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Bulls Notes: Deng, Rose, Mirotic, Boozer

January 7th, 2014 at 12:10pm CST by Luke Adams

The Luol Deng trade between the Cavaliers and Bulls could have a significant impact on the Heat, according to Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel. As Winderman notes, the move should ensure that Andrew Bynum becomes available for Miami to pursue, and it also gives the Cavs an intriguing alternative to LeBron James in free agency this summer.

The Bulls had been expected to challenge Miami for Eastern Conference supremacy this season, but for now, Chicago’s front office is focused on how to improve the long-term outlook of a team that no longer has Deng and will be without Derrick Rose for several more months. Here’s the latest out of Chicago:

  • Asked about the Deng trade, coach Tom Thibodeau declined to go into detail, but “it’s obvious he disagreed” with the decision to move the veteran forward, tweets Nick Friedell of ESPN Chicago. Mike McGraw of the Daily Herald suggests (via Twitter) that Thibodeau isn’t necessarily upset about the move, since he recognizes the reality of the Bulls’ situation, but he’s “not thrilled, obviously.”
  • Bulls VP of basketball operations John Paxson confirmed that the club offered Deng an extension recently. According to Paxson, the front office felt like it was a competitive offer, but understood completely when Deng passed (Twitter links via K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune).
  • The money saved by the Bulls in this deal will be reinvested in the franchise, according to Paxson (Twitter link via Friedell).
  • Paxson disagrees with the notion that the Bulls are rebuilding, suggesting that it’s not a rebuild when a franchise still has players like Rose and Joakim Noah, plus a coach like Thibodeau (Twitter link via TNT’s David Aldridge). Paxson added that the front office’s working relationship with Thibodeau is “really good,” according to Friedell (via Twitter).
  • Owner Jerry Reinsdorf and GM Gar Forman both spoke to Rose about the Deng trade and didn’t get the sense that the former MVP was unhappy with the direction of the club, tweets Friedell.
  • Nikola Mirotic remains a part of the Bulls’ future, but the organization isn’t as confident as it once was that he’ll be signed this summer, tweets Friedell. Still, Chicago hopes to bring him over “sooner rather than later,” says Paxson (Twitter link via Johnson).
  • The Bulls haven’t yet decided whether Carlos Boozer will be amnestied in July, says Paxson (Twitter link via Friedell).
  • Paxson acknowledged that the Bulls didn’t handle Deng’s spinal tap fallout last spring as well as they should or could have, according to Johnson (Twitter link).
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Bulls Plan To Trade Deng, Amnesty Boozer

January 4th, 2014 at 6:11pm CST by Charlie Adams

In his latest column for the New York Daily News, Mitch Lawrence reveals some interesting tidbits about the Bulls’ future. Lawrence hears from a source with knowledge of the club’s plans that the team wants to move Luol Deng before the trade deadline and plans to amnesty Carlos Boozer this offseason.

We’ve heard that several teams have interest in Deng. His name has been brought up in rumors as part of a potential Andrew Bynum deal, but it’s been reported that the Bulls aren’t interested in such a move. It’s worth noting that many clubs might be unwilling to part with valuable assets for Deng, since he’s on an expiring contract and set to be a big name in free agency come next summer. Earlier reports indicated that the Bulls wanted to retain the veteran forward, but Lawrence’s source says Chicago isn’t willing to pay top dollar for him.

Lawrence also hears that the Bulls plan to amnesty Boozer next summer. Boozer, 32, is set to make $16.8MM in 2014/15, and his on-court production has taken a hit across the board. He’s still playing 30 minutes per game, but his averages in points, rebounds, and field goal percentage are below his career marks. Earlier this month, we passed along a piece that depicted Boozer and Kendrick Perkins as the last players that looked like realistic candidates to be amnestied.

These potential moves, should they come to fruition, would show that the Bulls intend to rebuild the club after losing Derrick Rose to yet another season ending injury. At 13-18, Chicago would still make the postseason as the seventh seed in the weak Eastern Conference if the season ended today. However, it would appear the team is interested in building a squad that could contend for a title down the road rather than just a putting together a club that will finish as a lower-tier playoff group year after year. Lawrence hears neither Rose nor Tom Thibodeau is thrilled with the prospect of rebuilding, but it might be the only way the Bulls can craft a team with realistic title hopes.

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Eastern Notes: Woodson, Van Gundy, Rondo

December 11th, 2013 at 9:25pm CST by Charlie Adams

The Knicks’ poor play means that Mike Woodson might still be in danger of losing his job, but Marc Berman of the New York Post reports that Woodson doesn’t believe he has to prove himself to anyone: “I’m not trying to convince anyone…I’m trying to take our team as it is and do the best job we can do.” Berman notes that since owner James Dolan gave Woodson his vote of confidence early this season, the Knicks have gone 2-9. Here’s more from New York and the Eastern Conference:

  • Jeff Van Gundy says there isn’t any merit to the rumors claiming he might replace Woodson as coach for the Knicks, Ian Begley of ESPNNewYork.com reveals. “It’s annoying because it’s not true,” said Van Gundy. “I don’t think for one minute Mike Woodson is in any trouble nor should he be because he has proven himself to be an outstanding coach.“
  • Rajon Rondo spoke out and said he hasn’t been in contact with Carmelo Anthony about potentially signing with the Knicks down the road, reports Royce Young of CBSsports.com: “I haven’t spoken to him. He ain’t contacted me. It’s just rumors.“
  • It’s no secret the Pacers are seeking to earn the highest seed in the East year, and besting the Heat last night in Indiana proves they’re capable of challenging Miami for the top spot. Wheat Hotchkiss at NBA.com examines how important offseason acquisitions C.J. Watson and Luis Scola have been to Indiana’s success this year.
  • John Salmons is happy to be in Toronto, according to Ryan Wolstat of the Toronto Sun. It’s been seven years since Salmons turned down a five-year, $23MM deal to play for the Raptors in order to ink a similar deal with the Kings.
  • An Insider piece by Bradford Doolittle of ESPN examines the key decisions that the Bulls’ front office will face in the near future, including the decision of whether or not to amnesty Carlos Boozer. Opting to retain the veteran forward will probably delay European superstar Nikola Mirotic’s arrival in Chicago, notes Doolittle.
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Odds & Ends: Rivers, Amnesty, Guards, Draft

December 10th, 2013 at 7:34pm CST by Alex Lee

A day before he returns to Boston as the head coach of the Clippers, Doc Rivers conceded on Boston radio that he essentially walked out on a Celtics team destined for a rebuild, writes Matt Moore of CBS Sports. It must be a strange couple days for the remaining Celtics, who play in Brooklyn tonight against Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce before returning home to host their former head coach and his new team on Wednesday night.

Doc’s emotional return should dominate the NBA headlines tomorrow. Let’s take a look at some odds and ends from around the league tonight:

  • Of the 10 eligible names left, only Carlos Boozer and Kendrick Perkins remain as realistic candidates for the amnesty clause after the Kings jettisoned John Salmons in the Rudy Gay trade, writes ESPN’s Marc Stein, who adds that even the Bulls and Thunder are “conflicted” as to whether or not they’d use the clause on Boozer or Perkins.
  • Mark Deeks of ShamSports, writing for the Score, details guards that are currently unsigned or have flexible contracts who could be in-season additions to NBA teams.
  • In an Insiders-only piece, ESPN’s Chad Ford and Jay Bilas discuss a number of hot-button issues surrounding the much-hyped 2014 NBA Draft, including the No. 1 selection, sleepers, Kansas’ Joel Embiid and the freshman class of Kentucky.
  • Speaking of Embiid, ESPN’s Jeff Goodman evaluates the recent play of the raw-but-talented freshman in another Insiders-only story. According to Goodman — and Ford and Bilas, for that matter — Embiid may be considered for the No. 1 overall selection in June.
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Central Notes: Deng, Bulls, Pacers

November 29th, 2013 at 6:01pm CST by Ryan Raroque

The Cavaliers reportedly had interest in trading for Luol Deng this past summer but were rebuffed by the Bulls, writes Sean Deveney of The Sporting News. As of now, Deveney adds, it doesn’t appear that anything on that front will change anytime soon, and unless Chicago can obtain a 2014 draft pick, there isn’t much sense in moving Deng. Here’s more out of the Central Division tonight, including much more from Deveney:

  • That same piece explores the trade value of Carlos Boozer, who according to one general manager isn’t really being sought after by any team at this point. While the Bulls still have the former Duke product on their books until 2015, Deveney opines that the Knicks might become desperate enough to make a move for him to shore up their struggling front court.
  • Deveney also writes that Joakim Noah still has high value around the league despite his battles with injury over the last few seasons. The Knicks would appear to be another logical landing spot for the 6’11 center, although the Pelicans, Thunder, and Mavericks are expected to be in pursuit should the Bulls place Noah on the trading block.
  • Lastly, with reports that Nikola Mirotic – whose draft rights are still owned by the Bulls – has developed into a star in Spain, Deveney says that if Chicago were to package his rights in a deal including Deng, Noah, or Boozer, they would be looking to get a star player in return. According to one scout, Mirotic is currently the “best player who is not in the NBA right now.” If Mirotic weren’t included in a deal involving any of those three, the Bulls would supposedly settle for cap relief, draft picks, and/or young talent.
  • Sam Smith of Bulls.com opened his mailbag and dissects trade suggestions sent in by his readers.
  • Sports Illustrated’s Ian Thomsen thinks the Pacers currently have the requisite pieces in place to make a title run this season. However, considering Indiana’s vow to remain under the tax threshold, the team isn’t likely to maintain the same type of depth after this year, especially with Danny Granger‘s contract set to expire and Lance Stephenson due for a new contract.
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Central Links: Cavaliers, Boozer, Snell

October 17th, 2013 at 9:45pm CST by Ryan Raroque

As Mary Schmitt-Boyer of The Plain Dealer notes, Cavs coach Mike Brown has been very impressed with rookie first-round pick Sergey Karasev:

“There’s a certain level of confidence that he has about himself and in his game. It rubs off on me the right way as a coach and it makes me have confidence in him and putting him out there. I like Sergey’s demeanor…You like that quiet confidence, quiet toughness that he has. He just plays the game. He can pass. He can shoot. He can dribble. He thinks the game. If you take this away, he’ll go the opposite direction. If you take that away, he’ll go the other way with it. He’s a basketball player. We like that.”

We have a few more notable links to share out of the Central Division tonight, and you can find them below:

  • Making cuts and determining the final roster won’t be an easy task for Cavaliers’ coach. After strong performances by many of the team’s camp invites, Brown tells Sam Amico of FOX Sports Ohio: “It’s gonna be a tough decision. Everybody’s showing their worth” (Twitter link).
  • Though Carlos Boozer isn’t a stranger to neither being under-appreciated nor drawing the ire of Chicago fans when things haven’t gone well for the Bulls, he tells Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times that he’s comfortable regardless knowing that his teammates, coaches, and the team’s ownership are fully supportive of him.
  • Following his ubiquitous performance last night against the Pistons that included 12 points on 5-for-8 shooting, four assists, and three steals in 25 minutes, Bulls rookie Tony Snell could potentially be primed as significant reserve contributor this year on what is already a deep bench, opines Sam Smith of Bulls.com. The Chicago Tribune’s K.C. Johnson discusses the focus that Snell has been placing on defense (Subcribers only).
  • In another piece, Johnson takes a look at some of Joakim Noah‘s offseason workouts in preparation for the upcoming season (Subscribers only).
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Odds & Ends: Mavericks, Cuban, Bulls

September 5th, 2013 at 11:23pm CST by Ryan Raroque

There's hardly a dull moment with Mark Cuban when he speaks with the media, as the outspoken Mavericks owner said on the Artie Lange Show that hiring a head coach is "harder than finding a wife" (hat tip to SportsDayDFW). On a more serious note, Cuban explained why he'll never trade Dirk Nowitzki: 

"Dirk defines our culture. When your best player, no matter how old, is the first one in the gym and the last to leave, and works the hardest and encourages guys the way Dirk does … that has a value that goes far beyond what you see on the court."

Here's a roundup of the rest of tonight's links: 

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Eastern Notes: Knicks, Cavs, World Peace

July 13th, 2013 at 11:41pm CST by Spencer Lund

A source tells Jared Zwerling of ESPNNewYork.com  that the Knicks have expressed interest in Samuel Dalembert. Knicks GM Glen Grunwald was chatting with Dalembert’s agent from Pinnacle Management Corporation, at Summer League yesterday (Twitter link). 

Frank Isola of the New York Daily News believes Isiah Thomas is the best chance the Knicks have to snag Metta World Peace, if he clears waivers, with the remaining $1.7MM from their mini mid-level exception.

Metta recently spoke with Dave McMenamin of ESPNLosAngeles.com. They discussed Metta’s working with LeBron James and Kevin Durant as a player development coach, what competition means to him, and why he’s such a big fan of LeBron (all Sulia links)

Here's some more from around the Eastern Conference…

 

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Central Links: Bulls, Cavs, McMillan

July 13th, 2013 at 7:56pm CST by Spencer Lund

The Chicago Tribune's K.C. Johnson spent some time with Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau today, and the coach provided him some insights into the the team's offseason plans–including the signing of the Bucks' Mike Dunleavy. 

Of Dunleavy, Thibs said that he complements Derrick Rose and Carlos Boozer "extremely well," and "he moves well with the ball. We think he's a great fit" (Twitter link). Speaking of Rose, whom Thibodeau gushed about last month, the Bulls coach continued to praise his star's progress to Johnson via Twitter. According to Thibs, the summer has given Rose even more time to build his confidence and his leg strength, finally adding "He looks great."

Johnson's conversation with Thibodeau failed to touch on the relationship between Bulls general manager Gar Forman (Twitter link) and former assistant Ron Adams, who the Celtics may be looking to add to their bench.

Here's what else is happening around the Central division tonight…

  • Racine Journal Times columnist Gery Woelfel relays the same Thibodeau thoughts on Dunleavy and adds, via Twitter, that the Bulls got a strong endorsement for Dunleavy from his former college coach, Mike Krzyzewski. 
  • The Cavs appeared to have an excess of front court players after drafting Anthony Bennett with the number one pick and signing Andrew Bynum. That's the roster question the Cleveland Plain Dealer's Mary Schmitt Boyer answers in her Saturday night mailbag.  
  • Cavs GM Chris Grant says he's been high on free agent signee Jarrett Jack ever since the guard came out of college. That's when Grant, then a member of the Hawks’ front office, was part of an unsuccessful effort to trade up to select Jack. Bob Finnan of the News-Herald provides details via Sulia. 
  • Jodie Valade of the Cleveland Plain Dealer opines that the Cavs’ recent draft picks and free agent signings allow them more flexibility and options. 
  • Bob Kravitz of the Indianapolis Star suggests the Pacers’ biggest off-season move may have been hiring Nate McMillan as an assistant coach.
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Northwest Notes: Aldridge, Maynor, Wolves

June 28th, 2013 at 10:27pm CST by Chuck Myron

It was quantity over quality for Northwest Division clubs in the 2013 draft. None of them landed anyone picked higher than ninth, with Trey Burke heading to the Jazz, but seven of the 30 first-round picks wound up with Northwest teams, including two each for the Jazz, Timberwolves and Thunder. The only team from the division not to come away with a first-rounder was the Nuggets, who wound up with a pair of players from the second round. Here's more from the Northwest:

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