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Bulls Rumors: DeRozan, Drummond, Caruso, Williams

February 5th, 2024 at 11:06am CST by Arthur Hill

With Zach LaVine out for the rest of the season after opting for foot surgery, the Bulls‘ most important decision at the trade deadline will involve DeMar DeRozan, writes Darnell Mayberry of The Athletic.

Mayberry believes the organization should think twice about committing big money to the 34-year-old forward, who will be a free agent this summer. DeRozan and the team haven’t been able to reach a deal in extension talks, and Mayberry questions whether it’s wise to keep the core of the team together amid another mediocre season.

Thursday’s deadline provides an immediate opportunity to part with DeRozan, Mayberry notes, adding that the Bulls should be able to obtain draft assets or young talent from a contender in need of a veteran scorer.

There’s also the possibility of an offseason sign-and-trade, but Mayberry points out that waiting until summer presents the risk of losing DeRozan in free agency with nothing in return. Holding DeRozan’s Bird rights, the Bulls will have the advantage of being able to offer him more money than rival teams, but Mayberry states that DeRozan won’t have any other reason to stay in Chicago if he wants to be part of a winner.

There’s more on the Bulls:

Veteran center Andre Drummond is a target of several teams, including the Celtics, Mavericks, Lakers and Suns, sources tell Michael Scotto of HoopsHype. He adds that the Rockets considered making an offer for Drummond before acquiring Steven Adams last week. Scotto points out that Drummond carries significant value for teams in need of rebounding as he’s collecting 18.9 boards per 36 minutes this season.
The Bulls are asking for two first-round picks in exchange for Alex Caruso, Scotto adds. In addition to being a defensive standout, Caruso is viewed as a bargain because of his $9.89MM salary for next season. Scotto also hears that teams are keeping an eye on the potential availability of Patrick Williams, who wasn’t able to reach a rookie scale extension agreement before the start of the season.
K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago examines the trading record of president of basketball operations Arturas Karnisovas and speculates how it might influence the team’s direction at this year’s deadline.

Pistons Rumors: Harris, LaVine, Morris, Bogdanovic, Burks

February 5th, 2024 at 7:59am CST by Arthur Hill

With Zach LaVine out for the season, Sixers forward Tobias Harris may be the Pistons‘ top trade target, James L. Edwards of The Athletic writes in an overview of the team’s options ahead of Thursday’s deadline. Edwards has stated since December that the Pistons have interest in Harris, who spent time in Detroit early in his career and has connections with members of the front office and coaching staff.

Harris has been a reliable scorer throughout his career and is averaging 17.9 points, 6.0 rebounds and 3.2 assists this season while shooting 51.2% from the field and 34.4% from three-point range. The 31-year-old can handle either forward spot and would give the Pistons a frontcourt weapon to team with Cade Cunningham and Jaden Ivey.

Edwards cautions that Detroit might not be overly aggressive in pursuing Harris this week because of his upcoming free agent status. The front office may be reluctant to part with a significant asset when it will have plenty of cap room to sign him this summer.

Edwards has more on the Pistons:

Detroit seems to have paused trade talks regarding LaVine, but Edwards isn’t certain that the team was ever very committed to acquiring him. While he reports there were “many discussions” between the Bulls and Pistons in recent weeks, sources in the organization tell Edwards that Detroit would have only gotten serious about such a move if Chicago was willing to attach other assets like draft compensation or another player such as Patrick Williams. Edwards also speculates that the Pistons may have been willing to take on LaVine’s contract if the Bulls would have accepted expiring deals in return, but he’s not certain of that. Chicago was asking for Bojan Bogdanovic and another young player, according to Edwards, who doesn’t believe Detroit would have ever agreed to that price.
League sources tell Edwards that numerous teams have inquired about Monte Morris. He cites the Timberwolves as one of the most interested parties, noting that they tried to deal for the veteran guard when he was still with Washington. Morris recently returned after being sidelined by injuries for the season’s first 43 games, and Edwards suggests that Detroit might prefer to hang onto him.
Edwards hears that rival teams have “strong interest” in Bogdanovic and Alec Burks, but the Pistons are leaning toward keeping both players unless the current offers improve.

Bulls’ Patrick Williams Likely Out Through All-Star Break

January 30th, 2024 at 11:43am CST by Luke Adams

Bulls forward Patrick Williams has been diagnosed with acute bone edema in his left foot, the team announced today in a press release. According to the Bulls, Williams will begin a period of “active rest” and will be reevaluated in approximately two weeks.

Noting that the Bulls’ last game before the All-Star break is on February 14, K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago says a best-case scenario for Williams would see him return to action on Feb. 22 in the team’s first game after the break. However, there’s no guarantee he’ll be ready to play at that time.

Williams was held out of Sunday’s game in Portland due to what the team referred to in the injury report as mid-foot soreness. He was wearing a walking boot that day, according to Johnson, who adds that acute bone edema means there has been fluid build-up in Williams’ bone marrow. The former lottery pick said on Sunday that the foot had been bothering him for some time.

“It was just gradual. It’s been a while,” Williams said. “I’ve been trying to do maintenance on it, do pregame work on it, postgame work on it. That Laker game (last Thursday) kind of hit the peak for me.”

A potential restricted free agent at the end of the 2023/24 season, Williams has averaged 10.0 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 1.5 assists in 27.3 minutes per game across 43 appearances (30 starts) for Chicago this season, posting a shooting line of .443/.399/.788.

With Williams and Torrey Craig both sidelined, Johnson expects rookie forward Julian Phillips to take on a larger rotation role. Ayo Dosunmu, who replaced Williams in the starting five on Sunday, is another player who could see more minutes with the fourth-year forward on the shelf.

Eastern Notes: Simmons, P. Williams, Sixers, Embiid, Rozier

January 29th, 2024 at 4:05pm CST by Rory Maher

Nets swingman Ben Simmons will be active for Monday’s game vs. Utah, the team confirmed (Twitter link via Ian Begley of SNY.tv). ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported last week that Simmons was likely to play Monday.

Simmons hasn’t appeared in a game since November 6, when he sustained a nerve impingement in his lower back. He has been limited to six games thus far in 2023/24, averaging 6.5 PPG, 10.8 RPG and 6.7 APG in 31.8 MPG.

According to Brian Lewis of The New York Post, Simmons’ teammates are excited to have him back.

“He definitely helps us. It’s good to see him back with the group,” starting center Nic Claxton said of Simmons. “Of course he brings this extremely high basketball IQ, being able to defend multiple positions on the defensive side of the ball, rebounding. So we are definitely happy to have him back.

“He’s been diligent, he’s been locked in on his rehab. Of course, nobody wants to go through what he’s going through with his back injury and everything but, you know, he’s happy to be back. I’m just happy to see how everything will look with him back with the group.”

Here’s more from the Eastern Conference:

Bulls forward Patrick Williams is wearing a precautionary walking boot and is undergoing more testing on his injured left foot on Monday, per K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago. Williams, who has been managing right ankle and left foot injuries for much of the season, will miss his second straight game with left midfoot soreness on Tuesday vs. Toronto, Johnson tweets. “(The Los Angeles doctor) just recommended keeping his foot immobilized for right now,” head coach Billy Donovan said. “The biggest thing we’ve got to do is bring him back to Chicago and there will be a lot more imaging just to see where he’s at, but I think the pain is too great right now for him to play. Up to now I think it was something he was managing for quite some time, but it wasn’t something where the pain was so significant that he had to miss time. This is the first time it’s gotten to this place.”
Reigning MVP Joel Embiid was a late scratch from Saturday’s game in Denver due to left knee soreness. He was not previously on the injury report. According to Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer, the NBA is expected to investigate the incident, with a source telling Pompey that a Sixers fine will likely follow for failing to follow the league’s protocol. Embiid will miss his second straight game on Monday and can miss no more than five more games over his final 37 in order to be considered for MVP, Pompey adds.
Heat guard Terry Rozier has struggled in his first few games with Miami but his teammates and coaches keep telling him to stay in attack mode, writes Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sun Sentinel. “We need him to be him. We want him to be him,” star forward Jimmy Butler said. “That’s the reason that he’s here. And the more comfortable that he gets, the more he realizes we’re all in his corner to shoot the ball and to be aggressive, to attack. “So as much as we are on him about it, we’ll be on him even more about it, because we want him to be him.”

Central Notes: Bates, LaVine, Walker, Williams

January 23rd, 2024 at 8:09pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Cavaliers rookie second-rounder Emoni Bates and Gabe Osabuohien were each suspended for two games without pay for entering the spectator stands while playing for the G League Cleveland Charge, according to an NBA Communications press release.

The incident occurred at the conclusion of the Charge’s 126-105 loss to the Birmingham Squadron on Saturday. Bates, who is on a two-way contract with the Cavaliers, will lose over $7,700 in pay during the G League suspension, according to ESPN’s Bobby Marks (Twitter link).

Cavaliers head coach J.B. Bickerstaff defended the actions of the two players, claiming that they were subjected to nasty and inappropriate comments from the stands, Peter Dewey of CavaliersNation.com relays.

“We talked to Emoni and I want to be clear about the circumstances of that and I don’t think it’s been clear. It was an ugly incident from the fan standpoint,” the Cavaliers coach said. “Emoni and Gabe , they draw the attention and I understand the league’s hard and fast rule on approaching the stands and that type of thing, but there’s also a line that needs to be drawn between how fans believe they can interact with players, how they can interact with players’ families and the things that were said to Emoni and his family. I let him know we’ve got his back, we’re still supporting him and as a league there needs to be more done to protect those guys. They should never have to go through what they went through and be called the names they were called.”

We have more from the Central Division:

The Bulls revealed on Friday that Zach LaVine would miss at least a week due to a right ankle sprain. The Athletic’s Shams Charania said on FanDuel’s Run It Back program (Twitter link) that LaVine’s injury is worse than a Grade 1 (mild) sprain.
In light of the Pascal Siakam acquisition, Pacers’ rookie forward Jarace Walker would seemingly have an even smaller role. However, coach Rick Carlisle has been giving Walker more opportunities to play small forward, Dustin Dopirak of the Indianapolis Star notes. “Once we acquired Pascal, you gotta take a hard look at how this thing is shaping up,” Carlisle said. “With the realities about the importance of playing with size to being a good defensive team, it makes sense to put him in that equation somewhere. It doesn’t mean he will always play 3. The more I’m going through this, I like playing with size, size that can move and make plays and stay in front of people is even better.” Walker, the eighth overall pick of last year’s draft, has averaged 21.3 minutes of playing time over the last three games.
Patrick Williams, a restricted free agent after the season, remains a work in progress when it comes to decision-making on offense, Darnell Mayberry of The Athletic writes. Bulls coach Billy Donovan gave Williams a quick hook on Saturday when he made two passive decisions instead of being aggressive. “Guys grow and develop at different rates. It’s not like he doesn’t want to do it. I just think he’s got to be more decisive when the ball comes,” Donovan said.

Bulls Notes: Williams, Terry, Carter, Phillips, LaVine

January 20th, 2024 at 11:00pm CST by Arthur Hill

The right ankle pain that has been affecting Bulls forward Patrick Williams might linger for the rest of the season, writes Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times. Soreness in the ankle has forced Williams to sit out a couple of recent games, and there’s no indication that it’s getting better. Williams talked to Cowley about his condition after playing nearly 27 minutes in tonight’s win over Memphis.

‘‘To be honest, I haven’t had many good days,’’ Williams said. ‘‘It’s just more of, ‘Can I play through it? Is this a feeling that I can play through or not? Can I cut? Can I jump?’ That’s pretty much the feel I’m trying to get, whether it’s pregame, practice or whatever the case may be. ‘Can I cut? Can I move?’ Hopefully the answer is always yes, but there’s times where [it’s], ‘Ah, I can’t really move and cut and jump the way I’m used to.’’’

Williams is getting used to managing an injury again after playing in all 82 games last season. Cowley observes that Williams sometimes doesn’t have his usual explosiveness, which is the result of limitations from the ankle. Cowley adds that next month’s All-Star break should provide some relief, but the ankle pain could be something Williams will have to deal with as long as the Bulls’ season lasts.

There’s more from Chicago:

With Zach LaVine sidelined for another week or two with an ankle sprain, Dalen Terry and Jevon Carter both saw an increased role in Saturday’s game, Cowley adds. Terry recently surpassed Carter in the rotation, but it appears coach Billy Donovan will be leaning on both of them until LaVine returns. ‘‘During the course of an NBA season, you’re going to have guys out,’’ Donovan said. ‘‘It gives an opportunity for someone that hadn’t had those number of minutes. The injuries are just a part of it. I think our guys should have confidence. Not every guy is going to be in the rotation when we’re whole. I’m pleased with the way the group has responded with injuries. I think we’ve responded well. It’s not to say we’ve always won, but I think the guys that have gotten the opportunity have kept themselves ready when it was time to play.’’ Rookie forward Julian Phillips was recalled from the G League and could join the rotation if Donovan wants to expand it to 10 players, Cowley notes.
Imaging on LaVine’s right ankle revealed swelling, but he will accompany the team on a three-game Western trip next week, according to K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago.
Tonight’s win improved the Bulls to 11-7 without LaVine in the lineup as they’re learning to adjust without one of their main offensive weapons, Cowley states in a separate story. “I think naturally it’s a next-guy-up mentality with this team,” Williams said. “We’ve shown that really over the years, but especially this year. We’ve done a good job of knowing what works, and I think that’s the sign of a good team.”

Zach LaVine To Miss At Least 1-2 Weeks With Ankle Sprain

January 19th, 2024 at 6:09pm CST by Rory Maher

Bulls guard Zach LaVine is expected to be sidelined for at least one-to-two weeks after sustaining a right ankle sprain on Thursday vs. Toronto, sources tell Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link).

The Bulls officially confirmed that LaVine will miss at least a week, tweets K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago.

After exiting to the locker room when he initially suffered the injury in the third quarter, LaVine returned to the bench and tried to play through it for a few minutes in the fourth, but was hampered. Further testing on Friday revealed the sprain, says Charania.

It’s an unfortunate setback for the two-time All-Star, who missed 17 games earlier this season with a right foot injury and only returned to action two weeks ago. Now, he’ll be out at least another week or two with an injury on the same foot.

LaVine has been one of the more prominent players mentioned in trade rumors this season, though the three years and $138MM remaining on his contract beyond this season have reportedly suppressed his market value. The fact that he’s injured again just a few weeks before the February 8 deadline almost certainly won’t help matters on that front, either.

When Chicago was struggling early in the season, LaVine faced criticism for his perceived selfish play and that only intensified when the Bulls played pretty well without him (they were 10-7).

However, they’re 5-2 since LaVine returned to the lineup on January 5, with the 28-year-old playing far more of a complementary offensive role in averaging 15.6 PPG, 5.9 RPG and 5.3 APG on .487/.390/.810 shooting in that span. For context, LaVine has averaged 25.1 points on 18.6 field goal attempts per game over the past five seasons, compared to 15.6 points on 11.1 shots over the past seven games.

With LaVine out, players like Alex Caruso, Ayo Dosunmu, Jevon Carter and Patrick Williams could receive more minutes. It’s worth noting, however, that Williams is dealing with a right ankle issue himself and head coach Billy Donovan said it could be an injury that lingers for the rest of the season, per Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times.

Central Notes: Burks, Dosunmu, Williams, Jackson Jr.

January 15th, 2024 at 10:52pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Pistons reserve guard Alec Burks continues to pump up his trade value, despite the team’s woeful season. Burks tied his career high with 34 points on Monday as the Pistons defeated the Wizards and collected just their fourth win this season.

Burks is averaging 18.7 points over the last 11 games. He has an expiring $10.9MM contract and could help a contender in need of a shooter.

“I’m happy for AB, man. He’s a great vet. He can really score the ball,” forward Isaiah Stewart said, per Omari Sankofa II of the Detroit Free Press. “I love playing with him. Every time he steps out on the floor, he’s in range. He’s the type of guy that just hits all types of shots, and once he’s hot, he’s hot. Seeing him have a performance like that today, he deserved that and I’m happy for him.”

We have more from the Central Division:

Bulls guard Ayo Dosunmu is dealing with a shoulder stinger, though he’s hopeful he won’t miss any games, according to K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago. “In the San Antonio game, I had caught a stinger and it was bothering me. Pretty much all year but it wasn’t every day, just on the occasion when I got hit,” Dosunmu said. “And I got hit in San Antonio (on Saturday). (Monday), I went for an offensive rebound and there was some contact and my shoulder just went numb, dead and weak.”
Patrick Williams missed Monday’s loss to Cleveland with a right ankle sprain but the Bulls power forward hasn’t contributed much on the stat sheet since Zach LaVine and Nikola Vucevic returned from injuries, Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times notes. Williams moved back to the second unit and averaged 6.0 points and 2.6 rebounds before injuring his ankle. “What I try to explain to Pat is everything you go through as a young guy will mold you and turn you into the pro you need to be,” DeMar DeRozan said. “Right now it can be tough trying to constantly figure out what’s needed from him, but my thing is once you get it you’ll find the appreciation of the ups and downs.”
Bucks rookie Andre Jackson Jr., who won a national championship with UConn, recorded his first NBA double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds against Golden State on Saturday. Jackson was drafted with the No. 36 overall pick and traded to Milwaukee on draft night. “He made big-time plays,” coach Adrian Griffin told the Milwaukee Sun Sentinel’s Jim Owczarski and other media members. “He’s a big-time player. he was a winner in college. Has a motor like i haven’t seen in a long time. Imposes his will on the game. He just made big-time plays, he made winning plays. That’s who ‘Dre is. That was his first double-double. We needed every rebound. He had six offensive rebounds, he’s guarding the best layer on the other side. He’s shaping into being a really, really special player in this league.”

Bulls Notes: Trade Deadline, LaVine, Williams, Ball

January 15th, 2024 at 8:02am CST by Arthur Hill

A few weeks ago, the Bulls seemed likely to be among the NBA’s most active teams heading into the trade deadline, but their recent surge may have changed that, writes Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times.

Chicago has won 14 of its last 22 games after a 5-14 start to move into ninth place in the Eastern Conference. The team is still below .500 and another play-in appearance seems like the best-case scenario, but the players still have 11 games before the deadline to convince management that this group is worthy of being kept together.

‘‘Trying not to veer out of my lane too much, but when we play the right way, we’re a good team,’’ said Alex Caruso, who would have plenty of suitors if the Bulls decide to move him. ‘‘I think we’ve proven that a little bit last year and this year, even though you can’t put much weight in seasons you’re not in [the playoffs]. But we’ve beaten good teams, we’ve shown we can play with the good teams, and that’s the way you win late in the season. For us, it’s just about the consistency of it. Move or no move, we’ve got to show up and do our job, keep trying to win games and be a team that can beat good teams late in the season.’’

Chicago’s most significant improvement has been on defense, Cowley adds. The team has ranked seventh in the league in defensive efficiency over its last 22 games after placing 22nd in the first 19. The offense is also getting better, moving from 26th to 18th in that same span. Nikola Vucevic believes the Bulls can continue their progress, but he realizes that front office decisions are beyond his control.

‘‘I’m happy with the guys we have here, and I think we can play even better than we have,” he said. “We have a lot more to show than we have so far. Whatever the front office wants to do, that’s on them.’’

There’s more from Chicago:

Zach LaVine‘s future will be the most important decision facing the team in the second half of the season, notes K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago. The Bulls began looking for someone to take LaVine’s pricey contract in November, but there’s been no indication of any progress. Chicago began its turnaround while LaVine was sidelined with inflammation in his right foot and has gone 4-1 since he returned. “I think he’s flowing really well,” Caruso said. “When he gets to the paint, he’s making really good reads and not forcing anything. When he does that, he plays better and it makes our offense easier. It simplifies stuff for us.”
Right ankle soreness caused Patrick Williams to sit out Saturday for the second time in five games, Johnson states in a separate story. Williams has been playing through pain for several weeks, and coach Billy Donovan is hoping he’ll be active for tonight’s game at Cleveland.
Sunday marked the two-year anniversary of Lonzo Ball‘s last game, Johnson adds in another piece. Ball has undergone three surgeries on his left knee since then, including a cartilage transplant last March. Donovan said Ball is slated to start running later this month, and he’ll connect with the team during next week’s visit to Los Angeles, where the guard is rehabbing the knee.

Bulls Notes: LaVine, Vucevic, Williams, Phillips

January 5th, 2024 at 7:49am CST by Luke Adams

While Bulls guard Zach LaVine has been officially listed as questionable to return on Friday vs. Charlotte, he’s on track to play, according to K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago (Twitter link). Barring a setback that delays his return, it will be LaVine’s first game since November 28.

As Johnson notes in a full story for NBC Sports Chicago, the Bulls have posted a 10-7 record without LaVine, but recent losses to Cleveland, Philadelphia, and New York showed that the team could use the sort of scoring, play-making, and floor-spacing that the two-time All-Star can provide.

“We could’ve used that extra 20 to 25 to 30 points (on Tuesday),” DeMar DeRozan said after the Bulls mustered just 97 points in a loss to the Sixers. “Give another dynamic focal point of scoring, play-making. At the end of the day, it’s still Zach LaVine. And teams have to prepare for that. When we have him on the court, there are so many more options for us to execute.”

Here’s more on the Bulls:

Bulls center Nikola Vucevic, who has missed the past five games due to a left adductor strain, appears to be nearing a return as well. He’s currently listed as questionable to play on Friday, Johnson notes (via Twitter). Big man Andre Drummond has averaged 14.0 points and an incredible 19.4 rebounds in 29.6 minutes per night during Vucevic’s absence.
Bulls forward Patrick Williams hasn’t missed a game this season, but he was limited to 11 minutes on Tuesday due to a right ankle issue that he has been playing through for weeks, Johnson writes for NBC Sports Chicago. “It had been feeling stiff or sore,” Williams said. “A lot of times when I feel that way, I try to play through it and with the adrenaline of the game or when your body gets going, it starts to loosen up.” The former fourth overall pick was able to play 27 minutes on Wednesday in New York and is listed as probable for Friday’s game.
Bulls rookie Julian Phillips played a season-high 17 minutes on Tuesday vs. the Sixers and was a plus-10 in the 13-point loss, with seven points and three blocks. Phillips saw just two minutes on Wednesday and has only logged more than 10 minutes in a game twice this season, but he’s unfazed by his inconsistent role and is determined to “go hard” whenever he gets the opportunity to play, he tells Darnell Mayberry of The Athletic. “Just trying to approach every game the same way,” Phillips said. “With the mindset of, I think Coach said, ‘If you play four minutes or you play 40 minutes, if you go into shootaround with that mindset you’ll be ready for whenever the opportunity is.’ So I try to adapt to that and stay ready at all times.”