Mobile Menu
HEADLINES

Bulls Rumors

Southeast Notes: Connelly, Walker, Lamb, Briscoe

April 7th, 2019 at 12:58pm CST by Arthur Hill

Asked about the possibility that he might leave to run the Wizards‘ front office, Nuggets president of basketball operations Tim Connelly passed on the chance to issue a denial, relays Mark Kiszla of The Denver Post. Washington has reportedly targeted Connelly as its top candidate after firing Ernie Grunfeld this week.

“To be honest with you, I was hoping not to have to answer that question on a night when we win the Northwest Division,” Connelly responded Friday as the team celebrated its title.

Connelly grew up in Baltimore and had his first NBA job as an intern with the Wizards. He signed an extension with the Nuggets in February, but Kiszla notes that the organization doesn’t have a history of paying executives especially well, which led to the departure of Masai Ujiri in 2013. Kiszla suggests that Josh Kroenke, vice chairman of Kroenke Sports and Entertainment, should refuse any request from the Wizards to interview Connelly.

There’s more from the Southeast Division:

  • With the Hornets as a long shot to reach the playoffs, Shane Rhodes of Basketball Insiders examines some situations that might be better for free agent guard Kemba Walker. Rhodes states that the Suns are intriguing with Devin Booker and Deandre Ayton already in place and a high lottery pick about to join them. Rhodes names the Bulls, Knicks, Lakers and Mavericks as other possibilities.
  • Rick Bonnell of The Charlotte Observer examines whether the Hornets can afford to bring back Jeremy Lamb if they re-sign Walker. Lamb has established himself as a legitimate scorer and another crunch-time option, but the team would be well into luxury tax territory if it brings back both free agents. Bonnell speculates that it will probably take a max offer to keep Walker ($190MM over five seasons or up to $221MM if he makes an All-NBA team and qualifies for a super-max contract), plus something in the range of $10-$13MM annually for Lamb.
  • The Magic are interested in working out a new deal with Isaiah Briscoe this summer, tweets Keith Smith of Yahoo Sports. Briscoe, who is sidelined by a torn meniscus, was waived this week to open a roster spot for Michael Carter-Williams. He cleared waivers yesterday and is an unrestricted free agent.
Retweet 1 Share 0 Send via email0

Bulls Notes: LaVine, Boylen, Markkanen

April 7th, 2019 at 10:31am CST by Arthur Hill

Zach LaVine doesn’t mind lashing back at critics who said the Bulls made a mistake when they matched the four-year, $78MM offer sheet he received from the Kings last summer, relays K.C. Johnson of The Chicago Tribune. LaVine is posting career highs in scoring (23.7 PPG), rebounds (4.7) and assists (4.5) while shooting a career-high 46.7% from the field.

“Now it’s looking like I’m a pretty good deal, right?” he said.

The only thing that hasn’t improved for LaVine this season is his team’s won-loss record. After three years in Minnesota, Lavine was hoping to be part of a resurgence in Chicago when he was acquired in a trade two years ago. Instead, the Bulls are limping to the finish line at 22-58. LaVine promises next year will be different, health permitting.

“I haven’t played in a meaningful game in five years of my career, so it’s getting to the point where you really want to start looking past ‘self’ things and moving toward you want to win,” he said. “We’re in the right direction moving forward, but we have to make some changes individually and as a team to get to that point.”

There’s more today out of Chicago:

  • Injuries have left the Bulls with a depleted roster, but Jim Boylen hasn’t changed his approach to coaching, Johnson tweets. Chicago started recently promoted G Leaguers Rawle Alkins and Walt Lemon in last night’s loss to the Sixers, along with Wayne Selden, Shaquille Harrison and Robin Lopez. “It’s not an option for me to coach only the established guys or whatever,” Boylen said. “I can’t be different than I’m asking them to be. I talk about when they step on the floor, no matter where you’re from or how much you money you make, you gotta compete. Well, I gotta be the same way.” (Twitter link).
  • The results are good so far for Lauri Markkanen, who has been shut down for the rest of the season because of a rapid heart rate, relays Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times. Boylen said Saturday that Markkanen has been working out while wearing heart monitors and all the medical tests have been encouraging. ‘‘We’re very positive about where he’s at and where he’ll be,’’ Boylen said. ‘‘He’s in great spirits. They’re still doing some daily evaluations of where he’s at.’’
  • The Bulls changed the course of their franchise by trading away Jimmy Butler in 2017, but injuries have prevented them from assessing how their young core fits together, Johnson notes in a separate story.
Retweet 3 Share 0 Send via email0

NBA G League Announces 2018/19 All-NBAGL Teams

April 3rd, 2019 at 2:56pm CST by Luke Adams

After being named the G League’s Most Valuable Player and the Defensive Player of the Year for the 2018/19 season on Monday, Raptors 905 big man Chris Boucher – now a member of the Toronto Raptors – headlines the All-NBA G League first team, as the league announced today in a press release.

Boucher was joined on the All-NBAGL first team by teammate Jordan Loyd, as well as Capital City Go-Go guard Jordan McRae, Long Island Nets big man Alan Williams, and Agua Caliente Clippers of Ontario center Angel Delgado. All four players are currently on two-way contracts with NBA teams.

That’s a common theme for this year’s All-NBAGL teams, as most of the 15 players named to the three squads aren’t currently NBA free agents, having signed two-way or NBA contracts.

The complete list of the 2018/19 All-NBA G League teams, along with the All-Rookie and All-Defensive squads, is below. Players currently on a 15-man NBA roster are marked with an asterisk (*), while players on two-way contracts are noted with a caret (^).

All-NBAGL First Team:

  • Chris Boucher (Raptors 905) *
  • Angel Delgado (Agua Caliente Clippers of Ontario) ^
  • Jordan Loyd (Raptors 905) ^
  • Jordan McRae (Capital City Go-Go) ^
  • Alan Williams (Long Island Nets) ^

All-NBAGL Second Team:

All-NBAGL Third Team:

NBAGL All-Rookie Team:

  • Chris Chiozza (Capital City Go-Go) *
    • Note: Chiozza wasn’t on an NBA contract for most of the season, but was recently called up by the Rockets.
  • Angel Delgado (Agua Caliente Clippers of Ontario) ^
  • Yante Maten (Sioux Falls Skyforce) ^
  • Theo Pinson (Long Islands Nets) ^
  • Duncan Robinson (Sioux Falls Skyforce) ^

NBAGL All-Defensive Team:

The All-Defensive team is the only squad that features players who are currently NBA free agents — Brimah and Pelle haven’t been on an NBA roster this season, while Payton only briefly spent time with an NBA team, signing a 10-day contract with the Wizards in January.

Retweet 2 Share 0 Send via email0

Bulls Need To Find A Point Guard

April 3rd, 2019 at 11:29am CST by Arthur Hill
  • Finding a point guard to pair with their young talent should be the Bulls‘ top priority this summer, observes Sean Deveney of Sporting News. The ideal scenario would be to land the No. 2 pick in the draft and add Ja Morant, and the team is likely to turn to the free agent market if that doesn’t happen. Deveney states that Chicago isn’t in position to compete for top-tier players like Kyrie Irving or Kemba Walker, but may pursue Utah’s Ricky Rubio, a pass-first point guard who doesn’t need a lot of shots to be productive.
Retweet 1 Share 0 Send via email0

Lauri Markkanen On Season-Ending Health Scare: “I Felt Weird”

March 31st, 2019 at 8:12pm CST by marksuleymanov

The Bulls shut down big man Lauri Markkanen on Wednesday after he experienced “an episode of rapid heart rate and fatigue” during Tuesday’s contest against the Raptors. Markkanen was kept overnight in a Toronto hospital following Chicago’s game before being ruled out for the remainder of the season.

As NBC Sports Chicago’s Mark Strotman writes, Markkanen was “not worried” but felt off during Tuesday’s contest. After a sluggish first half, he did not return to the game.

“I wasn’t really worried at any point,” Markkanen said. “Just felt really weird. How you are after a workout and a couple minutes in (to the game) I felt like I already finished a workout. It was kind of tough stuff but I’m still alive. It wasn’t scary but it felt pretty weird.”

Markannen, 21, appeared in 52 total contests for Chicago this season after missing 23 games earlier in 2018/19 due to an elbow sprain. The Finnish center said he wanted to finish out the regular season on a high note, but the unexpected medical episode did not permit that.

“I took a lot of pride on if I had something small just playing through it and not missing any more games,” he said. “It’s just unfortunate, but health is the most important. So I’m frustrated I can’t play but it is what it is.”

While Markkanen’s season ended prematurely, he certainly showed some sophomore year improvements. He set career-highs across several categories, most notably PPG (18.7), RPG (9.0) and MPG (32.3).

Retweet 3 Share 0 Send via email0

Central Notes: Lemon, Hoiberg, Brogdon, Cavaliers

March 31st, 2019 at 12:02pm CST by Arthur Hill

Walter Lemon Jr. is making a strong early impression on the Bulls after signing a 10-day contract Friday, writes K.C. Johnson of The Chicago Tribune. Injuries to seven rotation players gave Lemon a chance to play 31 minutes last night and he responded with 19 points, six assists, four rebounds and four steals.

“If you would have told me a couple of days ago that I was going to play 30 minutes against the Raptors — the No. 2 team in the East — on the Bulls’ floor, let alone play 30 minutes in an NBA game, period, I wouldn’t believe you,” said Lemon, a Chicago native. “This is definitely a surreal moment for me. And I’m going to never forget it. I’m going to cherish this moment for the rest of my life.”

Lemon is making a push for a longer contract after signing with the Bulls for the rest of the season. The 26-year-old has been waiting for an opportunity since leaving Bradley in 2014, playing extensively in the G League and overseas.

There’s more from the Central Division:

  • Jim Boylen is thrilled to see his predecessor back in the coaching ranks, relays Mark Strotman of NBC Sports Chicago. Fred Hoiberg was officially hired Saturday as the new coach at Nebraska, a little more than four months after his firing in Chicago. “I know he loves coaching college basketball. We’ve had many of those conversations,” Boylen said. “He did a terrific job at Iowa State. It looks like Nebraska is right in his wheelhouse and I’m sure he’ll take that program to the next level. Happy for him and his family.” The hiring is also good news for the Bulls, who can offset Hoiberg’s $3.57MM salary from the $5MM they owe him for next season.
  • Injured Bucks guard Malcolm Brogdon is getting around without the aid of crutches or a walking boot, tweets Matt Velazquez of The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. It’s an encouraging sign of progress for Brogdon, who has a minor plantar fascia tear in his right foot and is expected to miss at least the first round of the playoffs.
  • The Cavaliers are hoping to trade away some salary so they can try their luck in the free agent market this summer, according to Sam Amico of AmicoHoops.
Retweet 1 Share 0 Send via email0

JaKarr Sampson Signs 10-Day Contract With Bulls

March 31st, 2019 at 11:10am CST by Arthur Hill

The Bulls have added JaKarr Sampson on a 10-day contract, the team announced in a press release. Sampson was signed with a hardship exception, so a corresponding move won’t be necessary.

It’s the latest effort to provide reinforcements for a squad that is missing seven rotation players because of injuries. On Friday, Chicago signed Walter Lemon Jr. for the rest of the season.

Sampson had been playing for the Bulls’ Windy City affiliate, averaging 21.1 points and 9.1 rebounds in 24 games. The 26-year-old forward joined the G League team after being cut by Chicago in the preseason.

Sampson was a two-way player with the Kings last year, appearing in 22 NBA games. He signed with the Bulls after Sacramento withdrew a qualifying offer last summer. Sampson has also spent time with the Sixers and Nuggets.

Retweet 4 Share 0 Send via email0

Bulls Sign Walter Lemon Jr.

March 29th, 2019 at 10:52am CST by Arthur Hill

MARCH 29: The Bulls have officially signed Lemon, the team announced today in a press release.

MARCH 28: Point guard and Chicago native Walter Lemon Jr. will sign with the Bulls for the rest of the season, tweets Shams Charania of The Athletic.

Lemon has spent most of this season with Chicago’s Windy City affiliate in the G League, where he averaged 20.1 points per game after being acquired in an early-season trade with Maine. The 26-year-old has played extensively in the G League and overseas since going undrafted out of Bradley in 2014.

Lemon got into five games with the Pelicans after signing a pair of 10-day contracts late last season. He inked a two-way deal with the Celtics last summer, but never played for Boston and was waived in November.

He will provide some help to a Bulls team that has been overwhelmed by injuries. On Wednesday, Lauri Markkanen became the team’s third prominent player to be shut down for the rest of the season, joining Chandler Hutchison and Wendell Carter Jr., who have both been sidelined for weeks. Kris Dunn, Zach LaVine and Otto Porter have also been unavailable recently.

Retweet 6 Share 0 Send via email0

Bulls Notes: Rose, Lopez, Markkanen, Harrison

March 28th, 2019 at 1:59pm CST by Arthur Hill

Derrick Rose‘s latest injury decreases the chances that the Bulls will try to sign him next season, writes K.C. Johnson of The Chicago Tribune in an question-and-answer column. The Chicago native and former MVP revived his career in Minnesota this season, averaging 18.0 PPG and shooting 37% from 3-point range in 51 games. However, his season ended early again due to bone chips in his right elbow that required surgery last week.

Rose will be a free agent this summer after signing a one-year deal with the Timberwolves, and there was talk that the Bulls might be interested in pursuing him to settle their issues at point guard. In light of the injury, however, Johnson suggests Ricky Rubio, Darren Collison and Patrick Beverley as better targets.

There’s more Bulls news to pass along:

  • Chicago probably won’t be able to re-sign veteran center Robin Lopez, Johnson writes in the same column. Even though there’s some mutual interest, Lopez will be seeking a situation that offers regular playing time, and Wendell Carter is the Bulls’ center of the future. Coach Jim Boylen has also mentioned the possibility of using Lauri Markkanen at center and Otto Porter at small forward against smaller lineups, which leaves few available minutes for Lopez. Johnson notes that Bulls management likes team-first veterans, so they would try to find a similar player if Lopez leaves.
  • Injuries continue to derail the Bulls’ rebuilding process, observes Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times. Markkanen is the latest player to be shut down for the rest of the season after “an episode of rapid heart rate and fatigue.” A source told Cowley that Markkanen was experiencing a rapid heart rate in the locker room during Tuesday’s game. His condition improved after showering and eating, but he became light-headed while waiting for the bus to the airport. Markkanen was limited to 68 games as a rookie because of back issues and managed only 52 games this year after being sidelined at the start of the season with an elbow injury.
  • Shaquille Harrison has proven he belongs in the NBA during his time with the Bulls, contends Michael Walton of NBC Sports. Harrison’s defensive prowess is well known, but he has been improving as a scorer, pouring in a game-high 21 points last night. Chicago faces a decision this summer as Harrison’s $1,588,231 salary for next season will become guaranteed on August 15.
Retweet 1 Share 0 Send via email0

Bulls Shut Down Lauri Markkanen For Remainder Of Season

March 27th, 2019 at 9:40pm CST by ChrisCrouse

The Bulls are shutting down Lauri Markkanen for the remainder of the season, Shams Charania of The Athletic reports (Twitter feed).

Markkanen left Tuesday’s game against the Raptors because of extreme fatigue and the team says that tests have been normal after “an episode of rapid heart rate and fatigue.” He’ll undergo additional testing in 10-14, per Charania.

Chicago has one of the worst records in the east, as our Reverse Standings show. The team has no real need to play one of their franchise cornerstones and risk further setbacks.

Six games remain for the Bulls. Robin Lopez, who will be a free agent after the season, and Cristiano Felicio are likely to see additional playing time. Both bigs saw at least 28 minutes of action tonight against the Blazers in a game which Markkanen missed.

Retweet 3 Share 0 Send via email0
Load More Posts