Bulls sign forward Cartier Martin to 10-day contract

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MILWAUKEE - The Bulls have found their replacement for Luol Deng, at least technically.

The team signed Cartier (pronounced like the fine jewelry manufacturer) Martin to a 10-day contract, and the veteran forward was in uniform Friday night.

"We're excited to have him," coach Tom Thibodeau said. "He has worked his way into the league (as an undrafted player). He came up the hard way. We like that about him. He can play multiple positions, and he has shown he can shoot the 3."

The 6-foot-7, 220-pound Martin has played for the Warriors, Wizards and Hawks in his six NBA seasons. He appeared in 25 games (two starts) for the Hawks this season, averaging 6.6 points and shooting 40.5 percent from 3-point range. He is a career 38.5 percent 3-point shooter.

Martin, wearing uniform No. 15, becomes the third Kansas State alumnus in Bulls history, joining Bob Boozer and Ed Nealy.

Tough Taj: One second, Taj Gibson was scrambling for a loose ball with the Bucks' Khris Middleton. The next, he was holding his right wrist and wincing in pain.

Gibson left the game with less than two minutes left in the first quarter and got medical attention on the bench. But he returned for the start of the second quarter.

Thibodeau praised Gibson before the game, citing him as a player who is equally adept at starting and coming off the bench.

Asked if he was ready to anoint an every-game starter to replace Deng, Thibodeau replied: "The more important question is how are we going to finish. I don't get caught up in who starts. We need both units to play well. We have a number of guys who do both well. Like Taj, you can start him or bring him off the bench and he will play the same. Mike Dunleavy is one of those guys."

Layups: Thibodeau said he likes what point guard Marquis Teague has done for the Iowa Energy of the Development League, and he might send forward Erik Murphy there. Entering Friday, Murphy had logged just five minutes in the last 10 games. In six games with Iowa, Teague is averaging 12 points on 45.6 percent shooting with 5.2 assists and 3 turnovers per game. ... Friday's Heat-Nets game featured nicknames on the back of jerseys, such as "J. Shuttlesworth" for Ray Allen and "King James" for LeBron James. Does Thibodeau like the idea? "Well, I'm waiting for them to do that with the media," he replied. Does he have nicknames in mind? "Oh, I do," he said.