The Bulls were among the most active teams at the trade deadline, adding five new players to their roster, but so far the changes haven’t worked out the way they hoped, writes K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports. Chicago has gone just 3-7 since then while playing a difficult schedule that featured nine road games and seven against playoff contenders.
“Every night we have one category I would say we don’t perform well,” said center Daniel Theis, who was one of the new additions. “One night it’s turnovers that cost us a game. (Sunday), we didn’t get to the line a lot. (Monday), we didn’t shoot the ball well from 3. Now we’ve got to put together a complete game. If we play defense like (Monday) and we make our shots, we’re gonna win games.”
There’s more from Chicago:
- Before the Bulls hosted Orlando tonight, Magic coach Steve Clifford talked to his former center, Nikola Vucevic, about the adjustment to a new team, tweets Josh Robbins of The Athletic. “He’s getting comfortable here (with Chicago),” Clifford said. “I think it’ll be a great place for him. He’s very upbeat, very excited about his teammates … loves (Bulls coach) Billy (Donovan).”
- The decision to trade for Vucevic was a way for the Bulls’ front office to show Zach LaVine that they’re serious about winning, according to A. Sherrod Blakely of Bleacher Report. LaVine is widely expected to turn down an extension offer from Chicago in order to sign a more lucrative deal as a free agent, Blakely says.
- The addition of Vucevic has cut into Lauri Markkanen‘s playing time and there’s reason to question whether he’ll return next season, Blakely adds. Vucevic and Markkanen both excel as scorers, but haven’t been effective as a defensive combo. “In the right kind of system, Markkanen could be a really good player,” an Eastern Conference executive told Blakely. “I don’t know if Chicago is it; it’s certainly not it if they think him and Vucevic can play together.” The Spurs may make a strong effort to sign Markkanen this summer, according to Blakely.
- The Knicks are eyeing Pelicans guard Lonzo Ball in free agency and their main competition could come from the Bulls, sources tell Marc Berman of The New York Post. Chicago was involved in trade talks regarding Ball at last month’s deadline.
I know a few people in the Bulls organization and the unspoken secret is that Markkanen is terribly home sick. It puts the team in a weird position.
Who wouldn’t feel homesick while having to endure life in a city where police execute 13-year-old children in the street?
I’ve literally only heard from the beat reporters around here that Zach would sign a max deal, this is the first time I’ve ever seen it mentioned he would test free agency, the way he talks also does not seem like he would leave if given a max offer…I find this report false and I will cry so many tears if true, the most tears…I’m crying now…
Can’t blame him for wanting to go to a winning team.
Won’t be in Houston then. Remind me again, how many rings do they have? Oh that’s right, 3 times less than Chicago.
No Ball ….. Yeeess Dinwiddie.
How could Bulls lose to Magic tonight. They’re suppose to be making a playoff run. You can’t beat the Magic. Magic had 7 players score in double digits. Bulls had 3. Markkanen played 16:30 and 6 pts. You are chasing the playoffs. And you don’t play him. He’s not mad about it. Seems they are heading for a breakup . I always liked Markkanen but I am starting to wonder about his attitude. Me I force them to play me, if not with my play. Then with me being pissed I’m not playing. Rebuilding team should be looking at Markkanen.
Because the Bulls are not very good.
I agree they got Vucevic to please LaVine. Maybe too late. Never thought he’d leave Bulls. Come to NYC , yes. Bulls get a PG he’ll stay. But Markkanen is puzzling to me. I would think a stretch 4 is a good fit with Vucevic.
Markannen is less a stretch 4 than a younger version of Kyle Korver. On fast breaks he heads to the arc and stands like a statue. Rebounds are an exception not a rule as is any physical contact. He should be a smarter player now, in year 4, but his flailing on defense is like a flamingo flapping his wings. He just does not fit with the Bulls, if anywhere. He has the same awkwardness Shawn Bradley had, he is a 7 footer who plays a foot shorter.
You do know he came into league a rebounder and scorer. His 2nd yr stats are very impressive. Then Bulls coaching and front office played in. Since he’s stats have gone down last 2 yrs. He’s a very good shooter his FT is excellent. It’s why offense makes him stand and shoot threes. The Bulls have been failing their players for yrs now. It’s why LaVine has clashed with them. It’s why the rumors of trades and him wanting out. There have been rumors about Markkanen trades for two yrs. That’s not the way to treat a guy. Who in his 2nd yr put up ……. Stats
32 mins, 18.3 pts, 9 reb. .872 FT%, at 21 yrs old.
You build this up, you build on this. Not tear it down. Or trade it away. This is FO ineptitude to me.
Wow it is amazing how you guys can both praise the Bulls talent and call them garbage at the same time. Lauri is a bad fit for the Bulls and has a low basketball IQ or he would be getting more minutes now.
I repeat that this FO is only responsible for Wiiliams, Vucevic, Brown, and Theis, all of whom are improvements. They will take those guys and Lavine, and let the rest try to make next years roster. They might buy Aminu out, he was salary filler.
They will be fine next year if they get a legit pg. If a 23 year old man making millions cannot stave off ‘homesickness’ then he should probably get into another line of work.
You cannot blame Donovan, he has done the best he can with a mismatched roster and they are way better than last year. His post games are frank and intelligent. He has definitely sent some evaluations to the FO, and this team will look different next season.
Let’s give them a little more rope before we hang them.
Bleacher Report:
“According to NBA.com, Vucevic and Markkanen have played together for 89 minutes. Their offensive rating during that stretch is 105.2, while their defensive rating is a woeful 122.3.”
I suspect both players need to be teamed with a defensively-focussed big, which Markkanon had in Wendell Carter. Problem is Markkanon is not as good as Vooch as a scoring specialist and will likely not be kept. It looks like a good idea for a tank overall… mismatch talent leaving anyway.
Note to reporters, KC Johnson/NBC… that was the only instance of linked articles that offered last-ten-games stats to compare Vooch as a Carter replacement. Should have been a no-brainer to do so. Show the effort you expect from players.
Markkanen has avg less than 19 mins a gm since they got Vucevic. You are not going to know anything in 7-8 gms. Especially when you are still losing while trying to make playoffs. You think you can build an offense or defense with two players who play 10 mins a gm together. It takes a real coach and real time together to do it. Thibs took basically the same Roster who was one of worst D last yr. To his yr basically same roster to one of Best D team. To blame a player for team failures is Weak. Totally weak argument.
I think the decision was already made when they got Vucevic. He’s the new Markkanon, who should be a better fit with Poeltl if he’s the new Aldredge! He would be fun on the Pels too… Adams still has not found his stride there nor has the team (projected Markkanon-Lonzo trade).
Don’t take this personal. But this board constantly thrashes young guys. Without ever looking at the big pig picture. It’s not always on them. And any 19-24 yr old that don’t develop. Should be more on management. Imo Markkanen is a perfect example of that. To me this guy could be the next Dirk. Dirk didn’t become Dirk till his 3-4 yr is when he stared to show. He was only a good FT shooter. He didn’t play D and got pushed around. Bulls have not developed Markkanen. He at worst can be a solid stretch 4. And avg 20 and 8 easy. You should be able to work with that. You don’t see 7 footers who are as athletic as this guy. Rockets were smart they should grab him up.
The Bulls did compound their problems by adding a second shot-chucking career loser in Vučević to their perennial stat padder and fellow career loser Zach LaVine. Yes, both players can score – but that’s about it. No defense and no eye for the better positioned teammate, à la Nikola Jokić et al. Mainly just iso plays and chucked up shots accompanied by a complete marginalization of the rest of the team. That’s why the other players regress and fans start complaining about them “not cutting to the basket” or “mailing it in”.
Building a team around a player like LaVine, who cares more about his own stats than winning, is a losing proposition from the get go. He finished the second half of his short UCLA career on the bench because he neither followed coaching instructions nor did he care about anything but playing hero ball. He’s just another dumb and selfish athlete.
Markkanen has to get out of Chicago and find himself a team with decent PG play. He also needs to shed all that HGH-grown muscle and return to his former lean wiry figure and impressive athleticism that defined his rookie season before the geniuses at the Bulls’ incompetent FO decided to turn him into that slow brawny juice monster of a wannabe center.
The Bulls are a complete abortion.
All that talent and the bulls lose to Orlando? Lavine should test free agency.
I love the new management so in year 2021 I will trust ,stay aggressive.