Everything written until now about the Chicago Bulls pointed to a roster overhaul, with two of the Chicago's "three C's" (Eddy Curry, Tyson Chandler, Jamal Crawford) most likely in new uniforms next season.  Not so, says Mike McGraw of the Daily Herald.

Of course, anything is possible after a 23-59 season. Any reasonable trade offer will be considered, and no one on the roster is truly untouchable. Several Bulls qualify as unwanted, but that's another issue.

Paxson gives a clear impression that he's eager to see how Eddy Curry, Tyson Chandler and Jamal Crawford respond this summer after absorbing coach Scott Skiles' lesson on the proper NBA work ethic.

"I think they've learned more in the last four months than they had the previous couple years," Paxson said. "They have to fight through barriers this off-season and really make the commitment to wanting to become better players.

"I'll find that out rather quickly, I think."

Tempting as it may be to tear up the Bulls' young nucleus, Paxson knows there could still be a huge payoff to Chandler and Curry, neither of whom turns 22 until later this year.

Unless the players association agrees to an age limit, future NBA drafts are likely to keep churning out teenagers. So perhaps it's better to stick with a promising 21-year-old when the potential replacements will still be 18.

"The guys following them are going to go through the same process," Paxson said. "If Tyson and Eddy work at their games hard this summer and make a jump, all of the sudden our guys look pretty good compared to what's coming up. And some of the older guys are getting even older. You can't just throw it all away, that's for sure.

"I've never considered myself the most patient individual, but that's obviously a big part of doing this job, being patient."

And what about Jamal Crawford, who was involved in many trade rumors this season?

"We've invested a lot of time and energy and resources into our young guys," Paxson said. "That includes Jamal. I think we put Jamal in a very good position this year when we made our trade (with Toronto) and got rid of scorers (Jalen Rose and Donyell Marshall).

"It gave him a lot of freedom, a lot of leeway. And he responded pretty well.

"We still have the ability to keep him. (If the Bulls didn't match an offer), that's losing an asset you had for nothing."