this game is a little bit different."

Speaking of lineup changes, Thibodeau also mentioned that he wouldn't be afraid to use Luol Deng at the 2, 3 or 4 positions.

Brewer still on the mend: Don't expect to see Ronnie Brewer (sore right hamstring) on the floor any time soon. Thibodeau reiterated before the game that Brewer still was not practicing with contact, and he wouldn't rule out the possibility of Brewer missing the Bulls' next three games as well. Brewer sounded upbeat after shootaround Tuesday morning. "I'm feeling a lot better, a lot more confident," he said. "They're just holding me out for precautionary reasons. I'm getting back to full-strength, learning the offense, learning the defense and things and looking to forward to getting back on the court."

Brewer tore the same hamstring last season so the Bulls are definitely being extra cautious with the injury, but he is the still the favorite to be starting two-guard when the regular season begins.

Skiles praises Thibodeau, Noah: Former Bulls coach and current Bucks coach Scott Skiles couldn't help but crack a joke when he was asked before the game if he had any doubt that Thibodeau, a former coach of his at one point in Philadelphia, would do well as the Bulls head coach.

"Well, right now on Oct. 5 I have a doubt in my mind if I'll do well or not," he said with a laugh. "It's a long season. Nah, I've known Tom a long time I'm sure he'll be great. He'll be organized and have a philosophy. He's got a good staff and they have a good team. You add all of those things up and you're probably going to have a good year."

Skiles had this to say about the leap Noah has made since he came into the league. "He's become a much more productive player," he said. "He's obviously, statistically, one of the better rebounders. He plays with a ton of energy. He runs the floor well. He's got good hands. He's been able to finish better, he's improved his free-throw percentage, he's done a lot of things well and has improved a lot as a player."

Rose keeps it low-key on birthday: Derrick Rose turned 22 on Monday, but instead of going out and celebrating the All-Star point guard decided to keep a low profile.

"I just chilled," he said. "I really didn't do nothing but just stay in the house, played a [video] game and watched TV."

He did have the assembled media laughing when he relayed the reaction he got from his teammates when they found out it was his birthday.

"If anything, people [were] talking about [how] they couldn't remember when they were 22, so it kind of made me feel bad."

Keith Bogans will start at shooting guard Tuesday night when the Bulls open their preseason schedule in Milwaukee.

Bogans will start in place of Ronnie Brewer, who has a sore right hamstring.

Coach Tom Thibodeau still sounds confident that Brewer will be fine in another week or so, although Brewer tore the same hamstring last season in Utah.

DEERFIELD, Ill. -- After spending the better part of three seasons together in Utah going after each other in practice, you might think Ronnie Brewer and Kyle Korver are sick of one another as they get set to enter their first regular season as members of the Chicago Bulls. But Brewer, the affable 25 year-old, swears that's not the case -- even though, once again, the pair is battling it for the final spot in Tom Thibodeau's starting five.

"The thing about it [is], I think we complement each other, make each other better players," Brewer said after practice on Wednesday. "He's a phenomenal shooter and I want to be a good shooter, so I work with him on shooting and he sees what I do on how to cut and move without the basketball and use my athleticism and how to play the passing lanes and it's making him a better defender, so I think me pushing him in practice and him helping me go hand in hand."

Brewer hasn't gotten to push Korver as much as he would like recently because he has been limited in practice due to a hamstring injury, but his point is clear: If anyone thought there was going to be any kind of animosity between the two men for the final starting spot, think again.

"I don't think it matters at all, actually," said of a possible starting job. "I've never cared about that. I'd like to be on the court towards the end of the game, lots of times for spacing reasons, for outside shooting."

While Korver is taking a much more relaxed approach to the process, Brewer (the odds on favorite for the job before camp started) admits that the competitiveness in both men will undoubtedly show as the season draws closer and Thibodeau makes his final decision as to who will play alongside Derrick Rose, Luol Deng, Carlos Boozer and Joakim Noah. "That's the reason you play basketball is for competition," Brewer said. "If you don't like going into camp having to compete for a job, you don't like playing basketball. I think we all take it in stride and run with it."

Korver is hoping that at some point during the season he'll be able to run with Brewer on the floor at the same time.

"It would be nice if we could play together though because we do know each other's games," he said. "I felt like in Utah we practiced every day together but we hardly ever played together in games because I would go in for him, he would come back in for me. I feel like our games complement each other really well, so hopefully there will be times this year when we'll be out there together."

It's a scenario that Thibodeau hasn't ruled out, especially given the reputation that both men bring with them. Brewer as a hard-nosed defender and Korver as a sharp-shooter from long distance.

"The 2 and the 3 are basically interchangable," Thibodeau said. "Again, we have a lot of new players and we're trying to figure out what groups play best with each other. We have depth and we're going to work through things to see who fits best."

For the time being, Brewer and Korver are actually enjoying playing with one another again as they get used to an entirely new city and program.

"It's kind of night and day," Brewer said. "This is a first-class franchise. Great coach, everybody that we've come across we talk about how they've treated us with respect and how they're really cordial with us. We're all excited about being here and I think everybody's welcomed us with open arms.

With former Utah teammate Boozer also in the fold, Korver knows that the learning curve involved isn't nearly as tough as it could have been somewhere else.

"When you come onto a new team, there's always the anxiousness of trying to fit in," Korver said. "[With] a new coaching staff and a lot of new variables. Being there with a couple guys [you know], Ronnie's been hurt and he hasn't been playing much, at all, yet. But he'll be back soon and just knowing Booze's game, it gives you a certain level of comfort that you normally wouldn't have going to a new team."

That level of comfort is the biggest reason Brewer and Korver still get along so well despite the fact that one will be taking minutes from the other once the season begins.

LAS VEGAS -- It took Tom Thibodeau so long to finally become a head coach in the NBA that even he had to smile when he was stopped by a Vegas Summer League official who wouldn't let him into the gym and couldn't figure out who he was.

The new Bulls head coach was just trying to watch one more game last Sunday afternoon but was stopped at the gate by a woman who wanted to check his credentials.

So if I looked at a list of credentialed Bulls personnel you would be on was the gist of her question.

To which Thibodeau smiled and said yes.

"What's your name?" the woman said.

"Tom Thibodeau," he said.

The woman did a double take and embarrassingly chuckled as Thibodeau put his arm around her and told her not to worry about it.

After years of being in the shadows as an assistant coach it may take some time for people to recognize Thibodeau, but he is certainly ready for the challenge that comes with an NBA head coach. I caught up with the Bulls' new head man last week at the end of summer league and here is our conversation:

Q: What has been the biggest adjustment for you over the first month since taking the job?

Tom Thibodeau: I think just getting settled in and everything organized and up and running. Getting to know all the players and study the team.

Q: You've been asked this question several times over the last few weeks, but why do you think it took so long for you to land that first head coaching job. You've been in the league for years and you've clearly developed a reputation as one of the hardest workers in the business.

TT: I think part of it is just timing. I've had some opportunities along the way that I didn't think would be good fits for me. I think the fact that I've been on some very good teams, so we played late into the season for several years, I think that may have played a part in it as well.

Q: Is there too much made of previous head coaching experience in certain cases?

TT: Experience is always good, I think you could have different types of experiences, so I think the fact that I do have 21 years in the league helps. I think the fact that [I've coached in] over 150 playoff games helps. I think all of your experiences help and I think the fact that I've been under great coaches helps as well.

Q: You mentioned the coaches you've worked for in the past, are guys like Doc Rivers and Jeff Van Gundy the types of people you're going to bounce stuff off of throughout the season?

TT: The thing is, I have my own philosophy. It's not going to be exactly like theirs. Obviously, I will take things from being with them. And also a lot of things I've learned from other teams and coaches that I've worked with that were assistant coaches, so I think you take all of those things and you make your own system. You study what your team's strengths are and what your team's weaknesses are and you build your plan around that. But, obviously, having them as a resource is great.

Q: Tom Thibodeau's team is going to be what ...

TT: I think the big thing is we're going to defend, rebound, be low turnover, inside-out and unselfish. We're going to build around that and I think, obviously, we want to be a well-balanced team. Those are the teams that have the most success in the playoffs and we want to build around what it's going to take to be a championship caliber team.

Q: You guys were obviously very active in free agency. Specifically with Ronnie Brewer, what does he bring to the team going forward?

TT: I think his length, athleticism, defensive mindset, a slasher, a cutter, a guy who's terrific on the break. His energy, those are all things we're looking for him to bring to our team.

Q: You also added Kyle Korver and Carlos Boozer, do you think Carlos will be able to fit in instantly with Joakim [Noah], given that they don't play the exact type of game down low?

TT: Yeah, I think they're going to complement each other very well. I think Carlos, because of his versatility, he can play away from the basket. He can play on the block, he can play a pick and roll game, runs the floor. And I think Joakim, sometimes people overlook that he's a pretty good offensive player. I think he's developed a nice jump hook game with both hands, runs the floor very well, very unselfish passer, very good decision maker, and his shot continues to improve.

Q: You have this reputation as being a defensive guru, but clear Gar and Pax wouldn't have hired you if you hadn't shown them the things you wanted to do offensively. What are some of things on offense that you look to do this year with Derrick, Joakim and Boozer?

TT: I think the big thing is you study your team. In pro ball, you're obviously playing to your strengths and trying to cover up your weaknesses. And the fact that we have Derrick at the point and we have athleticism, obviously we'll build around our defense and rebounding and try to get into the open floor as much as possible. But then I think you have to be well-rounded. You have to be able to execute in the half-court. Obviously, we'll build around a pick and roll game, Carlos in the post. I think Kyle Korver gives us a catch and shoot game. Luol [Deng] is terrific moving without the ball and a mid range game. His slashing, cutting is similar to Ronnie Brewer. So we'll incorporate all those things into our offense.

Q: Luol's a guy who has taken a little bit of a beating publicly because his durability hasn't been there. You can out at your introductory press conference and said that he was one of the guys you were looking forward to coaching the most. What is it that you see from him that maybe people miss?

TT: In the past, from competing against the Bulls, he was a guy that, if you're not paying attention to him, he could really hurt you. Obviously, his ability to run the floor, his slashing, cutting, if you lose vision of him he knows how to find open seams, and I think that's his strength. I love his length. He can challenge shots and he's a very solid rebounder, so I think he's a complete player and those are the type of guys that you want.

Q: Speaking of complete players, Derrick has obviously been working on his game. He's been working on his shooting, he's in the gym all the time. As a coach that's got to be something you love to see and I have no doubt you've already had a couple late night film sessions already.

TT: I think his commitment to the game, to his team, is really special. The way he works at it, obviously, that's what will allow him to continue to develop. Again, I think when Derrick Rose has a head of steam and he's coming at you that's not something that you want to see if you're an opponent. I think his ability to break defenses down off the dribble, his pick and roll game is terrific and as his shot continues to improve he's just going to get better and better. You're going to have to come up on him more and more and once you do that, obviously his quickness and his athleticism are really special.

Q: How important do you think the coming week is, and if he makes the World Championship team that plays in Turkey, is going to be in his development?

TT: I think it's all part of the process of him being an elite player. More than anything, I think when you're competing against players of that caliber it brings out the best in you and I think that that's helped him. The big thing for Derrick will be not only his own development, but to also help lead our team and I think as he continues to gain experience his leadership will continue to develop and he'll be able to help sell the vision for how we want our team to play.

Q: Do you have doubt that he can become the "alpha dog" on this team?

TT: The thing for me, the challenge for all of us is to build a great team and that's what we're aiming to do. Obviously, the ball's in his hands a lot so it's going to start with him and not only offensively, but defensively. He's got to set the tone for our defense. Joakim has to anchor it and we have to tie everyone together and be committed to it.

Q: Obviously, you've talked to Derrick a couple times, have you been to sit down and talk with the other guys on the roster and what have you seen from the core group that's already in place?

TT: It just seems like it's a great group of guys. They're obviously very hungry to win and they're committed to winning. So I think when you can get a core group of guys committed it helps move your team forward at a quick pace. And that's what we're going to try and do, we're going to put the work in each and every day and strive for improvement and play to best our ability.

Q: I asked Gar this question last week, when you look back, do you think LeBron, Wade and Bosh seriously considered Chicago, or do you think them playing together was in the making a long time ago, wherever the city may have been [that had enough cap space]?

TT: No, I think that obviously all three came up for free agency at the same time and I think they looked at all the possibilities, so I think they did look at us and I think they wanted to play together and ultimately they did.

Q: To the people who say the Bulls failed because they didn't land one of those three, and you guys got the pieces that you got, what would be your response?

TT: Well, I certainly don't look at it as a failure. Obviously, getting Carlos Boozer is terrific for us. And then adding Kyle Korver and Ronnie Brewer to go along with the core of young players that we have. I think we've done very well.

Q: What were those meetings like with those three guys because there was so much speculation going into them? LeBron was very complimentary of you -- did you sit there and diagram plays with him? What were the selling point that you guys were trying to get across there?

TT: Obviously, we're familiar with each other because of all the playoff games that we had against both Miami and Cleveland from this past season, so we talked about those games. And also just trying to get a feel for what they were looking for, and Chris Bosh as well. And try to sell them on all we had to offer. We felt we had a lot to offer. We pointed out those things. All three of them were great, they had great questions, they were engaged. I think they were all intrigued by our team, and our organization and our city. It just didn't work out where they joined us.

Q: Are you guys confident with the pieces you already have in place now that you can start contending in that upper echelon for a title next season and beyond?

TT: For us, we're still a work in progress in terms of filling out the roster [The interview took place before the Bulls added C.J. Watson and Kurt Thomas]. But everything we do we have to strive to be a championship caliber team. So from our preparation, to how we practice, to how we play, we want to make sure that we're building the right habits that could give us the best chance to be successful in the playoffs.

Q: From everything everyone's told me about you, I would assume that you're excited to play the Heat given all that's happened over the last three or four weeks here.

TT: It will be a great challenge. Obviously, they're going to be a top team, an elite team, but you can't overlook how strong the east has gotten. Obviously, Miami's loaded and Boston's the defending Eastern Conference champion and you have to have Orlando [up there] that's very, very tough. And then there's a number of teams that have made great improvements so when look at the Milwaukee's, a Washington, a Philadelphia, they've all gotten a lot better so ... we feel like we've improved, but the challenge is going to continually improve as the season goes along.

Q: Have you talked to Derrick at all about recruiting some of the guys here, since [Team USA functions] seem to be the basis of [the Heat's acquisitions]?

TT: I don't know. I think a lot gets made out of that, but these guys, it's a lot different today. I think these guys know each other well from when they start playing high school basketball, they're all in AAU basketball together and then some in college, and then obviously in the pros. I think friendships develop along the way and I always think that's been part of it.

Q: Brad Miller obviously signed with Houston. How big of a loss will that be for you guys and were you surprised he got such a big deal?

TT: I'm not surprised because Brad has been a very good player in this league for a long time. I think he got a great deal for himself. He certainly can help any team that he joins. I think he's a smart player and he's had a lot of success over a long period of time.

Q: Are you confident that Omer Asik can come in and be that second center off the bench to give Noah a break?

TT: I haven't seen a lot of him. What I have seen I've really liked. He's been an extremely hard worker, very bright, athletic, and I think those types of players continue to improve. How much he plays this season I'm not quite sure yet.

Q: On a completely different note, if I've been asked one question about you more than any other it's been this: What does coach do in his spare time? Because everybody has this image of you, as you well know, as this guy who sits in the film room til four or five in the morning, then wakes up and goes right back in there. What do you do during the off time?

TT: (Laughs) I like to hang in Vegas. No, no, I like to work out. I like to go to the beach and relax and hang out with my family and my friends.

Q: I think people are worried, who don't know you at all, that you may burnout, especially after taking the step from being an assistant to a head coach. Are you concerned about that at all?

TT: Well, I haven't burned out yet so ... I don't look at it that way. I love the game, but I do do things to get away from it too. I like to go to the movies and read and do stuff like that so it's not all basketball all the time.

Q: Are you going to allow Joakim to take you out on the town at some point in the couple months and give you a tour?

TT: I don't think I'm ready for that. (Laughs)

Q: Is there any part of the job that's surprised you up to this point?

TT: No, I think maybe the biggest thing was maybe the free agent frenzy with everything that was going on that was ... you were on the move constantly. That was probably the biggest thing, but everything else I had probably anticipated.

Q: Clearly that free agency period was unlike anything anyone has seen, but you've been in basketball for your whole life. Was that entire experience just surreal in some regard because of all the hoopla surrounding it?

TT: I think because of the magnitude of the players involved and all the things that we're going on around it -- it was a lot of fun and it was very challenging and I do think it was good for the league. It brought a lot of attention to the league and when you look back to how the playoffs transpired and all the things that went on there. Obviously, the Finals, I thought it was a great Finals, and unfortunately for the Celtics we didn't come out on top. But I thought it was a great series and then right from the Finals into free agency I thought it was great for the league.

Q: Have you stayed in touch with guys like Rajon Rondo, Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett during this past month?

TT: Not yet, but I will be reaching out to them. Rajon, obviously he'll be out here with Team USA so hopefully I'll catch up with him there.

Q: Were you surprised that Lawrence Frank got the job [with the Celtics] essentially replacing you?

TT: No, not all. I think it's a terrific hire. I think he'll do a great job, and obviously Boston is a great situation. If they're healthy, they'll be right there at the top again and they're all great guys. It's a great coaching staff and a great organization.

Q: Do you like the way your staff is coming together with Pete [Myers], Ron [Adams] and Andy [Greer]?

TT: I do. I think we have very good teachers and guys who are committed to the game and I think they'll fit in well with our players.

Q: Do you foresee making any moving in the next week or so to fill it out or are you confident with what you have right now?

TT: It's still a work in progress. We'll continue to look and fill all the spots that we have.

Q: I know you and [Secretary of Education] Arne Duncan are close friends. [Thibodeau coached Duncan at Harvard]. Have you gotten a chance to talk to him yet since taking the job and if so what did he say?

TT: We do talk occasionally. Obviously, he's pretty busy, but he's very excited about or team and he's looking forward to the upcoming season.

Q: Have you talked to the President?

TT: (Laughs) No, I haven't.

Q: What did Arne tell you about Chicago when you were going through the process?

TT: Obviously, he loves Chicago and he's been a big Bulls fan and he's followed the team a long, long time. He's been around Derrick Rose and thought he was such a quality person. And he thought the future here was terrific and he knows [Bulls owner] Mr. [Jerry] Reinsdorf well and thinks he's a great owner, a great management team, so he thought this would be a great spot for me.

Q: What are you looking forward to most about Chicago as a city and being there?

TT: I think just the passionate sports fans, every time I came in here with an opposing team you always felt the energy in the building and to me, it's great when you have fans like that. Of course, the organization, the rich tradition of the organization, it's a great feeling.

Q: What's the one thing you would want people in Chicago to know about you that may not be out there.

TT: (Pauses) I don't know. We're going to do every thing we can to build a winning team. Every night we're going to give everything we have.

LAS VEGAS -- New Chicago Bulls guard Ronnie Brewer may not have been the player the organization wanted most when the free agency period started over two weeks ago, but that doesn't mean coach Tom Thibodeau isn't happy to have him.

Read the entire story.

Kyle Korver joked during his introductory news conference that the Chicago Bulls were actually trying to become the Chicago Jazz, considering he and Carlos Boozer had already signed with the team and they were trying to recruit their former teammate, Ronnie Brewer.

Now Korver's joke is a reality.

The Bulls agreed to a three-year, $12.5 million deal with Brewer on Friday, and the 25-year-old is expected to become the starting two guard once the regular season rolls around.

After the Orlando Magic announced on Friday morning that they matched the Bulls’ offer sheet to restricted free agent J.J. Redick, going after Brewer was the next best option for Bulls GM Gar Forman. While he is not the type of long distance shooter that Redick is, he will provide his new team with a solid defensive presence and should be able to thrive playing alongside Derrick Rose. Brewer averaged just nine points and three rebounds last season with the Jazz and Grizzlies, but averaged 13.7 points during the 2008-09 campaign.

Brewer's addition was the move Forman had to make, and he had to make it quickly. After failing to land LeBron James and Dwyane Wade, and then failing to snag Raja Bell and Redick, there weren't many other options at the shooting guard position. Brewer is young enough to fit in with the rest of the Bulls’ core, and his deal leaves the organization enough flexibility so that when James, Wade, Bosh and other prospective stars become free agents once again down the line, the Bulls will have enough money underneath the cap to go after them one more time. It's clear that Forman and his staff are leaving themselves enough space to do just that. They signed both Korver and Brewer to three-year deals, and it should be noted that the third year of Brewer's deal isn't guaranteed.

The Bulls have more salary cap space to go after whomever they choose on the market. They still need a backup point guard and are certainly exploring various trade scenarios in that regard. They could also sign veterans such as Brad Miller and Matt Barnes, who would provide leadership to a locker room full of younger players.

Even with Brewer's signing, they have enough room under the cap to make an aggressive offer to any player, without having to work out any kind of sign and trade scenario to make it work. That gives them a significant upper hand as we head down the final stretch in one of the most interesting free agency periods in NBA history.

By Nick Friedell

The Chicago Bulls agreed to a deal with unrestricted free-agent shooting guard Ronnie Brewer.

Brewer started 53 games for the Utah Jazz last season. The shooting guard 8.8 points while shooting .49 percent from the field. He also shot .26 percent from three-point range.

Read the entire story.

The reports coming out of Orlando saying that the Magic are going to match the Bulls offer sheet for J.J. Redick shouldn't come as much of a surprise. Even though the Bulls front-loaded Redick's deal, it was always a bit of stretch to think the Magic wouldn't match it.

Orlando GM Otis Smith and his staff have put too much time into molding Redick into the player they always wanted him to become. They did the same thing with Marcin Gortat when he signed a mega offer sheet with Dallas last summer.

The Devos family clearly isn't afraid to go deep into the luxury tax to keep its players, especially with the revenue streams that will come from a brand new downtown arena.

So where does all this Redick news leave the Bulls?

Well, this news esentially guarantees that Gar Forman is on the phone with Henry Thomas, trying to figure out just how much it would take to get his client Ronnie Brewer to come to Chicago.

Brewer would instantly fit in with the Bulls young core and would provide a little more athleticism from the two spot than Redick would have. He's also a little bigger and a better defender than Redick. The major difference is that Redick shot 40 percent from behind the arc last season while Brewer's percentage hovered around 20 percent from long range. Redick would have given the Bulls the second sharpshooter to play alongside Kyle Korver.

A Korver/Redick tandem would have worked extremely well alongside Derrick Rose, but now Forman must make an agressive play for Brewer and hope for the best. After getting spurned by Raja Bell, he has to find the right guy to start along Rose, and Brewer is probably the best option out there.


With the money left over Forman now has the ability to make a stronger play for other free agents such as Matt Barnes and Brad Miller if he so desires. Each would provide the Bulls with a veteran presence and toughness that would fit in well in the locker room.


The bottom line for Forman is that he must move fast in order to lock up the rest of his roster. If he waits too long, Brewer and most other quality free agents will be gone. If he acts swiftly and adds the right pieces, the fact that he lost out on Redick won't change the fact that the Bulls will still probably end up winning 50 games next year if the rest of their roster stays healthy.

CHICAGO -- Free agent swingman Ronnie Brewer is interested in playing for the Chicago Bulls, according to his agent Henry Thomas.

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J.J. Redick is more than a shooter.
A few years ago that statement would have been blasphemous, but to the surprise of a lot of casual basketball fans, it's now the truth.

Seriously.

I've followed Redick's career closely since he came into the league, and I can tell you that he has improved considerably since his first year in Orlando. He's actually a solid defender now. It's true. Redick spent a lot of time in the gym bulking up and working on his foot speed -- and it paid off. That's why Orlando head coach Stan Van Gundy continued to put him on the floor during crucial stretches last season, and that's one of the biggest reasons why the Bulls decided to sign him to a three-year offer sheet worth almost $20 million. He stays in front of people now, unlike the beginning of his career when opposing guards used to see him come into the game and salivate at all the scoring opportunities that were suddenly available.

After becoming an All-American at Duke, he couldn't find minutes under former Orlando head coach Brian Hill. Van Gundy didn't give him much time when he first took over, either. Redick requested a trade, but he clearly used the perceived slights as motivation.

To Redick's credit, he worked on his deficiencies and got better. That's why anyone who is bashing the Bulls for their offer and questioning Redick's qualifications right now is off base. Aside from the fact that he has improved considerably as a defender and shot 40 percent from beyond the arc last season, he's also a very underrated passer. He has solid court vision and would complement Derrick Rose in that regard very well. No, Redick isn't LeBron James or Dwyane Wade -- nobody is. But the Bulls could do a lot worse than adding the 26 year-old sharpshooter to play alongside Rose for the next three years. With Redick and Korver in the fold, alongside the 21 year-old All Star point guard, the Bulls will become a team that nobody wants to face on the perimeter.

Brewer next?: Now, if the Magic go deep into the luxury tax and match the Bulls offer sheet, Gar Forman's next call will probably be to Ronnie Brewer. Unlike Redick, the Memphis swingman is an unrestricted free agent and you can bet that he is watching how this particular deal unfolds. New Bull Kyle Korver even referenced Brewer, his former teammate in Utah, on Tuesday during his introductory news conference and said he had been speaking to him about the possibility of playing in Chicago.

Brewer is a year younger than Redick and has a bigger body and a little more athleticism. The biggest difference statistically though is that Redick has always been known as an accurate long distance shooter, 39 percent during his career. Brewer, on the other hand, is shooting just 23 percent from long range over his short career and attempted just 31 last season. The Bulls clearly have made 3-point shooting a priority this offseason and Redick fills that need much better than the Arkansas alum. Brewer would be a nice fit, but there is a reason he didn't get the original offer sheet from the Bulls.

Iguodala unlikely: I have gotten a lot of e-mails about Andre Iguodala over the past week and whether the Bulls may have interest in trading for him. I just don't see this happening. The only way a deal could go down is if Philadelphia took back Luol Deng's contract, and it doesn't seem like any team wants to touch that deal with a ten foot pole. Having said that, Iguodala's deal may be even worse. He has four years and about $55 million left on it if he picks up the player option during the final year. Iguodala is a better, more explosive player than Deng. He's also a lot more durable, rarely missing games due to injury, but do you think that he can be the second option on a championship team? I think the Bulls would be better served trying to flip Deng's deal in a couple years for a proven superstar if one becomes available down the line. Iguodala is a solid piece, but the Bulls already have plenty of those. They need the type of 25 points per game star that they missed out on during free agency and Iguodala, like Deng, hasn't proven that he can be that guy.