Chicago Bulls Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Central Notes: LaVine, Turner, Bickerstaff, Rondo

March 4th, 2022 at 9:00pm CST by Rory Maher

Bulls All-Star Zach LaVine previously said that he won’t know in advance whether he’ll be able to play back-to-back games going forward. Chicago continues to monitor him daily, but coach Billy Donovan said that LaVine’s knee has been feeling much better since the All-Star break (Twitter links via Rob Schaefer of NBC Sports Chicago).

After playing against the Hawks on Thursday, LaVine didn’t appear on Chicago’s injury report on Friday and suited up for both ends of the back-to-back against the Bucks. He finished the game with 30 points, eight rebounds and six assists, but the Bulls dropped their fourth straight in a 118-112 loss. Chicago is now the No. 4 seed in the East with a 39-25 record.

Here’s more from the Central:

Pacers center Myles Turner has been sidelined since January 14 after suffering a stress reaction in his left foot, but he’s making progress in his rehab, as James Boyd of The Indianapolis Star relays. Turner posted an Instagram video of himself running for the first time since the injury. He was doing defensive slides in another video, apparently at Detroit’s practice facility. Indiana lost at Detroit 111-106 on Friday night. There’s no official timetable for Turner’s return.
Cavaliers coach J.B. Bickerstaff was fined $20K by the NBA for inappropriate language directed at officials and refusing to leave the court in a timely manner during Wednesday’s 119-98 loss to the Hornets, writes Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com. Bickerstaff was ejected after receiving two technical fouls early in the third quarter. The Cavs have dropped six of their past seven games after Friday’s 125-119 loss to the Sixers.
Cavaliers point guard Rajon Rondo was upgraded from out to doubtful for Friday’s contest after participating in the team’s shootaround, but ultimately missed the game against Philadelphia. A source tells Fedor (Twitter link) that Rondo is “getting close” to a return, but isn’t quite ready yet. Rondo is eight days removed from suffering a sprained big toe which was expected to sideline him for about two weeks, so he’s apparently a little ahead of schedule in his recovery.

DeMar DeRozan, Luka Doncic Named Players Of The Month For February

March 3rd, 2022 at 2:07pm CST by Rory Maher

Bulls guard/forward DeMar DeRozan and Mavericks guard Luka Doncic have been named the Players of the Month for the Eastern and Western Conferences, respectively, per a league announcement (Twitter link).

DeRozan led the Bulls to an 8-5 record in February, averaging 34.2 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 5.2 assists on .553/.400/.877 shooting in 13 games (38.5 minutes per contest). As K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago notes, DeRozan became the first player in NBA history to post eight straight games of 35-or-more points while shooting 50% or better in each, eclipsing a 60-year-old mark held by Wilt Chamberlain.

DeRozan’s in the midst of the best season of his career at age 32, putting up a career-high 28.2 PPG while leading the Bulls to a 39-23 record despite injuries to several key players. They currently hold the No. 2 seed in the East.

Doncic, meanwhile, led Dallas to a 7-3 record in February, averaging a ridiculous 34.7 points, 10.3 rebounds, and 8.8 assists on .457/.417/.750 shooting in 10 games (37.1 minutes). He put up 45-plus points in three of the Mavericks’ final four games leading up to the All-Star break, with a career-high 51 points against the Clippers, followed by another 45 points against the Clips, and 49 against the Pelicans.

For the season, Doncic is averaging 27.5 points, 9.1 rebounds, and 8.8 assists on .447/.331/.738 shooting. The Mavs are currently the No. 5 seed in the West with a 37-25 record.

The other finalists in the East were Heat center Bam Adebayo, Cavaliers center Jarrett Allen, Magic forward/center Wendell Carter Jr., Sixers center Joel Embiid and Raptors forward Pascal Siakam. For the West, the other nominees were Suns guard Devin Booker, Nuggets center Nikola Jokic, Grizzlies guard Ja Morant and Timberwolves center Karl-Anthony Towns, the NBA announced (via Twitter).

Zach LaVine Still Not 100%, Could Require Offseason Surgery

March 2nd, 2022 at 1:25pm CST by Luke Adams

After missing some time in January and February due to knee soreness, Bulls guard Zach LaVine had an encouraging visit with a specialist prior to the All-Star break, getting fluid drained from his left knee and getting the OK to return to the court.

However, speaking on Wednesday to reporters, including Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times and K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago, LaVine admitted that his knee still isn’t back to normal and likely won’t be until next season.

“I mean my knee isn’t 100 percent. That’s just the reality of it,” LaVine said. “… Now, can I still go out here and contribute? I can still do that, but it’s just something I’ve got to fight through until the end of the season. … I might not be 100 percent. But me at 80 percent, 70 percent, whatever it is, it’s still one of the best players in the NBA. So, damn sure one of the best players on the court when we play.”

LaVine said that if his knee didn’t feel “sturdy” or “structurally right,” he wouldn’t be playing, but that’s not the issue — it’s more about dealing with some pain and a more limited range of motion. He plans to continue receiving treatment and playing through the injury for now, then will “deal with it” more thoroughly once the season is over.

“We don’t know what that is going to be and how exactly we’re going to approach it. But it is pretty much like a band-aid,” LaVine said. “It’s making me feel better for the time being and getting me to a place where I feel comfortable playing and being effective on the court over this last stretch. And then the offseason, I’ll deal with whatever I have to.”

As Cowley notes, when asked if he’ll have to undergo surgery in the summer, LaVine didn’t rule out that possibility, suggesting that it’s “going to be a discussion for me and my doctor” to determine what course of action gives him the best chance to get back to 100%.

LaVine will be an unrestricted free agent this offseason, so it’s not ideal timing for him for him to be battling an injury. While he’ll still be a strong candidate for a maximum-salary contract, playing at less than 100% down the stretch and then possibly undergoing a surgical procedure won’t exactly boost his free agent stock. Still, he said today that he’s focused on helping his team and has no interest in shutting himself down for the season.

“I have a big responsibility here with the team, my teammates, my coaches, the city of Chicago. I take a lot of pride in that. It means something to me,” LaVine said. “And I hope people understand that I’m going out here and definitely not putting myself first here in this situation. I don’t get my contract right now. I’m not a free agent until the end of the season. So until then, I’m focused on the season. It’s pretty black and white to me.”

Caruso Can Barely Pass Ball

February 28th, 2022 at 10:16pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Alex Caruso is not close to coming back from wrist surgery, Rob Schaefer of NBC Sports Chicago tweets. Bulls coach Billy Donovan said Caruso is able to do some on-court work but needs to strengthen the affected area. Caruso can barely pass the ball with his right hand at this time and he won’t be cleared for contact for a couple more weeks.

Bulls Notes: Thompson, Williams, Ball, Caruso

February 27th, 2022 at 11:58am CST by Arthur Hill

Tristan Thompson is a long-time admirer of Dennis Rodman, so he’s thrilled to be playing in the city where “The Worm” won three championships, writes Julia Poe of The Chicago Tribune. Thompson signed with the Bulls last weekend after being waived by Indiana, and he hopes to emulate the success that Rodman had with the team.

“He was the first person I believe in this league in NBA history to be a star in their role,” Thompson said. “I remember saying that exact quote, saying ‘be a star in a role’ when we were on those runs in Cleveland, making those championship runs. He was definitely the definition of being a star in a role and that was something that I wanted to embody in my game.”

Thompson’s extensive playoff experience with the Cavaliers makes him an ideal addition for a team that needed a veteran big man to come off its bench. He’s already impressing his new teammates with his attention to detail.

“Even when he was in practice (Wednesday) night, things that he (saw) he’d chime in and correct right away,” DeMar DeRozan said. “He understands the game. He has a championship. He’s played on great teams. So he see a lot of things and jumped on it right away. He’s not hesitated to speak up and that’s a true leader.”

There’s more from Chicago:

The Bulls remain optimistic that Patrick Williams will be able to return this season after undergoing surgery on his left wrist in October, but he has several hurdles to clear before playing again, Poe states in a separate story. Williams has been shooting for months, but doctors want him to build up more strength in the wrist before clearing him for contact. Once that happens, he’ll have to go through practices and 5-on-5 scrimmages to get him ready for game action. With just six weeks left in the regular season, it’s uncertain how many games Williams might be available for.
Along with Williams, Lonzo Ball and Alex Caruso are expected to return from injuries at some point, which will present a new coaching challenge for Billy Donovan, Poe adds. “It’s much harder to reincorporate a player back into the rotation who’s been out for an extended period of time and doesn’t have a rhythm,” Donovan said. “We’re going to have guys moving in different roles, different situations. So there’s going to be another iteration of our team at some point in time where we’re going to have a very, very small number of games to try to be playing really good basketball.”
The Bulls have the fifth-best record in the league at 39-22, but they haven’t been impressive against likely playoff teams, notes K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago. Saturday’s loss to Memphis left Chicago at 4-6 against the top six teams in the West and 2-8 against the six best teams in the East.

Alex Caruso Is Close To Resuming Basketball Activities

February 26th, 2022 at 8:28pm CST by Arthur Hill

Bulls guard Alex Caruso will resume basketball activities in a few days, per Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times. Coach Billy Donovan confirmed today that Caruso has made progress in his conditioning and now needs to get a feel for the game again. “The biggest thing will be once he gets a ball in his hand, it’s finding his rhythm, shooting again,’’ Donovan said. “He hasn’t been able to do any of that stuff. We’re really hopeful that early next week he can get on the floor and start to do those types of things.’’ Whenever Caruso returns, the team plans to have him on a minutes restriction.

Q&A With Bulls Superstar Zach LaVine

February 26th, 2022 at 3:31pm CST by JD Shaw

Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report conducted a Q&A with Bulls star Zach LaVine, covering his season, team and ambitions. LaVine has averaged 24.5 points per game and will become a free agent this summer. “For me, it’s not even about my contract [situation]”, he said. “I’m a competitor. I want to go to the playoffs and play on the big stage. Contract, everything, that all comes. But I look at it day by day. You can’t get to April in a day. You’re gonna have to play and compete each and every day to get there, and then once the playoffs come, we got to go do our thing. You know I’m really excited. I’m really excited to be on that stage, because I haven’t been there yet.”

Michael Reinsdorf: Bulls “Absolutely” Willing To Pay Tax

February 25th, 2022 at 10:01am CST by Luke Adams

Speaking to K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago on the Bulls Talk Podcast, Bulls president and COO Michael Reinsdorf said the plan is to keep All-Star guard Zach LaVine in Chicago for “years to come” and reiterated that ownership is comfortable with becoming a taxpayer as long as the team is a legitimate contender.

“Absolutely,” Reinsdorf said. “All you have to do is go back and look at the last number of championship teams, how many of them were in the luxury tax? With the nature of the NBA and having a soft cap, if you want to compete for championships, you have to be willing to spend into the tax.”

“I think most people will tell you, ‘I don’t want to spend into the tax if we’re not competing for championships, if we’re not good enough. I don’t want to be the eighth seed or out of the playoffs and go into the luxury tax.’ But when it comes to a team like this, and if we can take the necessary steps next year that allow us to compete for a championship, then for sure we’ll go into the tax. It’s part of the nature of the NBA.”

The stance is one that Reinsdorf and his father – team owner Jerry Reinsdorf – have conveyed in the past. However, the franchise has a history of being relatively conservative in its spending, having paid the luxury tax just once. As Johnson points out, the club was on track to be a taxpayer for a second time in 2014, but traded away Luol Deng after Derrick Rose tore his meniscus in order to get below the tax line.

“That was a particular circumstance,” Reinsdorf said. “You’re not going to see us make trades like that when we’re competing for championships. That doesn’t make any sense.”

As Johnson acknowledges, the Bulls have shown an increased willingness to spend during the last year or two, expanding their player development and scouting departments and carrying full 15-man rosters. They also used a portion of their bi-annual exception to offer Tristan Thompson more than the minimum salary, ensuring they beat out other potential suitors on the buyout market.

Currently, the Bulls owe about $98MM in guaranteed money to nine players in 2022/23. That number would increase to $100MM if Tony Bradley exercises his player option.

A maximum-salary contract for LaVine, who will be an unrestricted free agent, would pay him a projected $35.7MM next season, or $41.7MM if he qualifies for a super-max. Theoretically, Chicago could give him a max deal and still remain below the projected $147MM tax line by filling out the roster with low-cost contracts.

Still, Reinsdorf’s comments suggest the Bulls could be willing to make moves – perhaps on the trade market or using their mid-level exception – that push team salary above that $147MM threshold if ownership feels the club is on the verge of title contention.

“We’re going to spend the money because you have to invest in your team,” Reinsdorf said. “I’m looking forward to it, because if we’re spending in the tax, that means we have a really good team.”

Williams Could Come Off Bench; Caruso On Schedule In Recovery

February 24th, 2022 at 10:19pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Patrick Williams is getting closer to returning from wrist surgery but the 2020 lottery pick won’t automatically return to the Bulls’ starting lineup, according to Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times. “Staff-wise, as players get closer and closer to coming back, I think Javonte [Green] has done a really good job with that group in terms of how he’s fit in, what he’s been able to bring to the table in Patrick’s absence,’’ coach Billy Donovan said. “I’m not opposed to bringing Patrick off the bench and I’m not opposed to starting him. I think a lot of it is going to be once he can get back to practice, is there a minutes restriction on him, how many minutes can he play at a time, and what’s the best role for him to help our team?’’
Alex Caruso underwent surgery to repair a fractured right wrist on January 24th and had an six-to-eight week reevaluation timeline. The Bulls guard appears to be on schedule, according to Rob Schaefer of NBC Sports Chicago. “We’re hoping by the end of this week, certainly early next week, that he’ll have a ball in his hands and be able to do things,” Donovan said. Williams has begun doing some dribbling and shooting work but Donovan said he needs to strengthen the wrist further before facing live contact.

Central Notes: Carter, Pistons Rookies, Thompson, DeRozan

February 24th, 2022 at 12:21pm CST by Rory Maher

Jevon Carter, who was recently released by the Nets in order to sign Goran Dragic, plans to sign with the Bucks after he clears waivers.

It’s the second time the Bucks will have scooped up an ex-Nets player who was cut in the past few weeks, as the same thing happened with DeAndre’ Bembry following the blockbuster James Harden/Ben Simmons trade (Brooklyn received three players but sent out two, necessitating an incumbent player’s release). Eric Nehm of The Athletic explores what Milwaukee will be getting with Carter’s expected addition.

Carter, the 32nd overall pick of the 2018 draft, was the Naismith Defensive Player of the Year in his senior season at West Virginia and his defensive ability is the primary reason he’s in the NBA. Carter is a tough defender with strong instincts who can be a pest to opposing point guards, Nehm writes.

Carter doesn’t provide much offensively, but he’s a career 36.9% three-point shooter (33.1% this season) and the majority of his shots come from beyond the arc. According to Nehm, Carter likely won’t be asked to do much beyond catch-and-shoot. Carter is unlikely to play a large role with Milwaukee, but he should provide capable regular season minutes while George Hill and Pat Connaughton recover from injuries, Nehm opines.

Here’s more from the Central Division:

Pistons coach Dwane Casey says the team wants to get a good look at rookies Isaiah Livers and Chris Smith in the latter portion of the season (Twitter links via Omari Sankofa II of The Detroit Free Press). Livers has been slow to recover from right foot surgery, while Smith had a torn ACL last summer. Livers recently made his debut with Detroit’s G League affiliate, the Motor City Cruise. Smith is on a two-way contract, but Livers has a guaranteed standard contract for this season and next, with a club option in 2023/24.
Pistons rookie Cade Cunningham, who was recently named MVP of the Rising Stars event during All-Star weekend, said he was eager to prove himself on the big stage, as he told Marc J. Spears of The Undefeated. “All this talent, I wanted to stand out for sure. It’s the All-Star Game weekend. Everyone is going to go out there and try to have fun. But everybody deep down still wants to be that guy. I knew that. I wanted to compete. I wanted to win. More importantly, I was happy to come out with a trophy, some hardware,” Cunningham said.
New Bulls addition Tristan Thompson believes he’ll fit in well with Chicago, as Darnell Mayberry of The Athletic relays. “I think I’ll mesh pretty well with this group,” Thompson said. He also believes DeMar DeRozan should be the MVP front-runner. “Right now, he’s the league MVP in my eyes, flat-out,” Thompson said, as part of a larger quote.