In the wake of Kris Dunn‘s MCL injury, Mark Schanowski of NBC Sports Chicago suggested that it was time for the Bulls to spin the point guard roulette wheel again. While he acknowledged that Cameron Payne, Shaquille Harrison, Ryan Arcidiacono, and Tyler Ulis were all options, Schanowski argued that Chicago’s best option at the point might be Zach LaVine, who is most effective with the ball in his hands.
In the Bulls’ first win of the season on Wednesday night, LaVine did handle the ball most in crunch time, but before the game reached that point, it was Payne who enjoyed a breakout performance. As Mark Strotman of NBC Sports Chicago details, Payne followed up a poor first half by making seven 3-pointers in the second half, good for a career-best 21 points.
“It was a huge night for Cam, huge confidence booster,” Bulls head coach Fred Hoiberg said. “You know, Cam works as hard as anybody on this team. It’s great to see that hard work pay off and it’s a confidence booster, something he can build on.”
Payne has been plagued by injuries and inconsistency since being acquired by the Bulls at the 2017 trade deadline, but Wednesday’s showing was a step in the right direction, and he should get more opportunities in the coming weeks, with Dunn expected to be sidelined at least another month or so. Payne will be eligible for restricted free agency at season’s end, so he’ll have a chance to improve his stock if he keeps playing well.
Here’s more from around the Central division:
- Cavaliers sharpshooter Kyle Korver isn’t concerned if his playing time is cut back or if his role is unpredictable from game to game, writes Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com. “I think we’re trying to figure a lot of things out across the board,” Korver said on Wednesday. “Trying to find lineups that work, trying to find a fun style of play. There’s a lot of new here and it hasn’t been that long yet. This is a great job for me, whether I’m playing or not, so I’m going to come every day and work hard.”
- Korver’s comments came prior to the Cavaliers‘ fourth straight loss on Wednesday night, a game that didn’t impress fellow veterans Tristan Thompson and Kevin Love, as Joe Vardon of The Athletic relays. “We need everyone in this organization that gets paid by the Cleveland Cavaliers to make sure everyone is here to fight and no one has quit yet,” Thompson said after the Cavs were blown out at home by Brooklyn.
- When an NBA team hires a new head coach, it has a ripple effect on that club’s G League affiliate. In an interesting piece for MLive.com, Peter J. Wallner takes a closer look at how the Grand Rapids Drive, led by coach Ryan Krueger, will work to implement new Pistons coach Dwane Casey‘s philosophy at the NBAGL level this season after growing accustomed to Stan Van Gundy‘s system and style.
Fire Tyronn Lue he’s absolutely horrible. The two players you should be playing which are Clarkson and Sexton you are bringing them off the bench. Love is a 3rd option at best and needs to get traded and 1-10 for Thompson and 2 points? So much for giving your veterans playing time Tyronn.
No one wants to take on JR or Tristan’s contracts either since they both are overpaid and aren’t expiring deals, way to go LeBron always abandoning the ship when it’s sinking and you are supposed to be a King? Lmaooo
U were literally saying Lue would b a better coach without LeBron a couple months ago. Pick a ridiculous opinion and stick with it. And less people will call u out.
Love is not a third option at best.
This is what happens when you build teams around LeBron as he dictates. You end up with a steaming pile of manure. The fact no established AS wants to play with (for) LeBron speaks volumes too. He’s gonna pull a Kobe on the Lakers, only he won’t have any rings to show for it.
Yeah we are all upset here in NEOhio about our NBA title and 4 straight title games.
And this year the fans who complained about not developing kids get to see them develop.
Meanwhile the Bulls have been crap and still are. Good job not having Lebron.
Yeah, and look what he left you in Cleveland—that roster is absolute trash. He did the same thing in Miami, and Cavs again before that. It’s no coincidence that he leaves every team worse off then before he got there. LeBron’s much to insecure to share the spotlight with another great player.
Better to get a ring then be bad, than win no rings and stay good but not good enough.
Lebron hating was cool years ago when he hadn’t won a thing. But you’re years too late now.
LeBron is so good that we even expect him to make his former teams great.
See the Omar Asik article… Smith’s contract will be valuable at the end of the year.
This, ladies and gentleman, is what bipolar is.
Not so long ago you were tooting Lue’s horn. Now you’re jumping ship like a rat.
One decent game does not a Point Guard make. It’s like a pile of dog crap. You can spray it with Lysol, but eventually the smell will come back. Payne is horrible, plain and simple.
I have always said: fire screwy Lue. He doesn’t know who his best players are. The match is lit on the Cleveland dumpster.
I thought they were going to change their rotation, and all I saw was the same garbage. Looked to me like certain guys I talked about being in the rotation looked good in their limited minutes though
Hill, Jr Smith, Osman, Nance, Love starting lineup
Hood, Clarkson, Thompson, Sexton, Nwaba, Dekker off the bench
Unless they’re secretly tanking. They added defenders to help them in that regard, and arent using them
I can’t understand what you are saying.
Good or bad, ” let the coaches coach.” Some executives are saying with the emphasis on scoring, it will be harder to prepare defense. They get paid to figure things out. The Cavs stunk when LeBron left the first time. They stink now. That’s why marquee names are being traded before free agency.
Kevin Love out with sore foot.