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Bulls Notes: DeRozan, Drummond, Buyout Market, Donovan

February 11th, 2024 at 1:22pm CST by Tristan Tucker

Signs continue to point toward Bulls forward DeMar DeRozan agreeing to a contract extension with the franchise in the offseason, according to NBC Sports Chicago’s K.C. Johnson (Twitter video link). This comes on the heels of both sides expressing interest in a long-term pairing earlier this week.

Johnson says if the Bulls knew DeRozan was going to walk in the offseason, they would have tried acquiring something of value from him at the deadline. Instead, Chicago stood pat, while DeRozan likened the pairing to a marriage in comments to reporters on Thursday.

While Johnson points out that DeRozan has made similar comments in the past, it’s especially potent this time given the fact they came at the deadline. The Bulls can’t afford to let him leave for nothing and Johnson doesn’t expect them to. Chicago faced a similar situation last season with Nikola Vucevic and they ultimately extended him.

Of course, this doesn’t automatically mean DeRozan is going to re-up with the Bulls. He remains on track to hit unrestricted free agency this offseason and while he’s 34 years old, he still has averaged 25.3 points per game and has two All-Star appearances since arriving in Chicago. He’s likely to have several suitors. Still, the team that makes the most sense for now to offer a multiyear, big-money extension is the Bulls.

We have more notes on the Bulls:

Despite drawing trade interest, Andre Drummond remained a Bull through the deadline. In recent games, head coach Billy Donovan has leaned more into dual big-man lineups, playing Drummond and Vucevic alongside one another. Drummond is enjoying that pairing, Johnson writes. “We’re trying something different and adjusting to what we want to do, not what the other team is doing,” Drummond said. “We’re a force together in the paint. We make teams have to deal with us at both ends of the court. I really like that lineup and I’m looking forward to more of it.” Drummond is averaging 9.9 points and 9.2 rebounds per night since Jan. 1 and drew a start next to Vucevic against the Timberwolves on Feb. 6.
The Bulls were heavily involved in last season’s buyout market, expressing interest in Russell Westbrook before eventually signing Patrick Beverley, who helped the team finish 14-9 and win a play-in game. Johnson writes that the Bulls are once again open to exploring that avenue to add talent after not making any trade acquisitions. Thaddeus Young, Danilo Gallinari, Evan Fournier and Danuel House are among the possibilities Johnson points out. Joe Harris is also available.
Donovan expressed that he was thankful the trade deadline was in the rear view mirror, writes Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times. “‘For me, I wouldn’t necessarily use the word ‘relief,’” Donovan said. “I’ve always taken the approach, ‘This is our team.’ Now, if it changes, then you have to adjust. I think when you start speculating, you lose sight of the group that you have in front of you because those decisions are not decisions you necessarily have control over. For me, it wasn’t like the trade deadline passed, and I was like, ‘Oh, wow, what a relief this was.’” Chicago is currently 25-28 and ninth in the Eastern Conference.

Warriors Notes: Wiggins, Quinones, Kuminga, Thompson, Green, Paul, Payton

February 10th, 2024 at 7:31pm CST by Arthur Hill

Andrew Wiggins got his wish to stay with the Warriors past the trade deadline, so now he has to prove the team made the correct choice, writes Marcus Thompson II of The Athletic. Golden State delayed its toughest roster decisions until the summer, Thompson notes, and one of them will surely involve Wiggins, who was spectacular during the run to the 2022 title, but has played a significant role in the team’s failure to meet expectations this season.

The Warriors were barely active at the deadline, with their only move being a trade of Cory Joseph and cash to Indiana for a second-round pick. Thompson points out that they didn’t acquire another wing, a rim protector or a reliable scorer to take some of the burden off Stephen Curry, which means Wiggins will be counted on to contribute in all those areas.

Wiggins was the subject of trade chatter heading into the deadline, and he understood there was a significant possibility that he might be moved. After a disastrous start to the season, he gave the front office a reason to hold onto him with improved play of late, Thompson adds, noting that Wiggins is back in the starting lineup and the unit that coach Steve Kerr uses to close out games.

“At one point,” Wiggins said, “I told myself, ‘It can’t get no worse than this. Keep swinging and you’re gonna get out of it. Sometimes in the NBA, in basketball itself, it can be a roller coaster. Roller coaster of emotions, doubt, uncertainty. But it can also be great things, success. It’s a roller coaster. I’m glad I’m feeling better. On the court, I’m in a greater rhythm.”

There’s more on the Warriors:

Two-way player Lester Quinones looks like a strong candidate to have his contract converted and fill the roster opening left by Joseph, according to Andrew Slater of The Athletic. Quinones played regular minutes during the team’s five-game road trip, and Kerr cited the energy and ball pressure he brings to the defense.
The Warriors reportedly refused to part with Jonathan Kuminga in trade talks with the Bulls regarding Alex Caruso, and Slater asked general manager Mike Dunleavy if Kuminga is considered untouchable. “Virtually,” Dunleavy said. “I mean, as untouchable as guys can be in this league. He’s certainly at that level. I didn’t see a scenario where Jonathan wouldn’t be on our team after this deadline.”
Dunleavy also didn’t rule out the possibility of eventually trading Klay Thompson or Draymond Green despite their role in winning four NBA titles, Slater states in the same piece. “You know, for me personally in this situation, I’m always going to do what’s best for the organization moving forward,” Dunleavy said. “Based on that, that’s how we’re going to operate — whether it’s this deadline, this summer, in the future.”
Chris Paul‘s $30MM non-guaranteed contract for next season will give the front office plenty of flexibility this summer, Slater adds. The Warriors can either let Paul go, try to re-sign him at a lower price or work out a trade in which they would guarantee the amount of salary they’re taking back.
Gary Payton II, who has been sidelined since January 2 with a strained left hamstring, will return on Saturday, tweets Kendra Andrews of ESPN. Kerr told reporters that Payton won’t be on a set minutes restriction.

Bulls Notes: Deadline Talks, DeRozan, Caruso, LaVine

February 8th, 2024 at 7:13pm CST by Tristan Tucker

The Bulls sat out the trade deadline for the third straight season, NBC Sports Chicago’s K.C. Johnson observes. The Bulls spent months working on a potential Zach LaVine trade but after his season-ending injury, they began to weigh other options. The team fielded offers for Alex Caruso and Andre Drummond and had “cursory conversations” regarding DeRozan, maintaining they stayed active despite not making a move.

“We didn’t see anything that was going to make us better. We would take a step back, which we don’t want. We want to stay competitive,” general manager Artūras Karnišovas said. “We have an obligation to this organization and this fan base and this city to stay competitive and compete for the playoffs. That’s what we’re doing.”

The Warriors engaged the Bulls on talks with Caruso but in any potential deal, Chicago seemed to covet Jonathan Kuminga. When that offer was rebuffed, the Bulls told teams they didn’t want to trade Caruso, especially for a package of other young pieces like Moses Moody, according to Johnson. They would have had to be floored by an offer to move Caruso.

Drummond drew interest too, but the Bulls expressed to other teams they wished to remain competitive and potential landing spots like the Sixers and Mavericks sent their second-round draft capital elsewhere.

While there was some internal discussion about selling off pieces and reshaping the roster, upper management pushed those decisions to the offseason, Johnson writes. In the summer, it’s likely the Bulls will discuss LaVine trades again while they face decisions on the contract statuses of DeRozan and Patrick Williams. The Bulls have one open roster spot and are under the luxury tax, so they could be in the market for buyout players. We addressed Chicago’s potential interest in Joe Harris earlier Thursday.

We have more notes on the Bulls:

There was no significant offer out there for DeMar DeRozan, according to The Athletic’s Shams Charania, appearing on The Rally (Twitter link). There were a few interested teams but uncertainty regarding whether DeRozan would re-sign when he becomes an unrestricted free agent in the offseason was an inhibiting factor in getting a deal done. According to Charania, the Bulls want to keep DeRozan “long term.”
Charania echoed Johnson and said the Bulls had a “very high price” on Caruso, which other teams weren’t willing to meet. Charania says Chicago feels like keeping this core together is its best path forward.
DeRozan expressed a desire to remain with the Bulls on Thursday, according to Johnson. “It’s kind of like with your spouse. It’s a relationship. It’s like, ‘What do we need to do to work on this, baby?’” DeRozan said, smiling. “‘Let’s figure this thing out. You want me. I want you.’ The love is there.” Karnišovas expressed a similar sentiment, Johnson tweets. “I love DeMar,” Karnišovas said. “He’s huge for this team, this city, this organization.“
LaVine underwent right foot surgery on Thursday, according to Johnson. He was previously ruled out for the rest of the season. “We’re going to miss him,” Karnišovas said. “But we’ll see him soon and wish him well his recovery.” The original recovery timeline was four-to-six months, but according to Johnson, he could be back to basketball activities in closer to three months. He would still miss the rest of the season but could begin his typical offseason work.
The bigger question regarding LaVine is his future with the organization, Johnson writes. As mentioned, the team held trade talks regarding him last offseason and before the deadline. However, Johnson’s source close to LaVine emphasizes he never specifically asked to be traded. “I don’t have any concerns,” Karnišovas said on whether he worried if failing to find a trade would impact the relationship between the two sides. “I think Zach wants to win. Bottom line, we’re a better team with Zach on the team. It’s as simple as that.“

Buyout Rumors: Tucker, Lowry, Dinwiddie, Harris

February 8th, 2024 at 5:40pm CST by Tristan Tucker

Clippers forward P.J. Tucker is not requesting a buyout and is expected to remain with the team through the remainder of the season, according to TNT and Bleacher Report’s Chris Haynes (Twitter link). This comes after trade attempts involving Tucker fell short, Haynes adds. This was the expected outcome if Tucker wasn’t moved at the deadline.

It’s no secret Tucker wasn’t thrilled with his role after landing with the Clippers in the James Harden trade at the beginning of the season. After starting in all 78 of his appearances with the Sixers after signing there in 2022, Tucker has only played in just 12 games with Los Angeles. averaging 14.4 minutes per game.

“I want to be somewhere where I’m needed, wanted and can do it all. I don’t know what’s going to happen but I have my fingers crossed and I’m hoping to go somewhere else whether I get bought out and choose where I go or where I can play,” Tucker said before the deadline to Andscape’s Marc J. Spears (Twitter link).

Tucker was once seen as a “strong” candidate to be moved before the deadline, but the fact that he has an $11.5MM player option for next season appears to have been an issue for opposing teams. The most likely step forward for both sides is Tucker accepting his player option in the offseason and then the two sides working together to find a deal that suits him when teams have a clearer idea of their 2024/25 plans.

For what it’s worth, Tucker seemingly expressed frustration at the situation in an Instagram story following the deadline, with the story reading “All this s— is a f—ing joke” (Instagram link).

We have more rumors regarding the buyout market:

Hornets point guard Kyle Lowry is the Sixers‘ top priority on the market if he and Charlotte come to terms on a buyout agreement, according to NBA insider Marc Stein (Twitter link). The Sixers have been making moves all day to clear salary (Danuel House) and playing time (Jaden Springer, Patrick Beverley) in the guard room, so Lowry is a sensible addition.
The Lakers, Mavericks, Pelicans and Sixers are expected to have interest in Spencer Dinwiddie after he was waived by the Raptors earlier Thursday, The Athletic’s Shams Charania said on Stadium’s live trade deadline show (hat tip to RealGM). Dinwiddie is ineligible to sign with the Celtics, Nuggets, Warriors, Clippers, Heat, Bucks and Suns, whose team salaries are above the tax apron, so that list of four interested teams includes some of the top playoff contenders available for Dinwiddie to sign with. He averaged 12.6 points and 6.0 assists in 48 games (all starts) with the Nets this season.
The Lakers are indeed among the frontrunners to sign Dinwiddie, confirms ESPN’s Dave McMenamin (Twitter link). Los Angeles is a good position to land the 6’5″ guard, because the Lakers are able to offer around $1.5MM prorated because they didn’t give Gabe Vincent the full mid-level exception in the offseason, McMenamin adds (Twitter link). Other teams are only able to offer around $1MM.
The Bulls stood pat at the trade deadline and are likely to make moves to supplement a potential playoff push, according to NBC Sports Chicago’s K.C. Johnson. Former Pistons sharpshooter Joe Harris could be a target for Chicago on the buyout market after he was waived by Detroit. Johnson adds the Bulls tried to acquire Bojan Bogdanovic from Detroit.

No Deadline Deals Involving Lakers, Cavs, Hawks, Bulls, Others

February 8th, 2024 at 4:14pm CST by Rory Maher

While we certainly saw a flurry of activity prior to today’s trade deadline, seven teams didn’t make any moves at all over the past week, observes Keith Smith of Spotrac (Twitter link). That group features the Lakers, Cavaliers, Hawks, Bulls, Magic, Heat, and Pelicans.

Miami and New Orleans made previous trades this season, but the other five teams did not.

According to Dave McMenamin of ESPN and Brad Turner of The Los Angeles Times (Twitter links), the Lakers were actively involved in trade talks, but decided any deal would have been a “marginal upgrade” with a prohibitive cost. L.A. plans to be “aggressive” in the buyout market, however, and will have up to three first-round picks to trade this summer, versus the one it had available during the season.

As Dan Woike of The Los Angeles Times writes, Dejounte Murray and Alex Caruso were among the players the Lakers were interested in, but they decided the Hawks’ and Bulls’ asking prices were too steep.

The Cavs — the league’s hottest team — “believe strongly” in the roster they’ve constructed, and they also have a pair of standard roster spots open to peruse the buyout market, per Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com (Twitter link).

The Hawks were reportedly aggressive in proposing trade concepts, yet decided to keep the roster they have, despite their mediocre 22-29 record. Murray was the player most prominently featured in rumors from Atlanta’s roster.

The 24-27 Bulls also decided to stand pat, with center Andre Drummond among the players they retained, confirms Chris Haynes of Bleacher Report (via Twitter).

According to Jason Beede of The Orlando Sentinel, the Magic’s front office “did its due diligence” in evaluating the market, but it likes the current roster and wanted to maintain continuity ahead of a potential postseason push. Orlando is currently 27-24.

The Raptors made a handful of trades this season, including two on Thursday, yet one player who many expected to be on the move remains on the roster. Toronto decided to hang onto Bruce Brown past the deadline, tweets ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.

The rebuilding Wizards were viewed as sellers ahead of the deadline, and they did trade Daniel Gafford to Dallas. But they also decided to keep veteran guards Tyus Jones and Delon Wright, two players featured in plenty of trade rumors, per Josh Robbins of The Athletic (Twitter link).

Andre Drummond Fined $15K

February 8th, 2024 at 11:44am CST by Arthur Hill

The NBA has imposed a $15K fine on Bulls center Andre Drummond for making an inappropriate gesture on the court (Twitter link).

The incident occurred late in overtime of Tuesday’s game against Minnesota after Drummond scored over Rudy Gobert, according to K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago. Drummond said he was expecting to be fined for his actions, Johnson adds.

Drummond is among the names to watch as this afternoon’s deadline gets closer. He has been linked with numerous teams in trade rumors, but the Bulls may decide to keep him in hopes making of a playoff run.

Trade Rumors: Tate, Mavs, Rockets, Suns, Porter, Raptors

February 8th, 2024 at 11:38am CST by Luke Adams

The Mavericks and Rockets spoke recently about Houston forward Jae’Sean Tate, according to Kelly Iko of The Athletic. However, league sources tell Iko that Dallas only offered a pair of second-round picks and Houston insisted on three, so the two sides didn’t reach a deal.

As Iko writes, if they do trade Tate, the Rockets would prefer to get a player who could contribute right away, but there was a belief that they could potentially reroute those second-round picks to land that sort of player.

With the trade deadline just over two hours away, the Rockets remain in the market for shooting help and a backup center, Iko reports. Houston traded for Steven Adams last week, but he’s out for the season, so the team wouldn’t mind acquiring a big man who could help in the short term.

Here a few more trade rumors from around the NBA:

According to Iko, the Rockets have received some inquiries on guard Aaron Holiday and forward Jeff Green, but won’t be looking to dump those players for minor returns, since they’ve established roles and have good relationships with head coach Ime Udoka.
Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports (Twitter link) has heard veteran wing Otto Porter mentioned as a possible fallback trade option for the Suns. Toronto agreed to trade Porter to Utah earlier today, but there’s no guarantee the Jazz will keep him. Phoenix has no interest in Bulls center Andre Drummond, however, tweets John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7.
A league source tells Michael Grange of Sportsnet.ca (Twitter link) that there has been “not a peep” on Raptors trade candidates Bruce Brown, Chris Boucher, and Gary Trent Jr. so far today. However, it remains possible that will change in the next couple hours.

Trade Rumors: Sixers, Pistons, Bulls, Bridges, Mavs, Kuzma, Brown, Knicks, More

February 8th, 2024 at 6:44am CST by Luke Adams

Appearing on SportsCenter late on Wednesday night (Twitter video link), Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN said the Sixers and Pistons have had recent trade discussions about players like Alec Burks and Bojan Bogdanovic, but that those talks “largely broke down” on Wednesday.

That doesn’t necessarily mean that the Sixers and Pistons won’t reengage on Thursday, but Philadelphia is exploring several avenues in search of size and shooting. The 76ers have also talked to the Bulls about multiple players, including DeMar DeRozan, Wojnarowski stated on the latest episode of the Woj Pod.

The challenge in trading with the Bulls, Woj explains, is that they want to remain competitive this season, so they’re not looking to sell off starters or key rotation players for draft assets. Given that position, it may be difficult for a contender to make more than a minor deal with Chicago, but K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago (Twitter link) believes Philadelphia is the potential trade partner worth keeping the closest eye on for the Bulls.

Besides DeRozan, Andre Drummond is another Bulls player who has reportedly drawn interest from the Sixers. Chicago may take its Drummond talks down to the wire, according to Marc Stein, who says in his latest Substack story that the club could command multiple second-round picks for the veteran center.

Here are a few more trade rumors from around the NBA:

Wojnarowski also indicated during his SportsCenter appearances that forward Miles Bridges is “very, very likely” to remain in Charlotte beyond the trade deadline, with the Hornets hoping to re-sign him this offseason. Stein (Substack link) has also heard that Bridges may very well stay put, despite interest from the Suns and a handful of other clubs. The 25-year-old has the ability to veto a trade and would lose his Bird rights if he approves a move to a new team.
According to Wojnarowski (via the Woj Pod), the Mavericks‘ efforts to pry Kyle Kuzma away from the Wizards haven’t been successful, so Dallas is believed to be pivoting to P.J. Washington and will likely keep talking to the Hornets on Thursday. Stein suggests that Kuzma’s preference has been to stay in D.C. rather than seek a change of scenery, which has been a factor in Washington’s apparent reluctance to move him.
The Knicks have been willing to attach a first-round pick to Evan Fournier‘s expiring contract in a trade offer for Raptors wing Bruce Brown, but they want to include one of their 2024 first-rounders (their own or Dallas’), reports Michael Grange of Sportsnet.ca. Toronto, which already controls at least two first-rounders and a high second-rounder in a 2024 draft considered to be weak, has sought a future pick, but New York wants to preserve those selections for a potential deal for a star, Grange explains.
Some teams have kicked the tires on Raptors center Jakob Poeltl, Grange reports, though he looks like a long shot to be moved. Although Dennis Schröder is a more likely trade candidate, Grange hears from a league source that the return for the veteran point guard would probably just be second-round picks at best.

Fischer’s Latest: Pelicans, Stewart, Hawks, Olynyk, Drummond, Lakers, Nets

February 7th, 2024 at 9:02pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Pelicans are searching for a rim protector, but they’ve had to cross at least two names off their wish list, reports Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports. Sources tell Fischer that New Orleans was hoping to acquire Jarrett Allen, but the Cavaliers aren’t willing to include him in trade talks. The team also targeted Wendell Carter, but Fischer’s sources say the Magic refuse to make him available.

Fischer cites Pistons big man Isaiah Stewart as a potential alternative for the Pelicans. Detroit agreed to two deals today and may be willing to consider moving Stewart as the team reshapes its roster. Hawks centers Onyeka Okongwu and Clint Capela could also be possibilities, according to Fischer.

Fischer hears that the Pelicans and Hawks were involved in “tangible trade talks” this week involving both centers, along with guard Dejounte Murray, who’s considered one of the top names on this year’s trade market. However, sources tell Fischer that the teams haven’t been able to make any progress toward a deal.

Fischer offers more inside information on the eve of the deadline:

Jazz center Kelly Olynyk could be on the way to Toronto, but there are plenty of teams interested in acquiring him, whether it’s from Utah or the Raptors, according to Fischer’s sources. Fischer names the Sixers, Heat and Warriors as teams that have shown interest in Olynyk, adding that the Celtics were also on that list before today’s trade for Xavier Tillman.
The Tillman deal removes one suitor for Bulls center Andre Drummond, Fischer adds. The Sixers remain interested in Drummond as a short-term starter while Joel Embiid is injured, according to Fischer, who also lists the Mavericks and Suns as potential landing spots. Fischer’s sources say the Rockets and Lakers also had interest in the veteran center, but they’re considered less likely alternatives. Chicago is hoping for multiple second-round picks in exchange for Drummond, with Fischer noting that it seems like a reasonable price considering that’s what the Celtics gave Memphis for Tillman. Fischer also cautions that the Bulls are hoping to advance through the play-in tournament, so Drummond isn’t certain to be dealt.
The Lakers like several Brooklyn players, including Dorian Finney-Smith, Spencer Dinwiddie and Royce O’Neale, Fischer adds. He also points out that the Nets have Lonnie Walker, who was popular with L.A. fans in last year’s playoffs and has attracted interest from several contenders.

Sixers Rumors: Brogdon, Bogdanovic, Hield, Morris, Covington

February 7th, 2024 at 8:00pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Sixers contacted the Trail Blazers about Malcolm Brogdon, but Portland appears reluctant to move him, sources tell Kyle Neubeck of PHLY Sports. Neubeck hears that Philadelphia is attempting to add a combo guard who’s comfortable either running the offense or playing off the ball. That description fits Brogdon, who handled both roles while winning Sixth Man of the Year honors last season in Boston.

An efficient shooter throughout his career, Brogdon is connecting at 44% from the field and 41.2% from three-point range this season. He’s currently making $22.5MM and is owed the same amount for 2024/25, and the Blazers are content to hold onto him unless they’re “bowled over with an offer,” according to Neubeck.

Neubeck reports that the Sixers also made exploratory calls to the Hawks about Bogdan Bogdanovic, but Atlanta is asking for a high price in return. Part of Bogdanovic’s value stems from his team-friendly contract, which pays him $17.3MM next season and $16MM in 2025/26 with a $16MM team option for 2026/27.

Neubeck has more on the Sixers:

Philadelphia has interest in Pacers guard Buddy Hield, but Neubeck cites a “gap in valuation” between the teams that makes it unlikely they can agree on a deal. A source tells Neubeck that Indiana wants a first-round pick in exchange for Hield, while the Sixers are limiting their offer to expiring contracts and second-rounders.
The front office is hoping to find a starting-caliber center to replace Joel Embiid while he recovers from a knee procedure. Andre Drummond from the Bulls and Kelly Olynyk from the Jazz are widely reported options, but Neubeck hears that the Sixers have explored other possibilities and will likely sign someone if they can’t work out a trade before the deadline.
A source tells Neubeck that Marcus Morris and Robert Covington are the most likely Sixers to be traded. ESPN’s Brian Windhorst had a similar report on his Hoop Collective podcast.