The Bulls made a statement last night against the two-time defending champion Lakers. more ›

In the last two editions of their weekly feature "Weakside/Strongside," The Onion has broken down two Chicago sports figures: Lou Piniella and Scottie Pippen. We dug through the archives and came across a few others that are pretty entertaining in their own right with a Chicago connection. more ›

So remember yesterday, when back channel communications supposedly indicated Phil Jackson might be open to a second stint with the Bulls? Apparently the problem with these "unofficial" talks going through various intermediaries is that intentions get misconstrued or misreported. When asked about the rumors reported by ESPN before Tuesday night's Lakers-Suns game, Jackson made it clear he wasn't thinking about returning to the Bulls, saying that he has "no desire at all" to return to Chicago. However, he wasn't willing to commit as definitively to limiting his choice this off-season to either remaining with the Lakers or retiring. more ›

While we all know LeBron James is the preeminent free agent in the NBA this off-season, perhaps it's another guy with an expiring contract that could have the most influence on winning a title. Ten-time champion coach Phil Jackson, who lead MJ and Pippen to six titles with the Bulls before winning four more (and currently working towards his fifth) with L.A. Lakers, is in the final year of his contract. The Lakers have indicated that they don't want to continue paying Jackson the $12 million annually he's currently earning if he were to return. That doesn't mean he's opposed to returning to the Lakers bench anyway, but he's also hinted at retirement. But he's also indicated he might seek new opportunities elsewhere. It's not an easy decision when you're dating your boss's daughter. more ›

You know it's a slow sports week in town when columnists from the big newspapers start sounding like the drunk guy at the corner bar yelling at the TV during the game, certain he could assemble a better team than the one that management has put together. So who is their target? In his column today Mike Downey follows Jay Mariotti in demanding that the Bulls need to trade for Kobe Bryant. There has been... more ›

The sports media has been abuzz since ESPN's Ric Bucher reported that L.A. Laker guard Kobe Bryant suggested during an interview that he wanted to be traded if the Lakers didn't lure former GM Jerry West back to the organization. A day later, Kobe refuted that assertion, but the rumor mills continue to swirl about whether the Lakers' prima donna wants out. more ›

Overshadowed by MJ during most of his tenure with the Bulls, Scottie Pippen nonetheless established himself as one of the greats of the NBA. During his career, he was a 7-time All Star and 8-time All Defensive First Team player. He averaged almost 20 points, 7 rebounds and 5 assists per game while with the Bulls, winning 6 NBA titles along the way. All these resulted in his inclusion on the NBA’s 50 Greatest Players of All-Time list announced in 1996. more ›

The Bulls welcome the Orlando Magic to the United Center tonight, their first home game in over two weeks. They concluded their annual "Circus Trip" on Sunday, when they beat the Houston Rockets 94-89. That win pulled the Bulls record on the West Coast swing to an even 3-3. more ›

How does the offer to negotiate a contract extension hasten a coach's departure from town? It's sounding like that impressive feat may have been accomplished by the Bulls, who could be shopping for a new head coach following the continued deteriation of talks between the Bulls and Scott Skiles. Yesterday, Skiles' agent Kieth Glass let it be known: There will be no [extension]. It's done. It's enough. There was never a deadline. Scott never gave... more ›