Joakim Noah vows to 'come back stronger' next season

On the first day of training camp, Joakim Noah said his surgically repaired left knee would be a season-long maintenance issue.

He was right.

"I went through a lot this year," Noah said Friday. "It wasn't easy, but I'll come back stronger."

Noah's dramatic drop from last season — when he was named Defensive Player of the Year and first-team All-NBA and finished fourth in MVP voting — played out both physically and positionally. With Derrick Rose back, the offense no longer ran through him. With Pau Gasol signed, his defensive role changed.

Noah's averages dropped from 12.6 to 7.2 points, from 11.3 to 9.6 rebounds, from 5.4 to 4.7 assists, from 1.5 to 1.1 blocks and from 1.2 to 0.7 steals.

Noah said he was still processing the end of the season but that planning his offseason workout schedule is a priority.

"I have a lot of work to do," he said. "I definitely have to play better than I did this year. I'm disappointed about that.

"But this is a tough point right now, losing with the caliber of players that we had and the expectations we had. I think it's going to make us stronger and work that much harder."

Free for all: Mike Dunleavy turned down more lucrative offers to sign with the Bulls in 2013, turning in two solid seasons. The Bulls would welcome him back but also have to meet Jimmy Butler's contractual demands.

"I haven't really processed everything right now," Dunleavy said of his future. "I didn't think we were going to be done. It's a great group of guys, a great organization. I love being here and would love to be back."