Luol Deng, and other Bulls issues to consider

Luol Deng is not a malingerer.

Seems no matter how many times he explains it, there are going to be people - both in the Bulls organization and out - who insist Deng was shrinking from the task this spring.

And they're wrong.

Is he injury prone? Seems like it. Is he a mistake at $70 million? Probably. Is he soft? There's just no evidence to support such a conclusion.

Yet, the questions during the Celtics series came from every direction, and every person you saw from around the country wanted to know the real story.

Well, the reality is stress fractures are sometimes very difficult to find with pictures and therefore difficult to diagnose and even more difficult to believe.

With MRIs and especially X-rays, results are not always - forgive me - black and white.

What they are is unbelievably painful on some days and relatively tranquil on others.

That's what causes reporters, teammates and executives to raise eyebrows.

There are days when a player can run fairly well, almost normal, as the fracture doesn't present as much pain, but after that activity it might be impossible to even walk the next day without feeling like there are knives sticking in the leg.

So others looked at Deng the last month or two and wondered why the inconsistency, and that's also why he's still facing questions and skepticism.

While a real injury and extremely painful, if allowed to heal properly it won't have any long-term effects.

So if Deng decides he must absolutely play for the British national team this summer, the Bulls ought to tell him not to bother coming back.

Not only does he risk injury by shortening his rest time, but he also insults his teammates who dug down and discovered a playoff spot, and then fought so valiantly against Boston for seven grueling games without him.

Deng is hurt and Deng is healing, but in order to gain his teammates' trust again, he's going to need a healthy season ahead, and it starts with a productive - and quiet - summer.

The free agent

You can believe Ben Gordon when he says he wants to stay here and sign a new contract.

During the years he served as the fall guy every time Scott Skiles needed someone to blame, Gordon probably couldn't have imagined signing long term with the Bulls.

But now that Vinny Del Negro essentially allows Gordon free rein to run the floor and shoot as he pleases, you have to think Gordon will stay if the price is right.

Gordon has his faults, to be sure, but he's a pure scorer, and they're not easy to find. There aren't that many players who can come off the bench cold and get you 20 in the fourth, so the Bulls likely will find the money to keep their top scoring threat.

Down low

As was the case when the 2008-09 season began, Derrick Rose still has no one to play catch with inside, and until the Bulls get him a presence down low - Chris Bosh? - the Bulls will be a fringe player in the East.

Noah's arc

Joakim Noah seems to have grown up a bit during the Bulls' difficult series with Boston.

Not only did he say afterward that the Bulls accomplished nothing by losing, and thought it odd people acted as though the Bulls won because they competed, but he also said he needs to get in better shape and bulk up if he wants to compete with legitimate NBA big men.

Noah gave away 50 pounds to Kendrick Perkins and at least 60 pounds to Glen Davis, and consistently found himself flat on the floor.

It has taken him three years at Florida and two in the NBA to figure it out, but at 24 years old he might be getting a clue.

After so many ups and downs on and off the court, and just as many summers of living the good life, Noah apparently intends to get serious this off-season.

Time will tell.

Forward thinking

Tyrus Thomas, on the other hand, has not changed at all.

You have to wonder about his Bulls future after he continued his pattern of bizarre performances and odd antics on the floor - often thinking he was George Gervin - followed by sulking on the bench any time Vinny Del Negro chose to play someone a little more under control.

The veterans

John Paxson has made plenty of mistakes the last few years, and none worse than falling in love with and refusing to trade his young players.

But in fairness to Paxson, his trade for Brad Miller and John Salmons did more than simply clean up a locker room and add professionalism, which is all I gave him credit for when he made the deal.

It also gave the Bulls some floor leadership, and though Miller doesn't have a lot left, he is a pro, he does care, and he was terrific against Boston.

As for Salmons, this is the first time he has ever done it for a full season, and it remains to be seen where the Bulls intend to play him, which also depends a lot on Ben Gordon.

Nevertheless, Salmons was a fine addition by Paxson, and he gave Derrick Rose the option of passing to someone who knew what to do with the ball for a change.

The stat

In the seven-game series between the Bulls and Boston, 6-foot-9 Tyrus Thomas had 44 rebounds, 6-foot-3 Derrick Rose had 44 rebounds, and 6-foot-1 Rajon Rondo had 65 rebounds.

And finally-

Boston coach Doc Rivers: "I never want to see the Bulls again."