This article is one of the best I've read in a long long time, and completely different than most 'columnists' that cover the Bulls. I would quote the article, but the whole thing should be read. And besides The Bulls Reporter covered it already. :)

Well the Trib pretty much writes off Ira Newble as gone, but raises another interesting possibility:

"The Bulls already have let Ira Newble walk as they negotiated with Pippen. Newble is mulling multiyear offers from Cleveland and Memphis. Posey is the Bulls' latest target, an athletic and versatile player who split time between Denver and Houston last season. He averaged 10.8 points and 5.1 rebounds and, at 6-feet-8 inches, has the wingspan to be a decent defender. The Bulls conceivably could sign Posey and then take the $1.8 million they are expected to receive for Jay Williams' medical exception and sign Corie Blount. Bartelstein, who also is Blount's agent, confirmed the Bulls have interest. As for the other free agents from last year's team, Paxson recently told guards Rick Brunson and Fred Hoiberg to look elsewhere and he would revisit matters in September if they are unsigned. Hoiberg, the longest-tenured Bull, could land in Minnesota. Brunson is drawing interest from Toronto and Houston. The Bulls even are prepared to be shut out completely on the small forward front in free agency."

If they are shut out, make no mistake this offseason will be a failure. I like Posey as a player, he's better than Newble offensively, I'm not sure he's a good enough defender though. Also Newble was admant in saying he is willing to take a lesser role, whereas I don't know if Posey feels the same way. I would be happy if they offered the exemption to Posey, but keep in mind that the Rockets can always match the offer.

Well Rick Morrissey doesn't want Pippen back, and neither does Mariotti, which is suprising since he pines for every ex-Bull to come back and save this "wretched franchise" as he calls it. If only he watched the Bulls once in a while. And I have to say I agree with them, especially since Ira Newble is slipping away.

Waiting on Scottie Pippen to decide whether he wants to return to the Bulls has cost the team any reasonable chance of signing free-agent forward Ira Newble, agent Steve Kauffman said Thursday. "First, I want to make it clear that the Bulls were Ira's first choice,'' said Kauffman, who told Bulls operations chief John Paxson of his decision Wednesday night. "But we can't afford to wait any longer for them to find out what Scottie's going to do. I expect Ira to agree to terms [today] with either the Memphis Grizzlies or the Cleveland Cavaliers.''

I can't believe I'm upset over the possible loss of Ira Newble, but he is a pretty good fit for this team, and if the Bulls lose out on him just so they can woo Pippen, they're making a big mistake. Pippen is older, more expensive, more brittle and just more of a jerk than Newble would be. And besides its not even close to a guarantee that Pippen will sign here anyway, in fact it looks like he's using the Bulls for leverage.

Oh man, Johnny Bach looks like the cryptkeeper:

Wow, Barry Rozner sure doesn't want Pippen back in town.

I'm reading a lot today about offers coming from the Grizzlies, along with contenders like the Spurs and Mavs, who may be looking now towards backup plans like Pip. So he may just be using the Bulls for leverage. Like I said before, I don't even need Pippen, I'm FINE with Ira Newble, but I just want this thing settled.