The Chicago Bulls announced today that the team has re-signed forward Luol Deng to a multi-year extension. Per team policy, terms of the contract were not disclosed.
“Signing Luol has always been a priority for this organization and we have always felt that he was a big part of our future.  We are very happy that Luol will now be with us long term as we continue to grow as an organization,” said Bulls Executive Vice President of Basketball Operations John Paxson.
Last season, Deng (6-9, 220) averaged 17.0 ppg (second on the team), 6.4 rpg and 2.5 apg in 33.8 mpg, while shooting .479 from the floor, including a career-best .364 from three-point range, and .770 from the free throw line.  Set to begin his fifth season in the NBA, the 23-year-old Deng holds career averages of 15.6 ppg, 6.4 rpg, 2.3 apg, 0.96 spg, 33.3 mpg and shooting averages of .480 from the field and .763 from the line.
“I’m thrilled to be a part of this organization for the long term.  Chicago is where I have always wanted to be,” said Deng.  “I’m looking forward to getting back on the court with my teammates and helping this team get back to the playoffs.”
Originally drafted by the Phoenix Suns in the first round (seventh overall) of NBA Draft 2004, the Bulls acquired Deng’s draft rights in a draft-night deal for a future conditional first-round draft pick, the draft rights to Jackson Vroman (31st overall pick in NBA Draft 2004) and cash considerations.

The Oklahoman (Mike Baldwin) reports on a team’s 82-game regular season schedule: “Four games against division opponents. Four games against six out-of-division conference opponents. Three games against the remaining four conference teams. Two games against teams in the opposing conference. A five-year rotation determines which out-of-division conference teams are played only three times.”

 JamesOn Curry of the Chicago Bulls has been suspended  without  pay  for one  game for pleading guilty to resisting or obstructing  an  officer  and public urination, in violation of the laws of State of Idaho and City of Boise, respectively, the NBA announced today.
Curry  will  be suspended  for  the first game of the 2008-09 NBA regular season for which he is eligible and physically able to play.

The  National  Basketball  Association today announced  that  the  Salary  Cap  for  the  2008-09 season will be $58.680 million.   The  new  Cap  goes  into  effect  immediately  as  the league’s “moratorium  period”  has ended and teams can begin signing free agents and making trades.
The  tax level for the 2008-09 season has been set at $71.150 million.  Any team whose team salary exceeds that figure will pay a $1 tax for each $1 by which it exceeds $71.150 million.
The  mid-level  exception  is $5.585 million for the 2008-09 season and the minimum  team  salary,  which  is  set at 75% of the Salary Cap, is $44.010 million.
For  the 2007-08 season, the Salary Cap was set at $55.630 million, the tax level was $67.865 million and the mid-level exception was $5.356 million.

The Fort Worth Star-Telegram (Jeff Caplan) reports: Longtime Mavs assistant coach Del Harris, who most recently served as a team consultant, is leaving the organization to join the staff of first-time head coach Vinny Del Negro with the Chicago Bulls.
InsideHoops.com editor says: Fantastic hire by the Bulls, adding an extremely well-known veteran coach to help guide Del Negro. Of course, one wonders if it should be the other way around, Harris getting the head coaching job while Del Negro learns the ropes under him and gets good experience before leading a team himself. That’s what I would probably have done. But then again, I don’t know Del Negro’s basketball mind. Maybe he’s brilliant.

The New York Post (Marc Berman) reports:  Bulls backup point guard Chris Duhon, during a visit to the Knicks’ Westchester campus on Day 1 of free agency yesterday, met with coach Mike D’Antoni and was offered a two-year contract believed to be more than $7 million, according to league sources. Duhon was mulling the offer last night and could accept as soon as today.  The Knicks have proclaimed they do not want to go beyond two years on any signing so as not to compromise their chances of getting under the salary cap in 2010. That amount is a good chunk of the annual $5.5 million mid-level exception.