Bulls guard Josh Giddey had been away from the team over the past week and didn’t have an opportunity to weigh in on the recent firings of Arturas Karnisovas and Marc Eversley until Friday, per Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times. Giddey, who will end up missing the final five games of 2025/26 due to a nagging hamstring injury, gave a diplomatic response, saying he understood it was a business but appreciated what the two front office executives had done for him the past couple years.
Giddey also discussed the future of head coach Billy Donovan, and he made it clear he’s a big fan of the 60-year-old. Donovan will meet with the team’s ownership after the regular season ends.
“He’s been awesome,” Giddey said. “I’ve loved him ever since I got here. He’s been very straightforward, and I think all the guys would say the same thing. He’s very direct. He tells you what you need to hear and not what you want to hear, and he gives it to you straight. He coaches hard; he wants to win every game. You see how competitive he is on the sidelines. I couldn’t speak highly enough about him. I hope he’s here for a long time.”
As for his own performance this season, Giddey said it was, “OK, up and down” on an individual level but he hopes to have more team success going forward.
“I’ve got to find ways to impact winning, and that’s probably the next step for me as a player,” he said.
Here’s more on the Bulls:
- Second-year forward Matas Buzelis, another perceived member of Chicago’s core, reiterated his support for Donovan on Friday, tweets Joel Lorenzi of The Athletic. Buzelis, who was away from the team at the time due to an illness, said he called Donovan on the phone when he learned Karnisovas and Eversley were being dismissed. “I told him, ‘I hope you don’t leave. I’m riding with you forever. You’re a cornerstone for my career,'” Buzelis said.
- Scoop Jackson of The Chicago Sun-Times argues Donovan should walk away from his contract and reject any overtures from ownership to remain with the organization in a different role, writing that the veteran coach will likely have better coaching offers in the future and won’t be under the constraints of the Reindsorfs, who have done a miserable job operating the franchise over the years.
- Leonard Miller seemed like a throw-in as part of the trade that sent Ayo Dosunmu to Minnesota, but he has continued to impress the Bulls over the past several weeks and is making a strong case to stick around beyond 2025/26, Cowley writes for The Sun-Times. While Donovan admitted he wasn’t familiar with the Canadian’s game before the trade because he had played so little at the NBA level, he’s quickly grown to appreciate Miller’s play. “He’s a live body, he competes [and] he’s really long,” Donovan said. “He kind of has this instinctive way about him on the glass and chasing balls. Even defensively, he’s multidimensional. I think the biggest thing with him is he plays so instinctively that he catches up to the league and really understands digging in on film and personnel, guarding, game plans. I think he’s only going to get better because he’s got a really good motor.” The Bulls hold a $2.4MM option for next season on Miller, who is averaging 14.6 points and 7.3 rebounds on .538/.358/.743 shooting splits in his last 17 games (28.0 minutes per contest).
- The other player the Bulls received in that deal, Rob Dillingham, acknowledged he needs to add more strength to his lean frame this summer, according to Cowley. The former Kentucky guard also said he wants to make better in-game decisions and plans to watch a lot of film ahead of his third season.
Miller is a nice find. He was the 33rd pick. So the man has talent. Has good size and can play both Fs. Minny really didn’t have the mins for him. And needed another guard to help NOW. He looks good man. I just been checking him out.
Have to be patient with Dillingham he just needs time. He can be solid backing up Giddey. Brings scoring needs to work on other things.
Not a Billy fan. But I guess you can give him another yr to see these moves thru. Looking like Burries in draft. I like it for Giddey.
I see some mock drafts having the Bulls taking Lendeborg. If they believe in Essengue. You have to go guard. Burries seems like he will be there.
Dillingham is a bust. Even if he finds his shot he’s terrible on defense.
He’s young. He’s a scorer ball handler. Just needs time. He has the potential to backup Giddey. Its worth coaching him up. Need patience.
Bulls have access to guys who shoot better than Burries. if they take him I’ll need another TV. If the Bulls stay at 10 and there is no big worthy there trade back and gamble later and get more assets. Simons and Sexton are better than Burries will ever be. Let’s hope new management is at least smarter than that. It was a shame we didn’t get a better look at Simons and Giddey together.
Agree Mike — need a big desperately . Hopefully we learn from akme that trading back IS allowed …
Whats, Miller, Essengue, Richard, Collins (FA) for.
You will never be this close to a SG in draft for a long time. Should trade up for Wagler.
You need a 2, SG more than anything. Burries as a shooter is a good part er for Giddey. Brown will be gone. I like him slightly better. His shooting line —-
.491/.391/.81 …. He has 2way potential. And is a three level scorer. With a high IQ game. You have Essengue for near future , Miller, you can sign Collins. Need to resign Richard. And there will be a center prospect in 2nd rd. You should real the scouting reports on Burries.
I guess somebody needs to explain tome how the Play in works again. I saw in CBS sports that Portland would play Phoenix and GS would play the Clips which would be 7-8 and 9-10? What sense does that make? If they all have to play shouldn’t 7-10 , 8-9 make more sense? IDK. I always thought 7 was in and 9 played 10 and then the winner played 8 for the 8 spot. I guess you can see how many Bulls Play in games I’ve watched.
7 plays 8; winner is the 7th seed.
9 plays 10; loser is one and done – winner plays the loser of 7-8 to become the 8th seed.
Who’s burries?
Brayden Burries- Freshman SG from AZ. Don’t worry the Bulls shouldn’t take him it would be a waste. Bulls should be trading Okoro, Jalen Smith, Tre Jones and hopefully Williams for anything they can get. There are some late 1st round early second round big men they could take a swing at. If they could trade down with say OKC for 15 and take Cenac, Lopez, Quaintance or Mara and add an early 2nd( I know OKC has tons of picks and might want to move up) and get some extra bites at the apple I’m in. If Ament is gone then go for quantity over quality. The more bites at the apple you have the better odds that somebody will come through. This team needs size and heft. They are right about 1 thing they all need to get stronger they get pushed around on a nightly basis.
link to nbadraftroom.com
Clippers play Warriors tonight —
Blazers play Kings tonight —
Warriors win and Blazers win. Blazers secure 8th seed. And play Suns in play-in. Blazers win that one.
Bulls have their pick.
Blazers lose the play-in to Suns. Then they play for 8th seed. They win that one. — Bulls have their pick.
Tonight root for Blazers and Warriors to WIN ….
Trading Williams will cost a first and probably some seconds depending if they no money back.
As long as Portland doesn’t get Giannis, which I don’t think will happen. I like this multi team with Chicago especially if Portland loses the play in.
Detroit gets Holiday
Memphis gets Lavert and Grant plus Portland) Orlando pick 28, also switch their second frp from Orlando with Chicago
Portland gets Williams, Aldama, and their protected pick back
Chicago gets 18m trade exemption which saves them 54m in total over three years plus moving back to Memphis second pick from Orlando.
Then Portland can move back also with anyone to get a future plus a pick in the 20’s.
To use the future for Can Johnson
Use the MLE to bring back CJ
If it costs anything to trade Williams then just walk away. Like I’ve said before, It would take 3 things to make it happen. 1) Somebody who thinks they can fix him( Toughest thing). 2) Probably a 3rd team to get involved to make the money work out for the Bulls( Odds 50-50). 3) A slightly worse contract than his because the Bulls have money( Zion Williamson comes to mind). Bulls are not losing assets to move him. If anything they’ll eat his deal until they can move it. Maybe until it ends. Giving up potential good players to get rid of a bad one makes no sense.
If Bulls end up with Portlands pick they’ll keep it I’m sure. They’re sure as heck not trading it back. Bulls should be trying to get MORE picks not less. There are a few bigs who could help the Bulls with Portlands pick who will be available then.
Bulls need a creative mind to run the team, A guy who thinks outside the box. There are trades that can be made but probably wont happen until the draft is actually going on.
The last thing the Bulls should do is hold on to Jones, Okoro, and Smith when they have 1 year left on their deals. I think we all saw why last year.
The Bulls need to keep either Simons(26) or Sexton(27). Both are still young enough to be tradeable in the future for something and bring something back but they don’t need both or a 19 year old SG. They need a guy to run this team who has a plan, And is willing to think on the fly. If it’s a Korver or the guy from Minnesota or both I’m in. What they don’t need is 2 more mopes who never talk to anybody, Have no plan, And are incompetent like the last 2 sets they had. AKME and Gar-Pax. That they don’t need at all.
If they’re extremely lucky they’ll end up with a top 4, A mid round 1st, A mid 30’s 2nd a late Euro Stash with what looks like Denver’s 2nd. Possibilities abound. They also have future assets to move up a couple of spots to end up with an Ament or somebody else who might fall. If they’re smart. Key word being smart if they end up at 10.
Bulls need big,i want boozer,but he will be top 3. Small chance for the bulls.just pick the best available. Maybe Trade to okc for their 2 1st. For 2nd round maybe veesaar and taris reed.
It wouldn’t take much if the Bulls end up at 10 to move in front of the Bucks at 9 to steal Ament. Bucks don’t have many picks to move up any higher and the Bulls have tons now. I wouldn’t be totally against Trading 10 for 15 and 17 if it all goes bad on draft night rather than take a guy they don’t really want. Cenac and Morez Johnson or Mara might work out and then if they could move up from the 30’s to the top of the 2nd round if somebody looks good. Like I said a lot of things are possible. If they ended up with 15, 17 and Portland’s pick it could be a fun night in Chicago for a change instead of a busted TV and more disappointment. Let’s see who gets the job 1st. Somebody who is smart might even be able to think up some sign and trades with UFA’s they have.
Uncle : nate ament would be at 8.if portland goes to play off,we will have 3 1st. Trade all,add future 1st,add some players not name buzellis, for superstar not name donovan mitchell.