Michael Reinsdorf believes that Nikola Mirotic would be a lottery in this year’s NBA draft.

Mirotic was acquired by the Bulls after he was drafted 23rd overall in 2011.

Reinsdorf is proud of the Bulls’ recent draft record, pointing to the 2011 selection of Jimmy Butler.

“This is a guy who was the 30th pick in the draft that any other team could have had,” Reinsdorf said of Butler. “He played nearly every minute against Miami and LeBron James. If you saw how LeBron James embraced Jimmy Butler after that game, to me, it was the ultimate show of respect and that Jimmy has arrived as a ballplayer.”

The Chicago Bulls were eliminated from the 2013 NBA Playoffs on Wednesday, ending their season without having Derrick Rose in the lineup for a single game.

Rose tore his ACL during Game 1 of the 2012 NBA Playoffs.

"He never quite reached the comfort level he needed to play," said Tom Thibodeau. "So he made the right decision."

Rose looked close to returning at one point of the season and said that he might return for the Bulls' series against the Miami Heat.

"He’s been diligent," said Thibodeau. "He’ll continue to be diligent throughout the summer. And he’ll be ready to go next year."

Richard Hamilton scored 15 points in 35 minutes of the Chicago Bulls' Game 5 loss to the Miami Heat, and he knows he likely does not have a future with the organization.

The Bulls will buy out Hamilton for $1 million this offseason.

Hamilton has said he hopes to play two more seasons.

"Even though the last two weeks have been hard, my teammates have been great," Hamilton said. "They were so supportive of me and dumbfounded by the situation. They kept me going."

At the outset of the second round of the Chicago Bulls' series against the Miami Heat, Derrick Rose strongly considered returning from his torn ACL but ultimately decided not to, according to a source.

Rose will not return in this series, though, and Tom Thibodeau is aware of that.

Rose reached the one-year anniversary of ACL surgery on Sunday.

Chicago Bulls head coach Tom Thibodeau has been fined $35,000 for comments he made about the officiating following the Bulls 104-94 loss to the Miami Heat on Friday night at the United Center.

Thibodeau ripped the officiating throughout his postgame press conference and was particularly irate about the two early fouls called on Jimmy Butler, Nazr Mohammed's ejection for shoving LeBron James and Joakim Noah's loose ball foul in the fourth quarter.

The Bulls trail the Heat 2-1 in the conference semifinal series.

Taj Gibson was fined $25,000 after Game 2 for verbally abusing an official.

Chicago Bulls forward Taj Gibson has been fined $25,000 for verbal abuse of a game official, the NBA announced on Friday.

The incident occurred with 10:13 remaining in the fourth quarter of Chicago's 115-78 loss to the Miami Heat in Game 2 on Wednesday.

Joakim Noah had a similar incident but did not get fined.

Nate Robinson is averaging 8.3 points in the fourth quarter in the playoffs, up from only 4.8 points during the regular season.

Robinson’s minutes have gone up from 25.4 during the regular season to 31.5 during the postseason.

Carmelo Anthony ranks second in the league in postseason fourth quarter scoring, averaging 8.1 points.

Luol Deng has missed the past four games after complications with a spinal tap and is doubtful to play on Friday in Game 3 of the Chicago Bulls' second round series against the Miami Heat.

Deng revealed on Thursday that he played part of this season with a fractured thumb to go along with torn ligaments in his wrist from last year.

"It’s hard, man," Deng said. "We’ve had a long season. I’ve played with a lot of injuries. I’ve gone through the torn ligament in the wrist. I had a fractured thumb earlier this year. I played with it. I went through all that to be able to play. I didn’t think something besides an injury would keep me out. And that’s what makes it really hard. I don’t know what you can do."

Deng, who said he has lost 15 pounds during his recent absence, made his second consecutive All-Star appearance this season.

Joakim Noah is one of the NBA's best big men, but he also continue to get measurably better.

Noah was ruled out of the Chicago Bulls' first round series against the Nets due to plantar fasciitis, but he decided before their Game 1 shootaround that he would be healthy enough to play.

“Yeah and I hope he continues to improve until the last year he plays in the league," said Tom Thibodeau. "I want him to have that approach. I want him to remain hungry. He’s also an All-Star now, and I think if he keeps working at it, I can see him being a defensive player of the year.

“But the most important thing about him is he plays to win, and you can’t undersell that. Jo can have five points, 10 rebounds and four blocks, have great impact in the game, and he’s happy because we won. That’s the most important thing for him.’’

Nate Robinson had 27 points and nine assists in the Chicago Bulls' Game 1 win over the Miami Heat on Monday, and LeBron James made it clear that he is ready to defend the 5-foot-9 guard moving forward in the series.

“I’ll take the challenge on anyone,” James said.

Robinson had nine of the Bulls' last 12 points in Game 1.

James said he "wouldn't be surprised" if Erik Spoelstra "stuck" him onto Robinson late in games.