Chicago Bulls Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Zach LaVine May Not Return Until January

December 5th, 2017 at 12:51pm CST by Luke Adams

While there’s still no specific target date for Zach LaVine‘s debut with the Bulls, he appears likely to return from his ACL injury in January rather than December, according to dispatches from K.C. Johnson of The Chicago Tribune and Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times.

Speaking today to reporters, including Johnson and Cowley, Bulls head coach Fred Hoiberg said that LaVine is still practicing every other day — that schedule figures to remain in place for another week or two. After that, the fourth-year guard will need to show that he’s capable of handling an everyday practice schedule before the Bulls are ready to have him appear in a game.

“The big thing is he needs to string together a good 10 days of practice to where he’s not going every other day,” Hoiberg said of LaVine. “I would say the next 10 days is not going to happen. He’s still going to be on the every other day program at least for another 10 days to two weeks, and then we’ll take it from there as far as getting him consecutive-day workouts, and then get him back shortly after that.”

There should be no rush for the Bulls to get LaVine back into their lineup, despite the fact that he was one of the key pieces acquired in June’s Jimmy Butler blockbuster. The club currently holds the NBA’s worst record, at 3-19, and is a much stronger contender for the No. 1 overall pick than for a playoff spot. LaVine will be a restricted free agent in 2018, at which point the Bulls are expected to lock him up to a long-term deal, so it’s more important that he’s healthy and productive in future seasons.

Once LaVine is ready to make his Bulls debut, he’ll likely start off by playing about 12 to 18 minutes per night, Hoiberg said today.

Central Notes: Thompson, Wade, Mirotic, LaVine

December 3rd, 2017 at 10:57am CST by Arthur Hill

Along with Derrick Rose‘s reported desire to rejoin the Cavaliers, coach Tyronn Lue will have another lineup decision to make when Tristan Thompson becomes healthy enough to return, writes Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com. Thompson, who moved into the starting lineup after beginning the season as a reserve, has been sidelined since early November with a strained left calf. He hopes to start playing sometime this week, though probably not in the Cavs’ next game, which is tomorrow.

Cleveland was just 1-4 with Thompson as a starter and has been more successful with a smaller lineup featuring Kevin Love at center. With Jae Crowder joining Love, LeBron James, J.R. Smith and Jose Calderon in the starting five, the Cavaliers, who have won 11 in a row, can put five shooters on the floor together. Lue noted Saturday that the team is 15-3 with Love as the starting center, so Thompson may have to adapt to a reserve role.

There’s more this morning from the Central Division:

He may be biased, but James is endorsing teammate Dwyane Wade for Sixth Man of the Year, relays Joe Vardon of Cleveland.com. Wade signed with the Cavaliers after agreeing to a buyout with the Bulls shortly before training camp. He was a starter for the first three games, but asked to come off the bench and has excelled as the leader of the second unit, averaging 12.3 points and 4.0 assists in 23.5 minutes in the new role. “Team success is always up there with winning an award, that’s just my personal opinion,” James said. “Then the impact you make on that second lineup, or whatever lineup that you’re in.”
The Bulls will get some much-needed help with the impending return of Nikola Mirotic and Zach LaVine, writes K.C. Johnson of The Chicago Tribune. Mirotic is expected back this week after healing from facial fractures he suffered during a preseason skirmish with teammate Bobby Portis. Mirotic will likely join Portis as part of the second unit. The team is being more cautious with LaVine, who is recovering from a torn ACL. He is expected to start playing in late December or early January. “You can get excited watching him,” said executive VP John Paxson. “He has moments where his athleticism makes you go, ‘Wow, this would really help us on the court.’ But we have to make sure as he comes back that he’s really good to go. And even then we’re going to be cautious with his minutes.”
Bulls guard David Nwaba returned Friday, even though he says his sprained right ankle hasn’t fully healed, Johnson relays in a separate story. Nwaba had earned a starting spot before the injury, which sidelined him for nearly all of November. He’ll probably return to a reserve role, especially with LaVine expected back.

Embiid Bonus Could Affect Sixers’ Cap Space

December 2nd, 2017 at 11:06pm CST by Arthur Hill

Joel Embiid‘s strong start could lead to a bonus that would affect the Sixers’ ability to compete on the free agent market next summer, writes Bobby Marks of ESPN.

The second-year center signed a five-year extension over the summer that has a base value of $146MM, but could rise as high as $178MM if he reaches certain benchmarks. That includes a hefty bonus if he is named Most Valuable Player or earns first-team All-NBA honors this season. Embiid, who came into tonight averaging 22.9 points and 11.3 rebounds per game, is certainly a candidate to make the All-NBA team at center, especially with the injury to Rudy Gobert and the move of Anthony Davis to power forward.

The bonus would raise Embiid’s cap hit from $25.3MM to $30.3MM for 2018/19 and would cost Philadelphia $5MM in cap space for each subsequent year of the contract. The Sixers have nearly $32MM in projected cap room right now, not counting $1.6MM team options for T.J. McConnell and Richaun Holmes, so $5MM could affect their ability to offer a full max contract.

Emiid’s contract also contains a minutes clause that could boost his future earnings. He can make his contract fully guaranteed starting in 2020/21 or 2021/22 if he plays at least 1,650 minutes in three consecutive years or three out of four starting with this season. He has accumulated 532 minutes in 18 games, putting him on pace to reach that figure for this year.

Marks passes on a few other tidbits related to contract incentives:

The punch from Bobby Portis that hospitalized Nikola Mirotic has cost the Bulls forward $1MM in bonuses. Mirotic had four benchmarks valued at $250K each, and although each was unlikely, he needed to play 65 games to be eligible and he has already missed 20.
Nets guard Jeremy Lin, who played just one game this season before needing knee surgery, missed a chance to earn several bonuses worth $750K.
Nuggets forward Paul Millsap has a $500K incentive for making the All-Star team, which is impossible after wrist surgery that will keep him sidelined until after the February 18 game. Millsap had been an All-Star the past four seasons in the East. He also would receive a $150K bonus for playing 65 games and averaging seven rebounds per 36 minutes, but that’s out of reach because of the injury. He can still get $150K if the Nuggets make the playoffs, but for now his cap hit for next season will be cut from $29.7MM to $29.2MM.
Gobert took the biggest hit because of injury, which could cost him up to $2MM. The Jazz center, who is not expected back until the middle of the month because of a bone bruise in his right knee, had a pair of $250K incentives based on 67 games played, along with a $500K bonus for being named first team All-Defense and $1MM for making the All-Star game.
Hawks center Dewayne Dedmon needs his scoring and rebounding averages to total more than 16 to collect a $900K bonus. He was at 11.1 PPG and 7.8 RPG before his recent injury.
The Trail Blazers could see a smaller luxury tax bill if Maurice Harkless continues to struggle with his three-point shot. Currently shooting 24.3% from distance, Harkless needs to reach 35% at the end of the season to get a $500K bonus. If he falls short, Portland’s tax bill will dip from $4.3MM to $3.5MM.

Jimmy Butler Trade Paying Dividens

December 1st, 2017 at 5:51pm CST by Austin Kent

The draft day trade that sent Jimmy Butler from Chicago to Minnesota is starting to pay dividends for the Bulls, Steve Aschburner of NBA.com writes. With Zach LaVine‘s return nearing, the overall haul the franchise got in return for its outgoing star is starting to round in to shape.

Both Lauri Markkanen and Kris Dunn have shown that they could be long-term Bulls building blocks in their own right, the former stepping up with 13.8 points and 7.6 rebounds per game as a rookie and the latter showing the sheer, raw promise that made him such a highly touted lottery pick in the 2016 NBA Draft.

Markkanen’s emergence has come quicker than expected thanks largely in part to the double-whammy that hit the Bulls prior to the regular season. When Bobby Portis decked Nikola Mirotic in practice before the season opener, the 20-year-old Finn was thrust into the starting lineup. To this point, he hasn’t looked back.

Bulls Assign Kay Felder To G League

December 1st, 2017 at 2:54pm CST by Luke Adams

The Bulls have assigned point guard Kay Felder to the Windy City Bulls, the team announced in a press release. Felder joins teammates Nikola Mirotic and Zach LaVine, who are rehabbing injuries with Chicago’s G League affiliate.

Bulls Send Nikola Mirotic, Zach LaVine To G League For Workouts

November 30th, 2017 at 11:00pm CST by Austin Kent

The Bulls assigned a pair of rehabilitating veterans to their G League affiliate, K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune tweets. Nikola Mirotic worked out with the Windy City team while Zach LaVine had an individual workout.

Mirotic Admits Memory Loss; LaVine's Return Not Close

November 29th, 2017 at 9:45pm CST by Arthur Hill

Bulls forward Nikola Mirotic admitted to having memory loss after being punched by teammate Bobby Portis, relays Vincent Goodwill of NBC Sports Chicago. Mirotic met with the media today and publicly forgave Portis for the skirmish that left him hospitalized with two facial fractures. He said the organization reached out to him in the wake of the incident, as head coach Fred Hoiberg and assistant Jim Boylen visited him in the hospital and GM Gar Forman made several calls.

Mirotic and Zach LaVine will get some work in the G League before they take the court for the Bulls, according to K.C. Johnson of The Chicago Tribune. Both players are practicing with the team’s Windy City affiliate while the Bulls are on a road trip. Hoiberg said a late-December return is most likely for LaVine, who is recovering from an ACL tear he suffered last season. “He didn’t do a lot [at Tuesday’s practice],” Hoiberg said of LaVine. “He was really sore, especially in the hamstrings and quads. He’s itching to get back. He’s a competitor. But we have to be really careful about not overloading him.”
Business decisions have taken Dwyane Wade to unexpected places over the past two seasons, but he tells Ira Winderman of the Sun-Sentinel that he’s happy to be with the Cavaliers. After 13 years in Miami, Wade signed with the Bulls in 2016, then came to Cleveland this season after to agreeing to a buyout with Chicago just before training camp. “Obviously, you don’t know what’s going to happen from day to day,” Wade said. “This career path we all chose in the NBA, you just don’t know what’s going to happen with it. For me, I’m OK and I’m content with what I’ve done for 13 years. Did I think it was gonna shake out this way? No. But I’m not sitting here crying about it neither.”

Mirotic Accepts Portis’ Apology, Ready To Move Forward

November 29th, 2017 at 2:03pm CST by Luke Adams

Bulls power forward Nikola Mirotic confirmed to reporters today that he has accepted Bobby Portis‘ apology for the punch Portis threw last month. However, Mirotic’s follow-up suggested that the relationship still isn’t overly friendly. Asked if he had told Portis he’d accepted his apology, Mirotic responded, “I guess he will know now,” per Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times.

Mirotic’s comments to reporters today represented the first time he has spoken to the media since last month’s altercation. The 26-year-old, who continues to recover from facial injuries suffered as a result of Portis’ punch, declined to discuss the specifics of that incident, telling the media that he wants to focus on the future, writes Madeline Kennedy of The Chicago Sun-Times. That includes working alongside Portis.

“If I’m here, it’s because I want to support the team. He’s a part of the team. I’m going to support him too.” Mirotic said of Portis, according to K.C. Johnson of The Chicago Tribune. “Bobby and me and all the team is doing what we’re supposed to do, being professional. I think so far we’re doing good. We’re in a good way.”

While Mirotic is saying the right things and sounds ready to “be professional” with Portis, I expect he would still be willing to waive his no-trade clause when he becomes eligible to be dealt on January 15. There’s no indication yet that the Bulls are considering a move, but Mirotic’s camp reportedly issued an ultimatum last month, expressing a desire for him to be dealt if Portis remains on the roster. Asked today about that request, Mirotic sidestepped the subject, as Cowley details.

“I just know that right now the only goal – [the] Bulls’ goal and my goal – is to make me get back with the team and practice together and get my strength back and as soon as I can, play with the team,” Mirotic said when he was asked about the reported ultimatum. When a reporter asked if he wants to be traded, Mirotic replied, “I’m really excited to be back. That’s all I can tell. That’s something my agent can tell you.”

Although the situation may not be entirely resolved, Mirotic’s stance is good news for the Bulls — as long as the 6’10” forward isn’t demanding a trade out of Chicago, the Bulls will retain some leverage should they decide to explore a deal.

As for Mirotic’s potential 2017/18 debut, head coach Fred Hoiberg indicated today that it’s not clear yet whether the big man will be back next week, but said the team is hoping he’ll be ready to go after participating in a few more practices (link via Nick Friedell of ESPN).

Mirotic Practices, Will Travel To Denver

November 27th, 2017 at 8:19pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Bulls power forward Nikola Mirotic participated in practice on Monday and will travel with the team to Denver later this week, Vincent Goodwill of NBCSports.com in Chicago reports. Mirotic practiced with teammates for the first time since Bobby Portis punched him last month, resulting in facial injuries and a concussion. Coach Fred Hoiberg is hopeful Mirotic and Portis can coexist, as he told Goodwill and other media members, even though little to no progress has been made regarding their feud. “It is important to get those guys communicating, which I think we’re all confident will happen,” Hoiberg said. “The important thing is getting Niko back on the floor and with the team.”

Feud Between Mirotic, Portis Still Simmering

November 26th, 2017 at 3:16pm CST by Arthur Hill

With Nikola Mirotic getting closer to his return to the court, there has been no progress toward resolving his feud with Bobby Portis, reports Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times.

A preseason altercation between the Bulls teammates left Mirotic hospitalized with two broken facial bones. His recovery has gone well and he was able to increase his activity this week at the team facility.

“Niko had a really good week of workouts,’’ coach Fred Hoiberg said. “He’s continuing to ramp up his activity. He had good strength workouts and he’s increasing his workload on the floor, so we’re hoping to get him back with the team shortly.’’

Still, Hoiberg isn’t sure when the fourth-year forward might be cleared to start practicing again.

Complicating that process is Mirotic’s resentment toward Portis. His representatives reportedly told the team earlier this month that Portis had to be traded before he would return to the team. If that doesn’t happen, Mirotic would be willing to waive his no-trade clause so that he can be dealt when he becomes eligible in mid-January.

Mirotic’s camp hasn’t pressed that demand since first making it, but it remains in place, according to Cowley.

The Bulls, who don’t see a strong trade market for either player, continue to hope that a truce can be worked out. VP of basketball operations John Paxson has stressed that the priority is what’s best for the organization, and the preference from the front office is that Portis and Mirotic find a way to get through the season so any trade can take place next summer.