The banged-up Bulls should get some reinforcements when they take on the Hornets in Charlotte on Friday. Veteran point guard Tre Jones (left ankle sprain) practiced for a second consecutive day on Thursday and said he expects to suit up tomorrow after missing the team’s past three games, according to K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Sports Network (Twitter link).
Isaac Okoro (left lumbar radiculopathy) and Jalen Smith (left hamstring strain) also practiced for a second straight day, per Johnson (Twitter link), and have been listed as probable to play on Friday after being sidelined for eight and five games, respectively. Head coach Billy Donovan told reporters that both players will be on minutes restrictions if they’re active.
Chicago is still far from being at full strength. Guard Ayo Dosunmu has been diagnosed with a Grade 1 thumb sprain (Twitter link via Johnson) and won’t make the trip to Charlotte, while sharpshooter Kevin Huerter (left adductor strain) still isn’t practicing and will be out for a fourth straight game on Friday.
Here’s more on the Bulls:
- Donovan still believes the 9-14 Bulls are capable of turning things around without making roster changes, as long as they can get (and stay) healthier, writes Julia Poe of The Chicago Tribune (subscription required). “We’ve had an enormous amount of injuries,” Donovan said. “Having seven guys (available) is challenging for any team. I always believe that if you’ve got nine or 10 guys that are committed to doing the things necessary, there’s enough in that locker room. I really believe that.”
- Donovan expressed after a blowout loss to Golden State on Sunday that the Bulls players like each other, but haven’t shown that they “love” one another enough to consistently do little things like boxing out and diving for loose balls (Twitter link via Johnson). Asked about his head coach’s comments, Josh Giddey insisted that the Bulls “love each other,” but admitted the team isn’t showing it on the court. “I think we’ve just got to be better at playing for each other,” Giddey said (Twitter video link via Joel Lorenzi of The Athletic).
- According to Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times, the Bulls’ seven-game losing streak has taken its toll on the team and its chemistry. A source tells Cowley that guard Coby White is among the veterans who are “trying to put out fires and limit finger-pointing while still holding teammates accountable.”
- Donovan pointed to veteran center Nikola Vucevic as another player who is doing what he can to hold the team together, telling reporters on Wednesday that Vucevic asked to meet with him after a recent loss to talk about “areas of improvement” and how he can help the group (Twitter links via Johnson). “When we’re not playing to our identity, that frustrates him,” Donovan said. “When he sees sometimes there’s not carryover from shootarounds to games, that frustrates him. And I want him to use his voice. Vooch holds himself to a high standard but also knows we need everybody.”
Donovan still believes the 9-14 Bulls are capable of turning things around without making roster changes, as long as they can get (and stay) healthier.
It’s really pathetic that Donovan is such a moron that he really doesn’t understand why they can’t stay healthy. When you’re a team of Liliputians playing against bigger people what do you think will happen? What a dolt. Give him another extension!
You wouldn’t think that having Horford AND Joakim together would lead him to conclude that power forwards are useless … that is , assuming that there’s a rational mind there
To be fair it’s moreso on the idiots upstairs
They need to bottom out. This garbage of aspiring to just make the play in game has been nonsense. The economics of trades is going to make it tough, plus the bad teams don’t want what we’re selling and the good teams don’t need what we’re selling. If they trade White then they’ll have to take back some guy and maybe get a second round pick.
The Bulls should get a first round pick back for White. It might not be a lottery pick but it should be useful. They can be traded for players or used depending on what you need. They should also get more if they move someone with him. With all the stupid conditions you can put on them it makes them weird anyway. Reality needs to set in at some point. Where’s Reinsdorf’s kid? He must be a wimp.
Do Bulls really want to move White. I like him and Giddey. Solid young vets now. Still getting better. I move Ayo. Cause he won’t see mins with Giddey here. Ayo and an expiring contract can fetch a nice talent. Huerter is a solid third guard. But not at more than 10-12 mill.
You kidding? Ayo is the only one who plays defense. Trade him and you have nobody. Although I’ll admit he’s not worth much as the only one who does. Just watch a game.
Ayo a guard who plays defense isn’t going to do anything for a team. The way you play D.m build a Defense. Is you start with a rim protector. Which Vucevic has never been. Williams your best defender. Is on the out cause they don’t know what to do with him. You can B n cry about this team. Fact is you reupped the guy responsible for it. A guy who is trying to change the system. His own system. Without committing to a core. Giddey and White is committing to a core. You will never build a team until you commit to a core first.
So you know that, Chicago fans know that, NBA executives know that, My 5 year old nephew knows that, Everybody knows that except Bulls management knows that so you draft a 18 year old injured project over the guy who was right there in front of your face. Everybody knows that except that guy johnm who is still defending the stupid decision because he’s the only guy who seems to not know that. Mediocrity wins again over reality. None of that happens without a new FO.