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Bulls Notes: Portis, Dunn, Selden Jr.

January 6th, 2019 at 2:31pm CST by JD Shaw

Bulls forward Bobby Portis will return to the lineup on Sunday against the Nets, making the team the healthiest it has been since originally starting its rebuild, writes Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times. Portis had missed the past seven games with a sprained right ankle and is expected to be on a minutes restriction against Brooklyn.

Chicago coped with several key injuries to start the season, beginning the campaign with a 5-19 record and ultimately ending the run of Fred Hoiberg as head coach. The team currently holds the third-worst record in the East at 10-29, with Kris Dunn (knee), Lauri Markkanen (elbow), and Portis (knee/ankle) all missing more than 20 games.

The next step for the Bulls, who now have one young player sidelined in Denzel Valentine, is putting forth a stronger effort to create better results as a unit.

“We’ve talked about [the offense], and the issue right now is we’ve got to get a little more pace to our game,’’ Bulls VP John Paxson said, relaying a discussion between him and coach Jim Boylen. “Jim, [special adviser] Doug Collins, we all talk about it together. I don’t think you can necessarily pay attention to everything all at once. You make a change in-season, it’s very hard for the coach. You didn’t have a training camp to establish things. Practice time is limited. This will be a good time for us to improve in that area. We’ve got a lot of games left.”

There’s more today out of Chicago:

Kris Dunn is making a strong impact with the Bulls so far this season, K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune writes. Dunn added 16 points, five rebounds and 17 assists in a losing effort to the Pacers on Friday night. “I think I can do a little bit of everything,” Dunn said. “If my team needs me to be aggressive, I can be aggressive. If my team needs me to pass, I can pass. I play defense. That’s what I do. I can rebound. I just try to do what the team needs from me.”
Wayne Selden Jr. thanked the city of Memphis and the Grizzlies on social media, writing that “blessings await” with the Bulls: “Memphis, thank you to the organization for given me the opportunity after going undrafted. Thank you to my teammates, I learned a lot & we had great times. Thanks to BT! & special thanks to the the city & the fans for embracing me. But now new blessings await #BullsNation.” Selden Jr. was acquired in a multi-player trade between the Bulls and Grizzlies last week and could make his debut on Sunday.
An entertaining second half of the season awaits the Bulls, with the organization continuing to work through the kinks of being a young, inexperienced group, Johnson writes in a separate story for the Chicago Tribune. The team is expected to explore trade scenarios for Jabari Parker and Robin Lopez as the Feb. 7 deadline nears, keeping a strong focus on the future while growing as a unit. “We need to see growth. We need to see how they play,” Paxson said of the young core. “We’ve got to find a way offensively to get some easier shots and get guys to find some comfort zone. That’s what the rest of this season is about.”

Central Notes: Bulls, Thompson, Pistons, Carter

December 30th, 2018 at 5:02pm CST by Eric Spyropoulos

As the Bulls continue to navigate their way through the early stages of a rebuild, their core players have struggled most of the time they have been on the floor together. Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times writes that the core of Zach LaVine, Kris Dunn and Lauri Markkanen look confused when sharing the floor together and at this point, still have more questions than answers.

A big reason for this confusion is the injuries that have plagued each player. In fact, Cowley points out that the three players have only played in 15 games together, despite joining together after the Jimmy Butler trade in June 2017.

The Bulls have since added Wendell Carter to the mix and have changed coaches, which will surely continue to create confusion among their growing core. Of course, as the rebuild continues, there will be more faces added to the mix to compliment this core.

There’s more from the Central division:

Cavaliers big man Tristan Thompson played a key role during Collin Sexton‘s recent stretch of promising play, but has missed the past ten games due to a foot injury. As Chris Fedor points out, Sexton has struggled in recent weeks without his pick-and-roll partner alongside him.
After their blowout loss to the Pacers, Rod Beard of The Detroit News reveals that the Pistons held a team meeting last week, with coach Dwane Casey and some of the team’s veterans sharing some positive words about how it went.
Wendell Carter has continued to prove he belongs in the league, providing energy and hustle plays on both ends of the floor. Sam Smith of the Bulls team website writes about how Carter is focusing on growing and learning each time he steps on the court.

Jim Boylen Solidifies Position With Bulls

December 25th, 2018 at 11:20am CST by Arthur Hill

With a potential player revolt now behind him, new coach Jim Boylen seems to have the Bulls headed in the right direction and may be in position for an extension this summer, according to Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times.

Boylen has enjoyed the full support of team management since taking over after the firing of Fred Hoiberg three weeks ago. He was empowered to bring toughness that many believed was lacking under Hoiberg, and it appears the players are starting to buy in. Chicago has won three of its last five games, including a victory in San Antonio.

“I have been in the league awhile,’’ Boylen said about his relationship with the front office. “If the time comes where they need my support, I’ll be there for them all night long. Whatever they need. We are connected. Never felt more supported in anything in my life and I appreciate it.’’

Cowley adds that Boylen, who wasn’t given an interim title when he took over the job, is almost certain to return next season, with or without an extension. However, that’s not true for everyone as the Bulls are expected to be active in trade talks through the February 7 deadline. Here’s the status of several players currently on the roster, according to Cowley:

It’s no secret Chicago wants to move Jabari Parker, who was an expensive free agent addition over the summer. Parker was pulled from the rotation shortly after Boylen took over and hasn’t played at all since December 13.
Robin Lopez could be a backup center for a contender and has an expiring contract worth nearly $14.4MM, but Cowley doesn’t expect the Bulls to get more than a second-round pick in return. Justin Holiday, with a $4.4MM expiring deal, may also be in demand.
Kris Dunn‘s improved play of late may keep him in Chicago. Part of the return in the trade that sent Jimmy Butler to Minnesota, Dunn is working toward “core status” with the organization. He will be eligible for a contract extension next summer.

Central Notes: Kennard, Krauskopf, Evans, Dunn

December 24th, 2018 at 10:00pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Luke Kennard may be the latest Pistons wing to play his way out of the starting small forward spot, as I noted in the Detroit Free Press. Kennard has scored just 24 points over the last six games after a 28-point outing in Philadelphia. The second-year swingman out of Duke was benched during the second half of a 98-95 home loss to Atlanta on Sunday. Stanley Johnson and Glenn Robinson III were also ineffective in that role. “There’s nothing maddening about it at all (but) you want that person to step in and produce,” coach Dwane Casey said of finding someone to fill that slot. “Give some production, whether it’s energy defensively, energy offensively, running the floor, cutting, just playing basketball. That’s what you’re searching for in that position.”

We have more from around the Central Division:

Pacers GM Kevin Pritchard said that hiring Kelly Krauskopf as an assistant GM had nothing to do with making history, according to Dana Hunsinger Benbow of the Indianapolis Star. Krauskopf became the first women to hold that NBA front office position in a modern-day format in that she will be involved in personnel decisions. “It’s going to be made a big deal about (her being a woman) and the truth is she is just the best person for the job, period, end of discussion,” he said. “It doesn’t matter (her) gender, race, anything like that. She was the best person for the job.” Krauskopf spent 17 years as GM of the WNBA’s Indiana Fever.
Pacers guard Tyreke Evans has missed the last two games due to knee soreness and will be a game-time decision against Atlanta on Wednesday. Evans explained to Scott Agness of The Athletic that he aggravated an old right knee injury when the Sixers’ Joel Embiid fell on him during a collision. Fluid built up and Evans, who had three operations on that knee in 2016, needed to have the knee drained.
Bulls point guard Kris Dunn has taken a bigger offensive role with Zach LaVine sidelined by an ankle injury, Mark Strotman of NBC Sports Chicago writes. Dunn is averaging 17.8 PPG and 6.0 APG over the last five games with LaVine out of commission. “Whatever gets the win. If I’ve got to be aggressive on the offensive side looking at the rim a little bit more or getting my guys involved,” he said. “I’m a pass-first point guard but it’s the NBA.”

Fallout From Bulls/Thunder Scrum

December 19th, 2018 at 5:12pm CST by clarkcrum

On Monday night, the Thunder defeated the Bulls in Oklahoma City by 25 points in a game between two teams from different conferences, one with playoff aspirations and the other in the midst of a rebuild.

However, the otherwise relatively meaningless regular season contest took an interesting turn when a scrum broke out late in the third quarter after Bulls’ guard Cameron Payne was called for a foul, followed by a shoving match between Thunder’ guard Russell Westbrook and Bulls’ guard Kris Dunn.

Chaos then broke out as Jerami Grant approached Dunn before being confronted by Robin Lopez, resulting in both Grant and Lopez falling into the lap of some fans sitting in courtside seats.

The NBA announced discipline this afternoon, with non-participants and Thunder guards Raymond Felton and Dennis Schroder both receiving one-game suspensions for leaving the bench. Meanwhile, Dunn was fined $15K for “instigating,” while Grant and Lopez were fined $20K and $25K, respectively, for “escalating.”

Fortunately for the Kings, both Felton and Schroder will miss the Thunder’s game later tonight in Sacramento.

Bulls Evaluating Whether Dunn, Others Are Part Of Core

December 17th, 2018 at 3:58pm CST by Luke Adams

The Bulls are still trying to determine whether Kris Dunn, Bobby Portis, and Denzel Valentine will be a part of their core going forward, writes Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times. As Cowley observes, Zach LaVine, Lauri Markkanen, and Wendell Carter Jr. are building blocks in Chicago, but the team has yet to make any long-term decisions on Dunn, Portis, and Valentine.

While the Bulls may have had aspirations of playoff contention coming into the season, the team is off to a 7-23 start and will be prioritizing player development and long-term roster planning going forward. Valentine will be out for the season with an ankle injury, but Chicago should have plenty of opportunities to evaluate Dunn and Portis, who both returned to the court last week after rehabbing injuries of their own.

Dunn, who posted 13.4 PPG, 6.0 APG, and 4.3 RPG in 2017/18 during his first season with the Bulls, has appeared in just four games so far this season due to a sprained MCL. Although the former fifth overall pick came off the bench upon returning from that injury, he reclaimed a starting job on Saturday with LaVine sidelined, and responded with a team-high 24 points in a road win over San Antonio.

Dunn has another season left on his rookie contract after this year, so the Bulls won’t have to make any final decisions on him during the 2019 offseason. That may not be the case for Portis though, since the power forward is eligible for restricted free agency next summer.

By all accounts, Bulls management is very fond of Portis, who was praised last season for his attitude and hard work even after punching teammate Nikola Mirotic during a practice. Portis is also a member of the club’s recently-formed leadership committee. Still, he didn’t receive a contract extension when he became eligible during the 2018 offseason, so his future with the franchise is somewhat uncertain. He’ll have to prove this season that he can be a good fit in a frontcourt that figures to predominantly feature Markkanen and Carter going forward.

Bulls Notes: Record Loss, Hoiberg, Dunn, Arcidiacono

December 9th, 2018 at 9:07am CST by Arthur Hill

New Bulls coach Jim Boylen didn’t hold back his criticism after Saturday’s 56-point loss to the Celtics, the worst defeat in franchise history, relays Malika Andrews of ESPN.

“I think your play is embarrassing,” said Boylen, who pulled his five starters for the night three minutes into the third quarter. “… I worked for [Spurs head coach] Gregg Popovich. He subbed five guys a ton of times. Nobody says a word to him about it. He felt that was best for the team. I felt that was best for the team where we were at. I wanted to give the other guys a chance to see if they could right the ship a little bit. If I don’t like the five guys out there, if I don’t like the combination, I’m going to look at a new combination. Take them all out, let them sit there and think about it.”

There was plenty to think about, and none of it was good. Chicago fell behind 17-0 and went more than six minutes of the first quarter without scoring. The deficit was 32 points when Boylen decided to pull Ryan Arcidiacono, Zach LaVine, Justin Holiday, Lauri Markkanen and Wendell Carter, who combined for 27 points on the night, the lowest total for a Bulls starting lineup in 11 years. Fans booed loudly throughout the game as the team fell to 6-21.

“We don’t have that internal toughness yet to play at this level consistently,” Boylen said afterward.

There’s more this morning from Chicago:

Bulls management claims that former coach Fred Hoiberg was dismissed because he lost his influence with his players, but the real reason was a deteriorating relationship with GM Gar Forman, according to Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times. Bobby Portis was the latest player to come to Hoiberg’s defense Saturday. “He’s a players’ coach, lets guys go out there and do what they do, get better,” Portis said. “Me, personally, he helped me develop my game a lot, so I credit a lot of things toward him. To say that he lost the respect of the locker room, I don’t think that’s a good way to put it.’’
Portis and Kris Dunn are both close to returning from knee injuries, although neither played Saturday. Dunn’s return will mark a critical time in his career, as he becomes eligible for a rookie contract extension at the end of the season, Cowley notes in a separate story. Dunn has been effective since coming to Chicago last year, but it’s not clear if the front office is fully invested in him as the point guard of the future. Cowley states that the team had a private workout with Trae Young before the draft and considered taking Collin Sexton with the seventh pick before opting for Carter.
Arcidiacono’s high-energy game has made him an effective fill-in during Dunn’s absence, writes Sam Smith of NBA.com.

Kris Dunn, Bobby Portis Set To Return Soon?

December 8th, 2018 at 2:35pm CST by clarkcrum

On Thursday afternoon, Darnell Mayberry of The Athletic reported that both Kris Dunn and Bobby Portis were on the verge of returning to the Bulls lineup soon and that head coach Jim Boylen intimated the team was contemplating playing the pair as early as last night’s win over the Thunder.

Of course, last night came and went with neither Dunn nor Portis taking the floor, and per Shannon Ryan of the Chicago Tribune, neither player is a sure bet to play against the Celtics tonight either.

“They had a good day and that’s about all I’ve got,” Boylen said yesterday in regard to tonight’s game. “We have to wait until they respond (Saturday) morning. They have their check-in and we go from there. (But) they got through (Friday) and did well.”

Last we heard about two weeks ago, both Dunn and Portis were able to work out for the first time, which was the most either had done since being injured, but neither player was ready for any type of contact, per former coach Fred Hoiberg.

Dunn, 24, sprained his right MCL against the Mavericks in the third game of the season (his first) on October 22 and has not played since. Meanwhile, Portis, 23, suffered the same injury two nights later. Likewise, he has been out of the lineup since the injury.

Per Boylen, both Portis and Dunn will have their minutes restricted whenever they return.

Bulls Notes: LaVine, Markkanen, Hoiberg, Tanking

November 25th, 2018 at 9:07am CST by Arthur Hill

Zach LaVine isn’t surprised by the success he’s having this season, and neither is his former coach in Minnesota, writes Kurt Youngblood of The Star Tribune. A key piece of the deal that brought Jimmy Butler to the Timberwolves in the summer of 2017, LaVine is having a breakthrough season after getting a $78MM payday in July when the Bulls matched a four-year offer sheet from the Kings. He has responded by averaging 25.5 points per game, ninth best in the league.

“You work hard, you expect good things,” LaVine said.

LaVine appeared headed for stardom with the Wolves before being sidelined with a torn ACL in February of 2017. Minnesota opted to part with him to bring in Butler, but coach Tom Thibodeau still keeps an eye on LaVine’s progress.

“I think last year you saw glimpses of what he could do,” Thibodeau said. “I think now that he’s healthy, he’s gone to a different level. He loves the game. Those types of guys always get better.’’

There’s more this morning out of Chicago:

Three key players are making progress in returning from injuries, relays Dan Santaromita of NBC Sports Chicago. Lauri Markkanen is ready for “controlled contact” at practice as he rehabs a right elbow injury. Although there’s no timetable for him to return, Bulls coaches were encouraged by the way he shot at Friday’s practice. Kris Dunn and Bobby Portis, who are both sidelined with sprained MCLs, were both able to work out Friday. “That’s the most that Kris Dunn and Bobby have done really since the injury, so really just continue to ramp up their activities,” coach Fred Hoiberg said. “Those guys are not ready for any type of contact yet.”
Even though the Bulls appear headed for the lottery again after a 5-15 start, Hoiberg continues to stress the importance of trying to win every game, according to Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times. Hoiberg remains optimistic that getting back to full strength will spark a surge similar to what the team did last December when Nikola Mirotic returned. “If you do go out there and get a couple wins … they lift everyone’s spirits because our guys are going out there and working hard in practices, and to be able to get over the hump is big for these guys and their development,’’ Hoiberg said. “For young players to see that when they continue to work, good things can happen.”
In a column, Cowley takes the opposite approach, noting that the organization needs to commit to tanking to have a shot at drafting a star such as Duke freshman Zion Williamson.

Injury Updates: Nowitzki, Markkanen, Leonard, Harkless

November 21st, 2018 at 7:26pm CST by Arthur Hill

Mavericks star Dirk Nowitzki is targeting next month for his season debut, tweets Tim MacMahon of ESPN. Nowitzki provided an update today on his condition as he continues rehab work after having surgery on his left ankle in April. “Hopefully somewhere in December, I’ll be ready,” he said, although he hasn’t been able to participate in a full practice since the operation.

Nowitzki saw some action in a “staff game” today, playing against interns and younger members of the coaching staff. “I wasn’t the best player out there, so I have some work to do,” he said.

Nowitzki, who turned 40 over the summer, remained effective last season, playing 77 games and averaging 12.0 points and 5.7 rebounds per night. He has indicated that this may be his final NBA season, although he hasn’t made a formal announcement.

There’s more injury-related news to pass along:

Bulls forward Lauri Markkanen continues to make progress in his return from a right elbow injury and could start practicing with contact next week, according to the Chicago Sun-Times (Twitter link). Coach Fred Hoiberg said Markkanen has made major improvements with his conditioning. He suffered a high-grade lateral elbow sprain during training camp.
Hoiberg added that Kris Dunn is ahead of Bobby Portis in recovering from knee injuries that they suffered within days of each other (Twitter link).
The Raptors are moving closer to using Kawhi Leonard in back-to-back games, coach Nick Nurse told Ryan Wolstat of The Toronto Sun (Twitter link). Nurse added that the team’s strategy with Leonard over the first quarter of the season has been successful, and there have been no problems when he has been asked to play a lot of minutes. “He feels good,” Nurse added of Leonard, who was limited to nine games with the Spurs last season because of a quad injury.
The Raptors‘ C.J. Miles missed his fifth straight game tonight with a groin strain, but he should be back soon, Wolstat adds (Twitter link).
Maurice Harkless is returning to the Trail Blazers‘ lineup tonight after missing 13 games with a sore left knee, tweets Joe Freeman of The Oregonian.