The Bulls got a lot of public-relations mileage out of a statement they released a week ago about Deng's condition. It was widely viewed as a fed-up team standing up to a pampered professional athlete.
"He has been restricted from high-level activity since [Feb. 28]," team physician Brian Cole was quoted as saying. "At this point, he will undergo 'active rest,' meaning that he will be encouraged to challenge himself physically, and if symptoms remain minimal, he will be allowed an expeditious return to play."
That the Bulls were going to encourage Deng to "challenge himself physically" was interpreted to mean: "Can you believe this guy? What a wimp."