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Central Notes: Lyles, Olynyk, Lopez, Caruso

January 18th, 2022 at 8:33pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Veteran Pistons big man Trey Lyles appears to be maximizing his time with his new team, writes James L. Edwards III of The Athletic. Edwards takes a look at how Lyles, a former lottery pick out of Kentucky, has reinvented himself as a role player with a lottery-bound Detroit club. Lyles discussed his struggles with mental health during his early NBA tenure.

“My first couple years, if my confidence was down, I’d be out there and wouldn’t shoot the ball,” Lyles said. “Over the years, I’ve tried to improve my mental ability to bounce back… I’ve done a lot of work in the offseason on my mental state of mind. Just being confident in who I am as a player is huge.”

Lyles signed a two-year, $5.1MM contract with the club during the 2021 offseason, and has spent most of his on-court time at center.

“[Therapy] has helped me out a lot,” Lyles, still just 26, reflected. “I have a tendency to get in my head. I just want to go out and use my muscle memory. Therapy has helped me in a variety of ways.”

Lyles is averaging 9.6 PPG, 4.7 RPG, and 1.2 APG across 39 games with the Pistons thus far.

There’s more out of the Central Division:

Injured center Kelly Olynyk is excited to return to the court for the Pistons soon, writes Rod Beard of the Detroit News. An MCL sprain has limited Olynyk to just 10 healthy games with his new team. The 6’11” big man has returned to basketball activities during the last few weeks and expects to rejoin the Pistons on the hardwood at some point during the team’s current four-game road trip. “It’s a long process and you can’t cheat any of the steps,” Olynyk said, per Beard. “You just miss it. You miss competing, miss being with the team, all that kind of stuff, especially in today’s world.”
Bucks center Brook Lopez has resumed on-court workouts at Milwaukee’s practice facility, writes Jim Owczarski of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Lopez, 33, has been recovering from a back surgery that has limited him to just a single game of availability this season for the reigning champs.
Injured Bulls reserve combo guard Alex Caruso has proven in his absence how valuable he is to the club, posits Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times. Chicago’s defense ranks 24th during the team’s last 13 games without Caruso. The 27-year-old out of Texas A&M, one of the Bulls’ best defenders, is expected to rejoin the club at some point this week.

Latest On Jerami Grant

January 18th, 2022 at 4:40pm CST by Luke Adams

The Pistons aren’t a lock to trade Jerami Grant before the February 10 deadline, but the veteran forward may be this winter’s most popular trade candidate, writes Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report.

“He’s the grand prize of this deadline,” one team strategist told Fischer. “… He fits everywhere.”

“He’s gonna have so many suitors,” an assistant general manager said. “They’re just gonna wait them all out.”

According to Fischer, the Lakers, Trail Blazers, Knicks, Jazz, Wizards, Celtics, Pacers, Timberwolves, and Kings are among the teams that have signaled some level of interest in Grant. Sources tell Bleacher Report that the Pistons are seeking multiple first-round picks, or one first-rounder along with a high-upside young player.

Fischer likens Grant’s situation this season to Aaron Gordon‘s in 2020/21, a comparison Shams Charania made when first reporting Grant’s availability in December. Like Gordon, Grant is a versatile frontcourt defender who has one-and-a-half seasons left on his contract and will be extension-eligible.

That extension eligibility will be important. Any team acquiring Grant will want assurances he’ll sign a new deal, according to Fischer, who hears from sources that the 27-year-old hopes to receive a four-year offer in the range of $112.7MM (the maximum he can get prior to 2023 free agency).

Fischer does share one complicating factor, writing that Grant wouldn’t be enthusiastic about joining a new team that doesn’t feature him as a “primary offensive option.”

Here’s more on Grant:

A November report indicated that the Pistons may be willing to offer a package of Grant, Kelly Olynyk, Saddiq Bey, and a future first-round pick for Ben Simmons. According to Fischer, the Sixers weren’t particularly enthusiastic about that concept, but when it leaked, it alerted teams that Grant might be available, which has helped accelerate his market.
Some people around the league view the Wizards as the favorites for Grant, says Fischer, noting that Wes Unseld Jr. coached the forward as an assistant in Denver. Sources tell Bleacher Report that Wizards center Montrezl Harrell, who is on an expiring $9.7MM contract, has been considered available via trade. Harrell could be included in any Washington offer, along with at least one of Rui Hachimura or Deni Avdija, Fischer suggests.
Fischer classifies the Lakers and Jazz as unlikely destinations for Grant based on the limited assets those teams have to offer. He also downplays the possibility of the Celtics or Grizzlies acquiring the Pistons forward, writing that neither team is expected to seriously pursue him.
As others have reported, the Bulls don’t appear comfortable with the idea of moving Patrick Williams in a deal for Grant, according to Fischer.
According to Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report, there’s a belief that the Pelicans will look to be buyers at this year’s trade deadline, and Grant is considered a possible target for them.

Caruso Could Play Wednesday

January 17th, 2022 at 7:32pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Bulls guard Alex Caruso could play on Wednesday against Cleveland after exiting the league’s health and safety protocols, Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times writes. “He did some work [Monday], he’ll do some work [Tuesday], and probably make some kind of assessment then at that point before the Cleveland game,’’ coach Billy Donovan said. “We’ll have to have a plan for him if he is able to physically play Wednesday, and what his minutes will look like to help him get back to what he was.”

COVID-19 Updates: Haliburton, Clippers, Powell, Caruso, Bolmaro

January 17th, 2022 at 9:30am CST by Luke Adams

For a brief period in late December and early January, there were well over 100 NBA players in the NBA’s health and safety protocols. However, the situation has improved considerably since that spike. The latest update of our protocols tracker shows just 15 players who are currently affected.

That doesn’t mean no one is entering the protocols anymore though. As Jason Anderson of The Sacramento Bee writes, Kings guard Tyrese Haliburton was placed in the protocols ahead of the team’s game vs. Houston on Sunday. Haliburton joins Robert Woodard as the two Sacramento players affected.

Here are a few more protocol-related updates:

Clippers teammates Luke Kennard and Justise Winslow have exited the COVID-19 protocols and are taking part in return to competition reconditioning, as Mirjam Swanson of the Southern California News Group tweets. Kennard is doubtful to play on Monday vs. Indiana, while Winslow is questionable.
Trail Blazers wing Norman Powell was upgraded to questionable for Monday’s contest in Orlando and his status is now listed as “COVID recovery,” so it sounds like he has cleared the health and safety protocols (Twitter link via Aaron Fentress of The Oregonian).
Bulls guard Alex Caruso won’t play on Monday in Memphis, but he’s no longer in the protocols, tweets K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago.
Timberwolves rookie Leandro Bolmaro exited the protocols on Sunday and was available vs. Golden State. He played the final 1:42 of garbage time in a 20-point Wolves victory.

Bulls Notes: Dosunmu, Hill, Trade Targets, Caruso

January 16th, 2022 at 9:05pm CST by Arthur Hill

The shorthanded Bulls have a three-game losing streak for the first time this season, but rookie guard Ayo Dosunmu has emerged as a bright spot, writes Darnell Mayberry of The Athletic. Making his third start, Dosunmu posted his first career double-double Saturday night with 21 points and 10 assists in a narrow loss to the Celtics.

Dosunmu made nine of 10 shots from the field, committed just one turnover and harassed Jayson Tatum into a poor shooting game. His outstanding performance came one night after going scoreless in 32 minutes against the Warriors.

“Coming from college to the NBA, there’s a lot of adjustments that I knew I had to make,” Dosunmu said. “And I knew that one of the adjustments was going from night to night and understanding that it’s a ‘what have you done for me lately’ league. And it’s so many games that you can’t get too high and never get too low. That was my challenge. (Friday), I had a tough night. I didn’t play to my standards. But I knew we had another chance today to get better. So I just wanted to come out there and try to establish that mentality.”

There’s more from Chicago:

Saturday’s game also featured a surprising contribution from hardship addition Malcolm Hill, notes Rob Schaefer of NBC Sports Chicago. Hill, who signed with the team on Friday, played 18 minutes and was on the court as the game was being decided in the closing minutes. He shot just 1-of-5 from the field, but made enough plays to impress coach Billy Donovan. “He’s been here for a day-and-a-half,” Donovan said, “and he did a good job defensively.”
In a separate story, Schaefer identifies three potential trades to fix the hole at power forward created by the loss of Patrick Williams, Javonte Green and Derrick Jones. Jerami Grant of the Pistons might be an option, Schaefer states, but only if Chicago is willing to part with Williams. Schaefer sees Grant as an ideal fit with the starting lineup and points out that he has prior experience with Donovan in Oklahoma City and executive vice president Arturas Karnisovas in Denver. The Kings‘ Harrison Barnes and the Clippers‘ Nicolas Batum may also be options, according to Schaefer.
Chicago guard Alex Caruso, who is the only Bulls player currently in health and safety protocols, isn’t expected to return until Wednesday, tweets Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.

Central Notes: Dosunmu, Cavaliers, Olynyk, LeVert

January 16th, 2022 at 5:17pm CST by JD Shaw

Bulls rookie Ayo Dosunmu has been carrying his team in the absences of several key players, Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times writes. Dosunmu had a big game on Saturday for a Chicago team missing Lonzo Ball, Patrick Williams, Alex Caruso and others.

In nearly 40 minutes, he recorded 21 points and 10 assists, shooting 9-of-10 from the field. The Bulls still lost to the Celtics 114-112, but Dosunmu’s production at 21 years old was certainly eye-opening.

“For a young guy like him to play with so much poise and not get rushed into making quick decisions, just playing smart ball, is impressive at that age,’’ teammate Nikola Vucevic said of Dosunmu. “Especially only in his third start and played however many games we played so far. He played well at both ends. He’s been doing that all year long. It’s a huge addition for us.’’

There’s more from the Central Division tonight:

The Cavaliers reestablished their identity during a recent road trip, Kelsey Russo of The Athletic writes. Cleveland went 5-1 on the trip, defeating Oklahoma City 107-102 on Saturday. The team now owns the sixth-best record in the East at 26-18.
Pistons coach Dwane Casey doesn’t think it’ll take Kelly Olynyk long to get re-acclimated to the team, Omari Sankofa II of the Detroit Free Press tweets. Olynyk has only appeared in 10 games this season due to a knee injury, but he seems to be nearing a return. “Kelly’s a smart player,” Casey explained. “It’s not going to take him long. He knew all of the positions when healthy in training camp. There were times when we needed a wing during training camp, and he went out and played the wing.”
Pacers guard Caris LeVert discussed his appreciation for life and basketball on the one-year anniversary of his cancer discovery, as relayed by Scott Agness of Fieldhouse Files. LeVert was acquired by Indiana last January and underwent a physical that showed a cancerous mass on his left kidney. “It’s been extremely tough, but I’m extremely grateful to be still playing this game at a high level against the best players in the world,” he said.

Central Notes: Bulls, Karnisovas, Cavaliers, Harris, Caruso

January 15th, 2022 at 2:05pm CST by JD Shaw

The Bulls have been dealing with several injuries at power forward this season, Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times writes. In addition to starting forward Patrick Williams, Derrick Jones Jr., Javonte Green and Alex Caruso are all sidelined due to injuries or health and safety protocols.

Chicago has a starting core of Lonzo Ball, Zach LaVine, DeMar DeRozan and Nikola Vucevic. At power forward, Williams started all five of his games, but the 20-year-old suffered a dislocated wrist in November and is expected to miss most or all of the season.

Jones is likely to miss two-to-four weeks due to a bone bruise in his knee, Green is sidelined with an adductor injury, and Caruso is still in protocols. As for Williams, the Bulls have simply been working on getting his conditioning up this month.

‘‘We’re trying to get him just a conditioning piece; he can do some of that,’’ head coach Billy Donovan said. ‘‘He still has to be very, very careful with the [wrist] in terms of being around a lot of people. There is some form shooting they are allowing him to do. Just trying to get his movements back and trying to get him working on defense, cutting.

‘‘That’s kind of the focus for him right now. He’s been cleared to do a lot of the cardiovascular stuff.’’

There’s more from the Central Division tonight:

Bulls executive VP Arturas Karnisovas received praise from president and COO Michael Reinsdorf for helping make the team relevant again, Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.com writes. “When we hired Arturas, I was confident that he would help turn things around, but I can’t say I thought it would be this quickly,” Reinsdorf said. “There are no issues. There’s no drama. Just everyone wanting to get to the next level. It’s a good feeling.”
The Cavaliers would be interested in acquiring Nets sharpshooter Joe Harris ahead of the February 10 trade deadline, according to Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com (hat tip to HoopsHype). Harris played 14 games this season due to ankle surgery, but the 30-year-old averaged 14.1 points on 48% shooting from deep last season.
Bulls guard Alex Caruso could return on Wednesday against the Cavaliers, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reports (via Twitter). As noted previously, Caruso is currently in the NBA’s health and safety protocols. He was also dealing with a foot sprain this month.

No Structural Damage To Zach LaVine’s Knee

January 15th, 2022 at 12:32pm CST by JD Shaw

Bulls star Zach LaVine underwent an MRI on Saturday that revealed no structural damage to his left knee, the team announced on social media. LaVine has been dealing with knee soreness and played just over three minutes of the team’s game on Saturday because of it.

His knee has flared up occasionally since undergoing ACL surgery in 2017, according to K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago (Twitter link). The 26-year-old has been playing through soreness these past couple of weeks, but the Bulls have clarified that he isn’t expected to miss significant time due to the injury.

LaVine continues to feel stiffness and will be reevaluated next week, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link), who reports the sides will proceed with caution. He’s averaged 24.9 points, 4.8 rebounds and 4.2 assists per game this season, shooting 49% from the floor and 41% from deep.

LaVine’s strong play is a major reason why the Bulls are 27-13, good for the best record in the East. Without him, players such as Ayo Dosunmu and Troy Brown Jr. figure to get more playing time.

LaVine Injures Knee, Bulls Hopeful It’s Not Serious

January 14th, 2022 at 7:52pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Bulls star wing Zach LaVine suffered a left knee injury in the first quarter of Friday’s game against Golden State but there’s initial confidence that it’s not serious, Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN tweets.

LaVine was able to retreat to the locker room without assistance after playing four minutes. He was quickly ruled out for the remainder of the game. He will have an MRI on Saturday but the injury was described as “discomfort,” with the team erring on the side of caution, Wojnarowski adds.

However, there will be anxiety around the franchise and its fans until the results are revealed. LaVine tore his ACL in the same knee in 2017.

LaVine has enjoyed an outstanding season for Chicago, which owns the best record in the Eastern Conference. He came into the game averaging 25.6 PPG, 4.9 RPG and 4.3 APG.

If he’s out for any extended period, the Bulls may have to get more aggressive on the trade market. LaVine, who is making $19.5MM this season, is headed to unrestricted free agency this summer.

Bulls Sign Malcolm Hill To 10-Day Deal

January 14th, 2022 at 10:12am CST by Rory Maher

JANUARY 14: Hill’s 10-day contract with the Bulls is now official, according to a press release. The team confirmed that the deal was completed using a COVID-related hardship exception.

JANUARY 13: The Bulls plan to sign Malcolm Hill to a 10-day contract, per Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN (Twitter link). Hill signed a 10-day hardship contract with the Hawks last month that expired on December 31, making him an unrestricted free agent. In three games with Atlanta, Hill averaged 5.7 PPG, 2.0 RPG, and 1.3 SPG in 15.3 MPG.

Hill went undrafted in 2017 out of Illinois and has since played in the Philippines, Germany, Kazakhstan, and Israel. The 6’6″ wing returned stateside this year and had been playing for the Birmingham Squadron, the Pelicans’ G League affiliate, prior to his 10-day hardship contract with Atlanta.

In 14 NBAGL games (31.6 MPG) for the Squadron, Hill averaged 16.8 PPG, 6.4 RPG, and 1.6 SPG on .509/.402/.810 shooting. Hill also spent time in the health and safety protocols at the end of his contract with the Hawks.

Alex Caruso is currently in the protocols for the Bulls, so they should qualify for a hardship exception to sign Hill.