Josh Giddey Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Central Notes: Middleton, Winslow, Cavs, Bulls, Ivey

October 21st, 2024 at 10:54am CST by Luke Adams

Bucks forward Khris Middleton isn’t expected to be active for the team’s regular season opener against Philadelphia on Wednesday, sources tell Shams Charania of ESPN. Middleton spent the offseason recovering from surgical procedures on both ankles and the team is taking a cautious approach to his return this fall, Charania explains.

Although Middleton recently expressed a desire to play in 70-plus games in 2024/25, it doesn’t come as a major surprise that he’s not quite ready for the start of the regular season. He didn’t appear in any preseason contests and head coach Doc Rivers said on Saturday that the three-time All-Star would need to play 5-on-5 before Wednesday in order to suit up for opening night (Twitter link via Eric Nehm of The Athletic).

The Bucks haven’t issued any sort of official update on Middleton, but it sounds like he’ll probably be considered day-to-day going forward, with a chance to make his season debut before the end of the month. That’s just my speculation based on comments from Rivers and recent reporting though, so we’ll keep an eye out for more news on the 33-year-old’s status.

Here’s more from around the Central:

The Wisconsin Herd, the Bucks‘ G League affiliate, acquired the returning rights to Justise Winslow and Darryl Morsell from the Raptors 905 in exchange for the rights to Wenyen Gabriel, Marques Bolden, and Deonte Burton, plus the No. 15 pick in this year’s G League draft, per Blake Murphy of Sportsnet.ca (Twitter links). As Murphy notes, several of those players are currently competing overseas, but Milwaukee signed Winslow to an Exhibit 10 contract during the preseason — securing his rights means he’ll now be eligible for an Exhibit 10 bonus worth $77.5K if he spends at least 60 days with the Herd.
The Cavaliers were much better when Max Strus was on the court last season than when he wasn’t, according to Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com, who considers in a subscriber-only story how the club will get by without one of its top floor-spacers for the next six weeks while Strus recovers from an ankle injury. Fedor views Dean Wade as the favorite to replace Strus in the starting five, since he’s a solid defender and a strong three-point shooter. Caris LeVert‘s ball-dominant game is a better fit in the second unit, Fedor suggests, while Isaac Okoro is another candidate to play with the starters.
Lonzo Ball, Matas Buzelis, and Julian Phillips are a few of the Bulls players whose preseason performances provided reasons for optimism entering the season, Darnell Mayberry of The Athletic writes in his latest stock report. On the other hand, offseason additions Josh Giddey and Jalen Smith and newly re-signed forward Patrick Williams have had up-and-down Octobers so far, as Mayberry details.
Jaden Ivey saw his role reduced under Monty Williams last season, but the Pistons guard is once again an offensive focal point under new head coach J.B. Bickerstaff, says Omari Sankofa II of The Detroit Free Press (subscriber link). Ivey was the Pistons’ leading scorer during the preseason and earned praise from Bickerstaff for his efforts. “He works his tail off and then he’s playing with confidence,” Detroit’s coach said earlier this month. “When you work as hard as he works and puts as much time in, and then you play with that confidence and belief, the work is going to pay off.”

Central Notes: Trent, Sheppard, Giddey, Bulls

October 20th, 2024 at 9:22am CST by Arthur Hill

Gary Trent Jr. probably could have gotten a better offer elsewhere, but he chose to sign a veteran’s minimum contract with the Bucks for the chance to win a title. In an interview with Grant Afseth of Sportskeeda, Trent talked about what attracted him to Milwaukee and indicated that he hopes this season will be the start of an extended future in the city.

“It’s a great opportunity. I’m 25, and I still have years left to grow,” Trent said. “This is a great place to find a home base and be part of something long-term. It’s an excellent organization with great players, a solid front office, and good energy, so it’s been great so far.”

Trent took a severe pay cut for his seventh NBA season, playing for about $2.6MM after coming off a three-year, $51.8MM contract in Toronto. The Bucks reportedly made a strong recruiting pitch after losing Malik Beasley in free agency, and Trent is excited about the chance to team up with Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard.

“I get to play with two players who are in the top 75 in NBA history,” Trent said. “Their approach to the game every night can only uplift everybody around them and put a certain focus on their mindset. It’s about rolling with that and figuring it out together.”

There’s more from the Central Division:

Ben Sheppard was a valuable member of the Pacers‘ second unit last season, but it won’t be easy to earn the same level of playing time in a crowded rotation, writes Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star. Bennedict Mathurin will soak up a lot of the bench minutes as he returns from injury, and Sheppard will be competing for time at the wing spots with Mathurin and Jarace Walker, two high lottery picks. “I just say every chance I get to step on the floor I’m just trying to showcase the player that I am,” Sheppard said. “I’m just a team player, a high IQ player that just plays the right way. I feel like every time I go out there, I don’t need to do anything outside of my skill set.”
There’s still a gap between the Bulls and Josh Giddey as Monday’s deadline for rookie scale extensions nears, according to K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Sports Network (Twitter link). Johnson notes that the team’s recent practice has been to let the final year play out and re-sign players as restricted free agents, as it did with Coby White and Patrick Williams.
Strong performances from White and Zach LaVine, along with an encouraging return by Lonzo Ball, give the Bulls reasons for optimism, Julia Poe of The Chicago Tribune notes in a recap of the preseason. However, there are concerns about Williams, who had to leave two preseason games with wrist and ankle injuries.

Kuminga, Suggs, Giddey Among Extension Candidates Seeking $30MM+ Annually

October 19th, 2024 at 10:43am CST by Tristan Tucker

The deadline for teams to sign players to rookie scale contract extensions falls on Monday and will force several clubs to make tough decisions.

The Warriors have two players under consideration for rookie scale extensions: Jonathan Kuminga and Moses Moody. As we relayed Friday evening, Moody appears more likely than Kuminga to receive an extension by Monday. Moody is in line to receive minutes at the wing spot in the wake up Klay Thompson‘s departure, and NBA insider Jake Fischer reports he could earn more than $10MM per season on his extension (Threads link).

However, Kuminga is seeking a near-max contract that would pay him north of $30MM annually. According to Fischer, the Warriors have “never seemed intent” on paying the forward that kind of money ahead of the season. That tracks with earlier reporting, which suggested that both sides are content to wait to see if Kuminga takes another step forward in 2024/25 and helps propel the team back into contention as its second- or third-best player. In that scenario, he would presumably be rewarded in restricted free agency next offseason.

Moody averaged 8.1 points and 3.0 rebounds per game last season while Kuminga broke out, averaging 16.1 PPG on 52.9% shooting from the field.

We have more on this year’s rookie scale extension candidates:

According to Fischer, Atlanta’s Jalen Johnson is facing a similar situation to Kuminga. However, there’s “far more optimism” that the Hawks and Johnson will finalize a deal worth north of $30MM each year, which is said to be the starting point for negotiations with the former Duke standout. Johnson broke out in a big way last season, jumping from 5.6 PPG and 4.0 RPG in 2022/23 to 16.0 PPG and 8.7 RPG. He’s primed to be a long-term fixture in Atlanta as one of the Hawks’ franchise cornerstones.
Magic guard Jalen Suggs is seeking an extension worth more than $30MM annually in talks with Orlando, NBA insider Marc Stein reports (Twitter link). It’s unclear whether or not Orlando is prepared to make that sort of offer, but Suggs emerged as one of the best defensive guards in the league last season, earning a spot on the All-Defensive Second Team, averaging 12.6 PPG and 1.4 SPG, improving his outside shooting to 39.7%, and helping the young Magic to a 47-win season.
Immanuel Quickley‘s five-year, $162.5MM contract with the Raptors is said to have set a benchmark for young guards across the league, Fischer says, confirming previous reporting. Bulls guard/forward Josh Giddey is also seeking at least $30MM per year on his next extension. However, the Bulls are more interested in seeing how Giddey fits with the team before committing that kind of money to him. Chicago traded Alex Caruso for Giddey in June.
The Rockets haven’t been willing to this point to approach a maximum-salary deal for either Jalen Green or Alperen Sengun, according to Fischer. We relayed Friday that the Rockets have held productive conversations with both players, submitting offers to each, but that those offers were below the max. Fischer indicates that Houston is completely fine with not agreeing to terms with either before the year begins.
Clippers guard Bones Hyland and Nets young players Cam Thomas and Day’Ron Sharpe are not expected to agree to terms on a rookie scale extension, according to Fischer. However, there remains some optimism that Hornets guard Tre Mann, Pacers forward Isaiah Jackson and Wizards wing Corey Kispert will be able to sign extensions by Monday’s deadline.
Quentin Grimes has emerged as a real candidate to receive an extension by Monday, according to Stein (Twitter link). Grimes was acquired by the Mavericks in exchange for Tim Hardaway Jr. this offseason and he’s averaged 8.5 PPG across three NBA seasons. His deal would presumably be in the ballpark of Moody’s, perhaps a bit more than $10MM per year.

Extension Rumors: Durant, Kuminga, Moody, Sengun, Green, Gordon

October 18th, 2024 at 6:02pm CST by Luke Adams

Suns forward Kevin Durant won’t sign a contract extension before the regular season begins, Shams Charania said during an appearance on Friday’s episode of NBA Today on ESPN (YouTube link).

As we outlined on Thursday, Durant – who has two years left on his current maximum-salary deal – is eligible until October 21 to sign a one-year extension worth up to $59.5MM. If he doesn’t sign that extension by Monday, his next opportunity to extend his contract will come during the 2025 offseason.

Durant downplayed the likelihood of completing a deal this fall, but has expressed “publicly and privately how much he loves Phoenix,” according to Charania, who suggests that both the former MVP and the team are focused on getting something done next offseason, when Durant could add two new years to his current contract for a total of $123.8MM.

The Over-38 rule prohibits Durant from signing any deal that would keep him under contract for four or more total years going forward.

Here are a few more of the latest updates on players who are eligible for contract extensions:

The Warriors and Jonathan Kuminga remain “far apart” in their extension negotiations, according to Charania, who said during that same NBA Today segment that there’s a sense Kuminga may enter the season without a new deal in place, putting him on track for restricted free agency in 2025. Charania adds that the Warriors forward is comfortable with the idea of betting on himself in 2024/25 and trying to earn a maximum-salary contract – or something close to it – next summer. Moses Moody appears “much more likely” than Kuminga to sign an extension with Golden State before Monday’s deadline, per Charania.
The Rockets have had “productive” conversations with both Alperen Sengun and Jalen Green and have made extension offers that would provide them with long-term financial security, according to Charania. However, Charania notes that those offers are below the max, so Sengun and Green will have to decide whether they’re willing to accept those deals or if they want to push for bigger paydays by opting for restricted free agency.
The Nuggets and forward Aaron Gordon are in “active conversations” about an extension, per Charania. Gordon is eligible to sign for up to $143.3MM on a four-year deal that would begin in 2025/26, though ESPN’s Brian Windhorst said on the Hoop Collective podcast (YouTube link) that Denver is hoping to get him to accept a little less than that. “They haven’t handed out that (max) offer,” Windhorst said (hat tip to RealGM). “Otherwise he would have signed it. From what I understand, they are negotiating and they’re hopeful of getting him at less than what would be his quote, unquote max.”
In an Insider-only story for ESPN.com, Bobby Marks examines some of this year’s top extension candidates and shares the offers he’d put on the table for several of them, including $148MM for Jalen Johnson, $128MM for Josh Giddey, and a whopping $165MM for Jalen Suggs (all five-year deals).

Central Notes: Ball, Giddey, Trent, Swider

October 16th, 2024 at 5:11pm CST by Arthur Hill

Bulls guard Lonzo Ball has undergone three arthroscopic procedures on his left knee since his last NBA game in January of 2022. With so much to overcome, Ball describes himself as “full of joy” to be returning to the court for tonight’s preseason contest with Minnesota, writes Jamal Collier of ESPN.

“I think it’s the belief in myself — knowing what I was feeling, knowing that I was a good age to come back from it,” Ball said. “I’m just trusting in the doctors and people around me.”

Ball added that he never lost confidence in his ability to make a comeback, even though he had to consult with numerous knee specialists along the way. He received medical clearance to participate in five-on-five scrimmages in August and showed up a few weeks before training camp to work out with his teammates. He experienced some soreness in the knee, but no major setbacks, and the Bulls’ medical staff has developed a plan to regulate his workload as he gets used to playing an NBA schedule again. Ball will be limited to 16 minutes in tonight’s contest.

“It’s not the same body I started off with,” he said. “But I think I can still be productive and effective on the court. That’s why I’m still trying to play.”

There’s more from the Central Division:

Josh Giddey is eligible for a rookie scale extension through Monday, but the Bulls will likely wait to see what he does this season before making a long-term commitment, according to Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times. Giddey is off to a strong start in his first preseason with Chicago — averaging 11.3 points, 5.7 rebounds and five assists in just less than 23 minutes per night — but Cowley believes the Bulls want some evidence that they can build a title contender around Giddey and they’re more likely to wait and deal with him as a restricted free agent next summer.
Gary Trent Jr. looks ready to become the Bucks‘ next successful shooting guard, observes Eric Nehm of The Athletic. Several shooters have benefited from the open space that comes from playing alongside Giannis Antetokounmpo, and coach Doc Rivers is urging Trent to be ready to fire away. “If you have an open look, put it up,” Trent replied when asked about Rivers’ advice. “He communicated that to me and everybody on the team as well. Everybody has a certain green light, obviously with a certain amount of control and a certain thinking process, but other than that, it’s free flowing. Telling you to go out there, play hard, let it fly and let it fly. Just make sure it’s a good shot.”
Cole Swider seems like a good bet to make the Pacers‘ roster after Kendall Brown was waived Tuesday, but it’s not certain that he’ll receive a standard contract, per Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star. Indiana could decide to open up a two-way slot for Swider, who is in camp on a non-guaranteed deal.

Bulls Notes: Backcourt, Ball, LaVine, Buzelis, Freeman-Liberty

October 9th, 2024 at 10:02am CST by Luke Adams

Will there be enough minutes to go around for all the players in the Bulls‘ backcourt this season? Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times explores that question, noting that guards Coby White, Zach LaVine, Josh Giddey, and Ayo Dosunmu all figure to have regular roles, with Lonzo Ball, Dalen Terry, Jevon Carter, and Chris Duarte also vying for minutes.

“I think it’s going to be a hard situation from the standpoint of these guys are all highly competitive, work really hard in the offseason to get themselves ready to play,” head coach Billy Donovan said. “And quite honestly in some of these situations with the way our team is, they just may not get that opportunity. I’m not saying it’s Jevon, Chris or Dalen or whoever it is. We’ve got to see how camp plays out.

“We’ve obviously had to deal with the injuries with Josh and Lonzo, but there’s no question that with the number of guards there, I think we’ll have to play with three guards. I think Ayo is a really, really good perimeter defender, who he’s paired with, try and match someone with that. I agree, someone is going to be sitting. We’re not able to play them all.”

The Bulls started three guards in their preseason opener vs. Cleveland on Tuesday, with White, LaVine, and Giddey joining Patrick Williams and Nikola Vucevic in the starting five. As Donovan notes, that look seems likely to carry over into the regular season.

Here’s more out of Chicago:

After spending over a year recovering from his latest knee surgery, Ball wasn’t available for the Bulls’ preseason opener on Tuesday. However, that wasn’t because of his knee, Cowley writes in a separate Sun-Times story. As Cowley explains, Ball dealt with a “nasty” case of COVID just before camp began, which left him several days behind in workouts. He’s still in the process of “getting his strength back,” according to Donovan.
Julia Poe of The Chicago Tribune shares six takeaways from the Bulls’ preseason opener, writing that LaVine looked comfortable in his return from foot surgery and that lottery pick Matas Buzelis flashed intriguing potential in his first NBA game. However, acknowledging that one preseason game isn’t enough to draw any definitive conclusions, Poe also notes that Tuesday’s game did nothing to assuage concerns about the team’s potential defensive shortcomings.
After reporting earlier this week indicated that guard Javon Freeman-Liberty was leaving Manisa Basket for the NBA, the Turkish club confirmed the news, publishing an Instagram post that wished Freeman-Liberty luck in the next phase of his career “with the Chicago Bulls.” As Blake Murphy of Sportsnet tweets, FIBA clearance is still required before the guard can officially finalize his new deal with Chicago. It’s unclear whether Freeman-Liberty left Manisa simply to sign a non-guaranteed Exhibit 10 contract with the Bulls or if he’ll get a standard or two-way deal that offers more assurances.

And-Ones: G League Trades, Charania, Breakout Candidates, More

October 8th, 2024 at 4:00pm CST by Luke Adams

A pair of teams have acquired the G League rights for players who are in camp with them on Exhibit 10 contracts.

The Wisconsin Herd (Bucks) sent Marquese Chriss‘ rights and a 2025 first-round pick to the Birmingham Squadron (Pelicans) in exchange for Liam Robbins‘ rights (Twitter link), while the Raptors 905 are receiving Jared Rhoden‘s rights from the College Park Skyhawks (Hawks) in exchange for the rights to Omari Moore and a 2025 first-rounder (Twitter link via Blake Murphy of Sportsnet).

Robbins is currently on Milwaukee’s preseason roster, while Rhoden is under contract with Toronto.

In other G League trade news, the Austin Spurs announced (via Twitter) that they’ve sent the returning rights for Yauhen Massalski to the San Diego Clippers in exchange for a 2025 second-round pick, while the Cleveland Charge (Cavaliers) acquired Elijah Hughes‘ rights from the Wisconsin Herd (Bucks) in exchange for the rights to Sam Merrill and a 2025 second-rounder.

Trading away Merrill’s returning rights won’t mean anything for the Cavaliers as long as he remains on Cleveland’s NBA roster, but if he were to be waived down the road, the Bucks’ affiliate would have first dibs on him as a G Leaguer.

Here are more odds and ends from around the basketball world:

Shams Charania, who has spent the past few years with The Athletic, is making the move to ESPN to replace Adrian Wojnarowski as the network’s senior NBA insider, Charania announced on Twitter. Recent reporting suggested that ESPN news-breakers currently covering other sports – including Jeff Passan (MLB) or Adam Schefter (NFL) – were among the candidates being considered to replace Wojnarowski, but Charania was always the more logical choice, given his lengthy history of major NBA scoops.
In an Insider-only story for ESPN, Jeremy Woo identifies 11 players he believes are prime breakout candidates in 2024/25. Woo’s 11 candidates fall into four groups: players who could make the leap to an All-Star level, such as Cavaliers big man Evan Mobley; players who could ascend to borderline All-Stars, like Hawks forward Jalen Johnson; players who will benefit from taking on larger roles, including Bulls guard Josh Giddey; and role players who could make bigger impacts, such as Kings guard Keon Ellis.
Kurt Helin of NBC Sports predicts the 10 players most likely to be traded in 2024/25, ranging from big names like Brandon Ingram and Zach LaVine to role players such as Bruce Brown and Jonas Valanciunas. Three of the players in Helin’s top 10 – Bojan Bogdanovic, Dorian Finney-Smith, and Cameron Johnson – are currently members of the Nets.

Central Notes: Trent Jr., Wiseman, Giddey, Vucevic

October 7th, 2024 at 5:25pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Gary Trent Jr.‘s preseason debut for the Bucks didn’t go well. The former Toronto guard suffered a hyperextension of his left elbow when he ran into the Pistons’ Jalen Duren, who was setting a screen late in the first half, The Athletic’s Eric Nehm notes. Trent, who made two of his three shot attempts before he exited, signed a one-year deal with Milwaukee in July.

The Bucks didn’t provide any official updates on Trent after sharing the initial diagnosis, so it remains to be seen how long the injury might sideline him for, Nehm adds.

We have more from the Central Division:

During a Pacers scrimmage game on Sunday, James Wiseman scored eight points and grabbed three rebounds in just eight minutes of action. The Indianapolis Star’s Dustin Dopirak believes Wiseman will push Isaiah Jackson for the backup center spot. Wiseman was signed to a two-year, minimum salary contract in July after playing for division rival Detroit last season.
Early in training camp, new Bulls point guard Josh Giddey has been even better than advertised in terms of his court vision and passing ability, Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times writes. Getting on the same page with his teammates is the next challenge for the former Oklahoma City guard. “I’ve got where maybe there are passes I can’t make but I think I can in my head and I try to make them that are probably not there in the moment,” Giddey said. “I guess it’s just a confidence. As a passer you can’t live on the edge.”
Nikola Vucevic knows that the Bulls‘ front office has explored trades for him. The veteran center says he ignores the possibility of being dealt. ‘‘I honestly don’t think about it,’’ Vucevic told Cowley. ‘‘It’s stuff that’s out of my control. My focus is on this team and to help this team be the best team we can be. Changes and all that, that’s not my job. That’s the front office’s job.” Vucevic has two years left on his contract. The Bulls have not shown a willingness to include draft capital to shed his contract, Cowley adds.

Bulls Notes: Ball, Buzelis, Dosunmu, Williams, Giddey

October 5th, 2024 at 2:15pm CST by Arthur Hill

It’s only been a few days of training camp, but Bulls guard Lonzo Ball is optimistic about the progress of his left knee, writes Julia Poe of The Chicago Tribune. Ball is trying to salvage his NBA career after missing the past two and half seasons with knee issues that required multiple surgeries. He’s not a full participant in camp drills and he’s being closely monitored by the medical staff, but Ball is encouraged so far, especially after taking part in a scrimmage on Friday and being able to play at full speed with normal contact.

“Today was probably my best day,” he told reporters after Friday’s practice. “It’s getting better each time.”

Ball realizes that he doesn’t possess the same physical qualities that he did before the injuries, Poe adds. His first step isn’t as quick, he doesn’t have his former speed on defense and his jumper is a little off-balance as he works to rebuild the strength in his legs. Coach Billy Donovan is urging him to compensate by relying on the mental part of his game, which is sharper than ever.

“He can take a situation that looks three-on-three and just by a pass to a certain area of the floor, can make it three-on-two, just out of feel,” Donovan said. “That’s the one thing I think for him that will never go away. He’s just such a high-IQ player and knows the game so well. The way he plays, he makes people around him better.”

There’s more on the Bulls:

Lottery pick Matas Buzelis has impressed teammates with his athleticism in training camp, but he may not have a clear path to playing time, Poe states in a separate story. She notes that the Bulls tend to keep their draft picks in the NBA even if they’re not playing regularly so they can learn how to be professionals. Donovan said Buzelis will only be sent to the G League if the need arises to give him consistent minutes, and Buzelis is OK with that option. “I’m always going to listen to the organization,” he said. “So if they tell me I got to be in the G League, I’m gonna be in the G League. That’s fine with me. But I’m gonna work my way up to the top team.”
Ayo Dosunmu is ready to “elevate” in his fourth NBA season, per Joe Cowley of The Chicago-Sun Times. Dosunmu spent the summer developing counters to his drives to the basket and improving his ability to read defenses, especially in the pick-and-roll. “The NBA, it’s a what-have-you-done-for-me-lately league,” he said, citing the need to improve every offseason. “No one cares about what you did your rookie year or last year. You have to keep proving yourself.”
Patrick Williams understands the expectations are different after he landed a five-year, $90MM extension this summer, Cowley adds in another Sun-Times piece. Williams said the Bulls want him to become a team leader, improve his rebounding and take over as the primary defensive stopper after trading away Alex Caruso.
Josh Giddey is still recovering from an ankle injury he suffered during the Olympics, but he was able to take part in most of Friday’s scrimmage, tweets K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago.

Bulls Notes: Giddey, Williams, Ball, LaVine

September 30th, 2024 at 2:06pm CST by Luke Adams

New Bulls guard Josh Giddey told reporters on Monday that the ankle injury he suffered at the end of Australia’s run in the Paris Olympics was more serious than initially believed and that he spent the rest of the offseason recovering from it, according to K.C. Johnson of The Chicago Sports Network (Twitter links).

According to Giddey, who said he was diagnosed with a ruptured ATFL (anterior talo-fibular ligament), he and the Bulls have been conservative with his rehab timeline, but he’s close to being ready to suit up. In fact, if there were a playoff game on the schedule tomorrow, Giddey could suit up, he said. The fourth-year guard expects to be “fine” for opening night.

Here’s more on the Bulls:

Despite an ominous report last week about his recovery from February foot surgery, Bulls forward Patrick Williams has been playing 5-on-5 ball and is “ready to go” for training camp, Bulls head of basketball operations Arturas Karnisovas said today. According to Johnson (Twitter link), the soreness Williams experienced in the offseason that was reference in last week’s report wasn’t related to his foot surgery.
Karnisovas said the goal for the Bulls this year won’t be to try to hang onto the top-10 first-round pick they owe the Spurs, but to define the identity and playing style of the new group, per Johnson (Twitter links). The veteran executive added that the current roster isn’t necessarily a “finished product” and that the front office is focused on building a team that’s “faster and more versatile.”
Lonzo Ball remains optimistic about where he’s at in his recovery from multiple knee surgeries and still hopes to play on opening night, though he acknowledged on Monday that back-to-backs are off the table for him this season and he’ll be on a minutes restriction. “I pretty much have a brand new knee,” the point guard said (Twitter links via Johnson).
Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times wrote this week that rebuilding Zach LaVine‘s trade value and finding him a new home remains the No. 1 goal for the Bulls’ front office. However, speaking on Monday to reporters, LaVine offered a lengthy opening statement about his commitment to the Bulls, suggesting that he and the club have moved past any negativity from the past, tweets Johnson. Darnell Mayberry of The Athletic passes along video of LaVine’s comments, via Twitter.
While Cowley believes LaVine’s future is the most significant storyline worth following in Chicago this season, he identifies a few more “secondary” storylines to watch, in a separate article for the Sun-Times.