Bulls GM Gar Forman has done a good job of acquiring young talent but the hard part is yet to come, as Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times explains. Chicago will need to use its cap room and land at least one star player to become a major threat in the Eastern Conference, Cowley continues. Forman’s reputation around the league is shaky and he’s never been able to land such a player in his current position. That could eventually wreck this rebuilding project, Cowley concludes.
We have more from around the Central Division:
- Pistons power forward Henry Ellenson is entering a pivotal year in his career, Ansar Khan of MLive.com notes. Ellenson is expected to his minutes increase under new coach Dwane Casey and Ellenson has been working diligently to become a stronger defender and improve his ball-handling. However, the third-year big man out of Marquette struggled with his new shooting motion during summer league games, particularly from long range, and that’s disconcerting, Khan adds.
- Free agent additions Doug McDermott and Tyreke Evans, along with first-round pick Aaron Holiday, should facilitate the Pacers’ desire to increase their 3-point production, according to Greg Rappaport of Pacers.com. McDermott closed out last season in Dallas by making nearly 50% of his long-range attempts in the final 24 games, while Holiday posted solid 3-point percentages during his college career, Rappaport continues. Evans has improved his long-range shooting over the last three seasons and will be an upgrade over Lance Stephenson, Rappaport adds.
- Knicks center Enes Kanter took a shot at the Bucks franchise and said he never considered joining them this summer, Royce Young of ESPN reports. Kanter posted a deer emoji on his Twitter account, then deleted it minutes later, the night before he decided to opt in and stay in New York. But Milwaukee was never on his radar. “I know I was not going to go to the Milwaukee Bucks. It’s the Milwaukee Bucks,” he told Young. “Unless they give you good, good money, then go, but you don’t leave New York for Milwaukee.”
Duh Enes if you are a useless player like you, then you don’t, but if you wanna win or go anywhere in this league then you go to Milwaukee, any day of the week & twice on Sundays. SMH
Let me know when Milwaukee is a destination where players go to “win” because there’s a major power shift right now and if you want to win you’ll go out west.
That made no sense. Win what? Games? It is harder to win in the WC, easier in the EC like Milwaukee or New York. “Major power shift right now”? The WC has been better for many years.
MIL is projected in the top 5 of 15, NYK in the bottom 5, more or less. Kanter sounds winning-averse. Hope he likes theatre and lengthy rebuilds.
Didn’t he say earlier that he’s not playing in NYK for a lottery pick. Money is what he likes, as he quoted about Bucks also suggests.
Maybe he was just trying to make up to knicks fans for not signing up for so long. Complementing their city.
Worst thing in the NBA is to be a 5 seed. If you can’t get past the second round, time to rebuild. The Knicks ARE in much better shape than Milwaukee long term.
The bucks have a perennial MVP candidate who has said repeatedly that he wants yo stay in Milwaukee long term. Any team in the NBA would want that over rebuilding.
Milwaukee isn’t a desirable destination for anyone in any capacity at any time.
That’s for sure! I was meaning on the east. At least with Milwaukee you will go to the playoffs and maybe even win a round or two but with New York… No playoffs for the foreseeable future, right?
The Bulls are set at every position, I don’t think they need a free agent. Lavine,Parker, and Lauri can all become all-stars this coming season.
Did you see John McCain was the one who made it possible for Markkenan to come from Finland to play for the University of Arizona?
Don’t forget Dunn, injuries aside, he made a jump last season, and showed a lot of promise…At times, he looked like he could be a potential stud, but he also struggled shooting at times as well..
Defensively though, he’s as solid as it gets as a PG..If he is able to make another jump this season, then the Bulls could suprise a lot of other teams…Especially with Wendell Carter Jr. looking like an absolute steal!!
Markkanen and WCJ, they combine to form the best young big duo in the East, and together, they could be special…
Very special. I’m excited to see how WCJ does this year. The newest threat in the East?
“you don’t leave New York for Milwaukee”
In fact, you don’t (even have to) leave New York to watch some Milwaukee Playoff games… Early vacation, plenty of time to watch the PO… I can understand that.
Pacers will be better!