Miller hopes to re-up with Bulls
Brad Miller wants to play two or three more seasons and is interested in returning to the Bulls next season.
For that to happen, though, Miller will have to take a sizable pay cut from the $12.25 million he made this year.
"What do you mean, I can't get the Marcus Camby extension?" Miller said with a laugh. "I can't go under the table and get a two-year, 20 (million)? Obviously, I know that, so I'm not too worried about that. That will take care of itself.
"A very big thing is location and the team. This team is good guys. That's what I really enjoyed. You look at the guys under contract, that's a pretty good start with salary cap to go with it."
Miller, 33, grew up near Fort Wayne, Ind., so this is close to home. He might also be interested in Houston and playing for Rick Adelman, his former coach in Sacramento.
"There's a very, very, very small list," Miller said. "Obviously, Chicago's on that small, small list."
Ready for recruiting: Derrick Rose wasn't at the Berto Center on Wednesday because of a family commitment. After the 96-94 loss to Cleveland in Game 5, he talked about the future of the Bulls.
"I can't wait," Rose said. "This whole off-season, I'm going to be working out. I'm going to meet with the people in the front office and just talk, see who we're going to get. We could get any one of (the major free agents), we just need to get the right fit."
Asked if he'll help recruit free agents for the Bulls this summer, Rose wasn't sure he'll be needed.
"I wouldn't say recruit like that, but Chicago is a great place," Rose said.
"Great team, great organization, fans are great. So why not come here?"
On the same topic, center Joakim Noah volunteered his services.
"Yeah, I think I'd be a good recruiter," he said.
Noah seeks next step: Third-year center Joakim Noah showed impressive improvement during the regular season. Against Cleveland in the playoffs, he averaged 14.8 points and 13 rebounds, but thinks he can climb higher.
"I feel like I worked really hard last off-season, but I didn't know that my game would get that much better that fast," Noah said. "The things I was able to do this year gave me a lot of confidence. I think it's only the beginning.
"I've got to get a lot stronger in my legs. I feel like I was still getting pushed around. Shaq (O'Neal) is a big boy. At the same time, I feel like I can always get stronger, get faster. I feel more confident in my shot and I know I can improve that and I will."
Vinny leads loose crew: Both Derrick Rose and Joakim Noah endorsed the return of coach Vinny Del Negro after Game 5 in Cleveland. Veteran guard Kirk Hinrich offered his take Wednesday.
"It's kind of a unique thing," Hinrich said. "We had a loose group and I think Vinny fit the bill for us. He lets you be who you are. He expects you to go out there and work hard and compete every night and that's what we tried to do."
Bull horns: In the next few days, rookie forward Taj Gibson plans to have the same sound wave treatment on his feet that helped ease Joakim Noah's plantar fasciitis in March. ... Derrick Rose had the fourth best-selling jersey this season, according to the NBA, trailing Kobe Bryant, LeBron James and Kevin Garnett.