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Bulls Notes: Dosunmu, Vucevic, Ball, New ID

November 15th, 2021 at 8:30pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Bulls guard Coby White is expected to make his season debut on Monday night against the Lakers but rookie Ayo Dosunmu will still get some minutes, according to Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times.

‘I think [Dosunmu has] played too well and has played some good basketball for us,’’ head coach Billy Donovan said. ‘‘We’ve got to find a way to utilize both of those guys.”

We have more on the Bulls:

Nikola Vucevic will remain in the league’s health and safety protocols for at least a few more days but he’s experiencing only mild symptoms after testing positive for COVID-19, Cowley adds in the same story. ‘‘I talked to him [Saturday] a little bit,’’ Donovan said. ‘‘The symptoms haven’t gotten worse. Kind of feels like more he’s got a cold. He’s doing fine.”
Lonzo Ball says he has no hard feelings toward the Lakers and Pelicans organizations, K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago writes. He was traded by the Lakers in the Anthony Davis blockbuster, then came to Chicago prior to this season in a sign-and-trade transaction. “I wanted to come to a place where I felt like I fit, a place that wanted me for me and didn’t want me to change,” he said. “Chicago is the best place for me.” He looks at the trade that sent him to New Orleans as a positive. “I think it helped my career personally,” he said. “In the long run, it made me a better person and a better player.”
The Bulls should be a factor in the Eastern Conference race all season, John Hollinger of The Athletic opines. Due to the team’s roster makeover, the individual pieces make the whole more than the sum of the parts, masking individual weaknesses, Hollinger adds. Chicago’s identity has changed from a soft team to one that plays pesky defense and can dominate opponents in transition.

Bulls Notes: White, Dosunmu, LaVine, Caruso

November 13th, 2021 at 7:48pm CST by Arthur Hill

Bulls guard Coby White could be cleared to return Monday if he responds well to a pair of weekend workouts, writes K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago. White, who underwent shoulder surgery in June, practiced with the team today and took part in a five-on-five scrimmage afterward with a few players and coaches. He’s scheduled for another workout Sunday and will return to the lineup if that goes well.

Coach Billy Donovan plans to ease White back into the rotation slowly, which means rookie Ayo Dosunmu will still get regular minutes. The team wants to be sure that White’s shoulder can hold up under contact, which he just began this week.

“That’s the biggest thing right now,” Donovan said. “How much can we in those situations, whether it be the G League or some of these low-minute runs, get him contact? And he’s not shying away from it. He’s not avoiding it. He’s not afraid of it. It’s not that at all. It’s just a matter of he has to get back physically to where he was doing those things.”

There’s more from Chicago:

The Bulls struggled Friday in their first game without center Nikola Vucevic, who is in the health and safety protocols after testing positive for COVID-19. Vucevic didn’t travel with his teammates on their five-game road trip, and Donovan called on Zach LaVine and DeMar DeRozan to alter their playing style while he’s sidelined (video link from NBC Sports Chicago). “I think for Zach and DeMar, certainly with Vooch being a center and not here, they’re going to have to understand there’s going to have to be even more sacrifice in terms of moving and cutting and trusting the pass and moving the ball, and a lot of times it’s going to end up in someone else’s hands,” Donovan said.
Warriors coach Steve Kerr, who served as an assistant with Team USA at the Summer Olympics, was impressed by the way LaVine handled his role on that team, per Rob Schaefer of NBC Sports Chicago. LaVine is one of the NBA’s top scorers, but he moved into a reserve role in the Olympics and provided energy and “pressure defense” when the team needed it. “I loved getting to know him. I thought his willingness to take on a role off the bench for us was huge,” Kerr said. “He just got it. He understood exactly what we needed.”
Kerr also praised former Pacific Division rival Alex Caruso, who signed with the Bulls in free agency, according to Colin Ward-Henninger of CBS Sports. Kerr called Caruso a “great pickup” and said he’s glad to see him in the Eastern Conference.

Central Notes: Okoro, Dosunmo, White, Warren

November 9th, 2021 at 10:11pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Second-year Cavaliers wing Isaac Okoro continues to recover from the strained left hamstring that has caused him to sit for seven straight games. A source tells Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com that, provided he continues trending in the right direction, Okoro could be in line for a return as soon as Wednesday against the Wizards.

Fedor adds that Okoro could merit consideration as Cleveland head coach J.B. Bickerstaff‘s choice to replace injured guard Collin Sexton in the club’s starting lineup. Sexton will be sidelined for a while with a meniscus tear. The Cavaliers have not yet determined a timeline for Sexton’s recuperation, as that hinges on whether or not the tear will need to be surgically repaired.

There’s more out of the Central Division:

Rookie Bulls shooting guard Ayo Dosunmu, the No. 38 pick in the 2021 draft out of Illinois, has carved out serious rotation minutes for a depleted roster so far. Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times wonders just how long Dosunmu will be able to stick in Chicago’s lineup. Cowley notes that Dosunmu has displaced swingman Troy Brown Jr., the No. 15 pick in the 2019 draft out of Oregon, in the club’s rotation. Dosunmu has averaged 17.8 MPG across the team’s last five contests. ‘‘He’s got the ‘it’ factor,” head coach Billy Donovan raved. ‘‘And he’s got a great drive. He’s incredibly motivated.”
The Bulls have announced (via Twitter) that they have assigned third-year combo guard Coby White to their NBA G League club, the Windy City Bulls. White suffered a left shoulder injury that ultimately required surgery over the summer, and has yet to play in a game this season for a revamped Chicago roster.
Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle is taking the long view when it comes to determining a recovery timeline for small forward T.J. Warren, according to James Boyd of Yahoo Sports. Warren has missed all but four games of the last two seasons due to a left foot injury. “I know that there’s some stuff out there that’s talking about a timeline for him to return possibly late December or January,” Carlisle said. “This has turned into more of a long-term thing. I just think it’s unfair to an athlete, you know, to be put up against a timeline like this. He’s doing phenomenally well compared to where he was nine or 10 weeks ago.”

Bulls Notes: Williams, Vucevic, Dosunmu, White

November 7th, 2021 at 11:57am CST by Arthur Hill

Bulls forward Patrick Williams is back with the team after having surgery on his left wrist last Sunday, writes Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times. It will be several months before doctors can determine whether Williams is able to return for the end of the season or the playoffs, and he wants to stay as involved as possible. That means joining his teammates for an upcoming road trip if the medical staff approves.

“You’d like him around the team, but he’s going to have some difficulties sleeping, just because he has to pretty much keep that hand in a position where he really does no movement until he gets the cast off,” coach Billy Donovan explained. “That’s what the medical staff will talk about. We’ll have discussions on what is in his best interest there. It’s such a detailed surgery he went through, you don’t want to get into anything that disrupts what’s been done. They may recommend against the travel.’’

Donovan adds that he hasn’t talked to executive VP of basketball operations Arturas Karnisovas about acquiring a possible replacement for Williams. With the season only a couple of weeks old, their conversations have focused on the current personnel.

“We haven’t talked about any of that stuff,’’ Donovan said. “Eight games in, these guys need time to play with each other. I think we’re both excited about the team. We haven’t talked about anything, ‘Hey, going forward, let’s add this.’ None of that. It’s been more about our team and where we can get better.’’

There’s more from Chicago:

Nikola Vucevic‘s low-post opportunities have decreased after the Bulls added more perimeter scoring in the offseason, but he’s not concerned about his new role, Cowley adds in the same piece. The coaching staff prefers to have him initiating the offense from the top of the arc or operating out of the pick and roll. “Billy does want the ball to go through me a lot on the high post and play through that, especially if we don’t get much out of our initial action,’’ Vucevic said. ‘‘He wants me to flash to the ball and get actions out of that. It’s pretty similar . . . to something I’ve done for years to try to be more of a facilitator.’’
Ayo Dosunmu has become a rare second-round pick who is able to contribute right away, Cowley adds in a separate story. Taken 38th in this year’s draft, Dosunmu has earned a spot in the rotation and is averaging 12.8 minutes per night through his first eight games.
Coby White, who is recovering from shoulder surgery, was able to take part in light-contact shooting drills at Friday’s practice, per Paul Sullivan of The Chicago Tribune. However, there’s still not a set timetable for him to return, with Donovan saying, “I don’t know how close he is.”

Central Notes: DeRozan, Dosunmu, Middleton, Brogdon, LeVert

November 2nd, 2021 at 8:02pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

New Bulls forward DeMar DeRozan has proven to be a comforting presence on this Chicago roster thanks to his expert late-game play and overall leadership, writes Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times.

“I think having a guy like DeMar out there, he plays with a pace and a tempo and a poise,” Bulls head coach Billy Donovan said of DeRozan’s on-court contributions. ‘‘He’s a guy that has experienced a lot individually with the way his career has been and also has experienced a lot of winning, so he has been in a lot of different situations.’’

“I’ve been in a lot of games being down big on the road, seeing things happen that’s possible,’’ DeRozan said. ‘‘For me, it’s just keeping that calm, not getting rattled and sharing whatever experience I can to kind of keep us together, as well.’’

The 32-year-old DeRozan, who joined Chicago on a lucrative three-year, $81.9MM contract, is the team’s leading scorer at present, averaging 25.6 PPG, 5.7 RPG and 4.0 APG, with a fantastic shooting line of .493/.412/.870. The 41.2% three-point shooting percentage may not last forever: a career 28.3% shooter from deep, DeRozan has never finished an NBA season connecting on better than 33.8% of his three-point looks. Nevertheless, should he keep up this output and the Bulls keep winning thanks to the scoring of the small forward and his perimeter running mate Zach LaVine, DeRozan may be in line for his fifth All-Star appearance this season.

There’s more out of the Central Division:

2021 second-round Bulls draft selection Ayo Dosunmu, taken with the No. 38 pick out of the University of Illinois, is impressing his hometown team, writes Darnell Mayberry of The Athletic. “He’s got a certain kind of makeup that I think is really special,” Chicago head coach Billy Donovan noted. “He just is fearless.” In Chicago’s latest outing Monday, the 6’5″ rookie shooting guard poured in 14 points on 6-of-6 shooting, and appears to have carved a legitimate spot in Chicago’s rotation with his energetic defense.
Bucks swingman Khris Middleton has entered the NBA’s COVID-19 health and safety protocols after testing positive for the novel coronavirus, per Jim Owczarski of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Middleton also missed game action for Milwaukee over the weekend due to what appeared to be a non-COVID-19 illness, per Eric Nehm of The Athletic (Twitter link). “We thought he had a head cold or some type of non-COVID illness,” head coach Mike Budenholzer said. “And then (he) didn’t feel good again the next day. And got tested and has come back positive (for COVID-19).”
Tomorrow, Pacers point guard Malcolm Brogdon and swingman Caris LeVert are scheduled to play together for the first time since an April 29 home loss to the Nets, writes David Woods of the Indianapolis Star. Brogdon is recovering from inflamed tissue around his hamstring while LeVert is recuperating from a stress fracture in his back. “There’s not going to be many backcourts as good as us,” Brogdon said.

Central Notes: Windler, Cunningham, Lecque, Bucks, Dosunmu

October 3rd, 2021 at 6:44pm CST by JD Shaw

Cavaliers forward Dylan Windler is eager to prove himself this season after dealing with multiple injuries to start his career, Kelsey Russo of The Athletic writes.

Windler, 25, was drafted by the team No. 26 overall in 2019. He’s appeared in just 31 games since then, all coming during the 2020/21 season. The Belmont product averaged 5.2 points, 3.5 rebounds and 16.5 minutes per game in those contests.

“My knee is feeling the best it’s felt since I’ve been here, so that’s huge for me,” Windler said. “That was half the battle for me last year, fighting through that. It led to more problems, not only physically but mentally.

“I’m in a clear headspace right now. Had the best training camp I’ve had by far, so I’m ready to prove myself all over again and help this team win a lot of games.”

Here are some other notes from the Central Division:

The Pistons are being patient with rookie Cade Cunningham‘s development, Rod Beard of The Detroit News writes. Detroit drafted Cunningham No. 1 overall this summer, cementing the 20-year-old as its franchise cornerstone going forward.
The Bucks recently brought in Jalen Lecque as part of a free-agent group workout, according to Ian Begley of SNY.tv. Lecque has only appeared in nine NBA games since going undrafted in 2019. He appeared in 14 contests with the Pacers’ G League affiliate last season, averaging 14.3 points per game on 39% shooting. Milwaukee currently has 20 players under contract, the most it’s allowed to have at once.
Bulls rookie Ayo Dosunmu has received praise during training camp for his strong play, Sam Smith of NBA.com writes. Chicago selected him with the No. 38 pick in this year’s draft. “The scrimmages and practices have been great,” Dosunmu said as part of a larger quote. “I come out here each and every day and compete to make our team better. They’ve been using me as a point guard on the second unit and a combo guard on the second unit, someone who will go out there and make guys better, use my playmaking skills and also being tenacious on defense. Running the floor, playing the right way, trying just to carve a role out on the team.”

Bulls Sign Ayo Dosunmu, Marko Simonovic

August 13th, 2021 at 1:38pm CST by Luke Adams

6:53pm: Dosunmu received a guaranteed two-year, $2.48MM contract, Shams Charania of The Athletic tweets. That’s a minimum-salary deal, which would leave the mid-level open for Simonovic.

1:38pm: The Bulls have officially locked up a pair of second-round picks, signing guard Ayo Dosunmu and forward/center Marko Simonovic to their first NBA contracts, according to NBA.com’s transactions log.

Dosunmu, 21, played his college ball at Illinois, spending three years with the Fighting Illini before declaring for the draft following his junior season. He averaged an impressive 20.1 PPG, 6.3 RPG, and 5.3 APG on .488/.390/.783 shooting in 28 games (35.1 MPG) in 2020/21 and was selected 38th overall by the Bulls in the 2021 draft.

Simonovic, meanwhile, was the No. 44 pick in the 2020 draft, but played in Serbia for one more season before making the leap to the NBA. The 21-year-old big man, who confirmed earlier this week that he’d be signing with the Bulls, put up 15.7 PPG, 9.1 RPG, 1.7 APG, and 1.0 SPG in 25 games (31.6 MPG) for Mega Basket in the Adriatic League in 2020/21.

Terms of the two deals aren’t yet known, but the Bulls had less than $1MM of their mid-level exception left after signing Alex Caruso using most of the MLE. That means they’ll be able to give one of their rookies a three- or four-year deal, but will be limited to two years for the other (via either the bi-annual exception or the minimum salary exception).

The Bulls now have 12 players on under contract, with Lauri Markkanen‘s restricted free agency still to be resolved.

Central Notes: Pistons, Bucks, Dosunmu, Mobley

August 12th, 2021 at 9:56pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Pistons have a logjam and will need to make some moves to create roster space, according to Keith Langlois of Pistons.com. They’re already at the 15-player limit for standard contracts and a decision on restricted free agent Hamidou Diallo is still looming. They also have only one two-way contract slot available and have yet to sign second-round draft picks Luka Garza and Balsa Koprivica.

We have more from the Central Division:

The Bucks gave up two second-round picks in the Grayson Allen deal with the Grizzlies. The picks they’re giving up are owed to Milwaukee from previous deals, Chris Herrington of The Daily Memphian tweets. The first of those picks will either the Pacers’ pick or the less favorable of Cavaliers’ or Jazz’s pick in 2024. The second will be conveyed in 2026, the highest of either the Pacers’ or Heat’s pick.
Bulls second-rounder Ayo Dosunmu is off to a rough shooting start in the summer league, Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times notes. He’s shooting 7-for-24 (29%) from the field through three games. “The advice I got was go out there and play hard,’’ said Dosunmu, the 38th overall selection. “Just try to learn something new each game. That’s the best way you’re going to get better.”
The No. 3 overall pick, Evan Mobley, is showing the Cavaliers in summer league play how he can impact their offense in a number of ways, Chris Fedor of the Cleveland Plain Dealer writes. His passing ability, in particular, can diversify their attack. “He’s going to be an extremely integral piece for us throughout the season and his willingness to share the ball and then also be able to get his own shot when he wants it is extremely important,” Cavaliers summer league coach J.J. Outlaw said. “But as you can see his teammates trusted that he would deliver the ball on time, on target when they would cut and they just kept cutting.”

Bulls Notes: Caruso, Dosunmu, Simonovic, Valentine, Williams, DeRozan

August 11th, 2021 at 6:48pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Alex Caruso‘s four-year, $37MM contract has a $3MM guarantee in the fourth season, ESPN’s Bobby Marks reveals in an Instagram video. The Bulls used up $8.6MM of their $9.536MM mid-level exeption for Caruso’s first-year salary, giving them just enough room to sign No. 38 overall pick Ayo Dosunmu, Marks adds.

We have more on the Bulls:

Second-round pick Marko Simonovic had an impressive summer league debut, contributing 13 points and five rebounds in 15 minutes against New Orleans, Sam Smith of the team’s website writes. “This is everything new for me,” said Simonovic, a 6’11” power forward. “I’m coming from Europe and everything is different. But I feel really good and people tell me I look good. I think next season I can help the team.”
The Bulls have renounced their rights to Denzel Valentine and Cristiano Felicio, according to the RealGM transactions log. While that doesn’t rule out the possibility of re-signing those players, Chicago needed to renounce the rights to them and seven other players to complete all its off-season moves. Felicio signed with a club in Germany earlier this week.
Patrick Williams believes he can learn plenty from DeMar DeRozan, Rob Schaefer of NBC Sports Chicago writes. “He’s a really good wing in this league. Mostly, I want to be at the level that he’s at,” Williams said. “When he gets here, I’ll definitely ask him some questions about how he plays in the mid-post and kind of what he sees after an important possession. I’m definitely excited to learn from not only him but everyone else as well.” DeRozan was officially acquired on Wednesday.
In turn, DeRozan is impressed with the talent level on the roster, Darnell Mayberry of The Athletic writes. “Great organization. The history behind it is definitely amazing. But for sure, the talent,” he said. “Looking at players like Zach (LaVine), I’ve been a fan of Zach since he’s been in the league. Just looking at the overall squad. Seeing (Nikola) Vučević there, that was my teammate in college. So, it’s been great.”

Jazz Considered Likely To Re-Sign Mike Conley

July 28th, 2021 at 8:49am CST by Luke Adams

Free agent point guard Mike Conley is likely to return to the Jazz, according to Tony Jones of The Athletic, though Jones cautions that the price tag “won’t be cheap.”

The report comes on the heels of a pair of similar stories from Tuesday. ESPN’s Brian Windhorst wrote that league executives believe Conley is most likely to remain in Utah, while Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report said there’s a “strong belief” around the league that the Jazz will be able to shed some salary and make Conley a substantial offer.

The Mavericks have been cited repeatedly as one team expected to show interest in Conley, but their focus is said to be more on Kyle Lowry, which perhaps reflects their belief that Lowry will be more attainable.

As we outlined in our preview of Utah’s offseason, the team is already on the hook for nearly $130MM in guaranteed salary for nine players. Even if Conley is willing to take a pay cut after earning $34.5MM last season, a reasonable deal for him (perhaps in the neighborhood of $20MM+ per year) would push the Jazz way into luxury tax territory.

Virtually all of Utah’s biggest contracts belong to productive rotation players, so if the club wants to trim salary, it may come at the cost of a regular contributor. The Jazz have reportedly explored trades involving Bojan Bogdanovic, Joe Ingles, and Derrick Favors.

Multiple reports have suggested the team could end up attaching this year’s No. 30 pick to Favors in a cost-cutting deal. Since Favors’ contract (two years, $20MM) isn’t especially unwieldy, it’s possible Utah could get a less expensive rotation player back in such a deal, though that’s just my speculation.

Here are a few more notes on the Jazz:

Sources tell Jones that the Jazz remain high on second-year shooting guard Elijah Hughes and believe he could play his way into the team’s 2021/22 rotation. The team likes what he brings to the table offensively and will be looking for him to show defensive improvement in Summer League play, per Jones.
Miles McBride, Ayo Dosunmu, and Nah’Shon Hyland are among the guards the Jazz like as possible targets if they keep the No. 30 pick, says Jones.
If Utah trades the No. 30 pick and remains in the draft, moving up is unlikely, but a move down is a possibility, according to Jones, who says there are multiple players the team likes in the second round. One potential second-round target would be Iowa’s Joe Wieskamp, Jones adds.