Things aren’t off to a great start this fall for the Bulls‘ big-name free agent acquisition, Jabari Parker. Head coach Fred Hoiberg adjusted his starting lineup this week, moving Parker to the bench, and it paid dividends in the team’s 104-89 victory over the Pacers on Wednesday, as K.C. Johnson of The Chicago Tribune details. While Hoiberg initially said his new lineup was “just an experiment,” Johnson hears from sources that the coach has had discussions with his staff about whether to move Parker out of the starting lineup, and sounded today like he might be committed to that change.
“With the second unit — and I talked to Jabari about this — we used him in more of a facilitating role and put the ball in his hands as really kind of a point forward. I liked the look of it,” said the Bulls’ head coach, per Johnson. “We’ll continue to evaluate. But I did like the look of both groups.”
Addressing the change on Thursday, Parker – who has started 150 of his 183 career regular season games – didn’t sound overly enthusiastic about coming off the bench for the Bulls. According to Johnson, the former No. 2 overall pick provided a “no comment” when asked if he’d be willing to take whatever role at this stage in his career, and said playing a reserve role would be a “huge adjustment for me.” However, he also added, “I’ve just got to change with the times.”
Here’s more from around the Eastern Conference:
- Dwight Howard‘s availability for the Wizards to start the season remains in question. Chase Hughes of NBC Sports Washington wrote earlier this week that Howard had suffered a setback and visited a back specialist, while sources told Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link) that Howard had sustained a piriformis (buttocks) injury. While Howard will reportedly receive an injection to relieve the pain, the injury isn’t considered serious, according to Charania, so Washington should get its big free agent addition on the court before too long.
- Discussing his decision to ask the Cavaliers for a trade, Kyrie Irving called it the “best thing” he’s done. Howard Beck of Bleacher Report has that quote and much more in an in-depth feature on the Celtics‘ starting point guard.
- After promoting Elton Brand to general manager last month, the Sixers have named a new interim GM for their G League team, announcing today in a press release that Matt Lilly will serve as head of basketball operations for the Delaware Blue Coats. Brand previously held that position.
Hoiberg is the worst coach in the NBA. His teams have no plan on offense, no plan on defense and they probably get lost on the way to the team bus for lack of instruction. Please end this, as the Bulls now have some talent, but no leadership. Starting a ” Fire Fred” Movement here in Chicgo.
Good luck with that. Lol.
I think the only reason Hoiberg got past the first season, and made it this far, is b/c of his contract. Its winding down at this point, so I dont think he lasts much longer
Agreed, Hoiberg is awful. Management gets blame too. You never give a rookie coach 5 years. That’s coach hiring 101. Had it been a 3 or 4 year deal this nonsense would be over already.
To be fair hoibergs never been able to run his offense the way he’s wanted to. Last year it started to look decent even with terrible players. I think he is a above average offensive coach. Terrible defensive coach. He’s best suited for an associate head coach role
Agreed. Hoiberg is a total dud. No fire, no passion, no intensity, no emotion, no b alls.
The sooner this guy gets shipped out of town, the better.
He was in over his head from the beginning. Just another Iowa crony hire.
I feel sorry for Kyrie for the way Cav fana have treated him. He hits the game winning shot in the Finals, and Lebron asks Dave Griffin to bring in CP3. LeBron can leave Cleveland any time he wants. Kyrie wants to be appreciated and asks out. He’s a hated man. I’m glad Kyrie has found a situation where he’s happy and can forget about what he should be proud of. How many 4 time All Star, and Finals heroes are treated like dirt?
Kevin Durant lol
2 time Finals MVP (with LeBron guarding him).
Yeah, honestly, most of them.
Lebron treated like dirt.
KD treated like dirt.
Spurs treated like dirt til they all retired.
Very very true. Although, KD has himself to partially blame. Ever since the “move that broke the NBA,” he’s lost his nice guy reputation due to a lot of his own antics (ie Twitter). Kyrie hasn’t done much to draw negative attention to himself. The two notable things he has done (Uncle Drew and the “flat earth” theory) arguably have improved his popularity.
I think you’re misrepresenting what LBJ did or didn’t do regarding pushing anyone to trade Kyrie. I simply don’t believe it considering he won a chip with Kyrie. Also, don’t compare LBJs two departures to Kyrie’s trade demands. I’m more of a Kyrue/Cavs fan than just a pure LBJ fanboy. That being said, I respect the fact that LBJ honored every commitment he had to the Cavs cotractually, never demanding a trade at all vs what Kyrie pulled 2 months before the start of the season. That’s a distinct difference people fail to grasp any time one of these guys demand to be traded. It’s simply not the same and we should understand why. Yes, teams trade players. However, those players get every single dime on their contract regardless of health. I can respect a player who demands a trade immediately at the end of the season. I have no love for those that do it 1 or 2 months before the start of the season when potential trade partners have already exhausted their cap/roster space and have signed/drafted players they can’t move until December because of CBA rules. You are preventing teams from trying to get equal talent in return.
Amen
How fan’s treated him? Give me a break. Those that resent him and show it in a negative way are in the minority. However, many feel that he sabotaged this past season and I agree. Most are fans of the team not necessarily the player. I’m a Cavs fan. The moment LBJ went to Miami or Lakers, I respect him, but I’m not rooting for him when it comes to the Cavs (or Knicks). A lot of fans are fans of that player and could careless about their old teams. Most of us are loyal to the team.
Like I’ve said, I’m tired of hearing about LeBron. The Cavs don’t win without Kyrie. Who gets all the publicity? Kyrie doesn’t deserve what he’s getting. I’m so happy Kyrie will be in the Finals this year, and LeBron will not. I’ll watch Kyrie all day. I have no desire to see LeBron’s selfishness.
It’s a team sport and of course LBJ didn’t do it by himself but if you really think the cavs would’ve been to 4 straight finals and won a title without but him you’re delusional. Cavs wanted to trade for Love BEFORE LBJ announced his return. It wasn’t until LBJ said he was coming back and then talked Love into consider staying longer that the team became what it became. And Kyrie is my favorite nba player. He got all the credit due for what he did in the finals. Thus idea of LBJ is so out of line with what current and ex-teammates say about him. Don’t believe you, you need more people.
You guys must hang out in the same bar. You use the term “delusional” a lot. Kyrie said when he announced he was staying in Boston, “Thank you Boston for getting me out of Cleveland.” Cleveland is a forgotten part of Kyrie’s life now. He’s a happy man in Boston.
What was that IT called Cleveland? ( I know he later retracted to cover himself) A Sh-th-le. You have 2 former Cav starting pointguards saying the same thing.
Like I said Kyrie has a great fan base in Boston now!
And I’m a great Kyrie fan. I believe Kyrie, and that’s all that matters to me. I read the Boston Herald to get my Kyrie information now. Like Danny Ainge says, “Kyrie can be the greatest player in the world.” Kyrie has better fans now.
Reading the Boston Herald is a horrible rag to get your Cavalier information from.
This article is about “Kyrie” from Boston, not Kyrie from Cleveland. He got away from the Cavs because of people like you.
CAVALIERS RUMORS
Kyrie Irving Says Cavs Trade Request Was “Best Thing” He’s Done
October 11th, 2018 at 4:01pm CST by Luke Adams
Discussing his decision to ask the Cavaliers for a trade, Kyrie Irving called it the “best thing” he’s done.”
Sorry Ptn18. I don’t see Boston anywhere in the lead in.
IT is a Sh–Player. Kyrie hasn’t played in the Finals since he left. I doubt he’ll play again.
He’s been gone 1 year dude. He’ll be in the Finals the next several years. LeBron has seen his last Finals.
Irving not treated like dirt. Nobody relevant says that. Blurry mind.
You would be the no. 1 culprit.
How? By saying he was coddled his first 5 years? True though. Then he did something about it, fine with me, except for not getting Rozier in trade.
You should be intelligent enough to know that Isaiah Thomas was included for matching salaries, Ainge didn’t want to have to pay him the max, and Gilbert didn’t either. I’ve seen you talk about who the Cavs should get. I know you don’t know how the salary cap works. I told you Gilbert wouldn’t go over the luxury tax, but you’re smarter than I am, at least you think so. How soon you forget Kyrie played on 2 of the worst teams in NBA history. Part of the reason Kyrie got out of here was to get away from fans like you.
next wave of top talent to request a trade or sign elsewhere: butler, kawhi, kemba, brow, marc gasol
I can’t see AD leave unless they miss the playoffs and I can’t see Kawhi leave because he already moved once already recently. The others I agree with although Gasol seems more inclined to play out his contract then move.
Lebron didn’t ask for trades . Just held them hostage every year with those 1+1 deals .
Why shouldn’t he? Why don’t others? In international soccer, players don’t even make it to FA status; they buckle & re-up before testing the market like good little minions.
Why are articles on Irving heard as articles on Lebron? Is that fair to Irving? He’s trying to escape that. It’s not Lebron dragging him down, it’s his supposed fans.
Kyrie has good fans in Boston. Like he said when he announced he was staying, “Thank you Boston for getting me out of Cleveland.” He’s a happy man now. I’m glad for him.
I’m a big fan of Kyrie but he’s not the sharpest crayon in the box.
Kyrie said leaving Cleveland is the smarteset thing he ever did. He’s a wealthy man who loves basketball, plays on the best team in the eastern conference, with the best coach, and the best management. Kyrie practiced with Kevin Durant all summer. Most of all he broke free of what’s his name. I’d say Kyrie is pretty intelligent.
Who won one title with LeBron James. Four years w/o James and he didn’t even sniff the playoffs. That crap he pulled with his coach when he ignored him was the kind of stunt he does. He’ll be happy with Boston until he forces another trade 2 months before the start of the season. We’ll see how smart Flat Earth Irving is then.
Irving has disappointed a lot of people with his throwing the team that gave him his opportunity and only championship ring under the bus.
Kyrie is loved by the people in Boston, and he loves them. He is expected to be in the Finals for the next several years. LeBron won’t be in the Finals because of Golden State. I remember you saying a few days before LeBron made his announcement that he’d never leave Cleveland. You said you’d seen him fishing off the pier, and seen him in the halls in the school. Very few of these articles are about Cleveland since he left. More are about Boston. You live in Akron. I imagine you do hate Kyrie. I’m on the Kyrie bandwagon with the Boston fans now. Thankfully I’ll get to see him 65 times, and I don’t have to watch LeBron at all.
Quit drawing lines from Irving to James. It’s not fair to Irving trying to be his own man. You are the worst kind of fan, liking one player because you hate another. He has no connection to indiana!
I said nothing about LeBron leaving Cleveland. I never saw LeBron fishing off then pier and I didn’t say I saw him doing that. I never saw LeBron doing any of that stuff you wrote about and I certainly am not from Akron. I don’t hate Kyrie. I just think he made the dumbest move of his career and is throwing cleveland under the bus.
The problem is you hate LeBron and are on a crusade to make sure people know you hate LeBron.
Liar!
We can go back to the day free agency began, and go back a few days to prove the comments. If you are entitled to badmouth and hate on Kyrie, I’m entitled to do the same with LeBron. I’m just glad Kyrie is in a good situation now and away from people like you haters. He’s a great basketball player and deserves to be treated like one.