Denver Nuggets' Nate Robinson misses Chicago Bulls

Sean Highkin | USA TODAY Sports

CHICAGO — The most memorable moment of the Chicago Bulls' 2013 playoff run came at the hands of Nate Robinson. The undersized, occasionally reckless veteran guard exploded for 34 points off the bench to help the Bulls pull off a 142-134 triple-overtime victory over the Brooklyn Nets in Game 4 of their first-round series. With Derrick Rose sitting out the whole season and Joakim Noah playing through a foot injury, someone had to step up. And that savior came in Robinson's 5-foot-9 frame.

Fast-forward to the eve of the 2013-14 season's tipoff — Rose is back and looking as good as he ever has, and Robinson has moved on, signing a two-year, $4.1 million contract with the Denver Nuggets. Even though the Bulls opted not to re-sign him, the playoff run will forever hold special meaning for Robinson.

"It's something special to me," Robinson said before the Bulls' 94-89 preseason-closing win against the Nuggets. "It was a special season and a great group of guys, man. And I miss it. I'd be lying to say I didn't, but the guys over there, they showed me so much love — the coaching staff, the organization, the fans. It was a great run."

Robinson had a fairly forgettable game against his former team, failing to score a point and shooting 0-for-5 from the field while committing four turnovers in 25 minutes. With the Bulls last year, he became a go-to scorer as their other stars battled injuries. In Denver, he's one of a crowd of wings that includes Wilson Chandler, Evan Fournier, Randy Foye and — when he returns from a torn knee ligament — Danilo Gallinari.

Robinson made no secret this offseason of his desire to stick around in Chicago, but he says he holds no ill will towards the organization for not re-signing him, even going as far as to say he understands the move.

"Everybody knew I wanted to come back, but they had different things in mind" he said. "They signed a great shooter in (Mike) Dunleavy, they got a good rookie (Tony Snell), they have a great team. Plus, they got D-Rose back, you know?

"Why have Nate Robinson when you can have D-Rose?"

Still, Robinson remains friends with many players from last year's Bulls team. They keep up with each other over the summer and engage in good-natured trash talk about their favorite NFL teams.

"We always keep up with each other because my Seahawks are smacking (Jimmy Butler's) Texans" he said. "Kirk (Hinrich) told me he's loving it, because you know he's a big Chiefs fan, and last year they had a tough year, but this year he's the talk of the locker room. Just to keep up with stuff like that with guys, man, it goes a long way. More than you know."

Robinson's former Bulls teammates aren't the only ones who still thank him for the 2013 playoff run.

"All summer, everywhere I go, people say, 'Hell of a game. You brought a different light to the team, a different energy,' " Robinson said. "Fans everywhere — Twitter, Instagram — I was just out yesterday and it was like, 'Good to have you back, we miss you.' And that's great, to be missed and be loved like that. I hope it continues."

With Rose back to full health, Robinson would have had to take a lesser role if he'd stayed with the Bulls. And although he says he's happy in Denver, he can't help but wonder what a Rose-Robinson backcourt could have been.

"It definitely would have been scary," he said. "But you never know. Anything could happen."