Hoiberg, Bulls still trying to rebuild

When Fred Hoiberg signed with Chicago after leaving the Indiana Pacers in 1999, he knew that the Bulls were in the process of rebuilding following Michael Jordan's second retirement from the NBA.

Now it's three years later and the Bulls are still trying to rebuild. They struggled to a 21-61 record this year, marking the team's fourth consecutive dismal season.

When the NBA playoffs resume Friday night with a pair of Game 6 showdowns, Hoiberg will likely be sitting in front of a TV watching the action. Of course, he'd rather be on the court.

"It's tough, but you've got to look at it with reality," said Hoiberg, a six-foot, five-inch shooting guard who has averaged 5.7 points per game in seven NBA seasons. "We drafted two high school kids last year, and it's almost like we've gone through two rebuilding periods in three years."

Prior to the 2001 draft, the Bulls traded their best player -- power forward Elton Brand -- to the Los Angeles Clippers in exchange for the No. 2 pick, which they used to take Tyson Chandler. Then, Chicago G.M. Jerry Krause used the Bulls' No. 4 pick to select Eddy Curry.

Thus, a young team became even younger, and when the Bulls got off to a sluggish 4-21 start this season, head coach Tim Floyd had seen enough. He resigned from his position on Christmas Eve.

"I don't think he was ready to start over again. You could see it in his eyes," said Hoiberg, who also played for Floyd during his senior season at Iowa State in 1994-95. "I think it was probably best for both parties."

Bill Cartwright was named Floyd's successor four days later, and the Bulls immediately responded with a pair of impressive victories. The team went on to post a 17-38 mark under Cartwright, including wins in four of the last six games.

The Bulls also made a major trade on February 20, sending four players to the Pacers in exchange for forward Jalen Rose, guards Travis Best and Norm Richardson, and a conditional second-round pick. The addition of Rose, who averaged 23.8 points in 30 games, gave Chicago a franchise player to build around.

"I think we've finally got the pieces in place to have a good team," Hoiberg said. "The future does look bright."

Chicago also owns the No. 2 pick in the 2002 NBA draft, which will be held on June 26. If Houston selects 7-5 center Yao Ming of China with the top pick, the Bulls are expected to take Duke point guard Jay Williams.

"That's what everybody is saying," Hoiberg said. "But you just never know."

Hoiberg said it's possible that the Bulls could trade the pick for a veteran player or a combination of draft picks. The team obviously needs help in a lot of areas.

"We just need a solid player," Hoiberg said. "Somebody who can help us right away."

The 29-year-old Hoiberg played in 79 games this season, averaging 4.4 points in 17.8 minutes of action. After averaging 9.0 and a career-high 9.1 points per game during his first two seasons in the Windy City, Hoiberg struggled from the field in 2001-02, making just 26.1 percent of his shots from three-point range.

"I went through a slump at the beginning of the season that I've never gone through," Hoiberg said. "But I thought I played the best defense of my career, and I was happy with my overall floor game. I'm confident that I can bounce back and have a good season next year."

Hoiberg never averaged more than 13.4 minutes per game during his four seasons with the Pacers. He served primarily as a backup for Reggie Miller and Rose, but still learned a lot about the game from his teammates and from his legendary coaches, Larry Brown and Larry Bird.

"Those were the funnest times in my NBA career," Hoiberg said. "We had a lot of success on the court, and both of my kids were born there. I have a lot of great memories from those years."

Following the 1998-99 season, when Hoiberg was limited to just 12 games due to injuries, he decided it was time to move on. He quickly found a new home in Chicago.

"I needed to look for a situation where I could get some minutes," Hoiberg said. "I was playing behind Reggie and Jalen in Indiana, so I knew I wouldn't get a lot of playing time there. And Chicago was in the process of rebuilding, so it seemed like a good fit for me."

Hoiberg has no regrets about leaving Indiana, even though the Pacers played in the NBA Finals the following season. In fact, Hoiberg was happy for his ex-teammates.

"I was cheering for those guys," he said. "There wasn't one guy in my four years there that I didn't like."

Hoiberg said he learned the NBA ropes from veterans like Miller and Mark Jackson. He is now trying to pass on his knowledge to the Bulls' youngsters, Chandler and Curry.

"I tried to learn as much as I could from the veterans that I played with," Hoiberg said. "It's hard enough going from college to the pros, so I can't even imagine what it's like (for the high school kids). I just want to help bring the young guys along as much as I can."

A career 36.8 percent shooter from beyond the arc, Hoiberg has one year remaining on a three-year, $2.98 million contract. He indicated that he plans to play at least a few more seasons.

"As long as I stay healthy, I think I'll be playing," he said. "And right now my body feels as good as it ever has."