Mobile Menu
HEADLINES

Bulls Rumors

Pistons Committed To Keeping Caldwell-Pope

April 16th, 2017 at 11:57am CST by Arthur Hill

The Pistons plan to match any offer that restricted free agent Kentavious Caldwell-Pope receives, according to Vince Ellis of The Detroit Free Press.

The organization is prepared to give the fourth-year shooting guard a maximum deal if that’s what it takes to keep him in Detroit, Ellis adds, with several sources saying he is an important part of the team’s future.

Caldwell-Pope averaged 13.8 points, 3.3 rebounds and 2.6 assists per game this season, but his numbers declined after the All-Star break. Ellis states that the Pistons may have viewed the situation differently if they were confident that Stanley Johnson was ready to become a starter, but they believe keeping Caldwell-Pope is vital and they wouldn’t be able to get an adequate replacement because of their cap situation.

Ellis touches on several other Pistons-related matters:

  • Trade talks involving Andre Drummond and Reggie Jackson will continue this offseason. Ellis states that the organization is becoming impatient with Drummond, with coach/executive Stan Van Gundy saying in Friday’s press conference that he needs a “sense of urgency to elevate his game.” Jackson’s drop in production stemmed from left knee tendinitis that plagued him throughout the season, and Ellis claims the only available replacement who might be an upgrade is the Suns’ Eric Bledsoe.
  • The Pistons believe they have enough young players and future first-rounders to acquire a star this offseason. There were rumors that Drummond was offered to the Kings for DeMarcus Cousins before he was sent to New Orleans, and a source told Ellis the Pistons contacted the Pacers about Paul George but never got close to a deal. George has another season left before he can opt out, and Detroit might be interested in taking the chance that it can re-sign him, but only if the price in a trade comes down. Other targets could include Jimmy Butler and Carmelo Anthony.
  • Although the Pistons might benefit from a franchise-altering move, Van Gundy said smaller deals are more realistic. “There’s a couple things we’d like to do and make us a little bit better, but I don’t think we’re broken” he said. “Getting our point guard situation back to where it was or even better is more than feasible and corrects a great deal of the problems we’re talking about. Our roster is pretty good from there.”
Retweet 10 Share 0 Send via email0

Latest On Carmelo Anthony

April 15th, 2017 at 9:13am CST by Arthur Hill

Knicks president Phil Jackson didn’t mince words when addressing his long-simmering dispute with Carmelo Anthony in a press conference Friday. Making his intentions clear to end their relationship, Jackson said, “I think the direction with our team, he’ll be better off somewhere else.”

The problem is that there’s no easy way for a break-up to occur. Anthony is under contract for $26,243,760 next season and $27,928,140 in 2018/19 with an early termination option. There is also a 15% trade kicker that must be paid by whatever team acquires him, along with a no-trade clause that Anthony can use to block any deal he doesn’t like.

With that in mind, several NBA writers have taken a look at where Anthony might wind up:

  • Anthony has three options for the offseason, writes Tom Ziller of SBNation. He can waive the no-trade clause and accept a deal, although Ziller says he shouldn’t feel obligated to do so just because Jackson wants him gone. He can submit a list of teams that he would agree to be traded to, which would presumably include joining friends LeBron James with the Cavaliers, Chris Paul with the Clippers or Dwyane Wade with the Bulls. Or he can make a stand and tell the Knicks that he won’t leave until his contract expires. Ziller favors the last option, noting that Anthony likes being in New York and has earned the power he obtained through the no-trade clause.
  • The Cavaliers, Clippers and Celtics, whom the Knicks reportedly contacted about moving Anthony before the February deadline, are listed as possible destinations by The New York Post, along with the Heat and Wizards.
  • Miami may have interest in Anthony, according to Ira Winderman of The Sun Sentinel, who notes that team president Pat Riley pursued the Knicks star in free agency three years ago. With more than $25MM expected to be freed in cap space once the Chris Bosh situation is resolved, Miami could add Anthony with a simple trade, and Winderman suggests Justise Winslow as a possibility. However, that would leave the team unable to re-sign James Johnson and Dion Waiters.
  • The Bulls “will steer completely clear of whatever Carmelo does,” predicts Nick Friedell of ESPN.com. In a video posted on CSNChicago.com, Friedell suggests that if Anthony had come to Chicago three seasons ago, Tom Thibideau probably would have been kept as coach and current Knicks Derrick Rose and Joakim Noah would still be with the Bulls.
Retweet 7 Share 0 Send via email0

2017 NBA Draft Lottery Odds

April 13th, 2017 at 8:37am CST by Luke Adams

With the NBA’s 2016/17 regular season now in the books, the odds for this year’s draft lottery have been set. With the help of our Reverse Standings, as well as information from LotteryBucket.com, here is the 2017 lottery order, along with each team’s chances of landing a top pick:

  1. Boston Celtics (via Brooklyn Nets)
    • No. 1: 25.0%
    • Top-3: 64.3%
    • Lowest pick: No. 4
    • Note: Celtics acquire pick due to ability to swap first-round picks with Nets.
  2. Phoenix Suns
    • No. 1: 19.9%
    • Top-3: 55.8%
    • Lowest pick: No. 5
  3. Los Angeles Lakers
    • No. 1: 15.6%
    • Top-3: 46.9%
    • Lowest pick: No. 6
    • Note: Pick will be sent to Sixers if not in top 3 (odds: 53.1%).
  4. Philadelphia 76ers
    • No. 1: 14.7%
    • Top-3: 45.3%
    • Lowest pick: No. 7
    • Note: Sixers have right to swap picks with Kings, so their No. 1 and top-3 odds are a little higher than they otherwise would be. No. 1 and top-3 odds for Sixers’ own pick are 11.9% and 37.8%, respectively.
  5. Orlando Magic
    • No. 1: 8.8%
    • Top-3: 29.12%
    • Lowest pick: No. 8
  6. Minnesota Timberwolves
    • No. 1: 5.3%
    • Top-3: 18.3%
    • Lowest pick: No. 9
    • Note: Timberwolves won tiebreaker with Knicks.
  7. New York Knicks
    • No. 1: 5.3%
    • Top-3: 18.2%
    • Lowest pick: No. 10
    • Note: Knicks lost tiebreaker with Timberwolves.
  8. Sacramento Kings
    • No. 1: N/A
    • Top-3: 2.5%
    • Lowest pick: No. 11
    • Note: Sixers have right to swap picks with Kings, rendering No. 1 pick impossible and greatly reducing odds of top-3 pick.
    • Note: Pick will be sent to Bulls if not in top 10 (odds: 0.01%).
  9. Dallas Mavericks
    • No. 1: 1.7%
    • Top-3: 6.1%
    • Lowest pick: No. 12
  10. New Orleans Pelicans
    • No. 1: 1.1%
    • Top-3: 4.0%
    • Lowest pick: No. 13
    • Note: Pick will be sent to Kings if not in top 3 (odds: 96.0%).
  11. Charlotte Hornets
    • No. 1: 0.8%
    • Top-3: 2.9%
    • Lowest pick: No. 14
  12. Detroit Pistons
    • No. 1: 0.7%
    • Top-3: 2.5%
    • Lowest pick: No. 14
  13. Denver Nuggets
    • No. 1: 0.6%
    • Top-3: 2.2%
    • Lowest pick: No. 14
  14. Miami Heat
    • No. 1: 0.5%
    • Top-3: 1.8%
    • Lowest pick: No. 14
Retweet 12 Share 0 Send via email0

Rajon Rondo Has “Significant” Wrist Injury

April 10th, 2017 at 9:22pm CST by ChrisCrouse

Rajon Rondo has missed the last three games with a wrist injury, including tonight’s tilt with the Magic, and it’s likely he misses the Bulls’ final regular season game against the Nets on Wednesday. Coach Fred Hoiberg described Rondo’s injury as “significant” when he addressed the media earlier today, as Nick Friedell of ESPN.com relays (ESPN Now link). Hoiberg’s comments came in the wake of Rondo visiting a hand specialist.

The Bulls currently own the eighth seed in the Eastern Conference with a record of 40-41. If Chicago makes the postseason, it could be battling one of the conference’s top teams without the availability of its best point guard.

Rondo signed with the Bulls during the offseason and although he got off to a rocky start with the club, he settled in as a solid contributor. Since being benched in late December, he’s averaged 8.2 points, 6.4 assists, and 1.5 steals per contest. He’s also found his stroke from behind the arc, something that’s plagued him during his entire career. He shot two 3-pointers per game since the calendar turned, making 41.9% of his attempts.

The 31-year-old point guard has one year and slightly less than $13.4MM left on his contract after this season. However, only $3MM of that amount is fully guaranteed. If Rondo isn’t waived before June 30, the entire amount becomes guaranteed.

Retweet 4 Share 0 Send via email0

New York Notes: Porzingis, Atkinson, Dinwiddie

April 8th, 2017 at 10:01pm CST by Arthur Hill

Kristaps Porzingis says Achilles tendinitis is responsible for a disappointing season, according to Marc Berman of The New York Post. The second-year big man began having Achilles pain at Christmas, and it has affected him ever since. “I was out there playing at a high level,” he said. “Then the injuries, little things [that] happened got me out of my rhythm. Then it was kind of on and off, some games good, some games not so good. I was trying to find that rhythm for a long time. Then the second part of the season, it was just a big fight for us and mentally tough. I think I grew from this season.’’

Porzingis has missed three straight games with back spasms and may not play again this season. Coach Jeff Hornacek said this week that he plans to be “careful” with how he uses the 21-year-old. If his season is over, Porzingis will finish with 66 games, six fewer than last year, while averaging 18.1 points and 7.2 rebounds per night.

There’s more tonight out of New York:

  • Porzingis should be prepared to inherit Carmelo Anthony‘s role as go-to guy next season, writes Al Iannazzone of Newsday. The Knicks are expected to make a concerted effort to trade Anthony this summer, and Porzingis seems like his logical successor. Iannazzone notes that Anthony and Derrick Rose dominated the ball this season, but both could be gone this summer.
  • First-year coach Kenny Atkinson offered gratitude and a promise to Nets fans after the team concluded its home schedule today, relays Brian Lewis of The New York Post. Brooklyn picked up its 20th win by rallying to play spoiler against the Bulls. “The crowd’s been outstanding considering we haven’t had a ton of wins and not fighting for a playoff spot,’’ Atkinson said. “The support’s been great. We understand we have to take another step next year, and they should demand that. That’s on us to get better this offseason.”
  • One of the players who helped pin the costly loss on the Bulls was point guard Spencer Dinwiddie, who was waived by Chicago in the preseason, notes Vincent Goodwill of CSNChicago. Dinwiddie scored Brooklyn’s final seven points of the game as the Nets erased a nine-point fourth quarter deficit. Dinwiddie came to the Bulls in a trade with the Pistons last June, but he was waived in July, then re-signed and was cut again in October. He signed with the Nets in early December.
Retweet 4 Share 0 Send via email0

Wade's Elbow OK After Return

April 8th, 2017 at 8:58pm CST by Arthur Hill
  • Dwyane Wade gave the Bulls a bit of good news in an otherwise horrible afternoon in Brooklyn, relays Nick Friedell of ESPN.com. Chicago dropped a key game in its pursuit of a playoff spot, but Wade was able to get through the contest with no pain in his right elbow. It was his first game since fracturing the elbow March 15th. “Elbow felt cool,” Wade said. “Just my legs, trying to get my legs back. And my wind back. But my elbow felt great.”
Retweet 5 Share 0 Send via email0

And-Ones: Robinson, Billups, Schedule, Alie-Cox

April 7th, 2017 at 4:57pm CST by Luke Adams

After briefly seeing some action for the Pelicans in two games last season, Nate Robinson hasn’t caught on with an NBA team in 2016/17. That doesn’t mean he has given up on the possibility of continuing his career though. Robinson, who is still just 32 years old (33 next month), tells Nina Mandell of USA Today Sports that he believes there’s no shortage of teams right now that could use him, including one of his former clubs.

“Playoff teams, that could use me right now: The Chicago Bulls for sure, I’m going to say them first because that was one of my favorite places to play,” Robinson said. “I was just disappointed they didn’t give me a contract that they should have after I helped them get to the playoffs (in 2013) and did everything that I did.”

While the odds of Robinson catching on with an NBA team this season are very slim, it’s possible a club will take a shot on the veteran free agent in the offseason — as he tells Mandell, Robinson is “not a money guy” and would play for free if he could, so he’d represent an inexpensive flier. For now, the 5’9″ guard continues to work out two or three times a day in hopes of attracting NBA interest.

Here are a few more odds and ends from around the basketball world:

  • Over at ESPN.com, Zach Lowe has an interesting piece on an outside-the-box proposal that would change the way late-game basketball situations played out, potentially reducing intentional fouling and speeding up the endings of games. The NBA isn’t ready to try the idea, even in the D-League, but the league will have an eye on The Basketball Tournament as it experiments with the new rule this summer.
  • In a conversation with Alex Kennedy of HoopsHype, Chauncey Billups discusses how the point guard position has changed since his NBA heyday, and shared his excitement about the new BIG3 league. As our comprehensive list shows, Billups will be playing on a BIG3 team this summer with Stephen Jackson and Charles Oakley.
  • NBA commissioner Adam Silver said today that the league hasn’t seriously discussed the idea of shortening the 82-game regular season, but ESPN’s Tom Haberstroh lays out the case for why it might be the league’s best move.
  • Former VCU basketball standout Mo Alie-Cox is attempting to earn a spot on an NFL roster. Zach Links has the story over at our sister site, Pro Football Rumors.
Retweet 5 Share 0 Send via email0

Potential 2017 RFAs Whose Qualifying Offers Will Be Impacted By Starter Criteria

April 7th, 2017 at 11:22am CST by Luke Adams

The NBA’s new Collective Bargaining Agreement, which will go into effect on July 1, 2017, includes a number of changes to the free agent process, including some that apply specifically to restricted free agents. However, one aspect of restricted free agency unaffected by the new CBA is what’s referred to as the “starter criteria,” which can affect how much an RFA’s qualifying offer will be worth.

Here’s how the starter criteria works: A player who is eligible for restricted free agency is considered to have met the starter criteria if he plays at least 2,000 minutes or starts 41 games in the season before he reaches free agency. A player can also meet the criteria if he averages either of those marks in the two seasons prior to his restricted free agency. For instance, if a player started 50 games in 2015/16 and 35 in 2016/17, he’d meet the starter criteria, since his average number of starts over the last two seasons exceeds 41.

A player’s ability or inability to meet the starter criteria can affect the value of the qualifying offer he receives as a restricted free agent, as follows:

  • A top-14 pick who does not meet the starter criteria will receive a qualifying offer equal to the amount the 15th overall pick would receive if he signed for 120% of the rookie scale.
  • A player picked between 10th and 30th who meets the criteria will receive a qualifying offer equal to the amount the ninth overall pick would receive if he signed for 120% of the rookie scale.
  • A second-round pick or undrafted player who meets the criteria will receive a qualifying offer equal to the amount the 21st overall pick would receive if he signed for 100% of the rookie scale.
  • For all other RFAs, the standard criteria determine the amounts of their qualifying offers.

Extending a qualifying offer to a player ensures that a team has the right of first refusal if he signs an offer sheet, and gives the player the option of signing that one-year QO. Generally, the value of a restricted free agent’s qualifying offer isn’t hugely important, since very few RFAs accept those offers outright. Still, those QOs can have an impact on a team’s salary cap outlook during July’s free agent period, so it’s worth checking in to see which potential RFAs will be eligible for higher or lower qualifying offers this summer.

Listed below are the top-14 picks on track for restricted free agency who have not met the starter criteria. These players will be eligible for qualifying offers worth $4,187,598.

Len and Noel had the worst QO luck this season. As the fifth and sixth overall picks in 2013, they would have been in line for qualifying offers worth about $6.4MM and $5.85MM, respectively. Instead, their QOs will be worth less than $4.2MM. Both players were very close to meeting the starter criteria too — they’ve started 77 games apiece in the past two years, so they’ll fall just short of the 82 required.

The players listed below are non-lottery first-round picks who will meet the starter criteria. That will make each of them eligible for a qualifying offer worth $4,588,840.

All four of these players were selected in the 20-26 range in the 2013 draft, and their QOs would’ve ranged from about $3.39MM to $3.22MM if they hadn’t met the starter criteria.

Here are the rest of the RFAs whose qualifying offers won’t necessarily be determined by the standard criteria:

  • Undrafted power forward JaMychal Green (Grizzlies) has met the starter criteria, putting him in line for a QO worth $2,820,497 instead of the more modest amount he would’ve received as a minimum-salary player.
  • Two players – Joe Ingles (Jazz) and Ben McLemore (Kings) – still have a chance to meet the starter criteria depending on how the season’s last four days play out. Ingles has played 1,848 minutes this season, meaning he would have to average about 38 MPG in Utah’s last four contests to reach 2,000, which is a tall order. McLemore may fall just short as well, as he currently sits at 79 starts over the last two seasons. He’ll need to start three of the Kings’ last four games in order to average 41 starts per year, but he has only been in Sacramento’s starting lineup twice since the start of March. (End-of-season update: Neither Ingles nor McLemore met the starter criteria.)
Retweet 8 Share 0 Send via email0

Dwyane Wade Plans To Return On Saturday

April 5th, 2017 at 4:45pm CST by Luke Adams

4:45pm: Wade intends to make his return to the court on Saturday for the Bulls’ game against the Nets, reports Vincent Goodwill of CSNChicago.com (Twitter link).

3:47pm: Dwyane Wade‘s recovery from a fractured right elbow continues to progress ahead of schedule, and there appears to be some optimism that the veteran guard could return to the Bulls before the end of the regular season, writes Nick Friedell of ESPN.com.

As K.C. Johnson of The Chicago Tribune tweets, the plan is to see how Wade’s elbow responds after he scrimmaged with the Bulls today. Then, Wade will practice in New York on Friday and the team will evaluate him after that time and make a determination on whether he can play before the regular season ends.

When Wade originally went down last month with his elbow injury, the Bulls announced that he’d miss the rest of the regular season. However, we heard last week that he had been working out in the hopes of returning for the playoffs, and now it seems he might get back onto the court even sooner than that.

“He says that he feels good,” teammate Jimmy Butler said of Wade. “Which he’s supposed to say because he wants to come back and play. I don’t want him to hurry back and re-injure it or make it worse, but I want him out there on the floor, so it’s kind of a ‘I want you back, but I don’t want you to jeopardize anything.'”

It will be an interesting summer for Wade, who will have to make a decision on his player option for 2017/18 and could land with a new team if he turns it down. If there’s a risk of re-injuring his elbow by returning too early, that’s something he’ll have to consider, but he’s presumably eager to help the Bulls make a push for a playoff spot.

Currently, Chicago sits at 38-40, putting the team in a tie for the No. 7 seed in the Eastern Conference. The Pacers are also 38-40, while the Heat (37-40) and Hornets (36-42) remain in the postseason hunt.

Retweet 8 Share 0 Send via email0
Load More Posts