Nikola Vucevic didn’t shoot three-pointers when he entered the league in 2011, but it’s become a big part of his offensive game in recent years, Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times notes. The All-Star center has drained 44.1% of his long-range shots since joining the Bulls. “I think it’s also the way the NBA has been going, and I had to adjust,” he said. “I used to shoot a lot of mid-ranges. That’s not as much a part of the way teams play, so I had to make an adjustment and evolve.”
We have more from the Central Division:
- Lauri Markkanen, Daniel Theis, Denzel Valentine and Tomas Satoransky are among the players who likely won’t remain with the Bulls next season, Darnell Mayberry of The Athletic speculates. Mayberry takes a look at each player and predicts whether they’ll be part of the front office’s plans.
- The Pistons snapped a four-game losing streak by defeating Memphis on Thursday. It’s no coincidence that veterans guards Cory Joseph and Wayne Ellington suited up, Keith Langlois of Pistons.com notes. That duo scored 18 points apiece and Joseph added 11 assists. “Guys were kind of hanging their head and losing confidence a little bit,” head coach Dwane Casey said. “We understand – we’re rebuilding. But you’ve got to compete to win each night.” Ellington will be a free agent after the season, while Joseph’s $12.6MM contract is only partially guaranteed.
- There were conflicting reports this week about whether T.J. Warren asked for a trade and his feelings toward Pacers coach Nate Bjorkgren. J. Michael of The Indianapolis Star (Twitter link) cites a new source who says that Warren is happy in Indiana, noting that Warren has been featured offensively and will be paid like a main cog. Warren also likes playing in a smaller market and the franchise’s plans for him, regardless of who’s coaching the team, Michael’s source adds.
What is up with Celtics. Lose to the Bulls, really. Looks like Bulls won’t make play in gm. And Wash just might beat Celts. Geeezz dude. You guys don’t want Kemba. We’ll take him off your hands. Cheap
Celtics have no team chemistry, just like the Warriors.
Yeah, I remember last offseason, people were worried about the 76ers and how they needed to reboot their stars but it looks like it’s the Celtics who may need to trade their stars for a different star.
That’s kind of laughable tbh (disclosure: not a Boston fan).
Tatum’s played like a top 10 guy since the All Star Break, Brown’s had a breakout season offensively.
On the other hand, Kemba is breaking down, Ainge miscalculated on a Hayward S&T, and none of their young role players have played that well. Also: the Thompson/Teague signings were disasters.
Boston has a bunch of problems, but Tatum and Brown ain’t it.
Conversely, let’s how Philly does this postseason before we conclude NOT moving Simmons for Harden was the right move
Well they didn’t have Brown or Bob Williams and their depth is still poor.
If you’re a Boston fan tho – even tho this season has been disappointing – you should be optimistic with Tatum’s play of late. After he completely shook COVID he’s been playing at a very high level.
If they can round out the roster this summer, maybe get lucky and be able to dump Kemba, with Tatum at this level plus Brown there’s no reason they can’t be a contender in the East next year.
The only playoff team with a younger roster than the Celtics is Memphis. link to basketball.realgm.com
No reason to get wound up.
You don’t want to waste cap space on Kemba Walker man. John Collins would be a great piece and draft a wing until you hit on one. Toppin, Knox, and Mitchell should all be dealt. Rose back on a reasonable 1 or 2 yr deal as the bridge. If they can swing a deal for someone like Buddy Hield you’d have that 6th man or you play small ball with RJ at the 3.
I remember some guy, I can’t remember who called Vuc a “Back to the basket” big man whose game didn’t translate to the modern NBA and then got super aggro when I mentioned he shot a lot of threes. Some guys follow this site closer than they follow hoops.
You’re thinking of that piece of trash Doug Collins.
You would think that Vucevic would shoot more threes than post-ups if he was a shooter.
You’d also think he’d be a big time difference maker on a new team if used properly. His points per possession numbers are lower on spot-ups than post ups.
Maybe the problem is that he’s fallen in love with playing outside. Happens to a lot of bigs as they age.
That’s definitely the problem Jason, you’re an expert for sure.
“You would think that Vucevic would shoot more threes than post-ups if he was a shooter.”
Umm, he is a shooter. He shoots 41.6 percent from 3 and takes 6.2 3’s a game.
You think he should shoot more than 6.2 three point shots a game? Or you think he should better than 41 percent? You don’t make sense.
I think his shooting is decent. But he scores more points per attempt down low, and that has been his pattern his entire career.
Curtis is somehow gloating because I said Vucevic is an aging back to the basket big, yet he’s spotting up less than he posts up so…you tell me. If Vucevic is great down low, he’s more efficient down low, and he is posting more than spotting up, does that make him a post up player?
Thru 22 games Nikola has shot 43.9% on 3’s on 5.6 attempts per. That would put him 11th in the League if that was his avg for the season. Sandwiched between low volume shooters Reggie Jackson and Desmond Bane —they’ve shot just over twice as many 3’s this season as Nikola in CHI, yet played 3 times as many games.
True, Chicago has been garbage since they got him. Given his history in Orlando this may be a valid complaint. But LaVine has missed a bunch of time, and I think they deserve a little runway in terms of learning to play together before we make any grand assessments.
TL;DR — Nikola in CHI has been one of the best 3pt shooters at *any* positions. I’d give him and LaVine at least thru AS break next season before I call him a career loser.
Vucevic has been spotting up 3.6 times per game in Chicago, and scoring 0.89 points per possession. This is worse then his performance in Orlando this year.
He’s been posting up 5.9 times per game in Chicago, and scoring 1.02 points per possession. This is better than Orlando this year.
I’d say he’s spotting up too much and not posting enough. I’d also say whatever he does, it isn’t super efficient. Finally, I’d say shooting percentage doesn’t always tell the story. Posting up generates free throw attempts, at least when you’re a talented post player.
If shooting pct doesn’t tell the whole story it’s usually bc it’s a star player forced to take bad shots. I can’t think of many guys shooting over 40% from 3 where there’s some kind of caveat
Also — the spot up numbers you cite are maybe skewed? Because .43 x 3 = 1.29. So I guess Vooch shoots exponentially high on non spot up 3’s? Either way his PPP is exponentially higher on 3’s as opposed to post ups, so I think my initial point still stands.
The stat is points per possession, right? If Vucevic guess down low and kicks it out for three, the outcome of the possession is three points.
Also, Vucevic is shooting better in Chicago than he did in Orlando. Could be a new trend, could be sample size.
But *my* original point is that Vucevic is primarily a post up player. The data shows that pretty clearly, but some people (not you) don’t seem to understand it.
Semantics probably. It sounds true that Vooch is mostly a post player, but that may not be claimed as the argument by @curtis… a couple pages ago.
I saw V. in two games and I only remember his post shooting. That decision was most likely made by the defensive scheme, to pressure the 3-line and force him off it.
Question for the Bulls. Is there a get-able dude out there that they can use 34m in expiring contracts and picks to acquire? They need a 3rd quality starter to amount to anything.
Bottom line is they will try to get one of the FA point guards available. Lonzo is probably the top choice, but there are multiple options. I do not agree that Theis will go elsewhere, he has played very well and pairs well with Vuc and Lavine. Satoransky is on a cheap contract and is a good backup combo guard, although if they plan on moving White to that role, I see why they would dispense with Satoransky.
Available FA pass-first-with-defensive chops point guards who would be an upgrade over the Coby/Sato experiment: TJ McConnell, Jeff Teague, Patty Mills
FA point guards who would serve as a third scoring option: Kyle Lowry, Derrick Rose, Dennis Schroder
Some combination of one from column A, one from column B would help a lot in preventing the Q4 collapses that are the Bulls’ current malady. If you turn those games into wins this year, they would be 5th seed or better (there have been a LOT of them). They need better ball-handling and better shot choices in the 4th. Coby has shown signs of improvement but they cannot wait for him at this point, except as a backup and 6th-man catch-and-shoot specialist (a skill in which he is already elite).
Another possibility which would help them get something in return for the Markannen experiment would be a sign and trade for one of these RFAs:
Lonzo Ball
Devonte Graham
Kendrick Nunn
Whether the other team would cooperate is another matter. Frank Ntilikina would also be a good addition as a defensive specialist, but there are others available for that limited role, especially among vet-min guys.
I could be wrong but I’m pretty sure if they extend LaVine they’ll have no cap room this offseason, even for Theis.
Maybe they can wait to extend LaVine until after they sign a few players, not sure, but I was listening to Duncan and Hollinger this week and they made it seem as though they would be forced to let all of their FA go in order to sign Zach.
I don’t want TJ McConnell, Dennis Schroder, Devonte Graham, Ntililina. Not worth what the Bulls will have to pay them and not really going to make much of a difference. Lowry and Rose are too old especially Lowry. Ball or Nunn would be interesting for the right price.
Celtics are overrated. Ainge and his yes men fans say he did nothing wrong in not trading for either Miles Turner or Vucevic. Heck fans still think Kemba makes sense for them. In terms of the bulls Lavine should definitely opt out and go to a team with a plan.