Rookie Ayo Dosunmu and third-year guard Coby White have expanded roles in the absence of Lonzo Ball and Zach LaVine and they’ve performed well, K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago notes. Ball is out six-to-eight weeks after undergoing knee surgery and LaVine didn’t join on the Bulls on their three-game road trip due to a less serious knee injury.
Dosunmu and White have started the last three games, with Dosunmu averaging 18.0 PPG, 8.0 APG and 5.7 RPG and White posting 17.0 PPG, 4.3 APG and 4.3 RPG.
DeMar DeRozan has been impressed with Dosunmu’s maturity. “He accepts his mistakes,” DeRozan said. “He holds himself accountable. And that’s big for a young guy to be able to do that.”
We have more from the Central Division:
- Pistons assistant coach Rex Kalamian has agreed to become the head coach of the Armenian national team, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnaworski tweets. Both of Kalamian’s parents are Armenian-Americans. Kalamian, who recently served as acting coach when Dwane Casey missed some games for personal reasons, will continue in his duties in Detroit.
- Jrue Holiday returned to action on Wednesday after missing six games due to left ankle soreness. Though he only scored nine points in 22 minutes, he gave the Bucks a boost in numerous areas, Eric Nehm of The Athletic writes. “Wish I had a little more (time on the floor), but I think just trying to get my timing back, get my legs back, get my feel for the game back,” Holiday said. “I feel like I haven’t played in a long time, so just trying to get back right.”
- Cavaliers guard Collin Sexton, who underwent season-ending knee surgery two months ago, will be a restricted free agent after the season. Bryan Fonseca of Basketball News explores the pros and cons of Cleveland trading Sexton before next month’s deadline. Fonseca ultimately concludes the Cavs should retain Sexton, providing another shot-creator and catch-and-shoot option on a team with playoff aspirations beyond this season.
If Ayo keep on Balling like he has been then Ball might be the odd man out.
White is a solid scoring guard but I am not as impressed as I am with Ayo and what a I find in the second round.
The Bulls still need a PF if they want to make it in the playoffs and if they get one they will be dangerous as can be when healthy…
I’m curious what might present itself on the buyout market. I think this is definitely going to help increase White’s trade value, but are we going to be able to afford moving him and going without until we’re fully healthy? I think FAs are looking at Chicago as a destination again, and lucky for us, the buyout market looks to be very Forward heavy, with most likely candidates Thad/Kenrich/TCraig/Nance/Covington. Thad and Covington look especially attractive/good fits.
Bulls can’t get Thad this year unless he is traded and then released. Prohibites under league rules for a team to immediately re-sign a player after they trade them. So if the Spurs release Thad, he can’t go to Chicago.
Which would be considered a *buyout*
Even if he is bought out by the Spurs, the Bulls cannot sign him. He has to be traded and THEN released/bought out. League rules prohibit you from offloading a player to a team as a salary dump with the understanding that team is going to release the player and just immediately re-sign with the old team as a way for the old team to get the player back and get off that player’s original salary number.
JB is right. This loophole was taken out after the Cavs traded zydrunas ilgauskas and got him back after he was bought out many many moons ago.