The starting lineup has received more attention this fall, but the Bulls are also still determining which players will make up their closing lineup, as Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times writes. While it seems safe to assume that Zach LaVine, DeMar DeRozan, and Nikola Vucevic, at least, will be part of those groups, head coach Billy Donovan suggested that different end-of-game scenarios might call for different looks.
“We have a lot of guys that can finish in certain situations,” Donovan said. “Theoretically, you’re up by five points with maybe 20 seconds to go, maybe you decide to go all defense in that situation. The last five minutes of the game, based on who the other team has out there, maybe we feel we have guys that have guarded a guy particularly well. So I do feel we have some versatility certainly defensively, to play a number of guys closing a game.”
Here’s more from around the Central:
- The Cavaliers‘ starting lineup on Monday – in a game its five regular starters sat – could provide a glimpse at what the team’s second unit will look like when the season begins, writes Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com. Ty Jerome, Caris LeVert, Isaac Okoro, Dean Wade, and Damian Jones made up the team’s replacement starting five, with Georges Niang and Emoni Bates as the first two players off the bench.
- Pistons rookie Ausar Thompson, whose defensive ability may earn him a starting job, relishes the idea of becoming the club’s perimeter stopper, per Keith Langlois of Pistons.com. “That’s the most exciting thing for me, that they trust me to go out and guard those guys,” Thompson said after matching up with Devin Booker and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander in Detroit’s first two preseason games. “I’ve always believed those are the guys I want and now those are the guys who are going to make me better and learn more.”
- Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle pushed back on Monday against the idea that his starting lineup is settled, telling reporters that Bruce Brown, Bennedict Mathurin, and Obi Toppin need reps alongside Tyrese Haliburton before any final decisions are made, according to Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star. Haliburton missed the Pacers’ first two preseason games, but looked good as part of the new-look starting five on Monday vs. Atlanta, expressing enthusiasm about the pace that Indiana’s tentative starters can play with. “With Obi and Benn and Bruce, those are guys that can really get up and down the floor,” Haliburton said. “… As long as we get stops and rebound, not many people are going to beat us up and down the floor.”
How soon into the season do the Bulls pull the plug and trade LaVine and DeRozan?
If they do stay the course…
Would you (as a Bulls fan) trade Lonzo Ball and a FRP, and some SRPs for Malcolm Brogdon? What about that return as a Blazers fan?
Lonzo could be done. Brogdon is actually an slight upgrade even if they were both healthy. And you could move a White or Carter to get back draft capital in a separate trade.
Brogdon, LaVine, Williams, DeRozan, Vucevic
I mean you can have 10-20m of unused salary and compete, as the knicks did…. but why would you want to do that?
Jerry Reinsdorf doesn’t believe in rebuilding. He won’t go for it, imo.
As for a Brogdon trade, getting back an unprotected first might be about as much as the Blazers can hope for with his injuries. While it’s easy for us to say “he’s done, just move on” when we’re not writing the checks, moving Lonzo is the correct move. Brogdon’s own injury history is concerning, but the Bulls have a crapload of guard depth.
They still need an actual PF if they plan on competing for anything. Craig and P-Will just don’t get it done, despite both being solid players. Positionless basketball is one thing, but ignoring an obvious weakness against guys like Julius Randle, Pascal Siakam, Evan Mobley, and other physically powerful 4s is another entirely.
…..Why should the Bulls trade picks just to get out of Lonzo’s money a year early?
….And for another veteran scoring guard?
You’re getting out of 2 years. This year and next year. They’d have to trade a pick regardless of moving him this year or next year. Shipping him off to a rebuilding team is the only move besides keeping him.
Bulls are definitely top 5 least interesting team this season