Lauri Markkanen Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Bulls Notes: Markkanen, Young, Valentine, White

January 25th, 2020 at 10:06pm CST by Arthur Hill

Lauri Markkanen‘s latest injury not only damages the Bulls‘ hopes of reaching the playoffs, it prevents the organization from having clarity on an important long-term decision, writes K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago. Markkanen will miss the next four-to-six weeks after doctors discovered an early stress reaction of his right pelvis during an MRI. It’s the latest blow to a depleted frontcourt that is already getting by without Wendell Carter Jr., Daniel Gafford and Otto Porter.

The injury figures to complicate offseason negotiations for Markkanen, who will be eligible for a rookie scale extension. Johnson notes that because of injuries, Markkanen and Zach LaVine have played just 106 of a possible 210 games together since LaVine was acquired in a trade with Minnesota.

Short-term plans are for Thaddeus Young to move into the starting lineup at power forward, but Johnson argues that Chicago still needs to explore trade opportunities for Young prior to the February 6 deadline. Porter hopes to return after the All-Star break, while Markkanen’s prognosis would sideline him for 10 to 17 games.

There’s more tonight from Chicago:

The Bulls need to find a taker for Denzel Valentine before the deadline, Johnson contends in a separate piece. Valentine has hardly seen any playing time this month after being productive while averaging 15.5 minutes per game in December. Coach Jim Boylen has been vague in his reasons for not using Valentine, who has fully recovered from reconstructive ankle surgery that forced him to miss all of last season. At least one team has expressed interest in Valentine, sources tell Johnson.
Boylen won’t alter his way of doing things despite fan criticism and a poor win-loss record, relays Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times. Cowley noted a lot of empty seats at United Center for Friday’s game with the Kings, but Boylen insists that support for him and the team hasn’t declined. “The fans have been great to me,’’ he said. “For the most part, they understand what we’re trying to do. There’s always going to be people that don’t like where it’s at or where it’s going. I can’t control any of that. All I can control is my attitude, my work, my connection to this team. That’s what I’m going to try and do.’’
Markkanen’s injury probably won’t mean more minutes for rookie guard Coby White, Cowley adds in the same piece. Even though the Bulls might need more scoring, the focus for White will remain on development. “His plan won’t change much,’’ Boylen said. “He plays a different position than Markkanen. We’ll get Coby involved and keep developing him as a guard that can lead the team, but also score the ball. Keep pushing him to be a two-way player, which I think is really important for him.’’

Lauri Markkanen Out 4-6 Weeks With Pelvic Injury

January 24th, 2020 at 2:57pm CST by Luke Adams

The Bulls‘ disappointing season has taken another unfortunate turn, as the team announced today in a press release that starting power forward Lauri Markkanen will be sidelined for the next four-to-six weeks. According to the team, an MRI on Markkanen’s hip revealed an early stress reaction of his right pelvis.

The seventh overall pick in the 2017 draft, Markkanen had a strong rookie season, but didn’t take a major step forward in his second season and has leveled off in his third year. His 15.0 PPG, 6.5 RPG, .424 FG%, and .344 3PT% in 46 games in 2019/20 are all career lows.

This is also the third consecutive season that Markkanen has battled health problems. He was limited to 68 games in his first year, then missed 30 total games at the start and end of last season due to an elbow injury and a heart issue.

The 22-year-old will become extension-eligible for the first time this offseason, so even if Chicago falls out of the playoff race, he’ll want to return sometime after the All-Star break and finish the season strong. Currently, the 17-29 Bulls are 2.5 games back of the eighth-seeded Nets.

With Markkanen, starting center Wendell Carter, and rookie big man Daniel Gafford all on the shelf, the Bulls’ frontcourt depth will be tested. The team figures to lean heavily on Luke Kornet, Thaddeus Young, and Cristiano Felicio for the time being.

Daniel Gafford To Miss 2-4 Weeks With Dislocated Thumb

January 15th, 2020 at 8:18pm CST by Arthur Hill

A right thumb injury suffered by Daniel Gafford in tonight’s game is expected to sideline the Bulls‘ rookie center for two to four weeks, tweets Shams Charania of The Athletic.

Gafford suffered the injury early in the first quarter when he deflected a pass, relays K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago. The thumb appeared to bend backward, and Gafford ran straight to the training room.

Gafford is averaging 4.9 points and 2.5 rebounds in limited playing time through 31 games, but he has taken over a starting role since the loss of Wendell Carter Jr., who is out for four to six weeks with a sprained right ankle. Gafford has been excelling on defense, with a streak of 12 straight games with a blocked shot coming into tonight.

Johnson notes that coach Jim Boylen turned to Luke Kornet after Gafford had to leave the game and used some lineups with Lauri Markkanen at center.

Eastern Notes: Payton II, Isaac, Markkanen, Celtics

December 29th, 2019 at 5:30pm CST by JD Shaw

Gary Payton II, son of Hall of Fame defensive specialist Gary Payton, is proving his worth with the Wizards and could earn a concrete deal with the team this season, Candace Buckner of the Washington Post writes.

Payton, 27, was signed by the injury-riddled Wizards using the team’s hardship exception and thrust into the rotation on short notice. He’s shown efficient production offensively and pesky effort defensively, averaging 11.7 points, four assists and 4.3 steals in three games.

“What makes him so good, I think it’s pretty simple: He’s been cut a few times. When you’re cut a few times, you’re hungry. You’re desperate,” coach Scott Brooks said of Payton. “He plays for the right reasons … I know he’s going to get a good chance to make it here because of his effort and his intensity and his hunger and his desire and his competition and his competitive spirit to compete every possession. That’s what we’re trying to build our program by.”

Payton has held brief stints with the Bucks (18 games) and Lakers (11 games) during his career, also appearing in three contests with the Wizards last season on a 10-day contract. His motivation stems from bouncing around the NBA G League on four teams since going undrafted in 2016.

“I’ve been hungry ever since I got here [in Washington],” Payton said. “In and out of the G League, trying to find somewhere to stick. I think these guys here appreciate what I do and value what I do, so I go to bat for them every day. Just taking advantage of this opportunity.”

There’s more from the Eastern Conference tonight:

Magic forward Jonathan Isaac is living up to his “Minister of Defense” nickname with the team this season, John Denton of NBA.com writes. Isaac, an athletic 6-foot-11 combo forward, is in his third professional season. He’s averaged 12.3 points, 7.1 rebounds and 2.5 blocks per game in 30 contests on the year. “I think it’s taken for granted, but defense is 50 percent of the game,’’ Isaac said. “There are schemes and all types of things that go into defense. The same way that you want to get comfortable on offense and learn how the NBA game works, you want to do the same on defense.”
Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times examines the impact of Lauri Markkanen, along with how the Bulls’ overall play changes depending on his level of production. Chicago has accrued just a 13-20 record on the season, but the team is 5-5 in its last 10 contests. “Obviously I can do a better rebounding and pushing the ball, but yeah, I’m more comfortable,’’ Markkanen said. “ I kind of know where I’m going to get my touches and shots. I think everybody is figuring out their role and doing a good job of it. Knowing when to attack, and in our system knowing where the open guy is going to be. That obviously helps when you play the same guys.’’
Celtics coach Brad Stevens is considering lineup changes to help improve the team’s defense, A. Sherrod Blakely of NBC Sports Boston writes. The Celtics have a 22-8 record on the season and dropped a 113-97 home game to Toronto on Saturday. “We’ve got to get back to being a better defensive team,” Stevens said. “And we’ve got to find … we’ve got to find the right mix of guys that will defend well together and that complement our best players to defend well. And just get back to that.”

Bulls Notes: Markkanen, LaVine, Carter, Kornet

November 25th, 2019 at 2:58pm CST by Arthur Hill

Of all the issues holding down the Bulls, none is more baffling than the slow start by Lauri Markkanen, writes Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times. A tense two-game stretch ended on a positive note Saturday as Zach LaVine resolved trust issues with coach Jim Boylen and put up 49 points in a dramatic win at Charlotte. However, Cowley notes that Markkanen was on the bench as the Bulls finished off their comeback.

“Well, I didn’t think Lauri played poorly,’’ Boylen said afterward. “He did not shoot the ball how we know he can shoot it. I did not think he played poorly. Just like Zach, just like Coby [White], just like [Kris Dunn], just like [Ryan Arcidiacono], just like everybody, Wendell [Carter], I’m going to keep coaching and my staff is going to keep coaching. Just try to keep leading these guys in the right direction. We’re going to keep looking at it.’’

Markkanen’s scoring average is down about five points from last season and his shooting percentage has dropped from 43.0% to 35.4%. Cowley cites increasing concern in the organization that he and LaVine might not be effective together. Rumors of a possible Markkanen trade have emerged recently, although a source in the organization strongly denied it.

There’s more Bulls news to pass along:

Chicago is giving fewer minutes to its best players than anyone else in the league, which may contribute to any chemistry issues between LaVine and Markkanen, notes Sam Smith of Bulls.com. The Bulls have 10 players averaging at least 20 minutes per game, while most teams have six or seven. Both LaVine and Markkanen have seen their court time fall about 10% from last season.
Coaches are working with Carter to try to get his foul trouble under control, relays K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago. The second-year center is averaging 12.9 points and 9.8 rebounds per game, but he’s also committing 4.2 fouls, which limits his time on the court. “I don’t know if it’s that I’m being too aggressive,” Carter said. “I talk to the refs. Every time I pick up my early fouls, I always try to ask them what exactly am I doing wrong. It seems my body is out of position or my hands are down. It’s just a concentration thing with me. I just have to go into the game knowing that I can’t be picking up early fouls.”
Backup center Luke Kornet has been cleared for basketball work a week after having nasal surgery, Johnson tweets.

Central Notes: Mitrou-Long, Markkanen, Griffin, Drummond

November 18th, 2019 at 2:04pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Injuries have thrust Pacers two-way players Naz Mitrou-Long and Brian Bowen into action more than anticipated in the early going, Mark Monteith of the team’s website notes. Backcourt injuries forced Indiana to play Mitrou-Long 14 minutes on Saturday one night after he scored 28 points for its G League affiliate, the Fort Wayne Mad Ants. Bowen made a five-minute appearance in the loss to Milwaukee.

We have more from the Central Division:

Bulls forward Lauri Markkanen hasn’t reached the 20-point mark since scoring 35 points in the season opener and shooting guard Zach LaVine is looking to change that, K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago relays. “He just doesn’t seem in rhythm right now man. It’s a new offense. And I think it has a part to do with it,” LaVine said. “We’ve just got to help him find it.”
Injuries to Blake Griffin and Derrick Rose have contributed greatly to the Pistons’ 4-9 start. With some days off and both stars back in action, coach Dwane Casey is hoping to get things back on track, Keith Langlois of the team’s website writes. “We’ve got three or four days we can practice,” he said. “Before, there was one day in between. … Sounds like an excuse. But it’s going to take a while for our guys to jell together, work together, learn each other. With Blake and Derrick back, for them to learn each other. It’s going to be a marathon.”
The Pistons will have to consider drastic changes if they don’t break the cycle of mediocrity soon, Rod Beard of the Detroit News writes. The trade for Griffin hasn’t resulted in a huge uptick in the team’s fortunes, Beard continues. Andre Drummond, who can become an unrestricted free agent next summer, hasn’t impacted winning significantly enough to warrant another long-term deal in many people’s minds, Beard adds.

Bulls Notes: LaVine, Markkanen, Carter, Anthony

November 17th, 2019 at 12:58pm CST by Arthur Hill

A lethargic offense has doomed the Bulls in a 4-9 start, but Zach LaVine doesn’t believe they need to change their approach, relays Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times. The Bulls were 27th in offensive efficiency heading into Saturday, and although they are placing a new emphasis on 3-pointers, ranking eighth in the league in attempts at 35.5 per game, they are shooting just 32.5% from beyond the arc, which ranks 24th.

“We get stagnant a lot out there,’’ LaVine said after Saturday’s loss to the Nets. “We’ll run one action and then everybody is staring at the person with the ball. We gotta get more fluid. I don’t feel a lot of people are in rhythm. When that happens, obviously everybody starts trying to do it themselves. It’s tough. I blame myself. I try to do that as well. I’m in the gym late. I’m putting up shots. I’m making sure I’m prepared so I can do everything I can to help. We gotta do a better job as a team.’’

Coach Jim Boylen told reporters he plans to “stay the course” with the current approach and doesn’t expect any major changes in personnel or strategy.

There’s more Bulls news to pass along:

LaVine is vowing to help Lauri Markkanen rediscover his scoring touch, writes K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago. After averaging 18.7 points per game last season, Markkanen’s average has fallen to 14.5 PPG while shooting 38% from the field. “He just doesn’t seem in rhythm right now man. It’s a new offense. And I think it has a part to do with it,” LaVine said. “We just gotta help him find it. We’ve all gone through some struggles. I feel like everybody has been off rhythm in the beginning part of the year. I think everybody is shooting a lower field goal percentage than their (career) average. His spirits are still high. I know he’s worried about it but he’s not pressing yet. And I think that’s good to see. He hasn’t done anything out of character. He hasn’t lashed out or blamed anybody. He just wants to win. And that’s the type of player he is.”
Foul trouble continues to be an issue for second-year center Wendell Carter Jr., Cowley observes in a separate story. Coaches like Carter’s aggressiveness on defense, but he admits he needs to channel it to stay on the floor.
After taking Coby White in the first round this year, the Bulls could focus on another Tar Heel if they continue to flounder, Cowley suggests in another piece. Cole Anthony, who has drawn comparisons to Derrick Rose, comes highly recommended by White. “He’s everything that was advertised,’’ White said. “Good, athletic, strong, can knock it down, gets it done defensively, rebounds the ball.’’

Bulls Exercise Options On Markkanen, Carter Jr., Hutchison

October 21st, 2019 at 5:21pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Bulls have exercised their fourth-year option on forward Lauri Markkanen and third-year options on center Wendell Carter Jr. and forward Chandler Hutchison, according to a team press release. That guarantees the trio’s contracts for the 2020/21 season.

Markkanen will make $6.73MM next season after collecting $5.3MM this season.

Injuries limited Markkanen to 52 games last season. He averaged 18.7 PPG and 9.0 RPG while shooting .430 from the field and .361 from 3-point range.

Carter Jr. will take home $5.45MM next season after receiving approximately $5.2MM this season.

Carter Jr. was selected No. 7 overall in 2018 draft. He, too, battled injuries last season and was limited to 44 games but showed the ability to be a defensive anchor. He averaged 10,3 PPG, 7.0 RPG and 1.3 BPG in 25.2 MPG as a rookie.

Hutchison will receive $2.44MM next season after making $2.33MM in 2019/20.

Hutchison, selected with the No. 22 pick in 2018, averaged 5.2 PPG and 4.2 RPG in 44 games during his rookie campaign. He’s expected to play a reserve role this season.

Central Notes: Markkanen, Crawford, Boylen, Bulls

September 29th, 2019 at 7:08pm CST by JD Shaw

The Bulls are preparing for Lauri Markkanen to make a major splash in his third season with the franchise, K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports writes.

Markkanen missed part of last season due to a right elbow injury, but the 22-year-old still showed promise by averaging 18.7 points, nine rebounds and 32.3 minutes in 52 contests.

“I think (management) did a really good job drafting and getting high character free agents,” Markkanen said about his team’s success in free agency. “Everybody is coming along really well in our workouts. I’ve played against Thad. He’s a really good player. He’s very physical. And what he really does is lead vocally. I’ve really enjoyed talking to him and working out with him.”

The Bulls added to an already-strong young core of Markkanen, Zach LaVine and Wendell Carter Jr. in free agency, acquiring the likes of Tomas Satoransky and Thaddeus Young on multi-year deals.

The goal for Chicago now, Markkanen explains, is using its new roster additions to make a long-awaited push for the playoffs next spring.

“That’s our goal,” Markkanen said. “Personally for me, just missing the playoffs and having such long offseasons, that’s a bummer. I would love to be in the playoffs. We’re just focused on improving every day.”

There’s more from the Central Division tonight:

Free agent guard Jordan Crawford has been working out with the Pistons ahead of training camp, according to Ben Stinar of Amico Hoops (Twitter link). Crawford has made past NBA stops with Golden State, Boston, Washington and Atlanta.
Bulls coach Jim Boylen has a chance to exercise his well-documented hard-nosed culture with the team at training camp, writes Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times. Boylen took over head coaching duties when Fred Hoiberg was dismissed last December, with the second-year head coach having his first opportunity at running the franchise’s camp before the season.
In a different story for The Chicago Sun-Times, Cowley examines five potential Bulls storylines this upcoming season. The Bulls did a number of things to improve their team this offseason, including signing veterans, improving the bench, and successfully dealing with injuries.

Eastern Notes: Leonard, Fultz, LaVine, Johnson

September 26th, 2019 at 9:32pm CST by clarkcrum

New Heat center Meyers Leonard is ready for the new opportunity that awaits him in Miami, writes Ira Winderman of the Sun-Sentinel.

“I know that I can impact the game every night… And I’m vastly improved compared to when I was younger and earlier in my career. The easiest way to put it is I feel really good about where I’m at. And I’m just excited for this new opportunity. The Heat saw something in me and I really appreciate it.”

Leonard, who becomes an intriguing stretch option in the frontcourt for head coach Erik Spoelstra, is confident in his ability to hit open threes and expand his game even further.

“I’m going to do what’s asked of me… If I’m open, I’m going to shoot it. That’s one thing I feel that, particularly last year, I started to do a better job of is take more contested shots…. I (also) feel that I’ve really expanded my game. I can get my shot off quicker. I feel good, even extended beyond the 3-point line. I really, really feel that I’ll be able to provide a very unique skill-set and the ability to roll all the way to the rim, to half roll and play-make or to pick and pop to three. So it’s something I’ve worked very, very hard on.”

There’s more news from the Eastern Conference:

Magic guard and former No. 1 overall pick Markelle Fultz has joined Roc Nation Sports, the 21-year-old announced on his own Twitter account.
The best-case scenario for Bulls guard Zach LaVine? He’s got All-Star potential, and should be an All-Star this season, writes Mark Strotman of NBC Sports Chicago. But, on the flip side, if he isn’t able to mesh better with Lauri Markkanen and improve on the defensive side of the ball, it may be another long season in Chicago.
Rod Beard of The Detroit News reports that Pistons guard Joe Johnson, who signed a partially guaranteed deal earlier this month, has impressed head coach Dwane Casey with his conditioning. “My main concern was Joe getting up and down and he showed that he can still run the floor and still be athletic,” Casey said. “He has it, even at (38).”