Community Shootaround: Bulls’ 2024 Offseason
This summer, the Bulls finally, officially stopped pretending they were close to competing for anything but a play-in tournament berth.
Three years after offloading major draft capital in the hopes of becoming Eastern Conference contenders, Chicago waived the white flag. The Bulls’ front office moved probably two of its three best trade chips in two-time All-Defensive Team guard Alex Caruso and six-time All-Star small forward DeMar DeRozan. The third, 24-year-old emerging point guard Coby White, remains on the roster after a breakout individual season in 2023/24.
DeRozan agreed to a three-year, $73.7MM deal with the Kings as part of a three-team sign-and-trade with the Bulls and Spurs. San Antonio netted an unprotected first-round pick swap, as well as the contract of 3-and-D combo forward Harrison Barnes. Chicago, despite moving by far the best player in the deal, only nabbed two second rounders and reserve shooting guard Chris Duarte.
Caruso was shipped out to the Thunder in exchange for point guard Josh Giddey, who by the end of this spring’s playoffs was a barely-used eighth man, averaging just 12.6 minutes per game in Oklahoma City’s second-round series to the Finals-bound Mavericks. Giddey’s missing-in-action jumper and poor defense made him a liability in his postseason debut. Luckily for the 6’8″ Aussie, he’s not in danger of making the playoffs again any time soon.
Oklahoma City gave up a pair of second-round picks to obtain Gordon Hayward in a trade deadline trade. Caruso, on an expiring $9.9MM sweetheart deal, is one of the league’s elite defenders, and surely could have netted some level of first-round equity. The Bulls reportedly received offers along those lines but preferred to acquire an established young veteran in Giddey.
Two more veteran former All-Stars remain very available on the trade market. But the Bulls can’t seem to give away either shooting guard Zach LaVine or center Nikola Vucevic, both of whom are on far-too-generous multiyear contracts.
Armed with a core of DeRozan, LaVine, Vucevic, Lonzo Ball, Caruso and White, the Bulls went a combined 125-121 across three seasons. Chicago did make the playoffs once, during this group’s first year together in 2021/22, but was quickly eliminated in the first round and hasn’t survived the play-in tournament since.
The team has been stubbornly resistant to making significant moves to improve its defense or long-range shooting since Ball went down with a left knee meniscus tear in January 2022. He’s currently rehabbing after his third surgery, and hoping to make a comeback in the final year of his contract.
The Bulls selected intriguing young G League Ignite forward Matas Buzelis with the No. 11 pick in this year’s poorly regarded draft. The 6’10” pro was an underwhelming floor-spacer in the G League, making just 27.3% of his 3.4 three-point tries, but flashed encouraging finishing ability and athleticism during his Summer League games with Chicago.
Chicago’s only major free agent addition thus far is ex-Pacers reserve big man Jalen Smith, who signed a three-season, $27MM deal. At 24, the 6’10” Maryland alum could conceivably grow along with the rebuilding Bulls.
The Bulls also re-signed restricted free agent forward Patrick Williams to a generous five-year, $90MM new deal. The 23-year-old incurred a left foot injury in January that required season-ending surgery. Due to minimal frontcourt size elsewhere, the 6’7″ wing has often been miscast by Chicago head coach Billy Donovan as a power forward, but his skinny frame has impeded his ability to get much offense cooking against opposing defenders.
Across 43 games last season, Williams averaged 10.0 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 1.5 assists with a shooting line of .443/.399/.788. Those numbers are more or less the same as his rookie season output (9.2 PPG, 4.6 RPG, 1.4 APG, .483/.391/.728 shooting). Though he has improved defensively during his four pro seasons, the Florida State alum has been a developmental dud on the other end, hampered by a slow release on his jump shots.
We want to hear from you. Did the Bulls get enough back in their deals for DeRozan and Caruso? How should they handle the contracts of Vucevic and LaVine? Will Ball even vaguely resemble his pre-injury self? Was Buzelis the right draft pick, or will he eventually go down in Bulls history as a lottery misfire? How much more leeway should owner Jerry Reinsdorf give team president Arturas Karnisovas, who has underwhelmed during his tenure with the team thus far?
Let us know how you feel in the comments section below.
Thunder Notes: Mitchell, Flagler, Ducas, Dort
No. 38 overall draft pick Ajay Mitchell is seen as the “headliner” of the Thunder‘s three two-way players for the 2024/25 season, per Nick Crain of Forbes.
The 6’4″ rookie combo guard projects as having rotation-caliber NBA upside, Crain writes , noting that Mitchell is a three-level scorer and can thrive both on and off the ball should the need arise. The three-time All-Big West guard averaged 20.0 points per game on .535/.393/.858 shooting during his final NCAA season in 2023/24, adding 4.0 dimes, 4.0 boards and 1.2 steals per night.
There’s more out of Oklahoma City:
- The only returning two-way Thunder player from the 2023/24 season is Adam Flagler, writes Crain. Flager, who claimed an NCAA title while at Baylor, was a critical contributor for the Oklahoma City Blue’s championship squad in 2023/24. Of the Thunder’s other two-way players from last season, forward Keyontae Johnson signed a two-way deal with the Hornets and center Olivier Sarr, the older brother of Wizards rookie Alex Sarr, remains a free agent after rupturing his Achilles in April. Crain notes that Flagler is a clever point guard with good ball control and a solid three-point shot. He connected on 40.6% of his 6.9 attempts per game from beyond the arc with the Blue last season, and averaged 14.1 points, 3.4 assists and 3.3 rebounds overall. The 6’3″ guard appeared in just two contests for the Thunder.
- Australian swingman Alex Ducas, sharpshooting rookie swingman out of Saint Mary’s, is seen by Crain as a useful occasional sniper from beyond the arc. During his last two collegiate seasons, Ducas connected on 42.5% of his 5.7 three-point tries per contest. Crain adds that, given that Oklahoma City still has one opening on its 15-man standard roster, it’s still possible one of the Thunder’s three two-way players could earn a promotion.
- Despite the Thunder’s recent trade acquisition of two-time All-Defensive Teamer Alex Caruso, incumbent top perimeter stopper Luguentz Dort seems primed to retain a pivotal role on what is likely to be an elite West power this season, opines Ross Lovelace of Sports Illustrated.
Atlantic Notes: Knicks Storylines, Drummond, Tatum, Holiday
Following a 50-32 season in 2023/24, the Knicks underwent a couple significant changes this summer, acquiring All-Defensive Team swingman Mikal Bridges and losing center Isaiah Hartenstein in free agency. Ahead of training camp, Fred Katz of The Athletic reflects on some of the top storylines in New York, including All-Star forward Julius Randle‘s fit on the new-look squad, how All-NBA point guard Jalen Brunson will quarterback the club’s offense, and more.
There’s more out of the Atlantic Division:
- The Sixers reacquired reserve center Andre Drummond in free agency this summer. Gina Mizell of The Philadelphia Inquirer spoke with Bulls beat reporter Julia Poe of The Chicago Tribune about what to expect from the 6’11” big man, after he spent two years in the Windy City. Poe notes that Drummond, though a great rebounder, struggled to carve out a significant role behind starter Nikola Vucevic, in part due to his erratic rim protection and finishing efficiency.
- Appearing at a Raising Cane’s event on Wednesday, Celtics combo guard Jrue Holiday discussed teammate Jayson Tatum‘s limited role for Team USA during the 2024 Olympics, per Souichi Terada of MassLive. “I think everybody knows JT — he’s the ultimate professional,” Holiday said. “He already knows what it is and what the ultimate goal is. I don’t think he needed any encouragement. I think it’s more so like staying ready whenever it’s his time to be called.” The All-Defensive Second Team guard had a bigger, more consistent role in the Paris games than Tatum did. Tatum was benched entirely during the Americans’ semifinal game against Serbia.
- In case you missed it, former Knicks All-Star Carmelo Anthony recently revealed that New York offered him a bench role when he last hit free agency, in 2022.
Boban Marjanovic Looking To Play For New NBA Team
Free agent center Boban Marjanovic is still hoping to land with an NBA squad this summer, he relayed to Milun Nesovic of Meridian Sport (hat tip to Eurohoops for the translation).
Marjanovic was in Slovenia to partake in a star-studded tribute game to retiring former All-NBA point guard Goran Dragic. Hall of Famers Dirk Nowitzki, Chris Bosh and Steve Nash were all also in attendance, as was reigning league MVP Nikola Jokic.
“I’m waiting for the NBA, but if it doesn’t happen, there is a lot on paper going on,” Marjanovic said. “Every time you make plans, it doesn’t work out. Plans always change.”
Since entering the league with the Spurs, Marjanovic has bounced around the league as a reserve center. He’s played for the Pistons, Clippers, Sixers, and Mavericks. Marjanovic most recently suited up for the Rockets from 2022-24.
The full interview is an interesting one. Here are some other comments from Marjanovic:
- The 36-year-old did not play for his native Serbia during this summer’s Olympics, but he was clearly invested while watching Jokic and co. almost upset Team USA during their semifinal matchup. “First of all, it’s an amazing experience to watch your friends fight,” Marjanovic said. “There is still regret for that lost match against America, since we all saw it as, ‘Well, we’re winning!’ That’s why it hurts a little. But bronze is bronze, a medal! An extraordinary success for us as a country, for them as individuals and, of course, for our basketball.”
- In reflecting on Dragic’s retirement game, the 7’4″ big man remarked on the scope of the event, in terms of its attendees. “I saw people here that I haven’t seen in a long time,” Marjanovic said. “It’s fascinating how many people and faces there are in one place. It will be a nice event. Gogi is a fascinating guy, not to mention what kind of player he was, you all know that. He deserves this. The organization is really at the top level.”
Nikola Vucevic Talks Lonzo Ball, Changes In Chicago, Retirement
Speaking at All-NBA point guard Goran Dragic‘s farewell game in Slovenia, Bulls center Nikola Vucevic reflected on the team’s disappointing results over the past three seasons. The 6’10” big man noted that everything changed after point guard Lonzo Ball suffered a left meniscus tear midway through the 2021/22 season, per Milun Nesovic of Meridian Sport (hat tip to BasketNews for the transcription).
Chicago went 22-13 during the 35 games Ball was healthy, and hovered around the top of the Eastern Conference. The club then fell to the No. 6 seed and was eliminated by the Bucks in a brisk 2022 first-round playoff series. Ball has undergone three knee surgeries, but has yet to return to the hardwood.
“Since Lonzo Ball’s injury, we haven’t been able to achieve the results we could have,” Vucevic said. “When he played, we were at the top of the East for a while, which maybe wasn’t a realistic result, even though we were playing well, but with him, we would have fought for anything between third and sixth place in the end.”
Chicago hasn’t had Ball available since January 2022. It’s probably not realistic to expect him to contribute at the same level he did, if he ever can come back.
The conversation is well worth reading in full. Here are some more highlights:
- Vucevic also blamed constant trade chatter for distracting the team during its subsequent two seasons, when Chicago made very few transactions and ultimately missed the playoffs. “Trade talks also affected us, preventing us from achieving the results we thought we could, but when results don’t follow, changes come,” Vucevic said.
- The team parted ways with two of its top players, six-time All-Star swingman DeMar DeRozan and All-Defensive guard Alex Caruso, this summer. DeRozan inked a lucrative three-year deal with the Kings via sign-and-trade, while Caruso was dealt to the Thunder for Josh Giddey. Vucevic is aware that the club is trying to pivot. “DeRozan left, Caruso left, the team got younger, and they wanted to go in a different direction,” Vucevic said. “We’ll see how the season goes, and then decisions will be made based on that.”
- The 33-year-old center, who is owed $41.5MM over the next two seasons, also addressed his own future in the league. “I’m aware that I’ve been in the NBA for 13 years now, that the end is not that far off,” Vucevic acknowledged. “I don’t believe I’ll play another 13 years, but I have two more years with Chicago, and I’d like to play two more after that… I think I can play at a high level for that long, and then I’ll see.” A two-time All-Star while with the Magic, Vucevic has seen his shooting efficiency fall off somewhat in recent seasons. After connecting on 40% of 6.3 three-pointers per game in 2020/21, he has averaged 32% on 4.3 long range attempts across the ensuing three seasons. Though he averaged a respectable 18.0 points, 10.5 rebounds, and 3.3 assists in 76 games last season, Vucevic’s lack of athleticism has made him a major defensive liability, unable to switch in pick-and-roll situations and incapable of effectively protecting the rim. Offensively, the ball often sticks in his hands and disrupts the club’s scoring.
Nets’ Cam Thomas Talks Offseason, Role, Doubters, Accolades
Nets shooting guard Cam Thomas enjoyed a breakout year in what was otherwise a 2023/24 season to forget for Brooklyn and its fans. With Mikal Bridges now off to the neighboring Knicks, Thomas spoke to Curtis Rowser III of SLAM about how he’s preparing to build on his impressive run this year.
“I just want to keep working on everything,” Thomas said. “Last summer, I tried to put more emphasis on catch-and-shoot shooting, and I think I was way up in the league percentage-wise on catch-and-shoot [this past season]. So, just continue to work on that and fine-tuning the skills I had coming into the league, like my off-the-dribble stuff and finishing around the basket, [while] still improving on catch-and-shoot, trying to have the best percentage in the league.”
Last year, the 6’4″ guard posted averages of 22.5 points, 3.2 rebounds, 2.9 assists, and 0.7 swipes per game, a massive rise all-around over his 2022/23 averages of 10.6 PPG, 1.7 RPG, 1.4 APG and 0.4 SPG. Thomas recorded a shooting line of .442/.364/.856 and finished seventh in Most Improved Player voting.
When it comes to building out his offense, the former LSU standout revealed that he has a specific output target.
“I had the biggest jump in points from my second year to my third year,” Thomas said. “I was at 22.5 [points per game], so I think trying to get into that 25 PPG range, upping the play-making and just trying to keep improving my all-around game. And hopefully, it leads to wins.”
Their full conversation is well worth reading in full. Here are some highlights:
- Thomas appears comfortable with the prospect of assuming some of the additional scoring burden created by the departure of Bridges: “Just knowing that and embracing it. I’ve kind of been having those roles [as the leader of the team] ever since I was in high school and college. So, I’m not really worried about it. I’m just excited to get it going and to try to do it in the League. I’m not really worried about it at all; I’m just ready.”
- Thomas insisted that he is putting his blinders on when it comes to critics and doubters. “I don’t really worry about the doubters because I’ve always had them,” he said. “Nobody really believed in my talent and scoring ability—even at Oak Hill, and even in college, and even in the league. So, I’m used to it. Now, it’s really just self-motivation. Even down to sliding in the draft all the way down to pick 27 [in the 2021 draft]. I still carry that chip on my shoulder. And even with the Nets, not playing consistently my first two years.”
- When it comes to eventually earning possible All-Star or All-NBA accolades, Thomas appeared to be taking a wait-and-see approach. “Whatever happens, happens,” Thomas said. “If I get it, I get it. If I don’t, I don’t. I just want to keep improving. As far as the team, the goal is to be better every day and try to win as many games as we can. Honestly, we don’t know what our team could look like going into next season.” Brooklyn has a young, raw roster, and seems likely to be lottery-bound in 2024/25, no matter how good Thomas is.
Dylan Windler Signs With NBL Team
9:10pm: Windler’s one-year contract with Perth is official, the team announced (Twitter link via Olgun Uluc of ESPN).
9:01pm: Free agent swingman Dylan Windler is signing with the Perth Wildcats of Australia’s National Basketball League, sources inform Michael Scotto of HoopsHype (Twitter link).
The 27-year-old vet was selected with the No. 26 pick out of Belmont in 2019 by the Cavaliers. He spent his first three NBA seasons in Cleveland before playing for the Knicks, Lakers and Hawks in 2023/24.
Windler had been on a standard contract in New York (after starting out on a two-way deal), but was only signed to two-way agreements with Los Angeles and Atlanta, finishing the year on a two-way deal with the Hawks. However, he was no longer eligible to sign a two-way contract in 2024/25.
Over the course of his NBA career, the 6’6″ wing boasts averages of 3.2 points, 2.1 rebounds and 0.8 dimes per game, with a shooting line of .425/.347/.800. The southpaw toggled between the NBA and the G League throughout the last four seasons.
In 29 career regular season G League appearances, Windler has averaged 13.0 points (on .462/.370/.653 shooting), 8.0 rebounds, 1.8 assists, and 1.0 steals per night. During his tenure in the G League, Windler played for the Canton/Cleveland Charge, the South Bay Lakers, and the Westchester Knicks.
Per Scotto, Windler is still the NBAGL record holder for the most rebounds pulled down over the course of a single game, with 33.
And-Ones: SLAM, 40 Under 40, Howard, Foster
SLAM founder Dennis Page and his now 30-year-old magazine earned the Curt Gowdy Transformative Media Award as part of the James Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame this year, reports Jason Jones of The Athletic.
The magazine was a major cultural force in the 1990s, and supplied a fresh, unique voice in the basketball media space. SLAM has sold over 300 million copies across its three decades of life thus far.
“We were really on the outside of the party looking in, and we just told people the party sucked,” Tony Gervino, the publication’s first editor-in-chief, said. “That’s why we were on the outside. We got into it, then we sort of roughed it up a bit.”
There’s more from around the basketball world:
- An exciting youth movement is afoot in the NBA. Mike Vorkunov of The Athletic lists 40 contemporary coaches, front office executives, managers, and influencers who are under 40 years old and are among the most important or influential figures in the game.
- A sexual assault lawsuit filed in Georgia against former eight-time All-Star and three-time Defensive Player of the Year Dwight Howard was dismissed by accuser Stephen Harper, reports Baxter Holmes of ESPN. Harper received no money to relinquish the suit, Howard’s lawyer Justin Bailey told Holmes. The suit stemmed from a 2021 encounter, which Howard maintained was consensual.
- Former Sixers and G League power forward Michael Foster Jr., now playing for Cangrejeros de Santurce in Puerto Rico, will suit up for the G League United in a pair of exhibition matches against Serbian club Mega Basket next month, the G League has announced (via Twitter).
Southwest Notes: Pelicans, Theis, Marshall, Mavericks
The Pelicans are set to hold a voluntary mini-camp ahead of the official start of their team training camp, reports Will Guillory of The Athletic (Twitter link). New Orleans is expected to have all but one member of its roster present at the mini-camp, which will take place next week in California.
The club is looking to build on its postseason success last year. New Orleans finished with a 49-33 record, its best finish since 2008/09. The team fell in its first play-in tournament game to the Lakers, but managed to survive the Kings and secure the West’s No. 8 seed. The Pelicans were quickly swept out of the playoffs by the No. 1-seeded Thunder.
Team president David Griffin wasn’t going to take the defeat lying down. He traded to acquire former All-Star combo guard Dejounte Murray from the Hawks, and is hoping New Orleans can bolster its backcourt defense. The Pelicans lost starting center Jonas Valanciunas to free agency, and questions remain about the fate of star forward Brandon Ingram. Ingram’s fit alongside All-Star forward Zion Williamson has long been in question. Ingram has yet to work out a contract extension with New Orleans this summer.
There’s more out of the Southwest Division:
- Newly-signed Pelicans center Daniel Theis isn’t expected to join his teammates in California for the team’s voluntary mini-camp, tweets Guillory. The 6’8″ big man inked a one-year, veteran’s minimum deal to join New Orleans this summer. Across 60 games for the Pacers and Clippers in 2023/24, Theis posted averages of 6.3 points, 4.1 rebounds, 1.0 assists and 0.9 blocks per night, with a shooting line of .532/.366/.760.
- In a mailbag, Mike Curtis of The Dallas Morning News reflected on how new addition Naji Marshall may be able to offset the free agency departure of starting swingman Derrick Jones Jr., noting that Marshall is a stronger long-range shooter and a solid passer, but not quite as good a defender or lob target.
- Elsewhere in the mailbag, Curtis says he sees the Mavericks’ three major roster acquisitions as overall improvements over role players Jones, Tim Hardaway Jr., and Josh Green. Beyond Marshall, Dallas added former Warriors All-Star wing Klay Thompson via sign-and-trade and obtained guard Quentin Grimes.
And-Ones: Whitehead, West Playoff Race, Holiday, Schröder
Former Nets shooting guard Isaiah Whitehead is reportedly joining Polish club Slask Wroclaw, according to Karol Wasiek of ZKrainyNBA.com (hat tip to Dario Skerletic of Sportando).
The 6’4″ swingman spent the 2023/24 season plying his trade for Israeli club Ironi Ness Ziona B.C., notching averages of 14.0 points, 4.6 assists per game, and four rebounds a night.
Whitehead was selected with the No. 42 overall pick by the Nets out of Seton Hall in 2016. Across two seasons with Brooklyn, the 29-year-old averaged 7.2 points on a .411/.305/.788 slash line, along with 2.4 boards and 2.4 dimes. He has been playing internationally since 2018.
There’s more from around the NBA world:
- In a new piece, The Athletic’s Zach Harper takes stock of a wide-open Western Conference, projecting which clubs have a realistic shot at winning it all in 2024/25. Harper also lays out a Hall of Fame case for Celtics guard Jrue Holiday. The 6’4″ vet has now won two NBA and Olympic titles as a key contributor, has racked up a pair of All-Star accolades and has earned six All-Defensive Team honors.
- Nets point guard Dennis Schröder recently took umbrage with Suns forward Kevin Durant’s critical post-Olympic tweet, seen as a shot at an initial Schröder comment, writes Lucas Kaplan of NetsDaily. Schröder, who recently starred in the Paris Olympics for Team Germany, praised European basketball as “straight IQ basketball,” while he called the U.S. brand of the game as “entertainment.” After winning a gold medal for Team USA, Durant attached the caption “ENTERTAINMENT & IQ” to a photo of the gold-winning team on his personal Twitter account. “You’re that type of a star and have to say something to a person like me, who [didn’t] even mean it to be negative, just what I see from both sides. I didn’t appreciate it — not even appreciate it, I don’t care,” Schröder said on Twitch (Twitter video link). “… To say that tells me how weak he is as a person, you know what I’m saying? … It is what it is. Not everybody is strong, not everybody is in a good place.”
- In case you missed it, we recently published projections for the maximum salaries, minimum salaries, and mid-level/bi-annual exceptions for the 2025/26 season.