Chicago Bulls Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Jazz Dangling Derrick Favors In Mirotic Talks?

January 10th, 2018 at 8:52am CST by Luke Adams

Jazz big man Derrick Favors has been discussed as a potential trade piece that would go from Utah to Chicago in a hypothetical trade involving Nikola Mirotic, multiple league sources tell Tony Jones of The Salt Lake Tribune. A report on Tuesday indicated that the two teams are engaged in Mirotic talks, which have moved beyond the preliminary stages.

Favors, 26, has enjoyed a solid bounce-back season for the Jazz this year, getting his averages back up to 12.5 PPG and 6.8 RPG, to go along with a solid .551 FG%. He has been particularly effective in the absence of Rudy Gobert, but has struggled to match that production when Gobert is in the lineup, which is a key reason he may be expendable.

Favors’ contract situation also makes him a prime trade candidate for the Jazz and an intriguing target for the Bulls. The former third overall pick is earning $12MM in 2017/18 and will be an unrestricted free agent in July. As such, Utah may want to get something for Favors before losing him for nothing, while his expiring contract would appeal to the Bulls, who don’t want to take on long-term contracts in a Mirotic deal.

Although the Jazz may be willing to include Favors in a trade for Mirotic, it’s not clear if they’d also attach the caliber of draft pick Chicago is reportedly seeking. If the Bulls insist on a first-round pick, Utah might prefer to include someone like Alec Burks, who has another guaranteed year on his contract beyond this season.

The Pistons and Trail Blazers are among the other teams with interest in Mirotic, who will become trade-eligible on Monday.

Kyler’s Latest: Knicks, Jazz, Magic, Bucks, Lakers

January 9th, 2018 at 2:55pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Knicks may use the trade market to open a roster spot for G League guard Trey Burke, writes Steve Kyler of Basketball Insiders. New York is reportedly in “serious talks” about signing Burke, who has been with the organization’s Westchester affiliate since being waived during the preseason.

The Knicks have a full roster and there is speculation that veteran point guard Ramon Sessions could be waived to clear the way for Burke. However, Kyler says the Knicks have received interest in backup centers Kyle O’Quinn and Willy Hernangomez. They may be able to get a draft pick in return for O’Quinn, but not many teams can take on his $4.08MM salary without sending another player back to New York, which wouldn’t help with signing Burke.

Burke has been outstanding in the G League and has attracted interest from other organizations. According to Kyler, Burke’s representatives have told the Knicks he will consider other offers if they don’t sign him soon. So while there’s not a definite deadline to open a roster spot, there is an incentive to get something done.

Kyler offers info on several other potential deals as the trade deadline draws nearer:

The Jazz would like to get something in return for the expiring contracts of Derrick Favors [$12MM] and Joe Johnson [$10.5MM]. Utah is among the teams linked to Chicago’s Nikola Mirotic, who becomes eligible for a deal Monday. Kyler says the Bulls are willing to make a deal and would be happy to get draft picks and expiring deals in return.
The Magic could be active at the deadline, as sources say they have received inquiries on nearly all their players. They would like to deal guard Evan Fournier, but haven’t received any offers they consider attractive. Despite being a non-contender at 12-28, Orlando isn’t overly interested in draft picks because it already has a lot of young talent and its own pick is likely to fall in the top five. It would take a proven All-Star to land Aaron Gordon, according to Kyler, and the Magic don’t expect to receive that kind of offer. They are also resigned that no one is going to take Bismack Biyombo with two years and $34MM left on his contract beyond this season.
The Bucks continue to need frontcourt help and might give up Jabari Parker in the right deal. However, with Mirza Teletovic sidelined with blood clots in his lungs, the organization would have difficulty matching a big salary. Sources believe Malcolm Brogdon or Thon Maker would have to be included in any significant trade.
The Lakers may have to deal Larry Nance Jr. as an incentive to get teams to take on other salaries. They would love to get rid of Luol Deng‘s contract, but are finding no options without giving up a hefty package of first-rounders.

Pistons, Blazers Also Interested In Mirotic

January 9th, 2018 at 12:44pm CST by Arthur Hill

Earlier today, we noted the Jazz were talking to the Bulls about a possible trade involving Nikola Mirotic, but it appears Utah will have some competition. The Pistons have also expressed interest in Mirotic, tweets Marc Stein of The New York Times, and the Trail Blazers could get involved as well, according to K.C. Johnson of The Chicago Tribune (Twitter link).

Chicago is hoping to get a first-round pick in exchange for Mirotic, Johnson adds. Utah, Detroit and Portland all have first-rounders to offer this year, with our latest Reverse Standings showing the Jazz at No. 11 and the Pistons and Blazers involved in a three-way tie for No. 18.

The Bulls are motivated to move Mirotic because he’ll be seeking a big payday when his current contract ends, Johnson explains (Twitter link). Zach LaVine and Kris Dunn will be free agents in 2018 and 2020 respectively, and the organization doesn’t want to give big deals to all three. The performance of rookie forward Lauri Markkanen also makes Mirotic expendable.

Mirotic is off to a career best start this season, averaging 17.4 points through 17 games and shooting 47% from 3-point range. He is making $12.5MM this year and has a team option for the same amount in 2018/19.

Mirotic, who doesn’t become eligible for a trade until Monday, has a no-trade clause, but has expressed a willingness to waive it to join a contender. The Bulls could eliminate that clause by picking up his option for next season before trading him.

Two Cavaliers Trade Exceptions Expire

January 9th, 2018 at 11:58am CST by Luke Adams

Two traded player exceptions created by the Cavaliers in last January’s acquisition of Kyle Korver expired this week, as expected. One of those two trade exceptions was already utilized by the Cavs in the offseason, and the amount left on it made it virtually impossible to use again. However, the other one, worth about $4.84MM, wasn’t used at all.

[RELATED: Outstanding NBA Trade Exceptions]

Despite letting those two trade exceptions expire, the Cavs remain well-stocked with TPEs in the event that they need one to make a deal at next month’s deadline. Most notably, they hold one worth approximately $5.81MM, which will be available until late August.

The following trade exceptions around the NBA will also expire if they’re not used by the February 8 trade deadline:

Milwaukee Bucks: $5,000,000
New Orleans Pelicans: $3,517,200
Chicago Bulls: $1,589,480
Dallas Mavericks: $1,514,160
Milwaukee Bucks: $1,151,241 (expires on February 2)
Cleveland Cavaliers: $980,431
Dallas Mavericks: $621,362
Washington Wizards: $425,973
Portland Trail Blazers: $407,210
Toronto Raptors: $328,000

While they won’t expire until sometime in the offseason, the Trail Blazers ($12.97MM), Raptors ($11.8MM), and Clippers ($7.27MM) also have sizable trade exceptions worth keeping an eye on. Still, all three of those clubs have potential luxury tax concerns, so they’re unlikely to take on big salaries at the deadline without sending out any money.

For more information on how trade exceptions work, be sure to check out our glossary entry on the subject.

Zach LaVine To Make Bulls Debut On Saturday

January 9th, 2018 at 11:03am CST by Luke Adams

Zach LaVine, one of the pieces acquired by the Bulls in last summer’s Jimmy Butler blockbuster, will make his long-awaited debut for his new team this Saturday against the Pistons, executive VP John Paxson confirmed today (Twitter link via K.C. Johnson of The Chicago Tribune).

According to Paxson, the Bulls plan to take a “conservative” approach with LaVine for the next few weeks. That means he’ll start out playing approximately 20 minutes per game, and won’t appear in back-to-back games before the All-Star break (Twitter link via Vincent Goodwill of NBC Sports Chicago).

Paxson told reporters today that LaVine had badly wanted to get back on the court Wednesday night in New York against the Knicks. However, the Bulls wanted to make sure he had a few more practices under his belt before he makes his return from an ACL injury that has sidelined him since last February (Twitter link via ESPN’s Nick Friedell).

LaVine was sent from Minnesota to Chicago back in June, along with Kris Dunn and No. 7 overall pick Lauri Markkanen, in exchange for Butler and No. 16 pick Justin Patton. While the Bulls’ return for Butler was panned at the time, both Dunn and Markkanen have displayed real promise in the first half of this season. If LaVine can approximate or improve upon his 2016/17 performance (18.9 PPG on .459/.387/.836 shooting), the Bulls will have three legitimate, long-term building blocks on their hands as a result of that trade.

LaVine, who turns 23 in March, will be eligible for restricted free agency this summer, but the Bulls are expected to re-sign him or match any offer sheet he receives.

Jazz, Bulls Engaged In Nikola Mirotic Talks

January 9th, 2018 at 10:16am CST by Luke Adams

The Jazz are engaged in discussions with the Bulls about a potential trade involving Nikola Mirotic, league sources tell Tony Jones of The Salt Lake Tribune. While nothing is imminent, Jones hears that talks have moved “past the preliminary stage and [are] getting serious.”

ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski first linked Mirotic to the Jazz on Monday, suggesting that Quin Snyder‘s reputation for maximizing offensive talent had “intrigued” the Bulls’ power forward. While it wasn’t clear at that point if the interest was mutual, Jones confirms that the Jazz are exploring the possibility of acquiring Mirotic. K.C. Johnson of The Chicago Tribune also reported that Utah had expressed interest in the veteran forward.

Mirotic, who is in the first season of a two-year deal that features a $12.5MM team option for 2018/19, will become trade-eligible on January 15. Any deal involving him would require his approval, but that’s not expected to be a major roadblock — the relationship between Mirotic and the Bulls has been shaky, particularly after an altercation between Mirotic and teammate Bobby Portis in the fall. If Mirotic’s ability to veto a deal becomes an issue, the Bulls could always circumvent that by exercising his second-year option, assuming their potential trade partner is on board.

As for Chicago’s potential return in a Mirotic deal, the team has “made it clear” that the asking price is a first-round pick with no long-term contracts attached, per Johnson. Vincent Goodwill of NBC Sports Chicago writes that the Bulls – in talks with the Jazz – aren’t interested in taking on Alec Burks, whose $10.85MM salary would match up nicely with Mirotic’s $12.5MM cap hit.

Burks has a guaranteed $11.54MM salary for 2018/19, so Chicago’s willingness to absorb that contract may hinge on the draft compensation attached. The Bulls may push instead for a player like Joe Johnson ($10.5MM) or Derrick Favors ($12MM), both of whom are on expiring contracts.

Woj’s Latest: Pistons, Fournier, Lakers, Hawks

January 8th, 2018 at 12:50pm CST by Luke Adams

Shooting guards and small forwards are in high demand as the trade deadline approaches, and there simply aren’t that many quality wings expected to be available, Adrian Wojnarowski writes in his latest report for ESPN.com. As Wojnarowski details, the Pistons, Knicks, Pelicans, and Trail Blazers are just a few of the many teams looking for upgrades on the wing.

DeMarre Carroll (Nets), Alec Burks (Jazz), Kent Bazemore (Hawks), and Evan Fournier (Magic) are among the veterans attracting some interest on the trade market, according to Wojnarowski, who notes that the Pistons pursued a deal for Fournier. Such a trade would be hard to pull off without including Reggie Jackson‘s contract, so nothing’s imminent at this point, but the Pistons continue to be aggressive on the trade market, a reflection of Stan Van Gundy‘s desire to win now, says Wojnarowski.

As for the Pelicans, they also remain active in trade talks despite their limited assets, according to Wojnarowski, who notes that Omer Asik and Alexis Ajinca have negative value and won’t be movable without New Orleans attaching a draft pick or two. If the Pelicans can’t trade for a wing, they’ll have to count on getting Solomon Hill back healthy for the home stretch of the season.

Here’s more from Woj:

The Lakers have “made it clear” that Jordan Clarkson, Julius Randle, and Larry Nance Jr. are available in trades, reports Wojnarowski. The club had been planning on waiting until after the season to try to move Clarkson, but there may be a mutual desire to get something done on that front sooner rather than later.
Bazemore, Ersan Ilyasova, and Marco Belinelli are expendable in Atlanta, where the Hawks are focused on unloading veterans and stockpiling more young players and draft picks, per Wojnarowski.
The Bulls still plan to trade Nikola Mirotic after January 15, assuming he OK’s a deal. According to Wojnarowski, Mirotic is somewhat intrigued by the Jazz and their head coach Quin Snyder, who has a reputation for maximizing offensive talent.
It’s possible their outlooks could change by the trade deadline, but the Thunder and Pelicans currently have no plans to trade Paul George or DeMarcus Cousins, respectively. Both players can become unrestricted free agents this July.
We passed along more rumors from Woj in full stories earlier today, providing the latest on DeAndre Jordan and examining the Grizzlies‘ asking price for Tyreke Evans.

Cameron Payne Progress; Zach LaVine Update Coming Tomorrow

January 7th, 2018 at 7:19pm CST by Austin Kent

Injured Bulls point guard Cameron Payne has been cleared for increased activity, K.C. Jonson of the Chicago Tribune tweets. He adds that a final decision on Zach LaVine‘s return date will be made tomorrow.

Bulls To Guarantee David Nwaba’s Contract

January 7th, 2018 at 10:35am CST by Arthur Hill

Bulls guard David Nwaba will receive a guaranteed contract for the rest of the season, tweets Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.

Nwaba, who was claimed off waivers from the Lakers in July, has shown improvement in his second NBA season, averaging 7.6 points and 4.7 rebounds in 28 games. He is making $1,312,611 this season and will be a restricted free agent this summer.

Nwaba is so secure in his spot in Chicago’s rotation that he didn’t realize that 4pm today is the deadline to waive players before their contracts become fully guaranteed, relays K.C. Johnson of The Chicago Tribune.

“I’m not really concerned about that. I actually didn’t even know it was Sunday,” Nwaba said. “I just work hard, compete and see what I can do to help teams win games.”

Central Notes: Rose, Thomas, LaVine

January 6th, 2018 at 9:22am CST by marksuleymanov

Cavaliers point guard Derrick Rose could return during the team’s current five-game road trip. When he does, the former NBA Most Valuable Player will take away some playing time from veteran Dwyane Wade, head coach Tyronn Lue told reporters, including Joe Vardon of Cleveland.com.

“I think playing D Wade on a lot of back to backs has been tough for him,” Lue said. “Some games where he doesn’t feel great, but we don’t really have the extra ball handler to sit him. So when D Rose gets back, he’ll definitely help with that and help with D Wade getting his rest and being able to feel good on the floor.”

Rose, 29, has not played since he went down with an ankle injury on November 7. Shortly after the injury, Rose took an indefinite leave from the team, leading many to believe he was contemplating retirement. However, Rose has since denied he was looking to leave the NBA and expressed excitement to pursue a championship with Cleveland.

In seven games before the injury, Rose averaged 14.3 PPG, 2.6 RPG, and 1.7 APG in 26.9 minutes per game.

Check out other Central Division news and notes below:

One night after making his season debut, Isaiah Thomas was forced to sit Cleveland’s road contest against his former team, the Celtics, in Boston. The Cavaliers are being cautious with Thomas’ return from a hip injury that sidelined him for over seven months. As Sean Deveney of Sporting News writes, the difference in Cleveland’s performance without Thomas after just one night was noticeable.
Zach LaVine has made progress in his recovery from a torn ACL and the Bulls hope to set an exact return date for the two-time Dunk Contest champion next week, per USA TODAY Sports. LaVine, 22, was the Bulls’ significant acquisition as part of the offseason’s Jimmy Butler trade.