Bulls seem to enjoy talk of Stoudemire
Count Derrick Rose among those enthused by the possibility of Phoenix Suns power forward Amare Stoudemire joining the Bulls.
"Of course, anybody would want him," Rose said following Monday's practice at the Berto Center. "He could go anywhere, but if he comes here, we'll love him. Great player, great teammate, plays hard, a force on the inside. So he'd be a good fit."
Of course the actual chances of the Bulls landing Stoudemire are anyone's guess. Suns general manager Steve Kerr has admitted engaging in trade talks, and the Bulls definitely are interested.
"I tried a long time ago not to get excited about things like that, because you never know how much truth there is to it," guard Kirk Hinrich said. "He's a special player. He's been an all-star in this league. He's one of the best power players in this league."
Coach Vinny Del Negro came from Phoenix, where he worked mostly as a college scout for the Suns the past two years. He knows Stoudemire better than anyone in the organization but downplayed his own role in the process.
"My focus is the team," Del Negro said. "When something gets where (management) feels there's a possibility, we'll talk. I think Amare would be a good fit anywhere. There are a lot of guys who would be a good fit.
"But Amare's a Phoenix Sun. I have a lot of respect for that organization, the players there and the ownership. I'm right now focused on what we need to do."
The Bulls have had talks with Phoenix, which is looking for young players and salary reduction. The Bulls offer centers on Tyrus Thomas and Thabo Sefolosha, the expiring contracts of Drew Gooden and Cedric Simmons, along with undetermined draft picks.
Two league sources suggested Phoenix does not have much interest in Miami's Michael Beasley or Shawn Marion. The Suns got rid of Marion a year ago in the Shaquille O'Neal trade and apparently see Thomas as a better fit than Beasley.
So the Bulls appear to be a strong contender in the Stoudemire sweepstakes. The biggest questions are whether teams will improve their offers before the Feb. 19 trade deadline and how much it would cost the Bulls to keep Stoudemire long term. He has the option of becoming an unrestricted free agent in 2010.
Time for Kerr tribute: Coach Vinny Del Negro said he'd like to go over halftime adjustments quickly tonight so the players can return to the court and watch most of the tribute to longtime broadcaster Johnny "Red" Kerr.
The ceremony is scheduled to add about 10 minutes to halftime and will be aired live on Comcast SportsNet. The Bulls will wear their red road uniforms in honor of Red.
"There have been a lot of stories now because of the (ceremony)," coach Vinny Del Negro said. "There hasn't been one bad thing said about the guy. Everybody - former players, people I've talked to, executives. I'm sure it's going to be an exciting night."
Gooden, Ruffin work out: Drew Gooden participated in Monday's entire practice, which should qualify as good news. He has missed nine games with groin and abdominal strains and is set to see another specialist today who will examine the possibility of a sports hernia. It doesn't seem likely Gooden will play tonight against Detroit, but coach Vinny Del Negro didn't rule it out.
"We've sent him all over," Del Negro said. "Hopefully we'll get some clarification and make him feel a little bit better."
The Bulls also got a long-awaited addition to the lineup Monday when Michael Ruffin joined practice. He has been out since the second day of training camp with ankle and Achilles' tendon issues.