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Overpaid Boozer adds a lot of value to the Bulls

I hope you know I'm here as the friend of the downtrodden, the underdog and the scapegoat.

Nowadays, if a team is losing it's always someone else's fault, and occasionally it will be said that a team is winning despite so-and-so.

Well, according to some, that "so-and-so" on the Chicago Bulls is Carlos Boozer.

Look, when the Bulls signed Boozer I never fooled myself into thinking they were getting Wilt Chamberlain. Apparently others did, and for them, his $15 million annual salary pushes him into a category of players not getting it done on a consistent basis.

His career earnings of more than $146 million give NBA fans fodder - not only for being overpaid, but wondering where the career stats are for all-star games and MVP awards.

I know Boozer isn't all that, but it's OK with me. I've never blamed Boozer for much, just like I never expected much. You get what you get with him: 14 points, 6 or 7 boards and the Bulls win or lose.

Boozer is probably overpaid, but what he gives the Bulls is invaluable: minutes, points, boards and attitude.

It's enough for me, but I guess not enough for others.

Jackson in N.Y. a step up:

It is rumored that Phil Jackson could take over as head of basketball operations for the New York Knicks.

It definitely has to be considered a step up for the suffering Knicks franchise, but wouldn't almost any reputable NBA personnel be better after the debacle the Knicks had this year?

Phil Jackson might not have a clue about running a team or judging talent because he was lucky enough to always have it, but Knicks owner Jim Dolan needs credibility and Jackson would bring that for certain.

The funny thing is, it was reported the Knicks don't want Jackson as a coach. If Jackson was given full autonomy to run the team, why wouldn't he put himself as head coach?

And if Jackson is in the front office, will his presence convince Carmelo Anthony to stay, or does Jackson let him go?

No one knows right now, but everyone's waiting for Jackson to make a decision.

Program notes:

Follow me on Twitter@ north2north, and listen to Fox Sports Daybreak with Andy Furman and myself from 5-8 a.m. Monday through Friday on Fox Sports radio. Catch my show from 7-11 a.m. Sundays, and check me out on iHeart radio or Foxsportsradio.com.

• Mike North's column appears each Tuesday and Friday in the Daily Herald, and his video commentary can be found Monday, Wednesday and Thursday at dailyherald.com. For more, visit northtonorth.com.

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