March 28--Think about it: When Mike Dunleavy turned down more lucrative offers to sign a two-year, $6.5 million free-agent deal with the Bulls in July 2013, the plan called for the veteran to back up two-time All-Star Luol Deng and play an important reserve role for a chance at a championship.
Instead, Deng is in Miami on his second team removed from the Bulls, and Dunleavy will start at small forward Saturday against the Knicks for the 116th time in 137 games with the Bulls.
"To last in the league this long (13 seasons) means a lot," Dunleavy said. "I'm very fortunate. I realize that. It's kind of cool. Hopefully I've got a lot left in me."
Dunleavy, 34, will be playing somewhere next season. Maybe with the Bulls, maybe not. Having grown up around the league -- his father, Mike Dunleavy Sr., coached four teams over 17 seasons -- Dunleavy has a refreshingly realistic take on all things NBA.
But with a smart, efficient and low-maintenance game that includes mastery of the fundamentals, Dunleavy could be playing a while.
"My body feels good," Dunleavy said. "For me, it's just play basically for as long as you can contribute and produce and feel good and enjoy it. I don't really have any number of years or set goal.
"As long as I don't do anything stupid and step on somebody's foot or sprain my ankle or do something like that, I've been pretty healthy in my 30s. That helps with longevity."
Dunleavy, averaging 9.3 points and shooting 41 percent from 3-point range, was referring to the right ankle injury that cost him 19 games in January. He and Taj Gibson were the only Bulls to play all 82 games last season, the fourth time Dunleavy had done so -- he had another 81-game season -- and the first since 2007-08 with the Pacers.
That's no small feat given Dunleavy played just 18 games in 2008-09 with the Pacers after a risky surgery to remove a bone spur near a tendon in his right knee.
"That was really the only time I considered, 'What now?' Nobody really knew what the outcome was going to be, and I knew (career-ending) was a possibility and then had a long rehab," Dunleavy said. "But I was able to get through that. My right knee feels great now. I haven't really looked back."
Dunleavy also doesn't spend much time looking forward. This will be his third offseason as an unrestricted free agent.
"Obviously, the older you get, you realize the closer you are to the finish line. But I don't know where that finish line is," he said. "I still love it. I don't know anything else. So I want to do this as long as I can and then figure out the next step in my life."
Many have theorized Dunleavy would make an excellent coach. The profession runs in the family. Beyond his father's run, his younger brother, Baker, will help coach Illinois' Mr. Basketball, Jalen Brunson, at Villanova as Jay Wright's associate head coach.
"It's a compliment," Dunleavy said. "I can't see myself doing something outside of basketball. But coaching is something you have to take your family into consideration. I've been through that with my dad. I really won't know until I'm done playing."
At this rate, that could be a while.
kcjohnson@tribpub.com
