This year’s All-NBA voting offered another reminder of the depressing state the Bulls find themselves in, writes K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago. DeMar DeRozan, who received one third-team vote, was the only Bulls player mentioned on any of the 99 ballots. That comes after not having an All-Star and missing the playoffs for the second straight season.
Executive vice president of basketball operations Arturas Karnisovas promised changes following last month’s loss in the play-in tournament. The front office will reportedly scour the trade market in another attempt to find a taker for Zach LaVine, but Johnson notes that there were more rumors about LaVine at the 2023 draft combine than this year’s version.
If nobody is willing to take on the $139MM that LaVine is owed over the next three seasons, Johnson sees sign-and-trades involving DeRozan and fellow free agent Patrick Williams as the best chances for immediate improvement, along with a potential Lonzo Ball comeback. However, Karnisovas has already stated that he hopes to re-sign both DeRozan and Williams this summer.
There’s more from the Central Division:
- The recent addition of former Wizards head coach Wes Unseld Jr. to Billy Donovan‘s staff doesn’t mean the Bulls‘ coach is in danger of losing his job, according to Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times. Cowley states that Donovan is “as safe as he has been since the day he was hired,” noting that Karnisovas expressed support for him after the season ended.
- The Cavaliers may give serious consideration to breaking up their big-man tandem of Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen this summer, suggests Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com (subscriber only). The team has believed Mobley would eventually develop into a full-time center since he was drafted in 2021, according to Fedor, who adds that the two big men often appear to be in each other’s way on offense. Fedor believes the Cavs might be ready to part with Allen and maybe Donovan Mitchell or Darius Garland for an upgrade at the wing.
- The Bucks only got minimal financial benefit from Khris Middleton missing out on a combined $2.1MM in bonuses tied to games played and the team’s success in the playoffs, Jim Owczarski of the Journal Sentinel states in a mailbag column. Milwaukee will have a slightly lower tax bill, but all bonuses count in determining the new salary aprons, even if they’re not earned, so the Bucks still project as a second apron team for next season.
Claxton is solid and everything, but I want Jarrett Allen back on the Nets so bad. One of my all-time favorites. I have no insight, so I wonder what the chances would be of letting someone else overpay for Claxton this offseason and the Nets acquiring Allen.
I honestly only see one player on the Nets roster the Cavs would be interested in, that being Mikal Bridges. The trade would work but I’m not too sure the Nets front office would be down for it.
Coby White had such a better season than Demar. He’s so underrated still
If he starts the first half of next season continuing to put up really good numbers, then I think he’ll begin to get the recognition he deserves.
I think injuries and the fact it was his first year putting everything together gives some analysts pause when considering him an “All-Star” player in the league.
Fire AKME
AK – “I promise changes”
Meanwhile AK wants to resign both DeRozan and Patrick Williams, is unable to find a trade partner for Zach LaVine and it’s still looking like a miracle if Lonzo Ball will return.
So yeah same old same old in Chicago …..
” Depressing State” of the Chicago Bulls. Yep that about sums it up. But he should of tossed in the White Sox also.
Should he “of”?
Pat Will is at best an 8M player. So inconsistent. 3/24M would be a gift. If he got more I’d be shocked.
Be prepared to be shocked then. lol
Any more and Reinsdorf would have the big one. I just hope if he gets more it’s somewhere else. Waste of a #4 pick.
AK has his hands tied and is basically a PR guy…
Jerry is the root of the problem… As long as he has half a ray of hope to sell, like Lonzo returning, he’ll sell it to those willing to fill the seats… And because the NBA prints money, he doesn’t even need that many people in those seats…
Bulls are a joke and Silver should fine Reinsdorf for incompetent ownership the fact that fake fans still pack the United Center is embarrassing, boycott this abysmal garbage, Zach is a loser Demar is a loser Vuc is a loser Patrick Williams is one of the worst 4th overall picks of all time Gafford was given away for free and plays a huge role on a conference finals team, DJJ let walk for nothing huge role on a conference finals team, Lauri traded for nothing literally the number 1 on a western conference team, the bulls are the saddest organization in American sports history