Coby White Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Central Notes: Dosunmu, White, Kalamian, Holiday, Sexton

January 20th, 2022 at 8:08pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Rookie Ayo Dosunmu and third-year guard Coby White have expanded roles in the absence of Lonzo Ball and Zach LaVine and they’ve performed well, K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago notes. Ball is out six-to-eight weeks after undergoing knee surgery and LaVine didn’t join on the Bulls on their three-game road trip due to a less serious knee injury.

Dosunmu and White have started the last three games, with Dosunmu averaging 18.0 PPG, 8.0 APG and 5.7 RPG and White posting 17.0 PPG, 4.3 APG and 4.3 RPG.

DeMar DeRozan has been impressed with Dosunmu’s maturity. “He accepts his mistakes,” DeRozan said. “He holds himself accountable. And that’s big for a young guy to be able to do that.”

We have more from the Central Division:

Pistons assistant coach Rex Kalamian has agreed to become the head coach of the Armenian national team, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnaworski tweets. Both of Kalamian’s parents are Armenian-Americans. Kalamian, who recently served as acting coach when Dwane Casey missed some games for personal reasons, will continue in his duties in Detroit.
Jrue Holiday returned to action on Wednesday after missing six games due to left ankle soreness. Though he only scored nine points in 22 minutes, he gave the Bucks a boost in numerous areas, Eric Nehm of The Athletic writes. “Wish I had a little more (time on the floor), but I think just trying to get my timing back, get my legs back, get my feel for the game back,” Holiday said. “I feel like I haven’t played in a long time, so just trying to get back right.”
Cavaliers guard Collin Sexton, who underwent season-ending knee surgery two months ago, will be a restricted free agent after the season. Bryan Fonseca of Basketball News explores the pros and cons of Cleveland trading Sexton before next month’s deadline. Fonseca ultimately concludes the Cavs should retain Sexton, providing another shot-creator and catch-and-shoot option on a team with playoff aspirations beyond this season.

Scotto’s Latest: Bulls, Hawks, Finney-Smith, Thunder, Rockets

January 12th, 2022 at 2:15pm CST by Luke Adams

The Bulls figure to explore potential roster upgrades at the trade deadline, but they’re resistant to the idea of moving Patrick Williams, Michael Scotto said on the latest episode of the HoopsHype Podcast.

If the Bulls want to make a major move at the deadline, it may have to involve Williams, 2020’s No. 4 overall pick, since the club has already traded away multiple future first-rounders. Williams’ ability to help the team this year may also be limited, since a wrist injury is expected to sideline him for most or all of the regular season.

Still, based on Scotto’s reporting, it sounds as if Chicago will likely hang onto Williams. One Bulls player who is available in the right deal is 2019 lottery pick Coby White, rival executives tell Scotto.

Here’s more from the HoopsHype Podcast:

Hawks forward Danilo Gallinari could be had for a first-round pick or as part of a larger package, rival executives tell Scotto. I’m very skeptical any team will be willing to give up a first-rounder for Gallinari unless they can dump an unwanted long-term contract on Atlanta. Scotto adds that execs believe Hawks forward Cam Reddish is more likely than not to be on the move at the deadline.
Mavericks forward Dorian Finney-Smith and Thunder forward Kenrich Williams are among the role players on modest contracts who are drawing trade interest from playoff teams, says Scotto. Oklahoma City is obviously more likely than Dallas to be a seller, but rival executives believe there may be an opportunity to poach Finney-Smith since he and Jalen Brunson are free agents in 2022 and re-signing both would likely make the Mavs a taxpayer.
Playoff-caliber teams are also monitoring Rockets veterans Eric Gordon and Daniel Theis, according to Scotto. They’ve been mentioned multiple times this season as potential trade candidates, since they probably don’t fit the timeline of a rebuilding Houston squad.
League sources tell Scotto that Thunder rookie Aaron Wiggins is a good candidate to have his two-way contract turned into a standard deal at some point this season.

Central Notes: Stephenson, White, Sykes, Paige

January 8th, 2022 at 12:02pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Pacers have an open 15-man roster spot. Lance Stephenson made a strong case to fill it with his 30-point game on Wednesday, and Domantas Sabonis is hopeful that will happen, Scott Agness of Fieldhouse Files writes. “He’s a legend here, everybody loves him,” Sabonis said. “We knew the fans were going to go crazy when he came back. We love him, everyone else loves him here so it’s really fun to have him back.” Stephenson’s current 10-day hardship contract runs through Monday.

We have more on the Central Division:

There has been talk that Coby White might be traded for a power forward. However, the young Bulls guard is making a case to be part of the team’s long-term future, according to K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago. White has reached the 20-point mark three times in the last four games and has also made plays for his teammates. “I’m hoping he’s gaining some confidence in terms of his value for what he can do for our team,” coach Billy Donovan said. “It’s an important role for us.” The Bulls have already exercised their fourth-year option on White, who is extension-eligible after the season.
Keifer Sykes had his salary guaranteed for the remainder of the season and his coach said it was well deserved, James Boyd of the Indianapolis Star writes. “He earned it,” Pacers coach Rick Carlisle said. “He’s earned it really starting in the summer just with his approach, his work ethic, his level of improvement, which has been gradual and consistent. And these (five games) that he’s played, he’s played tremendously.” Sykes is averaging 10.4 PPG and 3.6 APG in his first five games (26.8 MPG).
The Pistons terminated the 10-day contract of Jaysean Paige a couple days before it expired, Keith Smith tweets. The Pistons used the hardship exception to sign Paige but their players have returned from protocols. Early terminated 10-day deals still pay the player the full 10-day amount, as Smith notes.

Bulls Notes: DeRozan, Fleming, White, Ball, Caruso

January 2nd, 2022 at 10:00am CST by Arthur Hill

With buzzer-beating shots on Friday and Saturday to pull out a pair of thrilling road wins, DeMar DeRozan became the first player in NBA history to accomplish that feat on back-to-back nights. He has done something even more valuable, writes K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago, changing the culture of the Bulls, who now have the best record in the Eastern Conference.

“It’s an honor to be trusted in the fourth quarter,” DeRozan said. “Whether things are going or going bad, my teammates always lean on me to be that calm presence to kind of bring us home. I always bring that calm presence as much as I can in the fourth quarter, letting guys understand as long we got time, we got a chance.”

The addition of DeRozan during the offseason was a huge step in transforming a franchise that hasn’t been to the playoffs since 2017. He began talking to Zach LaVine about teaming up during free agency, Johnson adds, and their partnership grew during preseason workouts in Los Angeles and Chicago.

“The chemistry came really, really fast and really easy,” LaVine said. “We don’t have any egos. Regardless of who has it going that night or who has it going in a quarter, we’ll both come together and look for other guys and get them involved throughout the game and just try to figure out how to win the game. That’s been the first and foremost thing that has helped this team.”

There’s more from Chicago:

Chris Fleming has guided the Bulls to five straight victories while head coach Billy Donovan is in health and safety protocols, but he won’t mind going back to being an assistant when Donovan is ready to return (video link from NBC Sports). “Very fortunate enough to be able to experience this from a head coaching standpoint, and see the guys from maybe a little bit different side,” Fleming said after Saturday’s game.
Coby White has turned in his best performances of the season with Lonzo Ball in protocols and Alex Caruso sidelined with a sprained foot, notes Rob Schaefer of NBC Sports Chicago. White is averaging 18.5 points, 5.3 assists and 1.5 steals over the past four games.
There’s a good chance that Ball and Caruso will return for Monday’s game with the Magic, according to Darnell Mayberry of The Athletic. He adds that the Bulls are getting close to having a full team available after being hit hard by COVID-19 over the past month.

Central Notes: Bickerstaff, White, Bulls, Sykes

December 27th, 2021 at 8:05pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Cavaliers awarded coach J.B. Bickerstaff with a lucrative Christmas present, extending him through the 2026/27 season. Continuity on the coaching staff will allow the team’s young core to grow, Kelsey Russo of The Athletic opines. It also ensures that the positive culture Bickerstaff has built will become a fixture.

“It’s meaningful to know that you’re with an organization and with a group of people that believe in you and believe in what we’re building and what we’re working towards,” the Cavaliers’ head coach said. “When you have that support, it just gives you more confidence to go out and do the job that you see fit.”

We have more from thee Central Division:

Bulls guard Coby White admits he’s having a rough season, Rob Schaefer of NBC Sports Chicago writes. White missed the first 13 games this season while rehabbing a shoulder injury and spent five games in COVID-19 protocols. Now, he’s adjusting to a new off-the-ball role. “It’s been difficult. I ain’t going to lie and say it’s been easy. It hasn’t been easy,” said White, who is in the third year of his rookie deal. Chicago has already exercised its option on his contract for next season.
The Bulls have been very aggressive on the trade and free agent markets since last season’s trade deadline. Look for them to make something happen before this year’s Feb. 10 trade deadline, Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times opines. Derrick Jones, Troy Brown and White are potential trade candidates and there will be an increasing number of teams with dim playoff hopes willing to make a move.
The Pacers signed Keifer Sykes to a new contract on Monday. According to HoopsHype’s Michael Scotto (Twitter link), it’s a two-year deal and the second year includes a team option.

Central Notes: White, DeRozan, Caruso, Carlisle, Pangos

December 18th, 2021 at 8:40pm CST by Arthur Hill

While COVID-19 disrupts rosters across the league, the Bulls are starting to get healthier, writes Rob Schaefer of NBC Sports. Coby White, DeMar DeRozan and Javonte Green all cleared protocols this week and are expected to play Sunday against the Lakers. Derrick Jones Jr. left the protocols today and Matt Thomas is getting close, although he remains doubtful for Sunday.

White and DeRozan both said their symptoms were mild and agreed that their main issue was “boredom” while being away from the team. White, who was the first Chicago player to enter the protocols on December 1, said his experience was no worse than strep throat and the symptoms went away in two or three days. DeRozan tested positive five days after White, learning the news after a morning shootaround.

“It was one of those things, mixture of everything,” DeRozan said. “Frustration of not being able to go out there and play, trying to figure out why I don’t feel nothing, nothing’s wrong, how long I’m going to be out. Just a mixture of a lot of emotions. But at the end of the day, I just was like, ‘I’ve got to deal with it, something I’ve got to deal with,’ and went from there.”

There’s more from the Central Division:

The two Bulls games that were postponed this week provided some benefits for the team, per K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago. Alex Caruso, who has been dealing with a sore right hamstring, is now fully recovered, according to coach Billy Donovan, and some players who had been seeing heavy minutes got a chance to rest. “Lonzo (Ball) kind of stands out,” Donovan said. “Zach (LaVine) is in health and safety protocols, but he was a guy that was logging a lot of minutes as well. So hopefully it gives those guys an opportunity to get their bodies a chance to recover some.”
Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle, who tested positive for COVID-19 10 days ago, should be ready to return for Tuesday’s game, assistant Lloyd Pierce told James Boyd of The Indianapolis Star. Pierce has filled in for Carlisle during his four-game absence.
In an interview with Dionysis Aravantinos of HoopsHype, Cavaliers guard Kevin Pangos talks about adjusting to the NBA after playing six years in Europe.

Lakers’ Westbrook, Cavs’ Okoro Enter COVID-19 Protocols

December 16th, 2021 at 3:32pm CST by Luke Adams

Lakers guard Russell Westbrook has entered the NBA’s health and safety protocols, sources tell ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski and Dave McMenamin (Twitter link). Lakers guard Avery Bradley has also been placed in the protocols, reports Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link).

Westbrook and Bradley are the fourth and fifth Lakers to enter the protocols within the last three days, joining teammates Talen Horton-Tucker, Dwight Howard, and Malik Monk.

It’s unclear if the two Lakers guards have registered confirmed positive tests for COVID-19, but if they have, they’ll be sidelined for at least 10 days or until he returns two consecutive negative tests at least 24 hours apart.

The news of Westbrook and Bradley entering the protocols coincides with reports that the Lakers have agreed to sign Isaiah Thomas to a 10-day contract using a hardship exception. Westbrook’s and Bradley’s absences should open the door for Thomas to get some run at the point guard spot.

Here are a few more COVID-related updates from around the NBA:

Cavaliers forward Isaac Okoro has entered the health and safety protocols, sources tell Kelsey Russo of The Athletic (Twitter link). No other Cavs players are currently in the protocols, so we’ll have to wait to see if Okoro is a one-off or if any of his teammates join him in the coming days. If Okoro tested positive for COVID-19, he’ll be in the protocols for at least 10 days or until he returns two consecutive negative tests at least 24 hours apart.
Bulls head coach Billy Donovan told reporters, including Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times, that Coby White and Javonte Green are the only two players on the team who have cleared the health and safety protocols and have been conducting individual workouts. That leaves eight players in the protocols, and many of them – including Zach LaVine, Ayo Dosunmu, Alize Johnson, and Troy Brown Jr. – may not be back until after Christmas, according to Donovan.
Raptors big man Precious Achiuwa has cleared the health and safety protocols, tweets Eric Koreen of The Athletic. Koreen also provides a few injury updates on Raptors players — Dalano Banton (illness) is good to go, while OG Anunoby (hip) and Khem Birch (knee) will be listed as questionable for the club’s game vs. Golden State on Saturday.

Coby White Back At Bulls’ Practice Facility

December 12th, 2021 at 1:31pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Reserve Bulls guard Coby White is heading back to the Advocate Center, Chicago’s practice facility, today, per Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN (via Twitter). White had tested positive for COVID-19 on December 1. This marks his first time back since first being placed in the NBA’s health and safety protocols.

The Bulls have been hit hard by COVID-19 thus far this season. A return for White would still leave the Bulls with eight players in the league’s coronavirus health and safety protocols, after news arrived earlier today that All-Star shooting guard Zach LaVine and reserve swingman Troy Brown Jr. had both entered COVID-19 protocols.

LaVine, Brown, DeMar DeRozan, Ayo Dosunmu, Javonte Green, Derrick Jones Jr., Matt Thomas and Stanley Johnson all remain in protocols as of this writing. As we mentioned earlier today, Green could also clear protocols and return to the court in time for the Bulls’ next game on Tuesday. Starting center Nikola Vucevic also missed significant time earlier this season after contracting COVID-19.

Teams need to be able to suit up at least eight players to avoid a game being postponed. Assuming White can play, that would bring the Bulls’ tally of available players to 10, including Alfonzo McKinnie, who along with the now-out Johnson was added as a hardship exception player after so many Bulls were placed in protocols.

The 17-10 Bulls have lost their last two contests, to the Cavaliers and Heat, thanks in no small part to the absences of most of their players. They hope to right the ship against the 4-21 Pistons on Tuesday.

White has had spotty availability this season. Prior to missing the past two weeks with his coronavirus diagnosis, he also sat for the Bulls’ first 13 contests this year while recovering from offseason shoulder surgery.

Across nine games this year, the third-year combo guard is averaging just 6.1 PPG, 2.6 and 1.3 APG. These are modest numbers for White, but he is seeing significantly fewer touches than he had in his prior two NBA seasons due to a reduced role on a competitive roster. More worrying is his shooting line this season: a career-worst .349/.226/.571.

Zach LaVine, Troy Brown Jr. Join Seven Other Bulls In Protocols

December 12th, 2021 at 11:38am CST by Arthur Hill

Bulls star Zach LaVine has been placed in the league’s health and safety protocols, tweets ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. Troy Brown Jr. has entered the protocols as well, according to K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports (Twitter link), giving the team nine players affected by COVID-19.

Chicago was down to 11 available players Saturday night after Ayo Dosunmu and Stanley Johnson were both put in the protocols earlier in the day. The Bulls will need eight eligible players for Tuesday’s game in Detroit, and Wojnarowski suggests that postponements may be considered if the team’s outbreak continues (Twitter link). COVID-19 upended the NBA schedule early in 2020/21, but no games have been moved so far this season.

The team has already signed Johnson and Alfonzo McKinnie under the hardship exception and can continue to add players if necessary, points out Bobby Marks of ESPN (Twitter link).

Chicago has a lighter schedule this week that could help alleviate the roster crunch. After Tuesday’s game, the Bulls will travel to Toronto on Thursday and will get two days off before hosting the Lakers next Sunday. Coby White and Javonte Green both have the potential to return during the week if they clear the protocols, K.C. Johnson tweets.

Under league rules, if LaVine and Brown tested positive, they will miss a minimum of 10 days unless they submit two consecutive negative tests more than 24 hours apart.

Central Notes: Johnson, Donovan, Dosunmu, Pistons

December 5th, 2021 at 2:45pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Spurs forward Keldon Johnson was apparently almost drafted by the Cavaliers. Johnson discussed his near-selection in an interview with Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter video link). The Cavaliers instead opted to draft Dylan Windler with the No. 26 pick in the 2019 draft, while Johnson was ultimately drafted by San Antonio with the No. 29 pick.

Injuries have limited Windler’s availability across two NBA seasons. Windler missed his entire 2019/20 rookie season with a leg injury. In just 48 games, Windler holds career averages of 4.3 PPG, 2.9 RPG, and 1.1 APG over 14.5 MPG.

“I was expecting to go the Cavs,” Johnson said. “Going back to draft night, I just feel like it’s a blessing I landed with the Spurs.”

The 22-year-old small forward out of Kentucky is averaging 14.9 PPG, 6.5 RPG and 2.0 APG for the Spurs. He boasts a slash line of .469/.410/657.

The 13-10 Cavaliers have enjoyed a breakout 2021/22 season, currently good for the sixth seed in the Eastern Conference. One can only imagine what Cleveland would look like had the club selected Johnson instead of Windler, though in so doing the team may have played its way out of the third pick in the 2021 draft that netted them breakout rookie big man Evan Mobley out of USC.

There’s more out of the Central Division:

Bulls head coach Billy Donovan expects the NBA will adopt stricter COVID-19 policies with the winter holidays on the horizon, writes Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times. Chicago is currently missing guard Coby White and forward Javonte Green due to COVID-19 diagnoses. ‘‘I think that’s happening,’’ Donovan said. ‘‘I don’t think there’s any question that’s happening. My guess is stricter policies than there have already been this year. ‘‘[The holidays], people are going to be around family. The way it’s moving right now, it’s getting a little stricter. For us right now it’s a lot stricter because we have two players that are positive.’’
Bulls rookie guard Ayo Dosunmu, a second-round draft pick out of Illinois, has earned rotation minutes in the season’s first quarter. K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago examines how Dosunmu is adjusting to playing at the NBA level. “I think I’m getting better each game,” the rookie said. “One thing I love about Coach Donovan is he shows so much tough love to me. After every game, whether I play a lot or I don’t play a lot, he always calls me over and gives me words of encouragement. Sometimes it may be good. Sometimes it may be bad. I take the constructive criticism and try to help myself become a better player because I know that he obviously sees something in me if he’s coaching me hard.”
The end result of the 2021/22 season for the Pistons will be measured more by player improvement than by the year-end win-loss tally, opines Rod Beard of the Detroit News. The youth-oriented club, led by forward Jerami Grant and 2021 top pick Cade Cunningham, is currently the bottom seed in the East with a 4-18 record.