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Bull Drew Gooden on verge of return from injuries

No, not via trade; injured Gooden set to return

By K.C. Johnson | Tribune reporter

February 18, 2009

The Bulls could be welcoming a big man with starting playoff experience Wednesday in Milwaukee.

His name will be Drew Gooden, rather than Amare Stoudemire or Chris Bosh.

Gooden practiced Tuesday after missing the previous 11 games with abdominal and groin pain, and coach Vinny Del Negro said he would make a game-time decision in the critical matchup with a Bucks team that currently holds a playoff berth the Bulls covet.

With Thursday's 2 p.m. trade deadline approaching, signs continue to point to the Suns keeping Stoudemire. And there never was much merit to talk of a three-way trade involving Bosh and the Bulls.

"I find it amusing," Del Negro said of rumors, which included false reports that general manager John Paxson would resign this week. "What's funny to me is I just met with [team Chairman Jerry Reinsdorf] two days before I went to Phoenix [for the All-Star break] and Jerry never brought any of that stuff up to me. It's just part of the business."

The Stoudemire trade talks were legitimate. But with Phoenix sending signals that it will keep the four-time All-Star, the Bulls have inquired about Clippers center Chris Kaman and possibly others.

It's possible the core of the current playing rotation remains intact for Friday's home game against Denver. As currently constructed, are the Bulls a playoff team?

"If we can execute a little better, stay healthy and get Drew back there, we're only a couple of games out," Del Negro said. "And we have 11 of our last 16 at home.

"We've missed some opportunities we could've converted on. But by the end of the season, I feel we should be right there."

One of those opportunities came just before the All-Star break, a two-point home loss to Miami in which Del Negro sat Derrick Rose for the game's final seconds. Thabo Sefolosha committed a crucial turnover on an inbounds pass that led to the Heat's final, game-winning possession.

"I don't second-guess myself because it's easy to be a Monday-morning quarterback," Del Negro said. "Obviously, Derrick has been out there all season at the end of games. But Kirk [Hinrich] was playing well.

"The play was open. We just didn't execute the pass. So you move on."

To Milwaukee, where the Scott Skiles-led Bucks pushed their lead over the Bulls to 21/2 games with Tuesday's road victory over Detroit.

Meanwhile, management continues to try to find a taker for Larry Hughes and see if something beyond Stoudemire or Bosh shakes loose.

"It's not as easy to make deals as people think it is," Del Negro said, citing rules and salary issues. "But everyone is looking to make their team better. And we're no different."

kcjohnson@tribune.com